Expanded clay screed

Smooth and warm floors are very important in every home. To do this, you need to make a durable and high-quality screed. Expanded clay screed is one of the best choices among the same methods of leveling. This screed is made of expanded clay and cement. Expanded clay is a mixture in the form of granules, which is produced from fired clay. Ultimately, the foundation has a huge number of advantages. In our article, we will consider in more detail all the pros and cons of this type of screed, what it consists of, in what proportions the solution is mixed, as well as the technology for its implementation.

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Main characteristics

Expanded clay screed makes the floor warm and with a soundproofing effect. It helps to correct all the errors and inaccuracies of the coating. It does not allow moisture and air to pass, and also has an increased strength.

Important! The main quality of expanded clay is lightness, which significantly reduces the weight of the load on the floors in apartment buildings.

The use of this type of screed has both advantages and disadvantages.

Benefits:

• High strength.
• Durable
• Does not rust.
• It does not rot.
• Moisture resistant.
• Fire resistant.
• Light weight.
• Good heat and sound insulation
• Environmentally friendly.
• Resistant to chemicals and aggressive environments.

Important! With this building material you can create a solid foundation for any type of flooring.

disadvantages

Expanded clay screed has some disadvantages:

• To achieve a smoother surface, grinding is necessary.
• The thickness of the finished floor will be increased.

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Screed composition

In the manufacture, it is necessary to correctly calculate the proportions of expanded clay for screed. When using granules of small and medium fractions, a good screed is obtained. A correctly selected fraction gives thickness, optimal weight and good distribution in the mixture.

Ceramsite concrete composition:

• Moist expanded clay. Granules moistened with water are better distributed in the solution.
• River sand that is free from impurities.
• Cement. May be added in different quantities by weight and be of different grades.

Important! The strength of the screed is regulated using different weights of cement. Sand gives the desired plasticity, and if it is not in the composition, the screed will crack.

Proportions for screed

The composition used may vary depending on the plane being processed.

The most popular proportions of expanded clay for screed are:

• 3 shares of sand-cement mixture.
• 2.5 fractions of expanded clay.

Important! This solution is used to perform work in public buildings.

If you plan to perform screed in a living room, then use the following proportions:

• Cement - 1 part.
• Sand - 3 parts.
• Expanded clay - 4 parts.

Important! Accurately measure the weight of each component to achieve a good end result.

Cooking process:

1. Pour expanded clay into the prepared container.
2. Add water. Its level should be a couple of centimeters higher than the expanded clay layer.
3. Mix everything with a construction mixer and let the expanded clay soak in water.
4. Drain excess water.
5. Mix cement and sand separately.
6. Add a mixture of sand and concrete to the expanded clay tank.
7. Pour in water to make the solution plastic and mix.
8. Expanded clay should become the same color as cement.

Important! For a screed with a height of 5 cm from expanded clay concrete, about 55 kg of the finished mixture per 1 sq. m

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Methods for laying screed

Expanded clay-cement screed has a laborious installation, but the process itself is simple. A person who has some skills in this work will be able to independently carry out it.

Necessary tools and materials:

• Puncher for removing old screed.
• Steel spatulas in different sizes.
• Roller.
• Set of trowels.
• Container for mixing the mixture.
• The rule.
• Steel profiles.
• Paint brush.
• Construction level.
• Hammer.
• Helmet.
• Gloves.
• Glasses.
• Gauze bandage.
• Shovel.
• Expanded clay.
• Sand.
• Cement.
• Concrete primer.
• Silicone sealant.
• Finishing solution for leveling.

Important! During the installation of the base for flooring, it is necessary to cover all the elements in the room with plastic wrap to protect them from dust.

Preparatory work

In order for the expanded clay screed to be completed efficiently, it is necessary to carefully prepare the surface.

The sequence of this work is as follows:

1. Free the room from all items that could be damaged.
2. Remove and remove old flooring.
3. Remove the previous concrete screed.
4. Remove debris from slots.
5. Treat all cracks with a primer, coat with a mixture of cement.
6. Apply silicone sealant to crevices.
7. After the sealant has hardened, apply putty on top.
8. Clean casing holes as well.
9. Fill holes with heat-resistant sealant and putty on top.
10. Primer the entire surface.
11. Let it dry completely. This will require a minimum of 24 hours.

Mark breakdown

This operation is necessary so that the expanded clay concrete composition lays down without errors, exactly.

Sequencing:

1. Identify the highest surface areas using a level.
2. Installation of beacons is carried out on this site using steel profiles. Attach steel profiles with cement mortar to the base plate.
3. Set all profiles in rows at a distance of about 70 cm from each other.
4. Check the evenness of the beacons after fixing the last profile.

The markup is ready.

Types of screeds:

• Wet First you need to prepare a solution, and then the floor is filled with expanded clay concrete, then you need to level it between the beacons as a rule. The application of the wet method is perfect for thick screed.

Important! The main feature of this method of screeding is that the entire surface may not be perfectly smooth.

• Combined. The installation is carried out in two stages. On the first - the floor is leveled with dry expanded clay. Its level should be below the level of the subfloor by 2 cm. On the second - the material is poured with a cement mixture, which is made without an admixture of expanded clay. This method is used if it is necessary to make a screed more than 15 cm thick.

Important! You can walk on the screed made in this way after 2 days, but it will completely dry out only within 2-3 weeks.

• Dry. In this type of screed, only expanded clay is used. It is poured into the cells from the bars and carefully leveled. The height of the layer should be no more than 5 cm. Then the finished layer is covered with plasterboard or plywood sheets. From above the surface is poured with a leveling layer of concrete screed.

Important! This option is perfect for those who do not have much construction experience.

Regardless of the styling method you choose, you need to pull out the beacons in two days. Their location must be filled with cement mortar.

How long does it take to dry?

• Expanded clay screed produced by the wet method must be watered during drying and covered with a plastic film to prevent cracking. Laying of the final floor can be done 2 weeks after pouring. It will completely dry out after about 4 weeks.
• A screed made in a combined way dries faster because a smaller layer of concrete is used. The floor is covered with a film for a day, then the beacons are removed and the surface is moistened with water. After about a week, you can grind it and cover it with a fine floor covering. Completely such a screed will dry in 2 weeks.
• Expanded clay screed in a dry way does not take much time. It is only necessary to wait until the concrete leveling screed has dried.

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Stock footage

Expanded clay screed facilitates the load on the floors, so it can be used in any houses. It has a huge number of advantages, which we examined above. The quality of the final coating result is affected by both the proportions and the brand of materials that are used for this. Use only good expanded clay and quality materials. Follow all technologies - both the preparation of the mortar and the styling process.