Putty for concrete floor: features of choice and work

Selecting the appropriate putty is essential for readying a concrete floor for finishing. Putty fills in any imperfections or cracks to help create a smooth, even surface. This improves the floor’s appearance and makes sure that any coatings or coverings applied later will adhere better.

With so many options available, choosing putty for concrete floors can be overwhelming. Putty comes in a variety of forms, each designed to meet a particular need or goal, like moisture resistance or quick drying. Knowing these characteristics will enable you to make an informed decision that meets the requirements of your project.

Putty application on concrete floors calls for a few basic skills and equipment. The putty must be properly mixed, the surface must be cleaned, and it must be applied evenly. Regardless of whether you’re getting ready for paint, tiles, or some other kind of finish, taking the proper measures guarantees a strong and long-lasting outcome.

The essential elements of selecting the best putty for your concrete floor will be discussed in this article. We’ll also include a detailed tutorial on how to use it efficiently. These pointers will assist you in achieving a faultless floor finish whether you’re a professional or a do-it-yourself enthusiast.

The use of putty

Concrete floors without coverings are typically found in industrial buildings, such as garages, factories, retail stores, and storage facilities. The ability of concrete to withstand mechanical stress and wear is crucial in this situation. The floors also need to be resistant to chemicals, temperatures, moisture, and other environmental factors.

In residential buildings, it is also a good idea to properly prepare the concrete for floor finishes. In this instance, it will reduce dust without compromising the finish, lengthen the layer’s service life, and improve operating comfort.

For which coatings is concrete floor putty relevant: under parquet and parquet boards, laminate and linoleum, ceramic tiles and paint, porcelain stoneware and self-leveling polyurethane floors. These materials require a perfectly smooth and even surface that is resistant to mechanical damage and moisture, capable of not crumbling or cracking, and not dusting.

• Increases the level of water resistance.
• Significantly increases the mechanical strength and wear resistance.
• Reduces the amount of dust emitted by the screed.
• Significantly extends the service life of both the concrete floor itself and the covering laid on top.
• Ensures safety and environmental friendliness of use.
• Improves adhesion between materials.

Properties

Putty is chosen based on the tasks it needs to complete. For instance, it might be crucial to guarantee maximum wear resistance and strength for floors in industrial buildings, and it might be important to minimize moisture and temperature changes for some residential buildings.

However, since we are discussing a surface that is continuously subjected to loads, the majority of the compositions exhibit roughly the same properties, enhancing the fundamental technical characteristics of concrete.

• Resistance to mechanical damage – the more important the higher the expected loads.
• Ensuring good adhesion to other materials.
• Resistance to water and moisture.
• Long service life.
• Wear resistance.
• Safety and environmental friendliness for people.

Putties are chosen taking into account the type of finishing coating, the room’s intended use, the floor’s functions, and additional considerations. The contemporary market provides a sizable assortment of diverse compositions, the majority of which satisfy the fundamental requirements; however, for certain ones, it is crucial to choose particular substances.

It’s crucial to comprehend the various varieties of putty that are available as well as their unique advantages before selecting and applying it to a concrete floor. The durability and appearance of your floor can be greatly improved by choosing the correct putty, whether you’re addressing small imperfections or preparing the surface for a smooth finish. This post will walk you through the most important factors to take into account and provide detailed instructions for a smooth application, guaranteeing a high-quality outcome for your concrete flooring project.

Types of putties for concrete floors

Any putty is made up of binders and water, sometimes with fillers (sand or crushed stone) and additives to boost plasticity. Typically, binders such as polyester, polyurethane, epoxy resins, and cement are utilized. There are many different types of putties available on the market, including ready-to-use mixtures and dry compositions with one, two, or three components that need to be mixed with water before use.

Putty compositions for concrete are expensive, so people usually make them by hand using materials like cement, sand, drying oil, acrylic varnish, PVA glue, etc. However, when using such products, it is impossible to guarantee the quality and compliance with the necessary characteristics.

Consider the tasks, the technical specifications of the solution, the room’s purpose, the characteristics and kind of base, and other factors when selecting the type of mixture. As a result, the coating might need to have a lot of flaws removed or have a high degree of vapor permeability, strength, etc. Consider the qualities and characteristics of the concrete floor before applying a finishing coat.

Gypsum

Mixtures with a gypsum base are thought to be the most popular and reasonably priced.

