Construction from wood concrete is notable for its low cost and simplicity of the work process. At the same time, there are many options for erecting walls: you can get a light structure or an object with a high level of thermal insulation. The technology of manufacturing wood concrete allows you to make wood concrete blocks yourself. This will take time, but will reduce costs.
Technology features
To understand the essence of such a process as construction from wood concrete, you need to understand the characteristics of the material itself. We mean wood concrete, which is simply mounted and also has a low heat transfer coefficient.
The basis for this material is carefully dried wood sawdust. They are mixed with cement binders and additives to significantly improve product quality. Ready wood is poured into molds, after which the compaction process is underway. For these purposes, a vibrating table is used.
Blocks are removed from the molds after 30-40 hours and checked for their strength. On average, such a check lasts a month.
Such a production scheme allows us to produce various blocks - partition and wall blocks of any size. Construction from arbolit passes according to the standard procedure:
- House project;
- foundation formation;
- walling;
- roof construction;
- flooring;
- warming;
- summing up communications;
- exterior and interior decoration.
pros
Arbolite construction is becoming increasingly popular, as this material has a number of valuable qualities. These are the following characteristics:
- Excellent bending and tensile performance. Arbolit is much more stable and reliable during soil movements than foam and aerated concrete. For this reason, it is perfectly suitable for the construction of a strip foundation in those places where the mobility of the soil is increased. During vibrations, the blocks will not crack, despite stretching and compression.
- High vapor permeability. Due to this property, the use in the construction of wood concrete is often associated with the construction of saunas and baths.
- Easy to impact. Arbolite blocks are easy to saw, cut, self-tapping screws are easily screwed into them and nails are hammered.
- Light weight. It is easy to work with such material, since it weighs a little. When building a house from wood concrete, there is no need to lay a foundation with high bearing capacity. Suitable pile or tape. This will save time and money.
- Favorable level of thermal conductivity. At a coefficient of 0.08 W / m · K, arbolite significantly exceeds brick in the degree of accumulation of thermal energy.
- Incombustible. Wood concrete is a non-flammable material and therefore safe (fire resistance index - 0.75-1.5). If, nevertheless, the process of burning or decay has begun, then the amount of smoke emitted will be minimal.
- Biostability. As part of this characteristic, it can be attributed to the 5th group, which means immunity to mold and rot.
Due to the fact that arbolitic blocks are large, buildings are built faster than when using bricks.
Minuses
When choosing a project for building houses from wood concrete, a number of negative properties of this material must be taken into account.
The cons of wood concrete include:
- Moisture absorption. This means that arbolite is not universal - in certain climatic zones other building materials will have to be used. But there is an alternative option in which you can use such blocks for construction - wood concrete, covered with a special moisture-resistant plaster.
- Vulnerability to exposure to aggressive environment and gases. Here, too, the need arises for additional processing.
- Quality. There is always the risk of acquiring defective blocks. For this reason, you must carefully select the manufacturer.
- Additives. Sometimes the manufacturer adds chemical elements to the wood concrete that have an unpleasant odor.
It is also worth considering the fact that the surface of the blocks is embossed. In this regard, more plaster than usual may be required to level the walls.
How to choose
Before you start building a house out of wood concrete (it’s quite possible to do such work yourself), you need, of course, to choose blocks. And here it is important to understand exactly which options are suitable for specific tasks.
Here's what you need to pay attention to:
- Strength. Within this category, the characteristics of arbolite may vary. If you plan to build a house, the choice must be made in favor of blocks with a strength of 1.5 or more.
- Density. There is structural and heat-insulating wood concrete on the market. The first is used for the construction of load-bearing walls and has a density above 500 kg / cubic meter. The second option is needed for thermal insulation of structures. Its density indicators are significantly lower.
- Appearance. For quality blocks, wood chips should not exfoliate. It is important to pay attention to this before purchasing them.
- Weight. One block can have a mass of 19 to 23 kg.
How to build
When arbolite is used, house building technologies may vary. We are talking about such options:
- Double layer wall. Of the concrete, only the inner wall is being erected; brick is used for the outer. This scheme allows you to get a warm and durable home.
- Three layer. Between the inner and the outer brick wall there is a third - built of arbolite blocks. This approach is relevant for the construction of large facilities.
