DIY expanded clay floor. Floor screed with expanded clay: pros and cons. Types of installation technologies for screeds with expanded clay aggregate

Carrying out quality repairs provides for the creation of ideal level base for subsequent installation finishing coating. Among the variety of technologies, floor leveling using expanded clay is popular these days. The nuances of creating such a foundation will be discussed in our article.

The fairly high demand for expanded clay is due to the specific production of the material. The raw material for its production is foamed clay, which is exposed to high temperatures. The result is lightweight edges with a durable, moisture-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 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 of this material leads to an increase in the weight of the structure. Scope of application of small expanded clay:

complex areas where minimal shrinkage is required;
creating a level and reliable foundation for piece parquet.

Expanded clay of large and medium fractions is used when there is no need to increase the density of the floor in maximum sizes. With its help, a self-leveling floor or a floor made of gypsum fiber sheets is created. For device high-quality screed material with a diameter of 5-20 mm is used. Maximum compaction of the base is achieved by mixing different fractions of expanded clay.

It is considered most appropriate to level the floor with expanded clay if you have:

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

A screed made from expanded clay is characterized by increased strength. It is especially indispensable when the floor level in the room is significantly raised. For example, when installing a shower tray or installing a heated 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 promotes:

improving thermal insulation properties;
installation of reliable waterproofing;
creating an optimal bearing capacity designs;
increasing sound insulation 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 susceptible to the influence of 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 purchase it anywhere in the country).

The screed, which is based on expanded clay, can withstand sudden temperature changes. For this reason, its installation can occur in premises that have any temperature regime. Expanded clay screed does not carry additional loads on the floors and is characterized by simplicity of design. To create it, you do not need to resort to the services of professionals.

Basic floor leveling technologies

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

The next stage involves carrying out waterproofing work. The base is covered with plastic film or isolan. Waterproofing material is intended for:

creating a damper layer between the screed and the wall;
preventing the risk of cracking of the screed when drying;
reducing the number of sound waves.

Laying level roll waterproofing exceeds the level of the created screed by 15-20 cm. After complete installation of the finishing coating, excess polyethylene film is cut off, and its remains are hidden under the baseboard.

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

There are three main ways to level a floor with expanded clay yourself:

pouring expanded clay concrete mortar;
dry base screed;
self-leveling 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 advantage. The screed turns out to be monolithic. The installation 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 needs to be leveled so that the distance from the top point 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 watered with cement laitance. The result is a film that prevents the expanded clay solution from filling. And the created pillow will not be able to shrink. To form a cement film, you will need to interrupt work for a day.

Thanks to the creation of a film during the final pouring of the screed, a concrete layer with a small thickness will be obtained. Applying the solution to expanded clay is accompanied by leveling 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 the expanded clay concrete screed occurs within 2-4 weeks. During this time, the screed is subject to mandatory wetting with water, which prevents the appearance of cracks.

The second method of constructing an 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;
the water should completely cover the material;
using a construction mixer, the expanded clay and water are thoroughly mixed;
sand and cement are added to the resulting mixture;
The solution is mixed again.

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

1 tsp cement;
2 hours sand;
3 hours of expanded clay.

After thorough mixing, the expanded clay should turn out 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. Second upper layer the solution can be laid on the same area immediately, without waiting for the first layer to dry. This is what it's all about distinctive feature the second version of expanded clay concrete screed.

Pouring the finishing layer requires careful leveling of the surface. You can use a rule for this. If puddles and pits form, a little solution should be added to these places. Lumps and bubbles are removed using a needle roller.

For quality creation For the finishing layer, a plasticizer must be added to the solution. It will prevent cracks from appearing in the concrete floor.

Dry screed

Dry floor leveling 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, which has small pores, is used. This material is more dense and durable, it can withstand increased load.

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;
styling waterproofing material;
fastening the damper tape;
installation of beacons;
backfilling and compaction of various fractions of expanded clay;
leveling the laid layer;
installation of finishing floor covering.

A dense and solid polyethylene film is quite suitable as a waterproofing material. 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 together with tape. The outermost part of the film should protrude onto the walls to a height that exceeds the sum of the dimensions of the screed being created and the finishing coating on the floor.

Damper tape is laid along the walls. Its purpose is to compensate for the expansion of laid materials. The tape will prevent the floor from deforming in the presence of sudden temperature changes or exposure to high air temperatures.

