A private house from foam only at first glance seems to be 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. Should be taken very seriously exterior finish foam walls to eliminate the negative properties of the material.
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. The best option is 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 of decorative plaster, which is notable for its low cost and attractive appearance, but other options are also 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.
There are no restrictions for roofing materials of 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 are required for the exterior and interior decoration of the foam wall, as it may be difficult to mount it. 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.
Expanded polystyrene blocks are a material that combines strength, sound insulation, thermal insulation and speed of construction. That is why the technology of construction with fixed formwork is gaining great popularity. In this article, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with this material in more detail, and you can also learn how to build a house from polystyrene foam with your own hands.
Expanded polystyrene blocks, or rather, a house built from them has a number positive sides. Considering them, many decide to build a house from this material:
- Compared with traditional technologies, construction time and labor costs are reduced by up to two times. Accordingly, the cost of the structure is reduced by up to 30%.
- Without much difficulty, you can build a house of any configuration.
- Significantly felt savings on heating in winter and air conditioning in summer. Unlike the same houses built of brick, it is 3 times more economical.
- By reducing the thickness of the walls, there is more usable area. At the same time, heat-insulating and sound-proofing qualities are not lost.
- During construction, it is not necessary to build a powerful foundation, since walls made of fixed formwork create a specific load.
- Thanks to the monolithic wall, which has a rigid frame-and-power structure, there will be no cracks after finishing the internal and external walls.
- The fire resistance of the wall reaches up to 2.5 hours.
- If we talk about the price, unlike bricks, polystyrene foam blocks are 1.5 times cheaper.
- Also, savings are achieved due to the fact that there is no need to rent special equipment.
The construction process is reminiscent of a nursery Lego game. Therefore, if you wish and have the basic skills, all the work can be done independently.
On forums and other building portals, you can find a lot of discussion about how environmentally friendly and long-term such construction is. If to be objective and trust the hygienic certificates of this material, then the safety of this polymer is fully confirmed. For example, there are already real facts that people who have lived in a house for more than 5 years do not feel any deterioration in health and any discomfort.
If speak about fire safety, then expanded polystyrene does not go beyond the existing norms. So, it belongs to the category of flame-retardant and low-combustible materials G1 and B1. However, the minus concerns smoke generation. The level of this indicator is high - D3.
As for hygiene, you can find all the necessary information in the certificate, which contains the data of polystyrene foam boards (fully corresponds to the material of the fixed formwork).
Hazardous substances such as formaldehyde and styrene are contained within reason.
The only place where questions may arise is the scope. Blocks from the inside must be further processed. Putting a layer of putty on them and painting is not enough. So, for lining the inside of the walls, it is recommended to use fire-resistant drywall or glass-magnesite sheets. On top of this material, it is already possible to carry out finishing.
In the event of a fire, fire-resistant drywall will allow you to leave the room in time until the polystyrene foam begins to emit toxic gases.
According to studies, expanded polystyrene is less dangerous, in terms of protection from direct contact with fire, than chipboard furniture, linoleum, curtains, laminate and other finishing materials.
As for the decoration of the facade of the house, the material also needs to be processed. Otherwise, under the influence of sunlight, it will collapse. Therefore, one should not delay finishing work, especially with finishing the facade of the building, after construction is completed.
Walls built using the fixed formwork technology of polystyrene foam blocks have the following characteristics:
- In the bearing wall, the block has such dimensions 1200 × 250 × 250 mm. So, 100 mm of thickness is expanded polystyrene on the outside and inside, as well as concrete filled between it with a thickness of 150 mm.
- A block with a size of 1200 × 250 × 300 mm is also used. Here 100 mm on the outside and 50 mm on the inside. Concrete is also poured with a thickness of 150 mm.
- A built wall without finishing (internal / external) is 280–300 kg / m 2.
- The level of thermal conductivity ranges from 0.036–0.045 W/mK.
- Degree of acoustic insulation up to 49 dB.
As for the construction technology itself, the following points should be taken into account:
- In the process of laying the foundation, it is necessary to lay vertical rods in it, which will serve as a connection with the wall.
- The height of the reinforcement outlet must be at least 3 rows.
