Plasticizer for underfloor heating: how to increase the strength of the screed?

Plasticizer for underfloor heating is a highly effective reinforcing additive for filling the floor, which increases the mobility and spreadability of the floor building mixture, which acquires a dense and homogeneous structure. Due to this, the process of leveling the floor is facilitated, and the surface as a result becomes smooth. The main action of the plasticizer is to increase the solubility of cement clinker and the interaction with cement particles. During the last chemical reaction, the particles of cement are repelled, which as a result reduces the number of air pores, reduces the amount of water and finally plasticizes the mixture.

Why use a plasticizer at all?

A plasticizer is used as the basis for multifunctional compositions and dry building mixtures having a wide range of applications. In the manufacture of mortars and concrete, including cellular with high performance, also for the production of concrete products, etc.

Plasticizer for heated floors gives the screed increased strength

Plasticizer for heat-insulated floors will come to a coupler increased strength characteristics

Plasticizer Properties:

Acts as an inhibitor, acting as a moderator of corrosion processes caused by high chloride content.
It makes it possible to obtain waterproof and high-density concrete.
In small doses increases strength characteristics, and nothing more.
It is used as an antifrosty admixture (up to -25 ° C).
When potassium nitrate is added to the concrete mixture in an amount of 5% of the total mass, the plasticizer neutralizes it and no salt formation is observed.
When plasticizer is added to the solution in small doses, a long-term increase in strength occurs, without reducing the permeability and porosity of concrete. The setting time of Portland cement with a low soluble alkali content is also significantly reduced.

Important! A plasticizer for screed floor heating is a very complex chemical substance in its composition, and therefore it should be added to the solution in exactly the quantities indicated in the instructions for its use.

The effect of plasticizer on concrete:

reduced setting time at the end of work, as well as when leveling floor slabs or when cultivating finished elements;
when using subsequent batches of the solution creates a low pressure;
increases the rate of solidification, but at the same time slows down the setting time for solutions with a low ratio of cement / water;
during long-term transportation, liquid cement, which contains a plasticizer, can be activated with potassium nitrate, which is added to the drum of the concrete mixer;
when concreting in the cold season, accelerated hardening prevents rapid hardening, which is preceded by significant heat generation due to hydration;
when plasticizer is added, the result is self-compacting with high strength hydraulic concrete.

Plasticizer for screed floor heating provides its heat resistance

The plasticizer compacts the concrete product, which contributes to its accelerated process of self-accumulation, that is, the pore space self-closes, and there is also a process of preventing salt formation at the stage of its use

This substance not only increases the compressive strength of the product, but also the speed of its set, which allows the forming of concrete products in 12 hours, without defects and chips. Therefore, it is even possible to use lower quality grades of cement.Plasticizer almost 100% reacts chemically with cement without causing side effects.

Application procedure

Stage 1

The introduction of the plasticizer into the concrete mix occurs simultaneously with other components: cement, water, aggregate, plasticizer. Then it is necessary to mix all the ingredients in a concrete mixer for one and a half hours, as a result a homogeneous cement suspension will be obtained.

Stage 2

The resulting mixture can be used to fill floors for various purposes: industrial floors, warm, public, etc. The most important thing is to evenly distribute the solution on the surface of the base.

Stage 3

The most important thing is to give the ready-made, albeit liquid floor, solidify well before use. After 7 days it will already be possible to walk on it, and after 14 - to install furniture. Complete drying and hardening of the floor is observed on the 20th day after pouring it.

Manufacturer's instructions (click to enlarge)

With the invention of the plasticizer, most sex masters lost their headaches, now the process of laying concrete screeds has become much faster and easier. Previously, after filling the floor, it was necessary to process it with special rakes with long thin needles to remove the remaining air bubbles. Now this and other operations the concrete mixture performs itself, and this is due to the use of plasticizer.

Rate this article:

(8 votes, average: 4.3 out of 5)

Do not answer

5 comments

Sort:

Ascending

Anton
2 years ago

I'm sorry, about 1.5 hours in the mixer, this is not too much? I have to knead 7 m3 of the solution. How do you propose to implement this ??)))
To answer
1. Viktor Kaplouhy
  2 years ago
  
  Of course, an error crept in here. You yourself understand that the mixing time depends on the volume and design of the concrete mixer, its rotation speed, the proportions of the starting components, their moisture content, flowability, etc., therefore, it is only possible to determine exactly how long the process will take based on experiment. And, of course, when using small concrete mixers (with a drum volume of not more than 200 l), the conversation will be about minutes. In most cases, for concrete to become homogeneous, 10 minutes is enough.
  To answer
Marina
6 years ago

Please tell me where to buy a plasticizer for pouring a warm floor in Moscow and the region? Thank.
To answer
Andrew
6 years ago

I also used a plasticizer when building an extension to a private house, namely when installing underfloor heating there. Then I still knew little about the technology of screed for underfloor heating and often added this chemical to the solution “by eye”. So far, no negative effects have been noticed, but not so much time has passed. In general, having suffered with this construction site, I realized that any business needs to be trusted to professionals and then there will be no need to rack their brains on how to do something right, or to correct what has already been done wrong. In short, even with such good chemistry, which greatly simplifies many work, let professionals manage it.
To answer
Roots
6 years ago

As they say live a century - learn a century. When I read in an article about the properties of a plasticizer, I took notes. With it, the process of laying the screed is so simplified, the strength increases. Now I understand why it was called that way, those repairs that were problematic with a plasticizer are greatly simplified, made as if plastic.
To answer