Expanded clay concrete has not yet been sufficiently mastered by domestic builders, but has long been popular in Europe. A house made of expanded clay concrete blocks is an economical and reliable structure, which is quite possible to build yourself. Before starting work, you should study the capabilities of the material, technological methods masonry, make a preliminary calculation of the cost of construction.

Lightweight concrete is produced by adding expanded clay - hollow balls of foamed and baked clay - to the concrete mixture. Blocks with this filler not only have a low specific gravity, they can be subjected to machining, they are not destroyed when hammering nails.

Good heat and sound insulation is characteristic of all types of porous concrete, but expanded clay also has other positive properties. It almost does not absorb moisture, is stronger and harder than foam and aerated concrete. The voids in the blocks are used for reinforcement or framing.

Pros and cons of houses made of expanded clay blocks

The main advantages of expanded clay block structures include:

• absolute environmental safety – due to the absence of toxic components;
• resistance to fire, insects and rodents;
• moisture resistance;
• durability;
• low thermal conductivity of walls - 1.5 times lower than that of aerated concrete;
• low weight - due to this, a massive foundation is not required and overall costs are reduced;
• simplicity and speed of installation - one mason lays almost 3 m 3 blocks per shift, while saving mortar is almost 60% compared to brickwork;
• possibility of using dowels for installation of finishing.

Difficulties when using expanded clay blocks arise when their manufacturing technology is violated, which causes the density and geometric parameters. To calculate the foundation you need to know exact weight structure, which can only be determined on the basis of real initial data.

To avoid negative phenomena during construction, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the negative aspects of expanded clay block buildings:

• the impossibility of using a lightweight foundation - the house turns out to be lighter than a brick one, but heavier than a foam block one;
• the formation of cold bridges during the masonry process - the walls need external thermal insulation;
• walls are not left without exterior decoration for more than 2 years - this reduces the durability of the house;
• Expanded clay concrete is not used for foundation works– it is inferior to concrete in density and strength;
• increased costs for transporting blocks due to their large dimensions.

Calculation and purchase of materials for construction

Before starting construction, you should develop or purchase a suitable project developed by design bureaus in compliance with building codes and rules. Customers choose houses in the construction of which expanded clay concrete blocks are used, taking into account the following conditions:

• total area;
• number of storeys;
• layout, number of rooms.

The layout of the building must include the dimensions of walls and openings. For them, structural insulating blocks with a density of 700 - 1,200 kg/m 3, the dimensions of which are 190x190x390 mm, are most often used. Partition expanded clay blocks differ only in width - it ranges from 90 to 120 mm.

To build a house from expanded clay concrete yourself, you need to determine the required volume of building materials. To do this, sum up the lengths of all walls and load-bearing partitions. The final number is multiplied by the height of the ceilings and then by the thickness of the wall. If you need to calculate the piece quantity of expanded clay blocks, the resulting volume is divided by the volume of one element (0.014 m3). When calculating the dimensions of the openings, it is better not to subtract or purchase material with a 20% margin.

When purchasing expanded clay blocks, check:

1. Availability of product certificates.
2. Production conditions (it’s better not to buy handicrafts).
3. Surface quality - there should be no obvious defects or depressions.
4. Dimensions.
5. Density (weigh one element and divide the mass by the volume).

For one-story houses With wooden floors you can buy solid ones, and a three-story cottage (to reduce pressure on the foundation) is often built from multi-slotted blocks - their side faces are joined using tongues and grooves, without mortar.

Building a house from expanded clay blocks with your own hands

Foundation

If you plan to build a basement, then the foundation is built from concrete blocks, if there is no basement used strip foundation- a simple and durable option. To do this, first dig trenches 0.5 m deep and place them in sand cushion. Then they make wooden formwork(it must be waterproofed), reinforcement is laid and concrete solution is poured, which is compacted every 0.2 m.

After the solution has hardened (3 days), the formwork panels are removed, and the upper and side planes of the concrete strips are waterproofed with mastic and roofing felt. The gaps between the foundation and trenches are filled with sand. Shrinkage of the structure continues for about 12 weeks, after which they begin laying the walls. It is easy to make such a basis for an expanded clay concrete structure yourself, but you should first conduct geological research to determine bearing capacity soil.

Laying expanded clay concrete wall blocks

1. The foundation surface is leveled with a three-centimeter layer of cement mortar (the plane is checked by level). After hardening, lay 2–3 layers of roofing material, sandwiching them with mastic.

2. Laying begins from the corner, forming a row along a stretched cord along the perimeter, and then the next row. Check the quality of installation as often as possible with a level and plumb line - this is necessary due to the small technological taper of the blocks.

3. In double-row masonry, both rows are lined up simultaneously, connecting them together. From interior wall Every second block is released into the outside (the length of the release is equal to ½ the length of the block). To avoid the formation of cold bridges, the end facing the outer row is insulated with a 40 mm thick polystyrene foam gasket. Single-row masonry with subsequent insulation is often used.

4. Use regular sandy cement mortar, which fills both vertical and horizontal joints. In this case, the seam thickness is 12 mm.