An even backfill of expanded clay is done using beacons. Moreover, beacons, which are used when pouring concrete mortar, are not suitable for creating a dry screed. They are not tall enough.

The guide beacons must be more than 3 cm in height. They are attached to the base using a solution. Expanded clay is filled between the beacons. Level the material using wooden rule. After which the expanded clay can be covered with plywood or gypsum fiber sheets, OSB boards or chipboards.

Self-leveling floor device

Expanded clay is also used to create self-leveling floors. It is part of ready mixture, thanks to which spontaneous leveling of the floor occurs. 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.

A self-leveling floor can be created without a ready-made mixture. Expanded clay is poured onto the base (without waterproofing material) and leveled. The compacted material is covered with polyethylene film. After which the solution is poured. Excess air present in the solution is removed using a needle roller.

Video about leveling the floor with expanded clay:

It is impossible to imagine high-quality repairs without an immaculately flat floor - the key to subsequent technical correct installation coverings. In turn, with gross mistakes by builders and significant differences in the levels of the lower surfaces, installation becomes difficult door designs And plasterboard partitions, and also requires a variety of tricks when decorating walls. How to create a flat surface and get rid of possible errors? The answer to this question will be a floor screed with expanded clay, which allows you to achieve not only perfect leveling, but also increased insulation characteristics. Expanded clay reduces sound vibrations and perfectly protects against heat loss, which allows you to reduce costs in winter season and do without air conditioning - in the summer.

When to use a floor screed with expanded clay

It is rational to use a floor screed with expanded clay in the following cases:

Difference in floor level in the room exceeding 10 cm.
reinforced concrete or concrete plates, lying in the base for laying the floor.
The presence of a floor covering that does not allow the defects of the subfloor from which it suffers appearance and quality (floating floors made of natural materials, ceramic tiles, parquet or even practical linoleum).
Installation of infrared or electrical system heating
The need to reduce the consumption of cement mortar.
Increased sound insulation.
Placement of communications in lower ceiling floor.

Expanded clay screed perfectly combines lightness and strength. Expanded clay granules, crushed stone, sand and their combination minimize the load on the floors. Thanks to the low specific gravity The material of the floor adequately withstands static and dynamic loads, so that over many years of intensive use its quality does not suffer at all.

The priority of expanded clay is due to the specifics of its production. Its material is low-melting, finely dispersed clay, foamed in a special way, and subjected to high-temperature firing. The result is light edges that have a durable outer shell that does not allow moisture to pass through. Low thermal conductivity and excellent thermal insulation qualities are explained by the presence of cavities and air bubbles. By the way, they also explain the low specific gravity.

According to the criteria of fractional size and the presence of acute-angled elements, expanded clay is presented:

sand, particles of which are up to 5 mm, obtained after sifting the burnt amorphous mass;
gravel with its round and oval particles up to 40 mm in diameter;
crushed stone with angular particles up to 40 mm in diameter.

Often, a fractional mixture is used for such screeds, thanks to which the insulating-leveling layer increases its density. And since an expanded clay layer usually covers a self-leveling floor, gypsum fiber sheets or other leveling material, the size and configuration of the particles are completely unimportant. True, to minimize the weight of the structure, you should not use expanded clay sand, since if the density of the material increases, the weight also increases. But in some cases, for example, when piece parquet is laid, only fine-grained material is required.

The figure shows the process of leveling the floor using expanded clay sand

If you have to deal with the most difficult area, it is better to use expanded clay sand as it gives the most insignificant shrinkage.

IN modern construction, repair and restoration work, three screeding methods are used:

leveling and insulating the floor using expanded clay and cement-sand mortar;
installation of a self-leveling floor using expanded clay aggregate;
dry screed with expanded clay.

Let's look at each of them in more detail.

Leveling and insulating the floor using expanded clay and cement-sand mortar

To level the subfloor, you can contact a construction and repair organization, or you can, without waiting for specialists, carry out this simple but labor-intensive process yourself by purchasing required quantity materials. To do this, it is important to correctly calculate the costs, based on the data provided in the manufacturer’s instructions. Knowing the technical information about the material and the area of the floor to be leveled, it is easy to calculate the need for material and make an approximate estimate.

Floor leveling traditionally begins with dismantling the floor covering and preparing the area to be treated. The floor is dismantled to the base, and after that construction debris is removed. The holes in the floor are carefully cleaned, and the cables and wires located in it are wrapped in polyethylene. The joints of the polyethylene insulation are tightly wrapped with tape, protecting them from crumbs, dust or solution.

