Ceiling insulation in a private house: mineral wool, polystyrene foam, expanded clay, sawdust and their installation. Expanded clay or mineral wool, what to choose as insulation? What is better to insulate with mineral wool or expanded clay?

No matter how modern and powerful the heating system is, without high-quality reliable thermal insulation its effectiveness is reduced to a minimum due to large heat loss. Expanded clay and mineral wool most often used for insulating walls, roofs, floors or ceilings of residential buildings. It is impossible to say categorically which material 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 insulation

During the construction of buildings, it is mandatory to insulate walls, ceilings and floors using insulation from special building materials - expanded polystyrene, polystyrene foam, expanded clay, mineral wool. They are characterized by low thermal conductivity, light weight and low price. Thermal insulating materials also have a noise-protective effect. They must answer mandatory requirements: environmental safety and fire resistance.

What is expanded clay

Expanded clay – free-flowing, porous, sufficient lightweight construction material. The main difference between expanded clay and other similar building materials is the use of special types of clay containing about 30% quartz as a base.

Expanded clay is produced by firing low-melting clay rocks that can quickly swell when heated to 1050-1300C for 30-40 minutes. As a result of thermal shock, round granules with a melted surface are formed.

We can say that expanded clay appeared thanks 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 types of expanded clay are there?

Depending on the size and shape of the granules, they are distinguished:

1. Expanded clay gravel. Oblong granules.
2. Expanded clay crushed stone. Granules in the form of cubes with sharp corners.
3. 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, and strength. The porosity of expanded clay can be different structures, its insulating properties depend on this. The more pores, the higher the heat-saving function of expanded clay. On the outside, the granules are usually brown in color, but on the break they are black.

Depending on the size of the grains, expanded clay is divided into fractions. According to GOST 9757-90, the following fractions of expanded clay are distinguished: 5-10, 10-20 and 20-40 mm. Material with granules smaller than 5 mm is classified as 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 100 mm thick expanded clay layer is the same as a 250 mm thick layer of wood.

Weight

Due to its lightness, expanded clay insulation is used at all stages 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 have important in housing construction.

Strength and Durability

Thanks to “hardening”, as a result of firing the clay and forming 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 susceptible to rotting, damage by rodents and damage by fungus and mold.

Flowability

Expanded clay is used to fill spaces of any volume and geometric shape.

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 when moisture gets into the expanded clay layer, its granules act as drainage, thanks to the 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 1,450 rubles, the price with delivery is 1,500 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 various brands depending on the size of the bulk volumetric mass. Total Expanded clay grades vary 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. Analysis to determine bulk density by fraction is carried out by pouring expanded clay into measuring containers. The smaller the granules, the greater the bulk density.

Moisture absorption

This indicator expresses the percentage of dry filler weight. 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. The defective material has low granule porosity, which significantly increases the ability to absorb and retain moisture.

Deformability

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. The permissible value of the deformation coefficient is no more than 0.14 mm/m.

Thermal conductivity

The thermal insulation properties of expanded clay are greatly influenced by the glassy phase of production. The higher the glass content, the lower the thermal conductivity of the material. Good quality expanded clay has a thermal conductivity of 0.07-0.16 W/m, which allows you to save up to 80% of heat.

Expanded clay production method

Clay shale is fired in metal kilns 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. Shale granules are poured into the upper part of the furnace, they flow down the drum, where the nozzle for burning fuel is located. The firing time of the granules in the oven is 45 minutes.

There are double-drum ovens, in which the drums are separated by a threshold and rotate at different speeds. In such kilns, it is possible to process lower-quality raw materials and obtain expanded clay crushed stone or gravel at the output, which is not inferior to the material obtained in single-drum kilns.

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. Good quality expanded clay gravel reduces heat loss in a building by 70-80%.
• Filler for lightweight concrete (expanded clay concrete). Production of expanded clay concrete blocks.
• Decorative material and at the same time a heat insulator for soil and lawns.
• Drainage material and thermal insulator for earthen road embankments in areas of water-saturated soil.

Methods for insulating floors with expanded clay

IN modern construction exist different ways subfloor devices. One of the frequently used ones is floor screed with expanded clay, which is performed both dry and wet.

