Do-it-yourself floor overhaul in the apartment

Repair of the floor in the apartment: complete and partial replacement of the floor covering. DIY floor repair instructions

When an apartment has an ugly, shabby floor, then the whole impression of a good renovation or beautiful furniture will be lost. But this kind of work - replacing the floor covering - is a very time-consuming process, which is not easy to decide on. But a simple change of decorative coating will only give the result of a cosmetic renovation. Invisible processes will continue and, as a result, you will have to spend much more effort and money to restore the damaged coating. Let us consider in detail the algorithm for repairing the floor in the dwelling, the procedure for carrying out the procedure on our own.

If the floor covering is not laid on logs, but on a concrete base, pay attention to the advice of specialists. If the floor covering is worn out and requires replacement, then it is necessary to carry out the following manipulations:

• Whatever material is the base of the floor, you need to remove the damaged fragments. If it's linoleum, there is a fun way to make a patch out of a new one. To do this, the old piece must be attached to the roll and cut along the border of the patch.
• Tiles that move or have fallen off should be removed.
• The places from which the damaged fragments were removed must be freed from debris and dust. Carefully using auxiliary tools, clean the surface of the old material.
• The substrate may be damaged, in which case it is necessary to prepare a new solution and troubleshoot.
• After the concrete has dried, patches can be laid, be it linoleum, tiles or other material. For this, glue, solution or other required mixture is used.

Sometimes it happens that the entire concrete base requires restoration. In this case, it is necessary to perform a screed. If the surface of the concrete base is uneven, bumpy, then it should be leveled, this will affect the finish coating and spoil it. Linoleum will become unusable and may tear, repeating the bends of the concrete pavement, the tile will sway due to different levels of the floor.

To avoid such troubles, you should level the surface of the concrete slabs on which the floor covering will be laid. This should be done like this:

• first you need to remove the old coating, if any, the substrate, debris and dust;
• ideally, the base of the floor must be waterproofed, it is overlapped and reinforced along the walls;
• if you do not use waterproofing, it is necessary to take into account such an important point - the concrete solution should be poured onto a pre-moistened surface, this will allow the material to "grab" better;
• when leveling the surface, to give it perfect evenness, beacons and a building level should be used;
• after the concrete surface has dried, it is covered with any material.

When repairing wood flooring, it is necessary to revise the entire floor and remove the damaged boards. The floor area is treated with special solutions against fungus, those places that are exposed to moisture are protected from water using special waterproofing materials. If cracks are formed as a result of the drying out of the tree, you need to do the following work:

• polish the surface with special equipment;
• prime and clean the cracks;
• cover the floor surface with nitro varnish;
• after the solution has dried, cover with a finishing agent.

If laminate or ceramic tiles have fallen into disrepair, you should try to mask minor damage. The wax crayon is capable of repairing scratches on laminate flooring. Specially formulated pastes mask minor imperfections. If the laminate is swollen or damaged, it must be replaced. If chips and cracks form on the tiles, you can try to apply cement laitance and hide the defects. But if the damage is significant, affecting the aesthetic appearance of the room, the tile must be replaced.

When repairing linoleum on your own, you must remember that it is possible to repair the floor surface from such a material.

If the linoleum is swollen, cracked, or torn, you can do this:

• inject the glue with a syringe into the place of damage;
• place the load and let it stand for several days;
• if the result is not satisfactory, replace the site with a new one.

In case of failure of the carpet, you should use spare elements:

• cut out the damaged area, glue the patch;
• edges are treated with special glue to prevent fraying;
• ideally the grain pattern and direction should be considered.

For stone flooring, it is necessary to carry out the following actions:

• cracks, chips are leveled with a grinding technique, after which the surface is polished;
• polishing helps to make the coating protected from dirt;
• it is possible to do such actions with the result when the depth of cracking is not more than half a centimeter.

If you have decided to completely replace the floor covering in your apartment and even change the material, pay attention to the new product on the construction market - OSB panels. Replacing the wooden version of the planks with floors made of this material is a fairly practical result. Floor covering made of OSB boards deserves attention, since the floor is of high quality, durable and practical. The surface is not afraid of moisture and does not accumulate it inside. Using plates, you can achieve the following result:

• perfectly level the surface, which allows you to use any, even the most delicate and sensitive coating;
• high sound insulation allows you to absorb noise;
• two tasks are solved simultaneously - insulation and waterproofing are performed.

OSB boards can be used both on a cement floor and on logs. Covering with material is not difficult. The panels are easy to cut to the required dimensions. For work, you should prepare a tool:

• plane;
• rubber hammer;
• building level;
• electrofreza.

