Floor screed with expanded clay: pros and cons. Installation of expanded clay screed: instruction for repair work Creation of expanded clay concrete screed

Expanded clay floor screed is one of the most popular solutions for leveling the floor surface in city apartments and private houses. Often, insulation is carried out in this way.

A screed with expanded clay provides a perfectly flat floor for any finish (tile, laminate, parquet), excellent sound insulation and protects against heat loss: in winter it is always warm on such a floor, and cool in summer.

And most importantly, with such a repair, it is not necessary to resort to the services of a repair team, because it is quite simple to make a screed with expanded clay with your own hands.

Advantages and disadvantages

Expanded clay is a special building material made of foamed baked clay, which is produced in the form of gravel or crushed stone.

Calculating how much material is needed can be done relatively easily.

The use of dry and wet screed with expanded clay is recommended if it is necessary to make a leveling layer on the floor of more than 10 cm, it is necessary to reduce cement consumption and reduce pressure on floors, create additional sound insulation or insulation (including installation of a special heating system).

Professional builders note the following advantages of expanded clay as a leveling coating:

• excellent sound insulation and insulation in houses of any type;
• absolute wear resistance: expanded clay granules do not rot, do not burn, do not collapse;
• environmental safety: it is a completely natural material, not subject to mold and fungi;
• better suited for eliminating large differences in floor height and other defects;
• very economical to use;
• do-it-yourself floor screed with expanded clay is a simple process, just basic skills with a screwdriver and a level are enough.

Cons of a screed with expanded clay are practically absent. All the imaginary disadvantages of such a coating practically do not interfere with work.

The main feature of expanded clay chips is a thick layer of flooring, it is important to take this into account when it will be necessary to do further repair work, installation of doors and plasterboard partitions.

Expanded clay coating without an upper cement-sand layer does not tolerate moisture well, so leveling and warming with a dry screed should not be done in the kitchen and bathroom.

Work on leveling the floor in houses under construction and on balconies should be done only in dry weather.

How to choose material and calculate consumption?

When choosing expanded clay chips in building stores, you first need to pay attention to what size the granules themselves are and from this make a calculation: how much and what kind of expanded clay is required. On sale you can find expanded clay of this size:

• small (fraction 5-10 mm);
• medium (fraction 10-20 mm);
• large (fraction 20-40 mm).

When repairing, it is better to use granules of all three fractions mixed, this will increase the density of the leveling layer and increase strength: such a floor will never crack or settle.

Another type of material is dry expanded clay sand (fraction 0.14-0.5 mm).

The video below provides tips on how best to lay the floor on expanded clay.

It is used along with the usual for an insulating pad for expanded clay, sometimes to increase the density of the leveling layer. For example, when it is necessary to level the surface for strip parquet.

Before starting repairs, it is important to make the correct calculation: how much of all building materials will be required.

There is a standard calculation of materials and their proportions: 0.01 m3 of clay chips, or 10 liters, is required per 1 square meter of floor surface with a expanded clay thickness of 1 cm.

If thorough insulation is necessary (on balconies, in your house, in an unheated room), then the expanded clay layer should reach at least 10 cm.

In warm wooden and apartments with more or less even floors, a layer of 3-4 cm is usually enough (in addition to the cement-sand screed).

In this case, the calculation of the proportion is as follows: 0.03-0.04 m3 per square meter, or 30-40 liters of expanded clay granules.

At the same time, in practice, when leveling and installing lighthouses, the consumption of clay chips may increase, so the optimal calculation is 50 liters per square meter with a layer of 3-4 cm. You will understand whether expanded clay is wetted when you knead it with a solution.

Dry screed: instructions for implementation

After the calculation of building materials is completed, it is necessary to determine the type of leveling work.

The fastest and most practical option is to use a dry screed with expanded clay, this method does not require an additional cement-sand leveling layer.

The classic technology for making dry expanded clay screed includes the following steps:

• Surface preparation and marking;
• Installation of a waterproofing layer and installation of beacons;
• Backfilling and leveling of expanded clay chips;
• Installation of drywall or GVL (gypsum fiber sheets).

The first stage is preparation.

To ensure high-quality leveling and insulation, before a dry screed, you need to clean the floor surface of construction debris and dust, seal deep holes with cement plaster, hide all the wires in the corrugation.

Then we lay the waterproofing film with an overlap on the walls - at least 5 cm. After that - the installation of beacons.

To perform a dry screed device, wide profiles are used, with movable mounts for height adjustment or special profiles for drywall.

You can fix them on alabaster or cement mortar, then you need to set the desired height using a level (5-10 cm from the floor). The recommended beacon pitch is 120 cm for GVL and 60 for drywall.

