Alignment of joists with production of gaskets. Leveling the floor using joists. Video: leveling a concrete floor in an apartment

It is necessary to perform several basic tasks regarding a level and durable floor laid on joists. This is the exact setting of the logs in one horizontal plane, their reliable fastening to the base, processing protective compounds, plus waterproofing the entire structure. Before you align the logs under the wooden floor, you need to select them correctly according to their cross-section. Because this indicator affects the reliability and strength of the entire structure. If the house is undergoing renovations and the joists have already been installed, it is recommended to open the floors and check the beams for their quality condition. If necessary, some of them are replaced with new ones.

The emergence of new floor coverings on the market, which required very Smooth surface, replaced the technology of constructing floors using joists. They were replaced by screeds filled with cement-based mortars. This simplified the process of leveling the base for finishing, but this technology also had several disadvantages. One of them was that we had to wait a long time for the screed to dry. And this could take several days.

Modern technologies for the production of lumber have brought back the method of constructing a floor using joists due to the correct geometry of the products produced, through the use of dry wood. They were helped by protective impregnations that penetrated the wood, increasing its service life and preventing deformation under load. Manufacturers, thanks to new technologies, began to produce improved inexpensive materials for flooring on joists. This is not only plywood, I would like to mention OSB boards. With the help of strong and smooth sheets and panel materials It became possible to lay laminate, linoleum, and ceramic tiles on the floor along the joists.

We must also pay tribute to the fact that wood construction has become fashionable again. Increasingly, customers give their preference to construction wooden houses. And in such houses, wooden floors look harmonious. Although logs for floor construction are used not only in wooden structures. Today they are also used in city apartments, especially on the ground floor, when the task is to insulate the floors.

But this design also has its drawbacks.

Even wood floors treated with fire retardants are still flammable structures.
It is not possible to install a heated floor heating system in them.
When installing joists in apartments, be prepared for the fact that the ceiling height will decrease.

Design features of the installation

If we are talking about installing logs in a city apartment, then there is only one option for location and alignment - this is laying along concrete slab ceiling, which is poured from above concrete screed. In principle, the result is a fairly flat surface, but 100% flatness is still a long way off. Therefore, the logs in the apartment will still have to be leveled.

In houses, floors are constructed in three ways:

On the ground. The upper edges of the foundation are backfilled in several layers of different materials: crushed stone, sand, clay. All this is compacted and a screed is poured on top. The logs are installed along it. As an option, the logs are leveled along the foundation and filled completely. Only their upper ends remain on the surface, to which the flooring is attached. In this case, it is better to backfill with sand, and wooden elements Before installation, it must be treated with protective agents.
On the foundation with or without support columns.
By load-bearing beams.

Leveling joists in an apartment

First of all, it is necessary to determine the most high place on the floor. Usually this is either a corner of the room or one of the edges near the wall. Therefore, we measure the height of the ceiling in each corner of the room. Smallest size– this is the necessary place. Now, from this corner to the others, a liquid building level is stretched from a transparent vinyl chloride tube, which is filled with water, and an air bubble is left inside. If the bubble rises to the designated corner when the level is set, it means that the assumptions were confirmed - this corner of the room is the highest. The same can be done with the middles of the floor edges adjacent to the wall surfaces.

Now a log is installed on the floor, one end of which is located in the selected corner of the room. The distance from the wall is 5 cm in the middle of the longitudinal axis.
The opposite end is raised so that a short level placed on the joist shows the evenness of the installation. That is, the air bubble in the chamber should stop in the middle.
A lining, previously cut from a block or plywood, is inserted under the raised end. There can be several spacers, it all depends on the magnitude of the plane difference.
The log stands horizontally. It can be fixed to the floor, for example, with metal corners.

Now we need to install another joist element at the opposite wall and align it horizontally and in the same plane with the already installed one. Depending on the width of the room, you can use either a flat wooden slats, or the long two-meter rule. One end of them is installed on top of the laid log in the corner of the room. You can start from any end. The rule is set to the horizon, which will be shown by an air bubble. A log is placed under its free end, and pads are placed at the end of it. The same is done with the other end. After which the log is attached to the floor.

So, two logs are installed and secured to opposite walls. Now between them you need to stretch several threads (4-5 lines), which will indicate a horizontal plane. The threads are attached at the upper ends to nailed nails. Now intermediate logs are installed along the threads, under which pieces of plywood or wood are placed. The main requirement is that the threads must touch the upper ends of the lags.