Plates can be a finishing surface or a base for any material.

The advantage of using OSB - boards is:

• ease of use;
• one slab is capable of covering a large area of ​​the room;
• the speed of laying the coating;
• resistance to mechanical stress.

After deciding to replace the floor or overhaul it, it is necessary to decide on the scale of work and the plan of repair measures. If we talk about replacing the floor surface in an apartment, it should be noted that the basis is a reinforced concrete floor slab. Then there may be differences, in some apartments the floor covering is located on the logs, in others it is laid on a concrete screed.

Wood floors are susceptible to deterioration and wear. The first manifestations are considered to be creaking, "loosening" of some boards, there may be a smell of dampness, cracks between the fragments of the floor.

Not only the top coating can deteriorate, but also the screed, especially if the quality of work was not of the highest level. Extraneous sound may appear when driving, "walk" the coating.

A complex of manifestations indicates the need to replace the floor.

Provided that the defects in the coating are insignificant, it is possible to replace the floor material in part:

• The surface is cleaned from the old layer of paint or varnish. This is easier to do with the help of a special technique - a grinding machine.
• Damaged boards should be removed.
• After that, the entire floor surface is checked for the quality of nailing. They pull out the old, deformed ones so that the boards hold well, it is recommended to use self-tapping screws.
• If there are small distances between the boards, the gaps are sealed with a putty for wooden surfaces, it is possible to cover the places where the nails enter the base of the floor.
• If the gaps are large, chips can be stuffed into the gaps, they can also be covered with putty and the place of restoration can be rubbed.
• After the filler material has dried, the floors are sanded manually or with a machine.
• When the work is completed, the floor surface is covered with paint or varnish.

You can restore the floor in the apartment, provided that the floorboards are fastened, in this way:

• first you need to listen in which area of ​​the room the creak is heard;
• wedges must be driven in between the board and the beam;
• this must be done carefully so as not to loosen the floorboard;
• a place for screws is drilled in the floorboards, they are screwed at a slight angle and a beam;
• these manipulations can get rid of the annoying squeak.

If it is necessary to restore only the appearance of the coating, this can be done quickly and easily:

• if it is not possible to take out the furniture and vacate the room, the repair work will be carried out in two stages: first, on one side of the room, then the furniture is transferred to the repaired part of the room and the second half of the room is repaired;
• now it is necessary to use a machine for scraping the floor, it makes no sense to buy equipment for the sake of one time, you can rent it for the duration of the work;
• you can do this work by hand, but it takes a lot of effort, time and sandpaper;
• after sealing small seams and final leveling, I varnish the cleanly wiped and dry floor;
• it is recommended to use two or three coats of varnish, beforehand give time for the layer to dry.

Partial restoration of the floor in the apartment will allow you to get rid of the defect and not spend a lot of time on fixing it.

Before starting work, it is necessary to empty the room completely: take out the furniture, remove paintings, if possible, lamps and chandeliers. The work is very dusty and if it is carried out in stages, then reliable and sealed dust protection for other areas should be provided. It is good if the room has a door, but it is advisable to hang it with an additional damp cloth, place a roller at the bottom. This will help protect the rest of the rooms slightly from dust spreading. This will not give a special effect, and if other family members live in the apartment, it is better to move them to another place during the repair work.

The procedure for dismantling the flooring is as follows:

The most common question that arises during the restoration of the floor is whether it is worth dismantling the entire coating in case of fragmentary destruction of the material. If you are starting such a global business, you need to completely replace the coating. Perhaps the process of decay or destruction has affected all areas of the floor, but so far this is not visually noticeable. So that you do not have to re-dismantle the coating after a while, spend time and energy on the global restoration of the entire room.

Even an inexperienced builder can repair the floor in an apartment with his own hands. Step-by-step instructions in the video will allow you to understand such concepts as partial and complete replacement of the coating when carrying out repairs. After watching the video, there will be no questions left on the correct replacement of the floor or surface restoration.

To create a quality indoor flooring, it is necessary to repair the subfloor. Regardless of the reasons for the repair work, the floor is always examined for irregularities and cracks at the beginning. This allows you to evaluate and plan future events, aligning their scope with your own budget.

Renovation in an apartment or a private house includes one of the most time-consuming processes of performing work related to the renovation of the floor. A step-by-step flooring installation guide helps you tackle this daunting task. You must first prepare the surface of the base, and then choose the most suitable option for arranging the floor in a particular room.

