Repair and arrangement of a dwelling is a long and labor-intensive process. Many residents of private houses are increasingly thinking about the insulation of their personal apartments. The choice of insulation is the first and important step towards the fulfillment of the task. Next, two materials used for such purposes will be presented. These are expanded clay and mineral wool.
Expanded clay - a profitable insulation
Expanded clay is called construction material used for insulation floor covering and for the purposes leveling uneven surfaces. A tool of a porous character is mined by the craftsmen by firing clay shale. Within half an hour, expanded clay at temperatures up to 1300 C o 2 acquires an oval shape.
Externally, the insulation is a bit like crushed stone and gravel. Specialists represent several types of expanded clay. Here are some of them:
- Expanded clay sand. Used to reduce the weight of concrete structures. A distinctive feature of building raw materials is small granules of sand.
- Gravel. The following type of expanded clay is used in several cases: to create lightweight concrete products and as a drainage for flowerpots. The material has rather large granules (up to 44 mm).
- Expanded clay crushed stone. An excellent and high-quality product is used as a filler for lightweight concrete. The presented raw materials are obtained by crushing expanded clay gravel.
Determining the type of building material is simple. Just look at the size of expanded clay granules. We should not forget about the positive qualities of this heater. The advantages of expanded clay are:
- Long service life. A floor covering created from a clay product is able to survive a typical nine-story house.
- High level of thermal conductivity. Expanded clay retains heat longer and better than other building resources. 10 times better than brick and 3 times better than wood.
- Low cost and light weight. Light weight allows you to insulate floors with expanded clay in small rooms without additional structures and special reinforcing frames.
- High strength. The presence of this quality expands the scope of clay raw materials. Expanded clay is used not only for floor insulation, but also for walls and even ceilings. Constant loads do not detract from its strength.
- Excellent sound insulation. This is a definite plus during the insulation of personal apartments in high-rise buildings.
- Easy installation. Laying insulation does not require long and multi-step preparatory work. It is enough to remove the old coating.
- Excellent frost resistance, heat, that is, resistant to temperature fluctuations. Resists fire well.
Low moisture resistance is the main and only minus of expanded clay. In the construction world, other types of insulation are widely used. For example, mineral wool.
Features of mineral wool
Mineral wool is a heat-insulating material created from fibers of mineral origin. A natural product is obtained by spraying basalt, stones or certain slag. The raw materials used for the manufacture of the material subdivide the mineral wool into certain types. In practice, experts use slag wool, glass wool and basalt product.
To create such a heater, sand, dolomite, broken glass, borax, soda and limestone are used. insulation yellow color has good compressibility and low thermal conductivity. Glass wool is used to construct cylinders, slabs or mats. Such products improve the thermal insulation qualities of a dwelling.
The material created from blast-furnace slag is famous for its high level of hygroscopicity, therefore it is not often used as a heater. An increased degree of acidity and low vibration resistance are the main disadvantages of such mineral wool.
The soft product is known for its incombustibility and vibration resistance. The strength and elasticity of the insulation depends on its density. Often, basalt wool is used for fire insulation in air ducts.
The main advantages of mineral wool should be mentioned. These include:
- High level of chemical and biological resistance. The mineral product is not affected by rodents, rats and other pests. Good moisture resistance protects mineral wool from fungus and mold.
- Fire safety. Resistance to high temperatures allows the use mineral wool for floor insulation and floors. Mineral wool does not spread fire in the event of a fire, but rather helps to extinguish it.
- Eco-friendly material is known for its long service life. Atmospheric surges and room humidity do not shorten the life of the product.
- Handles static loads well.
The disadvantages of mineral wool include the need to use protective gloves when working with raw materials, as well as the need to stock up on other materials when insulating surfaces with such a tool.
Comparison and subtleties of using popular materials
Expanded clay and mineral wool experts found common features. So, both materials are used as heaters for residential structures. Each resource has its positive and negative qualities. Both products are known for their long service life and resistance to temperature fluctuations. On the construction market there are different types mineral wool and expanded clay.