Manufacturers today offer adjustable designs with which you can easily set the logs. These are metal or plastic devices that are attached to the floor with dowels or anchors. They are equipped with beams that can be raised or lowered using threaded connection. Using this leveling option, you do not have to carry out complex measuring operations to determine the highest point on the floor.

Instead of adjustable structures, you can use conventional anchors, which are screwed into one end concrete base floor. A nut is screwed onto them and a wide washer is installed on top. A log is put on, on top of which a wide washer is installed and a nut is screwed on. Essentially, this is still the same adjustable device.

Alignment with foundation and supporting beams

The operation of leveling the logs along the foundation and along the beams is carried out in the same way. But there are also differences.

By foundation

Typically, the ends of the logs rest on the foundation, which is the basis for the floor. It is always not poured evenly, so the logs have to be placed in the same plane along the horizon. Here everything is done almost exactly the same as in the apartment.

Two logs are installed at opposite walls.
Each of them is aligned horizontally using building level with pieces of plywood placed under the ends.
Threads are stretched between their ends, which in turn are checked for drop. The log that is higher in height will be the main one, that is, Starting point in the process of aligning all other lag elements. It must be immediately secured to the foundation and walls of the house.
The ends of the second outermost log are placed along the stretched threads, which is also immediately secured.
Several more threads are stretched between the bars, defining the horizontal plane. Intermediate elements of the joist structure lined with plywood or wood are placed on them.

If the distance between the edges of the foundation is large, then support columns are built between them, on which the beams rest. The main requirement for constructing supports is to accurately adjust their height so that the logs fit tightly on them. If this cannot be done as accurately as possible, then pads are placed under the bars.

Along load-bearing beams

The floor structure based on load-bearing beams is considered very reliable. Large-section beams or logs are installed on the foundation or ceiling, onto which the logs are mounted. There are two options for leveling the floor structure.

The beams are leveled.
The logs are leveled.

It is more difficult to level with logs, because this lumber is not even in cross-sectional geometry along its entire length. Therefore, craftsmen try to process the upper and lower planes with a plane to give it the appearance of a plane. In this regard, it is better to use timber, because it rectangular section a material that today manufacturers produce with precise geometry.

First, two beams are laid on opposite sides.
They are leveled along the horizon, supported by pieces of plywood, but preferably metal plates.
Then they are aligned in the same plane with each other, as was described with the foundation joists. That is, the log located above is left in place. Additional metal elements are placed under the second.
After that, intermediate beams are placed along the tensioned threads.
And the logs are laid and fastened along the beams without leveling.

Alignment of lags along beams is carried out in the same way. This option is easier in that it will not be necessary to lift heavy logs and beams to place plates under them. First, the logs are installed across the beams. That is, the logs are mounted on a large number of supports Secondly, the beams themselves are a reliable and durable foundation. Therefore, when choosing a lag section, you can choose beams of a small cross-section, such as those used to construct floors in apartments.

The leveling process itself is carried out exactly the same as in an apartment. With only one deviation - the logs can be attached to the beams or with self-tapping screws directly, since both elements are wooden, or using metal corners. Otherwise, the installation technology is the same.

The floor consists of wooden blocks of various lengths and cross-sections. IN wooden log houses They mainly use logs made from round dry wood. Pine is used as such dry timber. It often happens that floor joists are not installed quite level. The reason for this may be that the wood was not dried well enough before installation, or it may be that the craftsman made a mistake during installation.

It is because of this that the owners have to eliminate all errors made during installation. Alignment of logs from round timber does not cause any difficulties, they just need to be planed.

To do this you will need a building level, a building pencil, two small nails, twine (you should first rub it charcoal), saw (preferably an electric saw or chainsaw), chisel, electric plane (a regular plane will do).

Step-by-step alignment instructions

At the beginning of the work, using a building level, mark the part of the round beam that will be removed. To do this, you need to mark it with a pencil on both sides.
After this, a small nail is driven from one side into the previously marked line.
Then a string is tied to the nail. It must be stretched along the entire joist to the intended line on the other side. Take this string approximately in the middle and pull it back, like a bow string, and release it. She will return to her place, and at the same time mark a straight line along. Perform the same operation on the opposite side.
Next, take an electric saw (chainsaw) and carefully, slowly, cut through the log along its entire length, leaving a little more than five centimeters above the marked line.
After this, use a chisel to cut off the unnecessary part wooden beam almost to the very mark left by the twine.
Then, using an electric planer, finally trim the structure.
And now it will be possible to lay.

