Not everyone today has the opportunity to spend significant funds on capital construction of a warm and reliable home. Therefore, you can pay attention to building materials made of aerated concrete, since, in addition to high strength, they have a low price. Building a house out of polystyrene concrete is an excellent solution to this problem.

General information

Expanded polystyrene concrete appeared as an attempt to make such a building material that would not need additional external thermal insulation of the walls. Polystyrene balls were added to the cement composition, providing the material with excellent thermal insulation properties. The composition of modern polystyrene boards contains water, sand, cement, expanded polystyrene granules, air-entraining and plasticizing additives, in some cases surfactants that increase the adhesion of foam balls and cement composition.

Taking into account the ratios in which the components for the slabs were used, the material can be used for the construction of partitions, load-bearing structures or as an insulating layer. One slab can replace up to 25 bricks, that is, the speed of building a house from polystyrene concrete blocks is significantly increased.

Advantages and disadvantages

The peculiarities of the composition and method of making blocks allow us to see the numerous advantages of this material. The main advantages of polystyrene concrete are its following properties:

Since there is no ideal building material, then polystyrene concrete also has certain disadvantages. The main disadvantages are as follows:

Construction of monolithic houses

Polystyrene concrete, like expanded clay concrete, makes it possible to build monolithic houses. The composition of the building material is the same, but individual slabs are not made of it, but are poured into the formwork, creating load-bearing walls.

The advantages of this solution:

• high construction speed;
• there are no cold bridges, since there are no seams;
• increased strength;
• minimal shrinkage.

The main disadvantage is the complexity of construction. Since the walls need to be poured in one approach, a large amount of concrete composition and special equipment is needed, therefore in this case you cannot do it on your own, but you can completely build a house from slabs with your own hands.

Frost resistance, strength and density

GOST 51264–99 regulates the main performance characteristics of polystyrene concrete. Taking into account this regulatory document, concrete grades D200-D600 are determined, where the digital designation corresponds to the density in kg / m3.

And also GOST determines the level of compressive strength B1-B3: the larger the coefficient, the more significant load the plate can withstand. In this case, the compressive strength in some cases is denoted using the letter M and a coefficient of 3-6. This marking is used for building materials manufactured without taking into account the norms of ST SEV 1406.

Frost resistance is determined by the cycles of freezing and thawing, which the stove can withstand, while retaining all its positive properties. For polystyrene concrete, frost resistance is in the range of F30-F100 and increases with increasing density of the building material.

By density, polystyrene concrete has 3 classes:

• Structural and heat-insulating polystyrene concrete with a density of D450-D650 is used for the construction of load-bearing walls of houses (up to 4 floors) and curtain walls in multi-storey buildings. Monolithic structures are also constructed from these grades of concrete.
• Thermal-structural polystyrene concrete D300-D400 is used for thermal insulation of curtain walls. In certain situations, D400 slabs are used for the construction of external load-bearing walls, provided that the building has no more than 2 floors.
• Heat-insulating polystyrene concrete D100-D250 with a low coefficient of thermal conductivity and strength. It is used for insulation of floors, external walls and heat-conducting structures.

Features of choice

Today, a large number of low-quality products have appeared on the market, this is due to the growing popularity of polystyrene concrete. Certain companies that previously made foam blocks began to produce polystyrene concrete, and often attempts to quickly master this market lead to a decrease in the quality of the material. What you need to pay attention to when purchasing polystyrene concrete:

DIY making

You can make polystyrene concrete slabs yourself. The more carefully the master adheres to the technology, the more reliable the blocks will be as a result. The required set of core components is simple. You will need sand, concrete, water, and foam balls. Instead of cement, in some cases, gypsum composition is chosen as the basis. Various modifying substances can be added to the solution, for example, an air-entraining additive.

The ratios of substances will depend on what kind of plate you need to get and what you need to focus on, increased strength or thermal insulation. The larger the part of the concrete, the higher the strength of the resulting product will be.

