The PORITEP plant was opened in August 2013 in the Ryazan region, and two years later, in August 2015, the company opened a second PORITEP plant in the Nizhny Novgorod region. During its operation, the company has established itself among buyers, whose products are deservedly popular in the market. However, concrete wall blocks appreciated not only by ordinary customers. PORITEP products regularly receive awards at specialized exhibitions, which is additional evidence of their quality and reliability.
Currently, the company sells building materials with delivery to Tula, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir and other cities. It is very important that, working with both wholesale buyers and private customers, PORITEP offers each client profitable terms cooperation.
Operational and technical characteristics of blocks for construction
An important feature of PORITEP wall block factories is the fully automated production process. Dosing and mixing components, pouring molds, cutting aerated concrete - all operations take place without human intervention, which eliminates the possibility of error. Thanks to this, aerated concrete has a stable high quality and excellent operational and technical characteristics.
The production of PORITEP blocks is carried out according to unique technology, which implies the inclusion of small aluminosilicate spheres in the composition, which significantly improve the properties of the building material. So, for example, blocks have the following characteristics:
- density 500 and 600 kg/m3, which allows the use of aerated concrete for the construction of a five-story building;
- frost resistance F100, thanks to which it is possible to build from PORITEP blocks even in the northern latitudes of our country;
- thermal conductivity 0.12 W/m*C, ensuring high energy efficiency of finished buildings.
Another important point- this is the size. Since aerated concrete wall blocks are noticeably larger than bricks, the speed of masonry increases. At the same time, the minimal weight of the material makes it possible to do without heavy construction equipment, which further reduces the cost of work.
Advantages of aerated concrete blocks for wall construction
PORITEP cellular concrete blocks for internal partitions and external walls have many advantageous features, including:
- ideal geometry and dimensions - automated production guarantees exact compliance of concrete blocks for walls with the specified parameters;
- the ability to “breathe” - cellular concrete is a vapor-permeable material that provides a comfortable indoor microclimate;
- optimal price, allowing to reduce the cost of the finished building or engineering structure.
The method of laying a wall from aerated block also deserves a special mention. Since the material has flat surface, there is no need to use a regular solution. The laying is carried out using a special glue, which is applied with a thickness of no more than 2 mm. This eliminates the formation of cold bridges and makes buildings made from PORITEP aerated concrete blocks even warmer.
How much does it cost and how to buy?
Since the opening of the plant, PORITEP management has been loyal pricing policy, providing affordable price all building materials. Thanks to this, you can buy wall blocks at a price of 3,350 rubles. Any person planning to build a house can. At the same time, you can pick up materials at your own expense from the plant in Novomichurinsk ( Ryazan Oblast) or Bogorodsk ( Nizhny Novgorod Region), and also order their delivery to the construction site.
Until recently, one of the most reliable and traditional materials for external walls was brick. With a lot of advantages, it also has obvious disadvantages. Firstly, the small size of an individual block, but at the same time high density. Secondly, the coefficient of thermal conductivity is uncomfortable, forcing you to increase the thickness of the walls. Thirdly, as a consequence of the previous theses, the need to use a large amount of brick, adding the total weight of the structure and pressure on the foundation (it must be massive and voluminous).
The future of not only construction, but also other high-tech industries lies in the use composite materials, which without a doubt are blocks for external and load-bearing interior walls. The main highlight of any of these products is its structural diversity. So, for example, a brick is homogeneous (homogeneous) - it consists of clay, which is given the correct rectangular shape, and then fired to secure the basic properties. Wall blocks, regardless of origin and base, contain several key components, each of which plays its own role (base, filler, baking powder, foaming agent, adhesive mass).
An obvious advantage that almost all such products have is the optimal volume-to-weight ratio. For example, an ordinary brick 1 NF, has dimensions of 250 × 120 × 65 mm (0.00195 m3) and a density of 1600 kg/m3, will weigh about 3.12 kg. At the same time, typical gas blocks differ in dimensions of 250×150×625 mm (0.02344 m3) and specific gravity on average 500 kg/m3. With these parameters, its mass will be 11.7 kg. The figure seems to be higher, but if we level the volumes, then we will have to take almost 37.5 kg of bricks (more than 3 times the excess).
Classification by structure
If you analyze a specific segment construction market, it turns out that various blocks are available to the buyer as external walls. First of all, their classification is carried out according to composition, that is, the combination of main components. Highlight following types:
- Aerated concrete.