The differences concern manufacturing method resource data. The first is obtained by firing certain materials, the second by spraying specific raw materials. Expanded clay is famous simple installation, while mineral wool is better known for its chemical and biological resistance. The first material is the main insulation of floor and other coverings, the second is auxiliary.
It is recommended to choose a heater based on the dimensions of the residential structures and the area in need of this procedure. Excellent soundproofing properties make it possible to use expanded clay for small rooms in a multi-storey building. The same material is used during the insulation of the concrete floor. Spacious residential complexes can be insulated with expanded clay and mineral wool. Mineral wool is used to improve the thermal insulation of a balcony or attic. Suitable for external insulation and arrangement of ceilings and walls. Simple installation of expanded clay will allow you to lay the material yourself, without outside help.
As you know, full-fledged insulation of a private house is simply physically impossible without ceiling insulation: it is from there that the strongest wind pressure “blows”, cold air in winter and too hot in summer. For example, if you insulate the walls and do not do the same with the ceiling, all the work will go down the drain, as it will have absolutely no effect (all the heat will simply go “to the ceiling”).
The main types of insulation and their characteristics
Today on the market you can buy dozens of types of heaters
- mineral wool;
- Styrofoam;
- expanded clay;
- sawdust.
Benefits of mineral wool:
Mineral wool also has its drawbacks:
The cheapest of all types of ceiling insulation is, of course, the well-known foam plastic (and outbuildings are most often insulated with clay). Despite its cheapness and visually apparent fragility, this material is still worth considering as a heater: it has some important positive characteristics.
It is also important to add that polystyrene foam (this is the official name for polystyrene foam in the construction industry) is often used in conjunction with other thermal insulation materials(especially when it comes to ceilings - not only in the house, but also in the garage).
Styrofoam is one of the cheapest materials The advantages of foam as a heater include the following:
- this material is completely indifferent to moisture and can be used indoors with simply enormous levels of humidity (up to 99%);
- a priori, mold cannot form in it (and on it), since the material is completely resistant to fungi of various origins;
- cheapness (a ton of foam plastic does not even reach $ 100 in value - this amount is enough for the whole palace of Shaherizada, and not just for ordinary house, roofs, attics or roofs);
- lightness (practically does not carry additional load on the floors and foundation of the building);
- long service life;
- can withstand severe temperature fluctuations (from -65C° to +50C°), which makes it possible to use it both in the Far North and in the southern regions of Russia.
Of course, expanded polystyrene also has its drawbacks:
- minimum mechanical strength (the smallest force is enough to pierce the foam or deform it - everyone knows this from infancy for sure);
- polystyrene foam has an air permeability coefficient of 10% - this is negligible (the material practically does not let air through - it will be cool in the room in winter and quite hot in the warm season, and this is not very good);
- easily destroyed under the influence of furniture varnish and paints produced on the basis of nitroglycerin (modern facade paints contain it in in large numbers, except for oil and epoxy).
In general, we can conclude that the foam is extremely cheap material, which is easy to mount with your own hands, but still not an effective enough insulation (especially for houses made of foam blocks).
For a temporary home, it is suitable (cottage, for example), but for a permanent one, it’s better not to use it anyway (technology often simply doesn’t allow it).
Table with the characteristics of some types of insulation
Among the advantages this material one can single out an extremely low coefficient of thermal conductivity, ease of installation, high soundproofing and noise-absorbing properties. By the way, noise and sound are completely different things, although many do not understand this (and building materials manufacturers classify them differently).
Expanded clay is divided into several types, depending on the size of the fractions Expanded clay also has disadvantages: a porous structure and extreme fragility (a particle of expanded clay can be crushed into powder literally by pressing the little fingers of both hands).
The process of insulating the ceiling with expanded clay
Sawdust as a heater has been used for a very long time. Strictly speaking, they have only 2 main advantages: cheapness and good thermal insulation properties. In simple terms, we can say the following: to insulate the ceiling with sawdust is a more correct solution when compared with expanded clay, however, in terms of their technical qualities, they are noticeably inferior to polystyrene foam and mineral wool. Sawdust just like that, from the bay-floundering, cannot be used in any case.
