With the current construction of the building, the question of whether it is necessary to insulate the roof is no longer worth it, more and more interested in information about which insulation to use. For fifty years, expanded clay roof insulation has been considered the most reliable and effective way. Today's building materials market is able to provide a wide selection of insulation materials for roofing, among which expanded clay is not the last, as it is able to provide the greatest thermal protection.
Expanded clay production scheme.
Advantages of expanded clay
Without a doubt, this insulation is the most economical material, with its help you can easily achieve the highest level of sound and heat insulation, while incurring low costs. Based on the fact that expanded clay is made from clay rock, or rather from several of its types, it is an environmentally friendly material and is absolutely fireproof. It is also rightfully considered one of the most durable building materials, since during its operation there is no moisture condensation.
Scheme of roof insulation with expanded clay.
The crumbly and porous structure of this insulation prevents the appearance of rodents in it. All the positive aspects of expanded clay can also include high resistance to low temperatures, which makes it possible to use it in extreme climatic conditions. An important point, in particular, for the upper floors of buildings, is the good sound insulation of this insulating material for the roof, which is another plus of its use.
One of the main aspects of any building material is environmental safety. Expanded clay is made from completely pure clay without the use of any chemical additives; Based on this, it is absolutely safe for the human body, which cannot be said about synthetic heaters that are popular in our time. The end result of the material is achieved by firing the clay. The finished granules have an oval shape.
The choice of expanded clay fractions.
As a rule, the roof is insulated with expanded clay gravel, sand or crushed stone. A feature of the use of expanded clay gravel is that it can fill different cavities, thus creating thermal insulation of the roof. Often, in order to increase thermal insulation, expanded clay gravel is used mixed with foam chips.
In order to insulate a flat roof with expanded clay, it is first necessary to pour the prepared material onto the floor slabs, then it is necessary to cover it from above, as an option, with rolled roofing material. If desired, paving slabs can be laid on top. A huge plus is that the life of the roof, made in this way, increases several times. In European countries, this technology is very popular. So, for example, in the UK, such roof insulation is called a "green" roof, the only difference is that they use a lawn carpet instead of paving slabs.
The device of the roof structure described above is the most inexpensive. None of the existing roof structures can provide such a combination of price and practicality today.
As you can see, this material has a whole list of universal qualities. But, despite the positive tandem of all these properties, it also has some disadvantages.
Expanded clay disadvantages
And one of the main disadvantages is its fragility. This leads to the need for very careful handling. Even when we insulate the roof by falling asleep, this leads to damage to individual elements of the material, which lose some of their qualities, which can lead to poor-quality thermal insulation of the roof.
Thus, in order to conscientiously insulate the roof, it is necessary to be extremely careful. It is necessary to use this insulation only in the form of a dry embankment. It is unacceptable to add it to cement or mortar. This will have absolutely no effect.
Expanded clay does not tend to give off the accumulated moisture. At the same time, the process of absorption of even the smallest particles of water is very active. When performing insulation, this property can become not only the main positive side, but also a significant problem.
However, this building material is the only insulation, the use of which does not require the possession of building skills. Everyone, without any complications, is able to perform the insulation efficiently and quickly.
Expanded clay roof insulation
Roof insulation with expanded clay is a reliable and effective way. Without a doubt, this insulation is considered the most economical material, with its help you can achieve the highest level of thermal insulation, while incurring low costs.
Roof insulation with expanded clay
Expanded clay roof insulation is the oldest and most commonly used method of home thermal protection. The comfort of living depends on the reliability of the roof, and this material helps to ensure this reliability for a long time. We will tell you today how to use expanded clay for roofing.
Features of thermal insulation of the roof with expanded clay
Expanded clay is a porous dark brown insulating material obtained by firing clay for 30-45 minutes at a temperature of +1200 degrees. The raw materials are crushed and loaded into a special furnace, which is capable of rotating at a given speed. Moving in it, the clay sticks together into lumps, the rotation of the furnace gives them a rounded shape. The size of the granules and their quality are regulated by the speed of rotation of the apparatus and the temperature of the air heated in it.