- Vibropressed.
- Foam block.
- Expanded clay concrete.
- Arbolite.
- Slag.
Now let's look at each type separately.
1. Aerated concrete block.
This is multi-component building element, which includes:
- Cement-sand water solution(the bulk).
- Lime (used to create a highly alkaline environment).
- Aluminum powder or paste (gassing catalyst).
The peculiarity of this type is chemical reaction aluminum and alkaline lime mortar with the release of hydrogen gas. This, in turn, causes the formation of small, unconnected bubbles and, as a consequence, the porous structure of the finished workpiece.
Depending on the final hardening method, aerated concrete wall blocks are divided into autoclave and non-autoclave. In the first case, the workpieces will be treated with high-temperature steam under a pressure of about 9 atm. In the second option, a natural hardening process in drying chambers is used.
Walls made of aerated concrete blocks retain heat well, provide excellent air ventilation, and reduce the load on the foundation by almost three times when compared with brick. But at the same time, despite all the populist statements of the intermediaries, there are obvious shortcomings:
- Low actual strength.
- Tendency to accumulate moisture in pores.
- Breathability in the exile wind.
- The need to organize an additional reinforcing belt.
2. Foam concrete block.
This building material for external and internal work is in some way reminiscent of the previous one, since the result is a porous structure, and the base is actually the same - cement, sand and water. The difference is that air bubbles are not created as a result of a reaction in the plastic mass, but are added ready-made in the form of foam. It is combined with sand-cement mortar in a concrete mixer, after which it is poured into molds.
There are three generally accepted methods of foam concrete: classical, dry mineralization method and barotechnical. Among the advantages are better thermal insulation characteristics than conventional concrete, less weight and material consumption, it is easy to process and is environmentally friendly. The disadvantages are almost the same as those of aerated concrete, due to the similarity of the structure.
3. Vibropressed wall blocks.
Another multi-component material that consists of cement, sand, water and crushed stone, like regular concrete. Manufacturing occurs by vibration pressing into special high-strength molds. Depending on this, the finished product can be solid or cellular (through chambers with partitions). The dimensions allow them to be used for both external and internal walls. They have high strength, water and fire resistance, can withstand temperature fluctuations well, reduce the load on the foundation, etc.
4. Expanded clay concrete block.
This block contains cement, sand and filler (expanded clay crushed stone) in an approximate proportion of 1:2:3. All of them are mixed in water to a paste-like state, after which they are filled into molds (by pressing), which are subjected to heat treatment. Expanded clay itself is baked balls (cubes) of clay with a size of no more than 5 mm. main feature of this component in its porosity and ability to retain moisture.
Walls made from blocks of this type have high strength, “ventilation”, resistance to temperature changes, insulate sound well, and have a low thermal conductivity coefficient.
A separate option for using expanded clay concrete is external multilayer walls. In this case finished goods include three balls based on the sandwich panel principle:
- Internal – expanded clay up to 200 mm thick.
- Medium - insulation (usually 10 cm polystyrene foam).
- External – decorative (textured) concrete tiles(up to 60 mm).
5. Arbolite block.
Domestic building composites, which were developed in the second half of the twentieth century, but have not become widespread until now. The composition of wood concrete includes:
- Organic mass – filler in the form of wood chips, straw, crushed stems.
- The binding solution is a mixture of cement, sand and water.
- Chemical additives are a catalyst for the solidification process (calcium nitrates and chlorides, liquid glass).
External block walls have excellent sound barrier and strength, low thermal conductivity, fire resistance and ease of processing. The disadvantages include airflow, the need for finishing and waterproofing, as well as an insufficiently smooth surface.
6. Cinder block.
Such building stones for walls are produced by vibration pressing in the form of a mixture cement-sand mortar(binder component) and slag filler. It can be used absolutely different materials: ash, granular screenings, crushed stone, pebbles, brick chips, expanded clay.
They have low cost, opportunity self-made and masonry, temperature resistance, sound insulation. The disadvantages are their unaesthetics, fragility, low strength and moisture resistance.
Any listed products can be further classified according to their scope of use into:
- Wall – construction of load-bearing structures and walls.
- Partition walls – well suited for arranging partition walls.
- Fencing – laying block fences. They can be either classic plain or colored.
