Insulation of the floor with expanded clay under the screed: advantages and a detailed description of the technique, the secrets of the correct execution of work. Leveling the floor with expanded clay Floors on the ground with expanded clay of which fraction

In the case of a garage or basement, we usually lay the concrete floor directly over the ground to save money. Insulation of the lower part of the building plays an important role here, since high-quality hydro and thermal insulation allows you to create a comfortable temperature in this room in winter. If this is a garage, the favorable climate in it will help protect your car from corrosion, and you can also store various electronics there without too much fear. If it is a basement or cellar, vegetables and fruits prepared for the winter will not freeze there. It is not even worth talking about if this is a residential building, since the advantages here are obvious.

The thermal insulation of the floor on the ground must be of high quality, since the earth is a powerful transmitter of cold, and if the bottom of the building is not properly insulated, cold and dampness will seep in without difficulty.

It is important to note that it is economically profitable to insulate the floor on the ground only if the groundwater is located far from the soil surface. If they are located in close proximity, laying high-quality waterproofing will cost you much more than installing an additional floor structure using floor slabs and beams.

Floor installation on the ground

To begin with, it should be said that it is best to insulate the floor on the ground in the process of its creation. It is incredibly difficult to insulate a finished floor - you will have to tear off the finish coating, which will lead to unnecessary time and money. Therefore, when laying the floor on the ground, take the process of its insulation responsibly.

The floor on the ground is built directly on the ground. To do this, first make the markup, then pour the strip foundation. As soon as the latter dries, proceed to the construction of the floor cake. If you are building a garage, you need to make a small depression in the ground, or take care of a gently sloping entrance that can be poured with concrete. For high-quality floor insulation on the ground, it is necessary to strive for the height of the foundation to be at least 20 cm.

The floor on the ground consists of several layers. Let's list them in order:

• priming
• leveling layer of sand
• waterproofing
• insulation
• reinforcing mesh
• coupler

The first step is to level the ground, remove all weeds, debris from it, and fill in all the irregularities, after which the ground is tamped. Next, a leveling layer of river sand or sand with crushed stone is poured. If you will insulate the floor with expanded clay, you can fill the soil only with it or its mixture with sand. Sand is poured to a certain height on the basis that the height of the insulation must be at least 5 cm, and the final screed must be at least 7 cm. After backfilling, the sand is compacted, leveled using a rule, and waterproofing is laid. The following materials are usually used as waterproofing:

• ruberoid
• polymer membranes
• polyethylene film

The last option is cheap and cheerful. For high-quality hydro-, vapor barrier, it is necessary to use a film with a density of at least 200 microns. It is necessary to lay the film in two layers - this way you will provide it with greater protection against possible microdamages.

A better option for waterproofing is a rough screed and laying roofing material or polymer membranes on top of it. But since we mainly consider in this article the most cost-effective option for insulating the floor on the ground with our own hands, we will insulate ours with plastic wrap.

The film is laid evenly over the entire area of ​​the subfloor, and fixed with wooden bars, which are placed at the junction of the film with the foundation. Needless to say, the dimensions of the film must have some margin so that its edges protrude beyond the upper edges of the foundation. The second layer is laid on top of the first layer of film.

When the waterproofing is laid, you can proceed directly to laying the insulation. We recommend using one of the three most cost-effective options:

• Styrofoam
• extruded polystyrene (foam)
• expanded clay

Let's take a closer look at the features of each of these heaters.

Insulation of the floor on the ground with foam

Insulation of the floor on the ground with polystyrene foam

Extruded polystyrene foam or foam plastic is a modern analogue of polystyrene. This material does not burn and has increased thermal insulation characteristics, making it ideal for floor insulation on the ground. The main difference between Styrofoam and Styrofoam lies in the way these materials are created. If, when creating foam plastic, individual granules of insulation are filled with gas, then when creating polystyrene foam, the total mass of the material is filled with gas. On average, the density of expanded polystyrene is 3-5 times greater than that of polystyrene. In addition, it weighs more and has a greater density than its younger counterpart, and its cost is somewhat higher.

The technology of floor insulation on the ground with polystyrene foam does not differ from the technology of floor insulation on the ground with foam plastic. The difference lies only in the price and quality of the material. If you want a more economical option - insulate the floor on the ground with foam; if better - penoplex.

Floor insulation on the ground with expanded clay

Expanded clay is small granules of baked clay and is used in construction as a heater and material for dry floor screed. We talked about it in detail in the article “Insulation of the floor under the screed”, so we will not repeat ourselves.

Floor insulation on the ground with expanded clay is carried out according to a principle similar to the first two options. First, a strip foundation is poured, the soil surface is leveled and hydro and vapor barriers are laid. Then expanded clay is evenly poured onto the rough soil and leveled using a guide rule. The second option is to make a rough floor screed, carry out waterproofing and fill expanded clay on top. To do this evenly, it is best to install the transverse logs at a distance of half a meter from each other and fill the insulation into the resulting compartments.

Whichever option you choose, you will need to make a semi-dry screed on top. It is possible to pour expanded clay with a wet screed, but it is undesirable. Before pouring the screed, it is imperative to lay a layer of plastic film so that the solution does not come into direct contact with the insulation. After the screed dries, the floor is finished.