They must meet the following criteria:
Methods for installing insulation
Insulation from above (from the attic)
External insulation of the ceiling (in the absence of a concrete balcony) is a more preferable option, since it is corny easier to install from the attic area. Some people prefer to insulate the ceiling both from the attic and from the inside, believing that it would be better this way.
In fact, it is enough to carry out insulation only from above, everything else is superfluous. Yes, and from a technical point of view, an additional layer internal thermal insulation will give nothing: the level of thermal conductivity will be approximately the same. However, here everything is decided by the owner of the house. The work is carried out in several stages:
If you use mineral wool as a heater, you must definitely build metal carcass under the screed - so it's better to get by with one foam plastic (in last resort- foam or expanded polystyrene).
Warming outside
Internal insulation of the ceiling is a somewhat more complicated task. You will have to do the following in sequence:
As an example, consider the insulation of the ceiling in a house with a wooden beamed roof (such houses in Russia are most common). Default: climate - temperate, insulation - mineral wool.
mineral wool for wooden house is the best option for the simple reason that it does not chemically interact with wood. And even though its structure itself is cellular, porous, insects will certainly not be able to get into it, which is very, very important for a house made of wood.
Ceiling insulation scheme in frame private houses It is necessary to perform the following steps for warming:
- Using a stapler, you need to fix a plastic film to the beams in order to completely block the access of moisture. The overlap of the canvases is mandatory: it must be at least 10 centimeters.
- A crate is being made (under the skin PVC panels). For such panels, small enough wooden slats(beam size 50 * 50 millimeters). They need to be nailed in increments of 60 centimeters. A cut board may also work.
- The lumber gap is filled with mineral wool (you can also use ecowool).
- A second layer of polyethylene film is laid (again, using a stapler).
- PVC panels are sewn from below.
Features of ceiling insulation in a wooden house
Wooden houses are always insulated using the same technology. Actually, there are not so many features themselves:
Insulation with sprayed heat insulator
By the way, more recently, an innovative sprayable heat insulator based on polyurethane foam (PPU) has also appeared on sale. While it has not yet become popular among domestic homeowners, however, this material has good positive characteristics:
True, the spray device itself must have a power of at least 380 W, the compressor capacity must be at least 700 liters per hour. Such equipment is usually rented rather than bought for a single use. However, sprayed thermal insulation also has its significant disadvantages, according to the statements of many builders.
Among them, the following can be distinguished: a rather high cost, polyurethane foam has a low fire resistance class (in the event of a serious fire, the house will blaze like a match is the most significant drawback).
After drying, the sprayed heat insulator acquires a fibrous structure Special impregnation can be added to the heat insulator to reduce flammability, but PPU will not foam so much. In general, all this needs to be decided independently, here both the pros and cons are approximately equal.
Video
You can watch a video on how to properly insulate the ceiling in a private house
No matter how modern and powerful the heating system is, without high-quality reliable thermal insulation, its efficiency is minimized due to large heat loss. Expanded clay and mineral wool are most often used to insulate walls, roofs, floors or floors of residential buildings. It is impossible to categorically say which of the materials is better. Both heat insulators have their positive and negative sides. Their heat-saving function depends not only on physical and technical indicators, but also on compliance with the rules for installing thermal insulation.
General requirements for heaters
During the construction of buildings, thermal insulation of walls, ceilings and floors is mandatory, using heaters from special building materials - polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, expanded clay, mineral wool. They are characterized by low thermal conductivity, light weight and low price. Thermal insulation materials also have a noise-protective effect. They must answer mandatory requirements A: environmental safety and fire resistance.
What is expanded clay
Expanded clay is a loose, porous, fairly light building material. The main difference between expanded clay and other similar building materials is the use of special types of clay with a content of about 30% quartz as the basis.
Expanded clay is obtained by firing fusible clay rocks that can quickly swell when heated to 1050-1300C for 30-40 minutes. As a result of thermal shock, rounded granules with a melted surface are formed.