- Expanded clay gravel. Its particles have a smooth oval shape and size from 5 to 40 mm. The material is used for insulation of foundations and enclosing structures with the required thickness of the insulating backfill of more than 50 mm.
Due to the fact that sand weighs a lot, and crushed stone has uncomfortable torn edges, expanded clay gravel is more suitable for thermal insulation of the roof. They can fill any cavity, creating a reliable insulating layer. To insulate roofs, you can use expanded clay of several fractions at the same time, and also add foam crumbs to it to enhance the effect.
Advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay roof insulation
Since expanded clay is based on a natural basis, it largely competes successfully with synthetic heaters. The expanded clay structure cannot be disturbed by temperature fluctuations, moisture, or rotting.
- Bulk insulation does not require joining of elements and installation of fasteners.
The disadvantage of expanded clay insulation can be called a significant load of the material on the roof, despite the low weight of its porous granules. After all, the mass of the backfill layer with a thickness of 100-400 mm is very significant. Another disadvantage of insulation lies in its excessive absorption of moisture. Wet material loses its qualities. Therefore, when insulating the roof with expanded clay, a protective waterproof film should be laid on it.
Claydite roof insulation technology
Preparation for work
Before insulating the roof, if it is old, it is necessary to repair it. From a flat concrete surface, it is enough to remove exfoliated insulation, remove debris, repair potholes and cracks identified during inspection with a cement mixture, and, if necessary, pour a new screed.
Thermal insulation with expanded clay flat roof
The horizontal plane of the upper floor allows you to realize all the advantages of bulk insulation without any problems. The planned roofing pie with expanded clay should consist of several layers, which are laid alternately.
Pitched roof thermal insulation
It is more difficult to insulate a pitched roof with expanded clay. The main thing here is to achieve a uniform distribution of the insulation layer in the cavity between the rafters. If the slope of the roof is more than 5 °, then the filling of this space must be carried out according to the technology of internal backfilling of frame walls - in small portions with a phased sewing of the structure.
Summarizing, it should be said that although expanded clay in work is not entirely convenient, it is quite versatile. The simple technology of its laying makes it possible to perform expanded clay insulation of a flat roof and a pitched roof equally successfully.
Do-it-yourself roof insulation with expanded clay
The use of expanded clay for thermal insulation of the roof, its features, advantages and disadvantages, the technology of insulation of roofs of various types.
Expanded clay as a roof insulation
For roof insulation, along with mineral wool and polystyrene, expanded clay is widely used. It has good thermal properties, but has a number of nuances that must be taken into account in order to perform effective thermal insulation.
Expanded clay properties
Expanded clay is a very affordable and easy-to-use insulation
The insulation under consideration is porous granules of various sizes, obtained by high-temperature firing of clay rocks.
In addition to size, individual particles differ in roundness of shapes. Crushed stone contains in its composition grains with pronounced edges and sharp corners. The calibrated sand consists of small rounded particles up to 5 mm in diameter.
As a heat insulator for the roof structure, gravel fraction with grain sizes from 10 to 40 mm is mainly used. The use of sand will create too much load on the supporting structures.
Gravel, on the contrary, will not be able to provide effective thermal insulation due to the too large grain size and, as a result, the free passage of cold air between them.
Expanded clay has a number of properties that allow it to be successfully used to perform effective thermal insulation:
- low coefficient of thermal conductivity;
Expanded clay has a number of positive qualities, as a heater
However, not everything is so rosy. There are also negative points that hinder its widespread use and do not allow other heaters to be forced out of the market:
- high hygroscopicity - moisture is easily absorbed and extremely slowly released back into the environment;
- compared to other heaters, it has a fairly large weight. Its bulk density for different grades ranges from 250 to 600 kg/m3.
The nuances of the use of bulk insulation
In the technology of using expanded clay for roof insulation, there are a number of features that must be taken into account. Otherwise, the results of the work done will be very far from expectations, and everything will have to be redone again.