- When laying the first row, it is necessary to perform waterproofing. Otherwise, moisture will penetrate into the concrete, and this will affect the thermal insulation properties of the wall. For the manufacture of waterproofing, it is necessary to use compounds that do not dissolve polystyrene foam.
- To continue the vertical reinforcement cage, reinforcement is laid inside the rows in the vertical direction.
- The concreting process is carried out every 3 rows. Once the concrete has set, construction can continue.
- For organizing windows and doorways special jumpers and plugs are used. Their use will prevent the spreading of concrete during its pouring. Reinforcement must be laid in the opening in 2 layers. A spacer is also installed from below.
For finishing polystyrene walls, an adhesive mixture is used, which has the necessary adhesion to the polymer surface. It is also recommended to use a mesh with small cells when applying the starting layer. Also, for finishing, you can use drywall or glass magnesite.
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main stages of building a house from expanded polystyrene.
- First of all, a strip foundation is laid. A horizontal deviation of no more than 10 mm is allowed.
- Vertical reinforcement pins are laid in the foundation, which should look out to the height of three rows.
- When the foundation is ready, the surface is cleared of construction debris.
- Next, the markings of future walls are applied. You can use a chokeline for this.
- You should also make sure that polystyrene blocks are prepared along the perimeter of the building at a distance of up to 2.5 m. Their close location will allow laying walls without distractions.
The construction process begins with the formation of a corner. To do this, lay the block so that the connecting grooves are directed upwards to connect with the next row. Waterproof the base first. It will protect the concrete from moisture penetration. When laying, be sure to check the wall for vertical evenness. Also make sure that the blocks fit strictly along the intended line.
If it is necessary to cut the block, then this can be done in special recesses. Otherwise, it may lose its strength. Moreover, if you make the cut incorrectly, then you will not be able to connect the blocks together.
An important stage in the construction of a house from polystyrene foam blocks is reinforcement. For this, reinforcement is used, which should be located vertically. It is inserted into the special grooves of the jumpers of the block. The first 3 rows are inserted into the reinforcement, which sticks out of the foundation around the entire perimeter. To organize the ligation between each other, subsequent segments of the reinforcement are connected with a knitting wire. So, the process continues until the last row.
Particular attention is paid to the construction of openings for the installation of windows and doors:
- According to the project, designate the location of doors and windows.
- Next, cut the blocks, forming the necessary opening.
- From boards 40 × 150 mm you make a box for windows and doors. Install them in the openings.
- After that, fix the box around the perimeter with a board 25 × 150 mm.
- It is also necessary to leave a hole at the bottom of the box opening, which will make sure that the concrete passes through.
- As for the jumpers, special blocks are used here, in which the reinforcement is laid horizontally to reinforce the structure.
- If it is necessary to make an opening of an arched shape, then the blocks are cut out according to the template of the desired handicap, and the formwork is made of plywood.
Angular, right and left blocks are used to form corners. They allow you to lay blocks with offset vertical joints. As for the alignment of the laying of blocks in relation to the previous one, at least 400 mm is allowed on each row.
When building houses from expanded polystyrene, it is not allowed to place vertical seams on top of each other.
There is also a reinforcement process, as already mentioned in this article. When you have laid the first 4 rows, you need to mount scaffolding. For this, mortgages in the wall should be provided in advance. As for the last row of each floor, the blocks should be connected to subsequent rows vertically with knitting wire.
After laying 3-4 rows, it is necessary to strengthen the wall. To do this, the gap between the posts should be up to 2 m. Next, screw the vertical posts of the leveling system with self-tapping screws to the jumper of the blocks. TO concrete base fix the rack with dowels in a vertical position. Using a nut and bolt, connect the clamp to the top rack. The heel of the clamp is fixed in concrete or soil. A mandatory requirement is to use a level to install the rack vertically.
There are special requirements for concrete. The minimum compressive strength concrete class is B15. As for the filler, its fraction should be from 5 to 15 mm. Mixture cone draft up to 150 mm. Immediately before placing concrete, it is necessary to level the system by turning the knobs. The concrete itself is laid in several ways:
- Faucet with tub.
- pump.
- Conveyor.
- From the dump truck directly through the tray.
