Stages of construction of a private house made of aerated concrete. DIY aerated concrete house: construction features
Aerated concrete is a modern building material that is warm, light and fragile. Some people praise it for its warmth and speed of construction, while others have a negative attitude towards aerated concrete, citing cracks in the walls. But be that as it may, aerated concrete is chosen more often than all other options for wall blocks combined. This means that its overall advantages are really the best, and its disadvantages can be solved by correct design solutions.
How to build a house from aerated concrete? The answer is strictly according to technology and according to the project, where all the elements of the house are calculated! In this article we will try to describe in detail all stages of construction from aerated concrete.
The first step is to do the geology of the site to determine the soil and groundwater level. Next, you need to decide on the type of foundation and the development of a house project. Excavation work, sand cushion, drainage, reinforcement, pouring the foundation, waterproofing, and insulated blind area are topics for a separate article.
- We have a strong and even foundation, we waited through winter and spring, the foundation settled and began to shrink.
- Before laying the first row of blocks, it is necessary to apply horizontal waterproofing to the foundation. This will prevent capillary suction of moisture from the foundation.
- The water level or level is located at the highest corner of the foundation.
- A string is stretched along the perimeter of the foundation, along which the first row of blocks will be laid.
- The first row of blocks is laid on a cement-sand mortar with a thickness of 20 mm. Vertical seams must be coated with glue.
- Laying begins from the top corner, then the remaining corner blocks are laid.
- Level the corner blocks very carefully using a rubber hammer and level.
- A string is pulled between the corner blocks, along which the entire first row will be aligned.
- The entire first row of gas blocks is laid on the mortar, the vertical seams are coated with glue.
- All subsequent rows are laid out only with glue.
- Additional blocks are cut with a hacksaw for aerated concrete or a reciprocating saw.
- Before applying the glue, the blocks need to be cleaned of dust with a brush, and in hot weather it would also be useful to moisten them with water.
- The horizontal plane of the rows must be leveled with a plane (aerated concrete float). This is done in order to eliminate differences between the blocks, then the seam will be thin and uniform everywhere, which will prevent small cracks from shrinkage of the glue.
- The thickness of the seam between the blocks should be 2-3 mm.
- The displacement of the blocks (ligation) should be at least 13 cm.
- The first and every fourth row of masonry is reinforced. At the corners, the reinforcement is bent, and the overlap of the rods should be at least 300 mm.
- The window sill row and the places where the lintels support are also reinforced.
- Reinforcement of rows of aerated concrete consists of the following stages: cutting grooves, filling the grooves with glue, laying reinforcement.
- Laying the second row of blocks can begin after 4 hours, when the solution has set.
- Aerated concrete lintels for windows and doors can be made from U-blocks, which are placed on the formwork, the reinforcement frame is tied together and filled with concrete. The lintel must rest on the walls at least 200 mm. For more information about aerated concrete lintels, see the separate article at the link.
- U-blocks can be made independently from ordinary blocks using an aerated concrete saw.
- You can find ready-made reinforced aerated concrete lintels on sale.
- Bandaging of load-bearing walls and load-bearing partitions is carried out across the entire width of the block across a row.
- To connect load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls, flexible metal connections are used, which it is advisable to lay in the masonry initially, or to erect aerated concrete partitions in parallel with the load-bearing walls.
- For better sound insulation, instead of thin aerated concrete partitions, it is better to build brick partitions.
- Under the floor slabs and floor beams it is necessary to install an armored belt, which is a strong reinforced concrete structure that runs along all the load-bearing walls of the house. The armored belt will strengthen the walls and evenly distribute the load. We advise you to familiarize yourself with the types of floors for aerated concrete using the link.
- The end of the floor slab should rest closer to the center of the reinforced belt.
- Channels for pipes and electrics can be made using a wall chaser.
- If a house is planned to have a pediment made of aerated concrete, then its geometry should follow the rafters. To obtain the correct geometry of the pediment, an even wooden block is screwed into the center of the wall. The thread is stretched to the edges of the walls and fixed, and the masonry is carried out along it.
