How to build a wall from aerated concrete. How to build a house from aerated concrete - step-by-step instructions. Foundation for a house

Aerated concrete block is a building material with a porous structure. It is made from cement, water, crushed lime, sand and gypsum stone, and aluminum powder is also added as a gas-forming component. Aerated concrete is produced only on special equipment in the factory. It is quite possible to build a house from aerated concrete with your own hands.

Aerated concrete is widely used in various climatic zones in the construction of industrial premises and houses. It has a relatively light weight (less than 30 kg), and in terms of laying area it can replace 30 bricks. You can build a house from aerated concrete blocks with your own hands.

Positive characteristics:

• due to its air-porous structure, the gas block has good heat and sound insulating properties;
• made from non-flammable components, fireproof;
• has high frost resistance and a long service life;
• according to environmental standards, aerated concrete is considered a safe material;
• not subject to rotting or mold formation, as it is made from mineral raw materials;
• easy to process, you can easily build a house of any design and make arched door or window openings;
• due to its low weight, the use of lifting equipment is not required;
• not subject to destruction from ultraviolet rays and precipitation;
• heat-inertial - when heated by the sun, the room inside does not overheat, and in cold weather it does not freeze;
• external finishing or additional thermal insulation is done depending on the climate zone and is not mandatory.

The heat efficiency of the material depends on the thickness of the wall and the brand of aerated concrete used. Thus, the use of a d600 block with a width of 20 cm has an indicator of 0.71 W/m·K, 30 cm - 0.45 W/m·K, 40 cm - 0.34 W/m·K. If brand d400 is used: 20 cm - 0.50 W/mK, 30 cm - 0.31 W/mK, 40 cm - 0.25 W/mK.

Negative characteristics:

• hygroscopic - it is not recommended to use blocks for the construction of a sauna, steam room or bathhouse without additional vapor barrier;
• aerated concrete masonry, like any other stone material, needs a solid foundation to prevent deformation;
• plastering work is difficult, since aerated concrete has a smooth surface, which requires adding PVA to the solution;
• Special fasteners are required for fastening.

When you independently build a house from aerated concrete, you can expand your architectural plans due to its easy workability. In addition, aerated blocks are larger in size than bricks, so laying 1 m2 will take no more than 20 minutes.

Set of tools for construction

Before you start building a house from aerated concrete with your own hands, you should prepare all the necessary tools and building materials. For each construction stage you will need your own set:

• cord for marking the trench, tape measure;
• shovels, crowbar, pickaxe necessary for excavation work;
• hacksaw for cutting blocks, dosing carriage with glue, scoops, trowels, grater, brush, polishing, building level, rubber hammer, corner. They are used when laying gas blocks;
• plastering spatula and float, cuttings, rustications, brushes, spatulas, buckets - used for plastering and finishing work;
• The wall chaser is designed for cutting grooves for laying fittings and wiring;
• electric milling machine is used for cutting deeper grooves;
• electric drill with a crown for drilling holes for switches and sockets.

Aerated concrete can be processed well with simple tools. As a result, using simple devices, you can quickly and efficiently lay the blocks yourself. You can also easily make decorative trim using a regular chisel.

Site marking

Before the start of construction work on the site, it is necessary to strew the access road with large crushed stone so that in the future there will be no problems with the delivery of building materials and special equipment. The site for the future home is cleared of unnecessary materials and debris.

A plan is drawn up taking into account the boundaries of neighboring plots, on which a house and places for outbuildings are outlined. Using a tape measure, pegs and a cord, the site for the construction of the building is marked. Pegs are driven into the ground at the corners of the perimeter, and a rope is stretched between them. Markings for the outer foundation of the house are made by stepping back from the stretched cord to the width of the future foundation, and stretching a rope parallel to it. To check the evenness of the perimeter, pull the cords diagonally.

Preparing the trenches

Before digging a trench, it is necessary to determine the type of soil at the site of the future house. The soil may be very rocky, which will make digging a trench difficult, or, conversely, sandy, in which case there is a risk of it crumbling. It is necessary to calculate to what depth and width the trench will be dug. If there are stumps or bushes with trees that interfere with construction, then they are uprooted, or the upcoming construction is moved. Removing a large tree can be a very expensive and time-consuming undertaking.

Digging a trench

You can dig a trench yourself - using a shovel, or dig with an excavator. When soil falls to the bottom of the ditch, it is removed, since even when compacted it will remain loose. The depth of the trench depends on the level of freezing, the width is 70-80 cm, or it is equal to the width of the concrete base (a hole for a monolithic slab). If the soil is loose and crumbling occurs, then install boards. At the bottom of the trench, make a foundation cushion of sand, 15-20 cm thick, and compact it well.

Making the foundation

A strip or monolithic foundation is made for an aerated concrete house. The choice of the right foundation depends on the technical characteristics of the soil and financial capabilities. The work process can be divided into stages:

• we make formwork;
• we lay the fittings;
• pour concrete.

Installation of formwork

Formwork is a structure made of boards, panels, block elements for pouring concrete. There are two types: removable - dismantled after the solution dries, and non-removable - remains as additional thermal insulation.

Permanent formwork is erected from extruded polystyrene foam, wood concrete or expanded clay concrete. Each material has its own positive and negative properties.

Before laying the formwork blocks, waterproofing material or reinforced film is laid at the bottom of the trench. The work of laying the formwork is done from the corner, moving along the perimeter, laying them in a checkerboard pattern. If the blocks have connecting grooves, they should be on top. The evenness of the installation is checked by the tension of the cord and the level.

Laying the reinforcement

Before installing the first row of strip formwork, iron rods are tied into grooves inside it and secured together with wire. Vertical reinforcement bars are installed and attached to the horizontal ones. After the required height of the formwork has been built, the excess reinforcement is cut off.

Pouring concrete

It is better to pour concrete in dry and cool weather to avoid excessive waterlogging or evaporation of moisture from the solution. To prepare concrete mortar, it is necessary to use high-quality cement grades M400 or M500. Sand is used without any admixture of earth and clay, preferably river sand. The water must be clean, not chlorinated. Crushed stone is suitable for large fillers.

The ratio of cement to sand is 1:4, to crushed stone - 1:2, to water - 1:0.5. If wet sand is used, the amount of water is reduced.

At sub-zero temperatures, a plasticizer is added to prevent the solution from freezing. If you are building a small house, you can use a concrete mixer to mix the concrete, but for a larger area of ​​pouring the foundation, it is better to use a ready-made concrete mixture. It must be ordered in such a volume that it is enough to fill the entire area at one time. The poured concrete must be processed with a vibrating rammer to remove voids and distribute the mixture evenly.

Building walls

The use of aerated concrete as a material for building walls allows one to achieve good strength and thermal protection of the building. The blocks are light and large in size, which makes it possible to build the walls of a house with an area of ​​150-200 m2 in just 1-1.5 months. Construction work can be divided into several stages:

• lay out the first row;
• put the 2nd and 3rd rows;
• preparation for window sills and windows;
• lintels for windows and window sills;
• interfloor armored belt.

Laying the first row

We remove debris, dust from the top of the foundation and lay waterproofing. We lay it along the entire perimeter and interior walls. It is better to lay the insulation not by joining, but by overlapping.

Cement mortar is used to lay out the first row, since the top of the foundation is not level enough. Using the mixture will help level out all the unevenness and lay the aerated concrete blocks more evenly.

The minimum thickness of the cement mortar layer is 1 cm, so it is necessary to determine the highest angle on the foundation using a level. From there they begin laying gas blocks, constantly checking the level readings. They do this after each placed block.

The masonry is carried out along the entire perimeter of the house and along the walls inside it, not forgetting to adjust the evenness according to the level. It is convenient to use gas blocks with tongue-and-groove fastening - they are easier to lay and carry. Also, for convenience and to save time, pallets with blocks are placed inside the building.

Making the 2nd and 3rd rows

Before laying a new row of gas blocks, the surface of the previous one must be polished. This is done for better adhesion of the glue between the blocks, since it is applied only 0.5-0.7 cm at a time.

