Bathroom remodeling is one of the most time-consuming tasks. The reason for this lies in the fact that communication pipes and constantly high humidity are located in the bathroom. You will have to get around more than one obstacle, equipping the floor, and use special moisture-resistant materials. In this article, we will tell you how to make the bathroom floor aesthetic, strong, durable and protect yourself and your neighbors from flooding.

There are various options for arranging floors in bathrooms. It depends on the subfloor material and many other factors. In almost all apartments of multi-storey buildings in our vast Motherland, the floor arrangement in the bathroom can be such a pie:

Concrete floor slab - the initial base.
Rolled or built-up waterproofing.
A concrete screed about 5 cm thick - in old Soviet buildings it was not made very well.
Again waterproofing - at this stage it can be coated or painted.
Leveling screed - from a cement-sand mixture or a modern self-leveling mixture.
Floor covering: various tiles, wood, waterproof laminate, cork floor, linoleum, self-leveling floor.

The scheme of "warm floor" in the bathroom

A relative innovation is the "warm floor" system, which can also be installed in the bathroom. It is mounted at the stage of the leveling screed and will make your stay in the bathroom even more comfortable. The presented scheme for arranging the floor in the bathroom is universal. For its qualitative implementation, it is necessary to responsibly and painstakingly perform the following stages of work.

Rough surface preparation

If repairs are being made in a residential apartment, the first step is to remove any old flooring. If it was linoleum, then we hook it with a spatula or a knife and rip it off. But most often in the bathrooms, tiles were laid on the floor, so you can’t do without a perforator. We break the tile and remove all the remnants. During the dismantling of a tile or other type of tile, the screed will most likely be broken: cracks, splits will appear, it may even crumble.

Therefore, it is desirable to remove the screed as well. Before us should appear a concrete base in all its glory. We sweep all construction debris out of the bathroom, then vacuum to get rid of dust particles. At this stage, it is necessary to close up all the cracks and holes that are visible to the naked eye so that they do not increase in the future. To do this, you can use "tile" glue.

If the floor is being arranged in the apartment “after the builders”, there will be less preparatory work, since nothing needs to be removed. The concrete floor must be cleaned of debris, dirt and visible cracks should be repaired.

Before applying waterproofing, the surface should be primed. Therefore, we treat the floor with a primer, thereby improving the adhesion of the waterproofing material to the floor surface.

When choosing a material for waterproofing, one should be guided by the stage at which it is applied, and which part of the surface we want to isolate.

The waterproofing of the floor in the bathroom is carried out with an overlap on the walls of 10 cm

If a floor slab flaunts in front of us, and not a concrete floor, then for a start we take rolled or deposited waterproofing. You can use bituminous mastic and treat the entire surface, cracks and joints with walls well, making an overlap of at least 25 cm on them.

Coating or paint waterproofing can be applied to the concrete floor. And if you plan to isolate the walls, for example, at the junction of a shower cabin or washbasin, then you should choose pasting waterproofing.

Application of coating waterproofing

We prepare the mixture. To do this, pour the dry component into a container, pour the liquid component and stir. The ratio should be 1:1, knead thoroughly until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.
Using a roller, apply the mixture to the entire surface of the floor. In hard-to-reach places and junctions with walls and communications, you can use a spatula or brush. Consumption is approximately 2 - 3 kg / m 3, but more accurate figures are indicated on the packaging.
In places of joints and connections we lay a waterproofing tape.
We form a "trough" that will protect against seepage of water through the walls. To do this, in parallel with the coating of the floor, we apply the mixture to the walls so that its upper edge protrudes 5-10 cm above the level of the future floor.
We apply the waterproofing mixture in two layers. After applying the first one, we take a break of 4-6 hours. Then apply the next layer and wait for it to dry. All subsequent work is resumed after at least a day.

Easy painting method

Painted waterproofing of the floor in the bathroom is short-lived

The painting method is easier than the coating method. Its main disadvantage is its short life. The average service life of paint waterproofing is 3-5 years.

If you nevertheless decide to use this particular method, then we apply the solution with a brush or roller on the floor and walls.

Important! Waterproofing the floor in a wooden house will require additional steps. To protect the wood from the influence of moisture, a thin linoleum is laid on the subfloor with an overlap on the walls of 5–10 cm. This will serve as additional protection.

What you need to decide before pouring the floor

Since you have decided to make the floor in the bathroom with your own hands, it is quite possible that you will want to move the toilet to another place, equip a drain so as not to flood the neighbors, or install a “warm floor” system. Whether such design changes will be undertaken should be decided at this stage.

If you are planning carry the toilet, it must be connected by a pipe to the sewer. For this pipe to function properly, it must be at an angle. In this case, the overall floor level will rise by at least 10-15 cm, or the toilet will have to be installed on a separate pedestal. Therefore, at this stage, we dismantle the old toilet bowl, install it in a new place and connect it to the vent pipe. You can not install the toilet yet, but only mount the pipe.

Drainage equipment will also raise the floor level by a few centimeters and for the same reason. In addition, it will be necessary to fill the floor with a slope towards the drain, so that water from the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe bathtub flows down to it. We install the drain and mount the outlet pipe. In the future, it will be necessary to ensure that the neck of the drain protrudes above the screed. In the meantime, in order not to clog the pipe, it is temporarily worth plugging it with something, for example, with rags.

Pipes of the water "warm floor" in the bathroom are mounted before the floor is poured

Increasingly in bathrooms underfloor heating installed. The tile is very cold to the touch, not too pleasant to stand barefoot on it in the morning after a warm cozy bed. A "warm floor" can provide a very comfortable feeling. In the bathroom, you can install a water floor or electric. The "warm floor" system, consisting of pipes through which warm water passes, is connected directly to the heating pipe, if one is provided in the bathroom. Another way is to connect to pipes with hot water or heated towel rails. Despite the doubts of the masses, electric "warm floor" can also be installed safely in the bathroom. The only drawback of this choice is the high cost of electricity, but the electric floor is extremely easy to install.

