This kind of screed is probably one of the best options. It is distinguished by its high strength, and by this indicator it clearly exceeds the screeds made with sand and cement. It is especially advisable to use this kind of screed in those cases when the floor level in the room needs to be raised. For example, install a shower tray, mount a warm floor system, or even simply flatten the surface of the floor.
Today I will tell you about how to perform floor screed with the use of expanded clay with your own hands.
Advantages of screed with expanded clay
- does not react to sudden temperature changes. Can be used in rooms with any temperature regime;
- is fireproof;
- expanded clay is an easy material. Therefore, such a screed does not create additional increased loads on the interfloor overlapping;
- is considerably cheaper than other leveling materials or mixtures( for example, self-leveling floors);
- helps to level out significant differences in height. Sometimes other means of this can be achieved or impossible, or extremely difficult( or economically impractical);
- simplicity of laying screed. For this, there is no need to resort to the services of specialists.
By the way, you need to take into account that there are situations when the floor screed with expanded clay is the only possible option. As already mentioned, slabs of interfloor overlap test additional load, if they make a screed. The value of this load depends on the thickness of the screed( that is, its mass).And all the plates are calculated for a certain strength. If you need a screed a few centimeters, then the weight of cement with sand will be appropriate. Therefore, claydite in such situations is the best solution.
Preparatory work
Floor surface marking
The highest point of the floor should be determined. It is on it and will need to navigate, making a screed. The best assistant in this matter is the laser level. But this is a tool for professionals and for household purposes to buy it is hardly worth it, given its cost. Therefore, at home, you need an ordinary building level.
Installation of beacons
First you need to set the so-called "beacon" at the highest point of the floor surface. On it and all the others will be leveled. How to strengthen such lighthouses, is solved on the spot. You can "grab" alabaster, you can mortar. The main thing is that they should stand firmly. For their alignment, in the absence of a laser level, a cord( twine, rope) is used. If the coupler is done simultaneously in adjacent rooms, the beacons are leveled at the same level( if there are no special conditions for some separate room).
It seems that there is no need to emphasize that the surface of the "opened" floor should be carefully prepared. In the first place, this concerns the closing of cracks, if such are found.
Screed device
There are several ways to arrange the screed. Let us dwell on the simplest, although it requires a little more time. However, even a person who is very far from construction issues can use it.
Prepared surface of the floor is covered with expanded clay( necessarily dry).We should mainly be interested in the question of the thickness of its layer. It should be taken into account that at the top point the thickness of the mortar is recommended to be 5-6 cm. Therefore, the claydite should be laid exactly in accordance with this condition. Naturally, in some place the claydite will lie more, in some less. The main thing is its "evenness" over the whole area of the room. This is controlled by beacons and lines, as well as by means of a level. The building level for more precise control lies on the expanded clay in different points of the room.
After leveling the claydite it needs to be poured with cement mortar. Its "density" is determined "by eye".The task: the diluted cement mortar must "grab" the upper layer of expanded clay. As a result, a film appears that isolates the entire stacked expanded clay. After applying the solution, the water should not escape through it. After this, you should wait until the cement "milk" will not dry out( about a day).
The last part of the job is to pour the coating solution( or another mixture).The lights can be removed, the cracks after them can be sealed. Everything, the coupler is ready. She had only to dry well.