The second row is laid from the corner with a shift of half a block (at least 8 cm) so that the seam from the laid gas blocks does not coincide with the previous rows. The glue is applied using a dosing carriage or a special ladle with teeth. The gas blocks are placed as close to each other as possible; if necessary, use a rubber hammer. The work must be done as quickly as possible, since the glue sets within 15 minutes. At sub-zero temperatures down to −15°C, glue with special additives is used.

The blocks of the third and subsequent rows are also placed. It is necessary to regularly monitor the evenness of the laid gas blocks. Having added aerated concrete to the location of future doors or windows, it is not always possible to lay them so that they do not protrude into the openings. This problem can be easily dealt with using a regular hacksaw with long teeth. For an even cut, a special corner is used.

Preparing walls for window sills and windows

Reinforcement of window openings should be done one row below the future window sill. This is necessary to strengthen the walls where the window opening will be. To do this, use a wall chaser to make 2 longitudinal grooves along the length of the wall. The furrows should be larger on each side by 30 cm of the width of the window. The reinforcement is laid and filled with cement mortar. Further installation of aerated concrete blocks is done with glue, in the required order, taking into account window and door openings.

We make lintels for windows and doors

It is necessary to install lintels over door and window openings to prevent wall collapse. You can do this in several ways:

• A simple option is to purchase ready-made ones.
• You can use U-shaped aerated concrete blocks. A support is made from boards above the door or window opening. The required number of U-shaped gas blocks are glued together and placed in the right place. Reinforcement is placed inside the blocks and filled with cement mortar.
• Simple aerated concrete blocks are glued together and 3 longitudinal grooves are made into them. They lay the reinforcement and fill it with a cement-sand mixture. Allow to dry for approximately 24 hours. Such lintels are placed on openings no wider than 1 meter and with the reinforcement facing down.

The gaps between the wall and the lintels are filled with gas blocks of the required size.

Interfloor armored belt

An armored belt is a layer of reinforced concrete poured between blocks. Necessary to add strength to the entire wall structure and install the Mauerlat.

Gas blocks 10 cm wide are placed along the edges of the external walls, forming formwork. Reinforcement is placed in the resulting space between the blocks and filled with mortar.

To attach the Mauerlat to the armored belt, reinforcement bars with threads cut into them are vertically concreted. The studs are placed at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other.

Roof

Waterproofing material is laid on the reinforced belt of the walls and the mauerlat (support beam) is laid. It is attached to the studs using nuts. At the corners of the structure, the support beams are fastened together with steel brackets. Tightening is done, that is, transverse beams are laid along the width of the building. Further along the length of the house, 2 rows of beams (beams) are attached so that they are at the same distance from each other and from the edges. So, for example, if the width of the house is 10 m, then this distance will be equal to 3.3 m.


Vertical wooden posts are attached to the beds using staples, corners or nails at a distance of 2-2.5 m. They are installed opposite each other on both sides. For better fastening, tie downs are placed on top of the posts parallel to the width of the roof. Then longitudinal beams are laid on wooden posts on both sides along the length of the roof - a purlin. They are needed to support the rafters.

The installation of the rafters begins from the edge of the roof, making an equal distance between them. Their lower part is attached to the mauerlat, and the top is attached to the rafter beam standing opposite. To ensure the strength of the entire attic structure, the rafters are fastened to purlins.

Before laying the roofing material, a sheathing is made. The roof is placed on it, doing it from right to left and from bottom to top. Each type of material requires its own fasteners.

Finishing work

Aerated concrete walls are lined with siding or sandwich panels on the outside. When installing them, it is necessary to leave a gap between the gas blocks and the finishing material. It is needed to remove moisture that can enter through various cracks.

Interior finishing of aerated concrete walls is carried out at a temperature not lower than +10°C. If there are chips, broken edges, or holes on the surface of the blocks, they are filled with masonry mixture. Protruding parts on the walls are rubbed with a sanding float.

Inside, aerated concrete walls are finished with plaster or plasterboard. After which they can be painted, wallpapered or covered with other material.

The walls are plastered with a special mixture for aerated blocks, which is diluted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Estimated estimate for construction

The construction of a house begins with the creation of a project and work to determine the characteristics of the soil. The cost depends on the prices of the organizations.

• monolithic base (slab) - 500-700 thousand rubles;
• tape - 300-500 thousand rubles.

If you make a monolithic foundation yourself, the price will be almost half less.

With a block cost of 3 thousand rubles. per m 3, 210 thousand rubles need to be spent on the construction of all walls. For masonry you will also need about 105 bags of glue. The average cost of one is 250 rubles. The total amount is 250×105=26250 rubles. Reinforcement is also added here. It will be needed with a reserve of about 1 km, and this will cost 15 thousand rubles. The armored belt will cost 75 thousand rubles.

The cost of flooring depends on the type of material. Starts from 50 thousand rubles. The price of the roof also varies depending on the content. The installation of a rafter system costs about 100 thousand, roofing coverings start from 70 thousand, insulation with mineral wool - 20-50 thousand rubles. A house made of aerated concrete without finishing, with an area of ​​100 m2, built with your own hands, will cost approximately 1 million 200 thousand rubles.

Every person dreams of his own home in which his family will live. Over time, construction technologies have made great strides forward, so there is no need to limit yourself to materials such as brick and wood. Today, there are new materials for construction, one of which is aerated concrete. A house made of such material will serve you for many years without losing its original characteristics during operation. After reading this article, you will learn how to build a house from an aerated block with your own hands.

Advantage of aerated block

Aerated concrete is an excellent alternative to brick, as it is distinguished by its good thermal insulation properties, reliability, strength and durability. This material has already won the respect of most builders and developers, as it has many advantages. What are they?

It is for these characteristics that gas blocks are gaining more and more popularity:

1. Aerated concrete has low thermal conductivity, so buildings made from it have much better thermal properties than houses made from brick, concrete or wood.
2. The porous structure of aerated concrete gives the walls high air and vapor permeability. Houses built from aerated blocks have constant regulation of air humidity and air circulation, which creates a good microclimate, the same as in natural wooden houses.
3. Aerated blocks are made to precise dimensions with minimal tolerances and a smooth surface, so when laying walls you can use special glue, which will speed up the construction process and prevent the formation of cold bridges during operation. The process is also accelerated due to the large block sizes.
4. Aerated concrete is fire-resistant and environmentally friendly material.
5. The material has a porous structure, due to which the weight of the blocks and, accordingly, the load on the foundation is not the same as that of other building materials. This allows you to reduce the cost of building a foundation.
6. Due to its high strength, aerated concrete does not break, does not crumble and retains its original appearance.
7. According to many experts, a building made of aerated concrete can last more than 30 years.
8. Aerated concrete has a high absorbent surface, which allows it to adhere well to plaster and other materials.

Such advantages allow you to use the material to build your own home.

Due to its porous structure, aerated concrete easily accumulates moisture and can store it for a long time, and this will lead to freezing of the walls and the formation of mold on them. Therefore, during operation and during further operation, the material should be protected from external factors.

What you need to know before construction

If this is your first time building your home, you need to know that the first thing you need to do is take care of the paperwork. After all, no one will just let you build a house on a plot of land. You must first obtain a building permit to be approved by the authorities in your area. Therefore, you need to prepare the necessary documents, including a plan for the future construction.

Not everyone can make house drawings, because this requires special education. Therefore, you can turn to specialists who, for a certain amount of money, will be able to transfer your dream home to paper. Another option is to surf the Internet in search of a house project. In this case, be careful, because you don’t know who made them and whether they were done correctly.

Such a plan must have:

• foundation;
• floors with cuts;
• roof truss structure and calculation of the roof surface;
• door and window openings.

You need to decide in advance on the design of the building. Aerated concrete can be cut, so you can make various arches, columns and beautiful openings. There are many options, the design can be different, depending on your desire.