Important! If you want the water to remain in the bathroom in case of flooding and not flood the entire apartment or house, the floor in the bathroom must be made lower than the general level of the rest of the premises. The second option for solving the problem is to equip a high threshold so that water does not overflow.

Therefore, before pouring the floor in the bathroom, we mount all additional communications and determine at what level the floor and threshold should be.

Leveling the floor - screed

Leveling the floor in the bathroom is a must. Any floor covering, whatever you choose, requires an almost perfectly even base, especially if it is tile. High-quality screed - a guarantee of durability and strength of the finish coating. That is why this issue should be approached with all responsibility.

Leveling cement-sand screed floor in the bathroom is necessary if the base has significant flaws or height differences

Previously, there was not a particularly large choice, and everyone performed a floor screed cement-sand mixture. Today the market has a lot to offer building mixtures based on non-shrink cements, as well as others self leveling compounds. All of these options are viable.

The technologies for performing screeds with various materials do not differ too much and have a common structure:

On the walls we outline the level to which we will fill the screed, considering whether we have additional pipes that need to be hidden. To do this, you can use a water or laser level.
We install beacons at a distance of 1 m from each other. You can use wooden bars, metal corners, or you can purchase a plastic T - shaped profile. We fix them on the cement mortar. To do this, lay out the tubercles of the solution on the floor, in which alabaster is added. We lay the beacons and, constantly monitoring the horizontal level, we press them into the solution. Align the beacons according to the marks on the wall.
We prepare a solution for screed. It can be a traditional cement-sand mixture, and self-leveling in case the floor has minor irregularities. We knead them in a bucket with a drill. We follow the instructions on the packaging with the self-leveling compound. We make sure that the amount of water is optimal.
Pour the mixture to the top edge of the beacons. The self-leveling mixture will fill all the empty space without outside interference, and we use the rule to level the cement mixture.
We apply a rule, the length of which is at least 20 cm longer than the distance between the beacons, to the slats of the beacons. We stretch it towards ourselves, thereby filling the voids, leveling the solution and removing the excess that protrudes beyond the beacons.
To remove air bubbles in the self-leveling mixture, roll over it with a spiked roller.
We are waiting for the screed to dry. The term depends on the brand and composition of the leveling mixture. It is extremely important to follow the instructions and observe the required microclimate in the room, avoiding drafts.

Important! If you decide to install an electric "warm floor", then the screed is poured in two stages. Beacons can not be installed. Fill the first layer, wait for complete drying. We lay the thermal insulation and spread the "warm floor". Pour the second portion of the leveling mixture and level.

Which flooring to choose?

On the floor surface leveled with a screed, any finishing floor covering can be laid. This will be the final stage of arranging the floor in the bathroom.

Linoleum in the bathroom rarely laid. Rather, it is an economical option or a temporary way out. It is very easy to lay linoleum, it does not require additional care, it is easy to clean, it serves as a waterproofing, but at the same time it quickly “wipes off” and becomes unpresentable.

Natural cork floor in the bathroom is a good solution for lovers of comfort and warmth

Provides maximum comfort. The cork is very pleasant warm to the touch, it is impossible to slip on it, which cannot be said about the tile. It springs very well, returning to its original state. In addition, it does not absorb foreign odors and water, and is also resistant to the influence of pathogenic flora, fungi simply do not multiply on it. There is a very significant nuance. Only solid cork has the ability to not absorb moisture, not HDF-based floors. You should choose a cork array 4 - 6 mm thick, glued to the base. Another important advantage of the cork floor is its naturalness, environmental friendliness and hypoallergenicity.

Self-leveling floor in the bathroom is able to mentally move you to other lands

Started equipping relatively recently. Firstly, this floor is easy to install. In fact, the last layer of the leveling screed may be the pouring of the self-leveling floor. Secondly, such a floor itself has water-repellent properties, the need for additional waterproofing disappears by itself. Thirdly, the temperature mode of operation of the self-leveling floor allows you to mount the "warm floor" system directly into it. And one of the most important advantages of this floor is the variety of patterns and colors. You can arrange a floor that imitates natural stone, or use other decorative fillers.

But this technology also has a number of disadvantages:

It is necessary to prepare a perfectly even base.
Freshly prepared mixture is extremely toxic and flammable.
Unnatural coverage.

How to make a self-leveling floor in the bathroom

All the preparatory work has already been completed: the waterproofing has been completed, the screed has been poured. It remains only to apply a mixture of self-leveling floor:

1. Prepare the mixture. To do this, pour the dry component into the water and knead with a drill with interruptions of 1-2 minutes until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

Important! Please note that for the preparation of a self-leveling floor mixture, it is the dry component that is poured into the water, and not vice versa, as is the case with other mixtures. The resulting solution begins to solidify after half an hour - 40 minutes, so it makes sense to prepare it in portions, and not all at once.

2. Be sure to observe the temperature and humidity conditions. The optimum temperatures are +15 - +25 ° C, humidity is not more than 80%.

3. We will pour the mixture in stripes. We fill the first strip along the wall, starting from the corner opposite the doorway.

4. Level and adjust the thickness of the layer with a squeegee or spatula.

5. Roll the layer with a spiked roller to remove air bubbles.

6. We fill all the other strips according to this algorithm: they filled it in, straightened it, removed the air.

7. The self-leveling floor dries for about 3 days, but it can be used already after 6 - 12 hours after pouring, by which time it will acquire sufficient hardness.

Important! The "warm floor" system can be turned on no earlier than a week later.