Then a layer of expanded clay granules is poured out, leveled and compacted.

The final stage of work is the installation of plates. Drywall is laid just end-to-end, GVL are inserted into special grooves and attached to glue.

Plates are attached to the beacons with self-tapping screws. For a more durable coating, you can also lay the second layer of plates - perpendicular to the first.

Features of a wet floor screed with expanded clay

In addition to dry, there is also a wet screed with expanded clay: it is usually used in attics, balconies, loggias, when additional insulation is required, as well as with strong floor irregularities.

Such a do-it-yourself floor screed with expanded clay can be done in two ways, each of them has a special work technology (in the video).

The video below shows how to make a semi-dry screed with expanded clay.

The first stage of work goes the same way - you need to clean and prepare the work surface, hide bare wires, lay waterproofing (film, liquid mastic or waterproofing).

Then beacons are set from the top of the base (at least 60 cm from the bottom - to ensure perfect alignment and insulation).

Method one.

In this case, you need to prepare a cement-sand mortar for leveling with expanded clay.

Water is poured into the concrete mixer, then sand, cement, after mixing - clay expanded clay chips.

Then we spread the mixture into sectors between the beacons, align with the rule at a distance of 20-25 mm from the top edge of the beacons.

If there are pits or puddles, carefully fill with cement. After that - the finishing cement-sand layer is flush with the lighthouses.

Method two.

The technology of work in this case is as follows: we fill the waterproofing layer with expanded clay of different fractions, not reaching 20-25 mm to the top of the beacons, then fill it with cement milk.

The floor in the room requires horizontality, hardness and strength. The right floor allows for arbitrary arrangement of furniture and freedom of movement for people. In addition, the floor retains heat in the room and soundproofs the room in relation to the lower floors or basements. The listed requirements are fulfilled by the floor screed, and the expanded clay screed provides the necessary advantages in terms of these requirements. We will consider the practical device of such a screed, which can be done by a home master in a standard housing.

Expanded clay properties

Expanded clay is prepared in three forms: sand, gravel and crushed stone. The starting material for manufacturing is clay, shale. It is obtained by firing in special drum kilns at a temperature of 1100-1200 degrees. The density of expanded clay lies in the range of 350-600 kg/m3. This density allows the material to be used in floor screeds that do not allow overload with excess weight. The ecological cleanliness of expanded clay does not raise any doubts.

Expanded clay- this:

1. heat insulator,
2. soundproofing,
3. frost-resistant
4. exhibits drainage properties,
5. absorbs moisture
6. service life is not limited.

Expanded clay material used for backfilling cavities and preparing expanded clay concrete with a density of 350-1800 kg/m3.

• Expanded clay granules wedged in the backfill and this prevents shrinkage of the material during work and further service life.
• Heat-insulating expanded clay concrete with a density of 350-600 kg/m3 and a compressive strength of 5-25 kg/cm2 is intended for floor screed.
• The choice of the density of expanded clay concrete is based on the calculation of the total load per unit area of ​​the floor.

Video on laying expanded clay screed

Technologies for the manufacture of expanded clay screeds

Three types of technologies for the use of expanded clay for floor screeds are used:

• concrete screed;
• semi-dry screed;
• dry screed.

• Concrete screed requires the preparation of expanded clay concrete of the required density. Preliminary preparation of the base and measurements of the height over the floor area are done. Leveling the base is done to determine the local thickness of the screed. The goal is to obtain a horizontal surface of the screed.
• Semi-dry screed requires only the preparation of the base. Expanded clay is filled up according to the levels of marks and leveled. Cement mortar is poured onto the leveled surface. After the cement has hardened, the surface is finished and ready for flooring.
• Dry screed is an easy and economical option. Expanded clay is poured onto the prepared base, leveled and covered with GVL slabs from above. Gypsum fiber boards are fastened with lath joints and glued with polyvinyl chloride adhesives in the joint area.

The listed technologies are briefly described. For each of them, detailed recommendations are given, which we will consider below, along with the choice of the option suitable for each of the cases.

The choice of option is determined by the height of the floor surface above the base and strength requirements. Expanded clay concrete screed is suitable for high-strength floors, semi-dry and dry screeds are suitable for floors 30-50 cm high. Floors with a screed 5 cm high require expanded clay sand, other types require crushed stone and gravel 10-20 mm in size. Old wooden floors allow only one type of screed - dry, since no screed is lighter in weight.

The advantages of expanded clay as a material have already been described above:

• light weight,
• suitable thermal conductivity,
• environmental friendliness.
• cheapness.

Of the shortcomings, only hygroscopicity is noted, therefore, waterproofing of the layer in wet rooms is mandatory.

