As you know, advertising is the engine of trade. But the modern buyer is getting harder and harder to attract only with bright packaging and beautiful words. More and more people, wanting to get information about a product or service, are independently looking for it on the Internet. Having talked in a specialized forum and having studied comments, it is easier to make your choice. In this article, we will talk about such material used in low-rise construction, as foam concrete blocks. Reviews of the masters, a description of the production and application features are also given.
Foam concrete blocks. Specifications
Gas silicate (or, as it is also called, aerated concrete) is a type of foamed concrete. It is a well-known fact that air is the best heat insulator. From the point of view of thermal conductivity, the most effective materials are those that have a large number of pores and, accordingly, air inside. For example, polystyrene (polystyrene foam), foam (aka polyurethane foam), fiberglass or basalt slabs.
Hollow brick has similar properties
. And the more voids in it, the higher the heat saving. Currently, this issue has become very relevant. Since the cost of energy is increasing every day. However,
foam concrete blocks (reviews of engineers confirm this) have the other side of the coin - bearing capacity. In other words, such material is not suitable for the construction of high-rise buildings. We will talk about this aspect in more detail.
Production of foam concrete blocks
According to technical characteristics, the starting material has a very high bearing capacity. Therefore, concrete is widely used in the construction of multi-story buildings. But the walls of this material are cold. This problem was solved by additional insulation from the outside. With the development of technologies for the production of building materials, engineers came to the conclusion that if you find a way to drive air into concrete, you will be able to increase the heating performance. There are currently several ways to foam concrete. For example, chemical. Foaming agent is added to the concrete mass (in this case, this is done using aluminum powder). Then the resulting solution is placed in special forms and left to solidify in a natural way. To accelerate the process, the blocks are placed in an autoclave furnace.
Types of foam concrete blocks
Depending on the use of furnaces and the method of foaming, this type of building material is divided into:
1) foam concrete blocks (reviews of technologists note that the drying process naturally affects quality);
2) aerated concrete blocks. Sometimes they are called autoclaved gas silicate.
The latter are produced industrially in large factories. Foam concrete blocks (reviews of private construction companies confirm this) can be produced at small enterprises or directly at the construction site. However, it should be borne in mind that in industrial production, products are of better quality, since the degree of compliance with technical conditions is much higher.
The use of foam concrete blocks
Also, foam concrete blocks (the price per unit may vary significantly depending on the manufacturer) are divided into brands. For example, the brand 600 is used for the construction of the supporting structure. The lower the numerical indicator, the higher the thermal insulation properties (but such a material is more fragile). How to use foam concrete blocks for multi-story building? The reviews and comments of engineers in this case can be reduced to one thing - only as a heat insulator. Bearing structures are made on beams made of metal or reinforced concrete, and brand 200 blocks are used as filler.
Masonry of foam concrete blocks
From how the base is made (first row), in many respects depends on what the whole wall will be. The main requirement is horizontal compliance. To achieve this will be quite easy if you use a leveling layer of the solution.
To begin with, using a level or level, set beacons in increments of about 50-80 centimeters. On them we will lay out and level the solution, starting from the corners. After the base has dried and becomes solid, it is possible to start laying foam concrete (again, from the corners, moreover, making a bundle three rows high). Similarly, a bunch is made in the place where the external and internal walls are joined. Then proceed to laying the blocks of the first row. If necessary, do a trim in place. This can be done easily with a miter or cutting saw, using stone discs. Next, the main masonry is performed. For the device of door or window openings, the row is interrupted to the desired length, and a U-shaped block is placed on top of the opening. To give strength every three to four rows, the masonry is reinforced with a welded mesh. Seams must be additionally insulated to minimize heat transfer. As mentioned above, foam concrete blocks are not strong enough. Therefore, for laying floor slabs, an armored belt is made, which is cast from monolithic reinforced concrete. At the same time, its width should coincide with the width of the wall. The height is determined from the calculation of the loads. Usually it is from ten to twenty centimeters.
How to connect foam concrete blocks?
For laying foam concrete blocks, it is recommended to use masonry glue or mortar. The latter will cost much cheaper, but it has its drawbacks, the elimination of which subsequently will cost much more. Let’s explain why. Masonry mortar has low thermal conductivity. So, additional thermal insulation is needed. Compared with masonry glue, the required volume of solution is significantly larger. Therefore, the complexity of the preparatory work increases. In addition, it is worth noting that the seams obtained during installation using a solution look less accurate. This entails additional costs during the finishing work. As you can see, the use of masonry glue in the end is more profitable and effective. The use of the solution is justified only when the quality of the foam concrete blocks is not good enough. For example, if the blocks have a difference in size greater than seven to nine millimeters, it is recommended to use a solution.
In the process, glue or mortar is laid out along the length of two or three blocks. This is done so that a film does not form on the surface, which reduces adhesion. This should especially be taken into account in hot weather.
Foam concrete blocks: sizes
The dimensions of this building material are tied to a standard ceramic brick. For example, in one foam block measuring 200x300x600 mm (the most common) 13 silicate or 15 ordinary bricks are "placed". Foam concrete blocks are made on wall (200x300x600 mm) and partition (100x300x600 mm).
Conclusion
Building houses from foam concrete blocks is much cheaper to build, moreover, they are more environmentally friendly. It is also worth noting a significant advantage in construction time, compared to using conventional brick. And, of course, you should remember about compliance with the technology of building construction and take into account all the technical indicators.