Sustainable void formers: How Clayboard helps trades build smarter
For structural engineers, groundworkers, and merchants, that means finding sustainable solutions that perform as well as, or better than, traditional methods.
Clayboard, our UK-made sustainable void former, is designed to deliver uncompromised performance using eco-friendly construction technology. Built with the trade in mind, it offers reliable ground heave protection while helping teams reduce waste, simplify compliance, and hit sustainability targets.
If you’re new to the concept of ground heave, here’s everything you need to know.
Where does Clayboard fit within today’s eco-friendly construction methods?
Clayboard isn’t just a product – it’s part of a wider movement towards eco-friendly construction methods that are reshaping the industry. These methods go beyond simply meeting regulations; they focus on reducing environmental impact through smart material choices, pollution reduction, and future-ready building practices.
From biomimetic design to optimised energy use, the sector is embracing innovative ways to balance performance, cost, and sustainability. Clayboard’s recyclable paper honeycomb core and reduced muck-away profile make it an ideal fit in this movement, offering tangible benefits in both carbon savings and on-site efficiency.
Explore the latest trends in sustainable building practices
If you’d like to explore these trends in more detail, check out our blog: 5 Eco-friendly construction methods that have been embraced by the building industry.
You’ll discover the latest sustainable building practices – from nature-inspired design and renewable integration to pollution reduction strategies and see how products like Clayboard align perfectly with them. From specification to installation and sales, Clayboard supports every part of the trade, giving merchants, groundworkers, and structural engineers easy-to-use, high-performance, eco-friendly construction materials that make a genuine difference on site and in-branch.
How Clayboard supports sustainable construction and reduces pollution in building projects
Sustainable construction is reshaping how the building industry tackles environmental challenges, from cutting carbon emissions to reducing waste and pollution on site. Our Clayboard ground heave solutions play a vital role in this shift, offering an environmentally friendly construction method that replaces traditional, high-impact void formers with a recyclable, UK-made alternative.
By lowering excavation depth, reducing landfill waste, and minimising transport emissions, Clayboard not only protects foundations from ground heave but also supports a cleaner, greener construction process. These benefits make it an ideal choice for contractors, engineers, and merchants looking to meet sustainable construction targets without sacrificing performance or cost efficiency.
See the bigger picture in pollution-free building
If you’d like to explore the bigger picture of how products like Clayboard fit into the movement towards cleaner, smarter building, take a look at our in-depth guide: Combatting pollution with sustainable construction solutions. This article covers the construction sector’s pollution footprint, the most effective sustainable building practices, and why innovative ground heave solutions are becoming essential to eco-conscious projects.
Structural engineers: More confidence in compliance
Structural engineers are under growing pressure to balance safety, compliance, and sustainability, often within tighter budgets and timelines than ever before – and as an emerging (and viable) alternative to typical void formers, Clayboard is designed to make their jobs easier.
Fully BBA-certified and tested to the highest standards, Clayboard delivers a dependable, predictable performance. Its engineered collapse profile ensures that once concrete has achieved self-supporting strength, the board collapses when the soil beneath expands, relieving pressure from the foundation slab above.
Why do structural engineers specify Clayboard?
- BBA-certified void former: Certificate 98/3528 proves that the product has been rigorously tested and assessed by a third party, so engineers get peace of mind that Clayboard meets independently verified performance standards.
- Known collapse thresholds: Clayboard’s honeycomb core gives way at 2–3 kN/m². With reliable test data to hand, engineers can design with accuracy, and there’s no second-guessing.
- NHBC-ready: Clayboard aligns with NHBC guidance for ground heave solutions, ensuring smooth approvals.
- Reduces structural steel requirements: By minimising uplift pressures, Clayboard can reduce the need for costly reinforcement.
- Saves moneys: One major project saved £1.5m by switching from polystyrene to Clayboard!
“Clayboard offers us a better, sustainable way to spec lighter voids.”
Groundworkers: Lighter, cleaner, faster builds
Every groundworker knows that time is money, and on busy sites, the last thing you want is a product that’s heavy, messy, or tricky to install. Clayboard is designed to make light work of this process from the moment it’s delivered.
Unlike foam alternatives, our structural void former is lightweight, clean to cut, and fully recyclable. That means faster installation, less dust and mess, and no need for specialist disposal. Better yet, because it’s high-strength and doesn’t compress during a concrete pour, it stays reliable under pressure.
How does Clayboard support groundworkers on site?
- Shallower dig: This reduces overall excavation depth, meaning less labour and less spoil to remove.
- Reduces muck-away: Less material out leads to fewer skips, fewer lorries, and lower costs.