Types of expanded clay materials

Expanded clay is produced in the form of sand, pellets (gravel) and crushed stone. Expanded clay is sold in trade as:

• sand grades 450, 600, 900, etc.;
• gravel with a grain diameter of 5-10, 10-20, 20-40 mm;
• crushed stone with pieces 5-10, 10-20, 20-40 mm.

Sand is considered to be expanded clay material with particles less than 5 mm. The density (brand) of expanded clay sand is the higher, the finer the grain. Sand is used for the device of couplers up to 50 mm high. Screeds > 5 cm with sand are unreasonably dense and heavy. The thermal insulation properties of such screeds are lower than those of gravel and crushed stone.

The advantage of expanded clay gravel is manifested when leveling: the filled volume is easily filled, the covered mass is easily leveled.

Expanded clay crushed stone is leveled worse than gravel due to chipped pieces, but this is compensated by the fact that crushed stone grains are reliably wedged in the backfill and do not precipitate during cementing and in further operation. Expanded clay crushed stone and gravel are identical in terms of heat and sound insulation parameters and the difference between them is manifested only in the technology of screeding.

The volume of retail expanded clay is measured in liters, so the formula 1 liter = 0.001 m3 is useful in calculations.

Calculation of materials and required tools

The volume of expanded clay for backfill is determined by multiplying the floor area by the height of the backfill. For one square meter of floor with a backfill height of one centimeter, 10 liters of expanded clay will be required. The depth of the backfill is measured relative to the selected zero level to the average depth of the base over the area.

Expanded clay concrete screed will require 1300 ... 1500 kg of cement-sand mixture of brand 300, 700 liters of expanded clay and 100 liters of water per cubic meter of mixture. With the growth of cement and sand in this proportion, the strength of the screed increases and the weight increases, which is taken into account when determining the load on the ceilings between floors.

A semi-dry screed will require thirty liters of cement mortar per square meter of area. Rails for beacons are laid at intervals of 80-100 cm along the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room. Knowing the area of ​​​​the room, we calculate the total length of the rails. For wet rooms, a polyethylene or polypropylene film is required - a material for expanded clay waterproofing. Film consumption corresponds to the area of ​​the room with a margin of 10% for overlaps. If a reinforcing mesh is used, then the mesh area corresponds to the screed area.

From the tools you will need:

• 2-3 buckets for preparing solutions and mixtures;
• drill with a mixing nozzle;
• laser or water level;
• rule 1.5-2 m long with a built-in level.

Floor preparation and installation of beacons

The base of the floor (subfloor) in the room is cleaned, leveled, holes and cracks are puttied. Cables running along the floor are guided through corrugated pipes.

The zero point of the level is determined. This point belongs to the horizontal plane in which the floor is levelled. Beacons are installed. Beacons are points belonging to the alignment plane. They are made from wooden blocks glued with cement to the base. The height of the bars is below the zero point. The beacons pass along the nodes of an imaginary rectangular grid on which parallel rails lie (the distance between the rails is 80-90 cm). Height reserve is provided for subsequent level control.

With the help of cement mortar and rails, the zero height of the beacons is set. Height adjustment is achieved by gradually pressing the slats into the cement. The slats run parallel and lie in the plane of the zero level. For control, a self-made leveling rod is used, oriented by a laser level (preferably) or by a spirit level. After the cement has set, the marking is considered completed. When walking, be careful not to accidentally knock down beacons with rails.

Advice: to accelerate the setting of beacons, use alabaster solution instead of cement.

For wet floor bases, waterproofing is carried out by laying a film with an overlap of 10-15 cm. Beacons are neatly cut out. Tape is used to fix the film. It is important not to damage the film!

Advice: to walk on the film, take soft shoes or wrap your feet with rags - this guarantees the integrity of the film.

Backfilling and strengthening the screed

In rooms measuring 3 x 3 m and above, a damper tape made of elastic material (polypropylene, expanded polystyrene, etc.) is laid between the walls and the screed. In small rooms damper tape is not required.

Expanded clay concrete is kneaded in the indicated proportions and poured onto the base to a height below the zero level by 2-3 cm and leveled with the rule. The stock is left for the final surface finishing, the surface of expanded clay concrete is not smooth.

In the case of a semi-dry screed, expanded clay is poured onto the prepared base to a height of 2-3 cm below the zero level and carefully leveled with a short rule. Backfilling is done tightly, followed by leveling. For preliminary strengthening, expanded clay is poured with cement milk as the work progresses towards the exit, or a preliminary filling with cement is made below the zero level.

After the cement has hardened, in a day, the surfaces are poured to the zero level with a cement solution (see below).

