There are people to whom the expression "styrofoam house" seems silly and not everyone is able to take it seriously. In some way, this phrase is correct, because it is foam blocks that are used to build a house, which are further reinforced with concrete.
We build a house from foam
Today, a Japanese company offers the consumer kits for building a foam house with their own hands. Such Japanese houses, in their opinion, have a lot of advantages, one of which is resistance to earthquakes. This manufacturing company has loudly called its Japanese homes "housing of the 21st century".
The technical features of such a unique material are shown in the table.
Further in the article, we will talk with you in more detail about foam structures, and tell you what positive qualities such a sheathing can boast of. We will also reveal the secret of the technology for performing work, after which you will be able to build housing from foam plastic with your own hands.
Advantages of a foam house
We build a house from foam
To tell you about foam plastic buildings, it is worth highlighting a number of advantages that a building made of foam blocks can boast of:
- Foam blocks help build a very warm structure
Such a heater, as it were, envelops reinforced concrete profiles on each side.
- A house made of foam blocks is able to perform the function of a "thermos"
Such a building can retain warm air in sufficient volume not only in the cold season, but also keep cool on hot days.
- Available formwork
Formwork is not familiar to everyone shields that need to be strengthened and exposed. At their core, these are blocks of foam, in the middle of which there is a cavity. According to some characteristics, such a material is very similar to cinder block, and outwardly you cannot distinguish them from each other at all. When constructing a building from block foam, you fill its insides with a concrete mass, having installed reinforcement there in advance.
- Possibility to use fixed formwork
Related article: Decorating the kitchen with false panels
This formwork is presented as a complete material. Technology installation work the same: install blocks, mount reinforcement and pour concrete mortar into it. In principle, such formwork can be presented in 3 varieties: as slabs, blocks or standard panel formwork, which is fixed to each other with specialized jumpers. Using panel formwork is the most affordable option from a financial point of view, but working according to such a scheme is not as easy as we would like.
The most suitable way out when doing construction work on your own is to use blocks that are so reminiscent of a long-familiar cinder block.
Also, the foam and concrete structure has some negative aspects, the most significant of which is the "thermos" effect. It can be overcome only by installing a high-quality forced ventilation system in the house, which makes the work performed more expensive.
Another, no less unpleasant moment is the environmental friendliness of the structure, which, even with dense clogging with plaster, is out of the question. It is also worth noting the possibility of ignition of the material, after which toxic substances will be released during combustion, which can even kill a person.
As you can see, not everything is as rosy as it might seem at first glance.
We build a house from foam
Do-it-yourself foam house
Basically, all buildings, no matter what material, are built using a single technology:
- the foundation is being laid;
- walls are being built;
- structure is roofed.
The only difference can be seen only when building walls, which we will talk about in more detail a little later.
Well, the technology for performing work is carried out in the following order:
- The base layer of foam formwork is laid on a carefully prepared foundation, which is previously isolated from moisture.
- Immediately, reinforcement is mounted on the foam blocks, which is not mounted in every cavity. Better reinforcement will be required in the corners.
- There can be no question of canceling the bandaging of blocks, so you will have to act in the same way as if you were laying a brick. The foam will need to be laid with a slight shift, and every second tier should be laid perpendicular to the previous one. Such a bundle will not differ in additional strength, but the insulating design features will increase significantly.
- In the upper part of the structure, it is imperative to pour out the armored belt, the height of which should be at least 200mm. For these purposes, most often used panel fixed formwork.
A modern house should be not only attractive and durable, but also economical and energy-saving. Therefore, recently, non-traditional methods of construction from materials that have not been used before have become increasingly popular. One of the relative novelties in construction are the so-called thermal houses, the walls of which are built from foam blocks poured with concrete.
The use of expanded polystyrene
Today, in order to build a warm and high-quality house, not only building materials such as brick, concrete or wood are used, but also polystyrene foam blocks poured using a conventional concrete mortar. Styrofoam, or expanded polystyrene, for a long time was not considered as a full-fledged building material, but recently such designs have become more common.