5. The strength of the walls is increased by using reinforcement with a diameter of 8 - 10 mm - it is laid on a laid out row along the perimeter every 2 - 3 rows.

The laying of the walls of the 1st floor of the house is completed with the installation of a reinforcing belt made of solid brick or reinforced concrete to redistribute the load from the floor over the surface of the block. The second version of the belt is a regular solution using a mesh (diameter 4 - 5 mm, mesh 70 x 70 mm). The armored belt must be thermally insulated, since its thermal conductivity is higher than that of a hollow one.

Expanded clay concrete blocks in the construction of a 2-story house are used in such a way that the thickness load-bearing walls was at least 0.39 m. Some manufacturers produce blocks measuring 590x400x200 mm - they provide strength, and for thermal insulation in this case, a thin roll of insulation is sufficient.

Exterior finishing options

The role of the cladding is to prevent the destruction of walls due to temperature fluctuations. For this purpose, the following materials are preferred:

• facing brick;
• fake diamond;
• plaster;
• siding;
• thermal panels are a modern, environmentally friendly and inexpensive material.

Under facing material insulation is installed in two layers - most often basalt wool(brands Knauf, Rockwool, Izorok) up to 10 cm thick. A windproof screen and a waterproofing layer are placed between the layers of thermal insulation. Such a system will not allow home heat to escape and will protect the expanded clay concrete from moisture. Aluminum foil is used as a parabarrier.

For interfloor ceilings expanded clay concrete house usually use hollow iron concrete plates factory-made with a length of 0.21 - 0.63 m, a thickness of 0.16 - 0.22 m, a width of 0.99 - 1.19 m with the designation PC and PNO. These panels are distinguished by good sound insulation, durability, and stable technical characteristics.

Interior decoration

Usually the first finishing layer of the wall is cement-sand or gypsum plaster. First, using dowels and self-tapping screws, a reinforcing mesh is installed - galvanized or polymer. The surface is pre-coated with concrete contact to increase adhesion or a special one is selected plaster mixture, adhering well to expanded clay concrete. After plastering, the walls are covered with plasterboard, clapboard, wallpaper or ceramic tiles.

How much does construction cost

To determine how much a house built on its own from expanded clay concrete will cost, calculate estimated cost each material, multiplying its market price by the estimated quantity. The calculation includes:

• expanded clay blocks;
• reinforced concrete lintels for openings;
• reinforcing mesh and round reinforcement;
• lumber for formwork;
• thermal insulation of walls and roofs;
• parabarrier film
• cladding;
• masonry mortar;
• concrete for the foundation;
• roofing felt, waterproofing, mastic;
• reinforced concrete floors;
• wooden beams for rafters and sheathing;
• roofing;
• plastic windows;
• nails, screws.

The calculation also includes transportation costs and services of handling equipment, price project documentation(about 25,000 rubles). Average cost of DIY construction one-story house(8 x 7 m) made of expanded clay concrete with siding and a metal roof is about 800,000.

If the walls are laid construction firm, then just building a box at home will cost 80,000 rubles (with a thickness of 0.39 m). Price of the full complex construction work With interior decoration— 13,500 rub/m2. A house with a turnkey attic measuring 8x9 m at these prices costs 1,850,000.

Other articles on this topic:

Large-pored sandless encapsulated expanded clay concrete - material for building walls of a house

Multilayer wall with effective mineral wool or polymer insulation has a number of disadvantages which were mentioned in the article.

Popular wall material for the construction of single-layer load-bearing walls is aerated concrete.

There is another material that allows you to create single-layer load-bearing wall with the necessary heat transfer resistance- This is a large-porous expanded clay concrete.

Large porous expanded clay concrete is different from the usual expanded clay concrete due to the absence of sand in its composition.

When producing large-porous expanded clay concrete, expanded clay granules, when mixed with cement milk, are covered with a shell of binder. When subsequently laid in a layer of concrete, the granules in places of contact with each other are glued together into a monolithic structure, in which Large pores remain between the granules.

Binding solution creates a shell that increases strength aggregate granules and concrete monolith, Fig. 1. Each expanded clay granule is enclosed in a capsule of hardened cement mortar. Some manufacturers also call this concrete encapsulated expanded clay concrete.

Large-porous sandless concrete has been known for a long time. Health resorts and houses in the Crimea, multi-story experimental buildings in the Arctic, and structural parts of the Aswan Dam were built from it.

The filler for large-porous concrete can be any bulk materials with particle size 5-50 mm.: crushed stone, river gravel, foam glass granules, etc., even pine cones. Pellets, which are gaining popularity, can not be burned, but can be encapsulated with cement and built into walls (the author’s idea requires testing).

In Fig. 2. a newly built church in the town of Dubna, Moscow region. The walls of the church are made of large-porous expanded clay concrete.

This material allows you to get single-layer, non-flammable, lightweight and warm walls volumetric mass 500–650 kg/m 3 with excellent breathability and durability, ecological absolute purity.