Advice: when adding fiber (200 g per 50 l of cement mortar), the resistance of the screed to cracking increases.

Dry screed, after leveling, is laid with gypsum fiber boards and fastened with screws and glue. Special chamfers on GVL-plates fasten the assembly in one plane. With careful alignment of expanded clay on the beacons, the horizontalness of the floor is guaranteed. The strength for domestic premises of such a screed is sufficient.

Final work

After strengthening the screed, it is brought to a zero level with a cement mortar. Beacons are used together with the rule for leveling the solution. For reinforcing the screed, a metal mesh with cells of 50-1000 mm is used. The use of mesh is optional, but reduces the chance of cracking if the mortar is not reinforced with fibre. After the mesh is laid, the protrusion beyond the zero level is checked and the protrusions are tacked with cement to prevent protrusions above the zero level.

Cement pouring starts from the far sides of the room and gradually approaches the exit. The rule, which relies on the rails of the lighthouses, carefully leveled the poured cement mortar. It is unacceptable to go up from the zero level. The recesses are easily overwritten when finishing, and the protrusions are difficult to remove.

After the pouring is completed, the cement sets for a day. The beacons are removed and the gaps are filled with liquid cement mortar. Then, for 15-20 days, the screed is moistened with water and hardened into cement by the chemical processes occurring in it. This period is preferably extended to a month. After that, the coating is laid: laminate, linoleum, etc.

Versions

It is allowed to lay pipes of a water-heated floor in an expanded clay screed. At the same time, the work becomes more complex, becoming more complex. Electric underfloor heating is easier to manufacture because it runs independently. The screed work has already been completed by this time.

Expanded clay screeds are an advantageous option for thermal insulation of underfloor heating and energy saving. Efforts to integrate a water-heated floor into an expanded clay screed are justified in case of difficulties, as they will pay off profitably. A project with a pre-screed solution for laying pipes is advisable if cement with plasticizers and fiber additives is used to avoid thermal cracking. The use of reinforcing mesh in conjunction with water floor pipes greatly complicates the installation work. The main requirement is that the expanded clay layer necessarily lies under the heating pipes.

Variants of expanded clay screeds that do not provide for built-in heating, with careful execution, are available to homeowners with average skills. A self-made screed saves labor costs, although it will take time. There is no doubt that the owner of a house or apartment will show complete conscientiousness in this useful matter.

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According to reviews, the easiest and most affordable way to level the floor on your own is the installation of an expanded clay concrete layer. Do-it-yourself floor screed with expanded clay can be done in two ways. The choice of one or another method depends on the purpose of the room and the characteristics of the base. A detailed video instruction from our article will help you to accurately adhere to the technology for performing expanded clay concrete leveling. To understand what price your screed will turn out to be, you should make its calculation. How to do it correctly, you can also learn here.

Advantages of expanded clay screed

Expanded clay is an environmentally friendly, durable and practical material that allows you to increase the heat and sound insulation characteristics of the floor. Expanded clay screed is used if it is necessary to thoroughly raise the level of the floor. The strength of the expanded clay mixture is not lower than that of the cement mortar. In addition, the solution has the following advantages, subject to the proportion of its preparation:

• good vapor and air permeability;
• frost resistance;
• resistance to elevated temperatures;
• the material is not subject to burning, rotting and corrosion;
• the low weight of the solution facilitates its transportation and installation;
• expanded clay concrete allows to reduce the load on the ceiling;
• the material copes even with significant irregularities of the base.

An equally important advantage of such a solution is that the floor screed with expanded clay can be laid by hand.

When is claydite concrete used?

The device of expanded clay concrete screed in some cases is simply irreplaceable:

• If the height of the leveling layer is 10-15 cm, then the use of pure cement mortar or concrete is not possible due to too much load on the floor slabs. In this case, it remains only to make a composition with expanded clay.
• Sometimes even a low screed is too heavy to lay on an existing floor, for example, in an old building. In this case, the device of a low expanded clay concrete layer will help not to load the ceiling.
• When leveling a wooden floor with wet screeds, it is also better to use a lightweight mortar. In this case, the expanded clay leveling layer can be combined with a layer of foam or other lightweight materials.
• The price of cement is not small, therefore, in order to reduce the cost of the screed, expanded clay is used as a mortar filler. According to reviews, expanded clay leveling is cheaper than using cement mortar. But don't forget to keep the proportions.

The choice of expanded clay for mortar

Expanded clay comes in different fractions. Accordingly, its price also differs. The choice of the fraction of this material is made according to the type of work. So, according to the diameter of the elements, expanded clay is divided into the following types:

• expanded clay sand - fraction size from 0.1 to 5.5 mm (this material is often used when installing a dry floor screed);
• round and oval expanded clay has dimensions of 5-40 mm (obtained in the process of swelling clay);
• the particle size of angular expanded clay is up to 4 cm.