The next stage is waterproofing the base, which is also applicable when laying self-leveling floors. Here you can use a special mastic, but, as a rule, polyethylene film, isolan or hydroisol are used. Using waterproofing materials

a damper layer is created between the wall and the screed;
adhesion of the mortar to building materials is prevented, which often leads to cracking of the cement screed when drying;
the transmission of sound waves coming from the screed to the partitions and supporting structures is reduced.

You cannot do without waterproofing if you have to cover thermal insulation with a screed, install parquet, or treat floors in contact with the basement. Laying rolled thermal insulation materials is 15 cm higher than the marked level of the screed. After the flooring installation work is completed, the materials are cut at the level of the upper plane.

On last stage beacons are set - landmarks for leveling the surface at the same level. For this purpose, you can use ordinary self-tapping screws or special T-shaped metal devices specifically designed for arranging screeds. Correct marking is easily done using inexpensive laser level or, at worst, a basic homemade hydraulic level made from a transparent hose. Beacons are placed in accordance with the marks left on the walls during the marking process.

Screed with expanded clay is poured in two ways:

First, the expanded clay aggregate is filled, compacted and leveled, the surface of which should not reach the floor level marked by beacons. The distance from the expanded clay layer to the marks should not be more than 2 cm. Then the entire treated area is filled with cement “milk”, which fixes the expanded clay granules. After they harden, you can fill them with cement mortar, which includes sifted sand and cement marked M-4. To eliminate errors with proportions, you can also use a ready-made screed mixture;
First, expanded clay is introduced into the solution, kneading it with a construction mixer. To make it more convenient to apply the mixture, the floor is divided into segments using beacons, which are processed sequentially. The laid out expanded clay mixture is leveled with a rule device, and cement is added to the places where pits and puddles form.

But in any case, the floor screed is carried out starting from any of the walls and moving towards the door opening. And both methods are suitable for installing a subfloor under any floor covering.

Installation of self-leveling floor using expanded clay aggregate

Using self-leveling floors, you can create a perfectly flat surface due to the ability of the composition to spontaneously level. This floor hardens completely in a maximum of a week, which is two to three times faster than the previous method. Currently, a ready-made mixture with expanded clay for self-leveling flooring is sold, which includes additives that improve the characteristics of the floor structure. In the absence of ready-made composition The screed begins with the uniform distribution of expanded clay scattered over the entire area. When laying expanded clay on a dry base, waterproofing is not necessary. The material compacted and leveled as in the previous method is covered with plastic film or new insulation. Everything is filled with a solution, from which excess air is expelled with a needle roller.

Dry screed with expanded clay

This type of screed is the fastest, cheapest and most practical. Work on it includes the following stages:

marking the future floor height;
laying a layer of waterproofing on the base;
fastening the defimer film around the perimeter of the treated floor;
backfilling, compacting and leveling the expanded clay layer;
installation of gypsum fiber sheets on top of expanded clay, processing of butt joints with PVC glue and fixing the elements using self-tapping screws.

The work, carried out in accordance with technological requirements and construction standards, allows the floor, the communication systems located underneath it, and the floor covering to last for a long time. This gender for a long time There will be no need for cosmetic or major repairs.

Video - expanded clay floor screed

The screed is the main structural layer of any floor on which the finishing floor covering is laid. It is necessary, first of all, to level the base. The service life of the floor depends on how well the screed is done. The most popular in domestic construction is screed on an expanded clay layer. What features distinguish this type of screed, what installation options exist, and which expanded clay to choose for construction work - read below.

A lightweight screed with expanded clay is superior to sand mixtures and cement screed in terms of performance and noise insulation levels. This base is not subject to corrosion, breathes well and does not require frequent repairs.

The main advantages of screeds with expanded clay include:

Strength. Expanded clay screed can easily withstand a load of 500 kg per square meter.
Environmental friendliness. The material is hypoallergenic and does not emit toxic substances.
Fire safety. The material is explosion-proof and non-flammable.
Speed installation work. Laying a dry screed on a flat base is carried out by a team of workers in 3 hours.
A light weight. This screed is much lighter than a regular concrete screed.

Like any other material, expanded clay has its drawbacks. These include poor sound insulation and hydrophobicity, which in both cases can entail costs for organizing additional layers (for example, waterproofing).