Wet method

The use of expanded clay as a filler for concrete mortar adds strength to the structure. As a result of the penetration of the solution into the porous structure of the granules, the adhesion force of the concrete increases.

How to calculate expanded clay consumption

Calculation of expanded clay for floor screed is carried out taking into account the required thickness of the thermal insulation layer. Before you buy expanded clay and other screed materials, you need to calculate their quantity.

Usually they adhere to the following proportion: for 1 sq.m of screed 30 mm thick, 17 kg of cement and 50 kg of sand are required. Expanded clay consumption depends on the thickness of the insulation layer and the material fraction and is approximately one 50 kg bag, which is enough to construct a screed with an area of ​​4-5 m2.

Calculation of expanded clay for heated floors

The use of expanded clay allows you to spend more economically concrete mortar. Laying a “warm floor” has its own characteristics, since the concrete-expanded clay coating experiences not only mechanical loads, but also temperature influences. 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 in advance the exact consumption of expanded clay; often the required amount of material is determined experimentally during the process. construction work. A plasticizer is added to the concrete mixture for “warm floors” at the rate of 150-200 ml per 1 m2.

Procedure for laying expanded clay

Thermal insulation with expanded clay requires strict adherence to technology.

The procedure for insulating with expanded clay:

1. Clean the floor. If the floor is made of wood, then remove all structures except for the mounting beams.
2. Place beacons around the perimeter of the room, maintaining a small gap from the wall.
3. Cover the surface with a 100 mm thick layer of sand and compact it.
4. Pour expanded clay over the sand layer. Minimum thickness the expanded clay layer should be at least 150 mm. It is determined taking into account the load on the floor.
5. Level the surface of the expanded clay layer along the beacons using fishing line.
6. Cover by waterproofing film to protect expanded clay insulation from moisture penetration.
7. Pour concrete solution. Laying concrete requires care so as not to disturb the level of expanded clay. For 3-4 weeks, the floor is regularly moistened with water to avoid cracks.

Dry method

The peculiarity of dry screed technology is that it does not use concrete mixture. 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 made for a layer thickness of 30-40 mm, which means that per 1 m2 of area, at least 0.03-0.04 m3 of material will be required.

In practice, the consumption of expanded clay may differ slightly from the calculated one due to various reasons: floor slope, change in screed area after installing beacons, etc.

Insulating the floor of a country house with expanded clay

A country house can be insulated with expanded clay. The insulation layer must be at least 30 cm. When laying expanded clay directly on the ground, the floor will be cold. A more effective method is double flooring. A subfloor made of tightly fitted boards without gaps is attached to the beams. The flooring is covered with thin durable paper - glassine, which is used instead of roofing felt. Expanded clay is poured from above to the level of the middle of the beam. Then the finishing floor is laid.

Insulation materials require protection from moisture generated both inside the house and penetrating from external environment. For this purpose, waterproofing membranes are used.

What is mineral wool

Mineral wool is one of the most common heat insulators, used in various types insulation. Mineral wool is a soft, coarse-fiber building material. Mineral wool insulation is produced from metal waste and carbon alloys of minerals.

Mineral wool is widely in demand in construction due to its durability, ease of use and quick installation, fire resistance. The disadvantage of this insulation is its reduced moisture resistance. To protect against dampness, the material is impregnated with special compounds.

The property of mineral wool such as breathability is especially valued. Due to its ability to “breathe”, mineral wool is often used for insulation. wooden houses. Mineral wool insulation form: slabs, rolls, mats of various lengths and thicknesses. The choice of slab size depends on the conditions thermal insulation installation and upcoming tasks.

For summer houses, the insulation dimensions will be smaller. So for the panel board country house sheets 50 mm thick will be required. Houses for year-round use require more thorough insulation; in this case, the required thickness of the mineral wool layer reaches 200 mm.

Performance characteristics of mineral wool

1. Mineral wool is a fire-resistant material.
2. Provides high degree sound insulation, which is especially important in residential buildings with thin walls.
3. Not subject to deformation from exposure to high and low temperatures.
4. Acceptable price. The cost of the material depends on the release form and size. For example, a set of mineral wool in rolls based on fiberglass for heat and sound insulation various designs of two mats measuring 8200x1220x50 mm costs RUB 1,375.00.