The last two types of granular material are used to make concrete and cement-sand screed. If you want the leveling layer to not shrink too much, it is better to use expanded clay of different fractions. To understand how much material you need to buy, you can do a simple calculation or use an online calculator from the Internet.

Tip: for a leveling layer with expanded clay, it is better to choose a granular material ranging in size from 5 to 20 mm.

Foundation preparation

Before laying the expanded clay concrete screed, you need to prepare the base:

1. The evenness of the floor must be measured with a building level.
2. Then, using a laser device, mark the level of the screed on the walls of the room.
3. Beacons are installed, starting from the highest point of the base. At this point, the screed should not be less than 6 mm.
4. All beacons are leveled (see video).

As beacons, you can use drywall profiles, slats, boards or pipes. Usually they are laid on mortar heaps or beds. According to reviews, it is better to lay on cement or gypsum mortar.

Dry method of expanded clay leveling device

To make a dry expanded clay screed, you need to purchase fine-grained material. Further work is carried out in this order:

1. The preparation of the base and the installation of beacons is done as described above.
2. Expanded clay is poured onto the floor and leveled so that the height of the expanded clay layer is 2-2.5 cm below the expected level of the screed. Most likely, you will not achieve a perfectly flat surface, but horizontality must be observed. You can calculate the amount of expanded clay using the online calculator on the building materials website.
3. Now, using the level, we check the evenness of the backfill.
4. To ensure better adhesion of the expanded clay layer to the screed, pour it with cement milk. As a result, a film is formed on the surface of the granular backfill, which will protect the material from shrinkage due to the absorption of moisture from the screed.

Tip: cement milk is made from water and cement in a 4: 1 ratio, that is, you need exactly twice as much water as for preparing a conventional cement mortar.

1. We fill the screed. With our own hands we prepare an ordinary cement-sand or concrete mortar, fill it and level it over poppies using the rule. The height of the layer should be such that the mixture, when leveled, is obtained along the upper border of the beacons. To do this, we lay the rule on the guides and pull it towards ourselves, aligning the mixture.
2. A day later, you can take out the beacons, and prime the resulting voids and seal them with fresh mortar. The floor surface in these places is rubbed with a trowel (see video).

Wet claydite concrete leveling

After reading the reviews on the network, you can understand that this laying method allows you to reduce the time for the screed device. Work is carried out in this order:

1. First, the first layer is made. For this, expanded clay is mixed with a solution. It is difficult to specify the exact proportions for mixing. And the calculation will not help here. There should be just enough water to evenly wet the surface of the expanded clay. Sand with cement is added gradually until a dry, thick, homogeneous mass without lumps is obtained.
2. The solution is laid on the floor so thick that it does not reach 2-2.5 cm to the expected level of the screed. We level the mixture (see video).
3. Now, without waiting for the mixture to dry, we pour the finishing layer from a conventional cement-sand mortar.
4. Carefully align the top layer with the rule according to the beacons.
5. A day later, we take out the beacons, and fill the voids with a solution after preliminary priming.

Video instruction for performing expanded clay leveling:

Calculation of expanded clay concrete

To find out how much expanded clay is needed for the screed, you need to make a simple calculation. The proportions of materials may be different, but keep in mind that the more expanded clay you add, the warmer, but less durable the screed will turn out.

The calculation of the proportion of expanded clay on the leveling layer can be done taking into account the bearing capacity of the base, the required thermal insulation qualities of the floor and the thickness of the structure. The optimal ratio of strength and thermal conductivity of the leveling layer is achieved when expanded clay makes up half of the total volume of the solution. When calculating the price and volume of expanded clay, please note that it is supplied in bags, but is calculated in liters.

An integral part of the overhaul of floors is their alignment. Perfectly even floors are required for finishing (parquet, laminate, floor tiles). There are situations when the floor level needs to be raised to a height of up to 20 cm. If you fill this entire volume with concrete, the floors may not withstand such a load. In such situations, the ideal solution is to make a floor screed with expanded clay.

What is expanded clay

Expanded clay - an artificial building material obtained from clay or shale by firing in special ovens - drums. The size of granules (fraction) of expanded clay is from 0.5 to 40 mm. Light and porous, it has been used not only in construction, but also as a decorative material.

Expanded clay granules have high strength and durability, they are insensitive to temperature changes, have excellent sound-absorbing and heat-insulating properties.

That is why expanded clay is used as a heater for foundations and interfloor ceilings, especially the first floors.

