The first question that arises at the stage of preparation for construction work is the choice of material for the construction of walls. There are many options on the market and it is not easy to find yours among them. Foam blocks and cinder blocks are considered one of the most popular wall materials. They have different specifications And . To answer the question of which material is better and cheaper, it is necessary to analyze their advantages and disadvantages and position in the market.
Features of the use of materials
Foam concrete is cellular concrete obtained through the hardening process of a solution that contains cement, sand, water and foam. Foam blocks are a hardened mixture of binder, siliceous component and air cells that are formed due to the action of foaming agents. It is the latter component that ensures uniform distribution of air in the blocks. They are considered lightweight, warm structural construction products. They burn very poorly and protect other materials from fire. Houses made of foam blocks will be warm and reliable, and during operation they will allow you to save on heating the building. It is important that their thermal conductivity and volumetric weight are several times lower than that of sand-lime brick.
Foreman's advice: for masonry load-bearing walls(internal and external), partitions of low-rise buildings, it is better to use foam blocks with a density of at least 500-500 kg/m³.
Cinder blocks are made from cement, sand, water and a special filler (usually blast furnace slag or expanded clay chips). They have good technical characteristics, but some significant shortcomings require a special approach to their use during construction. The owner needs to take care of high-quality waterproofing, insulation of walls and roof. But this material is cheaper and easy to install (even a non-professional can do it). needs careful finishing interior walls. First attach to the surface wooden sheathing, then insulation, foil and at the final stage - wooden upholstery.
Comparative characteristics of foam concrete and cinder block
Foam and cinder blocks have different technical characteristics and design capabilities. But if you follow the construction technology and choose the right product according to its characteristics, the selected building material will perform its task efficiently. Foam block has better properties, but it costs significantly more. Cinder block is cheaper, but has some disadvantages that need to be compensated for by good thermal and waterproofing. The choice should depend on financial opportunities owner of the construction site and housing requirements.
Video
Wall materials are presented in a wide variety on the market, so developers face difficult task choice. Highly popular in low-rise construction(house, garage, bathhouse) use lightweight artificial stones - foam blocks, gas blocks and cinder blocks. But to choose the most suitable option, you need to compare them physical and mechanical properties and technical specifications.
A cinder block consists of a lightweight filler - slag, Portland cement is used as a binder, and sand, screenings or gravel are used as additives. Density depends on the fraction of the aggregate: the coarser, the lighter the material. The volume of one cinder block is equal to 4-5 bricks, which means that construction will progress very quickly, while saving masonry mortar. The cost of such blocks is lower compared to analogues.
To produce foam blocks, lightweight porous foam concrete is used, which consists of Portland cement with the addition of sand, water and a foaming agent. In production fake diamond in two ways: by pouring into special forms or by sawing a monolith of cellular concrete into blocks the right size. The wall element is:
- Thermal insulation - D300-D500.
- Structural and thermal insulation - D500-D900.
- Structural - D1000-D1200.
Main characteristics
To give preference to a foam block or cinder block, you need to familiarize yourself with all the properties of both materials, after which you can compare and determine which stone is better. The table below shows the technical characteristics of wall blocks.
All these parameters of the stone have a good effect on operational characteristics buildings for various purposes. Foam block is suitable for building houses, as it is able to retain heat in winter period, and coolness in the summer. In addition, the foam block is not afraid of dampness, since due to its porous texture, air humidity is regulated (such properties are inherent only in wood).
Advantages and disadvantages
Construction from slag and foam blocks is popular due to the following features wall material and numerous advantages:
1. high strength and reliability;
2. good sound and heat insulation;
3. favorable microclimate in any season;
4. fire safety and fire resistance (stone can withstand up to 4 hours high temperatures, does not crack or burst);
5. resistance to temperature changes;
6. low shrinkage rate;
7. ability to withstand heavy loads;
8. environmental cleanliness source materials (complete safety and compliance with European standards);
9. economical - no need to build a strong foundation or additional insulation;
10. the ability to build buildings on unstable soils independently, without the help of specialists;
11. quick laying, thanks to large sizes;
12. easy processing (can be cut, drilled, sawed well with ordinary tools - a hacksaw or a saw, and also a wall can be cut for electrical wiring and communications compared to slag stone);
13. availability - low cost;
14. durability.
The disadvantages of foam concrete include:
- violations of production technology, as a result the material becomes brittle and unsuitable for construction;
- water absorption, which causes premature destruction of the stone.
All these shortcomings can be easily eliminated if you protect the walls of your house, garage or bathhouse with high-quality finishing. In order not to be mistaken about the reliability of the blocks, it is better to buy from trusted manufacturers who guarantee high quality and strength.
