Holding overhaul of the apartment involves the removal of all finishing and some structural elements of the building. This can include the dismantling of the screed. You need to know that carrying out such work is not always relevant. Sometimes it is enough to restore the rough coating. Given the complexity of the process, you should decide whether you need to change coupler completely, or it will be possible to do with restoration work.
Why do you need a floor screed
When performing repair work, it is very often necessary to strengthen the floor. In fact, this is a layer of cement-sand mortar, which is placed between the floor slab and the floor finish. The main function of the screed is to level and strengthen the base coat. In some cases, when leveling the floor, a reinforcing mesh can be used, which provides greater structural reliability.
As you can already understand, the design is quite solid. Accordingly, the dismantling of the floor screed can cause difficulties. Most people hire specialists to perform such work, but you can dismantle the screed yourself. The main thing is to take into account all the nuances and requirements.
The need for dismantling
Before proceeding with the dismantling, it is necessary to determine the feasibility of carrying out these works. Sometimes it is enough just to patch up the cement base. It will take less time and cost much less.
Dismantling of the cement screed is carried out in the following cases:
- With severe cracking of the coating.
- To lower the level of the floor in the apartment.
- Sometimes engineering communications pass under the screed. If they require replacement or repair, the concrete cover will have to be removed.
- Severe deformation of the screed, excluding the installation of the finish coating.
In all other cases, the coating can simply be patched up and the repair can continue according to the plan.
Stages of work
The process of removing old cement mortar is quite complicated. This material tends to gain strength over time. Accordingly, having lain for several years in a non-aggressive environment, the cement screed is similar in structure and strength to a stone. Your task is to break the old coating into small pieces (to make it easier to take out the garbage), without damaging the floor slab. If you carry out the work carefully, you will not cause any inconvenience to the neighbors below. The maximum is the noise from the work of tools.
The dismantling of the screed must be carried out according to the following scheme:
- Preparatory stage. First you need to provide unhindered access to the cement layer. To do this, you need to dismantle flooring and plinth. If you plan to reuse these materials, the work must be done carefully so as not to damage the finish.
- Dismantling the screed. Any method will do here. If the house is new, and the floors between floors are strong, you can use a jackhammer or puncher. This is the fastest way to get rid of concrete or grout. It should be taken into account that during the work the indicated instruments make a lot of noise, so it makes sense to warn the neighbors below. Another way is to use a hammer and chisel. This method is usually used to dismantle the screed in old buildings so as not to damage the floor slabs. The best option for removing the solution layer is diamond drilling. In this case, the coating is cut in pieces, which avoids dust and excess noise.
- The final stage. After dismantling, the garbage is packed into bags and taken to the landfill. Then the premises are cleaned and prepared for pouring a new coating.
The above list of works is quite doable on our own.In this case, do not forget to use personal protective equipment. Cement is very harmful to the respiratory system, so it is recommended to use a respirator. In addition, to protect the eyes, all work must be carried out in special glasses.