Another important point before starting construction is to purchase material. To avoid additional financial costs, you need to buy as many blocks as needed. But how to calculate gas blocks for a house in such a way as to avoid shortage and excess of material? Here you need to take into account the size of the house itself and the aerated concrete blocks. The first step is to find out the area of ​​the walls.

All dimensions must be indicated in the house plan. For example, one wall is 12 m long, and the other is 10 m long. There will be two such walls. All of them need to be added:

12+12+10+10=44 m

It turns out that along the perimeter we have a length of 44 m. But the house also has a height, so it needs to be multiplied by the perimeter. Suppose the height of the house is 4 m. Then it turns out:

44×4=176 m 2

In total, the wall area of ​​your house is 176 m2. Based on this data, you need to calculate the number of blocks that are sold by cubic meters. To do this, the thickness of the block (0.3) must be multiplied by the area:

176×0.3=52.8 m 3

So, to lay out the outer box of the house, you will need 53 m 3 of gas blocks. For internal walls the calculation is the same. Please note that it is not advisable to take material close to each other; it is better to add 10% on top so that you have enough blocks during construction.

During transportation, the blocks must be covered with a hermetic film so that moisture does not destroy the material during transportation. Moreover, aerated blocks need to be strengthened so that after delivery they are not damaged, given the kind of roads there are.

Aerated concrete must be stored in a dry place where it will not accumulate moisture. Cover it under a canopy to prevent precipitation. It is important to provide a level surface on which to lay the blocks. Then the material will be stored correctly without losing its qualities.

How to fasten aerated concrete blocks - mortar or glue?

As mentioned earlier, one of the advantages of a gas block is that it can be fixed either using a regular solution or using a special glue. What material should I choose for the job? It should be borne in mind that each of them has both certain advantages and disadvantages.

There are the following advantages to using glue:

• perfect joints;
• very smooth wall masonry;
• no cold bridges;
• it is simpler and easier to work with.

But it is important to consider that:

• during operation, the glue will release various toxins;
• its price is much higher than that of the solution.

An ordinary solution consists of water, cement and sand. Of the minuses, it should be noted that laying is somewhat more difficult than using glue, since you constantly need to monitor the evenness of the masonry. But it is much easier to correct these irregularities using a solution.

There are no specific rules or laws when choosing. Based on the above, you can determine for yourself which material to use.

Preparatory work

To build a house from aerated concrete, the first thing you need to do is do some preparatory work, without which construction will not begin:

• first of all, you need to provide electricity at the construction site so that there is light and tools can be connected;
• organize a place for storing aerated concrete;
• prepare a place that will serve as a warehouse for consumable construction materials;
• deliver the necessary inventory, tools and equipment to the site;
• bring the material necessary for the work (aerated concrete, cement, sand, crushed stone) for at least a week of work;
• carry out geodetic preparation;
• study the building plan, methods and methods of conducting work and organize the safety of the workplace.

Laying should be done at temperatures from 5 to 25ºC. If the ambient temperature is above 25ºC, then when performing work, the aerated concrete must be constantly moistened with water.

Construction technology

The technology of building houses from aerated concrete blocks began to be used in Europe, where it came to us from. For many years, aerated concrete has been a popular material that has proven itself well due to its properties. For many decades, such houses have stood in most countries of Canada, Asia and Europe.

Many people without construction experience know the technological procedure for performing work in general terms. Let's take a closer look at what needs to be done to build the building:

1. Construction of the foundation. Due to the fact that aerated concrete is a relatively lightweight material, it is not necessary to make a reinforced foundation; it all depends on the number of storeys, the location of groundwater and the type of soil at the construction site. Basically, for a house made of aerated concrete, a strip or monolithic foundation is chosen. Work on its installation can last 3 weeks or more. Please note that the porosity of the material contributes to increased water absorption, so it is necessary to carry out waterproofing work, paying special attention to them.
2. Wall masonry. It is much easier to build walls from aerated block than from brick. Since the blocks are large and even, it can be completed very quickly. The main thing is to choose the masonry and strictly adhere to the scheme. If the house has two floors or more, it is important to strengthen the walls, making the structure reliable and durable. For this, reinforced belts are used, then the perimeter of the house will be additionally strengthened.
3. To lay the walls, use a solution or special glue, which is applied with a special tool or a comb spatula. Thanks to it, you can achieve an even technological layer of millimeters. To level the blocks, use a rubber hammer and tap on top of the block. This will not damage the block and will ensure uniform masonry. It should be noted that aerated concrete walls practically do not shrink after construction. It turns out that finishing work can be carried out immediately, due to which the construction costs will be significantly reduced.
4. Covering a house is an important part of construction. For an aerated concrete house, they can be monolithic, wood, concrete slabs, or combined.
5. Another important stage is the construction of the roof. You immediately need to calculate the roofing surface, purchase material and make a roof truss system, as well as cover it with roofing material.
6. Glazing of finished frame windows. You should choose a double-glazed window to provide sound and thermal insulation.
7. After which you need to carry out interior finishing: lay utilities such as sewerage, water supply, heating, electricity, arrange the base of the floor, erect internal partitions, prepare the surface of the walls for finishing and complete it.
8. Final finishing of the facade. At this stage, the eaves overhangs are hemmed to the roof, and a water drainage system is installed. Well, the walls are finished directly. Thanks to it, you can achieve the following goals: level the surface, hiding unevenness, protect the material from mechanical damage and moisture, and give the house a beautiful aesthetic appearance.
9. The last stage is landscape design. You can decorate the area, plant it with landscaping, build a fence and make decorations.

If you adhere to these technologies, your home will last a long time without losing its qualities, it will be cozy and warm, and fungus and mold will not bother you.

So, theoretically you are already prepared, you can move on to practice to learn how to build a house with your own hands.

Start of work - preparing the base for the foundation

The first thing you need to do is mark the site on which the house will be built. This is done for orientation in order to dig a trench under the foundation. To do this you need a rope, a hammer and stakes. Further according to the scheme:

• clear the site for construction: remove debris and obstructing objects; if the site is overgrown with large weeds, they also need to be removed;
• now make the markings. To do this, starting from the drawings, drive stakes into the corners of the building. It should be noted that a strip foundation is erected under each wall, following the contour of the building. This is what you need to do on earth. You will dig a trench using this marking, so everything needs to be done smoothly, respecting the dimensions and width of the foundation;
• After the stakes are driven straight, you need to measure the diagonals. When they match the drawings, feel free to pull the rope between them.

The rope should be pulled tightly so that there is no sagging.

Now you can move on to the next stage - digging a trench. Digging a trench begins with finding the lowest point of the site. It is from this that you need to calculate the depth of the foundation. Please note that the size of the finished pit must be identical to the size of the house based on the project.

For the work, you will need shovels and labor, since doing all the work yourself will not only be difficult, but also take a long time. As a last resort, if circumstances permit, you can hire special equipment. The walls of the trench must be made vertical and the bottom level. To check this, use a plumb line while digging as it will be more difficult to correct anything once it's finished. The depth of the foundation depends on the soil and number of storeys of the building. It can be shallow - from 50 to 70 cm for small houses, and recessed - from 1 to 2 m.

Be sure to make a foundation cushion at the bottom of the trench. Pour sand or crushed stone there in a layer of 10 to 20 cm. Compact everything well and lay a layer of roofing material on top. This will provide good waterproofing without allowing the foundation to absorb moisture.

Installation of formwork and laying of reinforcement

Shields need to be assembled from boards, plywood or other wooden materials. You can connect the elements together with self-tapping screws or nails. If you live in areas with a harsh climate, raise the formwork 40–50 cm above ground level so that the walls do not freeze under the thick snow. And when the climate is not so harsh, the base can be made even 30 cm. Then stretch the fishing line around the perimeter so that it corresponds to the level of pouring concrete into the foundation.

This stage includes not only the installation of formwork, but also the necessary communications. After all, if you do not do this in advance, holes for sewerage or water supply will need to be made in the finished foundation.

