Foam block or cinder block - which is better for construction?

Almost every resident of the metropolis dreams of building a beautiful country house or a cozy summer residence. But, before translating his ideas into reality, the zealous owner thinks about what material to build a house from. Of course, traditional brick or wood is an ideal and proven option for walling. But for many people, such construction is not available due to its high cost.

In such cases, it is worth thinking about the block construction of the house, which greatly speeds up the erection of walls and reduces the overall cost of the object. Which is better - a foam block or cinder block for building a house, what are the main characteristics of these materials, we will try to understand this article.

A bit of history

Cinder block or foam block is quite successfully used in the construction of buildings for various purposes. And if the foam concrete block (foam concrete) became popular in construction recently, the cinder block began to be actively used even during the time of industrialization.

Slag stones began to be used massively for the construction of houses in 1927. At that time, steel and cast iron were smelted in huge quantities at metallurgical plants, and the resulting waste (slag) was considered waste material. Therefore, a technology was developed to obtain valuable and cheap building material - cinder block.

It is the cinder block or foam block for the house that has become the most popular and affordable material in the construction of premises for residential and household purposes.

Features of block construction

Before you figure out what is best for the house - a cinder block or foam block, you need to understand the features of block walling.

The main advantages of this construction principle are:

1. The use of block material requires mandatory cladding, so the laying of the walls of the building is easy to do with your own hands. And this significantly reduces construction costs.
2. The sizes of the blocks are much larger than the dimensions of the brick, so work on building a house is faster.
3. The good heat-insulating properties of block materials also favorably distinguish their use in comparison with brick.

Therefore, in order to understand the difference between the foam block and cinder block during the construction of a certain object, it is necessary to know the main indicators and characteristics of these materials.

Technology for the production of cinder blocks

You can understand how the cinder block differs from the foam block only by understanding the manufacturing technology of these materials. The lack of state standardization for the manufacture of these products leads to the fact that the size and weight of block materials can significantly differ from each other.

For the manufacture of slag blocks, the following components are used:

• cement of a certain brand, which is used as a binder;
• coal slag is the main filler material;
• ash, sand, gravel are additional components;
• lime improves the basic performance properties of the material;
• sawdust and some types of waste are added to increase the volume of material;
• water.

The various components added as fillers of the mixture have a definite effect on the thermal conductivity of the cinder blocks. The prepared mixture is poured into a special mold, pressed and dried.

To solve the question of which is better - a cinder block or foam block, you can familiarize yourself with the main positive and negative qualities of the materials.

Advantages of the cinder block

The use of industrial waste as a filler can significantly reduce the cost of the finished material. This property is the main advantage of cinder blocks.

But not only the cheapness of the material determines its widespread use. The following characteristics can be reliably attributed to positive qualities:

• good strength and durability confirmed by many laboratory tests;
• the absence of flammable components in the composition of the cinder block determines its fire safety;
• resistance to the harmful effects of mold and various fungal formations;
• the ability to produce material in domestic conditions;
• the low weight of the block allows building without the use of lifting equipment;
• large sizes contribute to an increase in the speed of construction of buildings.

It is difficult to say which is better - a cinder block or a foam block, since the versatility of block materials allows you to erect both residential buildings and utility buildings.

Disadvantages of cinder block

Along with the advantages of cinder block, there are some negative aspects of the use of this material. The main disadvantages include:

• reduced level of sound insulation, so you have to think about the additional device of a special layer to suppress noise;
• it is also necessary to perform waterproofing of the material, since cinder blocks easily absorb moisture, which leads to its destruction;
• unattractive appearance of the material requires exterior decoration of the structure;
• individual blocks are highly fragile, although this figure is significantly reduced in the composition of the finished wall;
• the material has low environmental properties, as it is made from waste.

It is the presence of these negative characteristics that makes the use of cinder block for housing construction very ambiguous.

The process of manufacturing foam blocks

The manufacturing process of foam concrete is not very different from the production of cinder block.

For this work you will need:

• cement;
• river sand;
• water;
• foaming agent;
• hardener.

First, the preparation of the sand-cement composition is carried out in accordance with the necessary strength of the product. Then, the finished concentrated blowing agent is added to this mixture. Next, the solution is poured into pre-lubricated forms. After complete drying, the foam block is considered ready for use.

It is the addition of a foaming agent to the composition of the block that creates a porous structure, which gives lightness to the material. To understand what is better - foam concrete block or cinder block, you can only understand the basic advantages of the material.

Advantages of the foam block

If we compare the foam block with a brick, then its main advantage is low cost. This is what determines its widespread use.

But there are also other positive qualities of the foam block:

• the porous structure of the material contributes to increased thermal conductivity, which reduces the cost of warming the object;
• waterproofing of the material is not required, since it has low absorbent properties;
• small weight of the product and large dimensions allow you to quickly lay the foam block without the use of lifting devices;
• the material has high environmental properties close to natural wood;
• ease in processing blocks attracts many masons;
• good sound insulation properties.

I would like to emphasize that the small weight of the material does not require the construction of a reinforced foundation, this is also an advantage of the foam block construction process.

Cons of the foam block

Of course, it is difficult to call the foam block an ideal building material. Along with many advantages, there are some disadvantages of using this unique material.

The main disadvantages of the foam block are the following properties:

• high hygroscopicity limits the use of foam blocks for the construction of buildings in an area with sharp temperature changes;
• the strength of the material is insufficient when hanging heavy household appliances;
• the possibility of chips of individual blocks requires accuracy when laying;
• since the material is used for the construction of houses recently, it is difficult to determine the service life.

Before deciding which is stronger - foam block or cinder block, it is necessary to consider their comparative characteristics.

Comparative characteristics of materials

After studying all the main advantages and disadvantages of the foam block and cinder block, the difference in the properties of these materials becomes obvious.

The main comparative characteristics are as follows:

• the moisture resistance of the foam block is much higher, since the cinder block is destroyed by water;
• both materials have a fairly high resistance to elevated temperatures, but the foam block is more reliable in the winter season;
• cinder block cheaper than foam block;
• working with the foam block is much easier, since it has less weight;
• in terms of environmental performance, the cinder block is inferior to foam concrete, as it is made of waste.

The foam block is a more modern material, therefore it has better characteristics, but its price is also large. Of course, when choosing material for construction, it is necessary to focus not only on personal wishes, but also on the specific operating conditions of the facility.