Standard sizes and characteristics
Words are words, but when choosing a specific block you must rely on technical data. They can be presented in the form of a summary table for the types of wall blocks mentioned above:
| Block characteristics | Aerated concrete | Foam concrete | Arbolit | Expanded clay | cinder block |
| Strength (kg/cm2) | 20–50 | 15–50 | 20–50 | 50–250 | 35–100 |
| Density (kg/m3) | 300–900 | 300–900 | 600–900 | 500–1800 | 500–1000 |
| Thermal conductivity (W/m°C) | 0,08–0,20 | 0,14–0,29 | 0,12–0,25 | 0,16–0,85 | 0,25–0,5 |
| Average frost resistance (number of cycles) | 25 | 30 | 35 | 35 | 20 |
| Standard dimensions, mm: | 62,5 | 60 | 30 | 40 | 60 |
Difficulty of choice
Considering the fairly wide species diversity with some similarity of characteristics, a logical question arises: which blocks are best to use? How to choose the right one to buy? The main properties of each type can be compared with the terms of the future contract, based on reviews.
1. Thus, gas and foam concrete are quite light porous materials. It is quick to assemble, but it is not durable enough and absorbs moisture. If you purchase such blocks for walls, you should remember the need for facing work and perimeter reinforcement for a two-story building.
3. It becomes difficult to choose and buy other types for walls (slag or sawdust), since they are gradually falling out of mass use due to the inconsistency of their properties.
Market price trends
External walls made of concrete composites have a cost that depends on the building material itself, its properties and the supplier’s pricing policy. You can see the real situation in the table:
| Supplier company (region) | Material/technology | Dimensions, cm | Price, rubles |
| LLC NZSM (Novokuznetsk) | Boiler slag | 40×20×20 | 53 |
| STROYMEHSERVIS (Krasnoyarsk) | Sand, crushed stone | 40×20×20,40×20×12 | 40 |
| MOSOBLTROTUAR (Moscow) | Expanded clay | 40×20×20 | 55 |
| GALAXY (Belgorod) | Slag, expanded clay | 60×20×30 60×20×40 | |
| ZZHBI (Krasnoyarsk) | Vibropress | 40×20×20 | 35 |
| TISA-STROY (Omsk region) | Expanded clay | 40×20×20 | 35 |
| BUILD SERVICE KHIMKI (Moscow) | Foam block | 40×20×20 | 38 |
| AZIMUT GROUP Krasnodar | Slag | 40×20×20 | 38 |
Today, walls made of composites are an objective, fast-growing trend. With everything species diversity they have approximately the same dimensions, but different physical and technical parameters. This affects not only the area of application, but also the cost, which on average in the country is in the range of 35–55 rubles per piece - this is very inexpensive.
The advantages of blocks in comparison with traditional bricks have long been known: masonry is carried out many times faster, the size and weight allow it to be done on your own, even with no work experience. Most modern building materials in this group are energy-saving, lightweight and breathable. The most in demand are products made from cellular, gas silicate, vibro-pressed and sawdust cement concrete, regulated by GOST 19010-82.
It is recommended to buy it if you have a limited budget and work time; concrete blocks with porous additives place minimal load on the foundation and retain heat well. They have an open cellular structure and high enough geometric accuracy for laying on glue; they can be sawed into pieces and grooved without any problems. Manufacturing technology varies best reviews observed in variants with barotechnical treatment. The disadvantages include shrinkage, low bending strength, the need for reinforcement, protection from moisture and a limited choice of finishes; the ability of walls to breathe results in significant problems if the outside cladding is incorrect or there is no vapor barrier from the inside.
2. Autoclaved aerated concrete.
The characteristics, advantages and disadvantages are similar to the previous type, but there are a number of significant differences. Factory-quality wall blocks are superior in strength, geometric accuracy of shapes and sizes, and are less susceptible to shrinkage processes. Due to the presence of lime in their composition, they are slightly inferior in frost resistance, but in general their structure is more uniform. The use of this building material allows you to quickly and inexpensively build a house with single-row masonry with a total thickness of 40 cm and minimal insulation on the outside.
3. Vibropressed.
Solid and hollow products obtained by compaction mortar based on cement, sand and crushed stone (sometimes without coarse filler). For the construction of external walls, the second, lightweight type is well suited, ideally non-through. The thickness of their partitions is at least 20 mm, a standard size element of 40x20x20 cm weighs about 30-33 kg. The advantages include resistance to moisture, external influences, increases and temperature changes, good strength and affordable cost. Disadvantages - high thermal conductivity coefficient, inferior in the ability to retain heat to other options.