How to build such a house? The technology itself is not very complicated, although certain skills and time are required for construction. Foam walls are built using the following materials:
- Styrofoam blocks, which have thick walls, are hollow inside. Blocks are produced only in an industrial way.
- A mortar made of concrete, with the help of which the cavities of the blocks are poured.
- Wooden formwork for blocks.
- Metal reinforcing bars that act as reinforcement when pouring wall blocks.
The construction process itself is as follows:
- First you need to set the foundation. In this case, you can also use a tape, but since the house is poured from concrete, it is better to immediately calculate all the loads.
- After that, the laying of wall blocks begins, around which wooden formwork is installed. It is necessary to prevent deformation of the foam during pouring.
- Concrete is poured carefully, it is necessary to check that the blocks do not move, do not deform during work.
Thermal house features
Why does a Styrofoam house stand out so much from the rest? The fact is that blocks of foam, or polystyrene, act as formwork-insulation, which reduces heat loss. But it’s not enough just to order a foam house, you need to plan it correctly. All windows of the house should be oriented to the south, at the entrance it is recommended to arrange the so-called buffer zones. For houses that are built from blocks poured with concrete, you can not save on doors and windows.
Of the features of such foam buildings, it should be noted that they require the installation of a ventilation system and heating, that is, in the winter months, such a house must be warmed up, although energy consumption will be minimal.
The people who put this warm house, but who neglected the rules for its installation (not so complicated), they often complain about dampness and a fungus that has appeared on the walls. But this is a consequence of the violation of technology, and not the shortcomings of the material. Styrofoam and concrete walls are vapor-tight, so a forced ventilation system should be installed to maintain a comfortable atmosphere inside. by the most the best option are air handling units with recuperation.
Finish options
The construction of foam houses is distinguished by its own characteristics, but from the advantages over others it should be noted that the walls in this case can be covered with almost any type of finishing materials.
Facade external walls are usually treated with a layer decorative plaster, characterized by low cost and attractive appearance, but other options are possible.
For example, ventilated facade systems can be used, which are not only attractive and give the building a modern, stylish look, but also provide an optimal microclimate in the house.
Internal walls can be finished with the most various materials. Today, most often they are sheathed with drywall, which provides many design options.
For roofing materials there are no restrictions on foam houses. Due to the fact that concrete mortar is poured inside the blocks, the house turns out to be virtually monolithic, capable of withstanding even heavy loads. That is, even natural roofing can be laid on the roof surface. ceramic tiles, which has a large weight.
In order not to spoil the interior decoration of the foam house, all engineering Communication can be laid directly in the walls of the house, but this must be done even at the construction stage. The only difficulty is the use of only those materials that are acceptable for indoor installation.
Cons of construction
A lot has been said about the advantages and benefits of thermal houses, but is polystyrene as a frame good enough? And is it possible to avoid some of the disadvantages of such houses made of concrete and foam? Consider the main difficulties and disadvantages that may arise during the construction and operation of such a structure.
- Operational problems. Such a disadvantage is associated with the material itself - foam. To fix shelves or cabinets on its surface, it is necessary even during the construction itself to arrange special linings that are fixed directly to concrete. If this is not done, then when repairing or installing new furniture, you will have to cut a layer of foam to concrete, and then attach it to it. wooden blocks, on which cabinets will already be hung. As you can see, this problem is solvable, although there is a certain inconvenience here, since additional, not the easiest work is required.
- Heat capacity. Despite the fact that foam houses are considered very warm, they still require winter time good warm-up.
- One of the main disadvantages of using concrete and foam plastic as a building material for walls is that the walls are vapor-tight. According to the owners of such houses, the atmosphere in them is constantly a little humid, which creates discomfort and not the most pleasant microclimate. This problem can be solved, so that it is not classified as critical, but this requires some effort and expense. You can make the microclimate in the house more comfortable by installing a forced ventilation system. And given that such ventilation systems today they are installed not only for foam houses, but also for many other buildings, such a drawback often goes unnoticed.