For structural and thermal insulation boards, you can use the following proportions: three buckets of sand, a bucket of cement, 12 liters of water, 7-9 buckets of foam balls. The manufacturing sequence is as follows:

• Water is poured into the concrete mixer, all the additives and half of the total volume of the granules are poured so that the concrete does not stick to the walls so much. Then water can be added to achieve the required consistency.
• Concrete is poured, the composition is stirred to a homogeneous consistency.
• Sand and the remaining foam balls are poured, everything is thoroughly mixed, the required consistency of the composition should be a little dry, so it is more convenient to work with forms.
• The composition is poured into molds. As this, you can use a self-made metal welded box. You can make a matrix from boards, but you need to treat the mold with machine oil. The mixture is carefully compacted from above, you can use vibration for about five seconds, but not longer - prolonged vibration violates the strength of the plates.
• The plates are taken out and allowed to dry for a day in a warm place, with a temperature of more than +15 degrees, you can cover them with polyethylene. The blocks are fully gaining strength to be able to be built in one month.

Building a home is a complex multi-step process that will require basic building skills. In short, building a house looks like this:

A house made of polystyrene concrete can be erected with your own hands in a few months, and this building will, of course, stand, taking into account all the features of the technology, for more than a dozen years. Most importantly, do not forget about special fasteners and a high-quality ventilation system.

A person who chooses materials for construction, a review of the shortcomings of a house made of polystyrene concrete can make him seriously think about whether it is worth resorting to such innovations at all.

This type of concrete appeared on the construction market not so long ago, and if in such a short period of time it managed to acquire such negative responses, this is really alarming and dissuasive. However, the cheapness of the material is still so attractive that future developers and potential homeowners return again and again to consider the possibility of using it in private construction.

Feedback on the disadvantages of a polystyrene concrete house cannot be called so strictly negative. The person describing the disadvantages is quite convincing in his opinion. However, to admit, homeowners of buildings from this material also agree with certain advantages. We will try to tell you about what problems you can face when constructing a building, and what pleasant moments you can expect in our article, which is devoted to buildings made of polystyrene concrete.

Let's start with the good

In addition to the low cost, the following advantages of polystyrene concrete have become generally recognized.

• The low density of the material ensures its low weight. In this regard, you can significantly save on the foundation, which does not have to withstand heavy loads.
• Erection of walls from these porous blocks is simple, light and fast.
• The simplicity of their processing is also remarkable: the elements are easily sawn with the most primitive hacksaw.
• Of course, excellent thermal insulation due to low thermal conductivity and density.

However, on this, alas, the list of positive qualities ends. Then the list of negative ones begins.

Wall mount

Whatever you decide to insert or hang on the walls, you will have to suffer with installation. Self-tapping screws with dowels, screwed into a polystyrene concrete block, can be removed simply with your fingers. In order for the anchor and dowels to hold tightly, you will have to take a longer hardware and fix it in a hole filled with concrete. Moreover, the grade of concrete is needed not lower than M250.

Residents have constant problems with windows and doors. No matter how you strengthen, what steps you do not take during installation, after a year, maximum one and a half, the structures are loosened and require almost complete reinstallation. And so far not a single homeowner has thought about how to defeat this trouble.

Shrinkage problems

Previously, it was believed that the greatest shrinkage is given by wooden log cabins. According to this indicator, polystyrene concrete can confidently compete with beams and logs. Its shrinkage is 3 times higher than this parameter for foam concrete and aerated concrete: it is 1 mm per meter.

Such a high volumetric change requires additional actions:

• it becomes mandatory to plaster the house from the inside with a very thick layer, at least 2 cm;
• external plaster is also indispensable, although its layer is thinner (but still not less than 1.5 cm).
• In addition to the fact that this increases the overall construction costs, one more problem has to be solved: plaster mixtures adhere extremely poorly to polystyrene concrete blocks. It is necessary either to prepare surfaces in a special way, or to use special plasters, which are 3-4 times more expensive than usual.

Additional problems

They may seem small and insignificant, but they are quite capable of providing a lot of headaches to the owner of the house.

With all the ease of installation, it has very strict requirements for the width of the joints between the blocks. They should be within the limits of 6-8 mm, otherwise the main advantage of the building made of polystyrene concrete is lost - its thermal protection. Construction professionals generally recommend building houses from it using flooded technology - and this is completely different money.