According to the degree of filling the inside of the block with concrete, it must be compacted. For this, the method of internal / external vibration or bayonet is used.
When arranging the roof, an anchor beam or Mauerlat is fixed along the top of the wall with special studs. Gables, in turn, are formed by cutting the block at the desired angle. The interior is filled with concrete. Planks are fixed on both sides of the pediment, and a sheet of plywood on top. This will keep the concrete from flowing out. When the concrete has dried, the fasteners are dismantled.
If it is necessary to carry out a T-shaped junction of walls, then this can be done with standard blocks. Special blocks are used to perform a 90–180° turn.
Finishing work
After the concrete has acquired sufficient strength, you can start finishing work. First of all, communications such as electrical wiring are laid. Using a thermal knife, you can easily make channels into which wires will be laid. As for fastening the junction boxes, this is done directly to the concrete wall with dowels. For laying a pipeline, it is allowed to carry pipes Ø38 mm in the wall, but no more.
When all communications are carried out, you can start finishing work. Walls located below the level of the wall are covered with a layer of waterproofing. As for the walls above the wall level, they are treated with special mixtures that have good adhesion to the surface of the expanded polystyrene, using a fiberglass mesh. You can also install drywall and use other finishing materials.
So, we have considered with you the intricacies of building the walls of a house from polystyrene foam blocks. If you have experience in such construction, then write your comments at the end of this article. This will help beginners to cope with this difficult task.
Video
You will learn more about how to build a house from expanded polystyrene by watching the video:
Do-it-yourself foam house
Recently, more and more often you can hear talk about the so-called thermal house. It may seem like a made-up term from some science fiction novel, but the reality is much simpler. A thermal house is a house built from polystyrene foam. This construction technology is also called fixed formwork.
foam blocks
These blocks are hollow boxes. Their dimensions are standard (95x25x25 cm), but for construction internal walls products of a slightly smaller width are used - 95x13x25 cm.
Note! Expanded polystyrene blocks are produced using the technology of industrial conveyor production. During a work shift, the production line produces about one hundred and twenty blocks.
Styrofoam characteristics
The advantages of building materials include:
- ease of processing and installation;
- resistance to permanent moisture;
- light weight;
- excellent soundproofing characteristics;
- high-quality thermal insulation due to the multilayer structure;
- resistance to decay and fungus.
It is also worth noting that the foam refers to "breathable" materials, that is, to those that allow air to pass through.
foam blocks
But there are also disadvantages that must be taken into account even before construction begins.
- Foam blocks do not withstand temperatures above 90 ° C.
- The strength of the foam is just an illusion, in fact, it can easily be pierced with a finger. In this regard, the walls will have to be puttied.
- The material is highly flammable.
The cost of one such block is approximately 300 rubles. which is relatively inexpensive. Consider the cost of building a polystyrene foam house in comparison with a brick one. So, a thermal house is a structure that is already ready for final finishing, which can be covered with both plaster or paint, and siding. In the same time brick house needs puttying and thermal insulation (with the same foam), which, of course, increases construction costs.
In a word, a thermal house is an inexpensive pleasure, because it already includes both finishing and insulation. Moreover, according to GOST, the height of such a house can reach 15 m, which is equivalent to 5-6 floors.
Styrofoam blocks
About the environmental friendliness of the material
Most people are sure that polystyrene, like any other "chemistry", is unsafe or even harmful to health. So far, this fact has not been confirmed, but not refuted either. It should be noted that there are a number of requirements, in particular sanitary and GOST, which the manufactured products fully comply with.
But some people are difficult to convince even of obvious things, which is most likely due to a psychological factor. And even the fact that polystyrene is widely used in insulation and interior decoration, as well as in the manufacture disposable tableware, for some reason is not a weighty argument in this case.
Foam house: building instructions
Dealing with the strong and weaknesses material, you can proceed with the installation. But first you need to prepare everything you need.
Stage 1. Tools, materials
The work will require:
- foam blocks;
- finishing material;
- sand;
- wires, pipes;
- metal fittings? 12 mm;
- steel wire for bonding;
- cement of the "six hundredth" brand;
- water;
- crushed stone;
- concrete mixer.