- Labor intensity. The construction of such a house requires certain efforts and skills. In this case, blocks poured with concrete are not just installed, it is necessary to put them correctly, in strict accordance with all the requirements for technology. But it cannot be said that it is more difficult to install foam plastic blocks than to build a house, for example, from brick. In many cases, it is even easier to set up such a house, although you will have to sweat when laying the first rows. Efforts and skills require external and interior decoration foam walls, as it may be difficult to mount. Therefore, it is necessary to use only special materials.
Many consider the disadvantages that the blocks are made of foam. Not everyone prefers this material as the main one for building the walls of a house, but this is a rather controversial issue. The harm of polystyrene has not been proven, during operation it does not emit toxic substances, but it cannot be called natural either.
It is also necessary to note such a point: today the number of houses built from polystyrene foam and concrete is not so large, that is, it is too early to talk about their advantages or obvious disadvantages over all the others. These houses are stable and very comfortable, they are distinguished by their attractive cost and the ability to take various forms, but more than one more year is still required for a more complete analysis of their operation.
Building Requirements
A foam house today is one of the options for a fairly quick and inexpensive construction of housing. Such a design can take any, often very unexpected, but such attractive forms, which greatly distinguishes a thermal house from a traditional brick or wooden one. But if you have chosen just such a material, that is, foam blocks poured with concrete, you need to remember some features.
There are people to whom the expression "styrofoam house" seems silly and not everyone is able to take it seriously. In some way, this phrase is correct, because it is foam blocks that are used to build a house, which are further reinforced with concrete.
We build a house from foam
Today, a Japanese company offers the consumer kits for building a foam house with their own hands. Such Japanese houses, in their opinion, have a lot of advantages, one of which is resistance to earthquakes. This manufacturing company has loudly called its Japanese homes "housing of the 21st century".
The technical features of such a unique material are shown in the table.
Further in the article, we will talk with you in more detail about foam structures, and tell you what positive qualities such a sheathing can boast of. We will also reveal the secret of the technology for performing work, after which you will be able to build housing from foam plastic with your own hands.
Advantages of a foam house
We build a house from foam
To tell you about foam plastic buildings, it is worth highlighting a number of advantages that a building made of foam blocks can boast of:
- Foam blocks help build a very warm structure
Such a heater, as it were, envelops reinforced concrete profiles on each side.
- A house made of foam blocks is able to perform the function of a "thermos"
Such a building can retain warm air in sufficient volume not only in the cold season, but also keep cool on hot days.
- Available formwork
Formwork is not familiar to everyone shields that need to be strengthened and exposed. At their core, these are blocks of foam, in the middle of which there is a cavity. According to some characteristics, such a material is very similar to cinder block, and outwardly you cannot distinguish them from each other at all. When constructing a building from block foam, you fill its insides with a concrete mass, having installed reinforcement there in advance.
- Possibility to use fixed formwork
This formwork is presented as a complete material. The installation technology is the same: install blocks, mount reinforcement and pour concrete mortar into it. In principle, such formwork can be presented in 3 varieties: as slabs, blocks or standard panel formwork, which is fixed to each other with specialized jumpers. Using panel formwork is the most affordable option from a financial point of view, but working according to such a scheme is not as easy as we would like.
The most suitable way out when doing construction work on your own is to use blocks that are so reminiscent of a long-familiar cinder block.
Also, the foam and concrete structure has some negative aspects, the most significant of which is the "thermos" effect. It can be overcome only by installing a high-quality forced ventilation system in the house, which makes the work performed more expensive.
Another, no less unpleasant moment is the environmental friendliness of the structure, which, even with dense clogging with plaster, is out of the question. It is also worth noting the possibility of ignition of the material, after which toxic substances will be released during combustion, which can even kill a person.
As you can see, not everything is as rosy as it might seem at first glance.
We build a house from foam
Do-it-yourself foam house
Basically, all buildings, no matter what material, are built using a single technology:
- the foundation is being laid;
- walls are being built;
- structure is roofed.
The only difference can be seen only when building walls, which we will talk about in more detail a little later.