Expanded clay - bulk material. It is best used on flat or slightly sloping surfaces.
If the slope exceeds 5 °, then the filling of the inter-rafter space should be carried out in the same way as the filling of the frame walls with loose insulation - in small portions with a gradual lining of the wall.
All work is done outside. This imposes some restrictions in terms of weather conditions. It is unacceptable to have rain or high humidity during the process.
To prevent wetting, the backfill must be securely protected. From the outside, rolled waterproofing is laid. From the side of the room, a vapor barrier protects from moist air. To ensure tightness, the insulation rolls must be overlapped with sealing of the joints with bituminous mastic or adhesive tape.
To perform effective thermal insulation, the minimum thickness of the backfill should be 20-30 cm.
The weight of the insulation imposes its limitations on the strength characteristics of the roof structure. The most optimal is the overlap of reinforced concrete slabs with a flat roof.
A wooden pitched roof should be reinforced by using structural elements of a larger section, using additional crossbars, stops and struts. In addition, the fastening of the inner lining boards must be reinforced. They should rest on additional bars or thick boards connected to the rafters with bolted fasteners.
Flat roof insulation
The main area of application is the insulation of flat roofs. The horizontal surface allows you to conveniently and without unnecessary difficulties to realize all the advantages of the material.
At the initial stage, the surface must be cleaned of debris. Particular attention should be paid to the presence of small sharp stones that can damage the vapor barrier sheet.
A vapor barrier is rolled over the entire surface. In this capacity, it is very convenient to use a dense plastic film. For more durable protection, you can use a double coating.
The main stage of warming is backfilling. It is very good if a calculation is made in advance of what thickness of insulation is required for specific conditions. In this case, you can immediately perform the entire complex of works.
The flowability of expanded clay makes it easy to fill slopes or horizontal roofs with it.
Most often, the thickness of the backfill is selected approximately within 30 - 40 cm. Further, if the thickness is not enough, after the first cold season, additional internal insulation of the ceiling with foam or mineral wool is performed.
Then a reinforced screed is made. It will allow you to move freely on the roof during its maintenance.
The final stage is the installation of one or two layers of rolled waterproofing. To give the roof an aesthetic appearance from above, the roofing is additionally installed.
It can be bituminous or classic tiles, slate, painted metal profiled sheet, etc.
Pitched roof insulation
With a pitched roof, things are a little more complicated. The most important thing here is to achieve a uniform backfill in the space between the rafters of the insulation layer.
To prevent particles from rolling, the space between the support beams is divided by horizontal bridges. As they are filled, the cells are sewn up with boards from the outside.
After the entire volume of the space between the rafters is filled, waterproofing and finishing roofing are carried out along the boards of the crate. The vapor barrier film is fixed along the rough inner lining from the side of the room. The sealing rules for insulating materials are similar here - overlapping panels and gluing joints.
As you can see, expanded clay, although not quite an easy-to-use material, is quite versatile. Performing simple measures allows you to create ideal conditions for its work and perform insulation of various roof structures.
The use of expanded clay in roof insulation: properties and features (photo, video)
Often the buyer has to choose between price and quality. If we are talking about roof insulation, ordinary expanded clay with its unusual properties will be an excellent compromise. It is about them that will be discussed in the article.
Heaters
In order for the house to always be warm and cozy with the onset of winter, it is necessary to take care of the insulation of the roof in advance. Today, more and more people choose expanded clay as a heater. It is widely available and inexpensive, as well as environmentally friendly and has excellent performance.
What is expanded clay, its advantages and disadvantages
Expanded clay is a light porous material in the form of small granules, obtained by firing clay. It has gained popularity among both professional builders and home craftsmen due to the following technical indicators:
- high heat and noise insulation;
- frost-resistant qualities;
- refractory qualities;
- strength, resistance to decay;
- long service life, resistance to temperature changes.
Expanded clay, the price of which is much lower than the price of other heat-insulating materials, is able to last, unlike them, for many years. Its main advantages are:
- high thermal conductivity;
- light weight;
- unaffected by chemically aggressive environments;
- does not emit toxic substances into the atmosphere;
- it is the only thermal insulation material that does not require special knowledge, skills and experience.