Fixation and alignment with bolts - racks

In apartments, a relatively new technology for installing and leveling wooden floor joists is currently used.

They are fixed using special fastening and adjusting elements, which are plastic stand-up bolts. This type of fastening simplifies position adjustment. In this case, the floor turns out to be perfectly horizontal, securely fixed, and any displacement is eliminated. Due to the fact that the ceiling does not come into contact with the joists, the underground space is ventilated and the development of mold and mildew, as well as rotting, is prevented.

This design makes it possible to completely hide various communication systems, such as heating, water supply, electrical wiring and others in the space between the beams and the base of the subfloor.

The very leveling of the floor with such constructive solutions produced in strict accordance with technology.

Adjustable leveling technology

IN wooden joists First, plastic stand-up bolts are installed. There are five of these stand-up bolts in each. Then mark the required floor height using one bolt. Next, using a building level, the logs are leveled by adjusting the height of the bolts. The specified height is calculated as the difference between the base and the highest point of the log. The height difference should not exceed two millimeters per linear meter of timber. After this, using a chisel, cut off the post bolts protruding beyond the upper plane. All irregularities (manufacturing defects, defects that appeared during transportation and installation) are eliminated either using an electric planer or using floor putty.

If the technology of the leveling process is violated, deficiencies can be noticed immediately after completion of the work.

Wooden floor, despite the appearance of many other modern options, remains at the top of popularity. It is widely used not only in old houses, but also in new buildings, as it is warm and durable. However, over time, under the influence of many factors, it may begin to sag on one or more sides. And as a result of this, serious level differences occur.

On such a surface, the furniture stands crookedly, and the doors in the cabinets do not close due to the resulting distortions. Creaking floorboards become inevitable. In addition, gaps form between the boards, which negatively affects both the appearance of the floor and its insulating qualities. Therefore, sooner or later, all owners have a question about how to install a wooden floor, making it more stable, warmer, more comfortable for walking and more beautiful in appearance.

Basic ways to level a wooden floor

Dismantling and reassembling plank flooring is a complex, lengthy, labor-intensive and dirty process, which can be difficult to decide on. However, it is often impossible to do without it - if the floor boards are rotten, sagging, or there are signs of mold or mildew on them. In this case, there is nowhere to go - it is required complete replacement wooden flooring. If the boards are strong, well connected to each other, but there is a serious difference in the horizontal plane or in certain areas of the floor, then you can do without opening the boardwalk. Under favorable circumstances, superficial leveling measures are used.

Depending on the nature of the irregularities that appeared on the wooden floor during the period of its operation, the method of their removal is selected.

There are several methods applicable to leveling board coverings:

Looping.
Local alignment of a specific area.
Self-leveling compounds.
Alignment with lags.
Leveling with pads.

To determine which method would be better suited for a certain case, it is first necessary to measure the differences in the floor surface using a laser or a conventional building level with a length of at least 2000 mm. The permissible amount of unevenness that can be tolerated (unless, of course, creaks appear) should not exceed 2 mm per linear meter of the base.

What to do if the floor is smooth, but begins to creak?

There is definitely something wrong with him. It is necessary to conduct an audit to identify the cause of the appearance unpleasant sounds. Well, then - by applying certain techniques, which are described in detail in a special article on our portal.

How to do the leveling yourself?

Local leveling of the floor surface

It happens that irregularities are local in nature, that is, they are located only on certain areas floor. Alignment of boards protruding above the main plane can be done using a plane or hand grinder. Of course, in these areas you should inspect the heads of fasteners - nails or screws. They should not interfere with leveling, that is, if necessary, either deepen them into the thickness of the board, or even temporarily unscrew them.

If, on the contrary, concave small areas, then they are raised to the general surface level. This process can be done using oil or acrylic putty on wood, or a self-made composition of small sawdust and PVA glue.

The repair compound is applied to the depression and spread over the surface using a spatula. With this alignment, the edges of the recess, located at the same level as the main plane of the floor, will serve as beacons for this alignment. After the putty mass has dried, it is cleaned with a grinding machine.

The methods discussed above are good only in cases where the board covering is being prepared for painting or under its cladding. plywood sheets. If the floors are being prepared for varnishing while preserving the natural color and texture of the wood, then you will have to sand the entire surface.