• Does not shrink.
• Provides a smooth surface in one pass.
• Dries quickly.
• Assumes a low cost.
• Can be of any color due to the possibility of introducing pigment into the composition.

Only one drawback needs to be mentioned: gypsum is moisture-averse, so it is not advised to use gypsum putty in areas where the floor will be subjected to high humidity levels.

Cement

These mixtures are used to level concrete floors beneath prefabricated or sheet flooring; they are typically made by hand.

• Defects are cleaned, primed with PVA glue with water, taken in a ratio of 1 to 5.
• Prepare a mixture of cement, PVA glue diluted with water, sifted chalk, or mix acrylic varnish and cement putty to obtain a base composition, using sand or sawdust as a filler. The mixture is used to seal all defects – cracks, crevices, cavities. If there are very minor defects, they can be filled with a regular glue or oil mixture.
• When the "patches" have dried, the floor is cleaned of debris and dust, primed with a mixture of PVA glue and acrylic varnish.
• Next, level the floor using cement putty and fine sand, diluted with a solution of PVA glue (part glue, five parts water). The mixture should be liquid so that it can be poured onto the surface and carefully leveled with a spatula.
• The layer is made a maximum of 3-4 millimeters thick, if more is needed, 2-3 passes are performed with complete drying of each of the layers (takes about 2 hours).
• If working with large areas, the mixture is prepared in portions, which can be used up within 10-20 minutes.

Special

Special components intended to raise or decrease specific indicators, enhance specific qualities meant for floors in a particular condition, and various coatings are examples of special-purpose mixtures.

These putties frequently exhibit higher levels of water and frost resistance, are unafraid of heavy loads and abrupt temperature swings, and generally exhibit more serious qualities that are crucial for production and specific purpose premises.

Acrylic

Ready-made putty with a paste-like consistency made with acrylic copolymer and reinforcing fibers. Such a composition’s primary function is to patch deformable bases and seal joints, seams, and cracks.

• Moisture resistance.
• Complete absence of layer shrinkage.
• Strength and elasticity.
• High adhesion.
• Extremely easy application.
• Possibility of use for work outside / inside the premises.

There are hardly any drawbacks to the material.

Epoxy

When a concrete floor needs to be leveled and strengthened due to damage such as large cracks, embroidered seams, or remnants of removed reinforcement, this kind of putty is used. The epoxy composition strengthens, lengthens the service life, and tightens the concrete’s surface.

• The composition fills cracks, crevices, joints very well, eliminates voids that may appear as a result of replacing pipes, communications.
• The ability to fasten complex destroyed areas, qualitatively tighten structural damage.
• The composition guarantees high adhesion to any surface.
• As a result, the coating is monolithic, wear-resistant, durable, does not require additional processing.
• The composition ensures the resistance of concrete to chemical reagents, moisture, fungus, microorganisms, mold.

Waterproofing putty for further floor sanding

The composition of waterproofing putty includes urethane components, dispersion emulsion, target additives, and dry base, all of which contribute to its increased moisture resistance. The material is suitable for use as a stand-alone coating.

In areas with high humidity, like steam rooms, bathrooms, and showers, it is frequently used to restore older concrete surfaces. The composition’s primary benefit is that you can work on the wet layer without having to wait for it to dry completely.

Puttying under linoleum

This kind of work is done in accordance with regulations because the floor beneath linoleum needs to be defect-free, dust-free, and strong enough to withstand large loads (transmitted by the linoleum) as well as point impacts.

If required, the base is further treated to remove flaws and minor imperfections before beginning putty work.

A smooth and long-lasting surface on your concrete floor depends on the putty you choose. It’s crucial to take into account the particular requirements of your floor, including the amount of traffic it will experience and the environmental factors it will encounter. This guarantees that the putty will offer the required durability and protection.

Although some preparation is required when working with putty, the end results are well worth the work. A more even finish can be achieved by applying putty after thoroughly cleaning and priming the concrete surface. To ensure optimal results, closely adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions.

A rough, unfinished concrete floor can be transformed into a smooth, polished surface by taking the time to choose the appropriate putty and applying it correctly. This improves the floor’s functionality and ease of maintenance in addition to its appearance. You can produce results in your own space that are on par with professionals if you take the proper approach.

Ultimately, the putty must be carefully chosen and applied with precision if you want your concrete floor project to be successful. You can enjoy a gorgeous, long-lasting floor that withstands normal wear and tear by paying attention to these details.

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