Important ! For reliable floor insulation, a layer of expanded clay should be at least 10 cm.

Training

Before doing directly floor screed with expanded clay, it is necessary to carry out some preparatory measures.

Stage one

First of all, you should prepare the base, remove the old flooring and remove the old cement screed (if any). It should be cleared to the floor slab. If there are wires laid along the floor, they should be corrugated. All joints, cracks and recesses should be sealed, for example, with mounting foam or gypsum mixture.

Stage two

Now it is necessary to mark and install beacons in those rooms where the floor screed will be made. The fastest and most convenient way to do this is with a laser level, but a hydro level is also suitable. The location of the beacons in each case is determined on the spot.

exhibiting lighthouses by tags. The first beacon is set at a short distance from the floor level, which is taken as a basis (zero level), and not too far from the wall. The material for the lighthouse can be pre-prepared wooden dies and other improvised material. Subsequent beacons should be installed taking into account the size of the rule with which the screed will be made. Beacons can be installed both on a gypsum mortar and on an adhesive mixture. After installing the extreme beacons, the next ones can also be set using the level.

Some calculations

For sale in building stores, expanded clay is packed in bags. A typical bag of this material weighs about 20 kg, and 1 cubic meter weighs approximately 400 kg. It turns out that in one bag 0.05 m³ (20: 400). If you need to insulate the floor, for example, in a room of 15 m², then you will need 15 × 0.1 = 1.5 m³ of insulation, which is 30 bags (1.5 / 0.05). Naturally, with an increase in the backfill layer, the required amount of expanded clay increases.

Cement screed on a layer of expanded clay

Now we are all ready to fill with expanded clay. It is necessary to evenly plan the material over the entire area so that there is a space equal to approximately 2.5 - 4 cm to the upper edge of the beacons.

After the expanded clay layer is evenly distributed, it should be shed with a primary screed - cement milk made from water and cement. You can add some sand. The resulting mass should be fluid enough to spread freely, and at the same time thick enough not to seep through the expanded clay. This filling is done in order to hold the top layer together. Firstly, it will become possible to walk on it, and secondly, when pouring the solution, the water will not go deep and will dry out properly.

Attention ! After pouring, work will have to be stopped for about 12 hours to allow the cement layer to dry.

Some masters do it a little differently. Gradually pouring expanded clay also gradually fill it with milk.

After the cement milk has dried, it is recommended to lay a chain-link mesh on it for reinforcement. After that, you can proceed directly to the floor screed. You can use store-bought ready-made dry mixes, or you can make your own from cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 3.

Important ! Use for the preparation of a cement-sand mixture should be cement grade not lower than M 400.

Starting to fill the floor should be from the far corner, gradually moving towards the exit, leveling the screed with the rule along the beacons. After finishing work over the entire area, the solution must be given time to set, at least a day. After that, it is desirable to moisten the screed periodically for a week, after which you can proceed to the finishing work.

It should be noted that the above method of do-it-yourself floor screed with expanded clay refers to semi-dry methods, and is not the only one.

Adding expanded clay to the solution

Consider another way - a wet floor screed with expanded clay.

The main difference between this method of pouring the floor is that expanded clay is mixed with the solution, best of all, in a concrete mixer. This saves considerable time. Let's figure it out step by step.

Stage one. Preparation of the base is no different from the previous method.

Stage two. This is where the differences already begin, since when using this method, waterproofing is required. Several options apply.

1. Hydroisol with a blowtorch.
2. Special liquid mastic with a brush. It is applied to the floor and wall slightly above the expected level of the screed. After drying, a second layer is applied.
3. The fastest and easiest method is to cover the floor with an ordinary dense plastic film with a margin on the walls and an overlap between them. The joints of the film should be sealed with a wide adhesive tape.

Attention ! It should be remembered that any waterproofing work is carried out on a cleaned, dry surface!

Stage three. Marking with a laser level, installing beacons on marks and guides is no different from the usual screed method.

Stage four. Preparation of expanded clay concrete:

• expanded clay is poured into a concrete mixer and filled with water, mixed thoroughly;
• excess water is poured out;
• cement-sand mixture is poured into expanded clay and mixed until homogeneous.

The proportions of expanded clay and cement mixture are determined on the spot empirically. The finished solution should be sufficiently “fat”, homogeneous and without lumps.

The concrete prepared in this way is poured onto the prepared surface and leveled in the same way, not reaching 2 - 3 cm to the upper edge of the beacons. The advantage of this floor screed technology with expanded clay is the fact that concrete can be poured in small areas, and a “clean” mortar screed can be made immediately on top of it. This saves a lot of overall time to complete the job.

