How to choose expanded clay concrete blocks yourself. What is better to choose gas silicate or expanded clay concrete blocks

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Construction is complex technological process, in which everything should be taken into account, from the layout of the future home to interior decoration rooms. It is necessary to draw up an estimate, as well as determine the materials. After pouring the foundation, there are always walls, and here the question arises, which better blocks for building a house (price, technical indicators and dimensions).

Building walls from blocks

When choosing a material for construction, they first of all look at specifications raw materials, and not on external attractiveness. Monolithic concrete elements are most often used in the construction of durable buildings. Types, characteristics of building blocks depend on the auxiliary components added to the solution during manufacture.

Exist various blocks for building a house. Which is better, because the price, characteristics and dimensions are different for everyone? To understand this issue, we will consider each type in detail.

On the this moment distinguish the following varieties:

• expanded clay concrete;
• aerated concrete;
• foam concrete;
• cinder blocks.

The specific gravity of all options is less than 1800 kg / m³, which is very convenient when building walls, and the cost is quite acceptable even for budget buildings.

Expanded clay concrete

Such blocks are obtained by adding hollow balls of foamed and fired clay to concrete. They are much lighter than other options, and also have high heat and sound insulation performance. At the same time, you can safely drive nails into such a structure without fear of damaging the integrity of the blocks.

The pros and cons of ceramic blocks also require careful study. The positive aspects in the construction of houses include:

Note! When using such blocks, keep an eye on the material itself and where it was purchased. If the creation technology is violated, the density and geometric parameters become unstable.

When choosing expanded clay concrete structures, consider the negative aspects of the material:

• you can not use a lightweight foundation;
• installation of an external layer of thermal insulation is necessary to avoid the formation of cold bridges;
• if you do not perform external finishing, the service life is reduced to two years;
• can not be used for the foundation;
• Larger sizes increase shipping costs.

You can buy various sizes blocks. There are variants corresponding to the usual brickwork(block 50x24.8x23.8 has a mass of 25 kg, and is equal in size to 15 bricks). In width, you can find 23, 24 and 25 cm, and in length from 25 to 51, which is very convenient for building walls at home and planning material costs.

Aerated concrete

Almost 85% of the volume aerated concrete block It is made up of cells, so it is very light. The composition includes quartz sand, cement and lime, and the raw materials are diluted in ordinary water. The dimensions of the bubbles vary from 0.6 to 3 mm, they are evenly distributed.

Such material has positive aspects:

• lightness, the standard unit weighs around 30 kg;
• good thermal conductivity due to the structure, it retains heat for a long time in winter and cool in summer;
• fire resistance, such material is able to resist fire for 3 hours;
• frost resistance (can withstand up to 25 freezing cycles);
• strength (up to 5 floors);
• ease of processing;
• environmental friendliness.

Note! It is necessary to use only a special solution.

To understand which aerated concrete is best for building a house, take into account the following parameters:

• the density differs (350, 400, 450, 500, 600 and 700) and there is a D marking;
• length 60 or 62.5 cm;
• width from 7.5 to 50 cm;
• in height 20 or 25 cm;
• density from 1.0 to 7.5 MPa;
• frost resistance 15 - 50;
• there is shrinkage up to 0.5 mm/m.

At the same time, elements 7.5 cm thick are used for wall insulation, if you want to build a utility room, 2 and 2.5 cm are enough. If you plan to use such material for load-bearing walls, then buy blocks with a thickness of at least 37.5 cm.

Related article:

. In the material, we will consider what aerated concrete is, its scope, advantages and disadvantages, as well as dimensions and average cost.

Foam concrete

Blocks of foam concrete, like aerated concrete, belong to the group of gas silicate. Foam concrete is divided by strength into 4 groups:

Table 1. Marking of foam concrete

At the same time, the dimensions of the gas block for building a house are also different depending on the marking. For example, D600 and 8000 have dimensions of 20x30x60 cm, there are D600 models corresponding to 10x30x60. The size is selected based on the purpose of construction.

Related article:

In the article, we will consider in detail the features of the building material, its advantages, scope, size and average cost.

cinder blocks

This kind of material appeared a very long time ago. Having big weight, nessesary to use special equipment in progress. Dimensions are standard 20x20x40 cm. The composition contains perlite, expanded clay, processed sawdust, gravel, crushed stone and other components, and the presence of slag is not necessary.