Scope of application of screed with expanded clay

A floor screed with a layer of expanded clay concrete is used as a base for finishing with any finishing flooring materials(laminate, linoleum, tiles). In addition, a self-leveling (liquid) floor can be placed on such a base without any problems, which you can fill with your own hands.

Expanded clay screed can be used both in domestic construction and in organizing warehouse, industrial and retail premises.

Expanded clay concrete screed is used for thermal insulation. In addition, communications can be easily hidden in backfill floors (for example, heated floors). Expanded clay is also needed if the floor “swells” or has cracks. Expanded clay screed may be necessary if you need to level the base (the floor has differences in relief height of 10 cm or more).

Expanded clay screed: technology and base preparation

Expanded clay screed can be made using wet, semi-dry and dry methods. Options are selected depending on the size and purpose of the room. Regardless of the chosen method, the screed installation technology requires careful preparation of the base for construction work.

Preparing the base for screed includes the following steps:

Dismantling the finishing coating (cleaning the floor down to the base if it is covered with a lightweight material, such as linoleum).
Cleaning the floor from construction debris and dirt.
Leveling the base. The floor is puttied to prevent cracks and chips. You can level a floor with large differences in height using sanding (for a wooden base), concrete mortar, or plywood.
Laying a waterproofing layer. Waterproofing is necessary for any type of screed with expanded clay.
Installation of beacons. The beacons are aligned using a laser level and fixed using cement mortar. Further work should be carried out only after the cement mixture has dried. How long cement dries depends on the manufacturer of the material, the temperature and humidity in the room.

After preparing and cleaning the base from construction debris and dust, you can lay the screed.

Dry screed with expanded clay

Dry expanded clay screed is very popular for finishing floors, both in apartments and office premises. The technology for laying dry screed is quite simple: a layer of hydrolysis (for example, polyethylene film) is laid on the base, which is covered with expanded clay. They put it on top GVL slabs.

However, laying dry screed has some nuances:

The screed installation instructions indicate that expanded clay should only be poured onto a flat, clean and dry base.
Hydrolysis should be laid overlapping, the joints of the film should be fixed with construction tape, along the perimeter with damper tape.
To level the expanded clay well, you should set up beacons. The beacons are removed after covering part of the base with material. If necessary, backfilling is carried out.
If you need an insulated screed, then in order to make a “pie” you should use fine expanded clay and sand.
Filling of expanded clay should occur in portions, starting from the far corner of the room. After filling one area, sheet material should be placed immediately, pressing it well to the layer.
A gap of several mm should be left between the plates. The seams between the panels must be puttied

Semi-dry expanded clay concrete screed

A semi-dry screed is a combination of wet and dry: it is the same two-layer as wet, while the expanded clay and waterproofing layers are laid according to the dry principle. This screed is used in rooms with a base whose differences in relief height exceed 15 cm.

In order to lay the screed correctly, you should follow the following sequence of actions:

Lay waterproofing on a leveled, dry base and install beacons.
Fill with expanded clay gravel (thickness of at least 800 mm).
Level and compact the layer so that there are no voids left in the pillow.
Place damper tape around the perimeter of the room, above the level of the screed.
Place fiberglass (80-90 grams per square meter) or reinforcing mesh on the gravel layer.
Fill the installed beacons with a layer of sand, cement mixture(thickness 40-50 mm). Filling should occur quickly, since the composition begins to harden 40 minutes after preparation.

Thus, you can install a floor in a warehouse or garage. The floor can be poured quickly using special equipment (for example, a concrete pump). In this case, the coating must be leveled manually, usually focusing on the set level.

Expanded clay for floor screed: fraction

Expanded clay for screeds is classified according to the shape and size of the fraction. Which fraction is best to choose for floor screed depends on the purpose of the expanded clay. Most often, a fraction of 0.5-10 cm is used to screed the floor. Using a fraction of 1-2 cm can increase the density of the layer.

Today, the following types of expanded clay are distinguished:

Gravel (expanded clay). The material is distinguished by rounded granules Brown. The size of the granules can vary from 5 mm to 4 cm.
Crushed stone. The angular fraction (obtained from crushed foamed clay) can be of either minimum or maximum size.
Sand (expanded clay). The size of the granules of this material does not exceed 5 mm. Most often it is used for lightweight, thin screeds in apartments.