Perlite insulation

Floor insulation with perlite on the ground is an effective method of thermal insulation of the bottom of the house. According to Wikipedia, perlite is a rock of volcanic origin. According to its structure, this material is a small, pearl-like granules, which include silicon (65%), potassium, sodium, aluminum and other substances. Perlite is actively used in agriculture (which indicates its environmental safety), as well as in construction as a material for dry floor screed and thermal insulation.

As a heat-insulating material, expanded perlite is usually used. This material is perlite, heated to a temperature of 1100°C, as a result of which a single granule of this material increases in volume up to 15 times. Perlite has a high density (from 75 kg / m³) and a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, and in this characteristic it significantly outperforms foam plastic and expanded clay. The technology of laying the insulation is the same as that of expanded clay - by pouring it out between the longitudinal lags. The only disadvantage of this material is its high cost, which starts from 1200 rubles per cubic meter. meter. In addition, perlite is not sold in all hardware stores, especially in large volumes. Therefore, the easiest way is to look for it in large construction hypermarkets or order it via the Internet.

Perlite Suppliers

Foam glass insulation

Foam glass is another expensive, but high-quality material for floor insulation on the ground. It is a foamed glass mass that foams at a temperature of approximately 1000°C. Foam glass is produced in the form of granules, blocks or plates. For floor insulation on the ground, slabs and granules are usually used. The slabs are laid according to the principle of expanded polystyrene, granules - by pouring out, like expanded clay. Foam glass has a practically zero coefficient of thermal conductivity and a high density (up to 200 kg / m³). As in the case of perlite, the price here will bite. The price of one cubic meter of foam glass starts from 6 thousand rubles. It is difficult to find it, so it is best to order online or look in specialized stores.

Foam glass suppliers

Warm floor

The "Warm floor" system is devoted to many articles on our website. Our regular readers know that it is a collection of heated elements that are located under the floor and radiate heat like a radiator battery. It is believed that the "Warm floor" system is used exclusively for warming the bathroom or kitchen. Actually it is not. With its help, you can insulate the bottom of any room and even the floor on the ground.

Typically, the laying of the system occurs in the following order:

• installation of longitudinal and transverse logs and laying insulation between them (expanded polystyrene, mineral wool, etc.);
• vapor barrier insulation;
• installation of chipboard boards to provide a solid base for laying the heating elements of the system;
• installation of guide rails, between which the elements of the system will be laid;
• installation of an aluminum gasket or a foil gasket;
• installation of heated elements;
• floor screed or lining.

To date, laying the "Warm floor" system is the most technologically advanced method of warming the bottom of your home. But is it possible not to insulate the floor on the ground if the structure has a warm floor and thus save on materials? Of course, you can save on insulation. But then you will have to constantly overpay for the consumption of electricity or gas. The fact is that the bottom of the room, which includes a heater, is easier to heat up, and it retains heat longer when the system is turned off. If there is no insulation in the structure of the floor pie on the ground, the heating element system will have to work constantly and, in the end, you will overpay much more later than you save at the beginning.

Ground floor pie

Thus, we get the following floor cake on the ground when it is insulated:

• priming
• leveling layer of sand or sand with crushed stone
• rough screed (optional item)
• waterproofing
• laying insulation
• installation of elements of the "warm floor" system (optional item)
• structural reinforcement
• finishing screed or pie lining
• decorative flooring

Now let's look at the pros and cons of the resulting design.

Pros and cons of floor insulation on the ground

If everything is clear with the pluses (thermal insulation will create a comfortable temperature in the building), then you need to dwell on the minuses in more detail. Here are some of them:

• often such insulation requires a lot of money and labor, which do not always pay off
• the floor on the ground, as a rule, cannot be finished with parquet or other derivatives of wood, since dampness and fungus easily appear on them if groundwater is located in the immediate vicinity of the soil surface
• the erection of a floor pie is possible only if the ground is sufficiently firm and even
• in any case, heat loss will be greater than if the house was located on a pile or slab foundation

Installing the floor on the ground and its insulation is, on the one hand, a cost-effective undertaking that allows you to save money at the very beginning. On the other hand, as you know, the miser pays twice. You are building a house for decades, which means that you should not save on building a quality foundation. It is possible to build and insulate the floor on the ground if it is the bottom of a garage or basement. If this is a house, the team of our site does not recommend building it on bare ground, since labor costs will be unjustified, and the durability and quality of construction will be a big question.

Summarize.

Conclusion

In this article, we examined the main methods and materials for floor insulation on the ground. Let's finally see what are the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.

Material name	Advantages	Flaws
Styrofoam	Inexpensive, easy to install.	It has low strength and relatively low density.
Styrofoam	Easy to install, high strength, low thermal conductivity.	Average cost.
Expanded clay	Environmentally friendly material, low thermal conductivity.	Complexity of installation, high cost.
Perlite	Environmentally and hygienically safe material, low coefficient of thermal conductivity.
Foam glass	Virtually zero thermal conductivity. Environmentally friendly material.	Difficult to get, high cost.
"Warm floor"	Creates a comfortable indoor climate; it is possible to set the desired temperature in the house; the bottom of the room will never be cold; sold at any hardware store; There are both cheap and expensive options.	It is difficult to install, it is relatively expensive, in the event of a breakdown, the bottom of the room will have to be opened.