To strengthen the foundation, you need to place a reinforcing mesh in it. It will be placed in formwork. To make such a frame, you will need Ø14 mm reinforcement rods and flexible steel wire. The rods need to be tied into a mesh with wire. When making cells, it is not necessary to adhere to certain dimensions. On average, these are cells 20x20 cm in size, equal to the size of the trench.

In order for the concrete to completely cover the reinforcing mesh, it must be installed not flush with the top of the trench, but 5–10 cm lower.

Now everything is ready to pour the concrete.

This stage of work can be divided into several steps:

1. Determining the required volume of concrete. To calculate how much mixture will be used to fill, there is a formula: V=S×L, where:
   V is the required volume of concrete,
   L – foundation length,
   S – cross-sectional area.
   And to find out the area, just multiply the height of the tape by its width. For example, the length of the foundation strip is 44 m, height 1.3 m, and width 0.5 m. To determine the cross-section, multiply the height by the width: S = 1.3 × 0.5 = 0.65 m 2. After which: V = 44 × 0.65 = 28.6 m 3. It turns out that to fill your foundation you will need 28.6 m 3 of concrete solution.
2. Now you need to decide whether to order concrete from a construction company or make it yourself. The easiest way is to order the solution - it will be quick, without extra effort, but the service costs more. If you want to save money, you can make concrete yourself, this process is more labor-intensive. It is better to have a concrete mixer, because mixing such a large volume by hand is unrealistic. To ensure high-quality concrete, strictly adhere to the proportions: 1: 1: 3 - cement, crushed stone, sand. Water must be added until the mixture reaches the required consistency.
3. If you have never poured concrete, you should know that it is wrong to dump all the concrete into the trench. It is important to pour concrete in an even layer of 20–30 cm so that the concrete comes out monolithic. There is no need for haste in this matter, since the foundation is the foundation and support of the house, which allows it to stand for a long time.
4. It is important to expel the air from the concrete by tamping each layer. To do this, use a vibrator. If this is not available, simply compact the concrete with a stick or reinforcement. Continue pouring until you reach the line level. To better compact the concrete, tap the formwork with a mallet from the outside.
5. After finishing the pouring, the surface of the foundation must be leveled using a trowel.

The foundation is poured. The cement will dry in 3–5 days, but it will only be able to reach the desired “condition” and gain strength in a month. To prevent precipitation from falling on the surface and eroding the concrete, the entire surface should be covered with something, you can use plastic film. If you are building in the summer and it is hot outside, the composition needs to be moistened from time to time so that the concrete does not crack. After 10 days you can remove the formwork.

Before you start building walls, you need to carry out waterproofing work. The base can be coated with bitumen and several layers of roofing material can be laid.

After the concrete has dried, you can begin constructing the walls of the building. In this article we will look at the process of laying walls using the tongue and groove method. So, you need to lay out the first row of blocks on the prepared surface. Any builder knows that the first row is the most important, since others will be guided by it. When the first row is not level, the entire building will be crooked.

For work you will need:

• building level;
• rope or cord;
• electric or manual wall chaser;
• rubber mallet;
• brush for removing dust from the groove;
• hacksaw with large teeth;
• Master OK;
• fittings Ø8 or 10 mm;
• trowel or notched trowel;
• planer for aerated concrete.

To lay the first row, experts recommend using cement mortar. Let it dry longer, but you will be able to lay the first row strictly according to the level. The thickness of the solution layer should be at least 1 cm. This is enough to even out differences.

The first step is to prepare the solution. There is a simple recipe for preparation. You will need:

• shovel;
• buckets;
• trough;
• boron sand;
• cement;
• soap solution;
• water.

So, prepare a trough and pour 1 shovel of cement, 3 shovels of sand into it and mix them thoroughly. Pour water into a bucket and add 1 drop of dishwashing detergent to it. This soapy water will help prevent the cement mixture from settling to the bottom and will make mixing the solution easier.

Now add water to the sand and cement mixture. There is no specific measurement, you need to look at the consistency so that the solution is not too liquid and not too thick. Stir the solution with a shovel. It is important to ensure good quality and viscosity so that it adheres well. Since this amount will not be enough, you can make a larger portion. The main thing is to adhere to the proportion 1:3.

After preparation, you can start laying. The technology is simple - you need to start building the wall from the corners. Place corner blocks on both sides of the wall on the mortar layer. Using a mallet and level, align them perfectly evenly. Then stretch the fishing line or cord from one corner to the other. The following blocks will be laid out on it. When the wall is more than 10 m in length, a block is also placed in the middle of the row so that the cord does not sag, since it must be well stretched. After which the first row of blocks is laid along the entire perimeter and partitions. To adjust them, use a rubber mallet to tap the blocks. It is clear that the length of the wall will not always be a multiple of the blocks, so some of them will need to be adjusted to size. This is where you need a hacksaw.

During laying, do not get carried away so as not to block the doorways.

Once the first row is ready, wait 2-3 hours for the solution to set. After it has dried, the surface of the blocks should be treated with a plane to give it roughness, then the next row will lie much smoother. Now, instead of the solution, you can use special glue. It must be applied with a notched trowel. The second and third rows are made according to the same pattern as the first. Only now the rads need to be tied up with the previous one, moving the blocks halfway. The block can be moved at least 8 cm. After which the laying process is repeated.

The glue will dry much faster than the solution, so you don’t have to wait long, the work should be done at a fast pace.

If you are building a large house, the walls need to be strengthened. To do this, in every 3rd or 4th row you need to reinforce the masonry. Take a wall chaser and make 2 parallel channels in the blocks. Their width should be 4 cm, and the distance from the edge of the block should be 5–6 cm. Remove dust from them with a brush and install 1–2 reinforcing bars there. Then fill everything with cement mortar or glue. There is no need to wait for it to dry.

Window sills and windows

Where the window opening will be, you need to cut two parallel lines. Their size should be 30 cm larger than the size of the window frame, 15 on each side. Clean the grooves from dust with a brush and place Ø8 or 10 mm reinforcement in them and cover everything with the solution. When laying, do not block openings. It's better to do them right away. There is an option to cut them out later, but this is a waste of material and effort.

Installing jumpers

As things move along, you will need to install a lintel over the door and window openings. To do everything right, you need:

1. Place a board over the window.
2. Lay blocks 15 cm thick outside.
3. Inside there are blocks, 10 cm thick.
4. In the center is a block 15 cm thick, sawn in half.
5. Make a frame from Ø12 mm reinforcement.
6. Install the finished structure between the blocks.
7. All that remains is to fill it with concrete.

You can make doorways in the same way, although there are other options for constructing a lintel. It can be made from reinforced concrete, metal corners and filled with concrete, making formwork.

You can buy ready-made jumpers that are easy to install.

Armopoyas

When the masonry of the walls comes to an end, the last row needs to be strengthened by organizing an armored belt. Thanks to it, the integrity of the structure can be ensured. To fill the armored belt, formwork must be formed from 10 cm thick blocks around the perimeter of all walls, laying them parallel to each other. You need to lay reinforcement into the resulting groove. Then prepare the concrete and pour everything around the perimeter.

To simplify the task of installing the Mauerlat for the roof, threaded metal studs can be inserted into the armored belt. They can be welded to the fittings. It is important to adhere to the exact dimensions so that they rise at the same level. Having done this, it will be much easier to install the Mauerlat.

When building a multi-story building, you need to make a ceiling separating the floors. It can be made from wood, metal, concrete and reinforced concrete slabs. The ceiling must be supported by an armored belt. If the walls of the house are separated from each other by less than 6 meters, you can use aerated concrete slabs, which have the same properties as aerated block walls. The slabs are installed on a reinforced belt, the joints between the slabs are filled with mortar. The ends of the slabs from the outside must be covered with ax blocks.

It is clear that you cannot lift the concrete slabs yourself, so for the work you will need heavy equipment - namely a crane that will lift the slabs to the required height. You need to guide the slab to position it correctly.