Tile in the bathroom on the floor - a classic traditional option

Tile on the floor in the bathroom The room "entered" with a confident step for a long time and continues to occupy a leading position among floor coverings for the bathroom. A variety of shapes and materials allows you to satisfy the taste of even the most sophisticated customer. The disadvantage of tile is its relative fragility. If a tile is cracked, it must be replaced, but while the damaged one is being dismantled, others nearby may also be damaged.

The wooden floor in the bathroom looks very nice, but not very practical.

It can only be made from teak or larch, as not every wood will withstand constant changes in humidity levels. The arrangement of such a floor requires careful additional waterproofing. And although the wooden floor is natural, warm, beautiful, it makes sense to lay instead moisture resistant laminate.

Laying the flooring will mark the end of the work on arranging the floor in the bathroom. No matter how long this painstaking process takes, this is an indispensable experience that should be in the luggage of every efficient owner.

The floor in the bathroom must be approached very responsibly, as it will be affected by high humidity, since there are a large number of pipes in this room that need to be hidden.

It would be useful to install a system of underfloor heating for additional heating of the room. In this article, we will consider how to cover the floor in the bathroom, materials and their characteristics, how to install the screed, underfloor heating and finishing flooring.

bathroom floor requirements

Finishing materials for the bathroom must be moisture resistant

A room with high humidity and a threat of possible leakage requires a foundation using moisture-resistant materials and laying a hydro- and vapor barrier layer.

Bathroom flooring must meet the requirements of:

should be warm, as we become barefoot on the floor;
safety of movement, wet coating should not slip;
ecological cleanliness;
ease of installation and maintenance;
long service life.

All these parameters are easy to achieve if you choose the right materials for flooring and adhere to the installation technology.

Floor device

Heated electric floors are a good choice for the bathroom

The base in all houses has approximately the same structure, differing only in the presence of a layer of heat-saving material and a waterproofing layer.

The floor consists of the following elements:

concrete slab;
waterproofing layer (not always);
heat and vapor barrier;
bulk self-leveling coating of cement or polymer mortar;
finish flooring.

For a local space heating device, at the stage of installing the screed, we lay a cable or infrared film warm floor.

Choosing a finish

The most suitable bathroom flooring is:

ceramic floor tiles;
self-leveling floor, it can be arranged with a 3D effect;
moisture resistant laminate;
linoleum.

We choose the material depending on whether the underfloor heating will be installed, as well as the budget for repairs. The selected coating should harmoniously fit into the overall design of the room.

Self-leveling floors

Polyurethane is optimal for the bathroom

Depending on the material used, there are several types of self-leveling floors:

cement-acrylic;
epoxy;
methyl methacrylate;
polyurethane.

Optimal for the bathroom is a polyurethane floor, it is environmentally friendly, durable and has a smooth, shiny top layer. The latest novelty is a self-leveling floor with a 3D effect.

Advantages:

beautiful appearance, especially near the floor with a 3D effect;
high strength and resistance to moisture, when performing the installation technology, the floor will not lose its properties for 10-20 years;
easy care, the coating has no seams and pores where moisture can accumulate;
does not lose its qualities when exposed to abrasive substances.

When choosing a three-dimensional floor, it is possible to create a unique inimitable coating with any pattern. Before applying the composition, it is necessary to carefully prepare the surface.

The base must be free of cracks, even and clean.

Ceramic tile

Most often, ceramic tiles are used as flooring, but since they are cold in structure, it is recommended to lay a warm floor under them.

Due to the fact that water splashes often fall on the floor, in order not to slip, it is better to choose a material with a matte finish (glossy tiles are slippery).

A wide range of material is produced with different structures and shades, which are easy to choose for the interior of the room, even for the most demanding owner.

Tiles create a special style in the room and have many advantages:

resistant to moisture and temperature changes
easy care, resistant to aggressive substances;
easily supports the weight of the bathroom, washing machine and furniture.

The disadvantage is that the seams between the tiles become clogged with dust and dirt.

Ceramic floor tiles do not have to be the same color as the walls. The main thing in this matter is to focus on the complex combination of color shades of each element.

Laminate

For wet areas, choose a waterproof laminate

For the installation of the floor in the bathroom, only moisture-resistant and waterproof laminate is suitable, which differ from each other in the features of the materials used in their structure.

Moisture-resistant laminated board consists of high-strength HDF board (from 900 kg per cubic meter). Protects such material not only from dampness, but also from mold and accumulation of bacteria. In stores, it is most often found with greenish surface shades. In some models, a rubber strip is installed along the longitudinal side, which protects the board from moisture.

Waterproof laminate is based on a plastic board that is treated with a hot wax that prevents moisture from entering.

The surface of the board is additionally covered with a polymer layer, which also protects the material from moisture and mechanical damage.

Whatever type of laminate is used, after taking a shower, the floor surface must be thoroughly wiped so that water does not stand on it, and the room itself must be ventilated.

Linoleum

A properly sealed coating will last a very long time.

This material, when properly laid and sealed from moisture, will last from 10 to 20 years. The material must be of high quality (commercial or semi-commercial grade).

Under the legs of the bathroom and furniture, be sure to install linings that will protect the coating from the formation of serious dents and ruptures.

Advantages:

low cost;
seamless one-piece coating;
the coating is warmer to the touch than the tile;
beautiful appearance.

Properly selected and laid using linoleum technology, you can get an inexpensive beautiful floor covering. It is laid on a completely dried screed and substrate.

All connections to the baseboard must be sealed to prevent moisture ingress.

Non-porous material will be easier to wash

Due to its resistance to moisture, strength and durability, natural stone is suitable for flooring in rooms with high humidity.

The stone must be chosen non-porous so that it is easier to wash.

