Among the current abundance of building materials for the construction of both large buildings and small buildings, I especially want to highlight aerated concrete. Reviews about this material are in most cases extremely positive. It is convenient, practical and relatively inexpensive. So, we will consider this material in more detail.
Types and properties of aerated concrete
Aerated concrete can be classified according to several parameters, such as the grade of the material, the technological method of production, and, in fact, the type of finished block.
The brand of aerated concrete depends on its density. For example, the 350th has the lowest density and the 600th the highest. It should also be added that the lower the density, the lower the strength of the material. And thermal insulation indicators in this case, on the contrary, are higher. Accordingly, it is more expedient to use D 350 blocks for heat-insulating purposes, and D 500 and D 600 already for the erection of solid walls and partitions.
- Classification by production technology.
There are two varieties of aerated concrete: autoclaved and non-autoclaved. The first option implies that the hardening process of aerated concrete blocks during their production takes place in special autoclaves at high pressure and temperature. Because of this, the material is more durable and waterproof, but also more expensive. Nevertheless, it was this aerated concrete that, in the opinion of the owners of the buildings, proved to be the best. Non-autoclaved aerated concrete is dried under normal conditions. The cost of it is cheaper, but its strength and water repellency are lower.
- Classification by type of blocks.
There are also several varieties. These are direct blocks, as well as their options such as tongue-and-groove, blocks with grips for gripping, tongue-and-groove with grips for gripping, U-shaped for monolithic belts and jumpers and partition gas blocks.
Areas of application for aerated concrete
The scope of such a convenient and profitable building material is quite extensive. One of its main applications is the erection of various buildings. This includes residential buildings and office buildings, as well as industrial buildings, schools, hospitals, various agricultural buildings and many others. In the current realities, according to builders, it is much faster to build a house from aerated concrete than from any other material. Due to their low weight, gas blocks are ideal for building upper floors, and due to the fact that they are easy to process and change their shape, they are often used to update and restore various buildings. Another area of application of this material is heat and sound insulation. For these purposes, special small blocks with a low density are produced - D 300, D 350. Such blocks are excellent for warming both single-story and multi-story buildings and structures.
Foundation for buildings made of aerated concrete
Based on numerous reviews, aerated concrete is a fairly lightweight building material, so there are no special requirements for the foundation of the future building. Of course, you need to consider the type of soil, climatic features, as well as the topography. But there is one mandatory requirement for the foundation - this is its quality and sustainability. Aerated concrete practically does not withstand the bending load. Therefore, if the foundation sags at least a little, the building will completely collapse.
Of the existing types of foundation for a building made of aerated concrete, three varieties of it can be recommended:
- A pillar foundation will be the most economical option in terms of financial costs, but the most time-consuming in its construction.
- The strip foundation is the golden mean, it has proven itself with buildings from a wide variety of materials.
- A monolithic foundation made of reinforced concrete is the most expensive in terms of financial costs, but the most durable, reliable and durable. On such a foundation, a house made of aerated concrete, according to owners, has been idle for decades.
Calculation of the number of blocks and a set of tools for their processing
This material is sold in cubic meters, so the calculation of the required quantity is carried out as follows. First, the total area of all walls is calculated, and then the result is multiplied by the thickness of the block, which is 0.3 meters. As for the tools, you will need: an ordinary hacksaw or a band saw, a hammer, a chisel, a level, a chamfer, a planer to bevel the block, a gear trowel for applying glue, a rubber mallet. No need to save on the quality of tools, as the quality of work directly depends on this. Yes, you will also need to stock up on some metal reinforcement, which will be needed to further strengthen the masonry.
Glue and block laying technology
Since aerated concrete blocks have minimal deflection parameters, special glue is used for their laying. It consists of Portland cement, quartz sand and some polymer and mineral additives. Glue is applied with a thin layer not exceeding 3 millimeters, thereby minimizing heat loss. Before use, the glue powder is diluted by 30 percent with water, a more accurate ratio is indicated on the package, and mixes well. The diluted glue is ready for use within two to three hours, and the position of the installed block of aerated concrete can be adjusted, according to reviews, no later than after 10-15 minutes after its installation.