Another flooring option is to use wooden beams. Their height can be 150–300 mm, and their width – 100–250. Their ends need to be cut at an angle of 60–80˚, treated with an antiseptic and tarred. After which these ends are wrapped in roofing material and placed in niches to a depth of 150 mm. In this case, the gap between the beam and the wall remains 30–50 mm. They need to be installed in increments of 600–1500 mm. Then the sheathing is made and the flooring is laid.

There are different types of such coverings:

• basement - the ceiling between the basement and the first floor;
• interfloor – separating floors;
• attic - floors between the floor and the attic;
• attic – separates the floor of the house from the attic.

Before making a roof, you need to make an attic or mansard floor, depending on the type of roof.

Roofing device

The last stage of building a house box is building the roof. First of all, you need to decide what kind of roof to make, since they are made into the following types:

• pitched roof;

You choose what kind of roof you want to build yourself. The main thing that needs to be done for any type of roof is to carry out waterproofing, thermal insulation and vapor barrier work.

If you have an attic roof, you definitely need to take care of sound insulation.

Let's consider the construction of a common gable roof. So, on the prepared metal studs along the perimeter you need to install a mauerlat - a beam that will serve as a support for the rafters. At this stage, you need to lay 1 or 2 layers of roofing material under the timber for waterproofing. Now you need to attach rafters with a cross section of 7x15 cm to the mauerlat. You can attach the rafters to the beam in different ways, which are shown below.

The upper part of the rafters overlap each other so that the edge of one rafter overlaps the edge of the other. Then they need to be fastened with nails or bolts. To strengthen the structure, parallel rafters are connected to each other using a board.

To distribute the load and strengthen the rafters, you need to fasten them together with a crossbar. These are beams with a cross section of 5x15 cm that need to be nailed to the rafters. They need to be secured slightly above the middle of the roof. And in order to give additional strength to the roof and avoid sagging of the rafter system, you additionally need to install vertical posts.

After this, you need to secure a layer of waterproofing on top of the rafters. Insulation, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is fixed under the waterproofing. And at the end you need to lay a vapor barrier, attaching it with slats to the rafters. All that remains is to make the sheathing, gable and lay the roofing material.

Today there is a wide variety of roofing materials; slate is already a thing of the past. Now your roof can be not only reliable, but also beautiful. As a material you can choose:

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  Watch an animated video that shows how to build a house from aerated concrete:

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Gas silicate blocks have long and firmly begun to compete with standard bricks, providing the craftsman with high quality construction, its reliability and durability. And the reason for this is the undeniable advantages of the material. A house made of gas silicate blocks can be built quickly with your own hands and does not require much labor. That is, a master can lay silicate blocks with one hand.

We will discuss below how to build a cottage from gas silicate material, what nuances in the work should be taken into account, and what actually are the pros and cons of this building material.

Advantages and disadvantages of gas silicate blocks

Gas-silica blocks have many advantages over standard bricks. The material also has its drawbacks, but with the right approach, all the nuances can be resolved.

So, gas silicate blocks have the following advantages:

• Light weight. The material is several times lighter than a standard concrete block, and one gas silicate brick replaces 22 standard bricks in weight and density. And their mass in this quantity is 100 kg. As a result, your house built from gas silicate (as well as from aerated concrete) will have less weight. This, in turn, has a beneficial effect on the construction of the foundation, which may well be a pile or shallow strip foundation.
• High thermal insulation properties. Thanks to the porous structure of the material, aerated concrete (gas silicate) perfectly retains heat and transfers it to the home. So, in comparison with brick, whose thermal conductivity is 0.87, gas silicate has a thermal conductivity of only 0.12.
• Ability to store and release heat. Thus, gas silicate blocks carefully store heat in the winter, and remain cool in the summer without being subject to excessive overheating.
• Soundproofing. The walls of a house made of gas silicate are able to perfectly muffle noise from the outside, similar to a three-chamber double-glazed window, with their standard thickness and in the presence of finishing plaster. The noise level attenuated from the street reaches 65 dB. In such a house it will be quiet and cozy.
• Material strength. Gas silicate blocks can withstand compression loads very well, making the material ideal for building a country house.
• Frost resistance of blocks. Note that gas silicate can withstand multiple cycles (2 times more than the usual refractory or sand-lime brick) of freezing and defrosting without any external or internal damage to the structure.
• Environmental friendliness of the material. Since only organic materials (sand, cement, lime, water and aluminum paste) are used for the production of gas silicate, the blocks are absolutely environmentally friendly.
• Fire resistance of blocks. Gas silicate can withstand up to three hours of fire, provided it is directed directly. This property is due to the use of non-combustible raw materials for the production of blocks.

The disadvantages of gas silicate material include:

• The presence of a porous structure, which leads to the formation of fungus on the blocks if they get wet. The issue can be resolved by properly storing the blocks on the construction site and using external breathable plaster.

Important: gas silicate should be stored only on factory pallets and under film, and preferably under an additional canopy. Batches of blocks are flattened only as needed.

• For any finishing work on gas silicate, you will have to use special chemical anchors instead of standard ones;
• The construction of houses from gas silicate blocks is relevant either on a strip foundation or on a monolithic slab foundation;
• The price of the material is slightly higher than the usual brick. But given the size of the blocks, we can safely say that the cost of construction will ultimately be profitable.
• Due to poor tensile strength, an armored belt should be laid around the entire perimeter of a gas silicate building.

Important: assessing all the positive and negative aspects of the raw material (technical characteristics, price, etc.), you can give preference to this material and build a house from gas silicate with your own hands.

Types of gas silicate blocks and their calculation

To build a house from gas silicate blocks, you must first choose the right type of blocks, since they are available in different sizes and densities. The following grades of material with appropriate markings are offered on the construction market (each number in the marking means the density of the gas silicate block in km/m3):

• Blocks D Here the thermal conductivity of the material is W/m °C. This type of material is best used for external insulation of a house or installation of ceilings.
• D400 blocks have a thermal conductivity of 0.096 W/m °C. This type of blocks is also recommended for insulation and installation of floors.
• Blocks D Thermal conductivity here is 0.12 W/m °C. These gas silicate blocks can already be used in laying the external walls of a house without subsequent insulation.
• Gas silicate D The level of thermal conductivity in this case is already 0.14 W/m °C. Suitable for the construction of houses without mandatory thermal insulation on the outside.

Important: the wall thickness for such a gas silicate block should be thicker than standard.

• Blocks D 700. Have a thermal conductivity of 0.16 W/m °C. Most often, this type of material is used for the construction of load-bearing walls and partitions in the structure of a house. It can also be used for laying the external walls of a building, but subject to mandatory additional insulation.

• Blocks marked 200-300 - used as external insulation or exterior finishing;
• Blocks 400-600 - suitable for the construction of one-story buildings, and such material can be used for both external and internal load-bearing walls;
• Blocks 500-700 - more often used in the construction of buildings from 2 to 3 floors or buildings with a complex structure (attic, balconies, etc.);
• Blocks 700 - recommended for use under an armored belt.

As for the amount of building material, it can be calculated in cubic meters by multiplying the parameters of the future house according to the design documentation. That is, the width and length of the house, the thickness of the block and the height of the walls are multiplied. The resulting value is the amount of gas silicate per m3.

Important: a special online calculator will help simplify the calculation task, into which you just need to enter all the initial data for the house. In this case, building a house will be as economical as possible if the calculations are carried out correctly. The price of construction will also be visible here if the data is entered correctly.

Let's start construction: foundation

To properly build a house from gas silicate, you need to lay a reliable foundation. For a house of this type, the ideal options are a strip shallow foundation (provided the soil on the site is not heaving) or a slab monolithic foundation. The second has a higher price, but at the same time it can easily withstand the load of the house in case of heaving soil at a construction site. Such a foundation will simply maneuver in the ground, protecting the house from soil pressure from all sides. As a result, the house will remain safe and sound.