Why is it better to build from foam blocks?
A review of the characteristics and features of slag and foam blocks makes it possible to choose the most suitable option. Having compared all the advantages and disadvantages, it becomes clear how cost-effective and practical the foam block is. A garage or bathhouse built from light stone will not only last a long time, but will also not create problems during the entire operational period.
A small structure can be erected in a few days and requires significantly less labor and quantity. masonry mortar compared to the same volume, but made of brick. When constructing a building from foam blocks, significant savings occur on the foundation. A strong and reliable bond between the stones is created by a special glue, and to avoid the formation of “cold bridges”, the layer thickness should not be more than 1 cm. The smooth sides of the foam blocks allow for high-quality external cladding and different finishes can be used for these purposes.
Having your own bathhouse in the courtyard of a private house or is the dream of many owners suburban areas. Everyone knows that a bathhouse serves not only as a place for regular washing, but also for health procedures - healing steam cleanses pores, improves blood circulation and gives vitality. In addition, there is a tradition that this particular building often turns into a kind of “club”, where you can have a great time with friends or loved ones.
Therefore, owners planning to create such a useful “complex” inevitably face the question - what is the best material to build a bathhouse from, so that it can be used at any time of the year and without extra costs create and maintain an optimal microclimate. The choice of material directly influences the creation of a healthy, relaxing sauna atmosphere.
In addition, the correctly selected material is the key to the durability of this structure. It is imperative to take into account that the internal surfaces of the walls will be constantly exposed to moist hot air and temperature changes.
The modern market offers a wide variety of different building materials suitable for the construction of walls of houses, utility, utility and other specific buildings. However, it is worth taking a closer look and figuring out which one is ideal for a bathhouse.
Traditionally, a bathhouse is built from wood, but today it is very difficult and very expensive to find a good master carpenter who can competently build walls. Therefore, they are increasingly used for the construction of baths building blocks. Today there are many types of them, they have advantages and disadvantages, but their main advantage is that having at least some experience in construction or having friends who are builders, you can build both walls and piers yourself. And since most of the blocks are light in weight, this means that the foundation can be made lightweight, which saves time, effort and money.
Aerated concrete – refers to cellular concrete. Made from cement, special foaming agents and quartz sand. This composition is poured into molds and water is added. As a result of the reaction, foaming occurs and the mass fills the mold. To give the material greater strength, the resulting blocks are treated with steam in special autoclaves. At high blood pressure under the influence of steam, quartz sand forms new strong compounds. In essence, it is a synthesized artificial stone of high strength.
Aerated concrete block. The color of the block is closer to gray, so the main filler is cement
For the construction of load-bearing walls and partitions, it is advisable to choose autoclaved aerated concrete, and for insulation you can use non-autoclaved one - it is cheaper, but its strength is lower. Aerated concrete blocks come in different densities:
- from 0.3 to 0.5 t/m 3 is used for thermal insulation;
- from 0.5 t/m 3 and higher (up to 1.2 t/m 3) can be used for the construction of walls.
For the construction of small buildings, you can use aerated concrete grade D500 (density 0.5 t/m3) - it can well be used for the construction of boxes and for the construction of partitions, and costs significantly less than brands with a higher density. When erecting bathhouse walls, to reduce the consumption of blocks, they are placed on edge, so the wall thickness is about 200 mm. This is quite enough, since the block retains heat well, especially since the walls will be insulated.
The advantages of aerated concrete are its relatively low weight, ease of processing (it can be cut with a hacksaw or drilled with a conventional drill), does not burn, and gains greater strength over time. Disadvantages - relatively high hygroscopicity when using low-quality material and quite high price. In order to reduce the amount of absorbed moisture, special additives are introduced into the composition of aerated concrete. It is recommended to lay aerated concrete blocks using special glue. When cement is used, they absorb moisture from the solution, which causes the thermal insulation to significantly deteriorate.
Gas silicate different from basic aerated concrete binder material: for aerated silicate it is lime (62% quartz sand and 24% lime), for aerated concrete it is cement (up to 60%). Moreover, gas silicate is produced exclusively in autoclaves. These materials differ in color and hygroscopicity: aerated silicate is always white and actively absorbs moisture, as a result of which it can be destroyed, while aerated concrete simply allows moisture to pass through, maintaining comfortable humidity in the room, and if you choose from these two materials, then it is better to use gas concrete.
The gas silicate block has White color, so the main material is lime Detailed information about construction from gas silicate blocks you can find in the video.
