The second half of the 20th century is characterized by a technological revolution that completely changed human life. There are new building materials, technologies for their processing. They began to build faster and better. Traditional stone and wood are gradually becoming a thing of the past.
Substitute materials that until recently seemed incompatible. One of these inventions was concrete with a light polymer filler.
Historical reference
Building technologists have worked for many years to obtain durable, lightweight and cheap material. So that you can quickly build new high-rise buildings, reducing the burden on the foundation. In the middle of the 20th century, a brilliant idea was proposed - instead of heavy gravel in concrete mixtures, use lightweight polystyrene foam. At that time, the petrochemical industry was still underdeveloped, and the material turned out, although high-quality, but expensive.
It took 15 years of development for the technology to become affordable and could be implemented in the industrial industry. The founder of the invention, BASF, today has become a recognized world leader in the manufacture of raw materials for polystyrene concrete.
Material Features
The combination of petrochemicals and cement gave birth to a new high-strength material, with excellent thermal insulation capabilities. The manufacturing technology is so simple that not even a specialist can build a house out of polystyrene concrete with his own hands.
The main components will be cheap, affordable materials.
- Everyone knows polystyrene insulation in pressed sheets. In the same way, a number of companies have been producing granules for filling concrete mixtures for a long time.
- To create a strong structure, cement of a grade not lower than M300 is used.
- Sometimes sand is added to give added density to the final material. As a rule, no more than 15%.
- Some types of concrete contain synthetic fiber. Its presence prevents shrinkage and the appearance of small cracks.
- To form a uniform structure, various plasticizers are added. In the manufacture of polystyrene concrete do-it-yourself often use the usual Fairy detergent.
Polystyrene concrete standard
At the same time as Western firms, Soviet Union specialists conducted their development of lightweight concrete. At present, Russia, as the successor of those developments, widely uses new materials in industrial construction. Institute VNIIIzhelezobeton developed a standard 33929-2016 on the technical conditions for the manufacture of concrete, which reflects all the requirements for the initial components and the final product.
Recommended applications:
- Thermal insulation of ceilings, exterior walls and foundations. In this case, a large load is not provided, respectively, in strength it is enough to have a grade of B0.35.
- Warming of the outer walls of high-rise buildings, monolithic filling of frame structures already requires more durable concrete B0.5-B1.
- For buildings no higher than 2 floors and external non-bearing walls, the use of such concrete is allowed, but already the strength brand should be B1.5-B2.5.
Private house building
Of course, in individual construction, few people comply with all the requirements and recommendations of GOST. Often, the developer’s ingenuity finds the most unexpected applications for the material. At the same time, one should not forget - the standards are developed by specialists based on many years of experience. Moreover, with a violation of technology, you can not only spoil the structure, but also create a threat to your own security. When making polystyrene concrete with your own hands, follow all technological requirements and the proportions of the constituent elements.
Let's consider some of the most relevant areas of application.
Monolithic construction
How to build a monolithic house made of polystyrene concrete? With your own hands you can make a mixture, assemble the formwork and pour concrete. Everything is just in words. The use of ultralight concrete for pouring monolithic walls, according to reviews, is the most unsuccessful application of the material. Firstly, in a building site it is difficult to mix cement with a light polymer. The latter constantly strives to rise up. Secondly, such concretes shrink and it is not always easy to make the correct calculations on their own. Thirdly, the contact of the surface of a monolithic wall with an aggressive atmosphere often leads to the rapid destruction of the structure. You can protect yourself from this with a thick layer of plaster, but it’s still unpleasant, because you have to do everything yourself.
Monolithic polystyrene concrete is often used as a filler between two bearing surfaces. For example, masonry.
Concrete blocks
According to reviews, it is popular to make blocks out of polystyrene concrete. Firstly, depending on free time, the manufacturing process can be greatly stretched. Secondly, there is no need to make batches in large volumes. Mix concrete well enough for several blocks. Pour the formwork and work calmly on the next batch. Thirdly, ready-made blocks can be given time to gain strength without subjecting to stress. The fact is that polystyrene concrete gains strength characteristics within 28 days. During drying, the blocks must be placed so that they are not exposed to atmospheric precipitation or sun exposure.
Subsequently, any building can already be made from ready-made blocks. This process is much simpler than masonry.
Insulation of floors and screeds
Lightweight but strong enough material is perfect for floor insulation with polystyrene concrete. With your own hands it is very simple to knead, pour on the base and level. We give time to dry. You can begin to finish. The design does not require additional insulation and is quite durable. Quite unexpectedly, this practice appeared in the manufacture of polystyrene concrete screed with their own hands on waterfowl. The ability to withstand high linear loads of the material is ideal for homes on the water. In addition, the material is not hygroscopic.
Do-it-yourself solution preparation
When planning to work with lightweight concrete, you first need to decide what structure of the product you are interested in:
- dense;
- porous;
- large porous.
Depending on this, the recipe for making the mixture is selected. At home, you should not start with porous and large-porous mixtures. To make them, additional devices and certain skills are required.
With a dense mixture, everything is simpler. A standard set of tools for making concrete is enough. We give an example of how to make polystyrene concrete with your own hands in the simplest conditions.
The composition of the mixtures
As already noted, for the longevity of use it is important to comply with the recommended ratio of components and their quality. Otherwise, there is a likelihood of rapid destruction, poor performance.
- For floors, screeds, insulation of floors, B0.35 grade is suitable. The proportions of the mixture are as follows: 160 kg of cement are taken per cubic meter of polystyrene (brand no lower than M400), 1 kilogram of resin saponified and diluted with 100 liters of water.
- To fill the walls, concrete B0.75 is already being made as a durable insulation. In this case, the brand of cement can be slightly reduced to M300, it will require 160 kg, 75 kg of river sand, 9 kg of polystyrene and 5 kg of latex are added. Water needs 95 liters.
- For wall blocks, it is better to use the brand B1.5. When making blocks of polystyrene concrete with their own hands, the proportions look like this: 190 kg of cement M300, 110 kg of river sand, 10 kg of latex, 115 l of water.
- For structures bearing heavy loads, the maximum possible strength is B2.5. Naturally, we need to take more cement. M300 grades need 180 kg, sand is not used, polystyrene - 11 kg, latex - 5 kg. Everything is mixed with 130 liters of water.
Used tool
For the preparation of polystyrene concrete with your own hands, special devices are not needed. A simple mixer and appropriate containers are sufficient. For the production of blocks, it is worth stocking up the formwork. It can be made of wood, but it is better to use industrial metal. It is better to carry out the work indoors in order to dry the finished blocks under a canopy.
When building a house, a primitive mixer will not be enough. You can purchase a small active concrete mixer and work quietly. For the home team this is enough.
Those who want to produce blocks in large quantities, for example, to build a farm, should think about additional equipment. To make the blocks durable, you need to vibrate the concrete mixture. To do this, there are special vibrating tables or manual vibrators. The choice is up to the owner, depending on his plans.
DIY polystyrene manufacturing technologies practically do not differ from the production of other concrete. The main thing is to learn a few simple rules, always follow them:
- All recommendations on proportions are strictly adhered to. Keep track of the composition.
- Cement is bought only high quality. The brand must match the one stated in the passport. Avoid dubious sellers.
- Polystyrene granules are taken only from well-known manufacturers. It may seem more expensive, but quality products will quickly show their efficiency.
- Do not forget about plasticizers, they play an important role to give concrete uniformity.