Stage 2. Foundation
Foundation
Building a house starts with the foundation. The best option- an ordinary strip foundation, although it all depends on the characteristics of the soil in the selected region.
After pouring, the base is supplemented with a support. To do this, wooden bars measuring 50x60 mm are laid around the entire perimeter of the foundation. The entire remaining area must be laid with boards of the same thickness.
Stage 3. Assembly of the structure
The erection of a thermal house is similar to the assembly of a designer - the blocks are joined groove to groove, shifted with reinforcement and assembled into walls.
Styrofoam blocks, assembly
Step 1. The foam blocks are prepared for installation: they are cleaned, leveled and dried thoroughly.
Step 3 A concrete solution is being prepared. To do this, cement, crushed stone and sand are poured into a concrete mixer in a ratio of 1: 3: 3 and poured with such an amount of water that a liquid mixture is obtained as a result.
Step 4. After driving five rows, a solution is poured into the voids between the layers of blocks. When pouring, it is advisable to tap on the side surface of each block - so the shrinkage of the concrete will be more dense.
Step 5. A part of the wall is assembled from the next five rows of blocks and again filled with mortar. The procedure is repeated until the completion of construction.
Step 6 Sewerage, wiring and other communications are laid directly into the walls of the house, after which it is covered with a roof and the final finishing of the walls is carried out. It is characteristic that the pipeline is recommended to be laid in still hollow walls, while the electrical wiring is supplied through pre-made strobes (there should be no problems with strobe foam).
Construction
In choise roofing material also there are no restrictions. In fact, a foam house is a monolithic structure that can withstand any load, so even natural tiles can be used for coating.
Note! It is better to start building a thermal house in warm time year at a temperature not lower than -10?
Foam blocks retain their original properties for a long time. There is even an opinion that a house built from these blocks, under appropriate conditions, can last up to 100 years.
Styrofoam house
Stage 4. Finishing
As already mentioned, there are practically no restrictions on the internal / external decoration of the walls of a thermal house. Financially it is more profitable to use decorative plaster or ordinary paint, and from the inside to make plasterboard lining.
Arched foam house
The thermal house may look different. The following is an instruction for the construction of an arched building standard sizes: the height of the walls is 3 m, the total area is about 10 m². Of course, such a structure cannot be used as permanent housing.
What will be required in the work
Before starting construction, you need to take care of everything you need. Below is a list of materials:
- foam blocks;
- building level;
- concrete mortar;
- polyurethane foam;
- dowels, self-tapping screws;
- ruler;
- marker.
Construction technology
Step 1. First, the foundation is being built. In this case, there are no differences from the previous version.
Fixed formwork made of expanded polystyrene for the foundation
Step 2. A beam of 50x60 mm is laid along the entire perimeter of the base, fastening is done by means of anchors. In this case, the design is periodically checked by the level.
Note! To optimize the fastening, you can use any mounting foam, except for the extra class. This is explained simply: this type of foam expands greatly.
Step 3. The side walls of the base, protruding above the ground, are finished decorative stone. The stone is laid on an ordinary concrete mortar and lightly beaten with a hammer.
Step 4. The foundation is covered with a waterproofing layer (plastic film is suitable). A brick can be placed on top of the film to increase the strength of the foundation and protect against subsidence.
Step 5. Next, the foam blocks are prepared. They are cut and glued in accordance with the previously taken measurements. For the frame of the arch, you need to use only curly blocks, and you can take ordinary thick sheets to fill the walls. Mounting foam is used for gluing.
Note! For fixing, you can also use special glue for polystyrene, but mounting foam is spent more economically. The only drawback of the foam is that its expansion must be constantly monitored, otherwise the tightness of the frame may be compromised.
Step 6 Finished foam arches are attached to the base with self-tapping screws and dowels. To do this, holes are made around the entire perimeter of the foundation (with equal pitch), into which high self-tapping screws are installed. Then, holes are made in the lower part of each arch in the appropriate places, after which the arches are mounted on self-tapping screws.
Arched house details
Note! For ease of assembly, dowels can be inserted into the holes in the arches in advance.
Step 7 Arches are additionally fixed. If mounting foam is used, then it fills the gap between the frame and the base with a thin tube. If glue is used, then all work surfaces are lubricated with it even before the arches are mounted.