In addition, you need to pay attention to the properties of the material, the action of which should be aimed at preventing the absorption of moisture and fumes.

The best types of natural stone for bathroom floors are granite and slate.

Decorative carpet made of crushed stone

For coating use a fine fraction of 3 - 5 mm

It is a mixture of mineral particles of semi-precious stones, pebbles, marble and quartz sand with a fraction of 3-5 mm.

Advantages:

service life of more than 30 years, increased wear resistance;
resistance to moisture and aggressive substances;
seamlessness;
beautiful appearance;

Cleaning will include removing dust with a vacuum cleaner, wiping with a damp cloth and rubbing with polish.

The disadvantages are high cost, fragility and susceptibility to mechanical damage.

The smoother the surface of the stone, the less it is prone to contamination in places of patterns and texture edges.

Do-it-yourself bathroom floor installation

With the skills of construction work and a minimum of tools, it is easy to make a floor in the bathroom with your own hands. The first step is to prepare and repair the surface of the plate. Preparatory work for all types of floors is the same. How to make a self-leveling floor in the bathroom with your own hands, see this video:

Preparing the plate surface

The plate must be cleaned of debris

The quality of the floor and the durability of the floor covering depends on the correct preparation of the slab for installation.

We remove all exfoliating parts of building materials from the stove, remove dust. If an empty sound is heard when tapping the floor, then the old screed has peeled off, in which case it must be removed.
If damage is found, they must be repaired with cement mortar, cracks more than 1 mm wide must first be expanded with a grinder, clean the edges and moisten abundantly. Cement mortar adheres better to a wet surface.
After the base has completely dried, remove the dust, as it reduces the quality of adhesion of materials.
We prime the base in two layers; We apply the second layer 4 hours after applying the first and wait for it to dry completely.

A damper tape must be glued along the perimeter of the bathroom walls, which will serve as an expansion joint in case of temperature changes and protect neighbors from below from water leaks.

Waterproofing

When making the floor in the bathroom with your own hands, you need to take care of its waterproofing, which will protect against the penetration of moisture into the pores of the ceiling and the destruction of the base.

Choosing a waterproofing material:

coating insulation is applied with a roller or brush in three layers, which makes the base waterproof;
bitumen emulsion has a service life of 5 years;
gluing insulation in the form of rolled-on materials on a polyester or fiberglass base is laid with a 150-200 mm overhang on the walls. The surface under the material must be pre-levelled.

Liquid waterproofing is most convenient for home use

We fill the intersections of the ceiling with pipes with liquid waterproofing material.

Walls to a height of 150-200 mm and the floor area adjacent to them are treated with bitumen-based mastic.

Then we apply a layer on the entire surface of the floor, after 6 hours we apply another layer over the entire area. After it is completely dry, proceed to the next step.

To mark the level of the floor, we place guides parallel to the wall, depending on the length of the rule with which we will distribute the solution.

To fix the beacons to the desired height, we use pieces of moisture-resistant materials. We check the correctness of the markup with a laser or bubble level.

We prepare a cement-sand mortar for screed in a ratio of 1: 3. To make it of high quality, you need to pre-dry the components carefully among themselves and only then add water to them.

We start the installation of the screed from the far corner of the bathroom, we perform the work in one go without interruption. To protect against cracking and increase strength, we add plasticizers to the solution and reinforce the structure with a reinforced mesh. The thickness of the screed should be between 2 and 7 cm, depending on the materials used. For information on how to properly make a screed on beacons, see this video:

Work sequence:

Pour the concrete solution between the beacons and distribute it with the rule so that it condenses and the formed air bubbles come out.
When the solution has set well, but has not yet dried, we take out the guides, fill the voids with concrete and level the resulting mass.

Upon completion of all work, we cover the screed with polyethylene. Every day during the ripening period, slightly moisten its surface with water. The total drying time of the base is about 30 days.

Ceramic tiles are best laid on a wet screed, the rest of the floor coverings are mounted after the subfloor has completely dried.

Warm floor

Warm floors are divided into electric and water: electric heating cables and a water floor require the installation of a screed. Heating mats can be laid on an existing base and already covered with a 2-3 cm screed from above. See the details of the process in this video:

Installation of an electric underfloor heating includes laying heating cables and connecting a temperature sensor that maintains the desired temperature in the bathroom.

Choosing the best option for underfloor heating for the bathroom:

Heating system	Advantages	disadvantages
cable system	Radiates heat only from heating elements, economical power consumption, service life of 15-20 years; low cost, the cable is protected from mechanical damage, as it is inside the screed, heating temperature control using a sensor.	Needs screed arrangement, emits electromagnetic radiation, labor-intensive installation process
Heating mats	Easy installation, virtually no noise	Fragility, energy consumption is greater than when using a water floor
water system	economical	Labor-intensive installation, difficult to adjust the temperature

Electric cables and heating mats can be installed under ceramic tiles. The film infrared floor cannot be installed in rooms with high humidity.

Consider how to make a bathroom floor with a 3d effect. A polymer self-leveling floor is applied to the finished screed in 3 layers:

Finishing transparent layer with 3D effect.

We apply the base coat on a perfectly even base with a residual moisture content of no more than 4%. For better adhesion to the base layer, we prime the concrete screed and wet it with water.

Surface preparation of the slab is carried out as for a conventional floor.

base layer

After sticking the damper tape and installing the guide beacons, we proceed to apply the first layer.

Installation of the first layer starts from the base angle

Application sequence:

Pour 5-6 liters of water into a capacious container, gradually pour a bag of dry mixture, mix with a construction mixer or a drill with a nozzle until a homogeneous solution is obtained in consistency like sour cream. The mixture must be used quickly as it hardens within 10 minutes.
We start installation from the far corner, moving towards the door. Pour out the solution and distribute it over the surface using the rule, remove air bubbles with a spiked roller.