In terms of fire safety, this material belongs to the G1 category, which means that it is not flammable, but also not fire resistant. The flame will not support the polystyrene concrete, but its filler (polystyrene balls) is destroyed by the temperature, as a result of which the strength of the structure, coupled with the resistance to heat transfer, decreases. Of course, fire is not an everyday occurrence, but you should know what to expect in the event of a force majeure, as well as take appropriate measures. Among them is the use of fire-resistant finishing materials.

Low thermal conductivity polystyrene concrete is accompanied by its extremely weak vapor permeability. In an understandable, human language - the walls do not breathe from it. The consequence of this will be an uncomfortable humidity regime in the room. This imposes the need for additional ventilation equipment, which must be accompanied by a system for removing excess moisture.

It is categorically not recommended to equip interfloor ceilings without a reinforced belt. And do not think that if the house is on one floor, then this advice does not apply to you - the overlap between the living quarters and the attic is also considered interfloor. By the way, it is advisable to make it out of wood, since the concrete slab is too heavy for polystyrene concrete. And all these nuances again affect the final amount, which may be higher than planned.

The developers assure that the material is not subject to decay and successfully resists any biological attacks. You cannot argue with the first one, since there is simply nothing to rot there. But if the ventilation is poor and the condensate is not drained away, a wall made of polystyrene concrete blocks can become moldy. In addition, many homeowners note the availability of material for gnawing by mice and other rodents.

Doubtful frost resistance

Polystyrene concrete manufacturers claim that the material can withstand about a hundred freeze / thaw cycles. Theoretically, this amount should be enough for 20 years of trouble-free existence of the house. It has been established empirically that things are not quite as promised. They pass more or less painlessly for the first 15-20 times, and even then, if the re-freezing does not occur on wet material. Then the strength of the blocks, and so low, is greatly reduced.

To protect the house from premature destruction, the layer of external plaster must be increased to 2-2.5 cm and must be painted or revetted. Thus, having carefully studied the review about the shortcomings of a polystyrene concrete house, we can make a confident conclusion: these blocks are suitable for construction, but with serious restrictions. In particular, it is better not to use them for external and other load-bearing walls.

Modern building technologies have long stepped forward thanks to the use of polymeric materials. They not only facilitate the construction process, but also reduce the weight of the structure. In addition, the cost of heating and the construction itself is reduced. One of these polymeric materials is polystyrene. It can be found in sheets and granules. It is the latter that are used for the manufacture of polystyrene concrete. Let's look at the main properties of this building material, highlight its negative aspects and, in general, get acquainted with the reviews of those who have already built a house from it.

What is called polystyrene concrete?

Polystyrene concrete is a composite material that consists of concrete and This material is one of the most effective among all existing in our time. It can be used both as individual elements in the form of blocks and in monolithic construction. Another very big advantage of polystyrene concrete is the possibility of its preparation right on the construction site.

The production of polystyrene concrete consists in the gradual addition of polystyrene granules to the mixture. The latter can be either crushed or whole, in the form of balls with a diameter of no more than 3 mm. Portland cement, slag Portland cement or gypsum can be used as a binder. which are made using autoclave hardening, are quite different from polystyrene concrete due to the fact that the latter gains strength over time. This guarantees a much longer service life. But polystyrene concrete also has disadvantages. When using it to create monolithic elements of a house, you need to wait at least 28 days to start the next work.

Use of polystyrene concrete

Since its inception, polystyrene concrete immediately became very popular in construction. Due to the possibility of preparing the mixture on their own, people began to massively build houses from this composite material. At the same time, the technology was not adhered to, and as a result, a fragile material was obtained. Because of this disorder, polystyrene concrete received negative reviews from people who simply did everything wrong. So let's sort this out a bit.

The main types of polystyrene concrete

Now, for self-preparation, two types of polystyrene concrete are used: D350 and D1200. The first of them is used as a heater, and the second - as the composition of polystyrene concrete is as follows:

• to obtain polystyrene concrete grade D350, it is required to use 300 kg and 1.1 cubic meters. m of polystyrene granules;
• for D1200 grade polystyrene concrete, 300 kg M400, 1.1 cubic meters are used. m of polystyrene granules and 800 kg of sand.