Well, the technology for performing work is carried out in the following order:
- The base layer of foam formwork is laid on a carefully prepared foundation, which is previously isolated from moisture.
- Immediately, reinforcement is mounted on the foam blocks, which is not mounted in every cavity. Better reinforcement will be required in the corners.
- There can be no question of canceling the bandaging of blocks, so you will have to act in the same way as if you were laying a brick. The foam will need to be laid with a slight shift, and every second tier should be laid perpendicular to the previous one. Such a bundle will not differ in additional strength, but the insulating design features will increase significantly.
- In the upper part of the structure, it is imperative to pour out the armored belt, the height of which should be at least 200mm. For these purposes, most often used panel fixed formwork.
It seems that everything, these are all the nuances and features that you need to know about when erecting surfaces from fixed formwork. The most important point that I want to mention is that the cavity of the blocks must be thoroughly filled with concrete, leaving not the slightest gap.
wall decoration
We build the walls of the house from polystyrene foam ourselves
Building ceilings from foam blocks with your own hands is only half the battle. When the concrete hardens, the walls will have to be covered with a plaster mass. The plastering technology is slightly different from the usual work and looks like this:
- A metal plaster mesh is stretched on the surface of the walls (for which it is worth choosing durable materials), which is nailed to concrete. This process is very laborious, so quality work with your own hands you will have to work a little.
- At the next stage, the mesh is glued with special glue to the foam blocks. Such work has similarities with the process of throwing on a fur coat. The glue is applied by throws to the surface of the wall, after which the excess is removed with a spatula.
- Then beacons are installed, which are glued along the vertical level.
- After the work done, you can use plaster from a mixture of sand and cement. It is allowed to apply it, both with your own hands and with a specialized machine.
Note that some types of wall facade panels can be installed not on the frame, but glued immediately to the surface of the walls.
In conclusion, I would also like to mention such a method of building buildings from foam, as the construction frame house. According to this principle, it is much easier to build a building with your own hands than according to the above. At its core, this is a familiar building based on a solid frame, in which foam plastic has taken on the role of insulation material.
That's all I wanted to talk about. On the one hand, to build housing from polystyrene foam with your own hands - good decision, but as soon as you remember the “thermos” effect, you don’t really want to move to such a building.
But, we all have our own opinion on this matter, and it is likely that for someone such buildings will be the only and ideal solution. In no case will we dissuade you, the choice, as always, is yours.
A private foam house only at first glance seems like an impossible solution. In fact, the technology has been known for a long time, but in Russia it began to be used no more than 15-20 years ago. It has its pros and cons, but in general, it belongs to modern, energy-saving building methods and is gaining more and more popularity.
Styrofoam house is really under construction from polystyrene foam, i.e. foam blocks. Such elements are produced with a cavity inside, into which it is poured.
In fact, this is a fixed formwork, which provides the formation of reinforced concrete walls, because. before pouring, steel reinforcement is inserted inside the polymer. Thus it turns out a wall that is covered with insulation from the outside and inside.
Building foam blocks can be different type and size - blocks, by size and laying similar to cinder blocks; non-separable panels and large collapsible shields, which are assembled from 2 foam sheets fastened with special ties.
With any kind of these products, the principle of building a house is similar - a wall is assembled with an internal cavity for pouring concrete. At the final stage, wall surfaces plastered or finished with facing materials.
There is another option for foam houses. They are assembled from structural insulating (SIP) panels, which are a combination of and (expanded polystyrene). Unlike the previous case, the polymer is inside the reinforced concrete structure, because poured into the cavity at the factory.
Advantages and disadvantages
They are simply the air in the cavities is displaced by the foam, which significantly increases the thermal insulation characteristics, even when exposed to moisture.
Their use requires lifting mechanisms, and therefore they are used in the construction of multi-apartment buildings.
When building a private house foam hollow blocks and panels can be used.
The following can be distinguished pros such technology:
- Even panels measuring 2x1.5 m are lightweight, which allows them to be used without the use of lifting mechanisms, relying entirely on manual labor. All wall installation can be done by hand.