Foam concrete - one of the varieties of cellular concrete. It is made from a mixture of sand, cement and water, into which foam is mixed from a special foam generator. The manufacturing process is simple, allowing it to be produced privately. This is where the danger lies: there is a high probability of purchasing low-quality material, which will quickly begin to collapse.
The advantages of foam concrete include its lower cost (compared to aerated concrete) and better water resistance. Comparison of gas silicate and foam concrete blocks, see the video.
Cinder blocks made from poured concrete mortar slag - waste obtained after the combustion of coal or other materials. This type of material is the cheapest, but there is one peculiarity: the slag must sit for at least a year, otherwise it releases harmful substances.
Cinder blocks are the most cheap look building material
Sawdust can be used as a filler in the manufacture of building blocks. In this case, the material is called “sawdust concrete”. This material is easy to cut and drill, and has 2 times the thermal conductivity of brick. In addition, it is environmentally friendly and non-flammable (sawdust is insulated with a layer of concrete), and is lightweight. The disadvantages include a fairly high absorbency, but it can be reduced by almost half by pre-treating the sawdust with water-repellent solutions or by waterproofing the walls.
Expanded clay concrete - a material that in most cases replaced cinder block. In this case, the filler is expanded clay - foamed and fired clay. This material is absolutely non-toxic, almost does not absorb moisture, and has excellent heat-insulating properties. Expanded clay concrete blocks have a relatively light weight, which makes it easier construction works. , more practical than foam blocks or aerated concrete: less required heat-insulating materials and easier to install fasteners.
The thermal insulation properties of expanded clay concrete depend on the filler fraction - the larger the fraction, the better thermal insulation, but less density. When building a bathhouse from expanded clay concrete, it is better to carry out insulation from inside the room (a layer of basalt wool, on top of which foil paper is laid with an air gap of 2.5 cm up to finishing materials). The table shows some block parameters that will help you decide which one is preferable for you.
|
Aerated concrete |
Sawdust concrete |
Foam concrete |
Expanded clay concrete |
cinder block |
|
| Strength kg/cm2 | |||||
| Thermal conductivity | |||||
| Volumetric weight kg/m3 | |||||
| Frost resistance (number of cycles) | |||||
| Wall cooling time | |||||
| Shrinkage (mm/m) | |||||
| Water absorption |
Ceramic blocks
I would like to say a few words about the possibility of using ceramic blocks to build a bathhouse. IN Lately You can see an advertisement for this building material, which claims that a ceramic block is much stronger and warmer than ordinary brick. As laboratory tests and inspections of objects built from ceramic blocks show, everything is not as good as the manufacturers are trying to present.
From what we saw above, we can conclude that to use ceramic blocks should not be used during the construction of a bathhouse.
Features of building a bathhouse from blocks
Any construction begins with choosing the type of foundation. If you decide to build a bathhouse from blocks, you should stop at or - most blocks are light in weight, and bathhouses are usually one-story building and there is no need to spend extra time, money and effort on making a more complex base.
The laying of blocks is carried out by analogy with brickwork, with the only difference being that it is advisable to lay a metal mesh every 2-3 rows. It will add additional rigidity and strength to the entire structure. To make the work easier, it is very important to lay out the first row of blocks evenly. They need to level and compensate for all existing unevenness in the foundation. At the very top you can strengthen a crown of timber, to which it will be convenient to attach the rafter system and the base of the roof.
For insulation, it is advisable to use a layer of basalt wool, on top of which a foil film or vapor barrier membranes. It is advisable to provide a gap between the foil (membrane) and the finishing materials by filling the slats with a thickness of 2.5 cm and then attaching the lining to them.
Most units require exterior wall finishing. Here everyone chooses to their own taste: you can plaster and paint, cover finishing stone or brick, etc. You can decorate the walls with siding, but for better ventilation there should be a distance from the wall to the siding (for foam concrete at least 5 cm). The roof for a bathhouse made of blocks can be any - to your taste without any special restrictions.
In this article we will try to explain in an accessible and detailed way how to build a bathhouse from blocks. The use of this building material is completely justified, since it provides significant cost savings while maintaining the high performance qualities of the structure itself.
Moreover, special skills are not needed for such work - it is enough if you master the basics brickwork and basic finishing technologies.
Material for construction
The first question that we need to solve at the preparation stage is which blocks are best for building a bathhouse?
In fact, the choice is by no means obvious, since modern market offers us several quite comparable options:
- Aerated concrete. It is produced on the basis of cement and quartz sand with the addition of a special foaming agent. This component ensures the formation of an internal fine-cell structure, and steaming the finished blocks in an autoclave gives them strength.
- Optimal brand for construction load-bearing structures– D500, but it is distinguished by its rather high cost.
Note!