As a result, we get two types of mortars, which are practically the same in terms of their strength, but the first concrete is obtained with less filling of the gaps between the granules. It is for this reason that the D350 is used for insulation and the D1200 for wall construction.

It is also worth noting that even monolithic polystyrene concrete cannot withstand heavy loads, and it cannot be used to create load-bearing structures.

Disadvantages of polystyrene concrete

Among all the properties that polystyrene concrete has, the disadvantages stand out against the general background. The main problem is pellets. And although polystyrene concrete is classified as a difficult combustible substance, elevated temperatures have a negative effect on it. The fact is that polystyrene granules begin to break down, and this significantly reduces the strength.

Low vapor permeability is also a disadvantage. Compared with the same cellular concrete, polystyrene concrete has this figure 4 times lower. This property has a negative effect in the form of increased humidity in the room. It is mandatory to install forced draft if polystyrene concrete is used.

Polystyrene concrete also has disadvantages in the form of strong adsorption of water and low resistance to freezing. This affects the overall service life and the base is destroyed during sudden changes in temperature.

We can additionally say about the complaints of people about the large shrinkage of the material due to the use of granules. This feature requires the application of a minimum layer of plaster. Accordingly, the cost of work rises.

A new building material based on cement, which is gradually beginning to gain more and more positive reviews, is polystyrene concrete. This new product has its own advantages and disadvantages, which are reflected in the performance of the building. If you decide to build a house from polystyrene concrete with your own hands, then in our article you will find a step-by-step guide to building it. In addition, we will list the pros and cons of this relatively new building material so you can make the right choice.

Material features

Initially, polystyrene concrete was conceived as a building material for building walls of a house, which completely eliminates the need for additional thermal insulation of enclosing structures, and also replaces flammable foam with a more fire-resistant material. The composition of polystyrene concrete contains the following components:

• Portland cement;
• expanded polystyrene granules;
• water;
• resins with plasticizing additives.

Among the main advantages of this material, it is worth listing the following:

1. There is no temperature limit for its use. The material easily withstands the lowest temperatures, as well as its surges and extremely high performance.
2. High moisture resistance. Expanded polystyrene concrete can be operated at any ambient humidity.
3. The increased frost resistance contributes to the durability of the material. The product can withstand up to 300 freeze and thaw cycles. At the same time, its strength and thermal insulation characteristics will not change.
4. Due to the low specific gravity of the material, a lightweight foundation can be laid under a polystyrene concrete house, which allows you to reduce costs and increase the construction speed.
5. The material can be given any shape by pouring the solution into the formwork of the desired configuration.
6. Polystyrene concrete blocks are easy and simple to install, which guarantees ease of building a house.
7. If you wish, you can build a monolithic structure.
8. The material can easily withstand high temperatures. It is resistant to burning.
9. The product is strong and dense enough that it allows you to hang furniture and various accessories on the walls.
10. High sound and heat insulation qualities.
11. If you decide to build your own house, then this is one of the best materials, since no special equipment is needed during the construction process. You can also save on shipping.
12. Profitability. This material is much cheaper than other block products for building houses.
13. It is very easy to adjust the product during installation. To do this, you need a regular hacksaw.

A house made of polystyrene concrete, reviews of which are mostly positive, has some disadvantages associated with the disadvantages of this material:

1. The product has low vapor permeability. Because of this, moisture can accumulate in the structure of the walls, which will cause a decrease in the thermal insulation characteristics of the enclosing structures.
2. It is not fully understood how polystyrene behaves after long-term operation.
3. Also, the toxicity of the material has not been fully investigated, because styrene can easily be released into the environment.
4. During a fire, the material, although not subject to ignition, emits toxic gases. Moreover, after a strong fire, the walls of a house made of polystyrene concrete will have to be completely dismantled, since the strength of the material is significantly reduced.

Important: during the test, polystyrene concrete was exposed to a temperature of 1000 ° C for an hour, but this did not lead to the destruction of the material.

Foundation

If you decide to build a house from polystyrene concrete, then due to the small total weight of the structure, you can save on arranging a lightweight base. For such a structure, you can choose one of the following types of foundations:

• columnar structures;
• pile screw bases;
• strip shallow foundation.