Thus, from the foregoing, we can conclude that floor insulation on the ground with polystyrene foam is the most preferable option, which will not hit the pocket of the average resident of our country too much. You can insulate the floor with this material yourself, as well as other parts of the house. All that is needed for this is to study articles on this issue on our website.

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Video: Do-it-yourself floors on the ground

In the harsh conditions of our country with traditionally frosty winters, many people think about insulating their houses and apartments: they thicken and compact walls, floors, ceilings. Technologies are improving year after year. The range is constantly replenished with various mixtures, dry fills and heaters. One of the solutions for floor insulation is the use of expanded clay screed.

Peculiarities

The floor screed is the first layer above the base. They choose it based on the type of room, the purpose of its use, the condition of the house and the intended decorative flooring. Expanded clay has been known for a long time, but does not lose its relevance and popularity as an additive in modern screeds. Mixtures sold in stores do not lose their properties when using it. This material is made from clay, purifying it of unnecessary impurities. Porous granules are formed from a solution of a liquid consistency under the influence of high temperatures.

Advantages and disadvantages

To use a screed with expanded clay, you need to understand what the advantages of this method are, why you need to do it at all.

• This screed allows you to significantly increase the height of the floor. In cases where it is necessary to raise the level to a considerable height due to distortions of the base or simply to reduce the distance between the floor and the ceiling, it is not advisable to pour a thick layer of concrete.
• In old houses and structures with wooden floors, even with a small layer of pouring, the base may not withstand the load of concrete mortar. Filled floors in this case minimize the risk of damage to the floors.

• Even strong drops, pits and cracks can be filled with expanded clay composition and a flat surface can be obtained.
• In cold climates, an important plus is the frost resistance of expanded clay.

• The safety of use is determined, among other things, by resistance to heat.
• The material is very durable - it does not corrode, does not burn or rot.

• For the environmental qualities of the coating, excellent vapor and air permeability is required.
• Despite the natural basis, expanded clay screed is not affected by microorganisms, fungi, mold and rodents.

• Due to its light weight, the material can be transported without any problems even in large volumes.
• Laying technology allows an unprepared person to cope with the work. Handling the composition is quite simple.

• Expanded clay additives are very budgetary. The product is easy to find in stores. Often, those whose choice falls on the purchase of expanded clay do not want to isolate the coating, but save on the screed, because concrete mixes are quite expensive.
• The material is moisture resistant. Its water absorption reaches 20%. This means that when flooded, it does not deform for a long time.
• If you need good sound insulation, then the choice should definitely fall on expanded clay. At the same time, unlike expanded polystyrene and foam plastic, it has greater strength and lower thermal conductivity. The best sound insulation is achieved by adding expanded clay to concrete.

Expanded clay screed has not so many disadvantages:

• If you are making a dry screed, you need to protect the base from water penetration. It will not be absorbed, creating dampness and mold in the room. Waterproofing is always given great attention when finishing with expanded clay.
• Avoid single granule size when dry-filled. Heterogeneity will give greater density and uniformity to the coating.
• To retain heat, small granules will be useless, like a narrow layer of screed. It is necessary to raise the floor level by at least 10 cm.

Technology

First of all, you need to prepare all the tools and calculate the required amount of materials.

You may need:

• bucket;
• mixer, construction mixer or just a stick;
• brush or needle roller;
• spatulas;
• rule;
• construction beacons;
• building level (water or laser);
• ruler and special marker;
• brushes and rollers.

At the initial stage, the subfloor should be prepared. If you are making repairs in an old apartment or house, carefully remove the old screed with a crowbar or puncher. Next, you need to get rid of debris, dust and pollution. Estimate the opened base. It should not have chips, cracks, greasy spots. If you find gaps more than 1 mm wide, they must be sealed.

• cement-sand mixture;
• putty or sealant.

Deep penetration priming is necessary for the mixture to properly bond to the substrate surface. Grease stains should be removed or cleaned. Next, treat the entire surface of the floor, using the composition for the primer.

The next item will be the choice of the zero mark. This is the definition of the height at which the top layer of the flooring we are creating will be located. This can be done using laser or water levels. As a rule, it is set no higher than 15 cm from the base. The flooring device involves laying a waterproofing layer. It may seem to many that in the living rooms in the apartment this stage is optional, but it is not.

Waterproofing can be done in several ways:

• If you live in a private house, it is better to use the well-known roofing felt installation. Overlap the layers, leading to a certain height on the walls. The base is pre-coated with bituminous mastic for gluing the roll material to it. The seams also need to be treated with mastic.

• In apartments, it is enough to apply insulation with a film. Choose dense materials for layer strength. The film is also fixed with an overlap and with a call to the walls. Glue it with construction tape. To minimize the impact of the coating layers, the perimeter of the room is pasted over with a damper tape.
• You can also use coating waterproofing from special mixtures diluted in water. They process the entire surface of the floor and the bottom of the walls.

