Drying time of a bulk floor

Bulk floors are not only simple, but also inexpensive option of alignment of a floor. This method is becoming more popular because it does not require special time and physical strength. One of the most important issues when using a self-leveling floor is its drying time. But it directly depends on the type of materials of self-leveling floors, as well as the characteristics of its filling.

If you decide to use the mixture for self-leveling floors, an important role is played by how much they dry. It should be understood that the only right answer to this question simply does not exist, because temporary indicators depend on many factors.

It is very important on what basis the filling of the floor will be carried out, in what conditions the repair work is carried out, thanks to what technologies the materials were made and much more.

To date, we can distinguish these types of bases:

1. Epoxy based. The mixture is based on epoxy resin and hardener. The floors of this material is not only very wear-resistant, but also plastic.
2. Polyurethane. Such floors are not only easy to install, but also quite flexible. The essence of their installation in the preliminary primer base and the subsequent pouring of the binding mixture of polyurethane.
3. Methyl methacrylate self-leveling floors. The basis of this coating is the use of methyl methacrylate resins. This coating is universal and suitable for use in any industrial objects, even in freezers. It is possible to lay such type of a bulk floor at a subzero temperature.
4. Mixtures that contain cement. This type of flooring will be very durable, but the drying period will increase significantly.

The more layers are poured, the longer the self-leveling mixture will dry. The thickness of the fill layer is also important. It happens that 1-2 layers is enough, but you may need 5-6 layers. Naturally, such surfaces will dry in different ways. A variety of supplements are often used.For example, due to the addition of quartz sand to the mixture, the drying time will increase by 8-10 days.

Temperature is important too. Any deviation from the norm already plays a role in drying. Moreover, even specifications may suffer. Therefore, it is important that the room has normal humidity and, most importantly, temperature.

When it comes to how long the self-leveling floor dries, you most likely want to somehow speed up the process itself.

Of course, this is real, but there are certain tricks and tricks that it is important to know before starting repair work:

1. Align themselves. Despite the fact that the self-leveling floors are positioned as self-leveling, they still should be evenly distributed on the base. Using a needle roller and a special long spatula can and should even be used during the filling phase. This way you can remove air bubbles.
2. If the air temperature in the room is not lower than 22 degrees and not higher than 25, then the self-leveling floor will dry faster.
3. The humidity level, as we said above, also plays a huge role. Try to keep it within 60-65%.
4. For the first 2 hours after pouring the mixture, cover the surface with a film in order to avoid direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
5. Try to avoid drafts and temperature drops in the room with fresh pouring. This threatens not only that the drying time will increase, but also possible changes in the technical characteristics.

By the way, after five or six hours you can apply varnish, which is protective, and this will allow walking on the floor in 12-20 hours. After 7 days, the floor is absolutely suitable for maximum load, because it is at this time that the full hardening of the surface begins.

If subsequently a warm water or electric floor will be installed on the self-leveling floor, then you should wait at least 2 weeks after pouring.

Most of the self-leveling floors, which are used for interior work, are perfectly compatible with any kind of finishing coating. For external works there are other options that meet other requirements.

Use such mixtures at any temperature - low or high. Cost because of this higher.

If we talk about 3D self-leveling floors, they can harden in a short time. Of course, the number of layers and pattern is of great importance. Sometimes when casting this type of floor using a film, and then the drying time may increase. If acrylic paint is used, this also prolongs the drying period.

If you do not avoid most of the typical mistakes when choosing a mixture for pouring, during the pouring process itself and do not follow the elementary rules, then the drying process can take a long time.

Carefully read the instructions of the manufacturer of the mixture that you will use to fill the floor surface. Do not neglect the standard schemes of the ratio of ingredients.

Do not rush to use the floor ahead of time. This may end up being a very expensive mistake, to the point that you have to do everything anew. Observe temperature regimes, it is very important. Check if there is any moisture left in the floor.

Make it very easy. There is a special instrument for measuring the amount of moisture. Of course, not all builders have such a meter in their arsenal. What can I say, if you do this type of floor with your own hands.

But even at home with the use of available tools, you can accurately determine whether the surface is dry.

You can check this in two main ways.

1. Take a small piece of film, approximately 1 m2, and install it motionless on any part of the floor. After a while, look at the film. If water drops appear on the film, it means that the moisture evaporates very slowly. If the mixture has darkened at the installation site of the film, then the coupler is clearly not ready for any loads. And only if no changes have occurred, you can safely use the floor.
2. Pour hot water into the basin and place it at any convenient place on the floor. If the area under the pelvis has become darker than elsewhere, then there is still moisture.

Is there such a mixture for self-leveling floor, which dries in 2 hours or is it the empty promises of manufacturers, we will understand further.

Indeed, there are special mixtures that in just 2 hours will turn into a superhard surface and will be ready for further work with or on them.

Of course, the use of such materials has a number of certain disadvantages:

• it is necessary to have time to fill the floor in a short time, usually it is 20 minutes. It is very convenient if one person kneads the mixture, and the other distributes it;
• such a fast-hardening self-leveling floor can not be called self-leveling. That is, in addition, it is necessary to acquire a special tool that will help level the surface.

Do not forget about the needle roller to remove the air bubbles formed. Even if the surface has already begun to harden, and you see small errors in the form of irregularities, but they can easily be removed with a trowel or sandpaper.

So, we figured out how to speed up the process of drying the self-leveling floor, and how important it is to follow simple rules when pouring.Of course, there are a lot of nuances, and they frighten an ordinary person, a layman, who wants to make a filler floor himself. But this type of repair work does not apply to complex and even those who have not done anything like this before will cope. The most important thing is to follow the instructions and small tips.

The self-leveling floor must not be liquid in order to dry out quickly. Under the tile this flooring fits perfectly.

After all, the fact that the self-leveling floor dries quickly - not the most important thing. Much more important is the quality of the work done, and so that the technical characteristics of the mixture do not change due to non-compliance of the pouring conditions.

For information on how much time is needed to dry the self-leveling floor, see the following video: