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Thermal insulation of a wooden house using expanded clay. Floor insulation technology using expanded clay

Insulation of the floor, walls, other parts of a wooden house is usually done with expanded clay. This is an inexpensive but high quality insulation. True, it is used mainly in wooden houses, its use in brick, aerated concrete is not always advisable (floor insulation with its help can be done there, but walls and ceilings are not). The article will consider the pros and cons of expanded clay as insulation, and also give instructions on how to use it to insulate the floor and ceiling.

Features of the insulation of a wooden house

In order to understand how best to carry out the insulation of a wooden house, it is necessary to identify the qualities inherent in such buildings:

  • wooden walls, ceilings, floors have excellent vapor barrier performance;
  • have low resistance to mechanical damage, are not fireproof;
  • wooden houses immediately after construction settle down significantly (have a high shrinkage coefficient);
  • have good thermal insulation qualities.

Based on the specified criteria, you will need to choose a heater. And such insulation as expanded clay is an almost ideal solution for a wooden house. In fact, insulation for a wooden house should have the following qualities:


Expanded clay is one of the most popular heaters for wooden houses

One of the most important advantages of expanded clay is its fire resistance and fire resistance, which is especially important for wooden houses.

Pros and cons of expanded clay as insulation

First, it is worth deciding what kind of material such as expanded clay is? It is a building gravelly free-flowing porous material made from shale and clay, fired to give it various properties in special furnaces.

In fact, it is such a powdery shale clay. The material is really very cheap, while in terms of its operational qualities it is not inferior to sawdust, or expanded polystyrene, or other types of insulation used in wooden houses.



Scheme of warming the foundation of a frame house using expanded clay

This type of insulation boasts the following advantages:

  • it has complete biological safety (for the human body, this material is harmless, insect larvae cannot appear there: it is for this reason that the insulation of the floor with expanded clay, as well as the ceiling and walls is so popular);
  • resistant to mechanical damage (for example, it is very difficult to gnaw it for mice and rats, which are often "companions" of a wooden house);
  • fire resistant;
  • has a low weight (lighter - only foamed polymers such as mineral wool, so that it will practically not give a load on the floors);
  • has excellent soundproofing and sound-absorbing properties (due to the porous structure, the insulation has the so-called "thermos" effect);
  • simplicity and ease of installation (insulation of a roof with expanded clay or a floor can easily be carried out by one person, and the latter does not need to have any special skills in the field of construction);
  • cheapness (one of the main advantages of this material);
  • does not rot or decompose.

Of course, the described material has its drawbacks:


Moisture absorption is not such a terrible drawback, for example, mineral wool significantly outperforms the described insulation in this indicator.

Expanded clay is not a moisture resistant material - this is one of its main disadvantages.

But here the point is different: the “wet” material will dry for a very long time. Moreover, it will swell and increase significantly in its weight (accordingly, the load on the floors will also increase).

Floor insulation in a wooden house

Thermal insulation of a wooden floor with expanded clay is quite simple to carry out, as noted above. You can lay the material in 2 ways:

  1. By scattering (the so-called "dry" screed, when the floor is laid directly on the material itself);
  2. Under the cement screed.

It is difficult to say which particular way to choose. On the one hand, if the house is frame, panel board, made of SIP panels, then it is not recommended to make a heavy floor there with a screed. By themselves, such houses are very light, their foundations are designed for the lowest possible load.

On the other hand, if the house consists of the same rounded or glued beams, then a cement screed is not only possible there, it is simply desirable there. Expanded clay is laid by scattering when it comes to the so-called "earthen flooring" for the floor.



Scheme of insulating the roof of a house with expanded clay

The soil is carefully tamped, a sand and gravel pillow is made on it, fractions are carefully scattered on this pillow, and then the floor is laid. The only nuance that must be taken into account is that with this method of insulation, the expanded clay layer must be at least 10 centimeters.

More is possible, but less than 10 centimeters is impossible, neither sanitary and hygienic nor engineering standards allow this. Under the screed, of course, it is somewhat more difficult to carry out insulation.

You will need the following materials:


The work is carried out in several stages:

  1. If an old floor was available in the house, then it is completely removed, the lower surface is protected and, if necessary, leveled (the difference in surface height can range from 3 to 5 centimeters, but no more);
  2. The surface is completely protected from dirt and dust, for which it is treated with a brush with hard bristles, after which it can be vacuum cleaned (if there is no construction vacuum cleaner, you can also use a regular home vacuum cleaner);
  3. If there are defects such as chips and cracks, they can be repaired with tile glue, polyurethane foam or concrete mortar;
  4. The next step is waterproofing the floor. It can be done either with the help of waterproofing mastic or, which is much easier, with the help of an elementary dense polyethylene film;
  5. Along the perimeter of the floor, to a height of 10 centimeters, an edge tape must be glued to the walls, which will prevent thermal deformation in the future;
  6. Beacons are installed as for a conventional cement screed);
  7. The first layer of expanded clay is filled with a dry method;
  8. The second layer of expanded clay is mixed with concrete mortar in a 5: 1 ratio, the screed is poured, after which a new, already even layer of screed is applied, without expanded clay.


    Table of comparative properties of expanded clay, based on the size of fractions

Waterproofing mastic is one of the best materials for waterproofing floors.

Ceiling insulation

Expanded clay for the floor is no different in composition and size of fractions from the material for the ceiling. Yes, and the insulation of walls with expanded clay can be said the same (however, walls made of expanded clay are quite rare).



Comparison of the physical properties of different materials

So, the insulation of the ceiling is as follows:


Video

You can watch a video where experts talk about how to carry out floor insulation with expanded clay.

Wanting to insulate the floor in a private house using a concrete floor insulation, a person often prefers expanded clay. This technology is extremely simple - for which it is appreciated by those who wish to do the work with their own hands, without resorting to paid services of specialists.

Expanded clay granules of different fractions

However, despite its simplicity, expanded clay insulation is very effective and durable. It is not surprising that this material is in demand to this day, despite the appearance of a number of modern heat insulators.

When the goal of thermal insulation work is the highest possible quality of the result, you should pay attention to the insulation of all parts of the structure - that is, not only on the walls. Insulation of the floor and ceiling of the house is no less important nuances, without which the microclimate in the room will still be far from ideal.


If the issue of insulation of the ceiling with Izospan V vapor barrier is even more or less clear (so that warm air does not leave the room - since it will rise up), then the need to insulate the floor is often forgotten, considering it unimportant.

As a result, walking on the surface after finishing the finishing work will not be very pleasant: because of the cold. Moreover, in the room itself, the temperature can be normal and comfortable, but walking barefoot on the floor is already cool.

The most common reason for this is not an insulated basement. The cold and moisture reigning in it lead to the fact that the overlap between the basement and the rooms on the first floor freezes. As a result, the floor surface in the living area will be cold, and this will not be affected by the insulation of the walls or ceiling.

2 On the use of expanded clay as insulation (video)

Bulk materials began to be used to insulate houses more than a decade ago - much earlier than foam and mineral wool appeared. Of course, initially it was not expanded clay, but sawdust, sand and clay.

This material, like the infrared warm floor under the tiles, began to be widely used as an insulator about several decades ago. He gained popularity very quickly, and has not lost it to this day (while the once popular foam and mineral wool are gradually losing demand, yielding positions to more convenient analogues).


Expanded clay itself is a small rounded pebble. For its production, clay and shale-containing rocks are used, processed in a special way: under the influence of high temperatures (over +1000 degrees) and centrifugal force.

The raw material is quickly rotated in a large incandescent oven, forming into small granules with different diameters and "baking".

Insulation with expanded clay is most often used for the floor, as well as for the ceiling (from the side of the attic)... Less commonly, the material is used for filling into voids between partitions - that is, for insulating walls.

Consider why the insulation of the floor (and other parts of the house) is so appreciated and so popular with expanded clay. The list of material advantages is as follows:

A layer of expanded clay poured onto the floor

  • low thermal conductivity (0.1-0.18 W / mK) like polyethylene pipes in underfloor heating systems;
  • improving the sound insulation of the room;
  • lightness (which means there is no heavy load on the floors - which is important in a wooden house);
  • ecological cleanliness (unlike most modern materials, natural raw materials are used to create expanded clay - clay);
  • absolute safety for humans, both under normal conditions and at elevated temperatures;
  • incombustibility;
  • cheapness;
  • durability;
  • biological neutrality (even when saturated with moisture, the material does not contribute to the appearance of mold);
  • lack of interest in insects and rodents (a great option for floor insulation in a private house!).

By the way, with regard to thermal conductivity: if we compare a layer of expanded clay with a thickness of about 10-12 cm, in terms of efficiency it is equal to about 25 centimeters of wood or almost 100 cm (!) Of brick. However, in this case, it is several times inferior to the same foam or mineral wool, whose thermal conductivity is 0.04-0.05 W / mK.

Of the significant drawbacks, only poor moisture resistance can be distinguished - with prolonged contact with moisture (or when a large amount of water immediately gets on the insulation), expanded clay absorbs it, and dries for a long time.

As a result, the weight of the layer increases and its characteristics deteriorate. Thus, we can draw a simple conclusion: when working on thermal insulation with expanded clay (it does not matter what exactly - the floor or ceiling), it is very important to follow the correct technology (which we will consider below).

Warming the floor with expanded clay between the logs

Now let's figure out why the very method of such isolation is good:

  • no need to install a complex multi-layer structure (as, say, when using mineral wool);
  • no need to adjust the material (whereas foam or mineral wool - you need to cut it into pieces of the desired size);
  • simplicity and speed of application;
  • the ability to carry out all stages of insulation with your own hands, without using special equipment and tools (both for the floor and for the ceiling);
  • possibility of application on uneven surfaces.

Of the significant disadvantages, only one nuance can be distinguished: it is the need to use a large layer of backfill. Where you can get by with a sheet of foam plastic 5-10 cm thick, a layer of expanded clay 15-30 cm will be required.

It is difficult to call this a significant problem, since the heat-insulating "pie" when using foam also comes out quite thick. The disadvantage is felt if it is required to carry out floor insulation in a room of standard height (about 2.3 m). In this case, the loss of even 10 centimeters will be noticeable, and 20-30 will make the room uncomfortable and uncomfortable at all.

The material itself, like Izospan AM, can be different. The differences lie primarily in the size of the granules. This could be:

  1. Crushed stone - obtained by crushing large pieces. Granules can be of different sizes. It is used for backfilling the base layer.
  2. Gravel - is obtained according to the technology described above (during firing and when rotating the drum). The diameter of the granules is from 5 to 40 mm.
  3. Sand - the smallest (up to 5 mm in diameter) granules. They are good in that they allow you to densely fill in the existing cracks, cracks, and recesses.

Dry floor screed on expanded clay

Another way to classify a material is its density. In this regard, expanded clay is divided into 10 categories - with a density of 250 to 800 kg / m³. It goes without saying that the higher the density, the more effective, but also the more expensive the insulation.

Despite the fact that warming with expanded clay (it does not matter - the floor or ceiling of the house) will be performed many times easier than using the same foam or mineral wool, the technology has a number of features. It is important to observe them, because otherwise the layer of insulation can be saturated with moisture - this is the main problem that can lead to carelessness during installation.

By the way, there are a considerable number of technologies for insulating a wooden house using this material - from simple backfilling to adding granules to the solution when creating a screed. We will consider each of the existing options - they are all good in their own way.

Before starting work, you need to properly prepare the floor surface. For this:

  1. The old coating is completely dismantled.
  2. We remove dirt, dust, debris, fungus (if any) and install Izospan insulating membranes.

Now - directly to the technologies themselves. Just in case, we will also provide reviews from people who have encountered their use.

The simplest and most common way is to fill directly on the ground, between the laid logs. Previously, it was this insulation that was most often performed, especially when it was necessary for a wooden country house. And this technology can also be used in "full-fledged" residential cottages.

Expanded clay between the logs, covered with an insulating film

It is done as follows:

  1. The earth is compacted if necessary.
  2. The lag is being laid.
  3. On the ground between the lags, a waterproofer (for example, roofing material) is lined, in several layers, with an overlap of at least 10 cm over each other and entering the walls.
  4. Expanded clay backfill is in progress. It is best to combine all 3 types mentioned above (sand, crushed stone, gravel).
  5. The vapor barrier is laid (for example, a plastic film), in several layers, with an overlap of 10 cm on top of each other.
  6. The floor boards are being laid and further finishing.

The same method is applicable in cases where the ceiling is insulated from the side of the attic (if it is required to equip a room on it).


Alexey E., Krasnodar, 59 years old:

He was born and raised in Siberia, and understood perfectly well that the first thing in construction is to warm the house. Than in vain to fire a boiler for several months in a row - it is easier and cheaper to perform thermal insulation once with high quality and without saving. Moreover, there are technologies that allow you to solve the problem both efficiently and inexpensively.

One of these is the insulation of the floor with expanded clay. It was in this way that my father also insulated the house - he simply filled in a layer between the logs, and covered the boards on top. Everything is simple and fast.

And most importantly, the result is excellent: firstly, it is warm, and secondly, when repairs were made in 12-13 years, the material was almost the same as when filling. In general, when I was building a house myself, I also chose this method, and I do not regret it.

This option can be used both in a private house and in apartments (relevant for apartments in houses built in the second half of the last century). It is performed as follows:

Wet screed for expanded clay

  1. Several layers of waterproofing are lined, with an overlap and approach to the walls.
  2. The surface is covered with expanded clay.
  3. Insulation layer is leveled.
  4. A reinforcing mesh is laid on top of the expanded clay.
  5. A rough screed of small thickness is being performed.

Andrey, Voronezh, 42 years old:

I wanted to insulate the country house - I like to come there on weekends, including during the cold season. Fortunately, I thought about insulating the walls during construction, but I didn’t think about the floor and ceiling. I didn't want to spend a lot for the sake of several weeks a year - after all, I'm not going to live here all the time.

I read the reviews and settled on expanded clay - both cheap and you can do it yourself. I decided to do it immediately for the ceiling (fortunately, there is an attic), and for the floor. I made a thin screed on the floor - a neighbor helped with both the material and work.

And for the ceiling - just poured and covered with several layers of plastic wrap. The second year is worth it - everything is fine. In the attic after the rain I checked the insulation several times - everything is dry.

One of the most popular modern options. It differs from the usual ("wet") screed in simplicity and speed - you do not need to prepare the solution, nor to level it, nor to fill in anything, nor to wait until it hardens - everything is tenfold easier.

In fact, the technology is the same as when laying boards on logs, only gypsum-fiber boards (GVL) are used instead of boards. The advantage of this technology is not only simplicity, but also the fact that the result is a perfectly smooth and even floor, ready for fine finishing. And if necessary, the coating can be easily dismantled (in contrast to the "wet" screed, which would have to be broken).

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About material

Key varieties

First, let's understand what expanded clay is and how it happens. The effectiveness of insulation largely depends on the choice of the variety, so you should pay close attention to the nuances.

Expanded clay is a granular material with a porous structure. It is obtained by firing easily swollen clays. In addition to highly purified clay raw materials, the following is added to the mixture:

  • peat;
  • sawdust;
  • diesel oil;
  • alcohol stillage, etc.

As a result of heat treatment, granules of different sizes are formed, inside which there are sealed pores. Due to the large number of these pores, a heat-insulating effect is provided: a high content of entrained air, isolated from the environment by walls of baked clay, significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the material.

Depending on the size of the particles, the following fractions of expanded clay are isolated:


When choosing a material, it is also worth focusing on the bulk density, which can range from 250 to 800 kg per cubic meter of material. The lower this indicator, the greater the volume of entrained air, which means, the better the material will work as a heater.

On the other hand, the lightest fractions of expanded clay do not differ in strength, therefore they are used where the load on the material will be minimal - for example, when filling the underground space when insulating the floor along the logs.

I cite these rather boring numbers only to make it clear that expanded clay can be different, and it should be selected in accordance with the task at hand. I usually focus on the following indicators:

  1. For insulation when pouring concrete, I take either sand or sand / crushed stone with a density of 500 to 700 kg / m 3.
  2. For backfilling I use exclusively gravel (medium and coarse gravel), with a density of up to 400 kg / m 3.

When using crushed gravel, crushed stone or sand, the level of photoabsorption increases significantly. Therefore, I draw your attention to the importance of waterproofing measures!

Advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay insulation

We figured out the views, now let's analyze the pros and cons. Let's start with the strengths:

  1. Expanded clay is a material based on natural raw materials. Accordingly, this insulation does not contain volatile substances and toxins, therefore it is completely safe for both humans and the environment.
  2. Porous granules retain heat well, in addition, they are a good sound insulator. This property will be very important when you decide to use expanded clay as an insulating material in an apartment in a multi-storey building.
  1. The small size of the granules and their high flowability allow filling almost any cavity with the raw material. In principle, if desired, the substance can also be used as a wall insulation - in any case, the effectiveness of such filling will be higher than that of large cavities filled with air.
  2. The low weight of expanded clay provides a significant reduction in the load on the foundation and supporting structures. Even in the case of using expanded clay concrete - a mixture of granules with cement mortar - the weight gain is quite significant.
  1. Finally, the advantage is the very reasonable price of the material. A cubic meter of expanded clay costs about 1200 - 1500 rubles, and a bag (0.05 cubic meters) will cost us 50 - 80 rubles. So the savings on insulation compared to other materials are very significant.

When deciding which expanded clay is better to take for thermal insulation of the floor, one should not forget about its shortcomings. I would not call them fatal, but not to say about them means to provide you with incomplete information.

  1. An important disadvantage is the fragility of the material. Fractions with a low density break into pieces without effort at all, therefore, it is necessary to store, and transport, and lay the granules extremely carefully. Damaged expanded clay gravel retains heat worse: efficiency losses can reach 15 - 20%.
  2. Water absorption can also be considered a disadvantage. Burnt clay tends to accumulate moisture in the pores, therefore, for example, when insulating the floor in a bath with expanded clay, I always lay one additional waterproofing circuit. At the same time, the costs increase slightly, but I guarantee that under the floor I do not have a "reserve" of moisture, which I absolutely do not need!
  1. Finally, the most important drawback, from my point of view, is the need to fill a thick layer. Expanded clay as a floor insulation effectively "works" only when laying from 20 cm (and on the ground, I would generally set the lower bar at the level of 30-50 cm), so in low rooms a very significant floor rise is possible.

Here, in theory, there should be a conclusion about the effectiveness of the material, but I do not see a special need for it: expanded clay is a heater with its own advantages and disadvantages, and like any construction raw material, it can be used. The main thing is to do it right, and if you are wondering what is hidden behind this "right" - you are welcome to the next section.

How can you do it?

Expanded clay screed

In industrial use, expanded clay most often acts as one of the components of expanded clay concrete. This material is used to solve various problems, but it is also suitable for pouring a screed.

Depending on the planned loads, I use different proportions of the mixture. The most relevant of them are given in the table:

If you take cement of a different brand or expanded clay of a lower density, you need to make appropriate adjustments to the recipe.

The preparation of high-quality expanded clay concrete requires a construction mixer. If not, try to rent, since all my attempts to achieve a more or less acceptable result by mixing the solution with shovels have failed.

The instructions for preparing the solution will be as follows:

  1. Pour water into the mixer, a little less than needed by calculation. We leave a small amount of liquid for topping up - this will allow us to adjust the consistency of the solution.
  2. Add sand and cement to the water with constant stirring in portions.
  3. Only after the completion of the previous operation, we begin to introduce expanded clay. We add it in portions, trying to distribute it evenly throughout the volume.
  4. Stir the mixture slowly, achieving the consistency of a thick dough. At the same time, it must remain fluid, so if necessary, add water.

The resulting expanded clay concrete is highly versatile: it can be used to fill a sufficiently warm floor in the garage, make a screed for tiles, linoleum or laminate, concrete the basement or basement basement, etc.

In any case, the material is used in the same way as an ordinary solution: it is poured onto a base leveled and covered with sand, leveled and smoothed. Drying of the solution takes about 28 days, while for the first two weeks I keep the surface of expanded clay concrete under a plastic wrap, periodically moistening it to avoid cracking.

Expanded clay under the screed

When asked whether it is possible to use expanded clay granules as insulation under a cement-sand screed, I will also answer positively. True, here it is important to correctly assess the potential load: such a solution will be acceptable for a living space, but it is hardly suitable for a garage or shed. It's all about the already mentioned fragility of fired clay: under high pressure, it will begin to crack, and not only the thermal insulation capacity will decrease, but also the strength of the floor.

I carry out the process of floor insulation as follows:

  1. The base of the floor is thoroughly waterproofed: both mastic and film material will do. It is important to protect not only the floor from moisture, but also the lower part of the walls - we remember that the thickness of the expanded clay backfill can reach half a meter.

When laying on the ground under waterproofing, a clay castle will not be superfluous - a layer of clay-sand mixture up to 15 cm thick.

  1. I install beacons on top of the waterproofing. They must be high enough, because standard slides of mortar as supports are not suitable here. I use wooden beams impregnated with a moisture-proof compound, on which I fix the beacon profile.
  2. I fall asleep claydite along the lighthouses. I distribute the granules as evenly as possible, but do not compact so that the material does not begin to crack.
  1. I am preparing a sufficiently liquid cement solution to fix the insulation. I pour a layer of expanded clay from above in such a way that the cement fixes the surface and penetrates into the thickness of the insulation by at least 10-20 cm, fastening the individual granules into a monolith.
  2. At this stage, the beacons can be removed, and the holes can be rubbed with mortar.
  3. After the initial polymerization of the fixing layer, pour the main screed (if necessary, then over the wire mesh reinforcement). I level the screed, and smooth its surface to remove irregularities.

In principle, you can follow the example of most builders, laying the screed immediately on the expanded clay backfill. But still, I prefer to spend some time and go not to slightly increase the cost of the structure, providing a significant increase in strength. On the other hand, if the loads on this floor area are minimal, and you are sure of this, you can save money.

For more effective thermal insulation, you can also use a combined option:

  1. Waterproofing layer.
  2. Expanded clay layer.
  3. Fixing concrete pouring.
  4. A layer of high density expanded polystyrene insulation.
  5. Finishing screed for flooring.

Yes, it turns out long and expensive, but the gain in thermal insulation will be quite significant. For a children's room or bedroom - what you need!

Backfilling of expanded clay into the underground space

Insulation of the floor in a wooden house with expanded clay is usually performed using dry technology. This means that we do not use the mortar, and the expanded clay thermal insulation layer is simply located under the rough flooring.

Here I will describe how subgrade work is done. This algorithm is more complete, so when implementing projects that involve thermal insulation on top of a concrete slab or wooden deck (floor of the second or third floor), you can simply ignore the points on preparing the ground.

  1. I carefully tamp the soil in the underground space.
  2. From above, I fill it with a sand-clay or sand-gravel mixture with a thickness of up to 15 cm. I thoroughly compact the backfill.
  3. I put waterproofing on top of the filling layer. Previously, glassine was widely used, but my choice is two layers of thick plastic film. I lay polyethylene with an overlap, with an approach to the walls. I connect individual strips using durable adhesive tape.
  1. I install cranial bars on the waterproofing, which will be the support for the logs. You can connect these supports with boards - this way we divide the entire volume of the underground space into sections, and it will be much more convenient to fill it.
  2. I cover the floor with expanded clay. I lay the material in layers of 5 - 10 cm: I covered it up, leveled it, carefully tamped it, and repeated it.

In order to have fewer large voids, experts advise mixing different fractions of the material: approximately 70% of coarse and 30% of smaller. From the point of view of efficiency, the solution is quite justified, but it can be difficult to implement it technologically: you will have to order two types of material, and they will bring it in two machines, which will increase costs. But if there is an opportunity, we can safely work according to this scheme!

  1. On top of the heat-insulating layer I lay logs, which I support on the cranial bars.
  2. I put another waterproofing layer on top of the log, and then I mount the wooden flooring.

An air gap between the insulation and the flooring is required: its presence is a prerequisite for high-quality thermal insulation.

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Selecting the thickness of the insulation layer

The exact value is determined by a calculation that takes into account the climatic conditions of the house, the intended purpose of the structure and the thermal conductivity coefficient declared by the manufacturer. The recommended minimum for arranging floors on the ground is 30 cm, insulation of attic and interfloor floors - 10, on top of an already poured or installed concrete slab or screed on the ground floor - 10.

The optimum middle fraction is 10-20 mm. When calculating the height of the cake when laying this insulation on the ground, you should remember the need for a pillow of sand and gravel. Regardless of the thickness of the layer, expanded clay needs to be aligned horizontally, it is important to make sure that there are no protrusions and pits.

Thermal insulation methods

The following options are distinguished:

  • Dry, in which expanded clay is placed under the floor to the level of the log on a base protected from moisture and laid on top with rough boards. The advantages of this method include simplicity and high speed of work. The fired clay pellets retain their maximum energy-saving capabilities.
  • Wet, in which expanded clay is mixed with cement-sand mortar and poured over leveling beacons. It is chosen with significant differences in floor height, its advantages include the formation of a solid surface suitable for immediate installation of the floor covering, and the disadvantages include a decrease in the insulating properties of granules.
  • Combined or semi-dry - with dry filling, thorough compaction and leveling, followed by concreting. With obvious advantages (the advantages of the above options are combined), this method requires caution when insulating floors with high expected loads. The absence of lag is compensated by the placement of reinforcing meshes, ignoring this requirement leads to subsidence of individual sections and rapid destruction of the structure.

Dry laying scheme

Work begins with the preparation of the base - soil or concrete slab. Placing dry expanded clay on top of compacted earth and sand and gravel cushions is often chosen when insulating wooden floors; in this case, reliable insulation from ground moisture is considered a mandatory technology condition, for this purpose the base is covered with 2 layers of roofing material or thick film with neighboring panels overlapping each other ... In the presence of a lag, there are no problems: the granules simply fall asleep between them, in the absence of them, their preliminary installation is carried out or a frame system is placed (ordinary boards are reinforced with bars and installed at the same level).

The resulting space is filled with a mixture of different fractions, there is no special need for a special ventilation gap (expanded clay will still settle a little during the operation of the floor). To avoid getting wet, a layer of vapor or waterproofing film is laid under the future boardwalk. The degree of its density depends on the purpose of the room - in ordinary living rooms it is better to choose a breathable membrane, in bathrooms, toilets and a bath - materials with maximum protection against moisture penetration inside.

The scheme is suitable for floors both on the ground floor and interfloor and attic floors, only the height of the frame changes.

Laying expanded clay under the screed

This method is considered classic, the sequence of actions is largely the same as the previous one:

1. Preparation is in progress. When backfilling on the ground, the surface is leveled and rammed. When insulating a concrete slab, debris is removed and its condition is assessed, if necessary, large defects are eliminated or individual areas are restored.

2. A waterproofing layer is mounted on a prepared, clean and dry base, the type is selected taking into account the operating conditions. For a concrete slab, a thin film is enough; when insulating the floor against the ground, roll materials with a high density are used. The canvases are placed with an overlap, with an approach to the walls, the joints are closed with adhesive tape. The final deck must be solid with top edges above the expected screed level.

3. Marking and installation of beacons. The leveling elements must be fixed with a solution, the insulation granules are backfilled after its final hardening. At this stage, a damper tape is placed around the perimeter of the walls.

4. The space between the lighthouses is filled with a mixture of expanded clay, the resulting layer is compacted several times and filled with cement milk or liquid CPR. To improve resistance to biological effects, a little primer with antiseptic properties is introduced into the composition.

5. The future screed is reinforced with a metal mesh with an average mesh size (up to 5 × 5 mm).

6. A high-quality cement-sand composition is being prepared, filled with individual patches 3 cm thick, but without technological interruptions. It is leveled and covered with a film, during the first 5-7 days the surface is sprayed with water. The work is completed by removing excess waterproofing and grinding the hardened mortar.

The nuances of styling technology

Thermal insulation of the floor with expanded clay raises its level by at least 12 cm, it is extremely important to correctly determine the thickness of each layer. When arranging them on the ground, many make the mistake of filling up the fractions of the insulation without preliminary leveling, ignoring the need for waterproofing. As a result, in addition to incorrect calculation of the amount of material, the insulation layer does not perform its functions due to uneven distribution, and when it is closed with a screed, and not with lags with boards, it also sags. The best reviews are observed on floors with a cushion of sand and gravel, an increase in labor costs always pays off (it does not push down and does not freeze).

Regardless of the method of performing thermal insulation, a number of requirements are met:

1. Used material with different fractions and shapes. An exception is allowed when insulating floors with a frame method, in this case, most are light rounded granules with a solid shell, the proportion of heavy sand is minimized.

2. All wooden elements (logs, fasteners, frame boards) are pre-treated with antiseptic compounds. To backfill expanded clay begin after their final drying. The same applies to other works with possible release of moisture: fixing beacons to mortar or preparing a concrete slab.

3. When choosing vapor and waterproofing, it should be remembered that bulk material resists moisture well enough, but poorly removes it from the inside after getting wet without ventilation. At least one layer must be membrane, that is, perforated. An exception is made only for wet installation, when all the insulation granules are enveloped in cement mortar. Technology violations include the flooring of insulation without lifting up the walls and entering neighboring areas, in this case the layer remains unprotected from moisture penetration from the side.

4. When backfilling expanded clay under the future cement screed, its displacement is avoided in every possible way. With a high thickness of the insulation layer and a large area of \u200b\u200b\\ u200b \\ u200bthe room, the material can be laid directly in bags and only then covered with smaller fractions. In any case, before the main filling, the granules are fixed with a liquid cement mortar.

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Advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay as insulation

Advantagesexpanded clay as insulation:

  • Good thermal insulation properties, the coefficient of thermal conductivity of expanded clay varies from 0.10 to 0.18 W / (m * C).
  • The vapor permeability coefficient is 0.21-0.26 mg / (m * hour * Pa).
  • The density varies from 200 to 800 kg / m³.
  • The moisture absorption is from 8 to 20%.
  • Expanded clay is resistant to temperature fluctuations.
  • Absolute environmental friendliness.
  • Good soundproofing.
  • The material is non-flammable and does not emit harmful substances.
  • The structure of expanded clay is porous, which makes it lightweight and does not put unnecessary stress on the foundation of the house.
  • Durability due to resistance to destructive factors.
  • Ease of installation.
  • Affordable price.
  • Resistant to decay and fungus.

But with all these advantages, the material has a number of disadvantages:

  • The fragility of the material (you need to remember this when filling expanded clay).
  • Expanded clay absorbs excess moisture, but does not give it away immediately, but dries out gradually.
  • It is better to use it as a dry backfill.

Floor insulation technology with expanded clay

There are various methods of insulation floor with expanded clay:

  • dry - floor insulation with logs;
  • combined - insulation under the screed;
  • wet - screed with expanded clay;
  • laying on the ground.

Insulation of the floor with logs (dry method)

When insulating the floor in a dry way, the logs are impregnated antiseptic or drying oil to prevent rotting. If the floor of a house under construction is insulated, then the width between the logs should be 35-40 cm.

A waterproofing film is laid on the logs to protect the insulation from moisture. The film should be laid so that it rises along the wall 3-5 cm above the expanded clay. Further, expanded clay is poured between the logs and leveled. The layer must be at least 10 cm.

Then a waterproofing film is laid. Boards are attached on top of it or plywood sheets 12 mm thick. When using plywood 6-8 mm thick, it must be laid in 2 layers.

Thermal insulation of the floor with expanded clay under the screed (combined method)

With the combined method, a film is laid on a wooden or concrete base waterproofing... Further, expanded clay is poured out and leveled. The upper layer of expanded clay is fixed with a cement compound and a reinforcing mesh.

Screed solution applied to expanded clay and leveled along the lighthouse slats. The mortar consists of cement and sand in a ratio of 1 to 3 or 1 to 4, depending on the brand of cement. Often, various plasticizers and other fillers are included in the composition of the screed for ease of work and improving the quality of the floor.

Screed with expanded clay (wet method)

Screed with expanded clay is popular way floor insulation using a mixture of cement and expanded clay.

With granules in the mixture easier to workthan when using expanded clay in bulk. And if the floors are not even and the height of the screed is large enough, then you cannot do without adding filler to the solution.

The ratio of cement mortar to expanded clay should be about 2 to 1, and the consistency of the composition should be similar to thick sour cream.

On the floor, on top of the waterproofing film using plaster, are installed lighthouse rails... The mixture is applied to the surface of the film with a trowel and leveled with a special board. If a concrete floor is chosen as the top coating, then, without waiting for the cement-expanded clay screed to dry, a layer of concrete is poured.

Floor insulation when laying on the ground

The first stage of installing the insulation is leveling and compaction of the earth layer. Next, a sand cushion and a layer of gravel are poured. On the gravel spreads waterproofing film and expanded clay is filled up. The upper layer of expanded clay is fastened with a liquid cement mortar.

If there are future loads on the floor, they are laid on top reinforcing mesh... Then a waterproofing film is laid.

Materials and tools

For work on warming the floor of a house or cottage with expanded clay, you will need following tools:

  • master OK;
  • rule;
  • putty knife;
  • a hammer;
  • screwdriver.

Materialsrequired for insulation:

  • expanded clay;
  • plywood;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • cement-concrete mixture;
  • waterproofing film;
  • vapor barrier film.

In conclusion, we can say that when choosing a heater, you need to build on its properties and characteristics. Screed with expanded clay allows you to achieve not only perfect alignmentbut also to improve the insulating performance of the structure.

More complete information about expanded clay as insulation can be obtained in the article "Expanded clay as insulation: the correct choice of weight and fraction."

A master class on floor insulation with expanded clay using a dry screed method, see the video:

See the video below for a master class on expanded clay screed:

The popularity of creating environmentally friendly buildings in a forest area or areas remote from the city is growing every year.

To do this, all owners strive to use appropriate materials both for organizing the structure itself and for interior decoration in the premises.

The most famous green building option is a wooden house. Often questions arise, how and how to insulate the floor in a given building, since many materials are not suitable for environmental friendliness. One of the options for solving the problem is floor insulation with expanded clay in a wooden house.

Insulation of the floor of a wooden house, insulation options

Wood is a material that keeps warm well. Only the structures of wooden houses are made in such a way that the supporting elements of the flooring are wooden logs, which are located at a distance of 40-80 cm from each other.

These elements are made from edged boards with dimensions of 50 x 150 mm and 50 x 200 mm.

They fit on the initial level of the structure, which are strapped with bars of 150 x 150 cm or 150 x 100 cm, interconnected overlapping. The harness rests on the foundation.

It depends on the foundation how to carry out the rough floor.


The subfloor in a wooden house is often mounted on logs

For the construction of wooden houses, 3 types of foundations are most often used:

  • monolith;
  • strip foundation;
  • piles.

Each of the listed types has its own characteristics and recommendations for use in certain conditions. If a wooden house is placed on a monolithic foundation, then the concrete itself will be the rough flooring, but if on a pile or strip, then the subfloor is made of wooden boards that are hemmed from the bottom of the log.

To prevent cold air from entering the building through the floor, it is recommended to insulate it. The insulation is laid on the subfloor, which is covered with a waterproofing film in advance.

Today, the range of insulation materials that are suitable for use in wooden houses is quite diverse.

For floor insulation, use:

  • products based on mineral and basalt wool;
  • glass wool;
  • styrofoam;
  • expanded polystyrene;
  • expanded clay.

Each material, with the help of which insulation is made, has certain indicators of thermal conductivity. One and the same insulation (its type) can be produced with different thermal conductivity and density.

Expanded clay as insulation for the floor in a wooden house, its properties


Expanded clay - environmentally friendly material

Expanded clay is considered a natural and environmentally friendly material, which is widely used in construction work for various purposes.

Many professionals consider expanded clay to be the first insulation that has excellent thermal insulation and sound absorption properties.

This material is also used for the production of building blocks, as well as for organizing the screed and subfloor surface.

This material absorbs sound well and produces less dust than a concrete screed

Expanded clay, as a heater, has unique properties; it can simultaneously cover and insulate the floor.

This building material is widely used in construction.

It has a number of advantages, but there are also disadvantages.

The advantages of expanded clay include:

  • the material emits a small amount of dust and debris, several times less than a cement-sand screed;
  • excellent sound-absorbing properties, thanks to which expanded clay is used not only for floor insulation, but also for backfilling walls;
  • good thermal insulation performance;
  • a simple installation process that can be carried out by one person.

Expanded clay has much less disadvantages than advantages. These include the flowability of the material and its price. Despite the fact that it has been on the construction market for a long time, its cost is not decreasing.

Expanded clay itself has the form of granules and small rounded stones. To obtain this product, a clay composition is used with the addition of shale rocks, which undergo additional heat treatment.

Formation takes place at temperatures reaching 1000 0 С until the granules are completely mixed. For more information on modern insulation, see this video:

Insulation of floors in a wooden house using expanded clay

Warming or screed organization with expanded clay can be done in two ways. Distinguish between the method of dry laying expanded clay and wet (screed organization with the addition of cement and sand).

Floor insulation "dry method"


Cover each cell with a waterproofing material before backfilling.

Before organizing the dry method of insulating a wooden house using expanded clay, it is necessary to treat the rough floor (if it is made of wood) with an insect and mold repellent, only after that it is worth laying a waterproofing membrane.

It is better to lay the film in each cell (intervals between the lags) separately. If it is not possible to purchase modern waterproofing material, you can fully replace it with roofing material.


The filled granules must be tamped

After the waterproofing on the deck is equipped, you should proceed to filling the gaps with expanded clay.

Falling asleep the insulation in the cells between the lags, you should simultaneously distribute it so that there are no empty areas, while slightly tamping the material. The level of the filled-in expanded clay must coincide with the top of the support logs.

For the organization of floor insulation in wooden houses, experts advise using this building material of a fine fraction, so that individual granules fit as closely as possible to each other, thereby creating a greater density of the insulated cover.


You can lay expanded clay immediately in bags

Some builders use expanded clay, filled in plastic bags, to insulate floorings of houses.

In this case, the bags are selected in large sizes and the material is not poured into it completely, leaving the possibility of uniform distribution during stacking.

Installation of a layer of insulation with expanded clay in bags avoids debris and dust, and also contributes to the uniform use of all material.

The thickness of the expanded clay layer is limited by the height of the log. For a certain region of the country, experts recommend an individual layer of expanded clay for floor insulation.

Thermal insulation of the floor with expanded clay by the organization of the "wet" screed

A wet screed based on expanded clay is used as insulation, leveling cover and rough flooring, on which the finishing coating is already laid.


It is advised to lay roofing material under expanded clay

Before laying the screed, it is worth rolling out roofing material over the entire surface of the monolithic foundation, and its edges should go to the walls (up) by 10-15 cm. The screed - the insulation should not come into contact with the frame of the house.

The proportions of the solution for organizing the coating are as follows, for 1 kg of cement there are 4 kg of expanded clay and 3 kg of sand. Water is added to the composition during mixing at the discretion of the builders. For more information about floor insulation with granules, see the emt video:

When organizing both wet and dry screeds, it is necessary to calculate in advance the amount of expanded clay for flooring a certain area.

To do this, you need to know: the area of \u200b\u200bthe room, the thickness of the insulation layer and the weight of 1m 3 of the material. To correctly create a solution for a wet insulating screed based on expanded clay, you can use the examples of the ratios of materials given in the table.

Expanded clay is a versatile building material that does not lose its popularity and competes with other types of insulation. Thermal insulation and noise absorption are the most important properties of expanded clay, which it does not lose even after many years of operation.

The warmth in the house largely depends on the condition of the floors. A cold floor is capable of absorbing 10 to 15 percent of the heat generated by heating devices. Therefore, during construction, this structural element should be thoroughly insulated.

An excellent type of insulation is expanded clay. If you do not know how to use it for this purpose, we recommend that you read this article.

A bit of history

Expanded clay owes its appearance to defective bricks. At the beginning of the last century, red brick was industrially produced. When the duration of the heat treatment increased or the temperature exceeded the permissible one, the brick turned out to be burnt, swelled. The substandard was crushed and used as concrete filler.

If in our country bricks that were unsuitable for construction were not allowed to disappear, then in America porous clay plates were made specially. And they used them in the same way with our marriage.

The thirties of the XX century were marked by the fact that this technology was modernized. The Soviet engineer suggested making small porous fractions at once. Clay granules were heat treated in rotary kilns. A strong layer appeared on their surface. The granules were lightweight, as there were many air inclusions inside. This is how expanded clay appeared.

Material features

For the household, expanded clay is simply irreplaceable. It is used in the construction of a drainage system, garden paths are laid out for them, and used in landscape design. But, first of all, this material is known as a first-class insulation.

Porous granules are divided into three groups depending on their size:

  • Small ones from 5 mm to 10 mm are the main components of expanded clay concrete blocks. In construction work, they are suitable for arranging floor screeds.
  • Medium-sized from 10 to 20 mm are used as insulation for floors and ceilings between floors in private houses.
  • The largest ones from 20 mm to 40 mm are used for floor insulation in basements and garages.

In terms of shape and structure, the material has three varieties:

  • Expanded clay gravel, Distinctive characteristic - porosity and round shape. The sizes of the balls vary from 5 to 40 millimeters.
  • Expanded clay sand. The particle size does not exceed 5 mm. Formed from gravel residues. It is used as a filler for cement mortars and ultra-lightweight concrete.
  • Crushed stone. The dimensions are similar to gravel, but the particles differ in the presence of corners, chips, and potholes. Obtained by crushing excessively coarse gravel. Goes to fill lightweight concrete.

Pros and cons

Granular bulk material has many advantages. The main thing, perhaps, is the ratio of quality and cost indicators. Unfortunately, there were some drawbacks. Therefore, one can hear opinions for and against its use.

Undeniable advantages of expanded clay:

  • Good thermal insulation properties. The clay from which expanded clay is made is itself capable of retaining heat. After foaming, air-filled pores are formed in it, due to which the thermal conductivity is significantly reduced.
  • Low weight. Despite the fact that when insulating building structures, expanded clay is poured in a rather thick layer, the load on the base from its weight is small.

  • Easy to use. Working with the material does not require special skills and the use of special expensive equipment.
  • Non-flammability. Expanded clay does not burn. When heated, it does not emit toxins and unpleasant odors.
  • Unsuitable for rodents and insects. The insulation will not collapse from the invasion of various animals.

  • Resistant to heat and chemicals. Granules will not collapse in heat or frost, will not lose their thermal insulation properties when interacting with household chemicals.
  • Soundproofing. Along with the properties of insulation, expanded clay significantly reduces the penetration of noise.
  • Environmental friendliness. Absolutely harmless to people and pets.
  • Durability. Expanded clay pillow, subject to the rules of laying, can last a century!

The disadvantages of insulation are manifested during installation. To achieve the desired result, the granules are poured in a thick layer - from 10 to 40 cm. In this case, the ceiling becomes much closer to the floor, which is not always pleasant, and sometimes simply unacceptable.

In the absence or damage of the hard shell, moisture penetrates into the granules.Raw expanded clay is unsuitable for use, and it dries for a very long time. To prevent moisture absorption by the insulation during installation, additional materials are used: waterproofing from the bottom and vapor barrier over the heat insulator. Failure to comply with the rules will lead to the penetration of moisture into the granules. Then the expanded clay will get wet, its weight will increase, and it will sag in places. The beneficial properties will disappear.

Styling features

There are three different ways to use granular insulation.

The dry method is preferable in wooden houses. Gravel is mixed with expanded clay sand and poured into the intervals between the logs. Thanks to the particles of various sizes, the space is filled as tightly as possible. The absence of gaps guarantees reliable insulation. The dry method is the fastest. It is within the power of people without experience, does not require large costs.

The wet method is a three-part screed. Two parts of sand are mixed with one part of cement and three parts of expanded clay. The mixture is well mixed with water and the floor is poured with the resulting solution. The presence of porous balls in the screed provides floor insulation.

A similar technology is used in utility rooms: garages, workshops, sheds. The method is laborious and more costly than the dry one.

With the combined method, dry granules are poured only from above with cement mortar. This gives a smooth, hard surface. After drying, make a full screed.

In order to insulate a foundation, floor, ceiling or ceiling with expanded clay, similar technologies are used. First, the site is leveled, on which it is planned to pour expanded clay. Then waterproofing is laid, it can be a plastic film or other roll material that does not allow moisture to pass through. In order for the waterproofing coating to become solid, the joints are carefully glued with adhesive tape.

The thickness of the insulation layer depends on the construction of the floor. The thicker the layer, the better the insulation and the more heat remains in the room. Sometimes the height of the backfill is limited by the size of the lags, sometimes it depends on the existing doorway, when an extra centimeter becomes an obstacle to the door.

On large areas, it is difficult to ensure uniform spreading of expanded clay. The problem is solved by installing wooden blocks or logs. Lags are leveled in the horizontal plane. Then waterproofing is laid. Granules are poured onto it. The level is reapplied, but now for the correct distribution of the bulk product along the horizon. If expanded clay goes under the screed, the top layer is filled with cement mortar. With the dry installation method, a vapor barrier is laid on top, such as parchment.

In order to insulate the chimney, you will have to build a casing corresponding to the shape of the pipe. At the bottom there should be a dense non-combustible material, for example, an asbestos-cement sheet. Expanded clay is loaded into the space between the chimney. The upper part of the casing is closed by a cover made of the same material as itself.

Insulation technology

With all the similarity of laying bulk material, there are some distinctive features.

On the ground

Ground flooring is appropriate in garages and basements. In winter, such rooms will not be too cold if the appropriate work is done.

To insulate the floor on the ground, you should remove the fertile layer, level the ground and thoroughly compact it. A layer of rubble and sand is poured onto the rammed area. Thus, additional leveling of the surface occurs.

The insulation will be protected from high standing groundwater by waterproofing. It should be placed on the prepared pillow. Then expanded clay is poured and leveled so that the height over the entire area is uniform. The fixation of the top layer is carried out by impregnation with cement mortar. Next comes the vapor barrier layer.

Warming on the ground ends with a reinforced cement screed. If desired, you can put a plank floor on it after complete drying.

By lags

Lags when insulated with expanded clay serve a double service. On the one hand, it is convenient to level the backfill along them, on the other hand, they serve as the basis for the subfloor.

On the lags, the granulated fraction is laid on concrete bases. First, the working area is freed to clean concrete. Any flaws are eliminated. Cracks are covered with mortar, joints and corners are foamed if necessary. Lags are pre-treated with an antiseptic, and then they are attached to the base with corners. In this case, the upper edges of the wooden guides are displayed in one horizontal plane.

You can use as waterproofing:

  • Roofing material;
  • Polyethylene;
  • Polymer mixtures;
  • Bituminous mastics;
  • Rubber hydro-barriers.

The concrete surface, and the logs, and walls around the perimeter of the room to a height slightly exceeding the height of wooden parts are subject to processing. In the case of liquid mastics, concrete is primed for better adhesion. If film is used, it is stapled to the blocks. Insulation is poured into the sinuses so that there are no free spaces, and the height was the same everywhere. Expanded clay is covered with a vapor barrier layer. Then the subfloor is installed, and the finishing floor is on it.

On the balcony

Basically, the balcony is a fenced, protruding reinforced concrete slab. Standing on a concrete floor is uncomfortable even in summer. Often, apartment owners decide to insulate balconies. Lightweight granules are better suited for this purpose than other heat insulators.

It is not necessary to level the base. The main thing is that the new floor has no slopes. For this, beacon rails are installed on the concrete covered with insulation. Lighthouses can be attached to the slab with mortar or plaster. The distance between parallel slats should not exceed the length of the rule. The smaller the step between beacons, the easier it is to get the job done.

The height of the warm layer is equal to the beacons. The finished pillow is poured with a cement compound. After solidification, a full-fledged screed is made from above. If desired, on the loggia and on the closed balcony, a wooden floor can be laid over the screed.

In a wooden house

Expanded clay is widely used in the private sector. And this is not surprising, since the material is so unpretentious that homeowners work with it on their own.

Expanded clay insulate the floors of the first floor and attic floors. Granular material is used for floor insulation in a steam room, in utility rooms and living quarters. In the latter case, it is important to prevent dust from rubbing gravel from entering the room.

A stone or concrete house is built on a foundation and has a basement or basement. In such buildings, the floors are not always insulated. It is impossible to live in a frame house built on screw piles without thermal insulation. To ensure comfort in such a structure, you will have to work hard.

The funds saved on the construction of the foundation should be spent on thorough floor insulation. As a waterproofing, there should be not the simplest roofing felt or polyethylene, but modern reliable building materials. Vapor-permeable moisture and windproof membranes will become excellent protection against negative effects. The rest of the work is carried out similarly to other types of floors. Exactly the same work on floor insulation will also require a light wooden log house.

For passionate supporters of the use of environmental materials in construction, the question of whether expanded clay can be used for floor insulation will probably seem strange - of course, yes! For its production, absolutely natural materials are used - clay and shale rocks, which are sintered and granulated in a rotating cylindrical kiln at a high temperature. The result is granules of different sizes.

  • More about expanded clay
  • Varieties of expanded clay
  • What kind of expanded clay is better for floor insulation?
  • Advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay
  • Warming methods with expanded clay
    • Dry insulation with expanded clay
    • Wet laying of expanded clay
    • Combined method
  • Warming with expanded clay under a wooden floor on a concrete base
    • Materials and tools
    • Dismantling the cover
    • Surface preparation
    • Waterproofing
    • Installation lag
    • Backfilling expanded clay
    • Installation of flooring
  • Warming with expanded clay under a wooden floor on the ground
  • Warming with expanded clay under a concrete base
    • Floor preparation
    • Backfilling expanded clay
    • Reinforcement
    • Screed performance
  • Expanded clay concrete screed

But expanded clay is good not only for its high environmental friendliness. It should also be noted its low cost in comparison with other insulation materials, as well as the ease and speed of its application, because this does not require any special equipment.

More about expanded clay

The word "expanded clay" has Greek roots and is translated as "burnt clay". This material is extremely light, has a cellular porous structure, and its granules are round. In the process of firing, low-melting clays, to which peat, sawdust and diesel fuel are added, swell. Expanded clay is often used in construction as a filling in concrete in cases where it needs to be made lighter.

The heat-insulating properties of expanded clay are influenced by:

  • granule size;
  • the strength of the granules;
  • density of the material.

By bulk density (or volumetric weight), there are 10 brands of expanded clay (from 250 to 800). The brand number hides the bulk weight of the material, expressed in kilograms per cubic meter. For example, a cubic meter of expanded clay grade 250 weighs exactly that much in kilograms.

The greater the porosity of the material, the lower its density and the higher its heat-insulating properties, which is very important when choosing which expanded clay is better for floor insulation.

Different bulk density is obtained with different methods and modes of processing of raw materials. The bulk density is determined by filling in special measuring vessels. Usually the largest fraction has the lowest volumetric weight.

Varieties of expanded clay

Expanded clay sand

It is formed after firing clay residues or by crushing large fractions of expanded clay. The particle size here is no more than 5 mm. This sand, together with coarse fractions, is used when insulating interior partitions or when insulating a floor with expanded clay concrete is required. It also serves as a grout filler.

Expanded clay gravel

It consists of round grains 5-40 mm in size with a porous structure, which are obtained in pyrogenic furnaces by swelling of superfusible clay. It is a fire-resistant, frost-resistant and water-resistant material.

Expanded clay crushed stone

It is angular, has no definite shape, and is similar in size to gravel. It is obtained by crushing large pieces of expanded clay, and is used together with other types to obtain lightweight concrete, if the concrete floor is supposed to be insulated with expanded clay.

What kind of expanded clay is better for floor insulation?

When classifying expanded clay, the size of its granules can be selected as a basis. The division into fractions is as follows:

  • Fraction from 5 to 10 mm is used for the manufacture of lightweight aggregate blocks and when pouring screeds.
  • Granules from 10 to 20 mm are the answer to the question of which fraction of expanded clay is used to insulate floors or ceilings in houses.
  • Basements, roofs, garage floors and heating mains are insulated with a fraction of 20 to 40 mm.

If you put the second and third fractions in the screed, then its thickness will increase.

Advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay

Benefits

The pluses of expanded clay include:

  • good thermal insulation and sound insulation;
  • refractoriness;
  • high strength;
  • durability;
  • frost resistance;
  • environmental friendliness.

Warming the floor with expanded clay under the screed can be chosen for a number of reasons:

  • Expanded clay is exceptional in that it can be poured on any base, even on the ground, directly on which foam or mineral wool cannot be placed, since they will quickly lose their useful qualities.
  • Expanded clay has the greatest strength among other heaters.
  • The eco-friendly composition ensures the safe use of expanded clay, since it does not release anything into the air.
  • Due to its incombustibility, expanded clay does not have any restrictions in terms of fire safety; it can even serve as a barrier to an open flame.
  • Expanded clay is the cheapest insulation, so for a long time and very widely used claydite floor insulation in a private house, as well as walls and ceilings. In addition to private buildings, it is widely used in industrial and other buildings.

disadvantages

A significant disadvantage of floor insulation with expanded clay is its strong hygroscopicity. When its granules are actively saturated with water, they completely lose their heat-shielding properties, and for a long time they do not give moisture back. Damp, heavy expanded clay begins to sag, and unevenly, which leads to deformation of the floor, which must be taken into account if warming with expanded clay and screed floors of the 1st floor is carried out. To avoid this, when arranging floors, you need to carry out reliable waterproofing.

Warming methods with expanded clay

Builders use three methods of adding expanded clay:

  • wet;
  • dry;
  • combined.

To make the technology of warming floors with expanded clay more understandable, you should understand each option in more detail.

Dry insulation with expanded clay

This is how the floor is usually insulated with expanded clay in a wooden house.

  1. The material is poured between beacons or logs, and a sub-floor made of plywood, chipboard or ordinary boards is mounted above it.
  2. To protect the insulation from moisture, it is imperative to lay a waterproofing material under it.

To increase the density of the granules filling, it is recommended to take their different fractions and mix them before filling.

This is a very fast way of warming, which does not require a lot of labor.

Video about the dry method of floor insulation with expanded clay:

Wet laying of expanded clay

Here, a screed is made of expanded clay concrete. Liquid concrete is mixed with expanded clay, after which it fills the volume between the beacons.

In addition, the screed dries faster and cracks less. But the use of the wet method leads to the fact that the thermal conductivity of expanded clay that has gained moisture is greatly increased.

Combined method

Warming of a concrete floor with expanded clay under a screed is done as follows:

  1. Dry expanded clay is poured between the lighthouses.
  2. Then it is leveled.
  3. Its uppermost layer is watered with liquid cement mortar.
  4. When it dries up, a regular screed is made on top.

The cement mortar forms a crust on the upper layer of expanded clay and does not allow deformation of the lower layers when pouring the screed.

If a large load is expected during the operation of the floor, then the structure can also be supplemented with a reinforcing mesh.

Warming with expanded clay under a wooden floor on a concrete base

Materials and tools

To insulate a wooden floor with expanded clay, you will need:

  • jigsaw or hacksaw;
  • nail puller;
  • pencil;
  • roulette;
  • a hammer;
  • building level;
  • electric drill;
  • shovel;
  • self-tapping screws;
  • damper tape;
  • coating material or film waterproofing;
  • sand.

In this example, the insulation of the floor of the first floor with expanded clay on a concrete base is considered.

Dismantling the cover

  1. It is necessary to remove the floor boards and take them out of the room.
  2. Carefully inspect the logs and check their position with a level.
  3. Rotten logs need to be replaced, and new ones should be set according to the level.
  4. If the bars are in good condition, not deformed or deflected, then they can be left.
  5. If the damage is minor, it is enough to replace the individual beams, and if they are rotten or loosened, then you need to remove everything down to the concrete.

Surface preparation

  1. Free the base of the floor from debris, rub small cracks and examine the corners - if there are deep cracks, then they need to be filled with foam or covered with mortar.
  2. The joints around the walls and floor should also be filled with foam.
  3. Then a layer of sand should be poured onto the base and thoroughly tamped, but if a coating waterproofing is used, then there is no need for sand.

Waterproofing

  1. A special membrane or plastic wrap must be spread on the floor so that it covers the walls with its surplus by 7-10 cm.
  2. In this case, the lags should also be under the film.

When the width of the canvas is not enough, then you can lay several pieces with an overlap, and fix the joints between them with construction tape.

  1. Fix the waterproofing on the beams with a stapler, having previously tucked it well in the recesses between the logs

  1. If coating waterproofing is used, then the mixture must be applied to concrete, which is free of dust, including sections of the walls near the floor. With this option, the logs should be on top of the protective layer. It can be coated with liquid polymers, bitumen mastic, polymer-cement-based mastics and bitumen-polymer mixtures. The composition should be applied in 2-3 layers at intervals of 3 hours, so such waterproofing will take a long time.

  1. At the end, you need to fix a damper tape at the height of the subfloor along the perimeter of the walls, which will resist cracking and deformation of the screed during temperature changes.

Installation lag

  1. If the old logs had to be completely dismantled, then new ones must be mounted. For this purpose, a strong wooden beam or boards are suitable, which must be cut to the length of the floor, then soaked with an antiseptic and dried completely.
  2. The wooden frame on the floor must be at least 10 cm.
  3. The extreme logs should be located 2-3 centimeters from the walls, and the step between adjacent logs should be within 50-100 cm.
  4. All logs must be set parallel to each other and at the same level so that their upper surfaces all lie together on the same, strictly horizontal plane.
  5. The logs need to be fixed to the floor with metal corners: screw one side of the corner with screws or self-tapping screws to the log, and the other to the floor.
  6. The extreme corners should be 2-3 cm from the edges of the log, and the step between adjacent corners should be within 50 cm.

Backfilling expanded clay

Before you form a layer of expanded clay for floor insulation, you need to mix its coarse and small fractions, and then fill it between the logs.

It will remain on top to lay the waterproofing and fix it with a stapler.

Installation of flooring

To the beams protruding from the insulation layer, you need to attach a sub-floor made up of boards, chipboard or plywood, after which you can already lay the topcoat. The film sticking out near the walls can be cut with a knife and the gaps can be closed with decorative skirting boards.

Warming with expanded clay under a wooden floor on the ground

Sometimes, instead of a concrete base, there is soil under the floor, in this case it is required to insulate the floor with expanded clay on the ground in the following sequence:

  • Level and compact the ground.
  • Add about 10 cm of gravel.
  • Cover gravel with sand and compact it tightly.
  • Next, fill in insulation, while the thickness of the expanded clay layer should be 15-25 cm.
  • Having leveled the layer of insulation, it is necessary to pour it on top with concrete.
  • Wooden floors can be installed.

Warming with expanded clay under a concrete base

Floor preparation

In this case, the standard preparation of the sub floor is performed:

  1. It is necessary to dismantle the old coating, fill up all the cracks, clean the surface of dust.
  2. After that, lay a film on the base or cover it with liquid waterproofing. To close all joints around the perimeter of the floor, the film must be brought onto the walls.
  3. At the end, at the level of the future screed, you need to fix the damper tape, after which you can proceed to insulation.

Backfilling expanded clay

First you need to calculate how much expanded clay is needed for floor insulation. According to the standard for 1 sq. m area needs 0.01 cubic meters. m of expanded clay with a layer thickness of 1 cm.That is, the required amount depends on the thickness of the intended insulation layer and the area of \u200b\u200bthe room.

Expanded clay thickness for floor insulation:

  • On the 1st floor and above unheated rooms - 10 cm.
  • On the 2nd and higher floors in residential premises - 3-4 cm.

For example:

  • The room is 20 sq. m you need 10 cm of insulation thickness (expanded clay).
  • With a thickness of 10 cm of expanded clay, it needs 0.1 cubic meters. m per 1 sq. m area.
  • For 20 sq. m area will need 0.1 * 20 \u003d 2 cubic meters. m of expanded clay (1 cubic meter of expanded clay \u003d 400 kg).
  1. The resulting amount must be prepared by mixing its different fractions.
  2. Then this mixture must be filled in all the space between the beacons, leveling the material with a piece of plywood or a rule.
  3. The joints and corners must be filled especially carefully so that there are no voids left there.
  4. Then the expanded clay must be tamped carefully so as not to damage the granules.

Reinforcement

Put a coarse-mesh metal mesh on top of the insulation, which should be 4-5 cm from the walls everywhere. The mesh should be free of sharp protruding edges, bulges or dents.

Screed performance

  1. The screed mixture should consist of 1 part of cement and 3 parts of sifted sand, which must be well mixed with water until an even thick consistency is obtained, then pour it in portions between the rails on the floor.
  2. The mixture must be leveled with a long rule, passing it along the beacons and removing its excess.

    After that, you need to wait until the concrete has gained sufficient strength to lay the floor.

This insulation of the floor with expanded clay assumes that the screed is directly, without additional insulation, placed on the insulation.

Video about floor insulation with expanded clay under the screed:

Expanded clay concrete screed

If the subfloor is very uneven or you need to significantly raise the floor level, then this requires an expanded clay concrete screed:

  1. At first, the surface also needs to be cleaned of dirt and dust.
  2. Then walk the foam along the joints and cracks, put waterproofing.
  3. Then you can start the main process.
  4. Fix metal beacons to the floor with cement mortar.

  1. After mixing cement and sifted sand in a ratio of 1: 2, add 3-5 parts of expanded clay there (this depends on the expected load on the floor) and 1 part of water.

  1. Fill the space between the beacons with a mixture 2-3 cm below their level.

  1. The surface should be compacted and leveled, for which the floating granules should be again drowned in the solution.
  2. As soon as the screed slightly grabs, prepare ordinary concrete without additives and pour over the screed, then align it with the beacons as a rule.

The screed should dry for 3-4 weeks. In the early days, its surface must be watered so that cracks do not form on it. The result is a warm and solid base that can last for a long time. When it is possible to walk on the surface of the screed, it should be covered with a hydro-barrier or film.

How did you insulate the floor with expanded clay, and why did you choose it? Write the answer in the comments - your experience is important to us.

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