The thickness of the layer is indicated in the recommendations on the packages. Next, you need to let the coating dry. This will take more time than the previous methods. Then the laying of the expanded clay concrete layer is carried out. When the coating is completely dry (drying time varies depending on the composition of the concrete mixture), you can proceed to the fine finishing of the floor covering.

Backfill types

An important indicator in relation to expanded clay is its density. It depends on the size of the applied fraction. In construction, GOST 32496-2013 is used, which regulates the technical features of expanded clay granules, but due to optional certification, manufacturers can produce various options according to their specifications.

The most common division into:

• Expanded clay gravel. The size of the granules is large - 20 - 40 mm. The lightest backfill is obtained from granules of this size.
• The gravel is smaller. Its particles have sizes from 10 to 20 mm. They are usually obtained by crushing gravel.
• Expanded clay sand less than 10 mm in size. All expanded clay remains fall into this category.

If we talk about the thermal insulation properties of expanded clay, then it is advisable to use gravel and crushed stone, and use waste to obtain a more porous coating.

Filling methods

In total, there are three ways of screed using expanded clay. It is necessary to analyze the method of use and the advantages of each of them in more detail.

Semi-dry screed with expanded clay

This method is used in cases where it is necessary to both raise and insulate the floors in the room. To achieve thermal insulation, the expanded clay layer must be at least 10 cm. Here it is important to take a large fraction of the backfill - at least 20 mm. If it is only important for you to raise the floor to the required level, you can use smaller particles. In this case, waterproofing is necessary in order to protect the expanded clay layer from moisture. Beacons are set to the required height, and expanded clay is backfilled. Walk on it with a rule to tamp and level the layer.

After that, you should transcend to pouring the concrete screed. A cement-sand mortar or a special mixture can be used. For the convenience of work, it is better to pre-spill the expanded clay layer with a concrete mixture, highly diluted with water - cement milk. This will prevent the expanded clay grains from floating up and make it easier to fill with the main solution. Also for these purposes, laying a layer of granules with a film may be suitable. Only in this case, the laying must be done very carefully so that the film does not tear.

These two methods are also necessary so that the moisture from the concrete layer goes less into the porous expanded clay granules. Then the coating will be more reliable and durable. For pouring concrete mortar, you can use a reinforcing mesh. This will make it easier to gradually, in sections, fill the layer and level it to obtain a smooth surface.

Expanded clay concrete

This is the so-called wet screed. In this case, it is necessary to carefully measure all the irregularities of the base and determine how thick the screed layer will be. This method is advantageous to use if you have to raise the floor level to a considerable height, as well as to save concrete mix. Expanded clay is combined with sand concrete, carefully stir the resulting composition and distribute it over the floor. It is better to soak the expanded clay granules with water first, so that later the consistency of the mixture does not turn out to be too dry. Mixing is best done with a construction mixer, because no spatulas and sticks can achieve a uniform consistency without clots and lumps.

To reinforce the expanded clay concrete screed, you can use a reinforcing mesh, and as beacons - any slats that are easiest to get. The mesh should not reach the required height level by a couple of centimeters. Next, distribute the solution evenly over the grid, leveling it with a rule. After finishing laying the mixture, do not wait until it dries. Prepare a solution for the top leveling layer. It can be a cement-sand screed, and a self-leveling floor. It is applied already to the zero mark, leveled with a rule and left to dry.

After about a day, it is necessary to remove the beacons. Be sure to treat the openings from them with a primer and fill with cement. The advantage of the expanded clay-cement screed is that it can be poured without problems with your own hands, all proportions are made by eye until the necessary viscous consistency is obtained. Such a screed can be part of a multi-level system and be used as a draft under the self-leveling floor. It may also be sufficient for laying a fine finish that does not require an even subfloor (such as a tile floor).

Dry floor screed with expanded clay

If the semi-dry method is a combined screed, then backfilling with expanded clay granules does not require subsequent pouring with any solutions. The base is prepared as usual, but any possibility of moisture entering the waterproofing layer must be excluded. Lighthouses are exposed to a necessary mark. The minimum thickness of the expanded clay layer with this technique is 5 cm. The granules must be selected in small or medium sizes, it is advisable to combine different sizes to distribute the layer more evenly with fewer voids. It makes no sense to use small waste, because they will require a huge amount, but they will not create the desired thermal insulation effect.

It is better to divide the surface into strips using wooden slats - this way it will be easier to level the granular layer and lay the following materials. Do not tamp the expanded clay, but gently roll it out. Next, a layer of moisture-resistant drywall should be laid. If the sheets are thin, it is better to lay them in two layers, gluing them together, and the seams must be coated with putty. You can also use waterproofing mixtures. After the drywall installation is complete, cut off any protruding pieces of tape or film.

This type of screed has a lot of advantages:

• The smooth surface is suitable for applying any kind of finishing coatings.
• The layer can withstand high loads.
• The floor covering is quite light, so it can be used on old dilapidated floors without any risk.

• Thermal insulation is top notch. There is no need for underfloor heating on expanded clay cushion.
• The work can be completed very quickly, and immediately after completion, proceed to the next stages of repair.
• Dry screed provides excellent sound insulation.
• The cover does not warp.