- The wooden mauerlat is the basis of the roof. For high-quality fastening of the Mauerlat to the walls, it is necessary to fill in an armored belt in which the studs are installed, and the Mauerlat is screwed onto it.
- Places where wood comes into contact with concrete must be waterproofed with bitumen mastics.
- If the cladding of an aerated concrete house is planned with brick, then the ventilation gap should be 40 mm. The brickwork of the cladding is carried out using flexible metal stainless steel ties.
- If the facade is planned to be plastered for painting, then special plaster must be used, which has high vapor permeability. This will allow moisture to be quickly removed from the thickness of the aerated concrete wall.
- The interior decoration of the house should begin no earlier than two seasons after the construction of the box. You need to wait until excess moisture leaves the aerated concrete.
Today there are many materials for building walls. In addition, construction technology is always being improved, which ultimately leads to the emergence of new building materials with more favorable prices and performance characteristics. Thus, society has gradually reached the aerated block, which really has a lot to please.
The first advantages of this material are noticeable even at the design stage. We’ll talk about all the pros and cons, as well as how to build a structure from aerated concrete blocks with your own hands in this article.
Advantages and disadvantages
Aerated concrete blocks have a number of their own characteristics, both positive and not so good. The thing is that the material is affordable, anyone can buy it, and you need to work well with it so that the house can stand freely for many years.
Photos of houses made of aerated concrete can often be seen on social networks, as this material is truly in great demand. It's all about its advantages, and these include:
- strength;
- easy to use;
- durability;
- economy;
- thermal insulation qualities.
Many people doubt the strength of the aerated block, but there is no reason to doubt it at all. The material resembles brick in appearance, only in larger sizes. It is a dense structure, which, with proper care, does not collapse for a long time, the guaranteed service life is from thirty years.
Most often, the material is used for the construction of temporary buildings, as well as commercial premises. Many people wonder what is better than a foam block or a gas block for a home, but as practice shows, in terms of quality there are no complaints about either option.
But this does not mean that the material is not suitable for the construction of residential buildings. It's all about maintenance and proper construction, but it is not recommended to build a multi-storey building from aerated block.
The material does not crumble, which makes it really convenient to work with; it is also lightweight, you can freely lift it with your hands and build walls. Building a house from aerated block is a pleasure, according to experienced builders.
As for durability, the gas block is truly durable with proper care. It all depends on the weather conditions where the building is planned to be built. Without protection from water, a house will serve faithfully for decades, but if you protect the structure from moisture, it can last for centuries. It is recommended to carry out the procedure during the construction stage.
Gozoblok is distinguished by its economy both in the purchase of material and in its further use. This material is considered one of the cheapest, since its production uses less complex technology.
In addition, there are many suppliers of material on the market who compete well with each other, which ultimately leads to low cost of the material. In addition, you can save a lot on heating costs. Practice has shown that owners of houses built from other materials pay much more for heating.
This is because the gas block has excellent heat-insulating qualities. It works on both sides - it does not let out warm air from the inside and lets the cold in from the outside.
A wall made of aerated block must be improved, since under the influence of weather conditions all the thermal insulation benefits will disappear over time. Experts recommend thinking about this at the design stage.
Stage-by-stage construction of a house from aerated concrete blocks
As already mentioned, building a house from an aerated block is not difficult, and basic construction skills are quite enough. When building yourself, it is recommended to use the aerated concrete block calculator for your home.
The design of such a building is not very different from buildings made of other materials and includes the following stages of work:
- site selection;
- design;
- foundation laying;
- walling;
- finishing.
When choosing a site, it is important to pay attention to the soil. In general, aerated block walls themselves are not heavy, so there are no special requirements for the soil.
However, we should not forget that this is still a house and a plot of land that must be selected suitable for construction. Most often, such houses are built on dacha areas, but they can also be found in cities - in both cases this is acceptable.