- The panels have all the advantages of foam as a heater. Excellent thermal insulation is provided on both sides of the wall, with good moisture resistance.
- Sufficiently high mechanical strength is provided by pouring concrete. At the same time, there is no need for the construction of formwork, which significantly reduces the duration of construction.
- The simplicity of the technology and the low cost of foam helps to save on construction.
Not to mention certain flaws:
- Styrofoam creates a thermos effect. The walls do not breathe, do not let steam through and reliably maintain the temperature that has been established inside the room. This circumstance requires the arrangement of a reliable ventilation system.
- Styrofoam does not have ideal environmental cleanliness. When heated, it releases substances hazardous to human health. Emissions during fire are especially dangerous.
- The material is considered a combustible material, so its use must comply with fire regulations..
note
The foam has low compressive strength, impact and resistance to surface mechanical stress. A protective layer must be applied over it.
Required tool
Important. It should be noted that the fastening of profiles must be carried out not to the polymer, but to the inner concrete layer. With the help of sheathing, it is possible to provide a ventilated facade.
Japanese domed houses in the photo
A private foam house is not a fantasy, but a very real design. For its manufacture, special blocks and panels are used. The construction technology is so simple that all the work can be done by hand. It is very seriously necessary to take the external decoration of foam walls to eliminate the negative properties of the material.
Building Structures with 35th Density Styrofoam or How I Built domed house do it yourself with Japanese technology....
Let's build a round house.
And we will live differently.
And the windows, the roof - everything in it,
we call it something else...
Everything is real, affordable and practical. The technology of low-budget construction is a reality. Therefore, checking what you have read in practice, keep firmly on the ground so as not to fall into the sky from surprise ...
(To all inveterate "cubo-fundamentalists" and "invaders" of construction forums who have not implemented a single project in practice, "buy and sell" who want to get ready-made design solutions and calculations for free, "wise men" who like to flood in the technology segment , technical characteristics, standards, scope, safety, ecology, etc., while keeping silent about the "issue price" when comparing, please: do not strain. [email protected])
elements on site
And so let's start in order. I will write about the construction of the dome and the house itself later (because the foundation for the house is not ready, all communications are being laid now, etc.). I will start a photo report with a description from the erection of a tent element (tent type) over an autonomous basement. Size 3m in width X 4m in length (along the foundation), height along the ridge-3m, floor area-12m2, wall thickness-180mm The material of construction is 35 density polystyrene foam.
This is how the elements of the house look (dome and tent elements disassembled at the construction site):
The elements are voluminous, but quite overall and quite light. All elements have an abbreviation with the designation of a serial number, name, purpose, row number, position, etc., it is not problematic to figure out what's what.
And so, on the prepared foundation (in my case, the foundation is top part the foundations of the basement about construction, technology, the insulation of which I will not write, this is not related to the topic) with zero removed, we fix it with anchors wooden beam to the foundation, measuring 50mmX60mm, bring it under the level and sit on the mounting foam.
We will attach the elements of the first (bottom row) of the tent to the beam, that is, the vault (wall), the beam will serve as a spike to the groove of the element. or two walls at once ... I decided to mount an arch from all the elements and use it as a template (setting it level on the foundation) and adjust everything under it - all subsequent elements of the rows.
All elements are glued together mounting foam or mounting adhesive for foam plastic and fastened with brackets (the foam can bulge when expanding and disrupt the structure), the brackets are made of steel wire. After 20 minutes, when all the elements have stuck together and the foam has dried, remove the brackets (you can immediately cut off the foam or glue at all seams) and We begin installation on the foundation.
We plant the structure (arch) on the beam after gluing it with glue or mounting foam and fix it with self-tapping screws using dowels with hats (for foam plastic).
We glue all the elements with mounting glue or foam thoroughly, especially the middle and the inner seam, the outer one is not necessary (you have to cut it out to fill it with acrylic sealant or any acrylic-based waterproof mass for outdoor work - according to your desire and wallet).