Sometimes builders suggest using expanded clay for pouring into a rough screed directly on the ground instead of sand or gravel. This can only be done if the groundwater level is low, otherwise high humidity will lead to negative consequences for the entire climate in the house, and good heat storage will no longer play its role here.

Layer thickness

The thickness of the coating will depend on many aspects: the size of the granules, the level of floor elevation required, and the functionality of the screed. It is better to take a minimum layer of screed using expanded clay at least 3 cm. Depending on the method of coating, the layers can vary greatly. For pouring with expanded clay concrete in order to raise the height and level, a thickness of 3-5 cm will be enough. If you want to get a heat-insulating effect, the layer should be at least 10 cm.

A light screed with a thin layer fits better with the use of small granules. This saves money and reduces workload. In the case of dry backfill, fine fractions of 3-6 mm can be used to level the floor, but for thermal insulation it will be necessary to lay a layer of special materials. If you are primarily interested in heat-saving properties and anti-noise effect, then you need to fill up 10-15 cm from the base, and take large fractions.

How long does it dry?

This question concerns the wet and combined type of screed. Sand concrete takes a long time to dry. With a mixed type of screed, you must wait at least 14 days for the top layer to dry in order to continue finishing work. Full strength and ability to perceive the maximum load will gain the coating after 28 days. However, these recommendations vary depending on the thickness of the layer. If you used the wet method, and the thickness of the screed is more than 5-6 cm, then you need to increase the period to 6 weeks. In any case, if you are in doubt about the drying time of the coating, cover the floor area with a film and press it in several places with wooden slats.

If condensation appears after 1-2 days, the screed must be dried further, because if all the accumulated moisture does not have time to evaporate, then the strength and integrity of the coating will be at risk. Such a floor will no longer be reliable and durable. If you prepare a mixture with the addition of modern components or special plasticizers, then this increases the chances of obtaining a high-quality surface and, of course, reduces the drying time, sometimes even by half. Information is usually indicated on bags with ready-made formulations. This method is more expensive, but more guarantees are given. It is only necessary to choose high-quality mixtures of trusted manufacturers.

How to calculate the expense?

Expanded clay consumption for different rooms will depend on the strength of the base and its maximum load, layer thickness, your preferences for heat and sound insulation. The more expanded clay you add, the more heat the coating can retain, but the strength will suffer. For a wet solution, it is better to take expanded clay backfill and concrete in proportions of 1: 1. The amount of granular material is measured in liters, not kilograms. Usually, a layer 1 cm thick is taken for calculations. It is necessary to determine how many liters of expanded clay are needed to cover 1 square meter. m area. This value will be equal to 10 liters.

To find out the consumption of expanded clay for the standard area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe apartment (usually 20 sq. M is taken), you need to multiply 10 liters by 20 sq. m. It turns out 200 liters. The layer height is chosen based on the purpose of the room. On the ground floor and in cold rooms, a height of 10 cm is chosen, in other types of housing a layer is taken from 3-4 cm. Thus, in a new building in a one-room apartment with an area of ​​40 meters, a layer of 5 cm can be applied. m will account for 50 liters of expanded clay. Therefore, the entire area of ​​​​the apartment will require 40 * 50 \u003d 2000 liters - 40 bags of 50 liters.

Kitchens in "Khrushchev", having a small area, require a layer of 3 cm or more. For such a room, you will need from 150 liters of expanded clay. It must be remembered that surfaces may have irregularities and deviations, so the calculation formula is only approximate. It is better to take expanded clay with some margin. For pouring a layer of concrete, the approximate consumption per 1 cu. m of expanded clay will require 300 kg of cement "M500" and the same amount of sand.

Wooden construction is mainly country houses. Moreover, both new buildings and those that were built long ago as summer cottages. Today, these buildings are increasingly used for year-round living. Therefore, the issue of warming all parts of the house becomes urgent.

The floor in wooden buildings is one of the coldest parts of the entire structure. According to various estimates, up to 20% of the internal heat in the premises goes through the floors in wooden houses. It makes sense not only to design good insulation during the construction of a new house, but also to attend to the alteration of the floor in an already built one, but without floor insulation. Moreover, usually a residential wooden house is installed on a relatively high foundation. And this allows you to conduct insulation from below, without changing the level of the finished floor and without reducing the height of the room.

Floor insulation

When erecting auxiliary wooden buildings, the floors can be located near the ground itself or even laid directly on the ground. In this case, an insulating layer is still necessary, only it will have to be laid, deepening into the ground.

Any insulation of wooden floors must be carried out in compliance with the following rules:

• Mandatory laying of waterproofing in two layers. The bottom layer protects the insulation from moisture from the ground. The top layer - from the penetration of water through the boards of the finishing floor.
• Draft and finishing wooden floor elements are treated with special anti-rotting agents.
• For insulation, a material is selected that does not change its properties upon contact with wood.

Despite the recent appearance of modern insulating materials, expanded clay insulation of a wooden floor still finds its application. And there are reasons for this.