We fill the base coat in one step. Areas in contact with each other should be filled with an interval of less than 10 minutes.

Drawing an image

The image can be ordered at the printing house on banner fabric

For the bathroom, an image of a marine theme is suitable. You can lay the floor with shells and small pebbles as a decor.

First, we select an image, order a printing company to print it on a banner fabric, which should be the size of a bathroom floor.

Here it is necessary to take into account the places for the bath, washing machine and furniture so that they do not hide the pattern. The image must be placed so that it fits in an open area.

The image is glued from the middle

Stages of laying the picture:

We cover the base coat with a primer, it is possible to mix the polymer with an organic solvent for the primer.
After it dries, we lay out the drawing on the floor, if the image is applied on a self-adhesive base, we start gluing from the middle, smooth it well so that all the air comes out. We cut off the part of the material that is wrapped on the walls.

When using a composition of shells, it is faster to lay them close to each other in a chaotic sequence. If you decide to create a pattern of volumetric particles, keep in mind that this is a very complex and time-consuming process. For information on how to make such a coating in the bathroom, see this video:

We fill the gaps between the decorative elements with polymer clay, after which we leave the resulting surface to dry completely.

Finishing layer

The final transparent coating creates the effect of a three-dimensional image. It is applied to a clean surface a day after drawing.

Walking on the finish layer during the execution of work is possible only in shoes with high spikes (paint-shoes).

Application sequence:

We mix the components until a mass of a homogeneous consistency is obtained. From the far corner we pour the composition, evenly distribute it over the entire floor area. To obtain a volume three d effect, the layer thickness must be at least 3 mm.
The coating hardens within half an hour, at which time we manage to work out the surface with a spiked roller to remove air bubbles.

To increase the life of the finish layer, you can open it with varnish. Until completely dry, the coating must be protected from mechanical damage.

Arranging the floor in the bathroom is perhaps the most difficult stage of apartment renovation. Communication pipes that need to be carefully hidden, high humidity of the room, which requires the use of special materials - all this only complicates the task. And if you decide to do repairs yourself, you probably wondered: how to make the floor in the bathroom correctly, so that it is both durable and beautiful, and does not flood the neighbors. In this article, we will try to answer this question as concisely as possible.

Do-it-yourself bathroom floor - a responsible task

In most cases, the installation of the floor in the bathroom differs only in the finishing flooring. Otherwise, the design is approximately the same, especially for apartment buildings, and is a kind of cake made of various materials with different purposes.

Bathroom floor plan

Most often, the floor device in the bathroom looks like this:

Concrete floor slab;
Waterproofing (built-up from bitumen or rolled);
Cement-sand mixture screed with a thickness of about 50 mm;
Waterproofing (coating or painting);
Leveling screed (cement-sand or self-levelling);
Floor covering (tile, linoleum, wood, laminate, self-leveling floor).

For additional heating of the bathroom and to keep the legs warm, they equip the “warm floor” system. It is mounted at the stage of the leveling screed, so it must be planned in advance.

How to equip the floor in the bathroom with your own hands

Having decided to do all the work yourself, be prepared for the fact that you will have to “tinker” with the bathroom. The arrangement of the floor will require a lot of effort, patience and care. Each stage of work can be delayed for a relatively long time. To make the design durable, the materials must gain their strength - dry. Therefore, you should not rush - we do not need a poor-quality floor.

The technology for arranging the floor in the bathroom is unified and consists of several stages. More details on each below.

Preparatory work

There are two scenarios for preparatory work, and they are determined by the state of the bathroom at the moment: “after the builders” or residential.

Repair in a residential apartment will require the removal of flooring and leveling screed. Most often, ceramic tiles were laid on the floor in bathrooms; a puncher is needed to remove them. Using it, we break the tile, then take out its remains. In the process of dismantling the tile, the leveling screed will most likely be broken. There will be holes, cracks and splits after the perforator. Therefore, we also remove the screed. In addition, if the apartment is old, it is unlikely that in Soviet times this screed was made with high quality, so you should not regret it. If linoleum was used as a floor covering, it must be carefully pry off with a sharp knife and torn off. If the floor was wooden, we saw off part of the boards and then dismantle the rest. Removing the leveling screed will also be needed in order to qualitatively waterproof the floor.

Preparatory work in the apartment "after the builders" will be much less. It is only necessary to sweep out all the garbage, if any.

Then it is desirable to vacuum the concrete base of the floor and. This applies to both residential apartments and new buildings. So that holes and cracks do not increase over time, we close them with tile adhesive. After it dries, you can proceed to the next step.

Floor waterproofing

For better adhesion of the waterproofing material to the floor surface, it must be primed. Therefore, we first treat the floor with a soil mixture and only then proceed to waterproofing.

There are several options for waterproofing the floor: welded, rolled, coated and painted. Each of them is good at its stage of arrangement.

Waterproofing the floor in the bathroom using welded materials is one of the most reliable

Fused waterproofing it is used for processing floor slabs, it is carried out with an overlap on the walls of at least 25 cm. A concrete floor is poured on top of it, on which you can also apply welded insulation, or you can use more modern materials.

Roll waterproofing useful for applying to walls in the junction of a shower or bath.

Painting method can be used for, but this option is short-lived. The average service life of paint waterproofing is 3-5 years. Although this method is the simplest and easiest: with a brush or roller, it is necessary to apply the solution to the floor with an overlap of 10 cm on the walls.

Coating waterproofing considered the most optimal and durable in this case.

