Technology of pouring concrete on inclined surfaces, in particular: in a shower stall, driveway to a garage, in a bathhouse with a slope

It can be a little trickier to pour concrete on an inclined surface than on level ground. Whether you’re working with a shower stall, a driveway leading to a garage, or a sloped bathhouse, it’s critical to know the correct methods to guarantee longevity and appropriate drainage. Careful planning and precise execution are necessary for these projects to prevent common problems such as uneven surfaces, water pooling, and cracking.

The main objective of a shower stall is to have a slope that sends water downhill and away from any standing water. Precise measurement and a steady gradient are necessary to guarantee efficient water flow. The same holds true for a bathroom floor, where an appropriate slope guarantees that water travels swiftly towards the drainage area, preventing water damage and guaranteeing a dry, clean area.

The difficulty with driveways is to build a surface that can support car weight and still have a moderate slope for water runoff. By doing this, water is kept from collecting on the driveway, which over time may damage it. To create a sturdy and long-lasting inclined surface, the right formwork, reinforcement, and concrete mix are essential.

Success requires the use of the proper methods and resources. This post will walk you through the process of pouring concrete on different incline surfaces and provide helpful hints and tips to make the process go more smoothly. You will be able to approach your project with confidence and produce results that are professional if you adhere to these guidelines.

Application	Technology
Shower Stall	Use a waterproof concrete mix. Set a slope towards the drain (about 1-2%). Pour in layers, using a trowel to smooth and maintain the slope. Allow each layer to set before adding the next.
Driveway to a Garage	Prepare the surface by compacting the soil and adding a gravel base. Form a slope away from the garage (about 2-3%). Pour concrete in sections, using boards as guides. Smooth with a screed and finish with a broom for texture.
Bathhouse with a Slope	Ensure the subfloor is stable and leveled. Apply a primer for better adhesion. Create a slope (about 1-2%) towards the drain. Pour concrete and use a straightedge to maintain the slope. Smooth and finish as needed.

Where inclined concreting is required

Slanted concrete surfaces are not as uncommon as one might think. Since flat screeds are typically installed in buildings for a variety of uses and operating environments, filling an inclined plane on the street is frequently required. However, there are situations in which it may be necessary to lay concrete on a slope, such as when organizing interior work within residential and utility buildings or when holding street events in the open air.

Where is the need for an inclined screed?

• Floors in baths, saunas, shower rooms
• Paths, sidewalks, areas on the territory
• Creation of blind areas running along the perimeter of the building
• Arrangement of entrances to the territory of industrial structures and private facilities
• Drain trays for water drainage
• Arrivals for freight transport
• Access to underground garages and parking lots
• Wheelchair ramps

The primary function of setting up an inclined screed is to form a dependable, long-lasting monolithic coating with the necessary strength properties.

Necessary materials and tools

It is important to prepare all the equipment, supplies, and tools required for the task before pouring concrete on an incline. It is difficult to pour concrete at an angle and calls for exact adherence to the conditions, norms, and standards that comprise the pouring technology.

Equipment needed to pour concrete at an angle:

• Building level and cord for marking the surface, controlling the height of the slope
• Concrete mixer for preparing the solution
• Several beacons installed as a guide during the concreting process
• Vibrating rail, mop or rule for surface planning
• Steel reinforcement for strengthening the screed
• Buckets and entrenching tool

High-quality cement mortar (made separately from sand, cement, crushed stone, and water, or mixed from a purchased dry mixture) is needed to pour concrete at an angle.

Stages of work

Prior to pouring concrete at an angle, you should thoroughly understand the primary phases of the project and adhere to the exact order in which they must be completed. Ignoring even small tasks can eventually lead to low-quality inclined coating and its incapacity to function.

The steps involved in pouring concrete at an angle are as follows:

1) Base preparation: meticulous cleaning and area marking

2) Beacon installation and fixation at the necessary separation between each other

3) Reinforcement to make concrete stronger

The process of creating a grade-appropriate solution whose strength and consistency match the site’s anticipated load

5) Pouring the concrete mixture at an angle to facilitate effective setting and strength-building drying

Preparatory stage

When pouring concrete at an angle, clearing the base primarily entails marking the location and removing anything that could cause interference. Take out any stones, plants, trash, and, if you can, dust. Next, level the area, make a mark on it, and add sand up to a thickness of five centimeters. It is recommended to add a layer of roughly five centimeters of compacted crushed stone to the sand cushion.

It’s time to install beacons. To ensure that the screed is made at the proper angle, use a level. The beacons serve as landmarks and are positioned at various site edges. A nylon cord is then pulled between the beacons. It will define the geometry of the inclined concrete, indicating the proper screed placement and inclination angle.

Take plywood or boards and cut them to the appropriate surface measurements for making formwork. Triangles should be the shape of the side walls. Installed on the site’s sides, they are held up by wooden stakes and board supports. You can begin pouring if there is not much of a difference.

Plywood must be added to the upper portion of the formwork structure when there is a considerable slope difference in order to stop the solution from leaking. Although a perfect level surface will not be achievable in this situation, it can be modified with cement mortar once the formwork has been disassembled. These choices are appropriate for setting up a garage entrance, an entrance ramp, etc.