Wood floor scraping

The scraping method is used in cases where it is necessary to free the floors from the old coating or the top darkened or damaged layer of wood. In addition, if the deformation of the surface and its differences in height are no more than 10 mm, then the floors can also be leveled using a scraping machine. This method is quite noisy, but fast, since in a short time it allows you to renew the plank covering, preparing it for further finishing.

It’s not difficult to carry out this process yourself, but the equipment is expensive, and hardly anyone will purchase it for a one-time task. Therefore, if you decide to level and clean the floor yourself, it is best to rent the device for a certain period.

When choosing this processing method, you should take into account the thickness of the floorboard. And also that after leveling, the height from the surface to the connecting lock of the tongue-and-groove board should be at least 4÷5 mm. That is, you will have to act very carefully and carefully.

To carry out scraping, in addition to the scraping machine, it is necessary to prepare the following auxiliary materials and devices:

A set of abrasive attachments with grains of different fractions - circles and tapes. Don't buy too much Supplies. The best option would be to consult with specialists when renting a car, explaining the characteristics of the board covering. In addition, you can purchase several nozzles with different numbers and test them in practice experimentally.

Disposable sawdust bags.
Facilities personal protection- gloves, respirator and construction glasses.

Before starting work, it is necessary to inspect the surface of the boardwalk. It must be dry and clean. The gap between the floorboards should be no more than 5 mm. In addition, metal elements such as nail heads or self-tapping screws should not come to the surface. They should be deepened into the wood 1.5÷2 mm below the thickness of the layer expected to be removed.

The scraping machine must be prepared for work by first installing attachments with large grains on it and adjusting the clamping force of the device using a special screw.

The first stage of cleaning is carried out along the fibers. You need to move slowly, without sudden jerks, but also without long periods of downtime in one place. The car should run smoothly.

Having cleaned one strip of coating, the next one should be started by moving the device by ⅔, that is, by ⅓ capturing the previous one, just processed. As the abrasive layer of the nozzle wears out, it must be replaced with a new one.

Having treated the entire surface of the floor with a coarse-grain nozzle, you can proceed to sanding the boardwalk, installing an abrasive belt with a fraction of at least P240. This attachment will help make your floors perfectly smooth.

Next, the wood is treated with an antiseptic primer or tinting stain. After which the surface is puttied, cleaned and covered with varnish, wax, oil or painted in the chosen color.

If the differences in the surface are more significant, then to level it you will have to resort to more labor-intensive methods.

Leveling planks with dry screed

Necessary materials

This method of leveling the surface is suitable for both plank flooring and. When choosing this method of tidying up the floor, it is necessary to take into account the height of the ceiling of the room and the magnitude of the differences in the surface.

To arrange a dry screed you will need the following materials:

Dry expanded clay, perlite or silicate-slag mixture of fine fraction, specially designed for dry screed. An excellent option for this material would be the composition of the Knauf company. Good reviews deserves the material Belarusian production"Compevit".

Standard backfill packaging is bags with a capacity of 40 liters. Calculation required quantity is based on the floor area and the thickness of the proposed leveling backfill. The thickness cannot be less than 20 (or better - 30) mm. It is undesirable to make it more than 60, maximum 80 mm. If on base floor there is a significant level imbalance from the horizontal, then this is also taken into account.

Covering sheet material- these are ready-made floor elements (EF), made from gypsum fiber boards. Such EPs are equipped with specially designed locking lamellas, which speed up installation and make the coating neat. In addition to this material, waterproof plywood or particle boards. However, the best option Still, there will be gypsum fiber EP, which have optimal characteristics for flooring:

— Thickness 20 mm. (Two layers of 10 mm each. The layers are placed and connected with an offset, which is what forms the interlocking connection 50 mm wide).

— Standard linear dimensions EP - 600×1200.

Other floor elements are also on sale, in particular with dimensions of 500×1500×20 mm, that is, with an aspect ratio of 1:3.

Floor elements are purchased depending on the area of the room. A 15% reserve is made, since, firstly, there will be waste during cutting. And secondly, on those elements that will be laid away from the walls, the locking lamella must be cut off from the side adjacent to the wall.

Damper tape for installation along the wall around the perimeter of the entire room. Purchased according to the length of the perimeter of the room with a small margin.
Waterproofing material for laying on the surface of the base for backfilling. For wooden floors glassine, thick paper with bitumen impregnation or roofing felt. You can also use plastic film thickness of at least 200 microns. Purchased based on floor area with a 15% margin.
Metal profile for placing temporary beacons.
Glue for mutual fixation of plates along lines lock connections. High-quality PVA glue is quite suitable.
Self-tapping screws. The optimal one is special self-tapping screws for GVL (GVVL), which are distinguished by a double-start thread and have a self-drilling head.