For its implementation you will need:

Prepare the mixture by pouring the dry component into water and stirring thoroughly. The ratio of components should be 1:1. It is necessary to knead thoroughly so that a homogeneous mass is obtained.
Apply the mixture to the entire surface of the floor with a roller or brush. For hard-to-reach places, you can use a spatula or brush. The consumption of material per square meter is indicated on the packaging, try to take it into account.
Stick the waterproofing tape on the joints of the floor with walls and other structures.
Coat the tape and walls with the mixture 10 - 15 cm up, thus forming a "trough". This will protect against seepage of water through the cracks between the walls and the floor, as well as through the walls themselves. If suddenly there is a flood in the bathroom, the “trough” will be able to hold back some of the water so that it does not pour into the neighbors or adjacent rooms.
The waterproofing mixture must be applied in two layers. After the first layer, take a break of 4-6 hours. Then apply a second layer.
Wait for the waterproofing to dry completely. You can start subsequent work only after at least a day.

At this stage, you need to stop and think: will you make any significant changes in the bathroom. About what kind of changes, and how they affect the further stages of work, a little lower.

Structural changes in the bathroom

Since you have started the renovation anyway and are completely changing the floor in the bathroom, it is quite possible that you want to make structural changes in the arrangement of the room. Ennobling and increasing the comfort of the bathroom, you can install a "warm floor" system, equip a drain for water or move the toilet bowl to another place if the bathroom is shared. It is necessary to decide whether you will do any of the above at this stage, before pouring the concrete screed.

Electric "warm floor" in the bathroom is laid on top of the first layer of screed

Installation of the "warm floor" system significantly increase the comfort and convenience of being in the bathroom barefoot. After all, most often tiles are laid on the floor, and it is very cold to the touch. It is especially unpleasant to step on a tile in the morning, when you just woke up and got out of a warm bed. The bathroom can be installed electric "warm floor" and water. Contrary to popular doubts, the "warm floor" in the form of an electric heating cable can be safely installed in the bathroom. Moreover, it is very easy to install, and leaks are impossible. But there is one very significant drawback: the high cost of electricity. The so-called "water heated floor", consisting of pipes through which hot water flows, can be connected directly to heating pipes, hot water or heated towel rails.

Water drain equipment will protect the apartment and neighbors from accidental flooding. And in everyday life, water poured onto the floor will immediately go down the drain. In order to make a drain, the floor surface will have to be made with a slight slope towards it. In this case, the overall level of the floor will rise by at least 10 cm. It is necessary to mount the drain and the outlet pipe; in the course of further work, the neck of the drain must always protrude above the level of the screed. This should be constantly monitored, but for now it can be plugged with rags so as not to clog the pipe.

If required moving toilet to another location, you will also have to make a number of design changes. The toilet bowl must be connected with a pipe to the sewer, placing it at an angle for high-quality water flow. To hide this pipe, you will either have to raise the overall floor level by 15 - 20 cm, or equip a separate pedestal for the toilet. At this stage, it is necessary to dismantle the toilet and lay a pipe to a new place. You can not yet put the toilet in place so that it does not interfere.

Important! The low floor level in the bathroom in relation to the general level of the floor in other rooms helps to avoid flooding the entire apartment or house, as well as neighbors. If it is not possible to make such a floor, you can equip a high threshold. It will also hold back the flow of water up to a certain point.

Before pouring the floor in the bathroom, it is necessary to mount all additional communications and know exactly at what level the floor will be. Once everything is ready, you can proceed to the screed.

Floor screed in the bathroom

The smoother the base of the floor, the better it will be possible to lay the floor covering, the more durable the floor itself will be. Therefore, the floor screed must be approached with all responsibility.

You can level the floor in the bathroom with a cement-sand screed or self-leveling mixture.

The most common material for making a leveling screed is a cement-sand mixture. Self-leveling compound can be an alternative to it, but it will not work if the floor is too uneven or has significant flaws. In extreme cases, you can use it for the second leveling layer.

The procedure for performing a concrete screed looks something like this:

On the walls it is necessary to outline the level to which the floor will be poured.
Install beacons with an interval of 1 m. To fix them, you should lay out tubercles of cement-sand mortar on the floor, to which alabaster is added. Lighthouses are laid on them and leveled according to the level, guided by the marks on the wall. At the same time, they are slightly pressed into the solution.
Prepare a mortar for the screed by mixing it thoroughly with a drill.
Pour the solution up to the top edge of the beacons.
For leveling, you can use a rule with a length of at least 20 - 30 cm more than the distance between the beacons. The rule is applied to the lighthouses and stretched towards itself, distributing the solution over the voids and removing the excess.
It is very important to wait until the screed is completely dry. At the same time, observe the microclimate indicated on the packaging with the mixture, and avoid drafts.

To install an electric "warm floor", the screed must be poured in two stages. After pouring the first layer, you should wait for it to dry completely. Then lay out the thermal insulation and spread the "warm floor". Top with a second layer of mortar.

Bathroom flooring installation

The final stage of arranging the floor is laying the floor covering. There are many options for how to make the floor in the bathroom.

As an example, consider the technology of making a self-leveling floor:

1. Prepare the mixture by pouring the dry component into the water and stirring with a drill with a mixing attachment. It is important to observe the proportions indicated on the package.

Important! In the process of filling the self-leveling floor in the room, the temperature should be +15 - + 25 ° C, humidity up to 80%.

2. Fill in the first strip, starting from the corner opposite the doorway.

3. Level with a squeegee or spatula, adjusting the layer thickness.

We roll the filled mixture with a spiked roller to remove air bubbles, you can walk on the floor in “paint shoes”

4. Remove air bubbles by rolling with a spiked roller.

5. Fill in the remaining strips according to the same algorithm.

You can use the floor after 6 - 12 hours, by this time it will already gain enough strength, but it will finally dry out within 3 days at least.

Important! If a "warm floor" system was installed in the bathroom, it can be turned on no earlier than a week after the floor is poured.