But this material has its drawbacks, although there are few of them:
- to achieve a high level of heat and sound insulation, you need to lay out the material in a fairly thick layer;
- unstable to moisture, therefore, when insulating damp rooms, a special film for waterproofing should be used;
- rather fragile material, and damage to the granules leads to a decrease in the quality of thermal insulation.
Tools and materials needed for roof insulation with expanded clay
In order to independently insulate the roof, you will need the following materials and equipment:
- expanded clay on the roof;
- shovel and buckets;
- a log or stick in order to tamp the insulation layer, and a rail to level it;
- film for waterproofing;
- roofing felt in rolls;
- sharp knife;
- tiles or tiles for outdoor use.
Steam and waterproofing for expanded clay
Steam and waterproofing of the insulating layer is an important stage in the arrangement of the roof, which in no case should be overlooked. As mentioned earlier, expanded clay is able to absorb moisture. At the same time, its thermal insulation qualities deteriorate sharply, and it becomes much heavier than in dry form. This can lead to sad consequences, up to the collapse of the ceiling. Thus, if the expanded clay layer is allowed to get wet, the life of the roof can be drastically reduced, and repairs will be required much earlier than planned.
None of the existing types of heat-insulating materials can properly protect the room from the cold if it is not itself protected by vapor and waterproofing. Vapor barrier material is usually mounted on the inside of the room, because. it is the protection of the insulation from vapors that occur inside the room, and the waterproofing is mounted from the outside, because. it protects the insulation from moisture coming from the street.
The most common waterproofing materials are films and membranes. Also very often used materials such as styrofoam, polyethylene film, foil, glassine.
Styrofoam is a type of foam and has excellent vapor barrier properties. Glassine is a roofing paper impregnated with bitumen. It is sold in rolls and is very good for waterproofing roofs. Foil and plastic wrap are more often used to protect against condensation because liquid does not accumulate on them.
Roof insulation with expanded clay
Most often, when insulating roofs, builders use the following types of expanded clay:
- expanded clay crushed stone is a large material with granules up to 4 cm in size. It is equally good for roof insulation, as well as for floor and wall insulation;
- expanded clay gravel is also a coarse-grained material, the granules of which also reach 4 cm in size and have an angular shape;
- expanded clay sand is a finely dispersed material, the particles of which are not more than 5 mm in size. It is used as thermal insulation, in which the layer thickness does not exceed 5 cm.
It is quite possible to insulate the roof on your own if it is not possible to pay specialists.
Before starting work, it is necessary to study some features of the insulation process. First of all, you should pay attention to the design features of the building, its walls and roof. The warming process should consist of several stages:
- inner lining;
- vapor barrier;
- insulation installation;
- surface finish.
- When insulating the roof with expanded clay, the thickness of the material layer should be 25 cm. It is poured directly onto the vapor barrier film in the right amount quickly and accurately to avoid damage to the granules.
- For good heat and sound insulation, it is better to pour a thicker layer, but it is important not to forget about the maximum load that the roof can withstand. In this matter, it is better to stick to the golden mean.
- Then the expanded clay is carefully leveled and compacted so that as few voids as possible remain between its particles. This is done either by hand or with a special machine. On top of the first layer, it is desirable to make a screed to give additional rigidity and strength to the entire structure, as well as to level the surface.
- Also, between the outer inner layers, several channels should be arranged through which air will circulate and excess moisture will be removed.
- Further, a rolled roofing material is laid directly on the insulating layer, which will crush it with its weight. It should overlap and have no gaps. At the same time, for the tightness of the seams, it is better to isolate them with construction tape or bituminous mastic.
- The next step is to lay tiles or tiles.
Many companies selling building materials, as well as shops and construction hypermarkets, offer to buy expanded clay.