IN modern world There are a huge number of options for leveling the floor in a room for further flooring flooring. Among them, flooring without screed, which is also called adjustable, is popular. This is due to the absence of dirt and dust during the work, as well as the absence of waiting for the screed to dry after pouring. Leveling times are reduced to a minimum, and the entire installation process can be performed by one person.

Features of the floor on joists

They don’t always know how the screed is leveled and how it all works. Installed logs can easily rotate around its axis in the required direction. They can be raised or lowered. This is facilitated by the thread of the bolt along which they “walk”. The surface eventually becomes as horizontal as possible, and the accuracy is reduced to 1 mm.

Floors arranged in this way during operation will not creak, create troubles or extraneous sounds, sag, or “move” underfoot while moving.

The service life of such floors is about 50 years. For each square meter during operation, you can create a load equal to 2.5 tons. An increase in this indicator is permissible by adding the number of bolts. In addition to adjustable joists, you can also use plates. But even in this case, you need to know how to level the floor without pouring, using a minimum set of tools and materials.

Application area

It’s not enough to know how to level. The design features of each individual type influence the scope of application in everyday life.

That is, the scope of application is very wide. In addition to houses and apartments, they are gaining popularity in educational institutions, conference rooms, production premises etc.

Adjustable plates and joists

Before leveling the floor without screed, you should decide on the materials to work with. These can be adjustable plates. Most often they are suitable for rooms with no communications under the floor, when there is no need to place them there. But it is worth paying attention to the fact that when leveling the floor with such materials, the distance to the ceiling will be reduced by at least 30 mm.

When using plates for work, holes are made in the sheet itself. WITH reverse side of the sheet where there are holes, threaded bushings are screwed in. They can be found in any hardware store. And already into this structure the bolts for adjustable floors are screwed in. This is all installed on the base, after which it is nailed with dowel nails. To level the floor, you only need to turn the bolts in the desired direction to raise or lower the slab. This is all very easy and simple to do on your own.

The principle of adjustable floors

As an alternative, special logs are used to level the floor. It can also replace grouting and wet screeding. Absolutely any premises that should be brought to perfect condition are suitable for work. The minimum floor lift will be 50 mm. And this distance will facilitate the placement of any communications, pipes, wires, etc. under the floor. In addition, you can arrange a layer of heat and sound insulation. Under the logs you can place all communications from the entire house or apartment.

Installation does not take much time if adjustable logs are chosen as the material. Each of them has holes into which stand-up bolts will subsequently be screwed. The log is also attached to the base of the floor using dowel nails. The design is not only strong and reliable, but also able to last for a long time.

Post bolts allow you to adjust the joists up or down, depending on your needs. After leveling the floor, you can begin work on laying any type of flooring.

Advantages

Leveling the floor has its advantages, the main of which include:

At the same time, it is worth paying attention to the presence of certain disadvantages that can be encountered if installation and preparatory measures are carried out incorrectly. The most basic and popular is creaking, which occurs almost immediately after installation and start of operation. You can get rid of it if you follow the technology. This applies to completely driving in the dowel nails to the end, removing dust and residual materials after drilling using a vacuum cleaner. If you are unable to carry out high-quality floor leveling on your own, it is best to turn to specialists, having carefully studied their reputation.

Build process

Before leveling the floor in an apartment without a screed, you should study the technology in detail point by point in order to get a truly high-quality result. The sequence of work is as follows:

This is how the floor is leveled without screed. None special effort not required. It is enough just to have basic knowledge. In the future, the flooring can be laid without any problems. You can level the floor without joists using special slabs.

Before installation, you should carefully prepare and purchase quality material. Special attention given to timber and plywood. They can affect the final result of installing an adjustable floor. Wherein high accuracy during installation will allow you to get laser level. Its cost is high, but it will be applicable for different types work in the future.

Much attention is also paid to the preparation of the foundation. There should be no crumbling or delamination. The strength of the base must remain at high level. Ventilation of the coating must be provided during installation.

The quality of the floor leveling will be immediately noticeable. If certain mistakes are made, the floor will begin to creak. This can be avoided, but absolutely any dust should be removed from the material when fastening. An ordinary or special construction vacuum cleaner can help with this. In addition, the creaking will be affected by incomplete driving of the dowel nails.