Disadvantages of mineral wool insulation: the material is fragile and not moisture resistant. Mineral wool cannot be called an environmentally friendly insulation. Its particles, when inhaled, have a harmful effect on the human body.

These disadvantages are neutralized by proper handling of the material and compliance with thermal insulation installation technology.

Thermal insulation of the floor with mineral wool on joists

One of the ways to insulate a floor is to lay it on joists.

Floor insulation using joists is carried out on the ground. The 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 caused by the high thermal conductivity of the brick and the possibility of the formation of cold bridges. Thermal insulation using the joist method is often carried out in wooden houses, since wood has lower thermal conductivity.

Modern insulation materials are very effective. But sometimes their use leads to freezing of the base and wooden buildings. Such reverse effect associated with high tightness modern thermal insulators and heating obstacle underground space due to the heat of the house. Therefore, when insulating wooden house modern materials Thermal insulation of the base is also required.

The procedure for floor insulation by joists

1. Compacting the soil.
2. Laying a layer of crushed stone, bonded bitumen mastic. Bitumen is used for waterproofing.
3. Installation of brick columns with a longitudinal interval of 2 m and a transverse interval of 60 cm.
4. Waterproofing of columns.
5. Laying wooden logs with a cross section of 100x50 mm, which is sufficient to withstand the load on the floor.
6. Fixing a windproof layer at the bottom of each joist. First, a metal mesh is attached, and a wind-protective film is attached to it. This is necessary so that the insulation layer does not fly apart under the influence of air currents under the floor of the house. This film is vapor permeable.
7. Laying mineral wool insulation on film between the joists. Currently in production mineral slabs with windproof coating. In this case metal grid and no film is required.
8. Covering the insulation with a layer of vapor barrier.
9. Sealing joints between sheets.
10. Flooring made of planks.

If the floor is wooden concrete base, then remove the boards and everything that is under them and clean concrete surface. If the boards are in good condition and it is planned to re-install them after insulation, then note the order of their location and carefully remove them.

Then spread the waterproofing film. Logs with a cross section of 50x50 mm are laid on top at a distance of 50 cm from each other. Insulation is placed between the joists. Attached on top with small slats laid overlapping vapor barrier film. The final stage: laying the finished floor.

When insulating the floor with mineral wool, it should be taken into account that the height of the floor will rise by approximately 50 mm.

Insulating the attic with mineral wool

To prevent the attic from being empty, it can be insulated and turned into an additional attic room or a storage room. For thermal insulation of the attic space the following are used:

1. Organic derivatives (polyurethane foam).
2. Mineral wool materials.
3. Bulk dry insulation (expanded clay).

For high-quality thermal insulation Attics are used and combine all three types of materials.

Mineral wool is well suited for insulating all surfaces of the attic: floors, walls and roof. Insulating an attic with mineral wool requires the additional use of external wind and waterproofing polymer film. Metal surface It is advisable to treat roofs with oil paint to prevent condensation during the cold season of the year.

Mineral wool has a loose structure and allows steam to pass through well, so inside the insulation is covered with a vapor barrier layer made of foil polyethylene.

Mineral wool is used in the form of rolls and mats. The seams between individual fragments of insulation are carefully sealed with metallized adhesive tape.

Mineral wool is placed between roofing rafters, and on the floor - between the joists load-bearing structures. At thermal insulation works it is very important to take into account the increased load on support pillars due to the weight of the insulation.

Therefore, before starting insulation measures in the attic, you should make sure of the strength of the supporting structures and the roof itself, and, if necessary, replace outdated worn parts.

Thermal insulation of the attic with expanded clay

Expanded clay is an excellent material for insulating attic spaces. The dry, loose expanded clay layer creates a well-ventilated space and at the same time retains heat. Expanded clay is usually used to insulate attic floors, and in some cases, for thermal insulation of gables and the roof itself.

The loose expanded clay layer allows moisture and air to pass through well, which is why a wind- and moisture-proof polymer layer is needed on the outside. It is recommended to leave a small ventilated gap between the roof and the expanded clay layer to allow moisture vapor to escape outside.

From the inside, the expanded clay layer needs vapor barrier protection. Expanded clay is filled into a special frame. This hides some of the space inside the attic. A special box is made on the floor, expanded clay is poured into it, and wooden or tile flooring is laid on top.