Step 8. It remains only to repair the cracks between the blocks with concrete mortar and plaster the walls of the house. For further finishing, as already mentioned, you can use any material - it all depends on financial capabilities and personal preferences.
As you can see, building a foam house is not such a complicated procedure. The main thing is to correctly calculate the consumption of building materials and securely fix the blocks on the foundation. By the way, not only blocks can be used in construction.
Based on site materials: http://svoimi-rykami.ru
Appearance: very dense plates of finely porous insulation of red (rarely blue) color, with black inscriptions (Stirofoam, Penoplex, thermite, etc.).
Possible problems with using XPS on a façade:
1. Detachment of tiles together with glue, at the junction of plates. Steam cannot pass through the XPS and finds an outlet only at the seams of the insulation.
The amount of moisture in these places is excessive, when freezing, this water expands and the lining layer collapses.
2. Deformation of the insulation plate with temperature fluctuations. Like any hard plastic, extruded polystyrene has a significant linear expansion when heated.
On the sunny side of the façade, the slabs can bulge.
3. Lagging from the surface of the insulation of any glue along with the facade finish. In the production of extruded polystyrene, its surface is covered with a release agent so that it does not stick to the equipment. So nothing sticks to it.
Before installing DEKA Flexible Stone on an XPS surface, it must be properly prepared.
1. The insulation plate to the wall must be securely glued to a special glue for extruded polystyrene foam and, after the glue has dried, additionally fixed with dowels.
The length of the dowel is selected so that it enters the base at least to the depth recommended by the dowel manufacturer for a particular wall material (more for aerated concrete than for reinforced concrete). The consumption of dowels is 5-7 pieces per m2.
2. Clean the surface of the insulation with coarse sandpaper and prime with an adhesive primer.
3. Apply the mixture for the base plaster layer, then “freeze” the reinforced fiberglass mesh into it and rub it with a trowel.
4. After the base plaster layer has dried, it is recommended to prime it with a penetrating primer.
As an alternative to preparing a wall insulated with XPS, fiber cement sheets can be installed ( flat slate), DSP, OSB?
DIY foam house
directly on the surface of the extruded polystyrene foam on the dowels of the required length and glue the DEKA stone directly on them, after using a universal penetrating primer.
Before gluing, the roll with a stone cloth must be unwound and allowed to straighten out for 5 minutes at a temperature of 18-20 0C.
Pasting with a flexible stone "DECA" is better to start from any of the upper corners.
Glue from 2 to 5 mm thick and 500 mm * 1000 mm in size is applied to the prepared surface with a spatula. The fragment separated from the canvas is transferred to the wall with glue applied and pressed into the mass of glue with the fingers until the glue protrudes slightly along the edges of the fragment.
Further, the procedure is repeated with the following separated fragments, taking into account the width of the jointing seams, to the place where the surface with glue ends. Next, glue is applied to the next area, and the procedure is repeated.
It must be taken into account that the adhesive and jointing composition does not get on the front part of the Flexible stone "DEKA".
When using glue as jointing, it is recommended to carefully level the glue that has come out from the edges along the jointing seam within an hour, so that the end of the flexible DEKA stone is covered with glue (this will give a more aesthetic appearance).
The size of the seam can be any, at your discretion.
When embroidering seams with other compounds, it is desirable to minimize the release of glue to the edge, and remove the excess immediately. The easiest way to achieve this is to reduce the adhesive layer, but not less than 1 mm over the entire surface.
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Do-it-yourself wall insulation with foam plastic
One of the most commonly used methods of insulation is the cladding of the facade with foam plastic.
do-it-yourself foam house video
This is due to the low cost of the material and the simplicity of its installation technology. So you can insulate any walls. However, wooden - with a caveat, as discussed below.
The benefits of foam
- Inexpensive
- Easy
- Low thermal conductivity
- Does not absorb moisture
- Does not deform, does not change size over time
- When reinforced with fiberglass, it creates a rather rigid base for plaster
- Easy mount technology
Flaws
- Flammable, emits toxic smoke when burned
- Easily damaged by small rodents
Bonded thermal insulation method
Insulation of the outer surface of the walls with foam plastic is usually carried out by the method of bonded thermal insulation.
