How to lay a tile on the floor in the presence of differences in height
There is a concrete base in the hallway and in the kitchen. I want to lay a tile. The floor in the corridor is without differences, in the kitchen there is a difference of 3 cm down towards the window. What coverage do I need in my case?
Sergei.
Expert Answer
Good day, Sergey!
You can prepare the floor for laying ceramic tiles in your conditions in one of two ways - using a self-leveling mixture or arranging a new sand-cement screed. It all depends on your budget, skills and experience. If the latter is not enough, but there is no problem with free money, then it is worth choosing the option using purchased self-flowing mixtures. In this case, to equalize the height of the floor before gluing the tiles, you just need to properly prepare the composition and, following the technology, pour the concrete base. If you want to save, you will have to roll up your sleeves and begin the more laborious work of constructing a new screed. In this case, you will need sand and a couple of bags of cement.
Having chosen the appropriate option, do not rush to immediately begin “wet” work. The first thing you need to do is prepare the old concrete surface. And let this stage not seem simple and trifling to you. Remember that quality work done in the future will prevent peeling and destruction of the material.
First, remove all excess from the kitchen and thoroughly clean the floor of debris and dust. Remove the cracked and exfoliated pieces of the old coating - let the surface be uneven, the main thing is to ensure its solidity. After this, it is necessary to impregnate the concrete with a deep penetration primer, for example, using the ST-19 Betoncontact company Ceresit or Primer No. 6 from Artisan.
When buying a self-leveling mixture, choose formulations for primary, rough processing, specifically designed to create thick coatings. From our own experience we can recommend you cheap BERGhome P42, GLIMS S-Line or CREPS TP formulations. Of the more expensive, you can take GLIMS Heavy Duty, which, among other things, has excellent waterproofing capabilities. When determining the amount of material required, note that to increase the level of 1 square. m of floor per 1 mm will need 2 kg of dry mix.
The composition should be prepared in full accordance with the instructions on the package. Filling is best done in one step, rolling the surface with a special needle roller to remove air bubbles. Best of all, if you involve assistants in this work, you should fill the floor as quickly as possible.
When arranging a new cement-sand screed, pay special attention to the layout. It is best to set the floor level using the laser level - it will give the necessary projection on all walls. Be sure to install floor beacons. They will make the floor base perfectly smooth, and in the near future will save a lot of time and effort when laying tiles. In addition, on a more even surface, the consumption of tile glue is significantly reduced, and this is another opportunity to save a little.