For high-quality preparation for carrying out repair work on the arrangement of the floor in the apartment with your own hands, you must complete the following main steps:

1. Remove any decorative finish (paint or varnish) from the wood flooring.
2. Inspect the coating of the boards, removing all elements destroyed by rot and replace with new ones.
3. Check the fastening of the elements to the logs by duplicating all the boards with screws or nails.
4. Fill up the shallow cracks with wood putty using a putty knife, at the same time hiding the caps of the fasteners that were sunk in advance.
5. Close all the cracks found with wooden blanks, suitable for the size of the cracks, and then fix them with putty.

For a more thorough cleaning of the wood floor surface, it is recommended to use a sander. The final surface treatment is done with a putty. The places where it is applied are carefully cleaned, for which sandpaper is used. Having made a preliminary cleaning of the coating, you should re-walk over it with a sander. After that, all that remains is to remove debris from the floor, wipe the surface and dry it.

When carrying out preparatory work, you should pay attention to the integrity of the boards from which the flooring is made. If it has become unusable, then it is better to dismantle all the wooden elements and discard the worn out boards. Then a complete replacement of the wooden floor is made, consisting of elements connected in a "lock", which greatly facilitates the installation of the flooring.

If, after a preliminary inspection, it turned out that most of the floorboards were in disrepair, then the plank floor will need to be completely dismantled. To replace worn-out floorboards and strengthen loose ones, it is necessary to carry out the work related to the overhaul of wooden floors in stages. Its scheme includes the following main stages:

1. Remove old paintwork from floorboards with a sander.
2. Replace unusable boards with more reliable ones, checking the way they are attached to the logs.
3. Nail down wooden floorboards or fix with self-tapping screws.
4. Cover the cracks with wood putty.
5. Rub the areas treated with putty with sandpaper and remove all debris.
6. Cover the floor with varnish or paint.

Thanks to modern technologies, it is possible to create truly reliable and environmentally friendly structures with increased strength. The tight connection of the boards to each other is carried out using a tongue-and-groove. All joints are reinforced with an adhesive.

Having completed the laying of a new coating, you should decide on the choice of finishing finishing material. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Many do not use varnish-and-paint materials, but cover the plank floors with linoleum or carpet.

If the condition of the old wooden floor is critical, then you can perform a simple replacement of the boards, then you will need to use a putty. In order to carry out a high-quality floor repair, it is necessary to fill in a concrete screed. This will make the floor surface perfectly flat, otherwise each unevenness can cause undesirable consequences, for example, deformation and damage to the coating. The concrete floor pouring scheme is a phased one:

1. Dismantle the old base by removing all log boards.
2. Remove all debris from the room by cleaning the ceiling or worn-out screed.
3. Lay the waterproofing material using plastic wrap.
4. Glue the walls from below along the entire perimeter with damper tape.
5. Install guide beacons and cover the floor with expanded clay.
6. Prepare concrete mortar and pour the screed.

In some cases, it is possible to do without arranging the floor screed, but the level of repair work will be low. Expanded clay is often used as a dry backfill, which is lightweight and has good thermal insulation properties. This material is required when there are large differences in height. Pouring the screed sometimes requires reinforcement to make the concrete base more durable.

The step-by-step creation of a floor screed can be done in the following ways:

• using cement-sand mortar;
• using dry cement mixture;
• by laying dry backfill;
• based on the installation of GVL.

Before repairing the floor yourself, you must take into account that the whole process is laborious. To create a high-quality screed, you should carefully follow all stages of the floor arrangement. Filling the screed with cement-sand mortar is the most reliable and proven method, which has long been used in construction.

An easier way to perform a floor screed is based on the use of a dry cement mixture. Performing work on your own will not require much physical effort. The cost of leveling the floor using this method is higher than using the “wet” method, which implies prolonged curing of the screed for a month. Arrangement of a “dry” floor has a lot of advantages over “wet” pouring of a screed. The classic cement screed is more labor intensive, so not everyone can cope with this method of repairing floors.

A “dry” screed, made with fine gravel, slag pumice or expanded clay sand, is laid in the presence of a removable system of beacons, which are often flat boards or metal profiles used for mounting the frame when fixing drywall. Before laying a layer of dry backfill, it is necessary to beat off a marking line around the perimeter of the room after determining the zero level. After laying the dry material, the beacons must be removed from the screed, otherwise their presence may cause deformation of the floor, the appearance of squeaks, etc.