The advantages of this material include:

• density (from 500 to 2000 kg/m³);
• resistance to frost (withstand from 15 to 35 freezing);
• thermal conductivity (from 0.3 to 0.65 W/m*⁰С).

Only blocks manufactured at the factory that meet all quality standards have such indicators. Since such material can be made at home, you can get to completely different characteristics.

By design, they are produced monolithic or with slots through and through. At the same time, the laying of such elements is much more difficult than bricks, since cinder blocks have irregular shape. And also it makes no sense to cover such material with plaster during finishing.

Thus, answering the question, what are the best blocks for building a house, price and quality - cinder blocks are unlikely to be in the top positions of the ratings.

Blocks for building a house: which are better, price and characteristics

An easy way to compare materials is to create a table with technical parameters.

Table 2. average cost blocks for building a house

Material	A photo	Strength (kg/cm²)	Density (kg/m³)	Thermal conductivity (W/m*S)	Frost resistance in cycles	Average cost, rub.
aerated concrete		20-50	300-900	0,08-0,2	25	3800
foam concrete		15-50	300-900	0,14-0,29	30	3550
Arbolit		20-50	600-900	0,12-0,25	35	4600
Expanded clay		50-250	500-1800	0,16-0,85	35	3700
Ceramics		35-50	750-800	0,14-0,29	35	4450
cinder block		35-100	500-1000	0,25-0,50	20	2800

The choice of material will primarily be based on the purpose of use. For example, aerated concrete or foam blocks are more often used as wall blocks for exterior walls. To make it easier to understand and choose, watch the video on the topic.

The difference between the blocks must be understood in order to purchase a building material that is one hundred percent suitable for solving your tasks.

Slotted (hollow) or solid blocks?

Solid blocks of expanded clay concrete are characterized by high strength and ideal for building bearing walls country houses and cottages. They can also be used to fill the frames of monolithic houses. They are quite heavy, in terms of cost - more expensive than slotted (hollow) blocks. Another important feature of such a building material is that any fasteners are securely held in it: dowels, anchors, etc.

Slotted or hollow blocks are cheaper, weigh less, but are inferior in strength to solid blocks. They are used in the construction country cottages, garages, outbuildings. The shape of the voids is not of fundamental importance.

How to choose strength?

The strength of an expanded clay concrete block is indicated by the letter M followed by a number, usually from 25 to 100. The larger the number, the stronger the material. Blocks with a strength below M 50 are used for the construction of garages, fences, and various outbuildings. To build a residential building, expanded clay concrete with a strength of at least M 50 is required. M 50 blocks are used with a wall thickness of about 40 cm, if the planned wall thickness is 20 cm, it is necessary to take M 75 blocks.

Recently, the construction of the walls of a private residential building from lightweight concrete has been gaining popularity. Such materials can reduce the load on the foundation compared to conventional concrete or brick and have fairly good thermal insulation characteristics. To understand which blocks are best for building a house, you need to study their types and consider the features of each.

Product types

Lightweight concretes differ depending on the materials used for their production and manufacturing technology. There are the following types of material:

• foam concrete;
• aerated concrete;
• expanded clay concrete;
• expanded polystyrene concrete;
• wood concrete;
• sawdust concrete;
• slag concrete.

To choose which types of artificial stones are most preferable for building walls, it is better to consider them separately. Not all options have received mass distribution. If you say what lightweight concrete is used most widely, the following types can be called: foam concrete, aerated concrete, wood concrete. Further in popularity is such material as expanded clay concrete.