Smaller fractions are used for domestic construction, larger fractions are used for floor insulation living rooms And basements, roof Expanded clay gravel is often used as a thermal insulation layer.

Which expanded clay is best for floor screed: composition of expanded clay concrete

The proportions of ingredients for expanded clay screed depend on the installation method. So, for a wet screed you need to take cement, sand and expanded clay in proportions of 1: 3: 4.

Different ratios of components make it possible to obtain expanded clay concrete of different classes and brands.

In order to obtain expanded clay concrete grade M150, it is necessary to observe the following proportions of ingredients: 1: 3: 6. To obtain the M400 grade, the solution is prepared from ingredients in a ratio of 1:1.5:3. On average, a bucket of cement and 0.05 tons of sand are needed per square meter of screed 30 mm thick.

To prepare the solution expanded clay concrete mixture It is necessary to pour expanded clay into a deep container and fill it with a small amount of water. Expanded clay is left for some time so that the granules swell. After that, binding components are added to the container: cement or sand concrete. All components are mixed with a construction mixer until a thick consistency. After expanded clay acquires the color of cement, the solution is considered ready.

Leveling the floor with expanded clay with your own hands (video)

A screed with an expanded clay layer is a reliable and simple method that allows you to achieve a level base with high performance characteristics. Wherein, construction works will not hurt your pocket: prices for expanded clay differ in their affordability. You can make a screed with your own hands. The main thing is to take a responsible approach to the process of preparing the base and laying layers, and then you will get a high-quality floor for covering any finishing material!

To carry out high-quality repairs to the subfloor, it should be carefully leveled. In this case, the floor screed technology must be followed at all stages. If mistakes are made, then in the future it will be problematic to install doors, partitions, etc. For this purpose, the screed is installed using. In addition to all this, the base will acquire additional qualities.

Properties and qualities

There are certain conditions under which it is best to use expanded clay for pouring screed.

Large differences in floor level heights of approximately 100 mm.
The flooring is based on concrete or reinforced concrete slabs.
To increase the level of sound insulation.
Allows you to reduce cement consumption. This also manifests itself when the future floor is thick.
The use of a floor covering for flooring that does not allow the appearance of any even minor defects in the subfloor. These are mainly ceramic tiles, parquet boards, floating floors made from natural materials.
Various heating systems (warm floors).
Hiding existing communications in the room.

In addition to the lightness of the entire surface, the result is excellent quality. The load on the floor slabs is reduced due to the low weight of the material itself. At the same time, it is able to withstand external influences, including static loads. Over the entire period of operation, the base practically does not change its properties and qualities.

The specificity of expanded clay comes from the production process. The main material is fine clay, which is fired high temperatures. As a result, we get light granules that do not let moisture in and are very durable.

It is also worth noting that depending on the size of the granules, gravel or crushed stone is distinguished. The sand fraction is usually up to 5 mm. The diameter of gravel is up to 40 mm, having a rounded shape, and crushed stone is also up to 40 mm, but with corners. Its use will depend on the floor covering, which will subsequently be laid on the floor screed.

If the area for leveling the floor is very difficult and there are a large number of imperfections, then it is best to buy expanded clay sand. Its shrinkage is not significant and can hide all problem areas.

Pros and cons of expanded clay

This floor screed material has a huge number of positive features. Among them are the most evident and basic ones:

Markings and beacons

Before starting work on leveling the floor with expanded clay, a number of preparatory measures should be carried out. To do this, the floor surface is thoroughly cleaned of debris, dirt, and old screed. The best option– clean the base up to the floor slab. An electric jackhammer or hammer drill will help here. Each of the tools will have a price. The first one is more expensive, even if rented, but has better efficiency.

After this, work on the marking device begins. This stage is necessary to ensure that the floor level remains the same in each room of the apartment. In addition to the level, a marker is also useful. To begin with, the line of the finished floor is determined, which often coincides with the bottom door frame. The lines are connected to each other via a stretched cord or using more modern means - a laser level.

Next, the marking of the screed itself begins. It will be enough to measure the thickness of the fill from the finished floor line down. The resulting points are connected to each other. As a result, we will get another line, which will serve as a guide for placing beacons in the future.

But to install a screed with expanded clay in an apartment, you should remove all debris and dust from the base. Existing cracks must be sealed. If this is not done, there is a high probability that you will have to carry out repeated repairs. After all, moisture can get through the cracks.