Both types of foundations are poured from prepared concrete mixture. To prepare it, use cement of a grade not lower than M-200, sand and crushed stone. The ratio of bulk materials is 1:2:2.5. All ingredients are diluted with water to obtain a mixture of medium consistency (like thick sour cream).

The resulting mixture is poured into pre-assembled formwork in a prepared pit or trench.

Important: to properly install the foundation, it is necessary to lay a sand and gravel cushion at the bottom of the trench/pit, and then lay a layer of waterproofing.

Foundations of both types must be reinforced with steel rods with a cross-section of 8-12 mm. It is necessary to knit a mesh from them, which will additionally strengthen the hardening concrete and make the base strong and durable.

Important: when pouring the solution, it is necessary to compact the mixture well using a construction vibrator, but without touching the reinforcement. This way, all air bubbles will come out of the concrete, and the foundation will have better density, which will have a positive effect on its strength and solidity.

The finished base is left to dry completely for about a month. After the concrete has completely dried, the foundation should be waterproofed on all sides.

Wall masonry

This section will be especially interesting to those craftsmen who do not know how to properly build a house from gas silicate blocks. Since masonry walls made of gas silicate blocks have several features:

• Thus, the installation of blocks must be carried out exclusively with an adhesive mixture. If the construction of a house is carried out in winter, it is necessary to purchase a special winter version of the mixture.
• It is worth considering that blocks at a construction site should be stored exclusively on factory pallets and wrapped in factory film. This will protect the blocks from excess moisture. You need to unroll the gas silicate as needed for laying block walls.
• If external wall decoration is not provided, then care must be taken to decorate the seams. To do this, they pass through them with a special decorative groove, picking up excess adhesive mixture.
• It is tedious to start laying the first row (as well as all subsequent ones) from the corners. Moreover, if the foundation is not completely level, then the blocks begin to be laid from the highest angle.

Important: it is worth remembering that the first row of blocks is laid only on a cement-sand mixture.

• The blocks placed in the corner are leveled. Then they lay the blocks in all other corners of the house and also level them. A control cord is pulled between the laid gas silicates, along which the evenness of the masonry will be varied.
• Gas silicate is placed according to the principle of a sling, moving each upper block to the side relative to the vertical seam by 8-10 cm. This also applies to the corners of the house.
• The adhesive mass is applied with a special carriage, carefully leveling it.
• The masonry walls must be reinforced with steel rods. They must be laid on the first row of masonry, on every fourth row, in all door and window openings, as well as in places of increased load on the house. To install the armored belt directly in the laid row of blocks, grooves are formed and reinforcement is placed in them.
• If the openings are more than 1.5 meters long, then it is necessary to pour a special concrete belt. It must be insulated when pouring to prevent the formation of cold bridges.
• The last row of masonry is tied together with a monolithic concrete belt, on which the floor slabs are then laid.

Roof

If you need a house made of turnkey blocks, all that remains is to install the roof and install all communications. The roofing is carried out by attaching the rafters and filing the sheathing to them. Additionally, the roof is sheathed with rough boards, which are then covered with thermal and waterproofing. Ondulin can be used as a roofing material, which can withstand temperature changes, moisture and sunlight.

When making, the finished house can be finished on the outside with decorative “breathable” plaster or siding. Houses made from gas silicate are not only strong and reliable, but also quite beautiful, which satisfies the aesthetic taste of the owners.

Video: how to build a house from gas silicate blocks:

Aerated concrete is the stumbling block of a considerable number of construction-related disputes. Despite the battles, many professional builders believe that it is a good, although not ideal, building material. Just like everyone else. To decide to build a house from aerated concrete blocks, you need to remember that the material has many useful qualities and has already become quite widespread.

Selection of wall aerated concrete (gas silicate) blocks Source stroyres.net

A little history

For centuries, people have used natural building stone - tuff - to build houses. It was valued for its lightness, ease of processing and ability to retain heat well. Since the 19th century, scientists have tried to reproduce these qualities by experimenting with concrete mixtures. The consistent work of several researchers is considered important milestones on the path to creating modern aerated concrete:

Engineer Hoffman(Czech Republic). In 1889, he conducted a series of experiments with cement mortar, adding acids and salts to it. During the solidification process, the released gases formed a characteristic porous structure.

Americans Owlsworth and Dyer. In 1914, they were the first to use aluminum and zinc salts. The reaction proceeded with the release of hydrogen, which formed a homogeneous porous structure. The method laid the foundation for future technology.

Architect Erickson. In 1922, the Swede patented a method for producing cellular concrete using aluminum powder, becoming the godfather of modern autoclaved aerated concrete. The first aerated concrete for the construction of industrial and residential buildings began to be produced in 1929.

Modern house project made from gas silicate blocks Source buildhouse.info

In the USSR, industrial production of cellular concrete was also established in the 30s. The first autoclaved block aerated concrete was produced in Riga in 1937; buildings made from these blocks still stand in the city. In the post-war 50s, aerated concrete helped restore destroyed infrastructure, both in the USSR and in Europe. In modern Russia, the needs for the material are met by more than 80 modern manufacturing plants.

Composition and technology

Aerated concrete is a representative of the category of cellular concrete, building materials that differ in properties and operating characteristics. The unifying characteristics are the porous structure, low weight and low density. The following components are used in the production of aerated concrete:

Astringent. Portland cement.

Filler. Quartz sand.

Gas generator. Aluminum powder or paste.

Industrial purified water.

Enhancement Additives. Lime, gypsum, industrial waste (slag, ash).

Autoclave curing blocks Source ar.decorexpro.com

The production of aerated concrete begins with mixing the ingredients and pouring the mixture into molds. The chemical reaction produces hydrogen. The gas increases the volume of the mixture (swells it) and forms pores. After the reaction is completed, the mixture sets, it is removed from the molds and cut according to the standard. Further processing occurs in two ways. Depending on which drying method is used, one of two types of aerated concrete is obtained:

Autoclaved(synthetic) hardening. The blocks gain hardness (steamed) in autoclaves (devices that create high pressure in an environment saturated with water vapor).

Non-autoclaved(hydration, air) hardening. The blocks harden at atmospheric pressure in drying chambers.

Classification

According to the standard, cellular concrete (including aerated concrete) is divided into three types according to its functional purpose:

Structural. Density ranges from 1000–1200 kg/m³.

Structural and thermal insulation. From 500 to 900 kg/m³. Brand D500 indicates that in 1 m³ part of the volume is filled with 500 kg of solid material, the remaining volume is air filling the voids (cells).

Thermal insulation. From 200 to 500 kg/m³.

Using blocks increases construction speed Source geo-comfort.ru

Specifications

Aerated concrete serves as an example of the optimal relationship between the main performance characteristics:

Durability. Despite the low density (specific gravity), the strength is sufficient for the use of aerated concrete in the construction of load-bearing walls.

Lightness. The lightness of aerated concrete is due to porosity, which can reach 85-90% of the volume of the material.

Low thermal conductivity. Good thermal efficiency is also a result of the porosity of the material. Aerated concrete boasts the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient, 0.12 W/m°C (dry).

Homemade mistakes

Having discovered on the Internet many tips for producing aerated concrete with your own hands, and making sure that they are quite feasible, many decide to start their own production. At the same time, home craftsmen do not consider it necessary to strictly comply with technological standards, but they always find people willing to purchase the product at dumping prices.

Small production - no guarantee Source beton-house.com

On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects of houses made of aerated concrete blocks from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.

The use of high-quality raw materials and technological equipment in factory production allows us to obtain aerated concrete products with stable physical and chemical characteristics:

Exact dimensions and correct, with minimal defects, shape.

Given physical and mechanical parameters.

Uniform material density, which is confirmed visually (uniform distribution of air cavities).

Chemical inertness of the material, which is confirmed by laboratory control throughout the production cycle.