Expanded clay: pros and cons

Insulating expanded clay - granules made by foaming and subsequent firing of clay.

Scheme of the production of expanded clay granules

It has several advantages when used as thermal insulation.

Advantages:

• Low thermal conductivity. The very clay from which it is made is considered a good heat insulator. And the pores created inside, filled with air, further reduce the thermal conductivity. As a heat insulator, it is several times more effective than clay bricks and twice as good as wood.
• Light weight. An increase in the thickness of the expanded clay layer does not lead to a significant load on the floors.
• Cheapness. Despite the fact that it is inferior in thermal conductivity to many modern materials, its use allows you to save money, losing slightly as insulation.
• Fire safety. This material not only does not burn, but also does not emit any toxic substances when heated strongly.
• Resistant to temperature extremes. Thermal insulation properties do not change in heat or frost.
• Resistant to household chemicals and humidity. Even when wet, mold does not form on it.
• Complete environmental friendliness. Made from natural material, it is not completely harmless.
• In addition to heat-insulating properties, it is also a good sound insulator.
• Convenient to use. To work with it, you do not need to have special skills, and do not require special tools and devices. The fact that expanded clay is a bulk material excludes any requirements for observing exact dimensions when laying.
• Long period of use. It is believed that it retains its properties for decades.

Flaws

Expanded clay also has disadvantages. But their list is incomparable with the advantages:

• Large volume of heat-insulating layer. To create high-quality thermal insulation, the thickness of the expanded clay cushion should be at least 10 cm. But in practice, the expanded clay layer is usually 20–30 cm, rarely 40 cm. In some designs of wooden floors, such insulation leads to a decrease in the space between the floor and the ceiling.
• Low moisture resistance. When a large amount of water gets on it, it absorbs it. This leads to an increase in the weight of the thermal insulation. Over time, moisture will evaporate from expanded clay granules, but this is a long process.
• Laying expanded clay, for all its simplicity, is a tedious task. Filling a thick layer, leveling with obligatory accuracy so as not to destroy the shell of the granules - all this takes a lot of time.

Varieties of expanded clay

The quality of expanded clay as a heater also depends on the options for its production. Depending on the size, three main groups of expanded clay granules are distinguished. And although there are recommendations for its use for each group, a mixture of granules of different sizes is usually used in one layer.

Expanded clay fractions

• Crushed stone - granules with a diameter of 20 to 40 mm. Recommended for backfilling the main layer of thermal insulation.
• Gravel - from 10 to 20 mm. Used to create thin layers.
• Sand - the smallest granules with a diameter of 5 - 10 mm. Suitable for insulating small voids in floor structures. In a mixture with large fractions, it allows you to fill the gaps between the granules. It is used to create a "wet" concrete heat-insulating screed.

In addition to size, expanded clay insulation varies in density. Industrially produced expanded clay is divided into several categories with a density of 200 to 800 kg / m3.

Methods for creating heat-insulating layers of expanded clay

In general, the expanded clay insulation device differs little from the use of other materials. Expanded clay is located under the finishing floor with the use of moisture-proof materials.

Expanded clay insulation, general principle

Depending on the location of the insulated floor (on logs laid on the foundation, on the ground or on a concrete base), the technology by which expanded clay is laid under the wooden floor also differs.

Backfill between lags

This is the easiest way to lay expanded clay pillows. In this case, wooden logs serve as the basis for the floor. If they are on the foundation, then shields or subfloor boards are attached to them. They can be knocked down to the joists from below or fastened to bars nailed to the joists on the side. The use of lightweight expanded clay is an advantage - the load on the subfloor is small.

The next steps are:

• The logs themselves and the boards of the subfloor are recommended to be treated with anti-rotting agents. This is especially necessary when creating a new insulation in a long-built house.
• The space between the lags is lined with a waterproofing film. As a substitute, you can choose polyethylene or roofing material. If transverse bars are installed between the lags, then each cell is covered separately.
• Expanded clay granules are poured into the prepared gaps between the lags. It is recommended to mix large and small fractions of expanded clay to fully fill the volume.
• After backfilling, the expanded clay layer is leveled along the upper edges of the log. Logs act not only as a support, but also as an indicator of the level of backfilling of insulation.
• It is advisable to lightly tamp the leveled expanded clay layer. When tamping, it is necessary not to damage the granules, as they will absorb moisture through cracks.

Expanded clay, covered on a wooden draft floor along the logs

Installation of the floor along the logs can also be carried out on a concrete base as a subfloor. The technology of backfilling expanded clay in this case is no different.

Backfilling of expanded clay on logs on a concrete base

Expanded clay backfill for a wooden floor on the ground

Such floors can be arranged in utility rooms or garages. But the expanded clay pillow is not laid out directly on the ground. The procedure is as follows:

• The top layer of earth is removed.
• A layer of gravel falls asleep. It will perform the function of waterproofing, protecting expanded clay from moisture from the ground.
• The gravel is covered with sand, which must be carefully compacted.
• A protective film is laid over the sand.
• The insulating layer of expanded clay is poured onto a sand cushion, leveled and lightly rammed.
• Further arrangement of the floor depends on the wishes of the builder. You can lay the floor immediately on top of expanded clay, you can fill the expanded clay layer with concrete, forming a "wet" screed. And you can use a layer of expanded clay as a rough insulation, creating another warming level above it, on top of which lay a finishing floor.

