Foam concrete blocks: the pros and cons of the material

The main point for most future owners of private houses is the issue of strength and the ability to retain heat by the building material. It is these qualities that foam concrete blocks primarily differ in . The pros and cons of this material are described in more detail below.

Defining properties of foam concrete

Considering the main qualities of foam concrete blocks, it should be noted:

• low cost of material;
• excellent environmental properties;
• security;
• ability to heat and sound insulation;
• relatively small mass with large dimensions;
• the possibility of application with a wide range of external and internal works.

Pros of foam concrete blocks

Building blocks made of foam concrete belong to the category of the cheapest materials available, since their production requires a minimum expenditure of production capacity. However, despite the relatively low cost, foam concrete is characterized by the highest level of heat saving and sound insulation.

Finding lighter building materials today is extremely difficult. The special lightness of the foam concrete blocks contributes to their rapid transportation without unnecessary material and labor costs. In addition, the special strength of the material allows it to be used in the construction of buildings on more than 3 floors without installing reinforced concrete frames.

Assessing the foam concrete blocks, the pros and cons of the material, it is impossible not to note their special resistance to the effects of an open flame. So, in the event of large fires, the material is able to counter the fire for more than 2 hours and not ignite.

Foam concrete has high levels of environmental cleanliness. The level of material safety absolutely complies with the latest European requirements and standards.

Foam concrete blocks give in to simple installation and keep integrity at practically any types of processing. Thanks to these features, the material can easily be adjusted to the desired parameters.

Cons of foam concrete blocks

If we talk about the shortcomings of foam concrete, then the relatively low strength with significant mechanical stress comes first. Due to their porous structure, foam concrete blocks absorb moisture well. Therefore, the final wall decoration of foam concrete is usually carried out no earlier than six months after the completion of the final installation.

Considering the pros and cons of foam concrete blocks, it is also necessary to pay attention to the high probability of deformation of walls laid out of this material. Laying a reliable strip foundation allows you to avoid such troubles.

How to choose high-quality foam concrete?

Having considered the defining qualities that distinguish foam concrete blocks, the pros and cons of the material, you should pay attention to the selection criteria for this building base.

First of all, focus should be on the assessment of the manufacturer. The guarantee of the quality of the material is the availability of official certificates confirming the compliance of the characteristics of the material with state standards. An open comprehensive presentation of information on the properties of the material from the manufacturer indicates the availability of appropriate quality and transparency of the company.

You can evaluate the quality of foam concrete visually. So, the production technology of this material does not allow the production of blocks of bright light shade. According to regulatory requirements, the color of foam concrete should be gray, sometimes with a non-uniform surface color.

When evaluating the foam concrete blocks, the pros and cons of a particular brand, you need to pay attention to the level of tightness of the material cells. To do this, it is enough to split the block and see how homogeneous its internal and external structure is. It is absolutely not recommended to purchase material with the absence of round cells in the environment of the porous structure, in the presence of cracks and chips.

Material Recommendations

Having examined in detail the pros and cons of foam concrete blocks, it is worth paying attention to a few tips that relate to the features of rational use of the material.

1. Loading blocks of foam concrete for transportation should be extremely careful, since their low resistance to mechanical stress easily leads to noticeable damage.
2. Putting foam concrete blocks is better with the use of special cement-based glue. Due to this, the thickness of the solution layer will be minimal, which will not allow the so-called cold bridges to appear , which can pass an impressive amount of heat out.
3. The outer surface of the foam concrete walls needs to be lined. Otherwise, under the influence of environmental factors, the material will gradually collapse.
4. When lining foam blocks with decorative bricks, it is imperative to leave air gaps. The maximum tight fit of the materials in the absence of any ventilation will inevitably lead to the reflection of moisture inside the premises, since the vapor simply cannot pass through the layer of brick lining.