Floor coverings for the bathroom - which one to choose

There are several options for bathroom flooring. Determining which one to choose, it is necessary to take into account personal preferences, budget and operational features.

Cork floor in the bathroom - eco-friendly, pleasant to the touch and hypoallergenic

Recently, more and more often a cork is laid in the bathroom. She really has a lot of advantages: warm and pleasant to the touch, does not rot, springy, does not absorb water, fungi do not multiply on it. On a cork floor, it is almost impossible to slip, unlike a tile. Under the feet, the cork pleasantly springs, invariably returning to its original position. In addition, it is hypoallergenic and completely natural. But keep in mind that only cork array has the ability not to absorb moisture. This does not apply to HDF floors. Therefore, choose a cork array with a thickness of 4 - 6 mm, glued to the base.

Self-leveling floor in the bathroom will make your wildest dreams come true

One of the easiest to arrange is a self-leveling floor. He gained popularity recently. Its essential advantages are: ease of installation, waterproofing properties, a variety of patterns and shades. In addition, under it you can mount the "warm floor" system. At the same time, the self-leveling floor also has undeniable drawbacks: a freshly prepared mixture has a toxic composition and ignites easily, requires a perfectly even base, unnatural, which is felt good to the touch.

Ceramic tiles on the floor in the bathroom - a classic of the genre

Ceramic tiles are still the most common and sought-after flooring material in the bathroom. And, despite the relatively complex laying technology and the fragility of tiles, the variety of shapes and colors, as well as the naturalness of the material, incline buyers to choose tiles. It doesn’t even stop that if one tile is damaged during operation, the whole area will have to be changed. Because during the dismantling of the damaged tiles, the neighboring ones will certainly be damaged. Nevertheless, aesthetics and some traditionalism are more important.

Wooden floor in the bathroom - warm and cozy

Such a floor is a rarity today, because not every wood can withstand high levels of humidity. For a wooden floor, teak and larch are used, while providing additional waterproofing. This floor is very beautiful, healthy and warm.

Instead of wood, experts advise laying a moisture-resistant laminate.

Linoleum

As a finishing floor covering in the bathroom, you can lay linoleum. It will serve as an additional waterproofing, it is extremely easy to maintain and install. But it has a significant drawback: it quickly wipes off and becomes “unpresentable”. Therefore, linoleum is used only as a temporary cover or an economical option.

Whatever flooring you choose, you should know that the main task is the high-quality performance of all previous stages of work. Any coating will fall on a perfectly even screed. A properly made waterproofing will protect against flooding.

Bathroom flooring should be a combination of beauty and practicality. For a comfortable and safe stay in the bathroom, the floor should not slip, but the material from which it is made should be attractive in appearance and pleasant to the touch. Also, do not forget about the resistance of the floor covering to moisture.

What to make the floor in the bathroom

The building materials market in modern conditions is able to offer a number of high-quality materials that differ in the method of installation, practicality and aesthetic content. The main floor coverings in the bathroom are:

Self-leveling floors (floors with 3D format)
PVC tiles
vinyl floor
Based on natural stone
Ceramic tiles.

Let's take a closer look at flooring

1. Bulk floor. A coating based on a polymer mass, which is evenly distributed and quickly hardens, is called a "self-leveling floor". A variety of impurities in the source material make it possible to obtain a completely transparent floor. This, in turn, opens up wide prospects for decorative filling.

Printed panels, photo wallpapers, individual decorative designs, and even natural stone or coins can be a wonderful addition to a bathroom floor. The use of decorative decoration allows you to achieve a three-dimensional look, which is a fashionable 3D effect.

Self-leveling floors serve for a very long time - for decades, without changing their properties and appearance at all. They are durable, resistant to high humidity in the bathroom, easy to use and non-slip.

The disadvantages of the coating should be considered a very expensive installation. However, the small area of \u200b\u200bthe bathroom allows you to create a beautiful polymer-based floor. Another "flaw" of this floor should be considered the difficulty in re-equipment if necessary.

2. Ceramic tiles. This material is very common due to its high resistance to moisture and attractive appearance. Products made of tiles and porcelain stoneware are not subject to deformation, resistant to chemical attack, as well as to mechanical damage (due to abrasion or falling of a solid object).

Experts recommend choosing tiles with a relief or rough surface. This will ensure stability and a safe stay in the bathroom even with a large accumulation of moisture on the floor. The possibility of choosing different patterns and colors of the future floor also speaks in favor of ceramic tiles.

3. Moisture resistant laminate. Connoisseurs of exquisite comfort and high aesthetic filling of the bathroom can pay attention to the laminate. However, it is worth choosing materials that are highly resistant to moisture.

It should be noted that even such a laminate does not tolerate constant accumulation of liquid. It is necessary to wipe it periodically, removing water drips or condensation, to ensure a beautiful floor appearance and its long service life.

Laminate flooring in the bathroom is a good solution. Wood-based flooring looks great, stays warm and pleasant to the touch, and offers a wide range of patterns and textures. Laminate is easy to install, and with the right choice of material and care during operation, it is able to please the owner of the premises for a long time.

4. Artificial or natural stone. Floor covering based on artificial or natural stone (marble) is very capricious during installation.

The price of the product is relatively much higher than analogues of flooring materials. When wet, the stone becomes slippery, which is sometimes unsafe for visitors to the shower or bath.

However, the unusual type of indoor flooring determines the choice of individual homeowners in favor of stone.

5. Inexpensive, but high-quality bathroom coating - PVC linoleum. The product is delivered in the form of convenient tile segments. This material shows remarkable characteristics, has an acceptable price and high durability. Linoleum segments are very easy to lay on a prepared base.