To prepare large-porous expanded clay concrete, suitable for load-bearing walls of a house up to 2 floors high, it is necessary to use expanded clay concrete gravel bulk density 250-350 kg/m 3, gravel fraction 10-20 mm. and cement. We obtain lightweight concrete with a dry volumetric mass of 450 – 650 kg/m 3 And thermal conductivity coefficient of the wall in the range of 0.15-0.25 W/m o C. The wall thickness of a house made of this material for the Moscow region will be 380-450 mm.

Large-porous expanded clay concrete has a vapor permeability coefficient 0,13-0,20 mg/m*h*Pa. Vapor permeability coefficient values ​​for the most common materials: expanded polystyrene - 0.03-0.05, reinforced concrete - 0.03, ordinary expanded clay concrete - 0.09-0.14, ordinary clay brick - 0.11, hollow ceramic brick - 0.14 , cellular concrete (M 300) – 0.14-0.25 units.

Since moisture does not penetrate into expanded clay granules surrounded by a cement capsule, and water is poorly retained in large pores, the material has uniquely low water absorption - no more than 1-1.5%. Due to this, its thermal conductivity depends little on humidity conditions, which cannot be said about any similar material, A frost resistance is higher than that of other lightweight concretes.

The material has good water permeability and can be used as a drainage covering.

The low ability of large-porous expanded clay concrete to retain moisture makes it an indispensable material for the construction of walls and partitions in rooms with high humidity (baths, saunas, vegetable stores, basements, etc.), as well as for insulating coatings located in wet conditions— blind area, floors on the ground, etc.

One of the most important properties The material for the construction of house walls is breathable, which determines the comfort of living in the premises. If the concrete has an air permeation resistance of about 20,000 m 2 *h*Pa/kg, then large-porous expanded clay concrete in this parameter corresponds to limestone-shell rock with R and ~6-10 m²*h*Pa/kg. This explains the fact that houses with walls made of this material breathe well, maintain a dry microclimate, wooden parts do not rot in houses, such walls are a solution to the problem of lack of oxygen in housing due to air exchange through walls that “breathe”.

Durable but quite fragile. In terms of compressive strength it is somewhat inferior to ordinary expanded clay concrete, but not inferior to gas and foam concrete.

Suitable for frameless construction of cottages up to 3 floors.

The material allows you to effectively solve not only the problem of insulation but also sound insulation of buildings.

Large-porous expanded clay concrete for construction used in the form of ready-made blocks or monolith. It can be prepared directly on construction site. When constructing monolithic structures less strength and tightness of the formwork is required than for pouring ordinary concrete.

Cement consumption is also less than is necessary for conventional concrete, which significantly reduces the cost of such concrete and products based on it. The low consumption of binder for large-porous concrete is associated with its distribution only over the surface of the particles and ensuring contact at the point of contact of the surfaces of coarse aggregate grains.

The widespread use of this material in construction practice is hampered a certain complexity of its preparation technology: the need to use special concrete mixers, more precise dosage of ingredients is required, freshly prepared concrete mixture cannot be transported.

Moreover, it is lightweight expanded clay, bulk density up to 350 kg/m 3, not all factories produce. Most often, the market offers expanded clay of higher density 450-550 kg/m 3 and more. The use of heavier expanded clay will lead to an increase in the thermal conductivity of expanded clay concrete and the need to increase the wall thickness or additional insulation.

An alternative to expanded clay can be granulated foam glass.

Features of large-porous expanded clay concrete as wall material are in many ways similar to aerated concrete and other lightweight concretes:

• when choosing wall decoration, you should take into account the high vapor permeability and air permeability of the material;
• for supporting heavy reinforced concrete floors it is necessary to install a monolithic reinforced concrete belt;
• to increase resistance to deformation, reinforcement of the walls and increased rigidity of the foundation are required;
• due to low water absorption plaster compositions and masonry mortars must be modified with additives to ensure adhesion to large-porous expanded clay concrete;
• fastening various structures to walls requires the use of special fasteners;

Large porous sandless expanded clay concrete used for device monolithic walls Houses.

Monolithic wall in removable, adjustable formwork

House with monolithic walls made of large-porous sandless encapsulated expanded clay concrete

To fill the expanded clay concrete mixture prepared at the construction site, you can use removable adjustable formwork, for example, from boards or plywood with a thickness of 8-12 mm. Expanded clay concrete mixture is quite light and rigid. That's why formwork is not required to have such strength and tightness, as for ordinary concrete.

To protect the formwork from moisture and increase its durability, the surface of the sheets is covered with plastic film.

Before pouring concrete, the opposite walls of the formwork are fastened with metal pins or brackets with spacers that set the thickness of the wall.

It is best to use for wall reinforcement fiberglass reinforcement and a mesh, since large-porous concrete does not protect well steel reinforcement from corrosion.

Monolithic wall in permanent formwork

Fig.4. The wall is prefabricated - monolithic brick - concrete. Sandless, large-porous expanded clay concrete is laid between the brick walls.

For the construction of monolithic walls made of large-porous expanded clay concrete, it is convenient to use different kinds permanent formwork. For example, formwork in the form of brick-concrete anchor masonry.