Expanded clay insulation is often supplemented with mineral wool or polyurethane foam, especially in the area of ​​pipes where ventilation is most required. Expanded clay is poured into these places and carefully covered on all sides with moisture and windproof membranes.

So which 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: relatively inexpensive price, a fairly simple installation process and quite decent insulation quality.

The choice of one or another insulation depends on the specific construction conditions, financial and technical capabilities. In addition, expanded clay and mineral wool complement each other perfectly and are often used in combined version. Expanded clay and mineral wool are time-tested materials that have become traditional in construction. And it seems that they are not going to give up their positions in the foreseeable future.

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The most important criterion when choosing building materials used for the construction and arrangement of any structure is thermal conductivity. As its value decreases, the temperature in the rooms increases and the cost of heating them decreases. The best thermal insulation characteristics inherent in materials having a closed-cell structure. Expanded clay is often used in construction, the high popularity of which is also due to its relatively low weight, excellent soundproofing properties, and affordable price.

According to reference data, the thermal conductivity coefficient of this material is 0.1 – 0.18 W/(m*K). The value of this indicator is influenced by a combination of factors, the main of which are:

• humidity;
• granule size;
• bulk density, layer thickness.

To eliminate the dependence of the thermal conductivity of expanded clay on the presence of moisture, you should take care of waterproofing the floor in advance.

Expanded clay as insulation

Classifying such insulation according to the method of production and the size of the granules, there are several of its varieties:

• gravel;
• crushed stone;
• sand.

The first is rounded grains 2-4 cm in size, having a porous structure, covered with a durable shell. It is the presence of closed cells containing air that makes it possible to use expanded clay gravel as insulation. It is obtained by swelling light grades of clay. This fraction is characterized by the best thermal insulation properties.

Expanded clay crushed stone is a product of crushing expanded soft clay into fractions 1-2 cm in size. As a result, elements are formed that have an irregular, often angular shape. If the insulation contains only grains of this type, then the thermal conductivity of expanded clay will be slightly higher.

The by-product formed during the production of two main fractions is expanded clay sand, which is grains 0.5-1 cm in size. It has worse thermal insulation properties compared to gravel and crushed stone. This variety is used primarily as a porous filler included in concrete screed.

Influence of bulk density and layer thickness on overall thermal conductivity

Subject to achieving equal thermal insulation properties, the layer of expanded clay gravel will have a smaller thickness compared to crushed stone. The load on the floor in the first case is lower - this is due to the difference in bulk density. This parameter characterizes the ratio of the total mass of granules (in this case, expanded clay) to their total volume, without taking into account the spaces between them and the inevitable chips that occur.

The density of expanded clay takes values ​​from 250 to 800 kg/m3.

In practice, a mixture of three fractions is used as insulation: gravel, crushed stone, sand. In this way, the greatest rigidity and the smallest layer thickness are achieved, and the convection movement of heated air through the resulting voids between the granules is also prevented. Therefore, when calculating the height of the expanded clay layer, it would be more correct to be guided by the value of the true density, which is 1.5-2 times higher than the bulk density. Its recommended thickness when laying on the ground is 25-30 cm. When insulating concrete floor it should not be less than 10 cm.

Comparison with mineral wool and polystyrene foam

Polystyrene foam has good insulating properties, which are expressed by a specific value - 0.047 W/(m*K). It is widely used for finishing apartments or private houses, office buildings. But, despite the seemingly greater efficiency of the foam board (relative to the expanded clay layer), this is not always the case.

Where it is necessary to equip surfaces that are subject to frequent mechanical stress and significant loads, it is better to use a mixture of gravel and crushed stone. However, when insulating walls, floors attic spaces polystyrene foam will be more effective. In addition, it is lightweight and characterized by a smaller thickness compared to other insulation materials. All this allows it to be used where excessive loads on the floor are unacceptable.

When insulating with foam plastic, additional waterproofing is not required. However, he, like most polymer materials, inherent flammability.