Products that can be used for construction are mainly made on the basis of Portland cement (gypsum binders). Sand is used as a filler. Reducing the mass and increasing the thermal conductivity is achieved by the formation of voids in the concrete body.

aerated concrete

Gas silicate blocks for building a house are made on the basis of a silicate binder and a foaming agent, which allows you to get a porous structure. If you use materials from this group, you should remember several disadvantages:

• low strength of the walls for the construction of which are used gas silicate blocks, does not allow the construction of high-rise objects, these types as load-bearing structures apply only to low-rise buildings;
• products are characterized by strong shrinkage, the value of which can reach 1.5 mm per meter of height (gas silicate blocks are characterized by the largest indicator among lightweight concretes);
• the moisture resistance of the material is low (it is able to absorb water), therefore, it requires high-quality finishing using waterproofing materials, which can increase the final cost of work;
• as a cladding, it is better to use products with frost resistance of at least 30-50 cycles (according to the standards, it is allowed to use from 30), but gas silicate blocks can withstand only 10 cycles of alternate defrosting and thawing, therefore, they need additional insulation to protect against destruction;
• the coefficient of thermal conductivity decreases with increasing density and strength, products that can be used for the construction of load-bearing walls, according to thermal insulation characteristics close to the brick; and require an additional layer of insulation.

The advantages that gas silicate blocks have include:

• exact dimensions of products that allow you to reduce the consumption of mortar or special glue;
• attractive appearance wall masonry;
• ease of machining;
• resistance to fire;
• safety and environmental friendliness;
• increase in speed and decrease in labor input of works thanks to the enlarged sizes of products.

Further, the types of lightweight concrete are represented by such material as foam concrete. Gypsum binders act as the main component. To understand which blocks are better to choose, it is worth considering the advantages of this group:

• ease of processing and styling;
• reduced solution consumption compared to small-format materials;
• reduction of construction costs due to the thickness of the walls, insulation and less massive foundations;
• good sound insulation;
• fire resistance;
• environmental friendliness and safety (the composition includes such components as sand, cement and water);
• greater moisture resistance than aerated concrete, which increases the durability and frost resistance of walls.

In general, we can say that the use of foam concrete allows you to build structures that better resist adverse effects. But the material has disadvantages:

1. Fragility and low bearing capacity. You should not choose a material that has a low density for load-bearing walls, this can lead to cracks and destruction of the walls.
2. The simplicity of manufacturing technology has led to the fact that many small enterprises produce blocks. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to which manufacturer manufactured the products. To choose warm and high-quality wall materials, it is better to give preference to large companies and carefully check the geometry when buying.

In terms of efficiency in terms of thermal insulation, this material is inferior to the previous ones. Expanded clay concrete includes particles of baked clay and gypsum binders, which acts as a heat insulator. The advantages compared to the previously discussed types include:

• more reliable fixation of fasteners, products do not crumble and do not crumble;
• increased moisture resistance;
• low cost and the possibility of self-manufacturing;
• chemical resistance.

Compared with foam concrete and aerated concrete, there are the following disadvantages:

• higher density and mass;
• reduced thermal insulation characteristics;
• uneven edges, which increases the consumption of masonry mortar.

It is important to know that expanded clay is even less warm than brick, and about the same in mass. Save on foundations when using it will not work.

Arbolit

Such blocks for the manufacture of walls have recently gained increasing popularity. Main components:

• cement (gypsum binders);
• sand;
• water;
• sawdust.

At this material There are the following advantages compared to those indicated earlier:

1. High thermal insulation efficiency. If this factor is decisive, then it is better not to find wood concrete among lightweight concretes. Due to the inclusion of wood in large quantities, the material acquires the same properties as high-performance warm plaster.
2. Ease of laying. But here it is important to remember that there are irregularities on the surface of the blocks, therefore a thicker layer of masonry mortar will be required.
3. light weight, thanks to which less massive support structures can be used.
4. small cost and the possibility of self-production.

When deciding which blocks are suitable for a home, it is important to know the features and disadvantages. Arbolit has them in a fairly large amount. Gypsum products are characterized by the following qualities:

• the destruction of sawdust high humidity, reduced service life and strength (requires plastering for protection);
• instability to fire due to wood inclusions;
• susceptibility to damage by rodents;
• low strength, the value is comparable to foam concrete and aerated concrete, the material is suitable only for low-rise construction.

In generalization, we can say that arbolite will become the most effective in waterproofing.

Increased resistance to negative impacts expanded clay concrete shows from the outside, but its heat-insulating efficiency leaves much to be desired.

Expanded clay concrete slabs and blocks are worthy alternative concrete. They have the same strength and frost resistance as a brick. In terms of large size, low weight and low thermal conductivity, it is similar to porous materials made of foam and aerated concrete.