The floor may “sound,” especially when the structure is sufficiently high above the base. There may be sounds from walking, hitting heels and other moments. To get rid of this, use heat-insulating mats, placing them between the joists at the time of installation.

Plywood is a relatively inexpensive, fairly durable and easy-to-process material, perfect for leveling a wooden floor. Plywood is mainly used to level out small differences in the height of the base before the upcoming installation finishing coating. If desired, you can even lay tiles on top of the plywood.

It is not surprising that this sheet material has gained such wide popularity among both professional builders, and among private developers. After reading the information below, you will get a complete understanding of choosing the right plywood and the process of leveling a wooden floor using different methods.

Among the key strong qualities plywood should note the following provisions:

relatively big sizes sheets, which allows you to level the floor as quickly as possible with a minimum amount of waste;
ease of installation;
high levels of strength, reliability and durability;
possibility of use even in rooms with high levels of humidity (this means either special moisture-resistant plywood or pre-treated material, more on this later);
absence of strong unpleasant odors;
ease of processing.

Also among the important advantages of plywood is the fact that when using it, additional increase thermal insulation performance of the floor structure.

Most often, leveling a wooden floor with plywood is used in the following cases:

if necessary, eliminate minor unevenness of the base;
when preparing the surface for subsequent laying of the finishing coating;
when installing a thermal insulation layer.

Choosing plywood for leveling a wooden floor

Plywood can be used both for arranging a subfloor and for installing a finishing structure - it all depends on the quality of the material and features specific situation.

Plywood is classified into 5 grades. The best is grade E - such material has absolutely no defects. It is not advisable to use expensive grade E plywood to level the floor. It is used mainly in the food industry, furniture making, arts and crafts, etc.

Information on other existing varieties of the sheet material in question is given in the table.

Table. Plywood varieties

Variety	Description
	As a rule, first-grade plywood has no external defects, although GOST allows for the presence of microcracks and minor chips.
	In accordance with approved regulatory requirements, the number of traces of glue should be no more than 2% of the area of such plywood, small dents and scratches - up to 5%. Second grade plywood is optimal for leveling a wooden floor in terms of price and quality ratio.
	Third grade material will contain a relatively small number of wormholes and knots.
	Worst option. The quality of veneer sizing is usually quite high, as is the number of external defects. This plywood belongs to the category technical materials and for leveling the floor it is used extremely rarely, except in various temporary buildings and non-residential country houses.

To level a wooden floor, it is most advisable to use plywood of 2-3 grades, made without the addition of phenols (labeled as FC). Such sheet material will have a certain number of external defects, but in terms of quality and cost it is the best.

It is advisable that one side of the plywood be sanded. This can be understood either by visual inspection of the material or by the marking Ш1. If the finishing material will be laid on top of the plywood finishing material, to ensure better adhesion to it, the sheet leveling layer is laid with the unsanded side up.

The optimal thickness of plywood intended for leveling the floor is 12-16 mm. If the floor of the room will be subject to high loads, it is advisable to increase the thickness of the sheet covering.

It is best to buy certified material from a trusted manufacturer/seller. In this case, the chances are that the plywood has passed all the necessary technological stages production is increasing significantly.

Additionally, veneered plywood can be included in a separate group. This plywood is characterized by increased moisture resistance and is well suited for use in rooms with increased humidity levels.

Prices for plywood sheets

plywood sheet

Video - Types of plywood

About the preliminary preparation of plywood

Plywood of the FK, FSF brands and special tongue and groove material are suitable for use in residential premises. The first is characterized by less strength and moisture resistance, but is cheaper, the last two are more durable and resistant to moisture, but expensive.

If you plan to level a wooden floor in a room with a high level of humidity and you do not want to overpay, buy FK plywood and prepare it accordingly for the upcoming operating conditions.

On average, the moisture content of plywood is kept at 12-15%. To increase the moisture resistance of the material, polyvinyl acetate putty is used, which in its external qualities resembles PVA glue (polyvinyl acetate is its main component).

Buy the putty mentioned, prepare it for use according to the manufacturer's instructions and do the following:

Take a sheet of plywood and start covering it evenly with putty;
apply 2 layers of putty on the back side of the sheet;
leave the plywood for 3-4 days in a room at room temperature and normal level humidity;
treat the dried sheet material with an antiseptic.

If you are not particularly limited in budget, you can initially purchase moisture-resistant plywood.