At the design stage, you need to figure out the area of the house and decide how many rooms there will be. It is not recommended to build huge buildings, although the foundation allows this.
Maintaining a building in the required condition is much more difficult, and this also complicates communications, which are also considered at the design stage. It is also better to immediately calculate how many gas blocks are needed for the house.
It is better to take this stage seriously, as you can easily calculate the amount of the option used, as well as consider various saving options or choose ready-made options for aerated block house designs.
Laying the foundation will require a little more knowledge as well as effort. This stage is considered the most difficult and is no exception when working with gas-block houses.
It is recommended to seek help from professionals who will help you build a truly reliable foundation that can support the structure for many years, or immediately order a turnkey house made of aerated concrete blocks.
Building walls is not difficult. A one-story house made of aerated concrete can be built in a matter of time. It is important to maintain the evenness of the masonry so that there are no inclinations. Since aerated concrete blocks themselves are lightweight, putting them into one structure is not a difficult task.
Basic construction skills will be required to complete these steps. Be sure to take into account the connectors in the walls for windows and doors, ventilation and communications, so that later you do not have to destroy the newly built wall.
Finishing work is considered the most expensive task imaginable in the construction of aerated block houses. Interior decoration can be made of any materials, but it is important to remember the fear of water blocks. Moisture can come not only from the street, but also from inside the room, so you need to think about protection from moisture at the finishing stage.
In summing up, it is important to note the latter - you need to understand which is the best aerated block for construction. Today there are many manufacturers who can offer many options for the same building material. Therefore, be sure to contact the manufacturer to find out the differences, as well as all the advantages of one block from another.
Photos of aerated block houses
The construction of residential buildings from cellular concrete is becoming increasingly popular due to its high heat saving and strength. You can often hear stories from the series “How I built a house from aerated concrete” listing the advantages of this material and describing the simplicity of the method. We will not rely on emotions and will simply show you how to build a house from aerated concrete yourself.
Preparatory stage
Design
First of all, you must be concerned about the project. A neighbor’s story about how I built a house from aerated concrete is useful, but not at all sufficient information for such a serious undertaking as capital construction.
For the same reason, you should not trust the design to amateurs; it is better to find a competent engineer or architect who can make all the necessary calculations and choose the most rational configuration of the future building.
Project documentation should include the following sections:
- Calculation of loads from the entire structure and selection of the type, material and parameters of the foundation;
- Determination of the thickness of load-bearing walls and partitions based on calculations of loads caused by their weight, as well as external forces and internal stresses of materials;
- Determining the need for reinforcement, indicating the location of the reinforcement, its diameter and the number of rods in each row;
- Calculation of expected stresses inside the material regarding the need for expansion joints, indicating their location and parameters;
- Project of roof truss system and roofing pie;
- Data on internal and electrical wiring, plumbing and utilities;
- The economic part with a detailed estimate for the purchase of materials and work (in the case of hiring professional builders).
Important!
This is only an approximate listing of sections; in practice, the document may be supplemented with new paragraphs depending on the specific features of the project, construction conditions and the wishes of the designer.
It is not worth saving on a project; this is the case when the stingy pays twice, because in case of mistakes, you can suffer serious losses, and even perfectly executed work will be in vain.
Site preparation
Before building a house from aerated concrete, it is necessary to prepare the construction site. It is advisable to level it, mark it, ensure the passage of equipment, and think over the location of functional areas.
Most likely, you will need a shed with a room for storing building materials, and you should also provide an electrical supply. In addition, it is advisable to provide lighting for work areas and reliable fencing.
Often at this stage, excavation work is carried out to lay sewer and water supply pipes. For convenience, you can immediately make paths for movement from the warehouse to the construction site and think about the route for the passage of equipment inside the facility.
At the end, when the site is prepared, you can purchase materials and deliver them to the site.
Attention!
Aerated concrete should be stored indoors, as it can deteriorate if left outdoors for a long time without protection from precipitation.