Classification building material produced in several ways:

• weight and size;
• quality level of the surfaces of the side faces;
• the presence of voids.

The standards provide for the following sizes:

• 188×190×390 mm - wall elements;
• 188 × 90 × 390 mm - partition blocks.

These dimensions are considered ideal for quick construction. The speed of construction of structures from expanded clay concrete is 4-5 times higher than from brick. For masonry, 2-2.2 times less mortar is required. This reduces the weight of 1 m2 of wall by 1.5 times. The mass of wall blocks is 14-26 kg. Partition elements weigh from 8 to 23 kg.

According to the quality of the surfaces of the side faces, they are divided into 2 groups:

• Ordinary - used for laying walls, followed by exterior design.
• Facial - building expanded clay blocks with one decorative surface.

According to the presence and location of voids, 2 types of expanded clay concrete stones are distinguished:

1. Full-bodied - durable elements with a structure of increased density.

2. Hollow (slotted) - blocks with through holes or sealed voids. They have low thermal conductivity, so they can be used in cold climates. The voids reduce the weight of the products and improve the sound insulation of the walls. Less raw materials are consumed, respectively, their price is reduced. Due to their weak strength, hollow elements are used mainly in low-rise construction, for example, for summer cottages or baths.

Technical characteristics of expanded clay concrete blocks

1. Density and strength.

These are the main qualities of products that affect energy saving, sound insulation and reliability of the load-bearing walls of the house. The density is in the range of 500-1800 kg/m3, it depends on the size of the filler.

To achieve the optimal ratio of thermal conductivity and strength, expanded clay of different fractions and fresh branded cement are used. Strength indicators are in the range of 35-250 kg/cm2. The service life of expanded clay concrete elements reaches 55-60 years.

2. Vapor permeability.

Good throughput material prevents the formation of condensation. The expanded clay block is an ideal basis for the construction of a bath, sauna, swimming pool or winter garden.

3. Heat resistance.

The combination of quality indicators determines good resistance to combustion. Expanded clay masonry blocks are actively used in industrial and private construction of any category of complexity.

4. Frost resistance.

Up to 50 consecutive freeze and thaw cycles.

5. Energy saving.

How more sizes filler in the molding material, the higher the heat-saving characteristics. The blocks have the ability to gradually accumulate solar energy, and then evenly release heat into the surrounding space. Thanks to this, it is not cold in the house in winter, but in summer heat comfortable.

Marking

Main technical specifications can be found from the stamp on the side surface. The first letter "K" means that it is fake diamond. 2 and 3 letters contain information about the purpose and scope:

• C - wall;
• P - partition;
• L - front;
• P - ordinary (with exterior trim).

The following 2 letters specify the location of the block in the masonry:

• UG - angular;
• PR - ordinal;
• PZ - dressing of seams;
• PS - hollow.

Then there is the number 39 - the length in cm. After that, the grades of strength, frost resistance, and density are indicated.

Material reviews

“The expanded clay block is an excellent option for private construction. More than once I had to build country houses, garages, baths from it. The dimensions are large, so the masonry is done quickly, the vertical surfaces are even and smooth. This is the main advantage of the material. Expanded clay walls retain heat well, but it is better to insulate them additionally, for example, with extruded polystyrene foam. The top can be covered with brick or plaster. Of the minuses, I note increased fragility, which is why you have to buy blocks with a large margin.

Alexander, Moscow.

“My many years of experience confirms that the fragility of expanded clay concrete is indeed much higher than that of cinder blocks. But when building houses of 2 and even 3 floors, this disadvantage does not create big problems. The margin of safety for such low structures is quite enough. The characteristics of frost resistance and sound insulation comply with the SNiP standards for external walls. Expanded clay concrete is never used for the foundation.

Eugene, Moscow region.

Reviews of home owners

“Last year built on suburban area bath from expanded clay concrete. For a long time I did not dare to buy this material, I was embarrassed by the reviews about the appearance of cracks from the cold or clogged dowels. However positive characteristics and favorable prices pushed me to take decisive action. Bath together with an assistant folded in 2 days. Lined the walls from the inside ceramic tiles, outside trimmed with sandwich panels. The steam room perfectly keeps heat even in severe frost.