Important ! It is necessary to tighten the finishing screed carefully and several times, until the surface becomes perfectly smooth, without puddles, pits and other defects.

If you do everything carefully and responsibly, you will end up with a surface ready for any topcoat.

Dry screed

Expanded clay is also used for dry floor screed. Such a screed is made by experienced craftsmen in a matter of hours. The simplicity of the laying method will allow you to do it yourself in the shortest possible time. In addition to the simplicity and speed of laying, this method has other advantages.

• When laying a dry screed, water is not used, which eliminates dirt in the apartment, heaps of sand and puddles of water with the risk of flooding neighbors.
• Maximum lightness of construction. Since cement mortar is not used, such a screed weighs a little, which becomes important when insulating floors in old houses with wooden floors.
• Hidden communications. The use of expanded clay as a dry backfill is ideal for hiding various pipes under the floor, both water and sewage systems.

However, with all this, it was not completely without the minuses of this method of floor insulation. This design is recommended for laying in dry rooms, since the fear of moisture is the main drawback of a dry screed.

You can learn more about the stages of laying a dry screed with expanded clay from the video.

Carrying out high-quality repairs involves the creation of a perfectly even base for the subsequent laying of the finish coating. Among the variety of technologies today, floor leveling with expanded clay is popular. The nuances of creating such a foundation will be discussed in our article.

The rather high demand for expanded clay is due to the specific manufacture of the material. The raw material for its production is foamed clay, which is exposed to high temperatures. This results in lightweight edges with a durable water-repellent shell. The presence of air bubbles and cavities improves the thermal insulation qualities of expanded clay.

Depending on the size, expanded clay is divided into:

• small (diameter up to 1 cm);
• medium (1-2 cm);
• large (more than 2 cm).

The use of a material of a certain fraction depends on the type of base being created. It should be noted that the fine fraction of expanded clay is characterized by a higher density. Laying this material leads to an increase in the weight of the structure. Scope of small expanded clay:

• complex areas where minimal shrinkage is required;
• creation of an even and reliable base for piece parquet.

Expanded clay of large and medium fractions is used when it is not necessary to increase the density of the floor to the maximum extent. With its help, a self-leveling floor or a floor of gypsum fiber sheets is created. For a high-quality screed, a material with a diameter of 5-20 mm is used. The maximum compaction of the base is carried out by mixing different fractions of expanded clay.

The most appropriate leveling of the floor with expanded clay is considered in the presence of:

• concrete or reinforced concrete slabs located at the base;
• differences in floor height at the level of 8-10 cm;
• communications carried out at the bottom of the floor;
• electric heating system;
• wooden floors.

A screed made of expanded clay is characterized by increased strength. It is especially irreplaceable with a significant increase in the level of the floor in the room. For example, when installing a shower tray or installing a warm floor.

Material Advantages

Leveling the floor with expanded clay in the photo and in reality will be absolutely similar when all the requirements for laying the material are met and all its advantages are taken into account. Simultaneously with leveling the base, the use of expanded clay contributes to:

• improvement of thermal insulation properties;
• reliable waterproofing device;
• creation of the optimal bearing capacity of the structure;
• improving soundproofing qualities (relevant for apartments).

Expanded clay is a material that is very resistant to the negative effects of natural factors. He is not afraid of moisture, heat and frost. The material does not rot and is not affected by fungus and mold.

In addition to these properties, expanded clay is characterized by:

• fire resistance;
• environmental cleanliness;
• multifunctionality;
• excellent value for money;
• accessibility for every person (you can buy it anywhere in the country).

The screed, which is based on expanded clay, endures sharp temperature changes. For this reason, its device can take place in rooms that have any temperature regime. The expanded clay screed does not carry additional loads on the floors and is characterized by the simplicity of the device. To create it, you do not need to resort to the services of professionals.

Basic floor leveling technologies

This process begins with the dismantling of the floor covering. The old floor is completely disassembled. The base is cleared of debris. Holes in the floor are sealed. If an electric wire is laid on the base, it should be wrapped with plastic wrap, and the joints should be sealed with adhesive tape. The cable must not be exposed to solution or dust.

The next stage involves the implementation of waterproofing works. The base is covered with polyethylene film or isolan. Waterproofing material is intended for:

• creating a damper layer between the screed and the wall;
• to prevent the risk of cracking of the screed during drying;
• reducing the number of sound waves.

The level of laying rolled waterproofing exceeds the level of the created screed by 15-20 cm. After the complete installation of the finish coating, the excess plastic film is cut off, and its remnants are hidden under the baseboard.

At the final stage of the preparatory work, the installation of beacons is carried out. To determine the top point of the floor, it is better to use a laser level. Alabaster is used to fix the beacons.