It can be said that expanded clay appeared due to defective clay bricks, when burned, sedimentary clay rocks swell. The release of gas and the transition of clay rock into a pyroplastic state during heat treatment is taken as the basis for the production of expanded clay. Most often, expanded clay is used to fill concrete structures and thermal insulation of the foundation, ceiling, roof.
What are the types of expanded clay
Depending on the size and shape of the granules, there are:
- Expanded clay gravel. Granules are oblong.
- Expanded clay gravel. Granules in the form of cubes with sharp corners.
- Expanded clay sand. Small granules, less than 5 mm in size.
The quality of expanded clay is affected by the size of the granules, bulk density, bulk density, porosity, strength. The porosity of expanded clay can be of different structures, its insulating properties depend on it. The more pores, the higher the heat-saving function of expanded clay. Outside, the granules are, as a rule, brown in color, on the fault - black.
Depending on the size of the grains, expanded clay is divided into fractions. According to GOST 9757-90, the following expanded clay fractions are distinguished: 5-10, 10-20 and 20-40 mm. Material with granules less than 5 mm refers to expanded clay sand.
Performance characteristics of expanded clay
Thermal conductivity
High thermal insulation ability. The heat-saving properties of the material depend on the type of processing. Even a small expanded clay layer under the floor significantly increases the level of thermal insulation. The thermal protection of a layer of expanded clay with a thickness of 100 mm is the same as 250 mm of wood.
Weight
Due to its lightness, expanded clay insulation is used at all stages of the construction process. The weight of one cubic meter of expanded clay reaches 250 kg.
Sound protection
Expanded clay is characterized by a high degree of soundproofing. The soundproofing properties of expanded clay are important in housing construction.
Strength and durability
Thanks to "hardening", as a result of clay firing and the formation of a strong sintered shell, the material becomes chemically inert, resistant to mechanical damage and temperature effects (frost resistance, at least 25 cycles).
It is not subject to rotting, damage by rodents and damage by fungus, mold.
Flowability
Expanded clay fill spaces of any volumes and geometric shapes.
Environmental Safety
Expanded clay completely natural material. Does not contain toxic impurities.
Water resistance
Expanded clay is not susceptible to moisture. The water absorption of the material is 8–20%. Any insulation needs protection from moisture and vapor barrier. But even if moisture gets into the expanded clay layer, its granules act as drainage, thanks to ventilated gaps. And the moisture gradually evaporates.
Affordable price
The material is relatively inexpensive. For example, one cubic meter of expanded clay gravel (fraction 10-20) can be bought for 1450 rubles, the price with delivery is 1500 rubles. Expanded clay is sold both in bulk and packaged in bags.
Physical and technical characteristics of expanded clay
Bulk density
Expanded clay is assigned different grades depending on the bulk bulk density. The total number of expanded clay grades varies from 250 to 800, the grade number indicates the bulk density of the material.
For example, expanded clay gravel 250 has a bulk density of 250 kg/m3. An analysis to determine the bulk density by fractions is carried out by pouring expanded clay into measuring containers. The finer the granules, the greater the bulk density.
moisture absorption
This indicator expresses a percentage ratio to the weight of dry filler. Unlike other fillers, expanded clay is protected from moisture penetration inside due to the presence of a burnt crust. The correlation coefficient of high-quality expanded clay is not lower than 0.46. Defective material has a low porosity of the granules, which greatly increases the ability to absorb and retain moisture.
Ability to deform
The deformation coefficient is determined by the porous structure of the material. As a rule, after the first test cycle, the vast majority of material samples show a reliable shrinkage result. Permissible value of the deformation coefficient is not more than 0.14 mm/m.
Thermal conductivity
The glassy phase of production has a great influence on the thermal insulation properties of expanded clay. The higher the glass content, the lower the thermal conductivity of the material. Expanded clay good quality has a thermal conductivity index of 0.07-0.16 W / m, which allows you to save up to 80% of heat.
Method for the production of expanded clay
Clay shale is fired in metal furnaces in the form of drums with a diameter of 2-5 m and a length of up to 70 m. The drums are located at an angle of inclination. Oil shale granules are poured into the upper part of the furnace, they go down the drum, where the nozzle for fuel combustion is located. The firing time of the pellets in the oven is 45 minutes.