4. Expanded clay concrete.
Being a type of vibrocompressed blocks, this material has many times better thermal insulation properties. Its basis is quality cement and expanded clay sand or gravel, if necessary, made at home. For laying external walls, you can use solid and slotted types with equal success, the main thing is that they have a sufficient strength class. Application limitations are associated with poor dimensional accuracy (installation on a thin layer of adhesive is impossible), the need for reliable finishing and protection from external influences. Despite good permeability and acceptable resistance to moisture, expanded clay concrete is prone to its accumulation inside the granules. If the technology is violated, the products fall apart after 2-3 years.
5. Wood concrete.
For low-rise buildings Structural sawdust concrete is well suited - fire-resistant, environmentally friendly and energy-saving. Valued for its increased crack resistance, foundation movements are not scary. Recommended for high demands on comfort; structures made from it breathe and regulate the level of humidity in the room. The limitation of application is the high water absorption; expensive building materials are used for cladding internal and external surfaces; this construction option cannot be called budgetary.
External multi-layer walls
Relatively new construction technology is a masonry made of dissimilar materials. The supporting layer, made of durable expanded clay concrete, is fastened with fiberglass rods with insulating polystyrene foam and an external decorative layer. Installation is carried out on a thin layer of special glue; standard products are used when constructing openings, corners and similar areas.
The resulting structures do not require insulation or cladding; you can start using them at any time. There are two disadvantages: high price and low vapor permeability, the only exception is the version with a thermal insulation layer made of foam glass.
Results of comparison of sizes and main characteristics:
| Indicator name | Vibroblock | Foam concrete | Autoclaved aerated concrete | Arbolit | Expanded clay concrete |
| Compressive strength, kgf/cm 2 | 100-300 | 15-25 | 25-45 | 35 | 500-150 |
| Specific gravity, kg/m 3 | 1500-2300 | 500-1200 (for structural grades) | 500-850 | 1000-1800 | |
| Frost resistance, cycles | 15-150 | 15-75 | 15-25 | 25-50 | 25-75 |
| Thermal conductivity coefficient, W/m °C | 1,51 | 0,07-0,15 | 0,08-0,21 | 0,08-0,17 | Not higher than 0.26 |
| Water absorption,% | 6-12 | Up to 14 | Up to 20 | 40-85 | 50 |
| Shrinkage, mm/m | Close to 0 | 3 | 0,3 | 0,4-0,5 | 0 |
All of the above types comply with fire and sanitary safety standards; the best fire resistance is observed in expanded clay and concrete, obtained by vibropressing. With the exception of autoclaved aerated concrete If you have the right equipment and molds, any of them can be made at home, but the strength class in this case will be unconfirmed. The durability declared by the manufacturer is irrelevant if the masonry technology and protection from external influences are violated. Destructive factors include the penetration of moisture into the building without the possibility of its removal from the external walls. The consequences depend on the base material: pressed products crack, cellular concrete begins to rot, wood concrete loses its thermal insulation properties and shape.
The above varieties can be purchased during the construction of low-rise private houses, garages, bathhouses and outbuildings. It is recommended to choose the final option taking into account the following factors:
- Geological conditions of the site. Foam and aerated concrete place minimal load on the foundation; they are definitely recommended for use when laying a shallow-depth tape is possible. But they are not suitable for construction on unstable soils; if there is a risk of the base shifting, it is better to choose wood concrete or concrete.
- When work is limited, when time is limited, it is worth using multilayer blocks as external walls; they allow you to skip a number of complex and time-consuming steps.
- Due to the climatic conditions of the region, in northern latitudes, preference is given to building materials that retain heat well: wood concrete, gas concrete, expanded clay concrete.
- Availability of one variety or another. Even before the design begins, it is worth studying the proposals of suppliers; ideally, products are purchased directly from a trusted manufacturer.
- Difficulties architectural forms. If it is necessary to build a house with numerous arches, niches and similar elements, it is better to use blocks made of wood concrete, foam or aerated concrete. All others are noticeably less amenable to sawing: the denser the base, the more effort you have to put in and the higher the risk of splitting.
