Modern houses usually have innovative designs and are built according to the latest trends. New apartments are often commissioned only with load-bearing walls, and housewarming is accompanied by alterations and major repairs.
What material to choose
If you, too, are or intend to become the owners of such a home, then you have to install partitions in the right places. Excellent materials for this are:
- wood;
- Chipboard;
- brick;
- drywall.
However, one of the most profitable decisions is considered to be a foam block. This is due to its strength and low cost.
Pros of using
The advantages of these products dominate over short-lived drywall and fragile particleboard. The laying of partitions from foam blocks is carried out for several reasons. The walls are getting high quality, and the material is produced with a small percentage of defects. It has a long service life and increased strength.
You can count on light weight and ease of installation, and processing can be done with a minimum of tools. Finished walls can be covered with almost any putty and plaster.
Additional benefits
If necessary, you can drive nails into the foam block or install self-tapping screws. Additional insulation work is not needed, and a frame for wall decoration is not required. If you want to build a partition from foam blocks with your own hands, then you will get another advantage, which consists in low glue consumption. Workers will not be required, because you can carry out the manipulations yourself. The material is harmless and environmentally friendly. It is not subject to decomposition and decay, and is also not combustible.
Main dimensions
The sizes of foam blocks for partitions are diverse. The most common are:
- 5 x 30 x 60;
- 7.5 x 19.5 x 59.5;
- 10 x 25 x 60;
- 7.5 x 25 x 60;
- 12.5 x 25 x 60;
- 10 x 30 x 60 cm.
If the work is carried out in the bathroom, then light walls can be installed there, as is the case with the balcony. Under such conditions, blocks with a thickness of 50 or 75 mm are usually used. But if the walls should be more powerful, then it is better to purchase foam blocks for partitions with dimensions that are limited to a thickness of 100 mm.
Typically, private enterprises and firms make blocks to order. It is important to take into account the density of products. It ranges from D600 to D900. By strength classes, the material is classified into several subgroups. The first of them is B1.5, while the material with the marking B4.0 closes the list. The most popular are categories from one and a half to three.
Partition foam blocks usually have a mass of 600 kg / m 3 , which is less than the weight of the brickwork. The large size of the foam block for the partition is also good because the speed of masonry increases several times. The material lends itself well to processing, and a hacksaw can be used to cut it. Holes can be drilled, as well as cut a niche, make a recess or arch. All these interior elements can have a variety of forms. Blocks are very convenient to use. With their help, you can lay out structures or walls of any configuration, which allows you to realize bold decisions.
More about sizes
Quite often, consumers wonder what size products to choose. There is a standard size. For a wall block it is 30 x 20 x 60 cm. If it is necessary to build a partition, it is better to use a product of 30 x 10 x 60 cm.
Choosing the dimensions of the foam block for the partition, you can purchase material with parameters 10 x 30 x 60 cm, which is true for partitions and load-bearing walls. But if the inner wall is bearing, it is better to choose the dimensions of 30 x 20 x 60 cm. For comparison, products for the supporting external walls are 20 x 40 x 60.
Main types
When the sizes of foam blocks for the partitions in the apartment are selected, you can begin to familiarize yourself with the main types of this material. It can be classified by specific gravity. Light products have a density ranging from 300 to 500. This option is optimal in order to break the room into functional zones.
If the density increases to D600, products with such characteristics can already be used for the construction of load-bearing walls. The foam block for internal partitions, the dimensions of which were mentioned above, is also classified according to the manufacturing method. It can be autoclave and non-autoclave technology. The 1st method increases the strength of the products, whereas if the products harden without an autoclave, this increases the shrinkage, which is about 3 mm per meter of masonry.
It is possible to subdivide the material according to the molding method. The use of new technologies ensures the geometric accuracy and shape of the faces. If molding is carried out using liquid technology, the blocks harden in special forms. Dimensions in this case differ between products from different manufacturers.
