Among the current abundance of building materialsFor the construction of both large buildings and small buildings, I especially want to highlight aerated concrete. Feedback on this material in most cases extremely positive. It is convenient, practical and relatively inexpensive. So, consider this material in more detail.
Types and properties of aerated concrete
Aerated concrete can be classified according to several parameters, such as the type of material, technological method of production and, in fact, the type of finished block.
- Classification by brand.
The brand of aerated concrete depends on its density.For example, the lowest density is at 350, and the highest is at 600. It should also be added that the smaller the density index, the lower the strength of the material. A heat-insulating indicators in this case, on the contrary, higher. Accordingly, it is more expedient to use blocks D 350 for heat-insulating purposes, and D 500 and D 600 already for the erection of capital walls and partitions.
- Classification of production technology.
There are two types of aerated concrete:autoclave and non-autoclave. The first option implies that the process of hardening of aerated concrete blocks during their production takes place in special autoclaves at high pressure and temperature. Because of this, the material is more durable and waterproof, but also more expensive. Nevertheless, it is this aerated concrete, according to owners of buildings, proved to be the best. Non-autoclaved aerated concrete is dried under normal conditions. The cost of it turns out to be cheaper, but the strength and water repellency are lower.
- Classification by type of blocks.
There are also several varieties here.These are straight blocks, as well as their variants such as tongue-and-groove, blocks with gripping handles, tongue-and-groove with gripping handles, U-shaped for monolithic belts and lintels and bulkhead gas-blocks.
Scopes of a gas concrete
Scopes of application so convenient and favorableThe building material is quite extensive. One of its main applications is the erection of various buildings. These include residential and administrative buildings, as well as industrial buildings, schools, hospitals, various agricultural buildings and many others. In the current realities of the house of aerated concrete, according to builders, build much faster than from any other material. Due to their low weight, aerocrete are ideal for completing the upper floors, and because they are easy to process and shape, they are often used for renovation and restoration of various buildings. Another area of application of this material is heat and sound insulation. For these purposes, special small blocks with low density are produced - D 300, D 350. Such blocks are excellent for insulating both single-storey and multi-storey buildings and structures.
Foundation for buildings made of aerated concrete
Based on numerous reviews, aeratedis a fairly lightweight building material, so there are no special requirements for the foundation of the future building. Of course, you need to consider the type of soil, climatic features, as well as the terrain. But there is one mandatory requirement for the foundation - this is its quality and stability. Aerated concrete practically does not withstand bending stress. Therefore, if the foundation even a little bit projadet, the building is completely destroyed.
From the existing types of foundation for a building of aerated concrete, we can recommend three of its varieties:
- The columnar foundation will be the most economical option in the sense of financial costs, but the most time consuming in its construction.
- Ribbon foundation - the golden mean, has proven itself with buildings of a variety of materials.
- Монолитный фундамент из армированного бетона – the most expensive in terms of financial costs, but the most durable, reliable and durable. On such a foundation, a house of aerated concrete, according to the owners, will last more than one decade.
Calculation of the number of blocks and a set of tools for their processing
This material is sold in cubic meters, sothe calculation of the required amount is as follows. First, the total area of all walls is calculated, and then the result is multiplied by the thickness of the block, which is 0.3 meters. As for the tools, you will need: a regular handsaw or a band saw, a hammer, a chisel, level, a wall chaser, a plane to remove the chamfer from the block, a notched trowel for applying glue, a rubber mallet. You do not need to save on the quality of the tools, because the quality of work directly depends on it. Yes, you still need to stock up on a certain amount of metal reinforcement, which will be needed to further strengthen the masonry.
Glue and block laying technology
Так как газобетонные блоки имеют минимальные deflection parameters; special glue is used for their installation. It consists of Portland cement, quartz sand and some polymer and mineral additives. The glue is applied with a thin layer not exceeding 3 millimeters, which minimizes heat loss. Before using the powder glue, it is diluted by 30% with water, a more accurate ratio is indicated on the packaging and is well stirred. Diluted glue is ready for use within two to three hours, and the position of the installed aerated concrete block, according to reviews, can be adjusted no later than 10-15 minutes after its installation.