- Insulation plates are fixed on the wall with glue with additional fixation with plate-shaped dowels
- The foam layer is reinforced with fiberglass
What foam to use
There are the following sizes of foam for wall insulation: 1.0x0.5m and 1x1m.
A slab with dimensions of 1.0x0.5m is much more convenient to use than a 1x1m slab.
External insulation is made using foam plastic having a density of 25 kg / m3.
A material with a lower density has better thermal insulation properties, but has weak rigidity and can easily be damaged during work.
A special facade foam should be used, which has fairly good air permeability. The thickness of the foam for wall insulation may depend on the climatic features of the region in which the building is located, the material of the object and its size.
Usually it is from 3 to 12 cm.
Glue
Most often, a special adhesive for polystyrene foam boards is used, which is a cement-based dry mix.
If the wall surface is even, the difference is not more than 5 mm, then you can apply a continuous layer of glue with a notched trowel.
If there are more irregularities, glue is applied around the perimeter in the form of a strip 3-4 cm wide.
In the middle part of the slab, several beacons with a diameter of about 10 cm are made.
After pressing to the base, the adhesive must cover at least 40% of the plane of the sheet.
There is another option - polyurethane adhesive in an aerosol can. It does not require additional preparation. The balloon is inserted into mounting gun, then a strip of glue is applied around the perimeter of the sheet 2-4 cm from the edge. A zigzag strip is applied inside the resulting rectangle. Such glue allows you to install foam sheets much faster.
Work order
The following text describes the procedure for successfully insulating walls with foam, both outside and inside.
Surface preparation
- Remove protruding objects from the wall: ventilation grilles, lighting fixtures, etc.
- Level the surface.
The size of the protrusions and depressions should not be more than 1-2 cm. If necessary, prime the wall and level with plaster
- Apply an exterior primer that matches the wall material
Insulation preparation
Penoplex (extruded polystyrene) has a smooth surface.
You can make it rough to ensure adhesion with glue in the following ways:
- Roll with a special roller with a needle surface
- Make notches with a utility knife
Conventional foam has a fairly rough surface and does not require preparation.
Plinth profile installation
A plinth profile is fixed along the bottom of the wall.
It serves as the basis for the sheets of the first row, and also protects the insulation from rodents. Its size should correspond to the width of the insulation.
It is necessary to leave a distance of 2-5 mm between the profiles in order to compensate for the thermal expansion of the material.
- At one of the corners, the bottom point of the insulation layer is marked
- This mark is transferred to the remaining corners, for which you can use the hydraulic level
- A cord is stretched between the marks along the wall, a profile is installed along it.
It is fastened with dowels after 30 cm
Attaching foam to glue
Sheets are installed in the corners, aligned in the vertical and horizontal plane. Level and rule are used for alignment.
A cord is stretched along the upper edge of the sheets. It determines the position of the top edge of the insulation when filling the current row.
Once the sheet is in place, it must not be moved.
If it is really necessary, the sheet should be removed, cleaned of glue and the whole gluing procedure should be carried out again.
The sheet is applied to the wall with a slight offset from the final position. With the help of a rule or a long trowel, it is pressed into the plane of neighboring plates. Checked for level. So the whole row is pasted over.
At the corners, a jagged connection of sheets is made - sheets of adjacent rows are alternately wedged into the plane of the adjacent surface by the thickness of the insulation or a little further.
After the corner is completely closed, the foam must be trimmed.
The vertical seams of adjacent rows must be at least 20 cm apart, that is, there must be a dressing of the seams.
A pause is made in the work so that the glue seizes securely. Usually it's three days.
Fixing with dowels
Sheets are additionally fixed with dowels-umbrellas, usually 5 per sheet.
Their length should provide a penetration into the wall of at least 5 cm. Recesses for fasteners are drilled with a perforator.
The dowel is hammered in with a rubber mallet or screwed in with a screwdriver.
The first dowel is hammered into the center of the sheet, the rest - in the corners, in the seam. The cap should be flush with the foam, the allowable protrusion is no more than 1 mm.
Completion of the gluing stage
The joints of the sheets are rubbed with glue.