It consists of two parallel brick walls 0.5 brick thick, in the space between which large-porous expanded clay concrete is laid. The interlocking bricks protrude into the concrete masonry in a checkerboard pattern in 2-4 rows and are a kind of anchors connecting the concrete and brick into a single structure (Fig. 4).

The inner wall of the masonry is sometimes made of partitioned expanded clay concrete or gypsum blocks width 100-200 mm. To connect brick walls and concrete into a single structure, instead of protruding interlocking bricks, glass-basalt-plastic connections, metal masonry mesh with an anti-corrosion coating or stainless steel hinges are used.

The vertical distance between the links is no more than 500-600 mm. Total cross-sectional area of ​​flexible steel ties must be at least 0.4 cm² by 1 m² wall surface. The cross-section of polymer bonds is established from the condition of equal strength to steel bonds.

The sheets are mounted on a galvanized frame metal profile or wooden blocks. Wood does not become moistened when in contact with large-porous expanded clay concrete.

Frame internal lining- formworks are connected to brickwork external cladding metal brackets made of stainless or galvanized steel.

As the inner wall of permanent formwork, it is convenient to use moisture-resistant gypsum fiber (GVLV) or plasterboard (GKLV) sheets in two layers, with a total thickness of 20-30 mm. For the outer wall of the formwork it is used cement bonded particle boards(DSP).

In these options inner surface walls and façade require minimal preparation for finishing.

Large-porous expanded clay concrete has good vapor permeability. To prevent the accumulation of moisture in the wall, it is necessary that the inner cladding layer has a vapor permeability resistance higher than that of the outer cladding.

In large-porous expanded clay concrete a large number of open pores makes walls made of this material quite breathable (blown). External walls made of expanded clay concrete must be protected from blowing from the outside and inside by facing with materials with low air permeability or a thick layer of plaster.

Preparation of large-porous sandless expanded clay concrete

Large-pored expanded clay concrete is prepared at the construction site immediately before pouring into the formwork. To do this, it is better to use a special mixer-capsulator. Good results are obtained when using conventional concrete mixers with forced mixing of the mixture by moving blades.

Gravity concrete mixers, in which mixing occurs due to the fall of the mixture of ingredients under the influence of its own weight when the drum rotates, are not suitable for the preparation of large-porous expanded clay concrete.

To prepare concrete, expanded clay gravel, cement, water and additives are used to increase the viscosity of the mixture, the wettability of expanded clay and the adhesion of cement laitance to the aggregate.

An increase in cement consumption in expanded clay concrete leads to an increase in strength, but at the same time to an increase in the volumetric weight of expanded clay concrete. Therefore, in order to obtain sufficiently strong and lightweight concrete with low cement consumption, it is necessary to use high-grade Portland cement, not lower than 400.

Modification of cement mortar with a polymer increases the flexural strength, as well as the bond strength between the aggregate and the binder, without reducing the overall porosity. Styrene-acrylic ether (SAE) or styrene-butadiene copolymer (SBR) is used as a polymer emulsion. Private developers often add more affordable PVA glue to the solution.

To increase the mobility and workability of mixtures of large-porous concrete, surface-active additives (liquid soap) are used, and to accelerate the hardening of the laid concrete mixture, calcium chloride is used, both separately and together with surface-active additives.

The consumption of cement, aggregate, additives and water is clarified by test batches with the production of control cubes from them. The optimal consumption of cement is considered to be at which the destruction of a sample of large-porous expanded clay concrete occurs both at the contacts of the granules and at the granules themselves.

It is recommended to load concrete mixers when preparing large-porous concrete in the following order:

First, filler granules - expanded clay - are loaded, 2/3 of the amount of water required for kneading is added, polymer additives are added and after short mixing (1-2 min) cement and the rest of the water are loaded.

The shortest duration of mixing the components of the concrete mixture, counting from the moment of loading all materials into the drum and before the start of unloading the mixture from it, is approximately (until clarified during trial batches) 4-5 min.

A correctly selected and prepared concrete mixture is characterized by:

• homogeneity and uniform enveloping of aggregate grains with cement paste;
• absence of drainage of cement paste from aggregate grains when laying the concrete mixture;
• non-segregation of the concrete mixture during transportation and laying.

When preparing large-porous concrete, the dosage accuracy (by weight or, if necessary, by volume) of the components is established: for cement, additives and water - ±1% and for aggregates - ±2%. It is necessary to constantly monitor the quality of concrete with each batch. according to the above criteria.

It is often necessary to adjust the amount of water in the batch at the slightest change in the humidity of the expanded clay. Hired builders, as a rule, do not have experience and are not eager to tinker with such “capricious” concrete. The quality of the concrete they produce may turn out to be poor.

Watch the video in which the author talks about his experience in preparing large-porous expanded clay concrete:

The video shows the process of preparing large-porous expanded clay concrete in a B-180 concrete mixer. The sequence is as follows: first, we “rinse” the concrete mixer from the previous batch. Then we load water with additives into the concrete mixer ( liquid glass+ PVA + liquid soap). Next, add expanded clay and mix until it foams slightly, and then this “foam” is extinguished by adding cement, if necessary, add a little water, and mix until ready (until the mixture shines).