Non-autoclaved blocks can also be used during construction.
They are not suitable for load-bearing structures.
- Gas silicate blocks, unlike aerated concrete blocks, do not contain cement. Lime is used as a binder. The high hygroscopicity of the material makes it not the most best choice for the construction of baths and saunas.
- Foam concrete is another cellular building material, which is distinguished by its relatively low mass and high heat saving properties. The composition of foam concrete includes sand, cement and special foam, which is supplied to the solution from a foam generator.
- The properties of foam concrete are quite acceptable for construction, at least it absorbs less water than gas silicate. And the price of foam concrete modules is quite affordable.
- Porous slag is used as a filler for cinder blocks. A special feature of cinder block is its low cost, but it transmits heat more intensely than previous options.
- Expanded clay concrete blocks for the construction of baths are modules made of expanded clay, filled cement mortar. The high heat-saving characteristics of the material greatly facilitate the process of insulating it: the walls themselves cope with this task quite well.
In principle, the range is not limited to these varieties, but we have already listed the most popular items. In most cases, the choice will need to be made from these options.
Sequence of work
Laying the foundation
When we have chosen the type of blocks, we need to take care of preparing a reliable foundation. Most materials used for the construction of a bathhouse are characterized by high porosity and low mass, so the foundation should not experience any special loads.
And yet, a bathhouse cannot do without high-quality support:
- For baths with relatively small sizes(up to 6-7 m long side), most often columnar or strip foundations are laid.
- Columnar design allows for installation concrete supports at the corners of the building and at the junctions of walls. It is also possible to support long straight sections with pillars.
- To ensure greater strength, the pillars are often connected with a reinforced grillage.
- The strip structure is a trench up to 50 cm deep and 30-40 cm wide, filled with reinforced concrete. The trench runs under all load-bearing elements and ensures distribution of the load on the ground.
- On complex substrates, pile supports are also used.
Regardless of the type of foundation, it must be raised above ground level by at least 40-50 cm. This is done in order to protect the hygroscopic building blocks from the penetration of soil moisture.
For the same purpose, it is necessary to ensure effective waterproofing: when we build a bathhouse from blocks, we must lay between concrete base and the first row of masonry is two layers of roofing felt.
Advice!
It is necessary to provide openings in the foundation for the removal of sewerage pipes.
Walls and roof
- We carry out the laying of walls according to all the rules, always monitoring the quality of work using a level and plumb line.
- Every three to four rows we reinforce the welded structure metal mesh or reinforcing bars.
- For registration window openings we use either wooden casings or special long panels (if necessary, you can cast them yourself).
- We place metal pins with a diameter of 10-12 mm in the top row of blocks. We attach a wooden beam-mauerlat to them, which acts as a support for the roof.
The following instructions assume installation rafter system from timber and boards with a thickness of at least 20 mm. The roof in a bathhouse can be either gable or single-pitch: the first is more expensive, but more convenient to use, the second requires periodic snow removal in winter and needs additional waterproofing.
As roofing material you can use metal tiles, euro slate, etc.
Also at this stage of work we provide communications: electricity, water, sewerage, etc. For laying cables and pipes, it is necessary to provide openings in the wall enclosure.
Room decoration
If we want to build a bathhouse from blocks and make it as warm as possible, then in addition to choosing the material with the highest energy saving indicators, we must ensure effective thermal insulation.
Typically responsible for this interior decoration:
- both from the attic and from the room. This will minimize heat loss, because hot air constantly rises. It is also worth taking care of internal insulation roof slopes - at a minimum, install panels from mineral wool and covering them with a windproof membrane won't hurt.
- It is better to make the floor concrete, insulated with expanded clay, foam glass or polystyrene slabs. The boardwalk must provide effective drainage.
- We fill the walls with lathing from wooden beam. Between the segments of the sheathing we lay panels of basalt wool or similar heat-resistant insulation.
- We cover the heat-insulating layer with foil material on top. The foil acts both as a reflector for infrared radiation and as a vapor barrier.
- On top of the foil we install a counter-lattice made of thin slats, to which.
Advice!
The interior of the bathhouse should be finished according to the same scheme, but the thickness of the insulation may be different.
The most powerful layer of thermal insulation should be placed in the steam room - this way we can maintain a high temperature there.
External insulation is carried out if external walls we built it in one block. For thermal insulation with outside Foam concrete or aerated concrete blocks are most often used.
Conclusion
We hope that after reading this article, you will be able to choose which blocks are best to build a bathhouse from, which one to lay the foundation for, and how to build and finish the structure itself. Well, the video in this article and the application of the acquired knowledge in practice will help you finally understand all the nuances!
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