Before laying the block, you need to make sure its surface is even, laying starts from the corner, and for extra accuracy the thread is pulled. The first row of blocks can be laid on a pillow from ordinary sand-cement mortar, thereby compensating for any unevenness of the foundation. In the process of laying, you must not forget about the dressing of the seams. The offset of the row relative to the previous one should not be less than eight centimeters. If the block needs to change its original shape or size, an ordinary hacksaw is used for this. Also, the surface of the block can be corrected with a planer and fine particles can be removed before applying a layer of glue with a brush. We must not forget that the finished masonry of aerated concrete, according to builders, is not subject to analysis and re-masonry after additional adjustment. It can only be broken, so you need to be very careful initially. During rain or at night, the surface of the unfinished masonry is covered with plastic wrap.
Window and door aperture processing
Since the material is well processed with a hacksaw, chisel and plane, the surface of doorways, and especially window openings, can easily be brought into any shape and size needed. Window frames and door frames are fixed using anchors, since the material is quite fragile and ordinary wall plugs will not work here, and all the gaps and cracks are perfectly removed using mounting foam. You also need to protect the part of the wall where the external window sill is located, roofing tin, making the so-called tide.
Exterior finish of aerated concrete building
In order to protect the walls from the effects of the external environment, as well as give the building an aesthetic appearance, you will need its lining. Here you need to remember that before you start external work, you need to finish the internal ones, since in their process the blocks can be saturated with moisture, and it needs to go out. For exterior decoration of the building there may be several options.
Plastering and painting a house from aerated concrete, according to reviews, is the simplest and most economical option. Using a reinforcing mesh, the surface is covered with a thin layer of plaster mixture, and then painted with the paint of the desired shade.
Brick cladding. The building will gain a respectable appearance, of course, and the cost of such decoration will be much more expensive. In this case, the following factors must be considered. Firstly, the height of the building should not exceed fifteen meters. Secondly, the cladding should also be based on the foundation, so this moment must be taken into account when designing. And thirdly, it is necessary to provide a wall with ventilation holes between the main wall and the facing.
Ventilated facade - a very convenient and practical type of cladding. In the case of his choice, the owner opens just a huge selection of siding style, its color and texture. Here, as they say, is already for every taste and color. And the cost compared to brick cladding will be much more moderate.
Interior decoration
There are no special requirements for the procedure for interior decoration of buildings from aerated concrete. The only thing, because of the hygroscopicity of the material, rooms with high humidity, such as a bathtub, a bathroom or a bath made of aerated concrete, according to the owners, will need additional moisture insulation. The inner surface of the walls can be plastered and covered with paint. You can glue any type of wallpaper, you can also finish with plasterboard sheets, which in this case are not only mounted on special mounts, but also due to the smooth surface of the blocks can be glued directly to the walls. It is possible to clad walls with ceramic tiles. You also need to know that block houses and aerated concrete baths, according to experts, are extremely undesirable to finish with vapor-permeable materials both inside and out. Be sure to consider this fact before finishing.
Pros and cons of aerated concrete, according to reviews of builders and building owners
The advantages of aerated concrete include:
- lower labor costs for the construction of walls compared to many other materials;
- reduced load on the foundation due to the low weight of the blocks;
- ease of processing the blocks themselves;
- decent compressive strength;
- vapor permeability;
- fire resistance;
- good sound and heat insulation;
- reasonable cost;
Thanks to its good thermal insulation properties, the total cost of maintaining a house is reduced due to savings on energy and thermal insulation.
As for the reviews about the disadvantages of aerated concrete, here it is necessary to take into account the hygroscopicity of the material, as well as its fragility and low resistance to shock loads.