Since pile-screw bases can be used on almost any type of soil, we will take a closer look at the process of making such a base. The components for this foundation can be purchased ready-made or made yourself. Usually a pipe with a diameter of 80-130 mm is used. The length of the pipe is calculated taking into account that it should be buried 0.5 m below the freezing point of the rock. From above, the pipe should rise 300 mm above the ground.

We make the foundation, adhering to the following sequence of actions:

1. First, the site is prepared, the layout of the future structure is made. For this, the corner points of the building are applied. Further, with a step of 1 m, marks are made around the perimeter of the house and under its load-bearing walls.
2. Screw piles are screwed into these points, strictly controlling the vertical position of the supports.
3. Further, all screwed-in supports are leveled into one level. The elements can be trimmed if necessary.
4. For the pores, pads with a size of 250x250 mm are welded. We will attach the grillage to them.
5. To prevent weeds from growing under the house, the space between the supports under the house is covered with roofing material, covered with sand and rammed.
6. We make the grillage from a channel, which we weld to the platforms on the supports.

Walls

For the installation of walls made of polystyrene concrete, you can use several methods:

• block masonry;
• a monolithic house made of polystyrene concrete can be made in removable and non-removable formwork.

Block masonry

Usually, ready-made or self-cast polystyrene concrete blocks are used for the construction of a house. In this case, the installation of the walls of the house is carried out in the following order:

1. Laying begins from the highest corner of the base. But first you need to perform horizontal waterproofing of the foundation. The concrete surface of the base must be insulated with two layers of roofing material on bitumen mastic.
2. The first row is laid on a layer of mortar with a height of no more than 3 cm. The first block is set on a level.
3. Next, the corner element is laid on the adjacent corner, to which the masonry will be carried out from the first block.
4. Then, in the corners, the masonry is displayed several rows up. At the same time, blocks are left for bandaging the masonry.
5. The fishing line is stretched between the erected corners. As each row is laid, the line rises to a higher level. The verticality of the walls is constantly controlled by the level or plumb line.

Attention: if blocks with through voids are to be laid, then vertical reinforcement of the wall must be performed. If you use factory blocks, then you need to insert a sealing cord into the grooves, and every few rows do horizontal reinforcement of the walls (see photo).

1. It is also worth remembering that the thickness of the seam should not exceed 8 mm, so that cold bridges do not appear, which will worsen the thermal insulation qualities of the structure. Instead of a solution, it is better to use special glue. It gives better adhesion of the elements to each other than a conventional cement-sand mixture.

Removable formwork

If you are going to build a house in a monolithic way, then you need to find a suitable formwork. For these purposes, plywood with a thickness of 1.5 cm is suitable. To protect against moisture, plywood can be wrapped with plastic wrap. You will also need a wall-width clamp with formwork. To facilitate the work, you need to make a comb - this is a section of a profile pipe 50 mm longer than the wall thickness with 10 cm long reinforcement bars welded to it.Further work is carried out as follows:

1. First, the starting profile is mounted on one of the corners of the house. It is selected based on the thickness of the plywood. This profile is attached with self-tapping screws and dowels to the concrete base.
2. Then two sheets of plywood are inserted into the profile so that a right angle is formed. Plywood is connected with metal corners.
3. After the installation of the outer corners is completed, the inner corners are made of plywood in the same way. In this case, a pre-made comb will help you to facilitate the work. This tool slips between the plywood and holds one sheet while the other is attached. Internal corners are also fixed with steel corners.
4. We close the ends with profile strips. The plank should have a protrusion like a thorn, which, after the mortar hardens, will give a notch necessary for a snug fit of the next layer without cold bridges.
5. To firmly press the end strip, we use a clamp.
6. We prepare the mixture in the same proportion as for pouring polystyrene concrete blocks.
7. After pouring the mortar into the formwork, it is carefully compacted.
8. Next, the formwork is mounted for the next layer. Moreover, it can be poured without waiting for the complete solidification of the previous layer. When pouring the next layer, the shields from the previous one are not removed.
9. The formwork can be removed after 5-7 days.