There are double-drum furnaces, in which the drums are separated by a threshold and rotate with different speed. In such furnaces, it is possible to process lower-quality raw materials and obtain expanded clay or gravel at the output, which is not inferior to the material obtained in single-drum furnaces.
Where is expanded clay used
- Economical bulk insulation for walls, floors, building floors, basements, pitched roofs, as well as for the arrangement of heat and water supply networks. Expanded clay gravel of good quality reduces the heat loss of the building by 70-80%.
- Filler for lightweight concrete (expanded concrete). Production of blocks from expanded clay concrete.
- Decorative material and at the same time a heat insulator for soil and lawns.
- Drainage material and heat insulator for earthen road embankments in areas of water-saturated soil.
Ways to insulate the floor with expanded clay
IN modern construction exist different ways underfloor devices. One of the most frequently used is a floor screed with expanded clay, which is performed both dry and wet.
wet way
The use of expanded clay as a filler for concrete mortar gives strength to the structure. As a result of the penetration of the solution into the porous structure of the granules, the adhesion force of concrete increases.
How to calculate expanded clay consumption
The calculation of expanded clay for floor screed is carried out taking into account the required thickness of the heat-insulating layer. Before you buy expanded clay and other screed materials, you need to calculate their quantity.
Usually the following proportion is adhered to: for 1 sq.m of a 30 mm thick screed, 17 kg of cement and 50 kg of sand will be required. The consumption of expanded clay depends on the thickness of the insulation layer and the fraction of the material and is approximately one bag of 50 kg, which is enough for a 4-5 m2 screed.
Calculation of expanded clay for a warm floor
The use of expanded clay allows you to spend more economically concrete mortar. Laying a "warm floor" has its own characteristics, since the concrete-claydite coating experiences not only mechanical loads, but also temperature effects. In this case, the proportional content of cement and sand will be 1:2.
The amount of expanded clay depends on the thickness of the thermal insulation layer, for example, with a layer thickness of 10 mm, 0.01 m3 of material per 1 m2 is required. It is difficult to calculate the exact consumption of expanded clay in advance, often the required amount of material is determined empirically in the process construction works. A plasticizer is added to the concrete mixture for a "warm floor" at the rate of 150-200 ml per 1 m2.
The procedure for laying expanded clay
Thermal insulation with expanded clay requires strict adherence to technology.
The procedure for insulation with expanded clay:
- Clear the floor. If the floor is made of wood, then remove all structures except for the fixing beams.
- Set beacons around the perimeter of the room, maintaining a small gap from the wall.
- Cover the surface with a layer of sand 100 mm thick and compact.
- Pour expanded clay on top of the sand layer. The minimum thickness of the expanded clay layer must be at least 150 mm. It is determined taking into account the load on the floor.
- Level the surface of the expanded clay layer along the beacons with a fishing line.
- Cover with a waterproofing film to protect the expanded clay insulation from moisture penetration.
- Pour concrete solution. Laying concrete requires care so as not to disturb the level of expanded clay. Within 3-4 weeks, the floor is regularly moistened with water to avoid cracks.
Dry way
A feature of the dry screed technology is that no concrete mixture is used. The design consumption of expanded clay is 0.01 m3 per square meter floor with a layer thickness of 10 mm. However, the calculation of expanded clay for dry screed is done for a layer thickness of 30-40 mm, which means that at least 0.03-0.04 m3 of material will be required per 1 m2 of area.
In practice, the consumption of expanded clay may differ slightly from the calculated due to different reasons: floor slope, change in the area of the screed after the installation of beacons, etc.
Insulation of the floor of a country house with expanded clay
The country house can be insulated with expanded clay. The insulation layer should be at least 30 cm. When laying expanded clay directly on the ground, the floor will be cold. A more efficient method of double flooring. A draft floor is attached to the beams from tightly fitted boards without slots. The flooring is covered with thin durable paper - glassine, which is used instead of roofing paper. Expanded clay is poured from above to the level of the middle of the beam. Then the finished floor is laid.
Insulation requires protection from moisture, which is formed both inside the house and penetrating from the external environment. For this, waterproofing membranes are used.