It is warm, resistant to soaking and not slippery. However, for optimal use in a bathroom, you should choose linoleum on a moisture-resistant basis with a relief texture. It is also worth paying attention to the quality of laying the material. Excessive soaking may lead to the formation of fungi and mold on the coating.

6. Vinyl flooring. Sheet vinyl is very convenient for organizing the floor with almost no seams. Vinyl is also common in separate sheets-fragments. This material is produced in a variety of colors.

However, the popularity of the material was brought by its qualities: high practicality, the ability to repel moisture and a reluctance to slip.

Bathroom coverage is selected based on the following criteria:

"Question price" - the estimated budget for the repair
Desire to use natural elements
The desire to create a unique or special interior in the bathroom
Safety considerations (anti-slip)
The resistance of the material to moisture.

Conclusion

The bathroom is a special room, the floors in which must be beautiful and resistant to moisture. The building materials market offers a range of solutions with increased moisture resistance especially for bathrooms and showers.

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How to make the floor in the bathroom

One of the important and difficult stages of arranging an apartment or a private house is the bathroom, because in this room a large number of communication pipes are grouped, which should be carefully hidden, and constant humidity requires the use of special materials in the work. Given these important factors, many are wondering how to make a bathroom floor so that it is strong enough and at the same time looks aesthetically pleasing.

Finishing the bathroom with ceramic tiles is a very good choice, since the tile has the main quality required for a bathroom - water resistance.

Basically, all installation work related to the arrangement of the floor in the bathroom is carried out according to the same scheme as in other rooms of the apartment or house. And they are a kind of cake made of various building materials, each of which has its own specific purpose. The only significant difference is only in the top flooring.

What is a bathroom floor

There are two mandatory points that must be observed when choosing and installing a shower siphon in the floor: the design must be collapsible with a water seal at the drain.

Concrete floor slab.
A waterproofing layer, most often rolled or built-up bitumen is used here.
Cement-sand screed with a thickness of about 50 mm.
Waterproof coating or paint layer.
Cement-sand leveling screed.
Floor covering - tile, linoleum, laminate, wood or self-leveling floor.

Recently, for additional heating, both separately only for the bathroom, and for the entire apartment or private house, the underfloor heating system has increasingly been used. Such a system is mounted at the leveling screed stage, in connection with this, such work should be planned in advance and thoroughly prepared for it.

In order to carry out all the installation work correctly in a room such as a bath, a lot of effort, patience and certain accuracy are required, because all the work steps can drag on for quite a long time. Such time is required so that in the end the structure turns out to be durable, and the materials used can finally dry out and reach maximum strength.

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Preparatory work

The arrangement of the premises, as well as the preparatory work, completely depends on which house or apartment the flooring will be carried out in: in a new, newly built, or residential and in need of repair premises. When repairing a residential building, you will need to spend more time and effort. First, the complete removal of the floor covering should be done, after which the subsequent alignment of the screed is required. It will be much easier to carry out preparatory work in a newly built residential building. The only thing that is needed here is to sweep all the garbage out of the room

After this room is fully prepared for subsequent work, it is recommended that both in the new and in the renovated bathroom, vacuum the floor and close up all visible cracks. So that in the future these slots and other holes do not increase, it is recommended that all work be done on the basis of the use of tile adhesive. After it is completely dry, you can proceed to the next step.

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Waterproofing works

First, the entire floor surface is treated with a soil mixture. After its complete drying, one of the possible waterproofing options is selected: rolled, welded, painted or coated. Each of these options is effective, but the most durable, optimal, and therefore the most popular is the coating version of waterproofing.

For this you will need:

Pour the dry coating mixture into water at the rate of 1:1. Mix everything thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is formed.
Apply the finished mixture to the floor surface with a roller.
Glue waterproofing tape at the junction of the floor with the walls.
Apply the coating mixture to the waterproofing tape and walls, while the height from the floor should be at least 15 cm.
Allow the first waterproofing layer to dry completely, and then apply another one.

After the waterproofing layer is completely dry, which takes about a day, you can proceed to the next stage of work. But here it should be finally decided whether it is planned to carry out any changes in this room, because this may affect the process of all further work related to the installation of the flooring.

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Possible changes

In connection with the arrangement and repair of the bathroom, it is quite acceptable to make structural changes in this room, for example, to equip a water drain, install a floor heating system or move the toilet to another location. These and other changes must be carried out at this stage, that is, before the start of pouring the concrete screed.

Water drainage equipment provides an excellent opportunity to avoid accidental flooding. To do this, the floor will have to be made at a slight slope towards the drain and a drain pipe should be installed in the corner to drain the water.
The presence of a warm floor in the bathroom increases comfort and provides certain amenities. Such an installation is quite safe for people, is easy to install and eliminates leaks in the future.
To transfer the toilet bowl to another place, it should be connected to the sewer. In this case, the connecting pipe must have a certain angle of inclination, which, during finishing work, will need to be hidden from prying eyes.

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Floor screed in the bathroom

The floor screed should be approached with all responsibility. The smoother the base is made, the better it will be to lay the flooring later. To perform a leveling screed, a cement-sand mixture is most often used, which is able to qualitatively level any surface, even with the most significant and obvious flaws.

The procedure for performing a concrete screed:

On the walls, by means of a level, it is necessary to outline the boundaries to which the floor will be poured.
Focusing on the marked boundaries, place the beacons at a distance of 1 m from each other.
Using a drill with a mixing nozzle, prepare a thoroughly mixed cement-sand mortar.
To the upper edge of the beacons, pour the solution and level it with the rule.

At the end of work, it is important to observe the microclimate rule and avoid drafts until the screed dries. When installing a warm floor, after the first pouring and complete drying of the screed, you should first lay a heat-insulating layer, and then proceed with the installation of a warm floor. Upon completion of these works, it is necessary to carry out another pouring of the second layer of cement-sand mortar.