The floor area is highest point, where minimum height beacons are installed. Usually they are taken in 6 mm. At the same time, we must not forget about using a level for work. Subsequent beacons are similarly leveled, which must be at least 2 meters long. The upper part of the beacons must coincide along the marked marking lines.

To adjust the height of the beacons, various environmental objects can be used. But it should be remembered that not everyone can act as an element of the screed. This applies, for example, to fiberboard fragments, as they will begin to swell from moisture.

If time permits, then a cement-sand mortar can be mixed to fix the beacons. But it is best to use alabaster.

Performing a semi-dry screed

Almost the only option where little effort is put into preparing the base is. It is enough to remove all debris and dust, as well as excess moisture. Everything else can be fixed by pouring the floor with expanded clay. If there are wires on the base, it is best to place them in a corrugation, and then carefully fix them to the surface.

For the waterproofing layer, you can use regular PVC film. There is an alternative - a special vapor barrier (glassine). In this case, the expanded clay floor screed will not receive excess moisture from below. Moisture may appear on interfloor covering By various reasons. The film is secured with tape. We must not forget about the overlap of each subsequent flooring by about 10-15 cm.

Next, the markings for the screed are set using a laser level. Instead, you can use a rack level. To retain heat, material is inserted along the walls of the room. It also contributes to excellent sound insulation. The gap is usually 10 cm. When all this is done, the expanded clay under the floor screed is scattered evenly over the entire surface. Not everyone knows what expanded clay for floor screed will be optimal solution. Everything will depend on the conditions and choice of screed, as well as preferences. It would be a good idea to consult with a specialist on this matter.

Afterwards, two options for filling the floor screed are selected:

To screed a floor with expanded clay, the instructions must be followed immediately. If you deviate from one of the points, you may end up encountering negative qualities of both the mortar and expanded clay for floor screed for heated floors.

Concrete screed

Together with expanded clay it received the name “expanded clay concrete”. But before you begin, it is very important to inspect the base and determine the evenness of the surface. First, the height is set for the entire room, and only after that - for individual sections. It is the curvature that will show how thick it will be necessary to fill the screed with expanded clay. After this, the solution itself is prepared for work, so that the floor can be properly leveled using expanded clay.

Granules are poured into the prepared container or bath. As for the amount of water, it should be about half a palm more than the level of expanded clay. Due to the porous structure of the material used, water in the required amount is absorbed inside. While stirring the resulting mixture, you need to monitor the change in shade. As soon as it has changed, you can add cement and sand depending on the proportions. Floor screed with expanded clay and cement is of high quality.

There are some subtleties about how to fill with expanded clay. The prepared solution is evenly distributed over the surface between the beacons. Drying should be done within the first two days. If necessary, after this, another layer of screed is poured or finishing. Everything will depend on the requirements and choice of flooring for the deck.

When it is difficult to find the answer to how to fill the floors in an apartment with expanded clay yourself by preparing a solution, then it is best to go to the store to purchase ready-made mixtures. They were called levelers. Leveling the floor with expanded clay in the finished mixture allows you to reduce unevenness up to 30 cm. In addition, the drying time of the screed is slightly less time than conventional expanded clay concrete. Hence, this option will be beneficial when there is a limited amount of time.

Contacting specialists will allow you to get an answer on how to properly fill a floor with expanded clay if you do not have such experience. Any type of pouring can be done independently, without spending money on calling construction crews.

Dry screed

Floor screed with expanded clay can also be done using the dry method. And it is this method that has recently been in great demand and interest among apartment owners. Its essence lies in the fact that expanded clay is poured onto a lined film of polyethylene, after which gypsum fiber boards are laid. Some will think that everything is very simple. But there are still subtleties on how to properly level the floor with expanded clay. There is a sequence of actions in this case:

When all the actions are organized and completed, you can think about finishing.

Filling a floor with expanded clay using a dry method with your own hands has a number of advantages. The result is a truly smooth surface without defects if the technology is followed. Each square meter of room area can withstand loads of approximately 500 kg. What significantly distinguishes it from a conventional screed is the complete absence of possible cracks, subsidence, chips and other negative manifestations.

This “pie” contains no harmful substances to human health. No volatile substances enter the air. As soon as the installation is completed, you can immediately begin all subsequent actions. There is no need to wait for the surface to dry for a long time. Room with large area by a team of specialists can be completed within a few hours.

In addition to obtaining a warm floor, even without a system with a similar name, an excellent soundproofing effect is obtained.