Fixed formwork

Installation with fixed formwork allows you to immediately finish the walls of the house. The essence of the method is that the space between two brick walls is filled with polystyrene concrete mortar. We work like this:

1. We begin to install the walls from the highest corner of the base.
2. First, we carry out the brickwork of the outer and inner surfaces of the walls. In the process of installation, we make a dressing. At the same time, through a row, we turn the bonding brick inward so that it performs the functions of reinforcing the walls.
3. Pouring is performed simultaneously with the masonry construction process.

Important: before starting the installation of the walls, it is worth noting the location of the door and window openings. To do this, you can prepare simplified frames from boards, accurately observing the dimensions of future blocks.

The installation of windows and doors can be performed immediately after the installation of the roof of the house. The thing is that the structure is not subject to shrinkage at all, so there is no need to wait several months before starting finishing work.

Floor

Before making a floor of polystyrene concrete, you need to fill it with sand to the height of the basement of the house. For this you need vibrating machines. After that, the work is carried out in the following sequence:

1. Lighthouses are made from wooden pegs. They are displayed on the same level.
2. Before pouring the floor, you need to lay all the utilities so that later you do not have to make holes in the finished floor.
3. Next, the same solution is prepared as for pouring wall structures.
4. The solution is poured and leveled with the rule of the beacons.

This floor does not need additional thermal insulation and laying of waterproof and vapor barrier material. You can walk on the floor the very next day after installation.

Video about the advantages of installing houses from polystyrene concrete blocks:

"Construction experience. We share our impressions of construction: from the project to the finished house. We tell about our mistakes, stages of construction. Even if the house is not ready, everyone will be interested to see real construction not in theory, but in practice."

I deliberately did not create a topic about building my house until I finished construction. If I had done this before, the questions and advice of members of the forum would have awakened all sorts of doubts in me about what is not good in the process of work. And now it's done and it's too late to change anything. Just share my experience. I will copy here some of the texts and photos from the diary. If you have any questions, I will try to answer in more detail.

The most important question is what to build from? I did not suffer with this question for a long time. The option from a bar, after the fire, disappeared immediately. A frame house based on the "Canadian" technology was also excluded from the same considerations. The choice of non-combustible materials is not great. Brick, blocks of foam or aerated concrete or a monolith using the "Lego - house" technology. I started looking for information and came across polystyrene concrete. I liked the material according to its description. Last October I went to Moscow to the City Building exhibition. I hoped that in the section of low-rise construction I would find something interesting for myself. The exhibition disappointed me. But it was at this exhibition that I met an interesting person named Igor Solomonovich Khaimov, who headed the laboratory of lightweight concrete at NIIZhB. His words: "Young man! All light concrete is shit. But PSB is the best of all this shit!", I was convinced.
I started looking for block manufacturers from PSB in Khabarovsk and did not find it.
But on the other hand, I found a construction company that has been producing PSB for several years and uses it to insulate attics and ceilings. The director of this company suggested to me the idea of ​​a monolithic house with fixed formwork. I really liked this idea, because it solved several problems at once. Namely: the problem of the vertical seam when stacking blocks. The problem of preparing interior walls for decoration. The problem of preparing external walls for facade finishing. And even inside the formwork, you can hide all communications and electrical wiring.

So, February 2010. I am slowly starting to design a new house.
I have a friend who works as an architect. Purely in Karefan, he undertook to help me with the project. For beer! I explained to him what I want. He made measurements of the foundation that remained after the fire and sketched me two options for the layout of the house. The first option is that he sees my house like this. The second option is mine. True, in my version, the bathroom on the 1st floor should have been under the stairs. But Igor said that it would not be a toilet, but a closet for debtors, and carried it into the aisle.
To be honest, I like my version more. But his wife liked Igor's version. I didn't argue. Now Igor is drawing facades. I called today, asked what I would be finishing the facade, and in what colors. Apparently today his muse has visited!
Was today at the exhibition "Cottage Construction", which opened in our track and field athletics arena. I saw nothing interesting there. Except for the German company "Waterkotte", which decided to move heat pumps on our market. They have a very decent stand. But VERY expensive!
Turnkey installation for our house from 700,000 sput. However, I will make it myself cheaper. Moreover, China is nearby. There seems to have already finished celebrating the New Year. It means that they should be poterarized about TN.
The plan of the 1st floor proposed by Igor.
The plan of the 1st floor, which I suggested.