The conditions of handicraft production cannot provide manufacturability and control at the level of a modern workshop. Hand-made aerated concrete blocks are distinguishable to the naked eye: the cells (cavities) are distributed unevenly, and the geometry leaves much to be desired. Sometimes such products smell noticeably of chemicals (often lime). Using home-made blocks will most likely reduce the cost of construction, but is guaranteed to become a source of serious problems:

Blocks with arbitrary density and composition have increased fragility and are highly likely to begin to crack in the first year of operation of the house.

Rough seams will cause heat loss Source bg.decorexpro.com

Blocks with non-ideal geometry it will not be possible to place it on special glue; you will have to use mortar. Seams with a thickness of 1 to 2 cm will become cold bridges, reducing the thermal efficiency of housing and promoting freezing of the walls.

Blocks with residual undecomposed lime will have a persistent chemical odor (and affect the health of people living in the house). Excess lime can start the process of corrosion of the metal in the wall.

Advantages and disadvantages of the material

A country gas silicate house has the same strengths and weaknesses as the source material. Based on the structure of aerated concrete, many advantages can be identified:

Cheapness. Due to the low consumption of cement in the production of products.

Construction speed. The blocks are significant in size and weigh 3-5 times less than a brick of the same volume. This allows you to build 1 m² of wall in 20-25 minutes, which is unattainable in the case of brickwork.

Construction costs. Savings are achieved through the rational use of working time and building materials.

Aerated concrete can be processed manually Source kamtehnopark.ru

construction service of houses from aerated concrete blocks

Low thermal conductivity. According to this indicator, aerated concrete is 2-3 times better than brick. A wall made of 37.5 cm thick blocks retains heat as well as 60 cm thick brickwork.

Ease of processing. Blocks can be easily cut with any hand tool, sawed, milled and fined. This flexibility allows you to create complex architectural projects.

Fire resistance. Aerated concrete is characterized by a high degree of fire resistance and belongs to the flammability group NG (non-combustible). When exposed to a flame with a temperature above 100°C for two hours, an aerated concrete wall begins to lose strength and crack to a depth of 3-4 cm (enough time to leave the house and call the fire brigade). During this time, the wooden house will burn to the ground.

Vapor permeability. High. Due to the presence of interconnected voids, the material successfully regulates the humidity in the room (breathes).

Environmental friendliness. The lime and aluminum powder used in production are converted into inert solids after a gas formation reaction. Therefore, the material, made according to all the technology requirements, does not emit any volatile substances into the air.

This is interesting! On various construction forums you can often find references to a certain table of coefficients of environmental friendliness of materials. There are even some numbers given - for example, for expanded clay this coefficient is 20, for brick - 10, aerated concrete - 2, and the leader and standard is wood - its value is 1. In practice, the existence of such a table is not confirmed in any official document , although if we consider materials specifically in terms of the release of any substances into the air, then there is some truth in such a division.

Durability. In the Scandinavian countries, Germany and France, there are many houses made of aerated concrete, built 40-50 years ago and still showing no signs of destruction. This durability is due to the quality of the factory-made material and installation carried out in compliance with the technology.

Post-war aerated concrete house Source bwncy.com

Frost resistance. Aerated concrete resists cyclic freezing well.

Features of aerated concrete blocks determine the weak points of the structure:

Flexural strength. Aerated concrete is characterized by a relatively low coefficient of ultimate deformation (0.5–2 mm/m). Foundation deformation beyond these limits leads to the appearance of cracks in the wall of the house. The means of combating will be the construction of a solid foundation with monolithic lining or mesh reinforcement, tying the floors and reinforcing the masonry. It is also not recommended to build private houses higher than 3 floors.

Fasteners. Nails, anchors and screws fit perfectly into an aerated concrete wall, but they stay there disgustingly. A characteristic disadvantage of all cellular concrete is corrected by the use of special fasteners for porous surfaces (steel, nylon, frame). You should also pay attention to the installation of windows and doors (if installed incorrectly, they may become loose over time).

Adhesion(adhesion to finishing materials). It is not high, so before plastering the wall must be prepared (reinforcement or a layer of primer).

External finishing of the facade with plaster Source hug-fu.com

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer house design services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.

Shrinkage. The shrinkage of non-autoclaved aerated concrete reaches 2 mm/m, autoclaved - up to 1 mm/m.

In order for the constructed house to serve for a long time and without problems, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the material:

Hygroscopicity. A porous wall is capable of absorbing and releasing moisture (like, for example, a wooden wall). To protect the facade from excess moisture, the walls are lined, preferably with ventilation.

Heating. A house made of aerated concrete can significantly reduce heating costs, but it must be taken into account that the higher the grade of aerated concrete, the worse its thermal insulation properties. Energy efficiency can be improved by simple plastering.

Ventilation. Since aerated concrete is quite large building blocks, the likelihood of poor-quality installation increases, even taking into account the excellent geometry of the products. For example, if the glue is too thick, it does not completely fill the space between the blocks and through gaps form. If there is such a possibility, then after construction it is recommended to conduct a thermal imaging inspection of the house to know whether there are joints and seams that need to be sealed.

Aerated concrete cottage with natural stone cladding Source pinterest.ch

Myths about technology

Many have encountered not the most flattering reviews about aerated concrete and the performance characteristics of houses that had the misfortune of being built from it. Such judgments and conclusions often have little to do with reality and are caused by a misunderstanding of the characteristics of the material and technology. Most often you can hear such “expert” opinions:

Aerated concrete walls are prone to cracking. Cracks can appear not only in an aerated concrete wall, but also, for example, in brickwork. After the examination, we have to admit that in most cases the cause of the defect is not the quality of aerated concrete. Most often, the culprit is a poor-quality foundation, the design of which did not take into account the characteristics of the soil and the location of groundwater. Another reason may be reinforcement errors (both walls and foundation). The quality of aerated concrete will play an unfortunate role only if garage-made material was used.

Aerated concrete buildings require insulation. If, when developing a house project, the thickness of wall structures was laid taking into account the standards of SNiP 23-02-2003 (on thermal protection of buildings), additional insulation will not be required. But since aerated concrete houses definitely need façade finishing, insulation is often installed “at the same time.”

Finishing requires the installation of a ventilated facade Source bankfs.ru

Aerated blocks for the home are a very fragile material, which splits when hit by a hammer. The same brick can also be split by applying a certain force. According to SNiP, for low-rise construction (up to three floors), aerated concrete blocks of the D500 brand are recommended, which are quite durable and at the same time light and warm. The D400 brand material is more fragile and warm, the D600 brand material is, on the contrary, stronger and colder. Houses built taking into account technological features cope well with the resulting loads, even in seismically active areas.

Aerated concrete absorbs moisture like a sponge, therefore, a newly built facade requires prompt waterproofing. One of the main features of the material is its gas and vapor permeability, which, however, is not very different from the characteristics of wood. Like wood, aerated concrete is able to absorb moisture and then return it, regulating the microclimate in the rooms. Both materials have a humidity corresponding to the humidity of the surrounding air, and since concrete does not dissolve in water, aerated blocks are not in danger. External walls will not be excessively moistened in cottages with year-round living and properly equipped cladding (which does not impede moisture circulation).

Video description

About construction from gas silicate blocks in the following video:

The aerated concrete block gets wet and submerged in water, therefore not suitable for the construction of suburban housing. Strange logic, if you remember that the foam remains on the surface of the water, and the brick instantly sinks to the bottom. The degree of water absorption of an aerated concrete wall during operation is in no way related to buoyancy; these are two different characteristics.

Living in a house with aerated concrete walls is dangerous, since the material contains lime and aluminum, and the rooms sometimes smell of lime. These elements are part of the original mixture; then they enter into a chemical reaction (transformation reaction) with other components. The output is artificial stone, aerated concrete, which lacks the original elements. Industrial production is characterized by precise dosage of starting substances and high-quality drying, as a result of which only safe silicates remain in the material. The smell of lime appears in garage aerated concrete when the components are measured “by eye” and more lime is added than necessary.

