The bulk floor owes its name to the technology of the device. This is an embodiment of the screed by pouring a self-leveling mixture. A distinctive feature of a cement-based bulk floor is a thickness of approximately 3.5 millimeters. Sometimes this coating is called liquid linoleum, the surface after drying turns out to be perfectly even and smooth, only there are no seams, as in the case with tiles, on the base. Such a floor can be used not only in public but also in residential premises, it is characterized by environmental friendliness, ease of installation and operation. A cement-based bulk floor for a garage is considered the optimal solution for creating a structure based on a heating system.
Mixture composition
When mixing mortar for installing a cement-based garage floor, fractional sand, polymer fillers, cement, and mineral additives are used. Mixtures are distinguished by excellent quality characteristics, among the ingredients of which there are no additives. But for a self-flowing texture, it is necessary to add a large amount of liquid. This may cause a decrease in structural strength. This problem can be solved by adding polymers. When consumers want to install a bulk floor for a garage, they quite often choose between organic and cement based mixes. In most cases, preference is given to the latter, including also because the cost of such a product is much lower.
Mounting technology
If you want to do the bulk floor for the garage with your own hands, you should first familiarize yourself with the technology of the work, which provides for several stages. Preparation involves cleaning the surface of not only the floor, but also the walls of dirt and dust. At the next stage, the master will repel a line on the walls that will determine the level of the future floor. A polystyrene foam tape with an adhesive surface that has a spongy structure is glued along it. The width of the damper tape will correspond to the thickness of the bulk floor. If you find that when sticking the tape inaccuracies were made, then the elements protruding beyond the edge of the strip should be hidden under the baseboard.
Padding
When a cement poured floor for a garage is equipped, at the next stage a primer is applied to the surface, this can be done using a spray bottle, brush or roller. Be sure to treat all roughness and cracks. The primer dries up for about 30 minutes, to enhance the effect, the procedure can be repeated up to 2 times, this will give a wet shine. Particular attention must be paid to the surface, which has been exploited for several years and has a loose structure. If we are talking about new concrete surfaces, then the primer on them can be applied in one layer. When darkening the composition at the time of application or foaming it should count on a longer drying time, which is caused by an increased level of humidity in the room. In this case, the surface must be left for a period of 6 to 24 hours.
What else you need to know about the preparation phase
If you are going to equip the bulk floor for the garage, then after the primer has dried up, you can start installing beacons, this is especially important in those rooms that have an impressive area. This is necessary since applying a cementitious compound may be difficult. Installation of beacons allows you to divide the surface into separate segments, filling the composition in stages. A solution for the floor will need to be prepared before installing the beacons, this will immediately begin to fill. The height of the beacons should be equal to the planned floor thickness. If there is a flat surface, you can use self-tapping screws as beacons, which are screwed into the floor in increments of 1 meter from each other. It is necessary to arrange them in a checkerboard pattern. If there is a floor with differences of 3 centimeters or more, it will blow off the use of steel corners as lighthouses, which are fixed in the floor on a cement or gypsum mortar. Correct installation must be checked using the building level, observing the horizontal line.
Wizard tip
The bulk floor for the garage, the photo of which you can see in the article, looks very attractive. But if you want to get a positive result, you should know about some of the nuances of the work. For example, if there is an impressive area, you need to resort to another method of installing beacons. For this, a leveling layer of large thickness is used. Beacons can be the same screws that are screwed into the base. But on the walls at the height of the hats, marks should be made. The horizontal lines should be checked with a level, then pulling a thin wire. Then you can begin to fill the floor.
Leveling mixture preparation
If you decide to equip the bulk floor for the garage, it is recommended to read reviews about it in advance. In addition, it is important to read the instructions provided by the manufacturer. Pour water into the prepared container by pouring the contents of the bag into it. Foreign substances are not recommended to be added to the solution. In order to achieve uniformity of the mixture, a drill or construction mixer should be used . As soon as the mass reaches a homogeneous consistency, you should leave it for several minutes, and then mix again. Experts do not recommend setting a high speed on a mixer or drill; you can get a better mixture by stirring it at low speeds.
Pouring
The cement floor for the cement-based garage should be poured in half an hour, during which time the mortar will not lose its technical characteristics. That is why it is necessary to start work, having enlisted the help of others. If this is not possible, then it is necessary to prepare the solution in the volume that can be developed in the specified time. The prepared solution should be poured onto the surface, and then leveled using a roller. A large room must be divided into several sections, filling them gradually. After filling, the base should be treated with a special roller with needles, this will eliminate the formation of bubbles and provide good adhesion. You can move on a dry floor in boots with spikes or special shoes, which has metal overlays. The mixture will dry for about 6 hours, you can find out the exact time by reading the instructions on the package.
Which garage floor to choose
The bulk floor for a cement-based garage, the photo of which you can see in the article, is ideal for such conditions. However, the modern market presents many mixtures that have certain characteristics. For example, if you work with chemicals in the garage, then an epoxy resin coating is suitable, which is less sensitive to humidity and temperature extremes. This distinguishes these compounds from polyurethane. Among other things, the surface will have excellent decorative qualities and is suitable for use with acids and alkalis. If you wash your car in the garage, then a solution of epoxy resins will allow you to form a reliable coating, which will differ in thin layer. If you decide to arrange a bulk floor for the garage, which is better, you should decide before you visit the store. Recently, methyl methacrylate resins have been very popular. They can be mounted in those rooms where it is possible to ensure sufficient air circulation, when dried, the solution will give off a specific smell.
Quite often, epoxy floors are compared with polyurethane, which are characterized by high elasticity, wear resistance and resistance to vibration loads.
For reference
Such compositions can be applied to wood or metal, as well as metal surfaces. Cement-acrylic mortars are a budget option that allows you to eliminate small errors in the rough coating. Such a floor is an alternative to the finish screed.
Coating thickness
A bulk floor for a garage, the layer thickness of which can vary depending on the intensity of the loads, is quite often equipped by home craftsmen on their own. Undoubtedly, laying floors at the minimum thickness value is not a real task, but the size of the layer should be from 1 to 1.5 millimeters over possible bulges and roughnesses. The most universal in use are floors on polymer-cement and acrylic-cement substrates. The latter option does not provide for preliminary leveling of the surface, and it can be applied to a concrete base without a leveler. Such solutions have excellent performance characteristics, they can be used for 30 years, moreover, they are highly resistant to abrasion. The layer thickness of such bulk floors can vary from 1 to 2 centimeters. Polymer-cement floors are self-leveling mixtures that are laid in a thickness of 2 to 4 centimeters. If you intend to equip a multilayer structure based on polymer-cement solutions, then the layer thickness can be equal to 8 centimeters as a minimum, while the maximum figure is 10 centimeters.