All declared characteristics must be confirmed by an original certificate; the thickness of the masonry is determined by thermal engineering calculations. When working with lightweight concrete, it should be remembered that only structural grades with a density higher than 500 kg/m 3 (and, accordingly, a strength class of B2.0) are used as wall blocks for external walls and load-bearing internal walls. This rule applies to foam and aerated concrete, wood concrete; for expanded clay products, the recommended minimum is 1000 kg/m3.
Cost of materials
Approximate prices:
| Name | Dimensions, mm | Number in 1 m 3, pcs | Price per piece, rubles | Price per 1 m 3, rubles |
| Hollow vibration-pressed sand-cement | 400×20×20 | 62,5 | 50 | 3130 |
| Structural foam concrete | 600×300×200 | 27,78 | 100 | 2750 |
| Autoclaved gas silicate | 625×250×400 | 16 | 194 | 3100 |
| Arbolit | 500×200×300 | 33 | 140 | 4500 |
| Multilayer blocks | 400×300×200 | 41 | 145 | 6000 |
| Solid products made of expanded clay concrete | 400×200×200 | 62,5 | 60 | 3700 |
Self-supporting walls rest on foundations, but carry the load only from their own weight. Non-load-bearing (curtain) walls are fences that rest on each floor on other elements of the building (frame) and only support their own weight within one floor.
Walls civil buildings must meet the following requirements:
Be strong and stable;
Have durability corresponding to the class of the building;
Comply with the fire resistance level of the building;
Be an energy-saving element of the building;
Have heat transfer resistance in accordance with thermal engineering standards, while ensuring the necessary temperature and humidity comfort in the premises;
Have sufficient sound insulation properties;
Have a design that meets modern methods construction of wall structures.
The choice of the type of walls should be economically justified based on a given architectural and artistic solution and meet the customer’s requirements, while the material intensity (material consumption) of the walls should be as minimal as possible, since this greatly helps to reduce labor costs for the construction of walls and overall construction costs.
Optimal thickness walls must be no less than the limit determined by static and thermal calculations. Since January 1997, Amendments 3 to SNiP 11-3-79 “Building Heat Engineering” came into force: the required heat transfer resistance for residential premises has been doubled, and since 2000 it has been increased by 3.45 times. If you follow the letter of the law, then single brick walls should be built 1.5 m thick, so it is advisable to use combined designs external walls: load-bearing part of the wall of minimal thickness plus effective insulation and decorative finishing.
Depending on the type of material, the walls can be stone, wood, or from local materials, combined (such as “sandwich”). Stone walls According to their design and method of construction, they are divided into masonry, monolithic and large-panel walls.
Masonry is a structure made of individual wall stones, the seams between which are filled with masonry mortars. To create a strong monolithic system, rows of masonry are made with non-coinciding vertical seams, that is, with their bandaging. Chain (double-row) and multi-row dressing systems are common. Seam thickness brick walls should be in the range of 10..12 mm.
For laying external walls they use both simple mortar mixtures(cement) and complex (cement-lime, cement-clay), characterized by high plasticity, water-holding capacity and efficiency. The compressive strength of solutions usually does not exceed 5..10 MPa after 28 days of natural hardening.
When preparing such solutions (they are sometimes called “cold”), natural filler is used, most often quartz sand with a maximum particle size of up to 5 mm. If porous aggregate is used as a filler (for example, expanded perlite, vermiculite), such solutions are called “warm”. Having an average density, as a rule, no more than 1,200 kg/m³ and a thermal conductivity of up to 0.27 W/m °C, they eliminate “cold bridges” in the masonry.
In modern construction, so-called dry masonry mixtures. They are supplied in bags, most often weighing up to 25 kg, sealed with water at the work site and mixed using a mixer, stirrer or drill with an attachment.
Because the modern technologies allow the production of wall stones with a minimal (up to 1 mm) deviation in geometric dimensions from standard dimensions, then it is possible to carry out the so-called thin-seam masonry using masonry adhesives based on fine dry mixtures with a filler particle size no higher than 1..2 mm. As a result, the thickness of the masonry joint is only a few millimeters, which leads to significant savings in masonry mortar, while “cold bridges” in the masonry practically disappear.
What are modern stone low-rise buildings made of? On this moment time, the following are used as wall stones:
Ceramic brick;
Sand-lime brick;
Small building wall blocks.
Ceramic brick
Ceramic brick is "classic" building material, known to mankind since the third millennium BC. e. Possessing high durability, strength and frost resistance, good thermal insulation (especially for hollow brick) and beautiful appearance (for facing), ceramic brick is the most common building stone on the planet at the moment.