There are three main ways to do-it-yourself floor leveling with expanded clay:

• pouring expanded clay concrete mortar;
• dry screed base;
• pouring floor device.

Creation of expanded clay concrete screed

This type of surface leveling will take the maximum amount of time. Despite this, this technology has a significant “plus”. The screed is monolithic. The device of expanded clay concrete screed can be done in two ways.

The first method involves the following sequence of actions. After preparing the base and installing the beacons, a layer of fine dry expanded clay is poured onto the base. It must be leveled so that the distance from the top of the layer to the base is about 2-2.5 cm.

Expanded clay is evenly distributed over the entire floor area. The material is poured with cement milk. As a result, a film is obtained that prevents filling with expanded clay solution. And the created pillow will not be able to shrink. For the formation of a cement film, it will be necessary to interrupt work for a day.

Due to the creation of a film during the final pouring of the screed, a concrete layer with a small thickness will be obtained. The application of the solution to expanded clay is accompanied by the leveling of the new surface. After 2-3 days, the beacons should be pulled out, and the resulting depressions should be covered with concrete mortar.

Complete drying of expanded clay concrete screed occurs within 2-4 weeks. During this time, the screed is subjected to mandatory wetting with water, which prevents cracking.

The second method of installing expanded clay screed also involves two stages of work. First, the first layer is created. Mixing expanded clay with cement mortar is carried out in the following sequence:

• expanded clay is poured into a container and filled with water;
• water must completely cover the material;
• using a construction mixer, expanded clay with water is thoroughly mixed;
• sand and cement are added to the resulting mixture;
• the solution is stirred again.

To prepare a quality solution, the following proportions are observed:

• 1 hour cement;
• 2 hours of sand;
• 3 hours expanded clay.

After thorough mixing, expanded clay should be gray and wet, and the solution should be homogeneous, thick and without lumps. With the help of installed beacons, the base is divided into several sections.

First, the prepared solution is laid on the first section. The thickness of the laid layer is 2-2.5 cm. The second upper layer of the solution can be laid on the same area immediately, without waiting for the first layer to dry. This is the distinctive feature of the second version of the expanded clay concrete screed.

Filling the finishing layer provides for a thorough leveling of the surface. You can use a rule for this. If puddles and pits form, then a little solution should be added to these places. Bumps and bubbles are removed with a spiked roller.

For a high-quality creation of the finishing layer, a plasticizer must be added to the solution. It will prevent the appearance of cracks in the concrete floor.

Dry screed

Dry leveling of the floor with expanded clay is the cheapest, most practical and fastest technology. As a result of this process, it is possible to create not only a flat floor, but also to maximize its thermal insulation properties.

To create a dry screed, expanded clay is used, which has small pores. Such material is characterized by greater density and strength, it can withstand heavy loads.

This floor leveling procedure consists of the following steps:

• cleaning the base from dust and broken pieces of concrete;
• marking the location of the future floor;
• laying waterproofing material;
• fastening damper tape;
• installation of lighthouses;
• backfilling and tamping of various fractions of expanded clay;
• alignment of the laid layer;
• installation of the final floor covering.

As a waterproofing material, a dense and solid polyethylene film is quite suitable. If it does not completely cover the floor, then the film must be overlapped by 15-20 cm. The joints of the waterproofing material are glued with adhesive tape. The extreme part of the film should protrude onto the walls to a height that exceeds the sum of the dimensions of the created screed and the top coat on the floor.

The damper tape is laid along the walls. Its purpose is to compensate for the expansion of the laid materials. The tape will not allow deformation of the floor in the presence of sudden temperature changes or exposure to high air temperature.

Even backfilling of expanded clay is carried out using beacons. Moreover, beacons that are used when pouring concrete mortar are not suitable for creating a dry screed. They are not high enough.

Guide beacons must be more than 3 cm high. They are attached to the base with a solution. Backfilling of expanded clay is carried out between the lighthouses. Level the material using a wooden rule. After that, expanded clay can be covered with plywood or gypsum fiber sheets, OSB or chipboard boards.

Self-leveling floor device

Expanded clay is also used to create a self-leveling floor. It is part of the finished mixture, due to which the floor is spontaneously leveled. In addition to expanded clay, the floor leveling mixture contains additives that improve the strength characteristics of the floor. The advantage of using this technology is the rapid hardening of the solution. This takes a maximum of one week.

Self-leveling floor can be created without the finished mixture. Expanded clay is poured onto the base (without waterproofing material) and leveled. The compacted material is covered with polyethylene film. After that, the solution is poured. Excess air present in the solution is removed using a spiked roller.

Video about leveling the floor with expanded clay: