Individual construction of houses made of foam concrete blocks is still considered an innovation. The construction of houses of foam blocks in the Russian construction market began about 10 years ago, and recently gaining popularity. Despite this and the broadest assortment of blocks of domestic and imported production, those who build their own homes are left with many questions. In particular, in what sequence are the works carried out, and what are the key moments of each of the stages.
Why foam blocks?
If you still hesitate to give preference to foam blocks or other material, recall their main advantages:
- The larger block size, unlike bricks, allows to build houses at a faster and better rate, thereby reducing the cost of construction. The standard size of the foam concrete block is 200x300x600mm, which is 15 times bigger than the brick size.
- House made of foam blocks better keeps heat, more resistant to moisture and fireproof. In the house of foam concrete blocks in the summer it will not be hot, but in winter it will not be cold.
- Foam concrete has the best characteristics and parameters of thermal conductivity, sound insulation and vapor permeability.
- The weight of the structure is much less, therefore, there is no need for a solid foundation.
- Foam concrete is a durable material. Its characteristics do not deteriorate over time.
Stage 1: excavation
Construction of any house begins with geodetic surveying and marking of foundation pit. In this case, it is necessary to comply with the requirements of all regulatory documents in order to avoid problems caused by subsidence, the impossibility of laying communications and disrupting the performance of the structure in the future. The distance from the boundaries of the land plot to the constructed residential building must be at least three meters, the economic construction - at least one meter. From the place of future construction work, all fertile soil is removed and removed.
Next, it is necessary to dig a pit with a depth of 2 meters, and with the help of shovels, a geodetic rail and a level to level out its bottom to the state of an absolutely flat horizontal surface.
The bottom of the excavation is sprinkled with coarse sand a layer of 10 to 30 centimeters, wetted with water and densely packed. After installing the formwork, it is covered with polyethylene.
Stage 2: foundation
For formwork foundation, formwork is installed. It can be made from timber( it is better to use softwood: pine, spruce, larch, to avoid cracking), OSB or non-removable, from expanded polystyrene. The thickness of the boards is a minimum of 19 mm, width is a maximum of 150 mm. You will also need a glassine or roofing felt for the interior upholstery and armature for the skeletons. For monolithic foundations, the main reinforcement should be chosen with a diameter of 32 mm. All necessary materials for formwork can be purchased in the form of ready-made kits. It is necessary to make sure that there are exits for utilities and ventilation holes in the formwork.
The next step is pouring the concrete foundation. To pour the foundation it is necessary to take very seriously, correctly calculate the right amount of concrete and do the work at a time, as this provides greater strength of the foundation. If the work is done in 2 stages or more, there may be further cracking and subsidence. Concrete for the foundation in accordance with regulatory documents should be selected not lower than grade M100.Heavy concrete is prohibited for use.
Stage 3: walls
After performing the works on waterproofing the foundation and laying the necessary communication pipes proceed directly to the masonry of foam concrete blocks. Before that, according to the existing house design, you need to accurately calculate the required amount of material.
It is especially important to ideally lay the first layer of foam concrete blocks. It is necessary to monitor the thickness of the mortar joints. According to regulatory documents, they should not exceed 10 mm - this is important for maintaining the insulation of the house. Although foam blocks have much higher thermal insulation characteristics, too large solution joints can significantly reduce these values. When laying walls it is necessary to use the level, and also to align the rows along the cord. The glue or mortar is first applied to a horizontal surface, and then to a vertical one. Foam concrete blocks are perfectly sawn, which greatly facilitates the process of work.
To block the door and window openings, reinforced concrete bridges are used, which increases the strength of the building. The ceilings are made of planed and well-ground wood, the material is wood, preferably pine. Bars, as stipulated by the standards, it is necessary to cover with antiseptic, which protects the floors from decay and damage.
Stage 4: Exterior and interior work
After all the work is done, you can start roofing and interior finishing. Interior partitions are also advisable to perform from foam concrete blocks, selecting materials of smaller sizes.
Since the foam concrete is hygroscopic, the outer lining of the house is mandatory. It can be made of facing bricks, vinyl or metal siding, lining or plaster. The use of foam blocks does not require additional facade insulation.