Vladislav, Nizhny Novgorod.

“I had to think a lot about what to put together Vacation home. First, I read various reviews, studied technical and performance characteristics of all modern building materials, then he made calculations of their quantity and cost. As a result, after weighing all the pros and cons, I opted for expanded clay concrete. Now, after five years of living, I can say that I do not regret it at all. He built the outer walls from wide blocks with 4 voids, for the walls he used narrow ones with two holes. overlap of wooden beams. The advantages include strength, good sound absorption, favorable price. Of the shortcomings, I note the need additional insulation. Finished facade 2 years after construction facing brick, the house has become much warmer and more comfortable.

August 8, 2017

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The growing number of developers and the desire to find an economical, strong, durable and warm material for building a house has led to an increase in the popularity of lightweight concrete blocks. Along with the gas block and foam block, expanded clay concrete blocks have become widely used, which have excellent thermal insulation qualities, are safe, light and relatively inexpensive. Many private builders call this material one of best solutions for erection country house or cottages. Is it really? Dealing with the issue right choice expanded clay concrete, the pros and cons of the material, its types and manufacturers.

No. 1. How is claydite concrete made

Expanded clay concrete began to be made in the middle of the last century, then they safely forgot about it, and today it is experiencing new era popularity. The composition of the material, like any lightweight concrete block, includes cement, water and sand, and used as a filler expanded clay– granules different sizes, obtained by firing low-melting grades of clay. Expanded clay granules are light due to a large number pores inside, but strong, as they have a strong burnt shell. For the production of expanded clay concrete, granules with a size of 5-40 mm are used. Blocks can be solid or hollow. Moreover, claydite concrete solution can be used for monolithic construction of the walls of the house.

Of great importance for the performance of the block is the ratio of expanded clay and cement. The more expanded clay, the lighter, warmer and more expensive the block will be. The quality of cement determines the strength grade of the material. Due to the expanded clay filler, the material acquires unique thermal insulation properties, for which modern developers are so fond of it.

Unscrupulous manufacturers add adhesive additives to the mixture to increase the strength of the material, but environmental safety this affects negatively. Blocks in production are formed under the influence vibration, dried in special chambers, where heating is carried out by streams of hot air or infrared rays.

Today, private and country houses, summer cottages, sheds, garages, fences are built from expanded clay concrete; it is used for monolithic construction of buildings.

No. 2. Expanded clay blocks: pros and cons

The composition of expanded clay concrete determines its numerous positive aspects, which ensure the popularity of the material. Among the main advantages of expanded clay concrete blocks:

Expanded clay concrete blocks also have disadvantages:

Number 3. Types of expanded clay concrete blocks for their intended purpose

Based on the presence or absence of voids, expanded clay concrete blocks can be divided into two fundamentally different groups:

• corpulent;
• hollow.

solid blocks is a structural material high density and relatively heavy. Load-bearing and non-bearing walls are erected from it, even multi-storey buildings can be built.

Hollow Blocks thanks to the holes inside, they are distinguished by improved thermal insulation qualities, suitable for the construction of partitions and load-bearing walls of one-story buildings.

No. 4. The size of expanded clay concrete blocks

By size, expanded clay concrete blocks are usually divided into:

• wall;
• partition walls.

It is clear that the former are used for laying exterior walls. They must have certain indicators of strength and density, about which will be discussed farther. They can be 288*138*138, 288*288*138, 290*190*188, 390*190*188, 190*190*188, 90*190*188 mm in size. By fullness they are full-bodied and hollow.

Partition blocks, as the name suggests, are used for masonry internal partitions. They have less weight, which reduces the load on the foundation. In size, as a rule, partition blocks are produced 590*90*188, 390*90*188, 190*90*188 mm.

Some companies produce blocks that do not match the above dimensions- they are carried out not according to GOST, but according to TU, which the manufacturer himself can determine for himself. As a rule, large-format blocks are produced according to specifications.

It is worth noting separately facing blocks which are produced by some companies. They have dimensions of 600 * 300 * 400 mm, are produced by adding dyes to the solution and have a relief decorative surface.