Expanded clay bedding as a rough floor on the ground

Concrete screed using expanded clay

If a concrete base is supposed to be installed under the floorboards, then such a floor can be insulated by “embedding” expanded clay in a concrete screed:

• The base prepared for the screed is closed with waterproofing.
• The entire surface is covered with expanded clay. Fine fractions are predominantly used.
• The expanded clay layer is leveled and compacted.
• For greater reliability, a reinforcing mesh is placed on top of expanded clay.
• The last step is pouring concrete.

Concrete screed on expanded clay cushion

Dry expanded clay screed

This method of flooring has become known recently. The preparatory part depends on the base on which it is planned to arrange the screed - on the ground, on a rough wooden floor or on a concrete slab.

The base is covered with a protective film, on which expanded clay is poured. After leveling the expanded clay pillow, it is closed with sheets of plywood or gypsum fiber. Bonding sheets - on glue, or self-tapping screws.

Scheme of dry screed with insulation

Final work

Any option for installing an expanded clay insulating layer means the completion of the rough stage of flooring. The insulating layer must be closed with a hydro- or vapor barrier material. And already on top of this insulation made of plywood or other sheet material, a substrate is fixed that matches the selected floor covering.

With the option of flooring on logs, a wooden finishing floor can be installed directly on them, without creating a separate substrate.

Section of a wooden floor with expanded clay insulation

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

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

1 Why insulate the floor?

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

If the issue of ceiling insulation 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, it will not be very pleasant to walk on the surface after finishing work is completed: 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 an uninsulated basement. The cold and moisture reigning in it lead to the fact that the ceiling between the basement and the rooms on the first floor also freezes. As a result, the floor surface in the living area will be cold, and this will not be affected in any way by the insulation of the walls or ceiling.

2 About the use of expanded clay as a heater (video)

3 About expanded clay and its properties

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

4 About the pros and cons of material and technology

Let's consider why it is so valued and why it is so popular to insulate the floor (and other parts of the house) with expanded clay. The list of advantages of the material is as follows:

• low thermal conductivity (0.1-0.18 W / mK) as in;
• improving the sound insulation of the room;
• lightness (and therefore - the absence of a large load on the floors - which is important in a wooden house);
• environmental cleanliness (unlike most modern materials, natural clay is used to create expanded 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 (great option for!).

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, at the same time, 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 if a large amount of water gets on the insulation at once), 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 insulation with expanded clay (it doesn’t matter what exactly - the floor or the ceiling) - it is very important to follow the correct technology (which we will consider below).

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

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

Of the significant shortcomings, only one nuance can be distinguished: this 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, you will need a layer of expanded clay 15-30 cm.

It is difficult to call this a significant problem, since the heat-insulating "pie" when using foam plastic also comes out quite thick. The disadvantage is felt if floor insulation is required 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 completely make the room uncomfortable and uncomfortable.

5 About the varieties of material

6 Description of insulation technology

Despite the fact that expanded clay insulation (it doesn’t matter - the floor or ceiling of the house) is 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 insulation layer may be saturated with moisture - this is the main problem that negligence during installation can lead to.

By the way, there are a considerable number of technologies for warming 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 surface of the floor. For this:

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

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

7 Backfilling on the ground between the lags

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

It is performed as follows:

1. If necessary, the earth is compacted.
2. Log laying is in progress.
3. A waterproofing layer (for example, roofing material) is laid on the ground between the lags, in several layers, overlapping each other by at least 10 cm and entering the walls.
4. Expanded clay backfilling is in progress. It is best to combine all 3 types mentioned above (sand, crushed stone, gravel).
5. A vapor barrier is being laid (for example, a polyethylene film), in several layers, with an overlap of 10 cm.
6. Laying floor boards and further fine finishing.

The same method is also 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:

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

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

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

8 Screed over concrete slab

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:

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

Andrey, Voronezh, 42 years old:

I wanted to insulate a country house - I like to come there on weekends, including - in 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 a few weeks a year - after all, I’m not going to live here permanently.

I read reviews and settled on expanded clay - it’s 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 the work.

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

9 "Dry" screed (video)

10 "Dry" screed

One of the most popular modern options. It differs from the usual (“wet”) screed in simplicity and speed - you don’t need to prepare a solution, or level it, pour anything in, or wait until it hardens - everything is ten times 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 in simplicity, but also in 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 (unlike a “wet” screed, which would have to be broken).

Any person with a civil engineering education is familiar with heat engineering. This is a whole science that studies the protection of buildings from the penetration of cold and is based on the laws of physics. With the help of calculations, experts find out the thickness of the insulation, selected from a huge range of modern materials. It is important to protect all structures from the cold: walls, floors, roofs. One option may be to insulate the floor with expanded clay.

How does a heater work and why is it needed

Air is the most efficient heat-insulating material. It can only compete with inert gases, which practically do not react with the environment. Such gases are used, for example, when filling the chambers of double-glazed windows, but it is impossible to ensure complete tightness in the main building structures.