Recipe for large-porous expanded clay concrete from the author of the video: cement at the rate of 120 kg by 1 m 3 expanded clay, additives (PVA glue + liquid glass) at the rate of 4 l each component by 1 m 3 expanded clay, liquid soap about 2 l. and water. Add just a little water until the mixture shines. Adding PVA to concrete mixtures significantly increases the adhesion of the components and creates an additional margin of safety. PVA improves properties concrete solutions, increases ductility, increases strength.

Laying the concrete mixture into molds is done in layers - 20-30 cm with uniform compaction of each layer.

For coarse concrete serious significance has a question about how to compact it. Compaction of porous concrete is carried out using short-term vibration with external (on-board) vibrators. The vibration time, as a rule, should not exceed 10-15 sec, so as not to cause the cement paste to run off from the surface of the aggregate. Compaction by light compaction or bayonet is also allowed, mainly in the corners and along the perimeter of the formwork.

Thermal insulation and structural expanded clay concrete for load-bearing walls of a house must have a compressive strength of at least 15 kg/m 3 for one-story buildings, at least 25 kg/m 3 for two-story buildings, and at least 35 kg/m 3 for three-story buildings.

The compressive strength of concrete increases with increasing cement consumption and decreasing granule size, but is limited by the strength of expanded clay granules.

For the preparation of structural concrete with high thermal insulation properties it is necessary to use granules of fraction 10-20 mm light expanded clay with a volumetric weight of 250-350 kg/m 3 , no more. As a result, we obtain large-porous expanded clay concrete with a density of 450-650 kg/m 3.

Heat transfer resistance of an external single-layer wall of a house made of such expanded clay concrete will comply with modern standards for the Moscow region with a wall thickness of 350-450 mm without additional insulation.

Unfortunately, Most factories in Russia produce heavy expanded clay, with a volumetric weight of more than 400 kg/m 3- depends on the composition of the clay used to make granules. Walls made of expanded clay concrete with such granules need to be additional insulation.

The author of the video is building a house from large-porous expanded clay concrete (CPCB) using permanent formwork on the outside and sliding formwork inside. Expanded clay was used in fractions 10-20 mm. Cement-bonded particleboard is used as permanent formwork on the outside.

Horizontal reinforcement of the walls with steel masonry mesh was carried out every 0.5 - 0.6 m. in height. The openings above the windows were reinforced with a spatial frame made of reinforcing steel.

Thickness of internal monolithic walls 0.25 m., external - 0.4 m.

Thermal insulating expanded clay concrete

To obtain heat-insulating sandless expanded clay concrete with low volumetric weight, you can use expanded clay of the largest and lightest fractions (20-40 mm and more), the volumetric weight of such expanded clay reaches 150-200 kg/m 3. It is used to produce large-porous expanded clay concrete with a volumetric weight of 350-400 kg/m 3 and compressive strength up to 10 kg/cm 2.

Such expanded clay concrete can be used as a moisture-resistant drainage insulation for insulation of horizontal coverings, ceilings, floors, blind areas, both indoors and outdoors.

Expanded clay in your city

Expanded clay.

Large porous sandless concrete on crushed stone or gravel

Fig.8. Wall made of large porous sandless concrete on crushed stone.

Large-porous concrete can be prepared using other aggregates, for example, ordinary crushed stone. The use of crushed stone in the form of coarse aggregate makes it possible to build cheap walls of low-rise buildings. The cement consumption for the production of such sandless concrete is significantly lower than for conventional concrete.

In Fig. 8 shows a photo of the load-bearing wall of a cottage under construction made of large-porous concrete on dolomite crushed stone (cement consumption 130 kg/m 3) with a concrete wall compressive strength of about 90 kg/cm 2. True, such a wall will require additional insulation.

Sandless concrete on crushed stone drains water well. It is convenient to use such concrete to make drainage coverings for parking areas when landscaping the site. There will be no water at such sites.

Each granule of aggregate in concrete is covered with a shell of cement stone. Thanks to this, concrete has very low water absorption, about 1%. Water in such concrete does not linger and is not absorbed by the aggregate. Thanks to these properties, concrete has very high frost resistance.

The strength of sand-free concrete can be increased to class B25, but no more. To do this, increase the cement consumption.

Such concrete can only be prepared at a construction site. When transported in a mixer, this mixture separates.

Video - a house with walls made of monolithic large-porous sandless expanded clay concrete in adjustable formwork:

More articles on this topic:

Every day, materials that belong to the class of cellular concrete are becoming more and more popular and are displacing the long-familiar brick.

In recent years, due to the increase in the cost of heat and energy and the desire of people to live in an environmentally friendly and safe building, expanded clay blocks are experiencing a real resonance.

What is expanded clay block and where is it used?

Expanded clay concrete blocks for building a house

Initially, the production of expanded clay blocks was a side activity after the production of expanded clay. To date, its manufacturing technology has remained virtually unchanged.

Since clay is used to produce slabs, expanded clay blocks are considered environmentally friendly pure material, which allows you to build a house with a favorable microclimate.

Expanded clay acts directly as a filler, the amount of which affects its weight and density.