When the tent is ready, assemble the window and door elements (they come in the kit - one at a time) as well as the pediments (you can make the pediments yourself from brick, foam block, wood, in my case, polystyrene foam). You can mount windows and a door at will - or on the pediment, or on the sphere.
When you have decided "where and how", cut out the openings and mount the door and window elements.
I cut the openings with a jigsaw and a narrow garden saw.
After you mount the gables. When the design is ready, put everything in order: cut off excess foam or glue at the seams, clean up all the bumps (differences) at the joints of the elements with a foam plastic grater or abrasive mesh No. 40, No. 60 and prepare all external seams and joints for sealing with acrylic sealant (the main thing is to get in good weather, if it rains, everything will be washed away, both your time and your money, and therefore, after 12-18 hours of laying the sealant, I recommend walking along the seams with SM-11 ceresite).
After sealing the structure, we install doors, windows, install electrical wiring and ventilation. (By the way, we mount the doors on a wooden or metal frame). Next, we prepare the structure for reinforcement with CM-11 ceresite (this is in my case, then the finish will be artificial stone) using a facade mesh (serpyanka) with a density of 145 g / m for the outside and a density of 125 g / m for finishing inside. For finishing for painting, the mesh is laid on putty (start-finish) for exterior-interior work, there are many options.
The consumption is not large. (I have a ribbed design specifically for PPU - polyurethane foam coating, but since PPU has its drawbacks, all the ribbing was sanded. And so all the elements of the sphere are smooth on both sides.)
Finishing (reinforcement) is done first inside, then outside.
I decided to make the exterior decoration (decor) with an artificial stone of the tanvald series (fortunately, polyurethane forms remained, I make the stone myself, the technology is the simplest: flour (granite dust), cement, perflix (it has a low weight, glue, fiber ...), liquid glass , plasticizer and iron oxide pigment (for example, yellow, brown) - all of course in proportions.
Since I decided to finish the roof with stone, we installed support strips (bar 40x60)
Elements (external) of basement ventilation:
Finishing gables and roof:
The roof and arches are finished with artificial stone of the "dolomite" series, the pediments - "tanvald". After laying the pebbles, the supporting wooden blocks are dismantled (you can’t leave them, they can pull, since the tree has a different voltage under loads, both atmospheric and mechanical). You can also make a support out of expanded polystyrene (wall), 3 or 5 cm is enough (after sawing a groove and sticking it on a mounting adhesive), you can leave it as a shoulder (edging) of the roof, if necessary (as an option), you can from dozens to make a roof slope (to drain water, but icicles can form in winter), spreading it under 45 degrees ...
Coating options (composite materials) may be different. In this variant, "aquastop" (waterproofing) was used without coloring the coating.
For protection, I am still deciding: either applying polyurethane foam with painting, or flexible tiles.
And for an amateur (additional waterproofing). On the external reinforcement (after drying) I apply a layer of 1 mm of such glue and after drying I glue the pebbles.
For waterproofing the dome for painting, there is another option, for example "AQUASTOP", but I will write about it when processing the sphere at home ....
I plan to get such a cheerful cellar in the end.
In summary: let's sum up the first results.
Assembling the structure, two people are involved, the work time is 6 hours;
Sealing, one person involved, work time - 3 hours;
Reinforcement inside and outside, one person is involved for 6 hours.
Protective coating (roof):
And so, stopped at protective coating from a flexible tile. We had to turn out of the stone due to the complexity of mounting on the dome (the dome of the house, the height to the "horse" is -8 meters). It was decided to cover the guest house (a wooden log house standing next to the water), an autonomous basement and a domed house with one composite material (roof texture).
Issue price: $10 per square meter.
(I do not indicate the cost of work due to independent execution by 70%).
There is an option to use PPU (coating (spraying) with a polyurethane mixture).
In our region:
Layer 1 cm - waterproofing, price: 7-9 dollars per sq. meter;
3cm layer - mechanical protection and waterproofing, price: 11-12 dollars
per square meter;
Layer 6 cm - mechanical protection, waterproofing, thermal insulation, price: 15-18 dollars per square meter.