How to insulate the roof with expanded clay, Construction Portal
Insulation In order for the house to always be warm and comfortable with the onset of winter, it is necessary to take care of the roof insulation in advance. Today, more and more people choose as a heater
Roof insulation with expanded clay is one of the oldest methods used in thermal insulation of buildings.
Expanded clay is a high-strength natural material, which, unlike synthetic heat-insulating materials, can last a long time.
This material does not rot, is resistant to low temperatures. The porosity of expanded clay contributes to the retention of heat. Also, the most important advantage of this insulation is its fire resistance.
This thermal insulation material is the most economical. Using expanded clay, you can achieve high heat and sound insulation at low financial costs. This material is fireproof and environmentally friendly, since it is made from several types of clay. The service life of expanded clay is quite long, since when it is used, moisture condensation does not occur.
This type of insulation has a porous crumbly structure, so rodents do not appear in it. One of the most important positive qualities of expanded clay is its high resistance to high temperatures. Due to this, it can be used in regions with extreme climatic conditions. This insulation also provides a high level of sound insulation, which is very important when insulating the upper floors of buildings.
Environmental safety is one of the most important properties of any building material. For the production of expanded clay, completely pure clay is used, without the use of all kinds of chemical additives. Therefore, it is completely safe for human health. In the manufacture of expanded clay, the granules of which have an oval shape, clay is fired.
When using expanded clay gravel, it is possible to fill different cavities. Thus, the thermal insulation of the roof is created. Quite often, when insulating the roof, expanded clay gravel is mixed with foam chips. This is done to improve thermal insulation.
To insulate a flat roof with expanded clay, it is necessary to lay the prepared material on the floor slabs, and then cover it with rolled roofing felt or similar material. Further, if desired, you can lay paving slabs on top.
Material disadvantages
Fragility is one of the main disadvantages of expanded clay. For this reason, it must be handled very carefully. When the material falls asleep, some of its elements are damaged and lose some of their properties.
Expanded clay should only be used as a dry embankment. It must not be added to mortar or cement. It won't do any good.
Expanded clay does not give up absorbed moisture. It actively absorbs even small drops of water. When insulating the roof with expanded clay, this property can cause significant problems.
But still, this material can be used even in the absence of building skills. Any person is able to perform high-quality thermal insulation in a short period of time.
Purpose of steam and waterproofing
One of the most important stages in the arrangement of the roof is the hydro- and vapor barrier of expanded clay. This step cannot be neglected, since expanded clay is able to absorb water. At the same time, its thermal insulation properties become worse, and the weight increases.
When expanded clay gets wet, the life of the roof can be significantly reduced and repairs will need to be done much earlier than expected.
Hydro and vapor barriers provide protection for the thermal insulation layer. Without them, no type of insulation is able to protect the premises of the building from the cold.
Installation of vapor barrier material, as a rule, is carried out from the inside of the room. It protects the thermal insulation from vapors rising from the premises of the building. The waterproofing layer is laid outside, since it protects the thermal insulation layer from moisture from the street.
Most often, membranes and films are used as waterproofing material. Plastic film, glassine, styrofoam and foil are also often used. Styrofoam is one of the types of foam. It has high vapor barrier characteristics.
Glassine is a roofing board impregnated with bitumen. This material is produced in the form of rolls. It is well suited for roof waterproofing. Plastic film and foil are commonly used for protection against condensation because moisture does not accumulate on these materials.
Roof insulation with a layer of expanded clay
Roof insulation is most often performed using the following types of expanded clay:
- Expanded clay gravel. It is a large material. The size of its granules does not exceed 4 centimeters. Well suited not only for thermal insulation of the roof, but also for the insulation of walls and floors in the house;
- Expanded clay gravel. This material is also coarse-grained. Its granules have an angular shape and do not exceed 4 centimeters in size;
- Expanded clay sand. It is a finely dispersed material. The particle size is up to 5 millimeters. When using this material as a heater, the layer thickness should not be more than 5 centimeters.
As mentioned above, it is quite possible to perform thermal insulation using expanded clay with your own hands.
Before you start thermal insulation work, you need to study certain subtleties of the insulation process. First of all, you need to pay attention to the design features of the building.
