Self-Leveling Floors

Asphalt and other floor coverings do not always withstand 250–300 kg/m² per minute. In offices as well, expensive guest footwear and high-end finishes require careful and thoughtful floor installation.

The combination of these factors makes self-leveling liquid floors indispensable. This article explores the types of liquid floors, their composition, and installation methods.

Origin and Types of Self-Leveling Floors

Essentially, a self-leveling floor is a dry construction mixture made of a cement base and a range of additives serving the following functions:

• Plasticizers – increase resistance to static and dynamic loads;
• Accelerators of hardening – reduce the time required for floor readiness after pouring;
• Additives that enhance strength and hardness of the floor;
• Quartz sand;
• Cement base.

Floors are delivered to construction sites in 25 kg bags containing the listed components. They are fundamentally divided into two types:

The screed provides initial leveling of the subfloor, while the finish layer, which self-levels through surface tension forces, forms a final, high-strength, and perfectly flat layer in the floor structure.

Installation Technology

Before pouring the base layer (screed), the subfloor (e.g., concrete slab, moisture-resistant plywood, etc.) must be primed. The primers used are special, based on epoxy resin or polyurethane.

Many manufacturers now offer floors with anti-static properties, preventing electric shock from various sources. If installing such a floor, an earthing circuit must be installed after priming the base before pouring the first layer.

Next, the fast-hardening screed is poured. The dry mix is combined with water in the proportion specified on the packaging, thoroughly mixed until homogeneous, resembling buttermilk. Pouring is done either across the entire room from wall to wall, or within a wooden formwork.

If the base is uneven, the screed will maximize leveling (can be done 'with guides') to ensure the finish layer spreads with maximum coverage and minimal thickness and material usage. A major advantage of self-leveling floors is their ability to be extremely thin – from 3.5 mm and more. Despite such minimal thickness, they maintain high strength due to reinforcing elements and additives enhancing load-bearing capacity.

If the first screed layer can be leveled with a special tool (made from two wooden beams in a T-shape) to achieve maximum flatness, the second, finish layer levels and spreads automatically, as surface tension forces act at a molecular level. The floor must remain load-free for several days after pouring.

After water evaporation and cement hardening, the floor can be gradually loaded, avoiding full load initially. The curing time for each floor grade is specified by the manufacturer. Different brands may vary significantly in this regard.

Industrial-grade self-leveling floors are another distinct type, known for their resistance to extreme loads. This is especially critical where heavy machinery is installed, generating short-amplitude vibrations – the most dangerous operating condition for floor structural integrity.

Another feature of industrial self-leveling floors is their chemical resistance, achieved by adding special additives to the formulation that prevent chemical reactions on the surface. This property is essential in facilities with aggressive environments.

Residential and office self-leveling floors can easily be finished with any modern floor covering: parquet, laminate, carpet, etc. The installation process for these coverings over the screed is identical to installation on any other surface. In contrast, industrial floors are often used without finishing – the final layer remains as-is.