Carrying out a high-quality replacement of the floor covering, you can avoid the lengthy step-by-step "wet" filling of the screed. Dry floor technology has the following advantages:

• reduces the cost of delivering building material, as well as lifting it to the upper floors;
• reduces the time to complete the work up to 1-2 days, maximum 3 days, if you have certain skills;
• allows you to zone the premises, in contrast to the “wet” method, which requires pouring the floor in each room of the apartment;
• it is lightweight, which is acceptable for repairing floors in apartments in multi-storey buildings;
• allows you to create a reliable coating that can withstand significant mechanical stress;
• eliminates the need for special tools, including concrete mixers, mix tanks, mixers, etc.

The floor, repaired on the basis of the dry screed method, has increased noise and heat insulation characteristics. The thickness of the dry screed layer, which should be 30 mm, allows you to hide the electrical wiring, as well as pipes. Finishing on a perfectly flat surface will last for many years. A "dry" floor screed is arranged according to a certain scheme, which assumes the presence of such components as:

• waterproofing film;
• damper tape;
• dry backfill;
• sheet material.

The very first layer is a waterproofing membrane, i.e.a film with a thickness of 0.2 mm. It is better if this material is laid as a single piece. If you need to overlap, then it should be 12-20 cm. For gluing such places, scotch tape must be used. The edges of the membrane are brought onto the walls of the room to a height corresponding to the thickness of the screed with a small margin.

At the next stage, the entire perimeter of the room must be glued with a damper tape so that it holds the membrane. When laying the tape, it is necessary to ensure that the material passes slightly higher than the planned floor level. For greater reliability, the reinforced tape is fixed with a layer of dry backfill laid along the perimeter.

Hardware stores offer a wide range of floor coverings. They may differ in characteristics and cost. When choosing any of them, it is necessary to take into account all the pros and cons of this or that material, as well as its properties. Most often, indoor flooring is performed using parquet, laminate, linoleum, carpet, floor tiles.

The parquet flooring is natural; it should be chosen for dry ventilated areas, but not for the kitchen or bathroom. If necessary, the parquet can be easily dismantled and then laid back. Laminate flooring differs from parquet in that it consists of 4 layers:

1. Stabilizing.
2. Carrier.
3. Decorative.
4. Protective.

Laminate flooring requires less careful maintenance than parquet, but it is also not moisture resistant. Linoleum has the same properties, which is not suitable for rooms with high humidity. Carpet with increased sound insulation includes 4 main layers:

1. Fastening.
2. Primary basis.
3. Pile.
4. Secondary basis.

Carpet flooring in kitchens and hallways wears out quickly as they are sensitive to moisture. Ceramic tiles are ideal for the kitchen, bathroom and hallway, which are easy to clean and have a long service life. When performing work in stages with your own hands, you must remember that the choice of low-quality materials can cause them to swell, shift, or other unpleasant consequences.

How to repair a rough floor in an apartment with your own hands? I will talk about the specifics of this work, and also show options for restoring two types of coatings - wood and concrete. You will learn what materials are required for this and how to do the work yourself.

Every home craftsman can repair the floor in the apartment

A rough floor in houses and apartments is most often of two types:

• Wood;
• Concrete.

The process of repairing a floor, as you might guess, depends on its type. Therefore, further I will talk about restoring each of them. I am sure that this will help newcomers to independently carry out apartment renovations from start to finish.

Repair of a wooden floor includes several stages:

If the floor requires major repairs, i.e. it creaks, bends or the boards simply rotted, you need to do the following:

• Impregnation for wood;
• Nails or screws;
• Insulation and waterproofing (if you plan to insulate the floor);
• Bars and planks (needed to replace old rotten parts.)

To do this, you can use a building hairdryer or a special paint remover (remover).

• Use a nailer or other tool to pull out the old nails and dismantle the boards;
• In the process of dismantling the boards, inspect them for rot and other defects. Those that are partially rotten - cut off. Completely spoiled - discarded.
• Number good boards so that later it will be easier to lay them.

• Examine carefully the logs for rot;
• Instead of spoiled logs, lay new bars;
• Treat all logs and boards with wood impregnation;
• Make sure the logs are horizontal. To do this, attach a rule with a level;
• Align the lag position if necessary.To do this, you can put bars, trim boards or plywood under them;
• If the floor sags, additional joists should be installed to reduce the step between them.

• Lay a waterproofing film on the logs;
• Fill the space between the lags with insulation (you can use any heat-insulating material);
• Lay another layer of waterproofing on top.

The base of the floor is ready, now you need to properly lay the flooring.

Do-it-yourself installation of boards is carried out as follows:

• Lay the first board across the log along the wall;
• Align it so that a gap of 1.5-2 cm is formed between the wall and the board. The gap should be even along the entire board.