Before laying the block, you need to make sureevenness of its surface, laying begins with a corner, and for additional accuracy the thread is stretched. The first row of blocks can be laid on a pillow from the usual sand-cement mortar, thus compensating for any unevenness of the foundation. In the process of laying must not forget about the ligation of stitches. The offset of the row in relation to the previous one should not be less than eight centimeters. If the block needs to change its original shape or size, a regular handsaw is used for this. Also, the surface of the block can be tweaked with a plane and remove fine particles with a brush before applying a layer of glue. We must not forget that the finished laying of aerated concrete, according to builders, is not subject to parsing and re-laying after additional adjustment. It can only be broken, so you need to be very attentive initially. During rain or at night, the surface of the unfinished masonry is covered with plastic wrap.
Processing window and door openings
Поскольку материал хорошо обрабатывается with a hacksaw, chisel and plane, the surface of the door, and especially of the window openings, can easily be brought to any desired shape and size. The window frames and door frames are fixed with the help of anchors, since the material is quite fragile and ordinary dowels will not fit here, and all the gaps and slots are perfectly cleaned with foam. You also need to protect the part of the wall where the outer sill is located, roofing tin, making the so-called ebb.
Exterior finish buildings of aerated concrete
In order to protect the walls from exposurethe external environment, as well as to give the building an aesthetic look, you will need its lining. Here it must be remembered that before embarking on external work, it is necessary to finish the internal ones, since in their process the blocks can be saturated with moisture, and it is necessary for it to go outside. For the exterior of the building there may be several options.
Штукатурка и покраска дома из газобетона, по reviews - the easiest and most economical option. With the help of reinforcing mesh surface is covered with a thin layer of plaster mixture, and then painted with the desired shade of paint.
Facing bricks.The building will acquire a respectable appearance, of course, and the cost of such finishing will be much more expensive. In this case, you need to consider the following factors. First, the height of the building should not exceed fifteen meters. Secondly, the lining should also be based on the foundation, so this point should be taken into account even when designing. And thirdly, it is necessary to provide a pier with ventilation holes between the main wall and the facing wall.
Ventilated facade - very comfortable and practical.type of cladding. In case of his choice, the owner opens up just a huge choice of siding style, its color and texture. Here, as they say, for every taste and color. And the cost compared to brick veneer will be much more moderate.
Interior finish
To the procedure of interior decoration of buildings fromaerated concrete no special requirements. The only thing, due to the hygroscopicity of the material to rooms with high humidity, such as a bathroom, bathroom or aerated concrete bath, according to the owners, will require additional moisture insulation. The inner surface of the walls can be plastered and painted. You can glue any type of wallpaper, you can also finish the plasterboard sheets, which in this case are not only mounted on special mounts, but also due to the smooth surface of the blocks can be glued directly to the walls. You can revet the walls with ceramic tiles. You also need to know that the block houses and baths of aerated concrete, according to experts, it is highly undesirable to finish both inside and outside with steam-permeable materials. Be sure to consider this fact before finishing.
Pros and cons of aerated concrete, according to builders and owners of buildings
The advantages of aerated concrete include:
- lower labor costs for walling compared to many other materials;
- reduced load on the foundation due to the low weight of the blocks;
- ease of processing the blocks themselves;
- decent compressive strength;
- vapor permeability;
- fire resistance;
- good sound and heat insulation;
- an acceptable cost;
Due to its good thermal insulation properties, the total cost of maintaining a house is reduced by saving on energy and insulation.
With regard to reviews of the negatives of aerated concrete, here we must take into account the hygroscopicity of the material, as well as its fragility and low resistance to shock loads.