Construction works
Foundation
Aerated concrete is a lightweight building material, and therefore there is an opinion that there is no need for a solid foundation. But we are talking about how to properly build a house from aerated concrete, which means we will do everything according to the standards.
SNiP defines aerated concrete as a block wall material, therefore, it requires a foundation made of stone and/or reinforced concrete.
The most suitable types are:
- Recessed or T-shaped shallow recessed tape;
- Bored pile with reinforced concrete grillage;
- Monolithic concrete slab;
- Shallow strip foundation.
Recently, monolithic foundations are most often used for the construction of aerated concrete buildings, as they are strong, durable, reliable and easy to implement. To manufacture them, it is enough to make the formwork according to the design, in which the reinforcing grid is laid, and fill it with vibrations.
Important!
Building a foundation without a design will require a significant margin of safety, which will significantly affect the cost of the structure.
This difference will easily cover the cost of design, the price of which does not greatly affect the overall estimate.
Walls and ceilings
For laying blocks, you should use a special adhesive for aerated concrete and a dosing notched trowel, which will help to apply the correct, uniform amount of glue. This results in virtually seamless monolithic masonry, in which there are no cold bridges or deviations in geometry.
Cutting reinforced concrete with diamond wheels and diamond drilling of holes in concrete are not required here, since the blocks can be easily processed with hacksaws and hand-held power tools.
Step-by-step instructions for laying aerated concrete walls:
- We carry out horizontal waterproofing cut-off. To do this, we lay euroroofing felt in two layers on the surface of the grillage or slab;
- Prepare the glue according to the manufacturer's instructions. As a rule, the dry mixture is mixed with water and stirred to thick sour cream using a mixer or manually;
- We begin laying the first row, to do this we apply glue using a ladle and remove the excess with a notched trowel. The dosage of glue and the thickness of the layer should be maintained as carefully as possible;
- When the row is completed, we check its horizontalness with a level or level, and then level the surface with an aerated concrete plane. Then we cut two longitudinal grooves in the blocks, into which we lay reinforcement with a diameter of 8 mm at a distance from the outer edge of at least 60 mm;
- Next, sweep away the dust and fragments and continue laying from the corners. We repeat the reinforcement after 4 rows; it will also be required in the support areas of the lintels and under the window openings. Level differences between adjacent blocks are unacceptable, so we level each row with a plane or grater, and check every 3 rows with a level;
- We also lay out the internal partitions, we recommend laying emission-extinguishing air-filled materials under the blocks; they can also be laid in places where partitions adjoin load-bearing walls;
- The wall box of the floor must be completed with a reinforcing belt, on which the partition slabs are laid. On spans less than 6 meters, aerated concrete slabs can be used;
- Upon completion of the entire box, you should lay the attic floor beams and build a mauerlat.
Important!
After erecting the walls, you should immediately begin installing the roof so that the material is not exposed to precipitation.
Conclusion
The construction of an aerated concrete building requires the implementation of a certain technology, which is shown in the video in this article and our instructions. The result is a warm and durable home for the whole family.
In this article I will tell you how to build a house from aerated concrete 10 by 11 meters, with an area of 150 square meters, with an attic with your own hands. We built this house in the village together, and from the foundation to moving into it, in 2 years it took us a total of 10 months and it took us 1 million rubles for all materials and other expenses.
How I built a house from aerated block with my own hands
Long before construction begins!
Four years later, having moved from the city to the village, we decided to build our own house in the village.
We purchased materials: boards, beams, approximately 50 cubic meters of gas block, 5 tons of cement, 25 tons of sand and gravel mixture, bricks for the plinth, and many other small things.
After all the materials were purchased, we marked out the house 10 by 11 meters, drilled about 30 holes 2 meters deep with a tractor, filled these holes and inserted reinforcement into them. At a depth of one and a half meters there is gravel, apparently there used to be a river here, but now it has moved lower. After the concrete had hardened, they dug a trench under the foundation, sprinkled it with sand, and compacted it.