All thermal insulation materials have a porous structure. It is in the pores that air is retained and prevents heat loss. The lower the density of the material, the better it will perform its function. Insulation can be used rolled, slab, sprayed or bulk. The most budgetary and easy to do-it-yourself styling is bulk, but it also has the lowest heat-shielding characteristics.

The main heat loss of the house. Through the floor - 10-15%.

It is necessary to insulate floors above the basement, on the ground or in the ceiling of a cold attic for the following reasons:

1. ensuring comfortable living in the house;
2. reduction of heating costs;
3. protection of structures from condensation, which leads to the formation of fungus and mold;
4. increased sound insulation.

If you do not perform insulation, serious problems will arise during the operation of the house.

Pros and cons of expanded clay as a heater

During the construction of apartment buildings, thermal calculations of building structures, along with strength calculations, are checked by an expert. In this case, floor insulation with expanded clay is not used, since this material cannot be classified as highly effective. It is most advantageous to lay bulk insulation in a private house.

Its advantages include:

1. ease of laying with your own hands;
2. low cost;
3. environmental Safety;
4. creating an even base for the floor cake;
5. resistance to temperature extremes;
6. the possibility of using it for floor insulation, which will be subjected to heavy loads in the future, for example, floors of industrial facilities.

The negative characteristics include the fact that this material has a lower thermal insulation ability compared to mineral wool and polystyrene foam.

Before insulating the floor with expanded clay, it is necessary to determine what thickness layer will be used. Bulk material has a thermal conductivity twice that of mineral wool, therefore its thickness should be doubled. In most cases, a size of 200 mm will be the best option.

Faction selection

Expanded clay is made from special clay, which swells when heated. It is represented by three factions:

1. Expanded clay sand. It is added to dry mixes to improve their thermal insulation characteristics;
2. Expanded clay gravel. Represents larger particles with sharp edges;
3. Expanded clay gravel. It is the best material for insulation in a private house. It has the same size as crushed stone, but a rounded shape. The pores are protected from the outside by a layer of sintered clay.

It is important to ensure that there is a minimum number of damaged granules in the total volume, in which case the insulation will be most effective.

Application area

There are a lot of options for using the material when insulating floors in the house:

• insulation of floors on the ground under the screed;
• backfilling the space under the boardwalk when laying the floors along the logs;
• attic floor insulation.

It is important to remember that in all three cases, the floor cake is quite different. Insulation of the attic with expanded clay depends on the design of the floor, it can be performed both along the logs and under the screed.

Warming technology

In order to competently carry out measures to improve the heat-shielding characteristics of the floor with your own hands, it is necessary to follow the order of work. Depending on the type of insulated floor in the house, the layers and their location vary.

Ground floor

Work is performed in the following order:

1. compaction and leveling of the base;
2. adding sand and gravel for additional compaction and leveling;
3. laying waterproofing material (in case of high groundwater level);
4. laying and leveling a layer of expanded clay;
5. installation of footings from lean concrete;
6. laying a vapor-waterproofing material, which can be used as an ordinary polyethylene film;

After performing the insulation on the ground, a reinforced cement-sand screed is poured with their own hands, on top of which a clean floor covering is laid.

Basement or underground floor insulation

Insulation of a wooden floor with expanded clay can be carried out both on logs and without them. It is necessary to lay each layer in the order presented:

1. ceiling installation;
2. laying a layer of waterproofing;
3. if necessary - installation and fixing of the log;
4. bulk material is laid;
5. leveling expanded clay;
6. vapor barrier layer - p / e film;
7. installation of a clean floor or screed.

When working with insulation, it is very important to lay the waterproofing and vapor barrier in the correct order.

Attic floor insulation

For the attic, each layer is in a slightly different order:

1. floor structure;
2. vapor barrier - p / e film;
3. when laying insulation along the logs - installation of wooden bars;
4. expanded clay backfill;
5. waterproofing;
6. clean floor or cement screed.

Features of laying expanded clay

Leveling expanded clay with a level

When carrying out measures for the thermal protection of the floor with your own hands, it is necessary to take into account the features of the material used. When insulating the floor with expanded clay, you need to know:

• Beacons are used to obtain a flat surface. The smaller the installation step of the beacons, the more likely it is to ideally lay expanded clay with your own hands.
• When laying on logs, all wooden elements must be treated with antiseptic compounds.
• The minimum layer of material is 10 cm.
• When using expanded clay, it is best to install a wooden floor covering.
• Floor operation is possible 7 days after completion of construction or repair work.

Technology of laying screed on expanded clay:

Do-it-yourself insulation with the help of expanded clay allows you to carry out work at minimal cost without compromising quality.

Thickness calculation

In all these cases, when backfilling, the thickness is selected approximately, the layer is taken to be 15-20 cm. But if necessary, a simple calculation can be made. In this case, specialists use the Teremok program. It is very simple and is freely available. You can calculate the layer online or offline by installing the software on your computer.

Bulk insulation is available in the database, you just need to find it. To build a house with your own hands, this program will be able to make professional thermal calculations of any floor structure: on the ground, on the ground floor, in the attic.