Expanded clay is a building material with a porous light structure, it is made of low-melting clay, subjected to firing in special furnaces. Expanded clay claydite having various fractions has gained sufficient distribution.
Benefits
Sand is most often used to create cement screeds, which provide not only surface leveling, but also floor insulation. Material is one of the constituent components of concrete mix. It is also used as a filler for hydroponic systems.
Fine-grained expanded clay sand is ideally suited for the production of masonry mortar, characterized by a high level of heat storage. It is made of natural material and does not contain impurities. The obtained granules are exposed to high temperatures, due to which they acquire characteristic features:
- ease;
- resistance to fire;
- water resistance;
- durability and strength;
- thermal insulation characteristics;
- resistance to frost.
Features
Expanded clay belongs to the category of bulk materials and is used along with crushed stone and gravel. It is optimally suited for the arrangement of the local area. Also, sand is indispensable in the design of flower beds and paths in summer cottages and in the role of drainage. It is not affected by temperatures, due to which it can be used to shelter the rhizomes of trees and strengthen structures of various types.
The porous structure of the material provides reliable adhesion to the solution and increases the strength of products, for example, concrete lightweight blocks. It is suitable for sealing voids, which is especially true in landscape design, and for soundproofing ceilings, floors and walls. Expanded clay sand (fraction 0-5 mm) is used in the arrangement of water supply and various pipeline systems.
Expanded clay acts as an excellent replacement for gravel and other materials with similar characteristics. In particular, it is used to create fillings, blind areas and pillows for garden paths. This provides not only cost savings, but also environmental friendliness, since the material is completely natural.
Quality
The main indicator of the quality of the porous filler is strength. This parameter is determined using a special technique, which consists in squeezing granules in a cylinder using a metal punch. In this way, a voltage value is determined which reflects the strength of the filler. But the technique is not without drawbacks, the main one is the effect of the voidness of the composition and shape of the granules on the strength indicators. This significantly distorts the data obtained, which makes it impossible to compare even identical porous aggregates if they were produced at different plants.
Before compressing the granules in the press, preliminary preparation is required to determine the degree of strength. It includes grinding of grains. Turning is performed from two sides to the formation of supporting parallel flat surfaces. The shape of the granules becomes barrel-shaped. With an increase in the number of test grains used, the accuracy of the average strength parameter increases.
Fields of application
The material has many positive aspects that have provided extensive application. Expanded clay gained the greatest distribution in the following areas:
- plant growing;
- water filtration;
- insulation of pipelines, roofs, walls and foundations;
- production of masonry mortar with a high coefficient of heat conservation;
- arrangement of dams, bridges and roads;
- manufacture of expanded clay blocks and lightweight concrete.
Dry expanded clay sand is actively used in the form of backfill for warming various objects, and it is also indispensable in hydroponics and agriculture. It is also often used by gardeners to drain plants.
Strong and at the same time porous structure ensures the durability and reliability of the products obtained. Sand has a fairly reasonable cost and is much cheaper than other similar materials, so it is common not only in landscape design, but also in the construction of various objects.
Arrangement of screed
Sand is filled from a far angle opposite the door. The level of the beacon should be 2-3 cm above the layer. Using a special tool, the backfill is periodically leveled. Next, the floor is covered with liquid cement and carefully compacted, this is necessary for a more dense adhesion of particles.
After 24 hours, the solution is poured in an even layer. Expanded clay screed dries in a few days. After the coating has set, it is necessary to remove the beacons and cover the gaps with the solution. The surface after complete drying is subjected to grinding.
The selected flooring is laid in two weeks. It can be parquet, linoleum or laminate.