We specialize in applying dilations in construction floors

Dilations in screeds

Drying of the mortar and differences in temperature cause stress to the construction floor. The shrinkage mainly occurs in concrete structures. This is always a problem with a pour, plaster or tile floor during the finish. To compensate for this, we place different profiles which often remain visible in the finish.

What are dilations?

Dilations are special separations that are deliberately placed in the construction. In fact, the construction is given room to expand and contract. During the design and construction, a good dilation plan must be drawn up in advance to prevent damage to the floor in the future. It is also necessary to take into account adhesive and non-adhesive finishing floors.

What are dilations necessary for?

First we apply a primer layer. We then use fiber-reinforced leveling mortar for a wooden subfloor. Curing of this leveling layer takes an average of 3 mm per 24 hours and of course also depends on the ambient temperature.

With a concrete cement floor, we use various special products that are intended for leveling medium to heavily loaded floors indoors. We pump this mortar in mechanically or we do it manually. The biggest advantages of this mortar is that it is very durable, hardens quickly (and the floor can therefore be used again quickly!), Level itself and is shrink and tension-resistant (so it can also be used again quickly!), levels itself and is shrink and stress-free.

We sand, plan, mill or irradiate the floor with very small balls, so that the top layer disappears. Almost all our equipment has an extraction facility, so that we can do this even completely dust-free.

Adhesive and non-adhesive screeds

There is a difference in dilations when it comes to adhesive screeds, which are continued from the construction, and non-adhesive screeds.

Adhesive screeds
With adhesive finishing floors it is important that the dilations are always continued from the construction to the finishing floor. The risk of cracking is also greater at sharp corners and we take this into account by dividing L-shaped and U-shaped floors into rectangles and by applying a field separation at each door opening.

Non-adhesive screeds
For non-adhesive finishing floors, we prefer to divide the floor into squares. Rectangles are also possible, as long as the ratio does not exceed 1: 2. We use field separations at the doorways. When there are heated and unheated floor parts, we apply separations. Do floor fields have their own heating circuit? Then we apply a dilation. We also check whether expansion joints should be applied in the construction floor, which are continued in the finishing floor.

When a contraction joint or expansion joint?

A contraction joint, also called a false joint, ensures that a concrete floor can move horizontally. This is different from an expansion joint, also called an expansion joint, which can become wider and narrower due to, for example, temperature changes. A concrete floor will shrink and expand due to underfloor heating or even the sun that shines on it. This effect will be even stronger with floating floors. When drawing up the dilation plan, we therefore carefully consider which system can best be used.

Which joint profiles do we use?

By means of a saw cut it is easy to apply a dilation. However, this does not contribute to certain tensile forces to which the floor is subject. This increases the risk of damage. That is why we always recommend using a joint profile. These prevent crumbling and weakening of the concrete, under heavy loads due to reach and forklifts at, for example, logistics storage and distribution centers.

Choose expansion joint profiles (steel or aluminum joint profiles, whether or not provided with a corrosion-resistant steel protective layer on the wear surface) on the basis of load capacity, joint movements and any hygienic requirements. They are widely used in office buildings, industry, logistics storage, distribution centers and warehousing.

We are the specialist when it comes to responsible dilation and ensure that the risk of cracks in the finishing floor is kept to a minimum.

Inventory of needs

Budget & planning

Execution

Completion

Our method

Good practice is half the battle

Our working method is as simple as it is effective. In four clear steps to a perfect end result.