No. 5. Strength grade of expanded clay concrete blocks

When choosing expanded clay concrete for building a house, garage, partitions, utility rooms and other buildings, it is necessary to take into account a lot of performance indicators of the material: strength, density, frost resistance and thermal conductivity. All of them are interconnected. Let's start with strength.

strength called the ability of a material to withstand loads and resist destruction. Usually, the strength of expanded clay concrete is denoted by the letter M and the number following it. from 25 to 100, which means how many kilograms each cm 2 of the surface of the block can withstand. The M25 block can withstand 25 kg / cm 2, and the M100 - 100 kg / cm 2. In private construction, as a rule, blocks with a strength higher than M100 are not used: blocks M75-M100 are used for the construction of walls, and M35-M50 for partitions. In industrial and high-rise construction, blocks of greater strength can be used.

It is worth noting that the M75 block can withstand both 65 kg / cm 2, as well as 75 or 80 kg / cm 2. Despite the inaccuracies, this method of classifying expanded clay concrete still continues to be used. A much more accurate version is strength classes, which are marked with the letter B. This is strength with guaranteed security. A numerical indicator from 2.5 to 40: the higher it is, the more durable the block will be. M100, for example, corresponds to B7.5.

No. 6. Density of expanded clay concrete

Another important indicator is density. The lower the density, the higher the thermal insulation qualities. On the other hand, the higher the density, the higher the strength and resistance to moisture. The block density is marked with the letter D followed by a coefficient from 350 to 1800. The coefficient is equal to the density, expressed in kg / m 3.

The scope of use of the material depends on the density:

No. 7. Frost resistance and thermal conductivity of expanded clay concrete

Frost resistance called the ability of a material to withstand sudden changes in temperature. This indicator is determined by the number of shock freezing and thawing, marked with the letter F. For expanded clay concrete, this indicator can vary from 25 to 300, but in private construction, the material is used F15-F100. For the northern regions, it is better to take material with frost resistance F50-F75. Blocks with low frost resistance are suitable only for interior work.

Thermal conductivity material directly depends on the density. For the D1000 block, it is 0.33-0.41, D1400 - 0.56-0.65, etc. (see table). Depending on which block is chosen for construction and in which region the house will be located, they carry out calculation of the thickness of expanded clay concrete and analyze the need to use a heater:

No. 8. What to look for when choosing?

A visual inspection can tell a lot about the quality of the material. Pay attention, first of all, to such moments:

No. 9. The best manufacturers of expanded clay concrete

Today there are a lot of factories engaged in the production of such a promising building material, and there is a big risk of stumbling upon defective goods produced in inappropriate conditions. A normal manufacturer is not afraid to show the production process and invite the buyer to the factory, can provide all the necessary quality certificates and test results. Let us dwell on the largest manufacturers of expanded clay concrete blocks:

No. 10. DIY concrete blocks

Independent production of expanded clay concrete can significantly reduce the cost of building a house. As a rule, small batches of material are made with their own hands for the construction of simple small buildings, otherwise the laboriousness of the work will simply be unjustified.

In addition to the already known ingredients, you will need special equipment, you can rent it. A concrete mixer with a volume of at least 130 liters will be required. You will also need a vibrating machine, it already has molding containers, so you don’t have to bother with their production. Otherwise, you will have to make them out of metal or wood.

The process of making expanded clay concrete blocks with your own hands looks like this:

• mixing components in a concrete mixer. First, 3 parts of sand and 1 part of cement are mixed, then 1-1.2 parts of water are added, and then another 6 parts of expanded clay. Everything is thoroughly mixed, it may be necessary to add a small amount of water if the mixture is too dry. Some add a little liquid soap to provide better viscosity;
• mixture in portions put into mold machine and include vibration, excess solution is removed;
• plate with ready block rises, the blanks are dried for 2 days, then the steel plates are removed;
• without using a machine, the process is somewhat more complicated and longer. It will be necessary to pour the solution into pre-prepared and lubricated forms and carefully tamp. It is better to use blocks no earlier than 28 days later.

If there is no confidence in own forces, it is better to buy ready-made material with well-known performance characteristics. Subject to the production technology (famous manufacturers can be trusted) and the technology of masonry, a house made of expanded clay concrete will stand for a very long time.