Insulation of the roof of the house with expanded clay includes the following steps:
- Inner lining;
- Laying a vapor barrier layer;
- Laying thermal insulation;
- Surface finish.
Detailed description of works:
- The thickness of the expanded clay layer during roof insulation should be 25 centimeters. It should be poured directly onto the vapor barrier material. This work must be done quickly and very carefully so as not to damage the material granules.
- To improve noise and heat insulation, it is desirable to make the expanded clay layer thicker. However, you should remember about the maximum load that the roof of the house can withstand. In this case, it is best to choose the golden mean.
- Next, you need to properly level and compact the expanded clay layer. Then there will be fewer voids between the particles of the material, and the thermal insulation will be better. It is necessary to tamp the expanded clay with your hands or with a special machine. Further, it is recommended to perform a screed over the first layer. Due to this, the structure will become more durable and rigid, and the surface will be more even.
- It is also necessary to make several channels between the inner and outer layers. Moisture will be removed through these channels, as well as air will circulate.
- At the next stage, roofing material is laid on top of the heat-insulating layer. It needs to be flush mounted. In order for the seams of the roofing material to be airtight, they are isolated with bituminous mastic or construction tape.
- At the final stage, the installation of tiles or tiles is performed.
Modern house impossible to imagine without insulation elements. And this determines the wide offer of the necessary materials, both in form and in composition.
Suitable as a heater "from heaven to earth". Granules insulate the roof and walls, fall asleep under the floor for the same purposes, provide thermal insulation of the foundation.
The term "claydite" implies several types of insulation, united by a common raw material for production. Gravel of three fractions, sand and crushed stone stand out.
Gravel looks like round or oval granules. It is produced by roasting fusible rocks in rotary kilns. Application features are determined by the diameter of the fraction:
- Expanded clay gravel fraction 20 - 40 mm. It has the lowest bulk density. It is used where a thick heat-insulating layer is needed: backfilling of foundations and cellars, backfilling of ceilings in attics.
- Expanded clay gravel fraction 10 - 20 mm. Serves as a heater for a roof, floors in the house and walls with a well way of a laying.
- Expanded clay gravel fraction 5 - 10 mm. Goes on filling as the basis under a "warm" floor. The grains of this fraction are used for facade insulation, when a mass of a small amount of cement and expanded clay is poured between the masonry and the facing layer.
Sand obtained by sifting clay fines and crushing large pieces of expanded clay in shaft furnaces. Areas of use:
- Expanded clay sand fraction up to 5 mm. Indispensable for laying cement screed floors.
- Expanded clay sand fraction up to 3 mm. Allows you to get a unique "warm" masonry mortar. The thermal conductivity of such a solution is 0.34 W / (m * C), and for a mixture based on quartz sand - 1.15 W / (m * C).
rubble also comes from crushing large pieces of caked clay. It is used as a filler in the production of concrete structures with a lower specific density and better heat and sound insulation.
Advantages and disadvantages of the material
As a result of the analysis of these varieties of expanded clay, the conclusion suggests itself that it is better to choose gravel as a heater. His advantage confirmed by a set of properties:
- Durability. Retains its qualities for a long time.
- Fire resistance. The material is absolutely non-flammable.
- chemical inertness. Unaffected by acids and other chemicals.
- Biostability. It is steady against formation of a fungus and does not allow to get to rodents.
- Frost resistance. Stable with temperature fluctuations. Tolerates more than twenty shifts of freezing and thawing.
- Low bulk density. From 250 to 800 kg/m 3 . The larger the fraction, the lower the density.
- High strength.
- Good heat and sound insulation. Consequence of low thermal conductivity, about 0.16 W/m and porosity.
- Ecological purity. Does not emit harmful substances.
Worth considering separately reaction of claydite to water. It has solid water resistance and if the gravel is dried after wetting, all parameters will be restored.
But at the same time, expanded clay has a noticeable moisture absorption. Moisture-soaked gravel gains weight and loses its insulating qualities. Therefore, do not forget about waterproofing.