Over the entire period of its existence, ceramic brick has taken on so many “appearances” and acquired so many additional properties and characteristics that simply listing them and short description I had to put it in a separate article.
Sand-lime brick
Sand-lime brick is a relatively “young” building material compared to others: its prototype was created in 1880, and the technology for its mass production was developed only in the first half of the 20th century. However, at this point in time, sand-lime brick has already won its “place in the sun”, primarily due to the fact that with physical characteristics very close to those of ceramic bricks, it is much (in some cases – twice) cheaper. In addition, production technology sand-lime brick allows you to receive large quantity color shades of the final product, and, in some cases, more accurate (compared to ceramic) geometry of the building stone.
Since many physical characteristics silicate bricks and silicate blocks, as well as the method of their installation are the same, detailed information about these building materials is given in the article devoted to products made of gas silicate and silicate concrete.
Small wall blocks
Blocks are a load-bearing and self-supporting building material and can be used for construction as load-bearing walls(in houses with a height of no more than three floors), and internal partitions.
The use of small wall blocks in the construction allows:
Increase the usable area of the premises by reducing the thickness of the walls ( load bearing capacity masonry made from most types of blocks is 20% higher than provided for by SNiP “Stone and reinforced stone structures. Design standards" for masonry made of ceramic bricks of the same thickness);
Dramatically increase the productivity of the construction process (the speed of installing blocks is 4..5 times higher than the speed of installing bricks for the same volume being built);
Save up to 60% of the solution on the construction of a structural element. In this case, the total mass of 1 m³ of masonry will decrease by 1.5 times;
Reduce the cost of general construction work, compared to using conventional bricks, by 30..40%.
Thus, high construction productivity, no need to use complex lifting mechanisms and a reduction in building area lead to a sharp reduction in the unit cost of 1 m² of housing.
Silicate and gas silicate blocks
These types of blocks are currently the most used in civil engineering. The blocks “breathe”, which helps regulate the level of humidity in the room. The material from which the blocks are made is not subject to rotting, is non-flammable, and at the same time has excellent thermal insulation properties. Structures made from silicate and gas silicate blocks are practically eternal and do not require special care.
At the same time, such blocks have relatively high water absorption, which requires their additional protection with plaster compounds or facing bricks. This practice is the norm when working with the vast majority of types of building blocks.
More complete information about products made of silicate concrete and gas silicate, their characteristics and features of working with them, is given in a specially written article.
Expanded clay concrete blocks
The starting material for such blocks is expanded clay (foamed and fired clay), water and cement. The sintered shell covering the expanded clay granule gives it high strength. That is why expanded clay, which has high strength and lightness, is the main type of porous filler for this type of block.
The blocks, due to their structure, have higher sound and heat insulation characteristics than conventional concrete and have higher chemical resistance when exposed to such aggressive environments, such as solutions of sulfates, caustic alkalis, carbon dioxide, etc., and the presence of large fractionated aggregate leads to a significant reduction in the total weight of the structures being erected.
Expanded clay concrete, compared to heavy concrete, has high structural porosity, which reduces its physical and mechanical characteristics, such as strength, frost resistance, and density. Products based on expanded clay concrete are quite fragile compared to conventional concrete, which leads to a narrowing of the range of applications for such products. Besides, expanded clay concrete blocks have relatively high surface porosity, which leads to their increased moisture absorption.
Products made from such concrete are used as load-bearing structures in residential, civil and industrial construction.
Best-Stroy portal
Recently, the construction of walls of a private residential building from lightweight concrete has been gaining popularity. Such materials can reduce the load on the foundation compared to conventional concrete or brick and have fairly good thermal insulation characteristics. To understand what better blocks to build a house, you need to study their types and consider the features of each.
Types of products
Lightweight concretes differ depending on the materials used for their production and manufacturing technology.
- There are the following types of material:
- foam concrete;
- aerated concrete;
- expanded clay concrete;
- expanded polystyrene concrete;
- wood concrete;
- sawdust concrete;
cinder concrete. To choose which types artificial stones are most preferable for the construction of walls, it is better to consider them separately. Not all options have become widespread. If we talk about what lightweight concrete
is used most widely, the following types can be named: foam concrete, aerated concrete, wood concrete. Next in popularity is a material such as expanded clay concrete.