Then we made the formwork for the foundation, tied the reinforcement together, inserted it into the formwork and began pouring concrete. Cement and gravel were transported to the concrete mixer in two wheelbarrows. All the work was done together with my father.
The markings for the foundation level were made with a level. The concrete was immediately leveled, making it smooth and beautiful.
Spring came! Birds are singing! Let's go to the house! The basement was laid out last fall, there are no photos, as there was apparently no time at all.
I dug a basement and insulated the foundation from the outside and inside with the same soil. The beams were dragged and stacked together in half an hour. Joke! In one hour! Hee hee hee! We did this in April, since it is easier to drag them through the snow. The snow melted and water formed in the basement. He scooped up water in buckets. I sanded the beams with an electric planer to make it beautiful and easier to apply paint on wood. The beams were treated with antiseptic and wood protection.
The month of May! We started laying out the walls from aerated concrete blocks.
Let's get closer! The gas block is non-autoclave, which is why it is so cheap. I fell for the price! A lot of marriage! Manufacturers hid the bad blocks inside the pallet! One block is wider, the other is narrower. Bad office! It's bad to deceive people! It's a pity! Then he built a stoker out of bad blocks.
New day! Things are going slowly! We're working!
I did the floor of the first floor in 2 days!
I mix the mortar, carry blocks, and my father lays out the walls. We are working! It's already evening!
New day, we continue construction. There is still a lot of work!
It seems to be a little small.
We already have windows and doors. We work every day!
I made scaffolding out of pallets while my father visited the bees at the apiary.
The gas block is over, only the defect remains.
We bought a foam block for the second floor, we lay it upright.
We continue! We lifted the beams with a crane onto the second floor. It rains non-stop for weeks.
Lay the floor beams for the second floor
A bird has made a nest in a pallet! I can't imagine when she managed to do this?
I made the floor on the second floor of the house.
We're not sure, but we're hoping to move into our house by December.
They called a lot of relatives and set up the rafters.
There were many relatives here again, they closed the roof! Now we are not afraid of rain!
They also made a veranda. I didn’t even think that we would do it right away.
There is a lot of garbage around!
I dug a trench for the sewer. I lay down the pipe, one, two, three.
Formwork for a sewer ring, only ours is square.
Beautiful! On one side of the house!
There is still a lot of work. The stoker was laid out in two days.
We built a staircase to the second floor. Now it has become very convenient to go up there!
Second floor. I don’t remember what I did then.
I insulate the second floor attic with glass wool. Insulation thickness 200 mm.
Sawdust for insulating the second floor ceiling. Earth is also placed on top of the sawdust.
Second floor ceiling hatch.
Sawdust on the edges of the ceiling of the first floor of a house in the village.
Personal stoker.
We made a roof for the stoker. It will continue with a bathhouse.
This is the only way lumber goes away! A lot of firewood has accumulated!
Late fall! Digging a water pipeline with a tractor! Oh, we had a lot of trouble with this tractor! Either the oil is leaking or something else! We've been digging for three days! From the house to the connection with the water supply 130 meters, we dug 2 meters deep. The area here is swampy, with swamps all around. You dig half a meter and it’s already water. The pipe was laid immediately, as the ground was quickly collapsing. The house already has windows and heating. While we heat the stove with wood!
Sorry! But I don’t have any more photos of the house construction! We were in a big hurry! We plastered the walls of the first floor, screwed drywall onto wood screws, plumbing, furniture, wallpaper, electricity, gas, water supply. And yet we managed to do everything on the first floor! It was also possible to live on the second floor; there was light there, but there was no renovation. All this was done in ten months. We worked together with our father! But of course, we called our women to paint, whitewash and glue wallpaper!
In 2013, in August-September, the foundation and plinth were made. In 2014, from May to December, we did the rest! On December 26, we moved with our family to live in this, our new home. And as you understand! We invited many guests and celebrated a housewarming party on December 31st! Hurray!)))
Thanks to all! Who finished reading my story of building a house in the village! Watch my story in more detail on YouTube! Good luck! Bye!
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