What is mineral wool
Mineral wool is one of the most common heat insulators, which has been used in various types of insulation. Mineral wool is a soft coarse-fiber building material. Mineral wool insulation is produced from waste metal and carbon alloys of minerals.
Mineral wool is widely in demand in construction, due to its durability, simple and quick installation, fire resistance. The disadvantage of this insulation is reduced moisture resistance. To protect against dampness, the material is impregnated with special compounds.
Such property of mineral wool as air permeability is especially appreciated. Due to the ability to "breathe", mineral wool is often used for insulation. wooden houses. Release form of mineral wool insulation: plates, rolls, mats of various lengths and thicknesses. The choice of the size of the plates depends on the conditions of the thermal insulation installation and the tasks ahead.
For summer houses the dimensions of the heater will be smaller. So for the shield country house 50 mm thick sheets are required. Year-round houses need more thorough insulation, in this case required thickness layer of mineral wool reaches 200 mm.
Performance characteristics of mineral wool
- Mineral wool is a refractory material.
- Provides a high degree of sound insulation, which is especially important in residential buildings with thin walls.
- Not subject to deformation from exposure to high and low temperatures.
- Acceptable price. The cost of the material depends on the form of release and size. For example, a set of mineral wool in rolls based on fiberglass for thermal and sound insulation various designs of two mats measuring 8200x1220x50 mm costs 1,375.00 rubles.
Disadvantages of mineral wool insulation: the material is fragile and non-moisture resistant. Mineral wool cannot be called an environmentally friendly insulation. Its particles, when inhaled, have a harmful effect on the human body.
These shortcomings are neutralized with proper handling of the material and compliance with the technology of thermal insulation installation.
Thermal insulation of the floor with mineral wool along the logs
One of the ways to insulate the floor is laying on the logs.
Floor insulation along the logs is carried out on the ground. Underground space with this method will be cold. If the house is brick, then it is necessary to insulate the foundation of the house. This is due to the high thermal conductivity of the brick and the possibility of the formation of cold bridges. Thermal insulation by the method of lags is more often carried out in wooden houses, since wood has a lower thermal conductivity.
Modern insulation materials are very effective. But sometimes their use leads to freezing of the plinth in wooden buildings. Such a reverse effect is associated with the high tightness of modern heat insulators and an obstacle to heating. underground space from the warmth of the house. Therefore, when insulating a wooden house modern materials basement insulation is also required.
The order of floor insulation by lags
- Soil compaction.
- Laying a layer of crushed stone, bonded bituminous mastic. Bitumen is used for waterproofing.
- Installation of brick columns with a longitudinal interval of 2 m and a transverse interval of 60 cm.
- Pole waterproofing.
- Laying wooden lag with a section of 100x50 mm, which is sufficient to withstand the load on the floor.
- Fixation of a windproof layer at the bottom of each log. First, a metal mesh is fixed, and a wind-protective film is attached to it. This is necessary so that the insulation layer does not scatter under the action of air currents under the floor of the house. This film is vapor permeable.
- Laying mineral wool insulation on the film between the lags. Mineral slabs with a windproof coating are now being produced. In this case, a metal mesh and a film are not required.
- Covering the insulation with a layer of vapor barrier.
- Sealing joints between sheets.
- Plank flooring.
If the floor is wooden concrete base, then remove the boards and everything under them and clear concrete surface. If the boards are in good condition and it is planned to re-lay them after insulation, then note the order of their location and carefully remove them.
Then spread the waterproofing film. Logs with a section of 50x50 mm are laid on top at a distance of 50 cm from each other. A heater is placed between the lags. From above, a vapor barrier film laid with an overlap is fastened with small slats. The final stage: finishing flooring.
When insulating the floor with mineral wool, it should be borne in mind that the height of the floor will rise by approximately 50 mm.
Attic insulation with mineral wool
So that the attic is not empty, it can be insulated and turned into an additional attic room or a closet. For thermal insulation of the attic are used:
- Organic derivatives (polyurethane foam).
- mineral wool materials.
- Bulk dry insulation (expanded clay).
