Instructions for the use of a floor screed calculator
Measure the room
This step is necessary to determine the area on which the screed will be filled, and correctly calculate the amount of solution. To get started, take a roulette or a laser range finder. Measure the length and width of the room. These data are entered in meters, so if you use a centimeter roulette, do not forget to translate the values into meters (for example, 300 cm = 3 m).
Start measurement from one wall to the opposite. If the room has a complex shape (for example, protrusions or niches), measure its longest and most wide parts. For accuracy, it is better to carry out several measurements on different axes and choose the average values. Remember that even small errors in measurements can lead to incorrect calculations and to overspending or lack of material.
Indicate the thickness of the screed
Before indicating the thickness, you need to understand what thickness is required for your room. The standard thickness of the screed for residential premises is usually from 30 to 50 mm, but 20 mm may be enough to level small irregularities.
The screed 30 mm thick is suitable for rooms where only a small level adjustment or laying of sound and heat-insulating materials is required. If the height drops do not exceed 10 mm, it will be enough to pour a screed 30 mm thick to level the surface and prepare it to lay the flooring.
The screed 40 mm thick is recommended in cases where the height changes in the room are more significant, but do not exceed 10-15 mm. For example, if the base of the floor in the apartment has some irregularities or defects, but in general the floor is quite stable, a layer of 40 mm will help compensate for these shortcomings. This thickness also provides additional strength and resistance of the screed, which is important for rooms with increased operational load, for example, in the kitchen or corridor.
The screed of 50 mm thick is recommended to fill the screed in the rooms where it is planned to install a warm floor, since additional thickness will provide the best distribution of heat and reliable protection of heating elements. At the same time, a screed of even greater thickness will be required for a water warm floor – it should be at least 30 mm above the pipes.
Therefore, if the floor is flat in the room, it is enough to select the “smooth floor” and enter one value of the thickness of the screed. For example, if you plan to make a thin screed of 20 mm (this is the minimum value according to the SNiPs), simply indicate this value in millimeters in the calculator.
But if there are significant changes on the floor, the calculation will be a little more complicated.
Calculation of the thickness of the screed for placement with height drops
Suppose you have a room in size 6 by 8 meters, and you want to make a screed to level the floor. You notice that the floor has a height difference, and you want to take them into account.
First, take a laser or bubble level and walk around the room, making measurements at several key points. For example, it can be four corners of the room: points A, B, C and D.
- At point A (angle 1) the floor is at the highest level, here you plan to fill the minimum screed of 20 mm.
- At point B (angle 2), the floor is slightly lower, the difference is 10 mm, and here you need a screed of 30 mm.
- At point C (angle 3): the floor sank by 15 mm, and here you need to pour a screed with a thickness of 35 mm.
- The point D (angle 4) is the lowest, here the difference is 25 mm. This means you need to fill the screed with a thickness of 45 mm.
After measurements and calculations, enter the received data into the calculator.
Enter the cost of the solution
There are many types of building solutions at different prices. Expensive mixtures (from 1000 rubles per bag and above), for example, “cerezite”, usually contain additives that improve strength, plasticity and other properties of the solution. These solutions are chosen for rooms with high loads, for example, in places with intense movement or for installing heavy equipment.
Cheaper solutions of the “Esnovit” type (250-500 rubles per bag) can be suitable for residential premises, where the loads on the floor will be insignificant. However, saving on the material may affect the durability of the coating.
After you have decided on which screed for the floor to buy, enter the cost and weight of the bag into the calculator.
The results of the calculation
After all the data is entered, click the “Calculate” button. The calculator will process the information and show the volume of the necessary solution, as well as its cost. These data will help you plan the budget correctly and prepare for construction work.
Important points that need to be taken into account when measurements and calculations
When working with a calculator, it is important to remember the accuracy of measurements. Even a small mistake will lead to the fact that you will have excess material left or it will not be enough. Therefore, when measuring, use the laser level. So you can avoid errors when calculating the thickness of the screed.
The choice of a quality solution also plays an important role: do not save on the material. The cheap mixture cracks more likely than quality material.
If you choose the option with various peak marks, make sure that the thickness of the screed at each point is entered correctly.
Do not forget to lay a small supply of solution. Typically, 5-10% of the reserve is added to the calculated volume.
How to calculate the amount of solution for screed yourself
Floor screed calculator
If you want to calculate yourself, use the following formulas.
For a flat floor
The screed for an even floor is calculated by the formula:
The volume of the solution (m³) = length (m) × width (m) × the thickness of the screed (mm) / 1000
For example, for a room with a size of 10 by 10 meters and a thickness thickness of 10 mm, the calculation will be as follows:
10 × 10 × 10 /1000 = 1 m3 (this is about 22 bags)
For the floor with different peak marks
If the floor has height drops, use the formula to calculate the average thickness thickness:
The average thickness of the screed (mm) = (thickness a + thickness b + thickness C + thickness d) / 4
After that, set the resulting average thickness into the formula for calculating the volume of the solution:
The volume of the solution (m³) = length (m) × width (m) × the average thickness of the screed (mm) / 4
Suppose you have a rectangular room with a size of 10 meters in length and 10 meters wide, and the floor has four key points with different thicknesses of the screed:
- The thickness of the screed at the point A = 20 mm
- The thickness of the screed at point b = 15 mm
- The thickness of the screed at the point C = 10 mm
- The thickness of the screed at the point d = 5 mm
First you need to calculate the average thickness of the screed. We get this value, summarizing the thickness at four points and dividing the result by 4:
The average thickness of the screed (mm) = (20 + 15 + 10 + 5) /4 = 12.5 mm
Now, knowing the average thickness of the screed, we can calculate the volume of the solution that will be required to fill the entire area of the room:
The volume of the solution (m³) = 10 × 10 × 12.5 / 1000 = 1.25 m³
Thus, for a room with a size of 10 by 10 meters and in case of height drops indicated above, 1.25 cubic meters of a screed solution are required.
Following our recommendations, you can not only effectively use the calculator, but also independently calculate the amount of floor screed, minimizing the risk of errors and excessive costs.