To further increase the strength of plywood, it can be coated with a double layer acrylic varnish from each side. Wait until the old one is completely dry before applying a new coat of acrylic varnish.

Important! Apply paint coatings in rooms with elevated temperature it is forbidden.

Most often, plywood for floor leveling is sold in sheet format with dimensions of 1220x2440 and 1250x2500 cm. Experienced craftsmen It is recommended to cut such sheets (with a jigsaw or other suitable tool) into 4 squares with sides of about 600 mm. There are several advantages of such a solution:

Important! After sawing a sheet of plywood, make sure there are no delaminations at the ends of the elements. Sand any identified defects. If you leave everything as it is, finished design will be of extremely low quality.

Before laying, allow the plywood sheets to sit in the room being furnished for several days. To avoid deformations, stack the elements on top of each other. Such actions will allow the sheets to get used to the room conditions. If you lay out the floor right away, the sheets will become deformed. Along with them, the finishing coating will also deteriorate.

Helpful advice! If possible, check with the seller about the conditions in which the plywood was stored in warehouses. If there is no difference between the temperature in the storage location and the room being equipped, the acclimatization time will be 1-2 days; with a difference of up to 8 degrees, the sheets should be allowed to lie down for 3 days; if the temperature changes are more significant, the acclimatization period will last for a week.

In the future, methods of fastening plywood using self-tapping screws will be mentioned. You cannot use ordinary black fasteners for such work - low-power screwdrivers will not be able to screw them in, and high-power ones will simply break them. To avoid such inconveniences, fix them with special yellow wood screws.

Important! With any fastening option, the plywood is laid in a spaced pattern, forming T-shaped seams between the sheets in adjacent rows.

Prices for putty for plywood

putty for plywood

Plywood fastening methods

There are several methods for attaching plywood to wooden floor:

with height differences of up to 5-10 mm, plywood is attached directly to the base;
with differences of 10-80 mm - on logs or adjustable studs.

Attaching plywood to the base

The simplest option. The procedure is as follows.

Note! The illustrations contain third-party fasteners. We don't pay attention to them.

First step. The plywood sheets are allowed to acclimatize, after which they are marked into squares of approximately 60x60 cm (you can change the sizes at your discretion to make it convenient), cut with a jigsaw or other suitable tool along the marking lines and the resulting elements are laid out on the floor of the room, thereby determining the most optimal, correct and rational stacking scheme in relation to the amount of waste.

Let the plywood acclimate

Second step. A visual assessment of the coating and seams is carried out. The plywood is laid with bandaging, so that the seams between elements placed in adjacent rows do not intersect. Correct option Laying of sheets is shown in the image. Detected inaccuracies are immediately corrected. The gap between sheets of plywood is up to 2-3 mm (most often a 0.5-1 mm gap is maintained), between plywood and adjacent walls - from 5-10 mm.

Third step. The sheets are numbered for greater convenience in their future placement. At the same stage, if necessary, the surface is polished with a special tool or manually with sandpaper (long and labor-intensive).

Fourth step. The covering is disassembled, the sheets are temporarily removed to the side. The base is cleaned of debris, dust and other contaminants.

The sheets are laid out on the surface in accordance with the previously selected pattern and compliance with the mentioned gaps. Flooring elements are attached to wooden base using self-tapping screws.

The optimal length of fasteners is 3.2 cm. Recess the screw caps into the plywood by a couple of millimeters.

The optimal arrangement of fasteners is as follows: one for each corner of the sheet, one in the center of each side, one in the center of the sheet.

Helpful advice! If plywood is laid on top of a solid plank flooring, you can use PVA wood glue to attach it in combination with self-tapping screws. In this case, firstly, better bonding of the plywood to the base will be ensured, and secondly, the risk of squeaks when walking on the floor will be further reduced.

It is convenient to use a notched trowel to apply the glue. Binder composition either the base or a sheet of plywood is covered - whichever is more convenient in a particular situation. Recommendations regarding optimal thickness Specify the glue layer in the instructions for the composition used. The order is as follows: first the sheets are glued, then additionally fixed with self-tapping screws.

Also check the instructions for the selected adhesive for the drying time of the glue.

Prices for PVA glue for wood

PVA glue for wood

Video - How to level a floor with plywood yourself

Video - How to level the floor with your own hands under laminate, linoleum, floor coverings

For arranging logs, high-quality coniferous or deciduous (except poplar and linden, as they are not strong enough) boards of 2-3 grades, 4 cm thick, 8-10 cm wide, are well suited.