For high-quality thermal insulation of the attic, all three types of materials are used and combined.
Mineral wool is well suited for insulating all surfaces of the attic: floors, walls and roofs. Insulation of the attic with mineral wool requires the additional use of an external wind- and hydro-insulating polymer film. It is desirable to process the metal surface of the roof oil paint to prevent condensation in the cold season.
Mineral wool has a loose structure, it passes steam well, therefore, with inside the insulation is covered with a vapor barrier layer of polyethylene foil.
Mineral wool is used in the form of rolls and mats. Seams between fragments insulation is carefully sealed with metallized adhesive tape.
Mineral wool is placed between roof rafters, and on the floor - between the lags of the supporting structures. At thermal insulation works it is important to take into account the increase in the load on supporting pillars due to the weight of the heater.
Therefore, before starting insulation measures in the attic, you should make sure that the supporting structures and the roof itself are strong, and, if necessary, replace obsolete worn parts.
Thermal insulation of the attic with expanded clay
Expanded clay is an excellent material for warming the attic. A dry, loose expanded clay layer creates a well-ventilated space and retains heat at the same time. Expanded clay is usually used for attic floor insulation, and in some cases for thermal insulation of gables and the roof itself.
The loose claydite layer passes moisture and air well, and therefore a wind- and moisture-proof polymer layer is needed outside. It is recommended to leave a small ventilated gap between the roof and the expanded clay layer to allow moisture vapor to escape.
From the inside, the expanded clay layer needs vapor barrier protection. Backfilling of expanded clay is carried out in special frame. This hides part of the space inside the attic. A special box is made on the floor, expanded clay is poured into it, and wooden or tiled flooring is laid on top.
Often, expanded clay thermal insulation is supplemented with mineral wool or polyurethane foam, especially in the area of \u200b\u200bpipes where ventilation is most required. Expanded clay is poured into these places and carefully closed on all sides with moisture and windproof membranes.
So what is better: mineral wool or expanded clay?
Thermal insulation of buildings with mineral wool and expanded clay is considered the most common due to several factors: a relatively inexpensive price, a fairly simple installation process and quite a decent quality of insulation.
The choice of one or another insulation depends on the specific conditions of construction, financial and technical capabilities. In addition, expanded clay and mineral wool perfectly complement each other and are often used in a combined version. Expanded clay and mineral wool are time-tested materials that have become traditional in construction. And it seems that in the foreseeable future they are not going to give up their positions.
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Most residential, commercial and industrial buildings need insulation of walls, floors and ceilings. The issue of insulation is usually decided at the construction stage. And here you have to choose suitable material, which will minimize heat loss, and, as a result, reduce the cost of space heating.
Insulation is chosen according to the following criteria: low thermal conductivity, environmental friendliness, fire resistance, high sound insulation qualities, low weight, ease of installation and reasonable cost.
Expanded clay and mineral wool - building insulation that have all of the above useful features. They are almost equally in demand among consumers.
To make the final choice between these two materials, it is worth familiarizing yourself with their characteristics in more detail. What are the advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay / mineral wool?
Expanded clay - clay material with porous structure. Expanded clay is obtained in the process of firing puffy clay with high temperatures Oh. The final material resulting from the processing of clay is expanded stones of oval shape and small size. Expanded clay is used separately as a heater or moisture absorber, and in the form of expanded clay concrete blocks it is used in the construction of structures.
Advantages of expanded clay:- Moisture resistant - does not become unusable from exposure to moisture;
- Eco-friendly - the completely natural origin of expanded clay makes it completely safe for health.
- Fragility is the main disadvantage of expanded clay, which, however, is not a problem when handling expanded clay gravel or expanded clay concrete blocks with care. Violation of the integrity of the granules does not lead to complete deterioration of this building material, but lowers its practical qualities.
Mineral wool - fibrous slabs made from molten metal, slag or rocks. Depending on the purpose, cotton wool can vary in length, thickness and arrangement of fibers. It is used for the purpose of sound and heat insulation, as well as to protect any mechanisms, devices from exposure to high temperatures and aggressive chemicals.