Now you know what size of foam blocks for partitions to choose. But this is not all that a beginner should know. For example, experts emphasize that it is important to pay attention to the uniformity of the structure and uniformity of color. Products made in industrial production do not have cracks, inclusions, have uniform porosity, which is associated with the observance of the process.
One of the main characteristics is size. The constant dimensions are 30 x 60. But the thickness will vary from 5 to 15 cm. The intermediate sizes of foam blocks for interior partitions are 7.5 and 10 cm. If you want to achieve strength, then laying should be made of products with a density of D500, thickness at the same time it should be 10 cm. In this case, the wall will have enhanced soundproofing qualities.
Specifications
Before starting work on the construction of walls from a foam block, you should be interested in the main characteristics. One of them is density. By purchasing material marked D1 300 - D1 600, you become the owner of structurally porous blocks. This type of foam concrete is not regulated by state standards.
As for structural blocks, their density varies from 900 to 2,200. The density is appropriate. This material is durable and has good resistance to compression, but requires additional insulation. Structural and heat-insulating blocks are materials with markings from 600 to 800. Dimensions here are standard. These foam blocks are balanced and strong enough to build reliable walls. The level of thermal insulation is optimal.
Thermal insulation blocks are those that are labeled from 300 to 500. The weight of one product can vary from 11 to 19 kg. The structure has a large number of pores, respectively, the material is saturated with air and has low thermal conductivity.
Nuances of masonry: preparation of tools and materials
The construction of partitions from foam blocks is usually carried out by home masters independently. To do this, prepare:
- electric drill with nozzle;
- spatulas for glue;
- building level;
- special hammer with a working rubber part;
- cement trowel;
- capacity for a binder solution.
You will need a grater to remove bumps, a wide brush to remove dust, and a tool for cutting blocks. If necessary, grooves can be cut in the products, for this you will need a chipper.
To seal the gaps, take care of the availability of a gun. Masonry is carried out using some materials, namely:
- glue;
- polyurethane foam;
- cement composition.
The thickness of the adhesive is 2 mm. To install the lower level of the blocks, a cement composition is used. But you can eliminate the cracks with mounting foam.
The algorithm of work
After marking the contour of the future partition on the floor, ceiling and walls, it is necessary to fix a profile or wooden bars along the perimeter of the structure being erected, which will serve as guides. Using them you can ensure the correct masonry.
Along the perimeter of the marking, you need to clean the surface from dust, construction debris and other contaminants. The base is treated with a primer, you will need to remove the bumps. Then you can begin to dilute the glue using the manufacturer's instructions. The consistency of the composition should ensure the smooth application of the mixture to the surface.
Next, you can prepare a cement mortar for laying the base row. In order to facilitate the work, it is necessary to use a nozzle for mixing. The bottom row is laid on the solution, which compensates for irregularities. To fix the masonry, pins screwed into the surface are used.
Products are moistened with a brush for laying the following rows. This reduces the absorption of water from the composition. Products are stacked in rows and reinforced with reinforcement. To do this, use the laying of the rods every four rows, which eliminates the shrinkage of the structure. When performing work, it is necessary to control the masonry by level.
Products are fitted with a rubberized hammer. Blocks should be offset in rows by half the length. It is important to pay for uniform application of glue and adherence to the plane of the blocks. If it is necessary to form an opening for the installation of doors, a wooden beam should be installed. In the area of the opening, reinforcement is provided. The adhesive must harden, as well as cement mortar within 2 days. Only then can the guide profiles be dismantled.
Finally
Foam blocks entered the market of building materials relatively recently, but during this time they managed to gain popularity among consumers. They are reliable and durable, have low thermal conductivity and provide a healthy microclimate in the premises of a house or apartment.
With this material, sound insulation and fire safety can be provided. Products are environmentally friendly, because they do not emit toxic substances into the environment. The walls of foam concrete support air exchange, and in terms of environmental friendliness, this material is second only to wood.