In terms of their composition, the density of expanded clay blocks can be about 500-1800 kg/m 3 . Please note that the larger the fraction used, the cooler the finish will be.

Using high-density expanded clay blocks, you can erect a building 4 floors high, so that the height does not exceed 15 m. But, unfortunately, in order to build a tall structure, you will have to sacrifice a decent level of thermal insulation.

Despite the fact that the cost of such material is not high, you can create it yourself. To prepare the material with your own hands, you will need a concrete mixer and a workpiece into which you will need to pour the solution.

Types of blocks

Expanded clay concrete blocks

Today on the shelves of construction stores you can see blocks of various sizes and types. The most popular product is 40x20cm.

Such a product is produced with small dimensions, relative to aerated concrete, because its weight is quite large. If the block sizes were much larger, there would be a need to attract special equipment, and so – you can build the structure yourself with your own hands.

Today, such material is used for the manufacture of hollow and solid products. Solid blocks have greater strength, as a result of which they are used for the construction of load-bearing partitions and structures with a high level of strength.

The use of a hollow block is resorted to in the case of construction internal partitions or for additional thermal insulation. Basically, the width of such blocks is slightly smaller than the standard indicator, but these dimensions are quite enough.

Nowadays, products have already been developed that are equipped with a tongue-and-groove system; during their construction, the amount of required mortar is reduced and cold bridges are eliminated.

Technical features of the material

How to build a house from expanded clay concrete blocks?

Before talking about the pros and cons of such a material, it is worth discussing its technical features.

Technical characteristics of the main indicators of expanded clay concrete block are given in the table below.

• the first designation - the letter K - indicates the artificial origin of the block;
• the second letter S, L, R or P indicates the main purpose of the material;
• the third letter is a combination of letters: UG - for corner joints, PZ - for dressing a seam, PS - a hollow product, that is, the combination of these letters characterizes the specific features of the product;
• another designation is the length of one slab in cm;
• then the level of strength of the material, the level of its frost resistance and density are indicated.

Advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay blocks

Expanded clay concrete for building a house

Before discussing the advantages and disadvantages of expanded clay concrete block, I would like to say that such material is widely used not only in the construction of low-rise buildings, but also in the construction of private houses and other utility buildings. The product is also popular in the construction of monolithic structures, where it serves as a wall material for filling openings, both internal and external.

If we consider the price category, it becomes obvious that the use of expanded clay concrete blocks can significantly reduce financial investments in the construction of a multi-story monolithic frame structure.

In addition, expanded clay concrete blocks have the following advantages:

1. have a low heat conductivity coefficient (this helps to build a thin wall and reduce the load on the foundation of the building);
2. the blocks are distinguished by their vapor-permeable feature, which creates the most favorable environment for people in the room;
3. high level of sound and noise insulation (it is also worth noting that the product can reduce the amount of noise);
4. a high level of strength avoids shrinkage and deformation of the structure;
5. affordable price;
6. the material allows you to reduce the time required to construct a building due to the large dimensions of the blocks, and also save a lot of money on such masonry, which brick finishing cannot boast of;
7. The product is environmentally friendly, resistant to high temperatures and has a long service life;
8. Blocks are presented in a huge variety on the market, which makes it possible to realize any architectural or design idea.

The disadvantages include the following features:

• blocks are capable of forming cold bridges (but this problem can easily be solved by subsequent cladding or thermal insulation material);
• the material does not have sufficient moisture resistance, so finishing will require additional processing protective equipment;
• the weight of the blocks is slightly greater than other analogs made of cellular concrete, so you will need to take care of a solid foundation;
• blocks cannot be used when building a foundation.

I would like to immediately note that the arrangement of external surfaces with expanded clay concrete blocks should not remain for a long time without subsequent registration, because this will significantly reduce the service life of the building.

How to lay expanded clay blocks with your own hands?

We build a house from expanded clay concrete blocks on our own

As we have already said, the weight of expanded clay concrete is large, so initially you need to build a high-quality foundation.

The technology for laying expanded clay blocks is practically no different from laying foam concrete, but still there are certain subtleties, which are worth considering.

Before you start building a house, you should think about waterproofing the foundation so that in the future the slabs do not suffer from excessive exposure to moisture.

The main rule that must be followed is to offset the next row by at least a third of the expanded clay concrete block relative to the previous one.

Also very important element is the reinforcement of the masonry, which must be done every 3 or 4 rows.

For masonry made of expanded clay concrete, a solution of cement and sand is most often used, but no one forbids you to choose a cement-based adhesive for this.

A variety of materials can be used to decorate a house made of expanded clay concrete. The most popular today is plaster using the “wet facade” application technique.

Initially, expanded clay concrete blocks were produced as a kind of insulation for brick wall. The masonry of blocks was organized on the outside of the structure and its purpose was to retain thermal radiation inside the structure. According to its strength characteristics, expanded clay concrete is not suitable for organizing fencing and load-bearing structures. However, with the development of science, the production of this type of building material has also improved.