When repairing floors, whether in a private house or an apartment, in approximately half of the cases the owner thinks about a cement screed, because modern floor coverings require the presence of a flat and strictly horizontal base, which 15 - 20 years ago were considered almost wasteful. In this article we will analyze the process of making a cement screed with expanded clay with our own hands.

To obtain such a foundation in another way is a rather difficult task, and also expensive, especially if the floor level is at different rooms is seriously different, but I really want to remove the terrible thresholds, worn out to the point of losing their geometry. In addition, sometimes you simply cannot do without a screed.

But what kind of screed to make is not just a matter of taste. Screeds are:

cement-sand (including with various fillers and plasticizers);
concrete, based on cement mortar and crushed stone;
polystyrene concrete;
expanded clay concrete.

We deliberately do not take into account various dry screeds, considering them as a special case of floor construction, concrete screeds with heavy fillers, except crushed stone, taking into account that they are not much different from the latter in the context of solving this problem.

Therefore, if you have a slight difference in heights and simply leveling the floor surface will be enough, and the thickness of the screed is the most large places does not exceed 10 - 12 mm, then take a ready-made self-leveling mixture for the floor, and strictly following the instructions, apply it to the floor. This is a cement-sand screed with fillers and plasticizers.

You can replace it by preparing a cement-sand mortar 1: 3, where 1 part of cement (preferably grade 500), which for a 15-liter bucket will be 5 kg, 3 parts of sand (preferably fine river sand) and add 50 - 80 g liquid soap, 80 - 100 g of the smallest polypropylene fiber and half a glass of dispersed PVA. Make the consistency the same as the thinnest store-bought sour cream. For this, 7-8 liters of water will be needed, depending on the moisture content of the sand, the properties of the cement, etc. Write down this composition. We will also need it for making a DIY floor screed with expanded clay and cement, which we will describe below in the form of detailed instructions.

Concrete based on crushed stone and other things on floor slabs, and even more so on wooden floors, we categorically do not recommend using it. They are called heavy. Their weight can be critical, because less than 5 cm such screeds do not work, and then, in most cases, self-leveling mixtures also need to be used on them.

If the difference in floor heights throughout the room is large enough, and (or) it is necessary to raise the floor level from 70 to 150 mm, then it is advisable to consider expanded clay and polystyrene foam screeds. Polystyrene concrete screeds are good because they significantly insulate the floor, but if this is not required, then expanded clay concrete screeds are usually used as the most inexpensive.

Preparatory work before performing expanded clay screed

Due to the fact that preparatory stage for the device of all cement screeds on the floors is almost the same, we put it in a separate small section, with which we will begin our step by step instructions on making screeds with expanded clay with your own hands.

First, you need to dismantle the old floor covering, repair (if necessary) the base, filling up the cracks that have formed, and filling up the voids that have formed.

Secondly, mark the floor level using a laser or water level, marking a horizontal line along the perimeter of the room on comfortable height. You can easily determine the level of the actual floor or the level of the screed from this line after the following stages of work. Yes, if you don’t really want to apply this line to the walls, in order to avoid their further repair, which is almost impossible when installing a screed, you can use metal pins with bright heads, stuck into the walls at a certain step along the laser line. With a water level, this method is extremely cumbersome.

Thirdly, waterproof the room using geomembrane sheets welded together or strips of dense polyethylene.

You can also use ready-made waterproofing mastic.

Fourth, stick damper tape around the perimeter to compensate for temperature fluctuations that are not very expected for such a floor, but possible. It needs to be glued so that the top edge is several centimeters above the level of the finished floor.

Fifth, stick on a wide masking tape and use a marker to mark the level of your screed, setting aside the required distance from the top level line.

At this point, preparation for installing a floor screed using expanded clay and cement (or another) can be considered complete.

Traditional expanded clay concrete screed

For it, a simple cement-sand mortar is used in a cement-sand ratio of 1: 3, or it is simply ordered in the form of a ready-made expanded clay concrete mixture at the factory, if it is available nearby, which will be economically feasible.

And if there is none, then...

The amount of expanded clay in this composition can be any, but if we are talking about lightweight concrete, then – maximum. It must be added until the liquid, creamy cement-sand-water mixture well envelops the expanded clay pellets.

Laying should be done either according to the beacons, or guided by the marks on the walls, if there is still a sufficient leveling layer on top.

