Reinforce

[GAISarn]

Hi, if you cast with EPS cement, do you have to use reinforcement?

 

[huggan]

No, not in EPS. But usually in the self-leveling compound if you are going to have it on top afterwards.

 

[stoif]

No, EPS does not need to be reinforced.

See e.g. http://www.fagerdalaepssystem.se/fagerdala-eps-cement/frågor-och-svar.aspx

 

[GAISarn]

Does the entire surface have to be laid at once or can it be done in stages?

 

[corre]

It can be laid in stages, but it should not dry too long in between. If so, the surface must be primed in between.
You also can't lay many thin layers, but a certain thickness, like at least 60-70mm if laying multiple layers.

 

[Tiger79]

It can be done in stages, but it should not dry for too long in between. If so, the surface must be primed in between.
You also can't lay many thin layers, but there is a certain thickness, about 60-70mm minimum if several layers are to be applied.

Can you divide it with a board and cast to the full height on as large an area as you can mix in an hour? And then continue with the next section?

 

[corre]

I don't think it's that good from a strength standpoint.

What kind of foundation do you have, and how large an area are you going to pour?
How thick are you going to pour?

 

[Tiger79]

The substrate is gravel and sand (removed concrete slab with edges remaining by the walls (not straight)). In the middle, there are 27cm left to the finished floor. Around the edge, I have 7cm to the finished floor. The room is approximately 10sqm.

 

[corre]

Then you should have a concrete slab of at least 5-7cm, right? For the load-bearing capacity and point load.

 

[Tiger79]

I was thinking of having a concrete slab of 10cm in the middle and about 7cm at the edges.

But it would be nice to shortcut with cellular plastic at the bottom and fill the rest with EPS cement and finally level with screed to embed underfloor heating coils. In that case, maybe 14cm cellular plastic and 10cm EPS cement. Would that work?

 

[corre]

It works to mix like that.

You can cast the floor in segments, but within the same time window. As long as you cast wet-on-wet it works, and it's not crucial if it's completely level at the top or not.

Start, for example, in a corner and pour out EPS, then continue in segments of about 1 m2 in the ceiling in a diagonal pattern, so you are wet-on-wet all the time. It is important that you don't do this alone, it takes too long then. Instead, one person should mix and another should carry and cast.

Pictures say a lot...
http://www.jonsbyggblogg.se/tag/eps-cement

 

[Tiger79]

But do you know if it works to lay foam plastic at the bottom?

If one were to cast everything with the EPS cement, it is possible to mix and cast for several hours. If casting from the inside out. The room is just over 2 meters wide, so take the entire width in stages until reaching the front door. But it would be nice with foam plastic so that only about 10cm is left.

 

[corre]

It works well to reduce volume with cellplast. I assume you have checked your drainage under the layers? Otherwise, there is 10cm of capillary-breaking before the cellplast and EPS.

 

[Tiger79]

It works well to reduce the volume with cellular plastic. I assume you are aware of your drainage under the storages?
Otherwise, it's 10cm capillary-breaking before the cellular plastic and EPS.

It's completely dry, dusty as h*ll. Still pretty much above ground level outside the slab. How thick with self-leveling compound (reinforced with mesh) do you think is needed for the load-bearing capacity?

 

[SBH]

Levelling compound does not provide any load-bearing capacity.
Levelling compound only evens out the floor.