Important! When insulating horizontal and inclined surfaces with expanded clay gravel using the dry filling method, use a dense polyethylene film or bitumen-based roll material for vapor barrier. For tightness, the sheets are overlapped, and on the side walls they are bent to the level of the backfill.
Compare technical characteristics of various types of heaters will help table 1.
| Name of insulation | Specific gravity, bulk density, kg / m 3 | Thermal conductivity, W / (m * C) | Moisture absorption coefficient,% |
| Expanded clay (gravel) | 250 | 0,099 | 10-20 |
| Same | 300 | 0,108 | 10-20 |
| " | 350 | 0,115 | 10-20 |
| " | 400 | 0,12 | 10-20 |
| " | 450 | 0,13 | 10-20 |
| " | 500 | 0,14 | 10-20 |
| " | 600 | 0,14 | 10-20 |
| Foam glass | 200-400 | 0,07-0,11 | 0,05 |
| Fiberglass mats | 150 | 0,061 | 10-130 |
| 40-180 | 0,036 | 50-225 | |
| 40-80 | 0,029-0,041 | 18-50 | |
| 125 | 0,052 | 3-5 |
Table built from data SP-23-101-2004 and advertising sites.
gravel consumption It is not difficult to determine, given its loose form. When backfilling large arrays, you just need to calculate the required volume. And 0.1 cubic meters are spent on warming surfaces. m per layer of 10 cm per 1 m 2.
positive moment the use of expanded clay in measures for warming the home should be recognized:
- A guarantee that after completing all the work correctly, the house will be insulated for the entire period of operation.
- The material does not emit harmful substances.
- The ability to do everything with your own hands. Minimum skills required.
Coefficient of thermal conductivity expanded clay gravel is slightly higher than that of modern synthetic and mineral heaters. This implies the main drawback, which manifests itself in a significant thickness of the insulating layer and an increase in the thickness of the walls. It is advisable to take this incident into account at the design stage.
How is expanded clay insulation work performed?
Expanded clay gravel very easy to work material. It does not require any special tool. You will need shovels, buckets (stretchers), a tamping bar, a building level, as a rule, a tape measure, beacons.
Of the consumables: vapor or waterproofing, tapes, etc. for gluing seams, cement for preparation of milk.
Foundation
For foundation thermal insulation is needed to protect against annual temperature fluctuations. The technology of its protection by backfilling with expanded clay is as follows:
- A trench is dug around the finished foundation with a depth corresponding to the amount of soil freezing. The width of the trench is at least 50 cm.
- In the resulting cavity, formwork is placed from improvised materials (boards, slate sheets).
- Waterproofing works are carried out along the bottom and side surfaces (film, roofing felt, etc.).
- Expanded clay gravel is filled up to zero level, compacted. The surface is leveled.
- From above, the insulation is also isolated from moisture.
- Then a blind area is made around the foundation or a thin layer of soil is poured.
Floor
Isolate the floor on a concrete base from the cold from below will be obtained as a result of the phased implementation of such operations:
- The surface is carefully prepared. All rubbish is removed and all sorts of irregularities are leveled.
- Provides vapor barrier. The film along the perimeter is bent onto the wall to the height of the expanded clay layer.
- Beacons indicate a given level. You can fix the rails of the beacons with small lumps of mortar.
- Expanded clay falls asleep when the mortar sets under the strips of beacons. Better take granules of different fractions, to obtain a more durable layer.
- The embankment is leveled by beacons with a rail or a rule. And then poured from above "cement milk".
- The final stage is a cement screed. It is advisable to lay a reinforcing metal mesh on expanded clay in front of it. The thickness of the screed is selected at least three centimeters.
Walls
Exterior walls in the house are responsible for the preservation of heat to the greatest extent. But the technology for insulating them with expanded clay is more complicated than for the floor or ceiling. Such walls should be erected by a professional bricklayer.
Masonry in progress in two layers: internal (main) and external of facing bricks. The gap between the masonry is about ten centimeters, where expanded clay is poured. Between the masonry jumpers-ligaments are required.