If there are gaps wider than 5 mm, they are foamed with mounting foam or sealed with foam strips.
If irregularities are visible, they are leveled with a foam grater.
When laying two layers of insulation, the second one is fastened with vertical and horizontal overlapping of the seams of the first layer.
In this case, the seams of the first layer can not be foamed.
Fixing the reinforcing mesh
A reinforcing fiberglass mesh is fixed on top of the foam with glue.
First, the corners of the house, as well as the outer corners of the window and door slopes on the ground floor they are reinforced with a perforated corner, plastic or aluminum.
This is done to protect against accidental damage.
If there are no corners, you can stick a strip of reinforcing mesh with a 20 cm approach to each side of the corner.
Then the rest of the wall is reinforced:
- The mesh is cut into strips of the same length.
- A 2 mm layer of glue is applied to the wall section according to the size of the strip.
Strips are glued horizontally
- The mesh is sunk into the adhesive layer with a wide spatula
- Another layer of glue is applied on top
- The stripes should overlap by 10 centimeters.
- The next day the surface is polished. If necessary, align
- After 3 days, the walls will dry completely. They should be primed with a mixture of quartz sand. This ensures high adhesion for the following coat layers.
Usually it is structural plaster. But you can also paint with facade paint.
If the walls are made of wood
Some experts are of the opinion that wooden walls it is impossible to insulate the outside with foam using the bonded thermal insulation method, because the vapor permeability of this insulation is insufficient.
Such insulation can lead to dampness and deterioration of the thermal insulation properties of the walls.
They propose to make a hinged ventilated facade.
Insulation of walls from the inside with foam
When using a material such as foam to insulate the walls inside, it must be taken into account that there is a danger of not getting a good result.
The dew point can move closer to the inner surface of the walls, then their freezing will increase.
It is necessary to make preliminary thermal calculations.
The technology of wall insulation with foam plastic of the inner surface has some features:
- Glue covers the entire plane of the sheet. This prevents the formation of air voids. Moisture can condense in them.
- To level the walls, you can not use ordinary cement mortar.
We use special moisture-proof mixtures designed for finishing in bathrooms.
- Anchor fastenings are not used in order to avoid breaking the tightness of the layer. It is possible to strengthen the fastening by installing between sheets of T-profiles
As can be seen from the above, there are no particular difficulties in the technology of foam insulation.
But the work must be done carefully. It is necessary that the insulation layer be strong and without cracks, resulting in a continuous and uniform heat-insulating shell.
Video about wall insulation from the outside with foam
The technology of warming the house outside with polystyrene foam
Expanded polystyrene is a material that is often used for effective insulation facades. As a result of its application, it is possible to achieve savings in heat resources spent on heating the house. But this material has installation features. How to insulate a house with polystyrene foam to protect the walls from the penetration of cold? After reading this article, you will be able to install the heat insulator yourself.
Do-it-yourself insulation of facades with expanded polystyrene: the use and choice of a heat insulator
Before you get to know detailed instructions for the installation of polystyrene foam heat insulator, you need to know that: 
- Expanded polystyrene should be chosen for the insulation of brick, reinforced concrete, cinder block houses, as well as buildings made of shell rock.
- Installation work should be carried out in warm, dry weather. It is advisable to carry them out in the last months of spring or early autumn.
Rain and the scorching sun adversely affect polystyrene foam, as a result of which its thermal insulation index deteriorates.
- On sale there is more often material in slabs. But you can also find a sprayed version. The latter is not recommended to choose if you plan to do the work yourself, because it requires the participation of specialists.
High-quality insulation of facades with expanded polystyrene depends on right choice its thickness.
- In 1 brick - 50 mm;
- In 1.5 bricks - 38-40 mm;
- In 2 bricks - 32 mm;
- In 2.5 bricks - 29 mm
Materials and tools
To work with insulation, you need to prepare:
- Drill and hammer;
- Construction knife;
- Spatulas with different lengths;
- Level, plumb.
To insulate the house with polystyrene foam, you will need the heat insulator itself, as well as fasteners in the form of building "fungi".