- Wood concrete wall. It is a question of use exclusively arbolita. The technology for building houses from wood-concrete blocks is suitable for the construction of buildings with a maximum of 2 floors. The foundation in this case can be either tape or tiled. The thickness of the bearing walls should exceed 50 cm. The reinforcement effect is achieved through the use of rods and steel mesh.
Project
When there is such a task as building a house from wood concrete with your own hands, it is important to consider all the information that may affect the final result.
We are talking about quality design, in the framework of which you first need to determine the properties of the soil and its composition in a particular area. These data are necessary for the competent calculation of the parameters of the foundation.
The next stage of design is to determine the configuration of the house, the thickness of the walls, the use of thermal insulation materials, the location of windows and doors. Next, you need to select the appropriate building materials and calculate the required amount.
If the house will be built in the southern regions, then insulation may not be needed at all. But in cities such as Novosibirsk, this column must be present necessarily.
The value of a well-designed project can hardly be overestimated. In addition, it will avoid over-expenditure of building materials.
How to make blocks yourself
If necessary, you can save money during the construction process of wood concrete. With your own hands to make the necessary wood concrete blocks is a real task. As a result, you can independently control the quality, while reducing the level of costs associated with construction.
The manufacturing process itself includes the following steps:
- Preparation of the main component. This is a wood filler. If you focus on GOST, then its size should be equal to the following parameters: 40 x 10 x 5 mm. The presence of fine sawdust is necessary, but their total number should not exceed 20%. Sugar must be removed from the filler, for which it is soaked in a solution (calcium oxide) with liquid glass. In this condition, the material should be 8 days. To prevent rotting, the infused mass is periodically interfered.
- Making molds. This design looks like a box, on the walls and bottom of which linoleum is fixed. The latter is needed so that ready-made blocks are easily removed. The size of the formwork is calculated based on the desired characteristics of the unit.
- Mixing the components. The dried mass must be loaded into the concrete mixer and the necessary components added. The proportions are as follows: 6 bags of wood pulp, 1 bag of cement and 2 with sand. Mixing can begin after the water has been filled. The finished mixture should be moist, but not liquid.
- The formation of blocks. The resulting mass must be loaded into previously made forms, carefully tamped and left for a day. The next day, the dried blocks are carefully removed. After this, the forms can be refilled.
It is important to understand that only completely dried blocks can be used in construction work.
Building a house from a monolithic wood concrete
The procedure for using this technology is similar to the process of working with concrete. In this case, two types of formwork can be used:
- Fixed As the formwork remains, the material from which it was made increases the strength of the wood concrete. The most suitable option for such a construction is chipboard.
- Removable. In this case, the walls are protected by external decoration. For such purposes, you can use wood, siding, plaster and other materials that protect wood concrete from moisture.
If a fixed option was chosen, then wooden elements need to be treated with an antiseptic. Any finishing materials can be attached to the wall of this type - both from the outside and from the inside.
Wooden formwork frames are also designed to strengthen the wall. For this reason, they must be installed every 1.5 meters. As a result, the frame will play the role of reinforcement.
In order to fill in the arbolite mass, it is necessary to install wooden boards around the entire perimeter of the building at the height of the first belt. If reinforcement is necessary, then it must be done after the formwork is installed.
Arbolite solution must be laid in layers, punching each of the layers. In order for the dried composition to "breathe", the bayonet must be moderate. The top layer is smoothed, which allows to obtain a high degree of adhesion with the next layer.
After solidification of the formed tier, the formwork is moved up. Mount new if fixed design is used.
In monolithic construction from wood concrete, facing bricks can be used instead of wooden elements. With such a fixed structure, the main function of wood is reduced to thermal insulation.
To increase the strength, bonded bricks or metal staples are used. The latter must be installed every 5-6 masonry rows. The distance between the brackets should be 60 cm.
When erecting walls, formwork can be used from the inside, and facing brick from the outside. This approach makes it possible to simultaneously save money, get durable exterior walls and provide sustainable protection from the effects of rain and winds.
At the stage of the formation of ceilings and cap during monolithic construction of reinforced concrete on the walls, it is necessary to make a reinforced belt. As jumpers in the openings, you can use a wooden beam. Under it, you need to make an arbolite reinforced pillow. For these purposes, a mesh type of 600 x 600 mm mesh is suitable.