Advantages of mineral wool:- Ease of installation. Mineral wool sheets have a slight thickness and are suitable for insulation and insulation in a limited space;
- High resistance to high temperatures, fire, chemicals;
- Moisture permeability - susceptible to the negative effects of moisture.
- Not safe enough for people and animals.
What is better to choose?
Expanded clay and mineral wool have similar characteristics of heat and sound protection, but differ in different environmental safety. If you want to completely eliminate any harmful effect of the material on your home and outbuildings, choose expanded clay insulation.
First, let's figure out why. You can insulate walls, floors and roofs. Now consider the characteristics of the materials between which you have to make a choice. We are primarily interested in thermal conductivity, for expanded clay its coefficient is 0.1, but for mineral wool it is only 0.04. Consequently, the latter will release much less heat to the outside than the former, with the same thickness of thermal insulation. And now the second important factor is weight. What is better, expanded clay or mineral wool weighing up to 250 kilograms per cubic meter, the mass of which is no more than 30 kilos for the same cubic meter?
The friability of expanded clay depends on the size of the granules, which can have a diameter of less than 5 millimeters (sand) and up to 20-40 millimeters, and coarse-grained material is cheaper.
But it is still premature to draw conclusions. Let's say a 5-centimeter layer of mineral wool is enough to insulate the floor. Accordingly, expanded clay will need to be poured 12 centimeters. Even if it weighs 8 times more than fibrous insulation, it is unlikely that expanded clay granules will require an increase in the bearing capacity of walls and foundations. We make a low box for the entire floor area, fill it with expanded clay, close it with a vapor barrier, and full order. It should also be taken into account that the smallest particles of mineral wool, getting into the lungs, can lead to serious diseases, and clay is an environmentally friendly product.
How to replace expanded clay, are there any analogues?
If it seems to you that for your purposes, namely, for bulk thermal insulation, it is too heavy, you can turn to other porous and swollen backfills. In particular, an analogue of expanded clay, similar in properties, is agloporite, a kind of pumice stone with a glass-like structure. This filler is made from low-melting clays mixed with a mixture of waste from coal mining and shale mining, as well as with ash and slag from thermal power plant furnaces. However, the environmental friendliness of this material is questionable. Another alternative to expanded clay is expanded perlite, its moisture absorption is even lower than that of expanded clay, only 3-5%, but the thermal conductivity coefficient is only 0.04, like that of mineral wool.
Most best option than to replace expanded clay - expanded vermiculite. This is an environmentally friendly material produced from a rock belonging to the group of hydromica (remember the mica plates that were inserted into the windows in Rus'). For comparison, the thermal conductivity coefficient of expanded clay corresponds to 0.1, and that of vermiculite is 0.08, which is 2 times lower than that of mineral wool.. Volume weight cubic meter of expanded vermiculite is 100 kilograms, which is relatively small. The use of this material will result in a thinner layer of backfill, less load on the floor and will be a completely acceptable basis for the screed.
Why is expanded clay harmful, and isn't it better to use polystyrene?
Often warnings appear on the Internet that, along with materials like mineral wool, which is rather unhealthy, but has wonderful properties as a heater, expanded clay also poses a danger. What supposedly after a certain incubation period swollen granules begin to release substances harmful to health. Is it so? First of all, let's turn to the original source, by which we mean not the manufacturer, but the raw material. Ordinary red clay, capable of swelling under the influence of high temperatures. So why is expanded clay, which is a material related to brick, harmful? There is no specific information about the toxins allegedly emitted by him.
Another thing, if you choose, lay foam or expanded clay as a heater. Anyone requires moisture protection along with a vapor barrier. However, if it suddenly happens that dampness penetrates the thickness of the expanded clay layer, in the presence of a ventilated gap, its granules will work as a kind of drainage, and then the moisture will evaporate. Styrofoam, on the other hand, tends to rot in a damp environment, literally in a year it turns black, mold can develop on it. And, what is most unpleasant, if a fire suddenly occurs (which we would not want), expanded clay, like a brick, will not react to it in any way, but the foam plastic will begin to release very caustic and harmful substances.