Characteristics of expanded clay concrete structure

Today expanded clay concrete at a relatively low specific gravity(it all depends on the degree of porosity of the material and the quality of the binding solution) - up to 1.5 times less than brickwork, has a compressive strength of 5-25 kg/cm2. This allows it to be used for the construction ordinary houses low-rise. The advantage remains its low thermal conductivity and high noise insulating properties.

2). M75 - a load-bearing wall with a thickness of 200 mm is being erected.

3). Hollow blocks – perfect solution for construction country house. This is a lightweight version of the material. He has uneven surface, which will affect the cost of further processing.

4). You can use a solid block, but it weighs a lot (more than 1000 kg/cubic meter) and requires a strong foundation.

Subtleties of the construction process

Regarding the foundation, the opinions of most owners are in favor monolithic design with a reinforcing frame.

If the soil is not stable and geodetic surveys confirm a close location groundwater, then it is better to use a pile version of the foundation of the house. Of course, the price of construction in this case will increase significantly (due to the complexity of the design and the use of special equipment), but the result will be a durable house.

The basement floor is erected if the ground difference is large, and its artificial leveling has not been carried out. For this, a special base brick is used, plus a reinforcing mesh in several rows. The result is in the figure.

The ceiling of the first floor is installed after the base has gained strength. To do this, concrete slabs with reinforcement inside are taken.

Direct laying of blocks:

For load-bearing and enclosing structures, a block of the M50 brand is used. For partitions in the house - partition material. The blocks are placed on cement mortar. According to the recommendations of house owners, every fifth row of masonry is reinforced. Work begins with forcing out the corners, then moves along the wall.

After organizing the window openings and the first floor for laying the floor for the next floor, an armored belt with removable formwork is organized.

After the cement stone of the arma belt has matured, the floor slabs are laid. Regarding insulation of the walls of the house and ground floor Most owners are inclined towards glued foam, a ventilated gap and facing the house with decorative bricks.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any structure, a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks has its advantages and disadvantages.

Positive aspects of the design

TO positive characteristics include low thermal conductivity, large volume with low specific gravity. This allows you to save some money on the purchase of material. Knowing the mass of one structural element, it is easy to calculate its strength and thermal conductivity. In accordance with the data obtained, it is possible to determine optimal thickness and the height of the foundation.

Negative points

To organize a normal temperature regime in a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks, a wall thickness of up to 1.2 m is required. Of course, no one will build such a thing. Therefore, all developers insist on additional insulation of the building.

Polystyrene foam is not suitable in this case, since it is flammable, and under an additional facing layer on top of the insulation, it will be difficult to extinguish it in the event of a fire. However, this is a theory. Many people still resort to using this particular insulation and are satisfied.

According to building codes, to insulate the walls of a building made of expanded clay concrete blocks, it is better to use mineral or basalt wool in slabs. Additional waterproofing is also necessary, since expanded clay concrete is a porous structure.

Duration of operation

There are also no complaints from owners of expanded clay concrete houses regarding the strength of the blocks. All the nails on the dowels hold well. The main thing is to choose the right dowel. For furniture I'll use 10 mm. For heavy structures, you need to use self-tapping screws. Expanded clay concrete does not crack when the temperature changes.

Video review: Expanded clay concrete blocks

Expanded clay concrete blocks. Features of the material

Those who have built a house from this building material note that microcracks may appear in the first 3-5 years after its construction, but only about 5% of blocks are subject to this trend.

Houses made from blocks are strong, easy to use, and durable. They look decent. Most people who used this material did not regret their choice.

Each developer has one cherished goal - to make high-quality material in which both energy saving characteristics, and strength. As practice shows, unfortunately, these properties are opposite to each other. The solution to the problem is a symbiosis or compromise between these characteristics. A good example of this is expanded clay concrete blocks. A house made of expanded clay concrete blocks is much warmer than a simple brick one, and also even lighter.

If you take into account the resistance to loads, you can compare the material with foam and aerated concrete. Expanded clay concrete is even better in this regard. Buildings made from expanded clay concrete blocks have gained particular popularity in Europe, where warmth is very important. If you are thinking of building your house from expanded clay concrete, you need to familiarize yourself with the material in more detail, find out its positive and negative sides, and also consider the technology of working with it. You will be able to see designs of houses made of expanded clay concrete blocks, and also learn how one of them is built.

Let's get acquainted with expanded clay concrete blocks

What kind of material is this? If you don’t already know, expanded clay concrete consists of three main components:

• expanded clay (foamed and baked clay);
• cement;
• quartz sand.

Based on the components of expanded clay concrete, it can be called an environmentally friendly material, because all the elements are of natural origin, without any chemicals in production. Due to the presence of expanded clay in the composition, the weight of expanded clay blocks is much less than their analogues, and its thermal insulation characteristics are superior. high level. The cement in the composition makes the product durable and suitable for building houses. What are the advantages of expanded clay concrete blocks for building a house?

Among all these positive aspects, it is worth mentioning a few disadvantages of expanded clay concrete that you should know:

• despite the light weight, you won’t be able to save money on building a foundation;
• when laying blocks, cold bridges (seams) will form, so insulation of the house from expanded clay concrete blocks will have to be done;
• There are many low-quality fakes on the market that do not meet the stated characteristics.