Ceiling
wooden ceiling can be insulated with various materials, including expanded clay. First, the ceiling must be prepared. Check beams and ceiling boards. Replace the unusable and, if necessary, kill the boards more densely. After all, with warming, the load will also increase.
Procedure then like this:
- We cover the structure with a vapor barrier material. The joints must be glued. Bend the edges to the height of the backfill.
- Pour expanded clay to the height of the beam.
- Apply a cement screed to the gravel layer or, in extreme cases, cover it with waterproofing.
- If the attic will be used as a living space or for storage, lay a floorboard on top.
From the foregoing, we can conclude that expanded clay rightfully occupies one of the leading places among heaters.
How environmentally friendly expanded clay insulation is obtained and applied - see the video:
Can expanded clay as a heater in the wall compete with modern heaters; how and where it is better to use it as a heater; Is there any economic benefit from using this material - let's turn to the experience of FORUMHOUSE users.
Despite the fact that this insulation has been used in construction for a long time, there are many different speculations and rumors about its properties and methods of application. Some builders scold this material, believing that it is subject to strong moisture accumulation. Others consider it ideal for the independent developer. Here is a comment from a member of our portal:
dumbass FORUMHOUSE user
The following experiment came out by itself - expanded clay in bags stood on my street for two years. Recently, I opened the bags and saw that nothing was left of it - the balls turned into damp dust.
Any building material, be it expanded clay, brick, foam and aerated concrete, etc. with improper use, installation, storage and operation, it will lose its qualities.
user343 FORUMHOUSE user
I think I just got "undercooked". I somehow had to collect expanded clay, which had lain on the ground for 30-40 years. Granules even overgrown with moss. I sifted it from the ground, after which there were more whole granules than fragments.
The properties of the material directly depend on the quality of the feedstock and on whether, when making expanded clay, the plant complies with all stages of production. Hence: for different manufacturers, expanded clay of the same fraction and density may differ from each other.
Therefore, you can buy both a "pig in a poke" and a relatively cheap, but high-quality product, which, if used correctly, will show all its positive properties.
To choose this material, you first need to decide for what purposes it is needed, and what they will be insulated with.
bagdanova FORUMHOUSE user
I need it as a wall insulation and as a filler for lightweight concrete. So I thought about which factions to choose.
According to a forum member with a nickname soniikot, as a filler for lightweight concrete, it is better to take fractions of 5-10 or 10-20, because. the higher the bulk strength, the higher the grade of expanded clay concrete will be.
A specific brand is selected depending on what requirements are imposed on the wall material. Also, the user of our portal advises, before buying expanded clay in meshes, to study reviews on the Internet about the plant and the supplier company. It happens that negligent sellers, offering expanded clay cheaply, mix dirt into bags or overweight buyers.
Where to buy expanded clay
FORUMHOUSE is often asked how to choose this material. To get an exhaustive answer from experienced builders, you need to clarify in which region of the Russian Federation the construction is supposed to be, what kind of house is being built, according to what project. This will help to understand why and where the insulation will be used.
A general rule that is useful to everyone: product characteristics (density, brand, frost resistance, etc.) must comply with the declared technical parameters, which can be found on the manufacturer's website. Upon delivery, they should bring “honest” cubes and kilograms, and not “air”. It is worth paying attention to where you buy expanded clay - the price from intermediaries and directly from the manufacturer's company will vary markedly; also see how long the manufacturer has been on the market, what kind of equipment it has. You should not throw all your strength into buying cheap expanded clay, listen to the opinion of those who have already been built, and look for a manufacturer who has proven himself well.
Is it profitable to insulate with expanded clay
If we are talking about a wooden house, then in order to insulate it with expanded clay, you will have to build a powerful foundation (because the granules weigh more than stone wool), think about how to place a scattering of granules so that they do not spill out, etc. d.
Note: because the cost of heaters in Moscow and different regions can vary significantly, the final price is calculated based on local characteristics and the availability of certain materials.