Slope floor pouring calls for intricate constructions. Usually, ready-made, collapsible metal formwork is used in these situations.

Installation of reinforcement

With reinforcement, the concrete screed’s strength can be increased at an angle, its adherence to the base is improved, and the layer is prevented from deforming and sliding off the surface. Use steel reinforcement with a cross-section of 4-5 millimeters to strengthen inclined surfaces. The blanks must first be cut to the exact size of the concrete base that will eventually be built.

Next, by tying the rods that are perpendicular to each other with knitting wire, a reinforcement frame is constructed from the blanks. The end product is a grid with 50–80 centimeter cells. An already-made mesh can also be used for reinforcement.

Between the beacons, on non-metallic pads that have been prepared to give the necessary space between the reinforcement and the concrete, the structure is placed. The frame will be shielded from corrosion and the damaging effects of the environment by the uniform distribution of concrete beneath and above the reinforcement.

Preparing concrete mortar

You need to use premium materials if you want to pour concrete at an angle with your hands. The amount of load and the surface’s operating conditions determine the concrete’s grade.

Selecting a concrete grade based on the level of use intensity:

• Cement grade M400 – for screeds indoors
• Grade M500 – for paths, blind areas, recreation areas
• Mixture M600 – for access areas for areas where vehicles are constantly moving and garages

Cement, small crushed stone, sifted river sand, and water are used for pouring inclined surfaces. In the event that M400 cement is selected, the ratio is as follows: one part binder to four parts sand and gravel. It makes no sense to cut corners when it comes to cement because it offers strength and other qualities that are necessary to prevent base cracking and ensure that it can support all future loads.

Mix all the dry ingredients together first, and then gradually add water to make a thick paste. The best way to mix concrete is with a concrete mixer, which allows you to mix a big batch of the mixture at once. The finished concrete should not have any sand or discernible inhomogeneous inclusions.

In order to guarantee a smooth, long-lasting, and properly draining surface, specific techniques must be used when pouring concrete on inclined surfaces, such as those found in shower stalls, garage driveways, and sloped bathhouses. For the concrete to not shift or crack, proper preparation is essential, including precise formwork and reinforcement. Care must be taken when choosing the mix so that it is both strong and sufficiently workable to follow the slope. You can create a sturdy, long-lasting concrete surface that satisfies the unique requirements of these demanding situations by using the appropriate technique.

Formation of concrete surface

It is best to pour concrete in two layers when laying a concrete screed at an angle: in the first run, use a mixture with a high content of crushed stone without carefully leveling; in the second run, cover with concrete after a maximum of 24 hours; pour the mixture in a layer 2-4 centimeters thick, almost devoid of crushed stone; the concrete should be liquid and easily spread over the surface. This will drastically lower the cost of all work and cut down on the amount of materials used.

Pouring concrete at an angle is as easy as unloading the solution between the beacons and distributing it evenly across the base so that the concrete level stays below the beacons’ height. Special vibratory slats are used to remove excess mortar. They are driven along the concrete like rails while being positioned atop the formwork, gradually compacting the mixture through reciprocating movements. The process is carried out two or three times minimum.

It is easy to spot poorly mixed concrete because it does not want to shrink appropriately. As a result, a lot of water needs to be used to prepare the following batch. Additionally, an improperly blended mixture will be readily apparent. Air bubbles in the concrete must be eliminated by compacting it.

The concrete is poured at an angle and allowed to dry, with water sprayed on it periodically to keep it hydrated and stop microcracks from forming.

Features of arranging a screed slope in a shower room

Certain nuances apply when screeding at an angle in shower rooms and baths. Here, it’s crucial to remember to install a waterproofing and heating layer beneath the concrete. Use penoplex, which has a density of at least 35 kg/cm2 and a thickness of 30 to 50 millimeters, for the heat-insulating layer. Expanded clay measuring 150 millimeters or foam plastic 50 to 100 millimeters thick will work as well. It is advisable to avoid taking mineral wool.

Roofing felt or waterproofing film (thickness greater than 200 microns) is typically used to shield concrete from moisture. In order to increase the inclined plane’s durability and moisture resistance, plasticizers are also added to the concrete mixture.

In these types of rooms, a reinforcing frame is also constructed prior to the angular concrete pouring; a good option would be a metal or polymer mesh with a cell diameter of 50–80 centimeters, derived from a rod measuring 3–4 millimeters. Knitting wire or clamps are used for it. It is also important to maintain the inclined surface drainage components that will be installed in the shower.

Features of arranging an inclined entrance to the garage

The layout of an inclined driveway leading to a garage is similar to that of a ramp leading to a blind area or entrance. In this instance, the process involves pouring a platform with a gentle slope to allow cars and other vehicles to pass from one high-altitude level to another. An easier ramp to use is one that is flatter; the entrance can be straight or have a turn, a descent, or an ascent (with installed curbs).