Under the logs there are pads 10-15 cm wide, 2.5 cm thick and about 20-25 cm long. The thickness of the pads can vary depending on the existing differences in the base. The linings are set strictly according to the level so that the logs, and with them the plywood laid above, do not deviate from the horizontal.

More modern method leveling the base involves installing joists on adjustable studs. Information regarding determining the operating level and setting the log to adjustable feet was cited in a publication dedicated to.

Adjustable jog design

The logs under the plywood are installed in 40-50 cm increments. The supports are mounted across the room. A 2-3 cm gap is maintained between the ends of the joists and the walls.

The procedure for installing joists followed by laying plywood flooring is given in the table.

Table. Leveling the floor with plywood along the joists

Work stage	Description
	The leveled base is cleared of all existing dirt and debris.
	Recommendations for determining the working level according to which the surface will be leveled are available at the previously provided link.
	To level out elevation differences in in this example bosses are used - linings made from pieces of timber, plywood, etc. In order to increase the accuracy of level control and the stability of the structure, place the bosses not only at the edges, but also in the center of each joist. If the log length exceeds 2 m, install additional pads in 50 cm increments. By changing the height of the bosses, ensure that they are located in a single plane. You can make sure that there are no differences using a level or, even simpler, a rule - a straight strip with a length (specifically for this case) of at least 200 cm. The principle is as follows: lay the rule on the bosses and make sure that the tool lies flat and without gaps on all the pads . Helpful advice! Place a piece of linoleum or roofing felt on top of the bosses. The material will take on the functions of a shock absorber and allow you to more accurately adjust the level of fastening of the logs. Do not fix the bosses at this stage. The wooden floor is leveled, so later, after laying the logs, you can tighten them to the base using self-tapping screws or other suitable fasteners directly through the pads.
	Proceed with laying the joists on the bosses. Maintain the pitch between the lags in accordance with the dimensions of the plywood sheet (in the example under consideration - 600 mm). Make sure the lags are evenly positioned using a building level or a rule according to an already familiar pattern. Eliminate any deviations found by adding or removing material from the corresponding bosses. To attach the logs to a wooden floor, as noted, it is convenient to use self-tapping screws. Screw 2 fasteners into each point.
	Without cross slats, plywood flooring will very quickly deform and fail. The slats are made from the same material as the joists. In the center of each future cross member, place bosses on the base. Attach the rail to the base through the bosses using self-tapping screws - 2 for each lining. To fasten the crossbars to the joists, use metal corners. The pitch between slats is up to 50 cm.
	Having finished arranging the sheathing, proceed to laying the sheet material. Each sheet must be supported by at least 2 joists. To prevent squeaks when subsequently walking on the floor, lay sheets with gaps of up to 0.5 mm. The plywood is attached to the joists and intermediate slats using self-tapping screws. Maintain a 50-70 cm spacing between fasteners. Recess the heads of the screws slightly into the wood.

Video - Leveling the floor with plywood along the joists

Fastening plywood with adjustable studs

This option for leveling the floor with plywood is the simplest and fastest in its implementation: anchors are screwed into the base and plywood is put on them through pre-prepared holes. By screwing in/unscrewing the anchors, the required floor level is set.

The system looks like this:

It was discussed in detail in the corresponding publication on our website, be sure to read it.

Video - Laying plywood on adjustable studs

As noted, the technology allows the use of plywood to level bases whose height differences do not exceed 80 mm. But what if the irregularities are more significant? Stop using plywood? Not necessary.

Recommendations regarding the mandatory preliminary elimination of differences in height are given for the simple reason that the sheet material, under the influence of the loads placed on it, will follow the contours of the unevenness, become deformed and fail.

To prevent this from happening, do the following.

To begin, take a long level and find places with the most pronounced differences in height. In the identified areas, screw screws into the floor in increments of about 20 cm. By tightening/unscrewing the screws, ensure that their heads are located at the same horizontal level.

The plywood will be laid on screwed screws. To prevent the sheets from sagging, the void between them and the uneven base needs to be filled with something. A mixture prepared from a share of small sawdust and the same amount of PVA glue is perfect. Before laying plywood, coat the recesses with the specified composition. Additionally, cover the side of the sheet with which it is laid on the base with a double layer of PVA glue. The mixture dries within a week.

To ensure the highest quality and even fit of the plywood to the base, secure the sheets with self-tapping screws. Maintain a 50cm step. Correct scheme placement of fasteners is shown in the image.