Before building walls, you need to decide on the mechanism for raising the solution to the upper levels. Better to use scaffolding. If they could not be reached, then you can choose a stepladder or scaffold.
Using blocks
When building houses from turnkey wood concrete, the use of such technology can save a lot of time. Blocks can be bought and not wait until the solution dries, as is the case with the construction of monolithic walls.
Moreover, if the deadlines are running out, it is more expedient to make a choice in favor of building from facing arbolit. It is about using blocks with finished exterior finish. Their average price is 3-4 thousand rubles. per m 3 . A similar amount of brick will cost 4,500 rubles. As a result, the use of such wood concrete allows saving not only time, but also money.
As for the process of erecting walls, the same masonry principle is used here as when working with blocks of other lightweight concrete.
The solution is better to choose calcareous. Due to its plasticity, it allows you to reduce the seam and reduce the level of thermal conductivity. It is not difficult to prepare it: for this you need to mix lime and sand in a ratio of 1: 3. To increase the level of strength, it is worth adding a little cement.
If a house is being built in a region where severe cold weather occurs, then it makes sense to use perlite or expanded clay sand to prepare the solution. This will keep heat in the seams of the masonry.
To form an armored belt, a block must be made in the blocks. The frame is laid in it and concrete is poured. It uses the same scheme as in monolithic construction.
In the process of brick cladding, the connection of the external wall with the blocks is ensured by fixing a metal loop (0.8 mm). It must be laid in increments of 60 cm in each 5 row.
Foundation
Construction from wood concrete (with your own hands you will do all the work or hire a team of workers - it does not matter) does not require the formation of a powerful foundation. One of three popular options will suffice:
- pile screw foundation;
- combined;
- shallow ribbon.
As a result, the time and money spent on installing the foundation will be much lower than in the case of a fully brick house.
It is important to pay attention to insulation and waterproofing. Moisture protection can be provided with roofing material or roofing felt (sheet iron). The latter has good characteristics of water resistance and biostability. Styrofoam is suitable for insulation.
You can improve the protection of arbolite from moisture by performing the following actions:
- make a brick backing (50 cm);
- raise the foundation half a meter from the ground.
What to consider when building walls
To get a reliable and warm home, you need to consider some of the nuances regarding construction. We are talking about the following process features:
- You can protect the walls from bridges of cold by tearing a mortar seam.
- When cement mortar is used, it is possible for the blocks to absorb moisture in it. To prevent this, moisten the surface of the dry material with water.
- If blocks of a non-standard form are necessary, then it is better to process them on the spot, without wasting time on the manufacture of special forms.
Roof
At this stage of construction, the procedure does not differ from the process of erecting ordinary houses. Mauerlat roofs are attached to the upper blocks using self-tapping screws. As a result, the roof will be stable in strong winds.
To evenly distribute the load, you can use a concrete screed with reinforcement over the upper layer of wood concrete or wooden beams fixed on top of the blocks.
The latter option is the most popular.
Wooden beams need to be treated with an antiseptic. It is necessary to lay them in increments of 60 cm. For the manufacture of rafters, boards with a cross section of 20 x 5 cm are suitable. On the fixed rafters, it is necessary to fix the waterproofing material.
To connect the communication you need to contact the specialists of utilities. It is impossible to engage in this process independently.
Cost
How much will it cost to build a house from wood concrete? Calculating the cost is not so difficult. It is enough to summarize the costs of all construction materials and planned work. The final price tag will largely depend on the fact who is involved in the construction: the owner of the site or hired workers.
With a lack of time, turnkey turnkey construction of houses from wood concrete will be the best option, since the customer will receive an object ready for living.
In this case, a two-story house with an area of 80 m 2 will cost about 2.2 million rubles. Prices can be significantly higher - it all depends on the materials and the complexity of the project.
If the choice was made in favor of a one-story building, you will have to pay from 1.5 million rubles.
Summary
Arbolit is an affordable and reliable material that can be used for building houses, both in cold regions and in warm cities. The main thing at the same time is to provide reliable protection of wood concrete from moisture, since it easily absorbs it. Thanks to modern materials, this problem can be solved without much difficulty. If necessary, arbolitic walls are reinforced with wooden shields or facing bricks.