Attach the board to the joists with self-tapping screws. If the board is grooved, the self-tapping screws should be screwed in from the side of the wall.

On the reverse side, self-tapping screws are screwed into the lower ridge, which ensures hidden installation.

If the board is an ordinary edged board, the self-tapping screws are also screwed in to the bottom. In this case, the hats must be deepened by 5 millimeters, otherwise they will interfere with further finishing.

• Press the second plank against the first. For these purposes, you can use a mallet;
• Secure the second board with self-tapping screws;
• Lay all the boards according to this principle.

If the boards have to be joined along the length, make sure that the joints are spaced on the floor.

It must be said that in cases where the "tree" on the floor is in normal condition, i.e. the floor does not need major repairs, the first and second steps can be omitted.

So, we figured out how to repair and strengthen the floor, now we will consider how to update the flooring surface. The work is carried out as follows:

To do this, use a special hand tool or a scraper.

In the process of sanding, you need to get rid of all traces left after scraping. As a result, the floor should be flat and smooth.

• The existing cracks, cracks and grooves in the caps of the self-tapping screws must be filled with putty;
• The hardened surface must be sanded.

If the floor is to be opened with varnish, you should choose a filler to match the color of the wood.

Now the old wooden floor has been renovated. It remains only to paint it or open it with varnish. If a topcoat will be laid on the floor, for example, linoleum or laminate, the surface must be treated with a protective impregnation.

How to repair a concrete floor? There are several ways to cope with this task:

• Using a repair mortar;
• Self-leveling mixture;
• Dry method.

Next, we will consider how to repair the floor in all these ways.

If the floor has minor flaws, such as cracks, potholes and chips, it is best to remove these defects with a special repair mortar. The work is carried out in the following sequence:

• Repair mix for concrete;
• Primer.

• Sweep the floor;
• Brush all areas that you will be repairing with a wire brush;
• Expand thin cracks with a chisel and hammer.
• Thoroughly clean the resulting grooves from dust.

If the depth of cracks or potholes exceeds 5 cm, fill them with mortar in two or three stages to avoid the appearance of cavities.

• Fill all existing cracks and potholes with repair mortar and level it with a trowel;
• Cured mortar on the floor must be sanded.

If the concrete surface has such irregularities as ridges and sagging, it can be sanded using a grinder with a special attachment for grinding concrete.

If the screed is in poor condition or, for example, you want to perform a warm floor, you can use a self-leveling mixture. Repair in this case is carried out as follows:

• Self-leveling mixture;
• Repair mix for concrete;
• Primer.

• Sweep the floor thoroughly and clean it of dirt;
• If the surface has deep cracks, chips or dents, repair them as described above.

• Lay special mats or underfloor heating membrane;
• Lay the underfloor heating elements in a zigzag pattern.

• Prepare the solution according to the instructions on the package;
• Pour the mixture onto the floor;
• Smooth the surface with a pin roller. Pour the solution onto the floor if necessary.

This completes the work. Already a few days after pouring, the floor can be used. The only thing, keep in mind that a high-quality self-leveling mixture is not cheap, so in some cases it is cheaper to fill in a new screed than to repair the old floor in this way.

If you want to repair a concrete floor in an apartment with your own hands quickly and without doing wet work, this method is just what you need. Its principle is to level the surface with plywood or OSB (oriented strand board).

• Plywood or OSB (oriented strand board);
• Parquet glue or even bituminous mastic;
• Primer.

• Sweep the floor and remove dirt;
• Prime the concrete screed.

• Pre-lay the sheets in a checkerboard pattern, as shown in the photo. Cut where needed. Keep in mind that there should be a gap of 5-10 mm between the sheets, make the same gap between the sheets and the walls;
• Number the laid sheets, and draw up a diagram of their arrangement on paper.

• Apply the adhesive to the first sheet with a notched trowel;
• Press the sheet down to the floor;
• Align the position of the sheet with a level.

Use this pattern to cover the entire floor with plywood.

This completes the work. I must say that the data can be used only in cases where the surface of the floor screed has no deviations from the horizontal.

If the concrete floor is uneven, an adjustable floor can be made. Its principle is that adjustable posts are attached to the plywood sheets, resembling adjustable furniture legs.

Adjustable struts allow plywood sheets to be horizontally aligned

This allows you to adjust the position of each sheet relative to the horizontal, and relative to each other. For the rest, the work should be carried out according to the principle described above.

Here, and all the information on how to make floors in an apartment strong and durable.