Mineral wool is also widely used to protect homes from cold weather. But even in this case, you should not compare the thermal conductivity of mineral wool and expanded clay, even though its value in the first case is much lower (0.048-0.07 W/(m*K)). Such insulation materials are used in different cases. So, for cladding walls and ceilings in private houses on the inside of the room, neither gravel, nor crushed stone, nor, especially, expanded clay sand are absolutely suitable. Mineral wool will be practically irreplaceable here.

However, it is quite voluminous insulation material. Any attempts to compress it will lead to a decrease in the volume of air contained in the mineral wool, and therefore to a decrease in efficiency. In addition, mineral wool should be used extremely carefully. This type insulation has a negative effect on the human body. Similar characteristic indicates that all installation work should be carried out only with the use of personal protective equipment.

First, let's figure out why. You can insulate walls, ceilings and roofs. Now let's look at the characteristics of the materials between which we have to choose. 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 than the first, with the same thickness of thermal insulation. And now the second important factor is weight. What is better, expanded clay weighing up to 250 kilograms per cubic meter or mineral wool, the mass of which is no more than 30 kilograms 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 too early to draw conclusions. Let’s say that a 5-centimeter layer of mineral wool is enough to insulate the ceiling. Accordingly, expanded clay will need to be poured 12 centimeters. Even if it weighs 8 times more than fiber insulation, it is unlikely that expanded granules from baked clay will require an increase bearing capacity walls and foundation. We make a low box over the entire floor area, fill it with expanded clay, cover it with a vapor barrier, and everything is in order. One should also take into account the fact that the smallest particles of mineral wool, if they get 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 it is too heavy for your purposes, namely, for bulk thermal insulation, you can turn to other porous and expanded backfills. In particular, an analogue of expanded clay, similar in properties, is agloporite, a kind of pumice with a structure similar to glass. This filler is made from low-melting clays mixed with a mixture of coal and shale mining waste, 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 mineral wool.

Most best option How to replace expanded clay - expanded vermiculite. This is an environmentally friendly material produced from rocks belonging to the hydromica group (remember the mica plates that were inserted into windows in Rus'). For comparison, the thermal conductivity coefficient of expanded clay corresponds to 0.1, and for vermiculite - 0.08, which is 2 times lower than that of mineral wool. The volumetric weight of a cubic meter of expanded vermiculite is 100 kilograms, which is relatively little. The use of this material will ultimately result in more thin layer backfill, less load on the floor and will be a completely acceptable basis for a screed.

Why is expanded clay harmful, and isn’t it better to use polystyrene foam?

Warnings often appear on the Internet that, along with materials such as mineral wool, which is quite harmful to health, but has remarkable properties as insulation, expanded clay also poses a danger. That supposedly after a certain incubation period, the expanded 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 materials. Regular red clay, capable of swelling when exposed to high temperatures. So why is expanded clay, which is a related material to brick, harmful? There is no specific information about the toxins it allegedly releases.

It’s another matter, if you choose, to lay foam or expanded clay as insulation. Any requires protection from moisture along with a vapor barrier. However, if it suddenly happens that dampness penetrates into the thickness of the expanded clay layer, if there is a ventilated gap, its granules will act as a kind of drainage, and then the moisture will evaporate. Polystyrene foam tends to rot in a damp environment; literally after a year it turns black, and mold can develop on it. And, what’s most unpleasant, if a fire suddenly happens (which you wouldn’t want), expanded clay, like brick, will not react to it in any way, but the foam plastic will begin to release very caustic and harmful substances to health.

Repairing and furnishing a living space is a long and labor-intensive process. Many residents of private houses are increasingly thinking about insulating their personal apartments. The choice of insulation is the first and important step on the way to accomplishing the task. Next, two materials used for similar purposes will be presented. These are expanded clay and mineral wool.

Expanded clay is an advantageous insulation material

Expanded clay is a building material used for insulation. flooring and for the purposes leveling uneven surfaces. Craftsmen produce porous tools by firing clay slate. Within half an hour, expanded clay at temperatures up to 1300 C o 2 takes on an oval shape.

Externally, the insulation is a bit like crushed stone and gravel. Experts present several types of expanded clay. Here are some of them:

1. Expanded clay sand. Used to reduce the weight of concrete structures. Distinctive feature construction raw materials - small sand granules.
2. Gravel. Next view Expanded clay is used in several cases: to create lightweight concrete products and as drainage for flowerpots. The material exhibits rather large granules (up to 44 mm).
3. Expanded clay crushed stone. Excellent and quality product used as a filler for lightweight concrete. The presented raw materials are obtained by crushing expanded clay gravel.