Aerated concrete
Gas silicate blocks for building a house are made on the basis of silicate binder and foaming agent, which makes it possible to obtain a porous structure. If you use materials from this group, you should remember several disadvantages:
- the low strength of the walls for the construction of which gas silicate blocks are used does not allow the construction of high-rise buildings; these types are used as load-bearing structures are used only for low-rise buildings;
- products are characterized by strong shrinkage, the value of which can reach 1.5 mm per meter of height (gas silicate blocks are characterized by the highest rate among lightweight concrete);
- the moisture resistance of the material is low (it is able to absorb water) therefore it requires high-quality finishing using waterproofing materials, which can increase final cost works;
- as cladding, it is better to use products with frost resistance of at least 30-50 cycles (according to standards, it is allowed to use from 30), but gas silicate blocks can withstand only 10 cycles of alternating defrosting and thawing, so they need additional insulation for protection against destruction;
- the coefficient of thermal conductivity decreases with increasing density and strength; products that can be used for the construction of load-bearing walls are close to brick in terms of thermal insulation characteristics; and require an additional layer of insulation.
The advantages of gas silicate blocks include:
- exact dimensions of products, which allow reducing the consumption of solution or special glue;
- attractive appearance wall masonry;
- ease of machining;
- fire resistance;
- safety and environmental friendliness;
- increasing speed and reducing labor intensity due to larger product sizes.
Further types of lightweight concrete are represented by such material as foam concrete. The main component is gypsum binders. To understand which blocks are best to choose, it is worth considering the advantages of this group:
The main component of foam concrete is gypsum binders - ease of processing and installation;
- reduced solution consumption compared to small-format materials;
- reduction of construction costs due to the thickness of walls, insulation and less massive foundations;
- good sound insulation;
- fire resistance;
- environmental friendliness and safety (the composition includes such components as sand, cement and water);
- greater moisture resistance than aerated concrete, which increases the durability and frost resistance of the walls.
In general, we can say that the use of foam concrete allows the construction of structures that better resist adverse influences. But the material has disadvantages:
- Fragility and low load-bearing capacity. You should not choose a material that has low density for load-bearing walls; this can lead to cracks and destruction of the walls.
- The simplicity of manufacturing technology has led to the fact that many small enterprises produce blocks. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to which manufacturer made the products. To choose warm and quality materials walls, it is better to give preference to large companies and carefully check the geometry when purchasing.
In terms of thermal insulation efficiency, this material is inferior to the previous ones. Expanded clay concrete includes particles of baked clay and gypsum binders, which acts as a heat insulator. The advantages compared to the previously discussed types include:
Expanded clay concrete consists of baked clay and gypsum binders, which act as a heat insulator - more reliable fixation of fasteners, products do not fall off or crumble;
- increased moisture resistance;
- low cost and the possibility of self-production;
- resistance to chemical influences.
In comparison with foam concrete and aerated concrete, there are the following disadvantages:
- higher density and mass;
- reduced thermal insulation characteristics;
- unevenness of the edges, which increases the consumption of masonry mortar.
It is important to know that expanded clay is even less warm than brick, and is approximately the same in weight. You won’t be able to save on foundations when using it.
Arbolit
Such blocks for making walls Lately are gaining more and more popularity. Main components:
- cement (gypsum binders);
- sand;
- water;
- sawdust.
This material has the following advantages compared to those indicated earlier:
- High thermal insulation efficiency. If this factor is decisive, then you cannot find better wood concrete among lightweight concrete. Due to the inclusion of wood in large quantities the material acquires the same properties as highly effective warm plaster.
- Ease of laying. But here it is important to remember that there are uneven surfaces on the blocks, therefore a thicker layer of masonry mortar will be required.
- Light weight, thanks to which less massive supporting structures can be used.
- Low cost and the possibility of self-production.
When deciding which units are suitable for your home, it is important to know the features and disadvantages. Arbolit has them in quite large quantities. Gypsum products are characterized by the following qualities:
- destruction of sawdust during high humidity, reduced service life and strength (requires plastering for protection);
- instability to fire due to wood inclusions;
- susceptibility to damage by rodents;
- low strength, the value is comparable to foam concrete and aerated concrete, the material is suitable only for low-rise construction.
In general, we can say that wood concrete will be the most effective in waterproofing.
Increased resistance to negative impacts expanded clay concrete exhibits external properties, but its thermal insulation efficiency leaves much to be desired.