- No messy foam: No crumbling, no offcut waste sticking to tools or boots. Just clean handling every time!
- 100% recycled and recyclable: Infinitely more planet-friendly than traditional ground heave solutions.
- Easy to fit: Standard sizes (60 mm to 160 mm) and straight cuts make Clayboard a dream to work with.
- Speedy delivery: Dufaylite has many resellers located across the country, so you can get your hands on our Clayboard void formers fast.
- Support available: Tech information, diagrams and unlimited advice can be provided by Dufaylite to help you maximise your installation. We’ll even visit for a toolbox talk, if you wish.
“All my guys on site are happy to use it.”
Merchants: A stock line that sells
Merchants are seeing a rapid rise in demand for eco-friendly construction materials. Contractors want products that are easy to stock, simple to sell, and in line with modern building values.
Thankfully, Clayboard comfortably meets all these criteria.
With a strong track record across self-build, residential, and commercial sectors, Clayboard is proving to be a reliable mover in-branch and online.
Why do merchants love Clayboard?
An increasingly popular choice: As more contractors prioritise sustainability and BBA compliance, Clayboard stands above and beyond its competition in the ground heave protection space.
- Easy to stock and sell: Our product is available in a clear size range that includes four thicknesses (60 mm to 160 mm), with clean, compact packaging that stacks neatly – no pesky crumbling polystyrene beads!
- Made in the UK: Fast restocks, dependable supply chain, and lower shipping carbon footprint make Clayboard a sensible option for merchants.
- Positive customer feedback: Installers appreciate the ease of use and cleaner site experience.
- Cuts muck-away by 30%: A fantastic USP that adds even more value to the customer’s investment.
“Good service. Fast, reliable and friendly”
Recyclable and sustainable void formers – UK-made to support your net-zero goals
With embodied carbon now under severe scrutiny, every product choice matters. Clayboard is more than just an innovative technical solution; it’s a genuinely sustainable void former built from the ground up to support net-zero construction.
Made in the UK at our carbon-neutral manufacturing facility, Clayboard is created using a 100% recycled paper honeycomb core that’s faced with recyclable board.
And at the end-of-life, off-cuts and waste can be processed through standard recycling streams, keeping waste out of landfill.
So, if you’re keen to make polystyrene a thing of the past and shift your focus to supporting the circular economy, there’s no better option than Clayboard.
What are Clayboard’s key sustainability features at a glance?
- Recycled honeycomb core that’s built from post-consumer materials.
- Fully recyclable facing board, meaning offcuts go in the recycling skip, not the bin.
- Carbon-neutral UK manufacturing reduces transport miles and embodied carbon.
- Supports waste reduction on site, resulting in less muck-away and less foam mess.
- For contractors looking to hit Part Z targets, or simply reduce site impact, Clayboard helps cut both carbon and cost.
From spec to stock to site, our innovative ground heave solution is built to benefit the whole supply chain
Clayboard doesn’t just perform. It delivers value across the whole trade, and it’s fast becoming the preferred ground-heave solution for all kinds of construction professionals, from engineers to installers to merchants.
For engineers, it brings technical clarity, NHBC alignment, and peace of mind through BBA certification.
For groundworkers, it’s a cleaner, faster, and lighter alternative to foam, significantly reducing time, mess, and muck-away.
And for merchants, it’s a sustainable UK-made stock line that sells well and turns fast, with solid installer feedback to back it up.
A smarter choice for every stage of the build
Whether you’re designing foundations, installing them, or supplying the materials to do so, Clayboard is a smarter choice in today’s construction climate. It’s the UK-made, BBA-certified void former that’s truly built for the trade by a company with more than 70 years’ experience in coming up with smarter solutions to the construction sector’s biggest challenges.
Versatility – not just for clayheave
Clayboard is normally used to protect foundations from uplift forces coming from below. It is also regularly used to protect buried features from the load imposed from above. Examples include transfer slabs, roads over a gas main, and basement slabs over a railway tunnel, among others. If you want to know about this extra potential for Clayboard, just ask.
Ready to see how Clayboard can work for your business?
There are several ways you can find out more about this groundbreaking product.
- Book a demo and let us walk you through our sustainable void former in more detail
- Download our tech sheet to see the specs and performance data for yourself
- Schedule a CPD or Toolbox Talk to give your team the knowledge they need to recommend and install Clayboard with confidence. Our CPD sessions cover everything from technical insights into our game-changing product to its impressive compliance and carbon-saving credentials. There’s no hard sell – just everything you need to make an informed decision when reviewing the right ground heave solutions for your projects.