If we draw a logical conclusion, then everything speaks in favor of expanded clay concrete blocks. And indeed, judging by the reviews of homeowners, they are quite satisfied with the quality of the construction, despite the years they have lived.

Nuances you need to know during construction

To ensure that your expanded clay concrete house lasts a long time, is warm and reliable, it is important to familiarize yourself with the intricacies of construction technology using expanded clay concrete blocks.

The first point is to choose the type of material to work with. For example, if you are planning to build a low-rise building, then the best option for work will be structural and thermal insulating expanded clay concrete blocks, whose density is in the range of 700-1200 kg/m 3 . Less light and dense materials are suitable for insulation, but multi-storey buildings are erected from heavy (structural) blocks.

Important! The lower the density of the material, the better it is thermal insulation properties, and vice versa.

The second point is that it is important to choose the right size of the products. If you want to make your house warm while reducing energy costs, then the walls of the house should be at least 40 cm thick. One of the popular block sizes in the construction of load-bearing walls is 190x188x390. Walls made of blocks, the thickness of which range from 90 to 120 mm, serve as self-supporting partitions of the house.

The third point is that the foundation for a house made of expanded clay blocks must be made strong and deep. The depth of the foundation is selected taking into account the type of soil, freezing point and location of groundwater, however, it is not less than 1 m. Be sure to make a sand cushion with a layer of 20 cm, and also pour an armored concrete belt of 20 cm. In this case, the frame consists of 5 or 6 reinforcement rods Ø18 mm. If the soil settles, the walls and foundation of a house made of expanded clay concrete will not crack.

Fourth point- it is better to do the insulation and finishing of the building at the same time - this is beneficial in order to save money. That is why you need to select the facing material and insulation in advance. You can cover the walls of a house with siding, blockhouse, face brick or facade plaster. Suitable as insulation mineral wool or polystyrene foam.

Advice! To prevent the formation of cold bridges through the seams, jute tape is used when laying the house. It is laid in the middle of the masonry, preventing cold from passing through the solution.

Fifth point - the laying of expanded clay concrete blocks must be reinforced. This is done once every 3 or 4 rows using reinforcement rods, Ø12 or 14 mm. Grooves or grooves are made in the blocks, where the rods are laid. After which everything is sealed with cement mortar.

Advice! An armored belt must be made before installing the floor slabs, if the expanded clay concrete house is two-story, and also before installing the roof.

Selecting blocks for building a house made of expanded clay concrete

Just before you start building your dream home, you need to prepare the material. The basis of construction is blocks of expanded clay concrete. Above we mentioned a little about their varieties, but we want to dwell in more detail on the choice of products. According to their intended purpose, expanded clay concrete blocks are:

1. Thermal insulation type (500-700kg/m3)
2. Structural type (1200-1800 kg/m3).
3. Structural and thermal insulation type (700-1200 kg/m 3)

Which one is suitable for building a house? If you want to build a cottage, then choose structural expanded clay concrete blocks. And when your goal is a small warm house, then choose structural and thermal insulation blocks. They are quite durable and have excellent thermal insulation properties. Now that you have decided on the type of expanded clay concrete blocks, let's look at where the construction work begins.

The first necessity is designing a house

Whatever one may say, it all starts with this step. For the project you need to pay a lot to a specialist, however, without him, it will be impossible to build either an expanded clay concrete or any other house. This is the same as traveling from Russia to Africa without a map. And they won’t give you a building permit without documents. Therefore, the first thing you should do is order a construction project from a specialized company.

Together with you, the architect will create not only exact dimensions the house, its structure, and other details, but will also be able to draw up an estimate. It indicates the amount of material, its type and the cost of all work. Only after this can you start building a house from expanded clay concrete blocks with your own hands.

The basis of the foundations is the foundation of a house made of expanded clay concrete

When you have required amount materials, detailed plan, the site is ready and communications have been completed, you can start working. The foundation for a building is everything! It determines how durable a house made of expanded clay concrete will be and how long it will last. It is not surprising that almost half of all funds, if not more, are spent on building the foundation. So what is your task? Let's look at the process step by step. The basis will be tape monolithic foundation, ideal for building such a house. The device instructions are as follows:

A strip foundation for a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks will take about a month to dry. It is better to protect him during this time. After 10 days you can remove the formwork.

Advice! If the weather is hot, the concrete can be moistened periodically to prevent cracking.

We build walls from expanded clay concrete blocks

When the foundation of the house is dry, it can be waterproofed using mastic. Now everything is ready to start building the building box. What is the construction technology? Everything is quite simple, here are the instructions step by step:

That's all, the house box made of expanded clay concrete sides is ready. All that remains is to make the roof. If before this everything was done using technology, then you will not have any problems.

Conclusion

If you have built a box, this does not mean that the house is built. After all, you still have a lot to do: make the roof, complete interior work, make the floor, conduct communications, etc. In addition, you should pay special attention exterior decoration and insulation of a house made of expanded clay concrete. Although the building is warm, it needs additional insulation. And to give the home a decent appearance, upgrade it. There are many options for this purpose, which can be chosen according to taste.