Design features of a typical aerated concrete project Source stroyres.net

When developing a project for a country house made of aerated concrete parts, they rely on the characteristics of the material. To make housing comfortable and durable, the following points are taken into account:

Wall thickness. Determined by constructive necessity. The optimal thickness of load-bearing walls in the climatic conditions of central Russia ranges from 300-400 mm, interior partitions - 100-150 mm.

Suitable foundation. For aerated concrete walls, a reliable and stable foundation is important. A monolithic slab base is usually recommended; It is advantageous to use it on various soils.

Video description

About a typical house made of aerated blocks in the following video:

Roof. Pitched or flat, the roof needs proper installation on aerated concrete walls. A lightweight structure with metal tiles, corrugated sheets or bitumen shingles as roofing is preferred.

The need for conservation. Laying of autoclaved aerated concrete is not carried out at temperatures below -5°C. If cold weather sets in, the house is preserved; It is desirable that by this moment it already has ceilings above the first floor. The walls are covered with a waterproofing film, just like pallets with blocks (it is better if they are packed in factory-made shrink tape).

Arrangement of the roof of an aerated concrete house Source bankfs.ru

Subtleties of design

Aerated concrete is a material that offers the widest possibilities for architectural solutions; one only has to remember the famous Dancing House in Prague. The following requirements apply to the design of a country cottage made of aerated concrete:

Originality. Details of the architectural style can convey the taste of the owners and emphasize their individuality. An exclusive look is often achieved by combining modern and traditional styles.

Practicality(functionality). Currently, houses are being designed from aerated concrete with a thoughtful layout and with any additions - a garage, a terrace (including on the top floor), an attic, a glazed bay window or a balcony.

Comfort. The concept of comfort can be different, and the interior of a house made of aerated concrete blocks can be decorated in any style, from traditional classic to ascetic minimalist. Often the customer’s choice is a cozy country style, picturesque Provence or an energetic loft.

A modern project with oriental notes Source pinterest.com

Projects and prices of turnkey aerated concrete houses

If you decide to build a house from aerated concrete, its price will in any case be more affordable than a similar brick cottage. Many variables will affect the cost:

Project type. You can buy a popular standard project (with ready-made documentation) or order an individual development that takes into account personal preferences.

Brands of building materials. The price depends on the manufacturer (domestic or foreign) and the volume of purchase.

Complexity of the architectural solution. Determined by the area and number of floors of the project, as well as the type of foundation and roof.

Relief of the site. If there is a slope on the site, the project will have to be modified.

Video description

About thermal imaging inspection of a house made of aerated blocks in the following video:

By choosing to build a house from aerated concrete blocks on a turnkey basis, you will be able to appreciate all the advantages of this service, because from the moment the contract is signed, all current issues related to the construction of the house become the concern of the contractor:

Inevitable improvements and changes to the project.

Geological and geodetic studies of the site.

Selection of workers and quality control of construction.

Construction work specified in the contract (from the zero cycle with laying the foundation to laying utilities and finishing).

Video description

Today we will discuss how to build an inexpensive house from aerated concrete. How much does a turnkey aerated concrete house cost in the following video:

Of course, you will be able to receive a report at any time or personally monitor how construction is progressing and how the agreed budget is spent.

Country house made of aerated concrete blocks, individual project Source bankfs.ru

When choosing a construction company, you should focus on the time of its existence, the number and quality of completed projects, and reviews from real clients. Companies with extensive experience have their own design bureau, permanent suppliers and professional work teams of various profiles. Construction companies that care about their reputation act according to a well-established scheme, prefer to maintain optimal prices and often have a system of discounts on materials.

Prices for the construction of country houses from aerated blocks in the Moscow region are as follows:

Area up to 100 m²: on average 2.25 - 3.700 million rubles.

From 100 to 200 m²: 4,150 - 5,200 million rubles.

From 200 to 300 m²: 5,560 - 8,670 million rubles.

Conclusion

Aerated concrete is a modern building material, with the use of which time, money and labor costs for construction are significantly reduced. In this article, based on a video created by the Ufa creative association "ARDO", we will try, step by step, in the form of clear instructions, to answer the main question of many novice developers: "How to build a house from aerated concrete?"

Foundation

The foundation of a house made of aerated concrete blocks can be made according to any of the standard schemes:

• monolithic tape;
• from reinforced slab;
• pile

The height of the base of an aerated concrete house should be 0.5-0.8 m. A waterproofing layer is laid between the masonry and the foundation.

The thickness of the sand-cement mortar for laying the first row of blocks should be 30 mm. Laying the first row starts from the highest corner of the building. Each row is laid along a mooring cord. The installation of each aerated concrete block is controlled by level and mooring cord. If necessary, the position of the block is adjusted using a rubber hammer. The connection at the ends is glueless, due to the tongue-and-groove connection system.

A waterproofing layer is laid around the perimeter of the foundation

Adhesive for aerated concrete

Glue is used for making horizontal seams and attaching additional blocks. After laying, each row is rubbed with a grater, all unevenness is removed. The thickness of the glue layer should be 2-3 mm.

Additional blocks

To cut out additional blocks from aerated concrete, a square and a hand saw are used. When using a band saw, you can achieve particularly precise cutting.

Reinforcement

To strengthen the structure, the following areas should be reinforced:

• first row of masonry;
• every fourth row;
• areas above window and door openings;
• belt of interfloor ceilings.

To implement reinforcement, special recesses are cut into the blocks - grooves. They should be thoroughly cleaned of dust and filled with solution. At the corners the grooves are rounded. The entire reinforcement is pressed into the mortar in the grooves, and excess mortar is removed.

Second row of blocks

The second row begins to be laid 1-2 hours after the completion of the first row. The beginning of the laying is in the corner block dressing, with an offset of at least 10 cm.

Each block is leveled using a rubber hammer.

Jumpers

Aerated concrete lintels are reinforced and used to construct window and door openings. Installed with a wooden support. It is recommended to choose a support depth of 300 mm.

A thick U-shaped wall is laid on the outside. A 5-6-row reinforcement cage is installed in the cavity of U-shaped blocks. Fine-grained concrete is poured into the tray over the reinforcement, compacted and leveled flush.

Wall pairing

Hydro- and noise insulation is installed on the internal walls using bitumen polymer tape and sealant.

The rows, one after another, are connected to the main wall using anchors or brackets and galvanized perforated strip.

Interfloor ceilings

Floor slabs between floors are installed on a reinforced ring belt running along the entire perimeter of the building. The joints at the transition points between floor slabs are filled with cement mortar.

Additional blocks cover the ends from the outside.

Surfaces and openings of complex shapes

Openings and surfaces of complex shapes are cut using a hand saw.

Communications

Holes in aerated concrete can be created using an electric drill. The blocks are easy to drill and saw. For mounting boxes, holes are cut using a special cutter. A wall chaser can easily create grooves for laying utility networks.

Fasteners

Light objects can be mounted on the wall using several materials.

The turbo dowel is used for fastening:

• paintings;
• mirrors;
• lamps and fixtures;
• mailboxes;
• lightweight shelves, etc.

A special dowel for aerated concrete is used for installation:

• façade structures;
• suspended ceilings.

Screw in the dowels carefully and slowly.

To create more durable fastenings, use aerated concrete anchors:

• for installation of facade systems;
• when installing canopies;
• in the installation of heavy ceilings, etc.

Exterior finishing

Exterior finishing can be done 2 weeks after completion of construction.

Manufacturers offer special plasters for finishing aerated concrete surfaces. Decorative plasters can be used. The surface to be applied with plaster is leveled with a trowel, and chips are filled with cement mortar.

In our country, it is especially popular to veneer aerated concrete with bricks. However, there are certain nuances associated with the steam and thermal conductivity of brick and aerated concrete. If it is necessary to line aerated concrete with bricks, a gap must be established. Hydropressed bricks of different colors and textures are best suited. Finishing with such material will create a unique and stylish home.

Video instructions for building a house from aerated concrete

The material was prepared on the basis of a video clip created by the Ufa creative association "ARDO", for which we are deeply grateful to them.