Typically, the ramp’s width is equal to the width of the garage door plus thirty centimeters; the inclined platform at the far end is widened to facilitate entry. The owner makes all the decisions here, but five meters is the ideal length. The ramp has a drainage system built into it, a surface slope installed, and a grate-equipped groove placed in front of the threshold to allow water to drain. Installing a counter ramp, which is a gentle ramp, on the side of the garage floor is common.

It is necessary to have a blind area—a concrete or asphalt strip set at an angle from the building—to drain water when pouring a sloping driveway into a garage. Typically, a floor that slopes is formed at an angle between fifteen and twenty degrees, and the blind area’s width varies between one meter and the ideal amount.

The driveway’s slope shouldn’t be higher than 10%, which means that if there is a 10-centimeter height difference, the driveway’s lower portion should be one meter long. Shallow foundations on heaving soils involve removing some of the dirt beneath the construction and replacing it with materials that let moisture through, plus extra expanded polystyrene. The ideal driveway height is 20 centimeters, and the ideal slope is 25 degrees.

Steps involved in concrete an incline ramp:

• Excavation of soil by 40 centimeters according to the size of the inclined screed.
• Laying the first layer of sand 15 centimeters thick, ramming, pouring with water, laying the second layer of sand of the same thickness, ramming, pouring with water.
• Laying fine-grained crushed stone to the top of the pit (about 10 centimeters).
• Separating the foundation and screed with a strip of linocrom (if the screed will not be tied to the base of the garage). A gap of about 3 centimeters must be left between the gate frame and the screed.
• Making a three-sided formwork from plywood or boards at least 25 millimeters thick. Installation of the structure.
• Laying insulation on a crushed stone pad – usually this is extruded polystyrene foam 5 centimeters thick.
• Installation of the reinforcement frame, pouring the main mass of concrete 15 centimeters thick with a vibration compactor. Concrete is prepared from materials in the proportion: part cement, 3 parts sand, 5 parts crushed stone.
• Installation of a mesh with a cell of 5 by 5 centimeters, pouring concrete without crushed stone (proportion: part cement, 4 parts sand). Leveling with a board, ironing the concrete (pouring dry cement onto the wet screed).
• The concrete will gain strength within 15 days, the first 5-7 days it is advisable to water it with water, covering it again with a film. Then near the inclined the screeds need to be installed with a drainage drain.

Pouring concrete floors in a bathhouse with a slope for drainage step-by-step instructions

You must first remove the layer of fertile soil, clean the area, and compact the soil in order to create a high-quality inclined surface. A stopper is used to plug the drain pipe hole, and a board or roofing felt fence is erected around it. Sand should be added to the area in a layer of 10 to 12 centimeters and then compacted. Cover with gravel or crushed stone, pressing it firmly into the sand (the layer is roughly 15 centimeters thick).

The sewer drain pipe’s enclosure box needs to be taken apart, and the surrounding area needs to be filled with concrete and foam chips. Install a layer of roofing felt (or a waterproofing film with a minimum thickness of 200 microns) with a 12 to 15 centimeter overlap. Then, apply warm bitumen mastic to the joints. Finally, add another layer of roofing felt and adhere it to the wall at a height of roughly 20 centimeters all the way around the room. After drilling a hole in the waterproofing for the drain pipe, install the lower portion of the drain trap right away.

A metal mesh with 5-8 centimeter cells is affixed to the roofing felt and reinforced with knitting wire. Beacons are positioned with a step of no more than 2 cm on the mesh (on a gypsum slide).

Special additives are used to prepare concrete for pouring on an inclined surface. Today’s construction industry offers premium waterproofing additives (like Crystal, Penetron, etc.) that will strengthen the solution’s structure and provide moisture protection.

The solution is leveled by the rule and the cell, distributed by the lighthouses, and concrete is poured under an incline. To eliminate the air spaces in the concrete, tamping is required. After allowing the inclined screed to strengthen for seven to ten days, insulation is applied, and another layer of reinforcing mesh is layered on top. Next, the beacons are reinstalled, and a leveling screed is filled with a rammed layer of concrete that is between 50 and 60 millimeters thick.

After the concrete has dried, apply a waterproofing impregnation and install a decorative finish (usually ceramic tiles).

Concrete pouring on sloping surfaces, like a shower stall, garage driveway, or sloping bathhouse, calls for careful preparation and implementation. To get a smooth and long-lasting finish, it’s important to make sure the base is properly prepared, the right concrete mix is chosen, and the right pouring techniques are used.

Keeping the right slope in place to guarantee adequate drainage is one of the biggest challenges. To maintain the slope while pouring, exact calculations and the use of forms or guides are required. Furthermore, strengthening the surface overall and preventing cracking can be achieved by reinforcing the concrete with rebar or mesh.

A professional finish requires the use of the proper equipment and methods, such as troweling the surface and vibrating the concrete to remove air bubbles. A proper curing process is also essential; keeping the concrete away from extreme moisture or dryness will guarantee that it reaches its maximum strength and durability.

All things considered, even though pouring concrete on an incline may be more difficult than on a level surface, success and durability can be achieved by following these guidelines. You can create strong, well-drained surfaces in a variety of settings if you pay close attention to detail and use the appropriate technique.

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