You also need to purchase a special adhesive composition. As a rule, in such cases, polyurethane adhesive is used. To seal the gaps between the plates, you will need mounting foam. To prepare the facade for finishing, you need to buy a reinforced mesh. For facade work, a material with a density of 150 g / m2 is suitable. IMPORTANT! The degree of evenness of the surface of the facade depends on the density of the mesh.
Preparing for installation
Before installing polystyrene boards exterior walls should be prepared.
It is necessary to remove all parts, structures that can interfere with the process of laying insulation. The walls are cleaned of old plaster, paint. It is advisable to check the evenness of the walls. If there are significant indentations, it is better to level them using plaster. Although expanded polystyrene can also be mounted on uneven walls, moisture will accumulate in the existing recesses, which can cause unpleasant phenomena.
If the wall decoration is loose, then you additionally need to walk on their surface with a primer.
The material itself does not require preparation. But when using an extruded variety (foam), you need to roughen its smooth surface.
To do this, you can use the same construction knife, with which shallow notches are applied to the material.
The tides should be equal to the thickness of the polystyrene foam, plaster layer + play of a few centimeters. Be sure to carry out the insulation of slopes in places window openings. For this, a similar heat insulator with a thickness of 2 cm or more is suitable.
We insulate the house from the outside with polystyrene foam: step by step instructions
- A starting profile is installed at the bottom of the walls, which will not allow the insulating material to move.
- Glue is applied to the wall, as well as along the edges and in the middle of the polystyrene foam board.
- The heat insulator with an adhesive layer is tightly pressed against the wall.
It can be moved horizontally.
- It takes some time for the adhesive to adhere to the wall. How much exactly? As a rule, information about this is available on the packaging of the adhesive. After that, the insulation boards are additionally fixed with the help of building "fungi". The latter should enter the wall by about 5 cm. "Fungi" are located at the junction of the heat insulator plates, as well as in the middle of each of them.
- With the formation of gaps of approximately 0.5 cm, mounting foam is used.
After hardening, its excess is removed when using a construction knife.
- Caps of "fungi" are cleaned and puttied.
Reinforcing mesh work
After the facades are insulated with polystyrene foam with their own hands, the facade is covered with a reinforcing mesh attached to the perforated corners. Mounting adhesive is used to fasten the mesh material.
Corners, slopes are covered with mesh strips 30 cm wide. Small canvases are attached to the facade surface, while the mounting mixture is applied in a layer of 0.3 cm.
IMPORTANT! The mesh is overlapped by 10 cm.
After fixing the mesh, the walls are passed with a rubberized spatula. In order for the reinforcing material to be evenly covered with glue, you can add it in the required amount.
As soon as the layer with the mesh dries, it must be passed with sandpaper.
Do-it-yourself wall insulation with polystyrene foam from the outside: advantages and disadvantages
Styrofoam insulation - good decision if you plan to independently insulate the facade of your house, because it: 
- It is produced in plates that are light in weight.
Even 1 person can pick them up and easily move them to the right place. He doesn't need help for this.
- Features an easy processing process.
How to build a styrofoam house
Styrofoam is easy to cut.
- It just attaches. To carry out work on its installation under the power of 1 person.
It is worth choosing expanded polystyrene, because it perfectly retains heat in your home. This material will not be exposed to moisture, it is absolutely not terrible for him. Residents of the house will not need to worry about the environmental safety of the material. Today, such a heat insulator is produced using technologies that exclude that it will emit any harmful substances.
For the same reason, you will not need to use special equipment when working with it.
If we insulate the house from the outside with polystyrene foam, then we need to know about the disadvantage of such a heat insulator. This material loses to the same mineral wool in terms of its fire safety properties. It is known that it contains special additives that slow down the ignition process. But their effect is short-lived. If you follow the rules of fire safety during the construction and further operation of the building, then you can not pay special attention to this drawback.
Insulation of facades with expanded polystyrene: conclusions
So, we told you about how to choose polystyrene foam. You learned about the features of the work on fixing this insulation, and also received information about its advantages and disadvantages. If you have not yet decided on the choice of a heat insulator, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the technology of working with mineral wool, which is also an excellent option for facade insulation.
Our other articles will help you complete home decoration work, in particular, with the use of decorative facade plaster, which allows you to give buildings a unique look.
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.