Define type building material Just. Just look at the size of the expanded clay granules. We should not forget about the positive qualities of this insulation. The advantages of expanded clay are:

• Long service life. Flooring created from a clay product can outlast a typical nine-story building.
• 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 such quality expands the scope of application of clay raw materials. Expanded clay is used not only to insulate flooring, but also walls and even ceilings. Constant loads do not detract from its strength.
• Excellent sound insulation. This is a definite plus when insulating personal apartments in multi-storey buildings.
• Easy installation. Laying insulation does not require lengthy and multi-step preparatory work. It is enough to remove the old coating.
• Excellent resistance to severe frosts, heat, that is, resistant to temperature fluctuations. Resists fire well.

Low moisture resistance is the main and only disadvantage 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 thermal insulation material, created from fibers of mineral origin. The natural product is obtained by atomizing basalt, stones or certain slag. The raw materials used to make the material divide mineral wool into certain types. In practice, experts use slag wool, glass wool and basalt product.

To create such insulation, sand, dolomite, broken glass, borax, soda and limestone. Insulation yellow color has good compressibility and low thermal conductivity. Cylinders, slabs or mats are made from glass wool. Such products improve the thermal insulation qualities of a living space.

The material created from blast furnace slag is famous for its high level of hygroscopicity, therefore it is not often used as insulation. An increased degree of acidity and low vibration resistance are the main disadvantages of such mineral wool.

The soft product is known for its non-flammability and vibration resistance. The strength and elasticity of insulation depends on its density. Basalt wool is often 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 of mineral wool for floor insulation and interfloor ceilings. Mineral wool does not spread fire in the event of a fire, but on the contrary helps to extinguish it.
• The environmentally friendly material is known for its long service life. Atmospheric fluctuations and room humidity do not shorten the service life of the product.
• Copes well with static loads.

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

Experts have found common features between expanded clay and mineral wool. Thus, both materials are used as insulation for residential structures. Each resource has its own positive and negative qualities. Both products are known for their long service life and are resistant to temperature changes. On the construction market there are different types mineral wool and expanded clay.

The differences concern manufacturing method these resources. The first is obtained by firing certain materials, the second by spraying specific raw materials. Expanded clay is famous for its easy installation, while mineral wool is better known for its chemical and biological resistance. The first material is the main insulation of flooring and other coverings, the second is auxiliary.

It is recommended to choose insulation based on the dimensions of residential structures and the area that needs this procedure. Excellent soundproofing properties allow the use of expanded clay for small spaces in multi-storey building. The same material is used when insulating concrete floors. Spacious residential complexes can be insulated with both 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.

Most residential, commercial and industrial buildings require insulation of walls, floors and ceilings. The issue of insulation is usually resolved at the construction stage. And here you need to choose suitable material, which will minimize heat loss and, as a result, reduce the cost of heating rooms.

Insulation is selected according to the following criteria: low thermal conductivity, environmental friendliness, fire resistance, high noise insulation qualities, light weight, ease of installation and reasonable cost.

Expanded clay and mineral wool - construction insulation materials, which have all the above useful characteristics. 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 is a clay material with a porous structure. Expanded clay is produced by firing heaving clay at high temperatures. The final material obtained when processing clay is expanded stones oval shape And small size. Expanded clay is used separately as insulation or a moisture absorber, and in the form of expanded clay concrete blocks it is used in the construction of structures.

• Moisture resistant - does not deteriorate 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 if you carefully handle expanded clay crushed stone or expanded clay concrete blocks. Violation of the integrity of the granules does not lead to complete deterioration of this building material, but reduces 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 sound and heat insulation purposes, as well as to protect any mechanisms and devices from exposure to high temperatures and aggressive chemicals.

• Ease of installation. Mineral wool sheets are thin and suitable for insulation and insulation in confined spaces;
• High resistance to high temperatures, fire, chemicals;

• Moisture permeability - susceptible negative impact 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 effects of the material on your home and outbuildings, choose expanded clay insulation.