The simplest do-it-yourself expanded clay screed with cement

The previous section may have broken our step-by-step instructions for constructing an expanded clay screed using cement, but it was necessary to understand that this method of its production can also be used. But with it it is extremely difficult to completely prevent leaks through the ceilings, and in terms of readiness time it is not very interesting.

But we will continue the instructions with a description of, in our opinion, a more technologically advanced method:

Sixthly, we make a calculation required quantity materials for our expanded clay screed. The calculation of the covering materials used before is simple, and comes down to two indicators - area and perimeter, so we did not describe it. Now we add height and bulk materials, which are most conveniently considered as volumetric quantities.

To do this, we calculate the average height of the screed by repeatedly measuring it in different places in the room with different levels the bottom point of the subfloor, adding the resulting values together and dividing the result by the number of measurements. Next, from the obtained result we will subtract 30 mm of the leveling lighthouse layer and obtain the height of the expanded clay layer, multiplying it by the floor area to obtain the total volume of expanded clay.

In our case, this will be the volume of the entire bottom layer of the entire screed, because it is used to fasten it cement mortar will be embedded in the expanded clay layer, and will not add any height or volume.

This is the appearance of the bottom layer of the expanded clay screed we offer.

Expanded clay should be purchased exclusively by volume, because depending on the quality and characteristics of the raw material - clay, the characteristics of the flow technological process and other factors, its weight can fluctuate greatly. You need to take the average fraction so that the solution penetrates well and there are no large voids between the pellets.

To calculate the cement-sand mortar, remember the composition proposed above. You can make some adjustments to it, namely: replace half of the cement with glue for ceramic tiles, which will promote water retention, and add 1.5 - 2 kg of slaked lime. At the same time, fiber may not be added to the bottom layer, which will hold the expanded clay together.

For 2 bags of expanded clay, approximately one 15-liter bucket of creamy solution will be needed. For this, in turn, 3 kg of cement and tile adhesive are used. Sand - according to the state of the solution. You need to fill it up after connecting all the components. This is the only way you will get the necessary consistency, which will penetrate the expanded clay layer by 2 - 3 cm and no more.

Reinforcement meshes are calculated by area, taking into account small overlaps.

Seventh, instead of traditional beacons, we offer lighthouse posts, which are quite simple to make, using any container, forming them according to the principle of children's sand beads, making a very thick solution. After shrinkage, it will be possible to adjust the level, which will be the level of the finished expanded clay cement screed.

The reinforcement above them is cut out in place.

Eighth, expanded clay is evenly scattered over the floor and leveled at a level 30 mm below the rule set according to the lighthouse posts.

It is convenient to work with 1 bag of expanded clay, it is easy to reach the farthest point and control the level.

Ninth, prepare the solution by taking 6 - 7 liters of water, pouring the above ingredients into it, and finally, adding water and adding sand, bring the amount to the full volume of a 15-liter bucket.

Pour the expanded clay gradually, leveling it with a spatula with slight vibration, so that the solution penetrates well and the expanded clay is wetted by 2-3 cm.

With this formation of expanded clay cement cake, you can safely walk on it after 15 - 20 hours, if there is room temperature. A traditional expanded clay concrete screed will allow this to be done no earlier than after 3 to 5 days, depending on the thickness.

Tenth, on the second day you can cut out and lay out the reinforced mesh, prepare a solution of the same composition, but with the addition of fiber, and thicker, and make beacons from it between the level posts.

They also use small bloopers to press down the mesh in places where it does not fit well to the expanded clay concrete base, but not higher general level top layer.

Eleventh, carefully prime the surface with a primer deep penetration. We suggest doing this using the most ordinary cheap sprayer, screwed onto plastic bottle. The layer should be thick enough.

Twelfth, after the cement beacons have dried, prepare a solution with the consistency of homemade sour cream

and screed the top layer 30 mm thick.

If you do this carefully enough, then this will be a ready-made base for laying the laminate, parquet board, fiberboard, and even more so - tiles.

If you have to lay linoleum or lay carpet, we would recommend additionally pouring a thin layer of self-leveling mixture onto the base.

The tiles can be laid the very next day, and coatings that are afraid of moisture can be laid in 5 days, after checking the humidity glass jar. It must be placed upside down on the screed. If after 10 - 12 hours moisture condenses on its walls, you need to wait a little longer, and if it is dry, feel free to apply the finishing coat.

Dear readers, if you have any questions, please ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you;)