Foam concrete blocks are an excellent choice for building a house. They combine the functions of structural material and thermal insulation.

However, due to the presence of pores, the walls of them differ from dense brick or concrete. Therefore, many people have a question - how to fix the roof to the foam block? In our article, we will try to answer it by considering possible options for the execution of this node of buildings.

Why you need to pay special attention to fastening the roof to the foam block structure

It's all about the porous structure of the material, it can be seen in the approximation in the photo above. It easily withstands the load distributed over a large area. If it is applied pointwise, then the surface will push through.

The thin walls between the pores are easily destroyed. This does not happen with brick or dense concrete. For the same reason, the fasteners loosen in the foam block. It is easy to drive a nail into it, but it will not sit firmly, you can loosen it and pull it out even with your bare hands.

Therefore, special attention must be paid to fixing the roof in foam block buildings. If the procedure is not performed correctly, the walls may collapse.

Types of roofing foam block buildings

All are used with foam block structures existing types roofs. In principle, they can be divided into only two groups, flat and pitched.

flat roofs

There are no problems with them at all. Coating slabs are laid on the walls or ceilings are made over them to make a roofing cake. The load from the plates is evenly distributed over the entire cross-sectional area of ​​​​the walls.

The foam blocks on which the roof rests are in the same conditions as if we continued to build a wall higher, and this would be the weight of the upper floors, not the roof.

pitched roofs

There are more types of them:

• lean-to;
• gable;
• attic;
• hip or four-slope;
• half hip.

In addition, there are roofs of complex shape that are not classified. But we don’t care, all these roofs involve a truss structure that supports the roof.

The load from the rafters, if they are attached directly to the walls, will be point-like, which is why there are problems in designing the attachment points of the roof to the foam block. To begin with, consider the features of truss structures.

Elements and types of roof structures

As is clear, the main detail is the rafters, interconnected by a crate, they hold the weight of the roofing pie.

They are divided into two types:

1. layered;
2. hanging.

The former rest with both ends (the lower ones are called rafter legs) on walls, Mauerlats or racks.

The second type has support only with the legs, the upper ends hang freely. Together with other elements, they can form a truss truss.

The figure above shows the most common types of roof trusses (we do not call them structures, as this includes all the rafters and the crate).

And two more explanations:

1. The headstock in the fourth picture is the same as the rack, the author of the picture used the term adopted by restorers than by engineers (the author of this article almost never met him).
2. A puff is also more often called a screed (in general, many construction terms have many names, even in regulatory documents this occurs).

Fastening without armored belt

Let's immediately consider a simpler way, how to put the roof on a foam block, when the roof details are laid directly on the masonry surface. This option is most often used in small do-it-yourself buildings.

What to pay attention to

When attaching the roof to a building made of foam blocks, special attention should be paid to the following details of the truss structure.

Mauerlat

Details of the truss system cannot be attached to the foam block without this part. Mauerlat will evenly distribute the weight of the roof over the entire wall area. Its width should be maximum, it is best if it is equal to the width of the wall.

The Mauerlat is attached to the masonry with the help of studs or dowels launched into it. It is advisable to plant them on a solution or glue them. Also, the diameter must be chosen at least 30 mm, the larger it is, the less loosening of the fastening in the foam block will be.

Rack, upper ends of layered rafters

If the racks or upper ends of the layered rafters rest on a partition, also made of foam block, then a run must be placed on top of it. It will distribute the load over the entire area, just like the Mauerlat on the outer walls.

Puffs

Hanging rafters without puffs "disperse" to the sides. Only a wall can prevent this. In the case of a foam block, this load can loosen the studs that secure the Mauerlat. Therefore, puffs must be mandatory and preferably not raised.

For the same reason, it is undesirable to arrange a mansard roof, the side rafters of which also transmit a horizontal force to the wall. You can get around all the restrictions if you additionally fix the rafter legs that are released beyond the dimensions of the wall to the floor beams, which will play the role of puffs.

Roof fastening with armored belt

A more reliable design is obtained if an armored belt is provided (the second name is a monolithic belt).

What is an armored belt

The armored belt is a strip of monolithic reinforced concrete up to 0.5 m thick along the upper edge of the wall. It is arranged not only for foam blocks, but also for masonry from any piece material (for example, brick).

Its task is to additionally tie the masonry and evenly distribute the load on all four (or more) walls. In the case of cellular concrete, it additionally protects the surface from punching.

A monolithic belt can be made in the formwork, but usually two rows of blocks of small thickness are laid out on the outer and inner sides of the wall so that a tray is formed between them (sometimes a tray is cut out, getting a “U” block). A reinforcing cage is installed in it and concrete is laid.

The device of the armored belt slightly complicates the design of the building, but increases its reliability and strength. The price of construction also rises slightly, since little steel and concrete are needed. For buildings of a large area and with a heavy roof, a monolithic belt is almost mandatory.

Roof fastening to foam blocks with armored belt

The rafters can be fixed to the armo-belt even without a Mauerlat, in the same ways, but it is better to install it anyway. It is easier to install fasteners in the Mauerlat tree. The Mauerlat itself is connected to the monolithic belt in two ways, the instructions are as follows.

• When pouring concrete, anchor studs are laid in it. Under them, holes are drilled in the Mauerlat and attracted to the concrete with nuts and washers. Most reliable way, but requires accurate marking of holes before drilling. The video in this article shows just such an option.

• The holes for the studs are drilled, having already laid the Mauerlat on the concrete. The drill goes through wood and concrete. Additionally, the studs can be fixed with glue or self-expanding anchors can be used.

Attention. Between the Mauerlat and the wall (armor belt) waterproofing is necessarily done.

The first two ways of mounting rafters are shown in the figure after the title of this section of the article, they are the most common.

• Ledges are selected in the rafters, with which they rest against the Mauerlat. Additionally, corners are installed along the edges. You can also choose the grooves in the Mauerlat, this will fix the rafters more securely, and exclude the possibility of their displacement along the wall if the corner collapses.
• The truss structure rests against the Mauerlat with a low puff - they also put squares.

Note that you can additionally tie the Mauerlat and the rafter with wire. Other methods of mounting rafters are shown in the figure below.

• Support bars are attached to the rafters with the help of steel plates, with which they abut against the Mauerlat. Additionally, a metal rolled square can be fixed along the Mauerlat, under which a transverse groove in the rafter leg is selected.
• The thrust bar is fastened with a steel plate, and with two bars, which also create additional support.
• This method has already been shown in the previous figure.
• At the end of the rafter, a “V”-shaped notch is selected, with which it rests on the Mauerlat. In this case, the rafter leg does not extend beyond the wall.
• A combination of methods "1" and "4".
• Method "4", but at the same time, the continuation of the rafters, forming the outlet for the walls, are the bars, on which the stops are also selected.

Advice. Foam concrete is easily saturated with moisture, including from rain. Therefore, be sure to make large roof overhangs, for which rafter releases are necessary.

Note that on all the proposed attachment points, in addition to option "4", there is also an additional attachment - a clamp. It is made from wire, tape and other similar materials.

It wraps around the rafter leg and pulls it down. The clamp itself is attached to the inside of the wall with dowels. It can be used if it is necessary to provide additional reliability of the connection between the wall and the roof, for example, when the roof is very heavy.

That's all we wanted to talk about how to put a roof on foam blocks. We hope our article was interesting and useful for you. It’s great if you were able to take advantage of our advice and embodied one design option for this unit during construction on your site. Let the roof of your house be reliable, and the sky above it cloudless.

The technology for building private houses from foam concrete continues to develop. Houses made of foam blocks are valued for their low labor intensity and speed of construction, lightness, and fire resistance. See also others.

Due to the simple production process, foam concrete does not need high-tech equipment for production. It makes foam concrete blocks inexpensive modern building material, and economy-class houses are of high quality and reliable at a low cost.

Foam concrete is formed from a mixture of sand, cement with a foam-forming chemical reagent. Foam is needed so that in the process of hardening in concrete pores formed. The pores change the structure of the material, make it light, vapor-permeable.

air bubbles reduce thermal conductivity. The hardening of the liquid solution poured into molds occurs naturally. This method produces building foam concrete blocks. The size foam concrete block 20 x 30 x 60 cm, weight 17 kg. Frost resistance of all brands is 15-50 cycles.

Types of foam concrete houses

Foam concrete is easy to process, suitable for complex designs. Columns, decorative arches are easy to perform and will decorate the facade.

They build from foam concrete:

• private houses up to 3 floors high, compact or solid;
• country houses;
• baths, garages, outbuildings.

Cottages are equipped with attics, terraces, basement floors.

Attics increase the useful area of ​​​​the house, in terms of financial costs, they cost less than the premises of a full second floor.

Foundation for a house made of foam blocks

The foam block house is light, the load on the foundation is negligible. The type of foundation depends on the characteristics of the soil in the building site. Almost universal in function and applicable to any environment low-rise construction the foundation is considered tape.

• development of a trench around the perimeter of the house;
• execution of a sand cushion along the bottom of the trench;
• tamping sand cushion;
• installation of formwork according to the shape of the foundation;
• installation of reinforcement for reinforcement;
• filling the formwork with concrete.

Under the foam concrete house must be thoroughly waterproofed. Foam concrete is porous, moisture easily penetrates into the thickness of the block. Horizontal waterproofing on the foundation, it is recommended to carry out from rolled materials, sticking them on the mastic.

Construction from foam blocks

Due to the enlarged dimensions of the foam concrete block, the construction of walls occurs quickly. All stages of construction are within the power of a link of 2-3 people.

Calculation of the thickness of the walls of the foam block

Thickness outer wall calculated strength and heat loss, it will depend on the density of the foam block, the type of insulation and finish.

The density of foam concrete varies from D400 to D1600. In the construction of external walls, blocks with the marking D600, D800, D1000 are used.

The calculation is simple.

Formula: coefficient of resistance to heat transfer, for an external wall equal to 3.5 degrees. m2/W, multiplied by the thermal conductivity of the material.

Since the wall will be finished on both sides, these layers will be subtracted. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of the block D600 = 0.14 deg. m2/W.

The wall thickness of a block of this brand with decorative plaster and facing bricks is calculated as follows:

• take the necessary values ​​​​of materials according to SNiP 2-3-79. For plaster, the thermal conductivity of the material is 0.58 degrees. m2/W. For facing bricks, the value is 0.56 degrees. m2/W;
• we translate into meters the thickness of the brick and plaster. These figures are 0.12 m and 0.02 m, respectively;
• we divide the layer thickness in meters by the thermal conductivity of the material. For plaster, we get a numerical value of 0.02 m: 0.58 degrees. m2/W. = 0.03. For brick 0.12 m: 0.56 deg. m2/W.=0.21;
• we substitute the resulting values ​​​​in the formula: 3.5-0.03-0.21x0.1 \u003d 0.456. (Units of measurement are omitted).

The thickness of the foam concrete layer according to this calculation in the wall should be 456 mm.

The choice of glue for foam concrete

Laying on a cement-sand mortar is carried out if the deviations in the geometric dimensions of the blocks more than 2 mm.

A thick mortar joint worsens the heat-saving properties of the wall.

The thickness of the adhesive joint does not exceed 3 mm, the blocks fit snugly against each other, cold bridges are not formed.

The glue dries quickly, there is no need to withstand the seams to gain strength.

Important! The use of a mortar for laying walls from foam blocks is not recommended, with the exception of the laying of the first row.

Adhesives for foam blocks specially designed vapor permeable. Seizing with the surface, glue joints have the same properties as foam concrete. The mixture contains plasticity additives, frost-resistant additives.

The average consumption of glue per 1 m3 of masonry is 16-20 kg. Excess adhesive removed from the block by a toothed bucket during leveling is mixed with the residue and used again. This achieves the economy of the mixture.

Putting the first row

The first row is laid on a cement-sand mortar, even if glue is used later. The solution will smooth out all the defects and irregularities of the foundation, align the first row strictly according to the level.

Before installation, all surfaces are cleaned. If the foundation is in the same plane, the angle to start work is chosen arbitrarily. If there is a height difference, choose the highest angle. This is due to the fact that the entire series is reduced to one horizontal level.

The thickness of the solution layer under the first, beacon, block will be minimal, increasing towards the corners of the row located below. After installing the lighthouse blocks, a mooring cord is pulled between them. Laying lead from the corners to the right and left.

We reinforce the masonry

Rebar is embedded every fifth row walls, windows and doors. The strobe is cut out with a cutter so that the laid reinforcing bars are completely hidden by the mortar. Solution protects rebar from corrosion.

Two rods with a diameter of 8 mm are enough to strengthen the walls. The connection is arranged with an overlap of 60 cm or welding, welding the seam by 6 cm. The last row of each floor will be the armored belt. Concrete monolithic belt with installed frame poured simultaneously around the perimeter of the walls. Internal partitions are not reinforced.

We lay the next rows

Irregularities are smoothed out with a sanding board, the surface is cleaned of dust before applying the glue. The blocks are laid with a horizontal shift, checking the verticality of the masonry with a plumb line after 3-4 rows. The additional block is sawn with a hacksaw to the desired size, coated with glue on all sides and driven into the hole with a mallet.

In hot weather, foam concrete must be wetted for adhesion. Glue is kneaded by working out, in small portions. Over windows and doors suit reinforced concrete lintels . During a break in work, the masonry is protected from drying out with a plastic film.

Ceilings for the house from foam blocks

Interfloor ceilings in houses made of foam concrete blocks often arrange on wooden beams. To do this, anchors with threads for fitting beams are laid in the walls. The basis of the overlap is made of dry timber with pre-treatment with antiseptics. The beam is laid with an equal step of no more than 60 cm, the joints are reinforced with metal corners and overlays.

A floor board is laid across the support beams if there is a second floor or attic.

If the second floor is not provided, for the attic floor from the outside a blackboard will suffice.

From the side of the living quarters, mineral wool insulation and a vapor barrier film are laid.

From below, the overlap is tied with a board or plywood, after which the finishing is carried out with any selected material.

Making a roof

There are no special requirements for the roof of a foam concrete house; installation follows the same principle as in other private houses. The roof must be airtight, prevent heat loss. Presence attic floor increase the area, insulate the structure. The soft tile, roofs from all types of a professional flooring looks beautiful. The house with high gables can be seen from afar.

Insulation of the house from foam blocks

Foam concrete itself is a fairly warm material. The thermal conductivity of foam concrete is 3 times less than the thermal conductivity of bricks. But with an increase in density, strength increases, and the ability to retain heat decreases. Dense blocks marked D800, D1000 need an additional heat-retaining layer.

Properly done insulation will reduce heating costs by up to 30%, protect the porous structure of foam concrete from atmospheric moisture. Brick lining is used, insulation with mineral wool with finishing.

Exterior decoration of the house from foam blocks

Getting started on the exterior one month after erection skipping time to shrink. The exterior finish must match the properties of foam concrete, maintain the microclimate and reliably protect against moisture penetration. Finishing would be a great choice. plastering, sheathing with wooden imitation of timber or block house.

Useful videos

In the video below - an educational video guide for building houses using foam blocks, a step-by-step construction algorithm from the foundation to the roof, look:

See how much it costs and how to build an inexpensive house from a foam block, why a foam block cannot be insulated, how you can cheaply veneer such a house - we look at the video for answers to these and other questions:

See how to build a house from a foam block 90 m 2 in 15 days:

In private development, houses made of foam concrete, as an alternative to brick or housing construction, are increasingly conquering the market, having no competition in terms of technical and operational indicators and ease of execution.

Foam blocks are great for building a house. And building a house from foam blocks is not much different from building any other house, the only difference is in the process of laying the material. The finished structure will be reliable, strong and durable. At the same time, you will spend relatively little money on its construction - the foam block is cheaper than other popular materials.

The following guide will help you understand the technology of laying foam concrete blocks and carry out all the necessary activities yourself.

We make the foundation

We will build a house on a strip brick. The design is extremely simple: the base is made of concrete from below, from above - brickwork. To achieve the proper strength of the base, experts recommend immediately laying bricks on cement mortar, and not filling them with cracks in the masonry in the future, as some self-taught masters advise.

Compared to its concrete counterpart, brick construction characterized by higher thermal insulation properties. Under the condition of proper arrangement, it serves 50 years or more without requiring repair. Directly repairing a brick strip base comes down to a banal replacement of destroyed areas, which is also very convenient.

We dig a trench

We carry out the markup, taking into account the dimensions and configuration of the future structure. After that, we remove the top layer of soil throughout the site.

Important! We make the base not only under the external, but also under the internal walls.

We dig a trench of the required depth. If the soil is heaving - below the freezing point. In other cases, a hole with a depth of about half a meter is sufficient.

We select the width of the pits taking into account the moisture content of the soil on the site: the higher it is, the wider we make the trench. In areas with especially high humidity and close to the surface occurrence groundwater drainage will be done. In view of this, the width of the trench should extend approximately 100 cm beyond the outer boundaries of the building.

We fill the bottom of the pit with a 15-centimeter layer of sand, spill it with water and tamp.

We make formwork

To do this, we do the following.

First step. We cover the bottom of the trench between the walls of the foundation and the foundation pit with geotextiles.

Second step. We pour a layer on top of the geotextile.

Third step. We lay perforated pipes on gravel at a slight angle.

Fourth step. We cover the pipes with geotextiles and fall asleep with gravel.

Fifth step. We fill the structure with sand in layers. Carefully tamp each layer.

Pipes are diverted to pre-equipped drainage channels or wells.

Building a house

Dimensions of foam blocks, cm	Quantity in 1 m3, pcs	Quantity in masonry per 1 sq.m., with the condition that the horizontal support platform of the blocks in width (wall thickness) = 30 cm, and in length = 60 cm
10 x 30 x 60	55	16,7
12 x 30 x 60	46	13,8
15 x 30 x 60	37	11,2
20 x 30 x 60	27	8,4
25 x 30 x 60	22	6,7

We check the horizontalness of the surface of the base using a level. We are interested in angles. If they are all on the same level, we start laying from any convenient angle. If there are discrepancies, we build from the highest point. In such a situation, we lay the first row of foam blocks on a cement mortar - it dries longer than glue, which will allow us to align all the blocks to the same level.

We lay roofing material on the foundation in 2 layers and proceed to laying.

By level, we set 1 block in each corner. We stretch a cord along the upper edge of the building elements - it will help us navigate in the process of laying walls.

We fill the space between the corner blocks. We apply glue or cement mortar both on the base of the foam blocks and on their side faces. Building elements are laid as tightly as possible. Each block is leveled.

If it is not possible to lay out a row of a whole number of foam blocks, carefully and as evenly as possible cut off the extra piece using a special saw or an ordinary hacksaw with large teeth. Irregularities are carefully sanded. It is convenient to do this with a special tool. In the absence of such, we are guided by the situation. For example, the surface can be leveled with a drywall planer.

When laying out the first and subsequent rows, do not forget to leave openings for installing doors. Recommendations for the arrangement of window openings will be given below.

The first row of masonry is necessarily reinforced. To do this, we first cut out strobes 3-4 mm wide with a similar depth in the upper edge of the blocks. To equip the recesses, we use a wall chaser or a grinder.

If you plan to build a large house, it is better to make reinforcement in two rows. In this case, the distance between the strobes and the outer edges of the foam block should be at least 60 mm.

We clean the strobes and blocks from dust and pieces of material. We lay 8-10 mm reinforcement in the grooves and fill it with cement mortar or glue for foam blocks.

We reinforce the entire first row around the perimeter. In the future, a similar reinforcement is performed every 4 rows.

We lay the next rows

We lay out the following rows in the already familiar order:

• expose corner blocks;
• we pull the rope;
• lay out the walls.

The only difference is that starting from the second row, it is better to lay the blocks on a special glue for foam blocks.

Important! Door and window openings must be reinforced. We reinforce openings for windows from below and from above. We make a jumper over the doorway. The procedure is the same in both cases.

Window sills, as a rule, are equipped after laying out the 4th row. Choose the height of the doorway at your discretion, usually it is 2-2.2 m.

To reinforce the openings, we use a metal corner. The dimensions of the products are selected in accordance with the width of the openings. The most commonly used corners are from 5x5 to 10x10 cm. You already know the order of reinforcement:

• we make strobes in blocks;
• we lay the corners flush in the prepared recesses;
• fill the strobes with cement mortar or adhesive mixture.

Important! We select the length of the gate so that the length of the corners exceeds the width of the reinforced opening by at least 0.5 m.

We lay out the walls to the design height. After that, we equip the armored belt for overlapping. He is reinforced concrete structure with an average thickness of about 200 mm.

There is nothing particularly complicated in the process of making an armored belt. The main thing is to make the formwork correctly. The structure must be detachable. For assembly, we use boards or other sheet material, for example, OSB.

We install the formwork over the walls, place a reinforcing cage inside it (it is recommended to reinforce in all three planes, so it is more convenient to assemble the mesh in advance and insert it into the formwork in finished form),. We give concrete a month to set strength and only after that we continue construction.

Prices for different types of building blocks

Building blocks

TOP-6 best manufacturers of foam blocks

	A photo	Name	Rating	Price
#1		Omsk foam concrete plant	⭐ 99 / 100
#2		Ural Holding	⭐ 98 / 100
#3		Topaz	⭐ 97 / 100
#4		Kopeysk plant of building materials	⭐ 96 / 100
#5		Bataysk Building Materials Plant	⭐ 95 / 100
#6		BlokIzh	⭐ 94 / 100

Making a roof

The armored belt is ready. We can start arranging the roof. The procedure is the same as in the construction of houses from other materials, and depends on the features of the chosen roof structure.

Choose the type of roof of your choice. She may be:

• - best suited for all kinds of outbuildings;
• - the best option for country houses;
• , attic, etc. - a great solution for a residential building.

Choose the best option and consistently perform all relevant activities, including:

• fastening of battens and counter-battens;
• installation of insulating materials;
• installation of the selected finish.

Successful work!

Video - Building a house from foam blocks

Omsk foam concrete plant

The manufacturer offers the consumer fiber-reinforced concrete blocks that contain a fiber-reinforcing component (polypropylene fibers). Due to such an additive, which completely fills the entire volume of the foam block and reinforces it in all directions, the product becomes durable and has a long service life. The plant produces wall foam blocks and partition walls standard sizes, and also accept orders for the manufacture of products according to the parameters of the customer.

• light weight foam concrete blocks;
• high thermal insulation properties;
• durability;
• products are made from environmentally friendly raw materials;
• high fire resistance;
• high-quality sound insulation.

• there are defective products.

Ural Holding

The manufacturer is one of the most reliable and proven suppliers of various building materials, including high quality foam concrete blocks. The company produces 1000-1200 meters of foam concrete cubic blocks per month. In addition, the manufacturer's assortment includes more than 5,000 units of products, these are: foam blocks, reinforced concrete products, twin blocks, roofing materials, crushed stone, heat-insulating materials and more. The company delivers the material to any point in Russia.

Have you always dreamed of having your own home away from the city, from roads, from cars? You have land plot in a great location, have you completed all the bureaucratic procedures and are now the full owner of the site? Well, dreams should become reality, which means it's time to think about your own home. First of all, about what material you are going to build it from, what kind of roof, external and internal lining will be.

In this article, you will learn why it makes sense to build buildings from foam concrete, we will tell you about how to build a house from foam blocks with your own hands.

Building a house from foam blocks

Looking for the strengths and weaknesses of this material, it should be understood that if foam concrete had some significant drawbacks, due to which the construction of a house would be impractical, then, for sure, houses would not be built from this building material all the time. Architects, in this case, would not have been offering hundreds of expensive foam concrete house projects for decades.

We list the main advantages of this material. It is because of the advantages that many builders decide to build foam concrete houses:

• Foam concrete walls have the same "Breathe" ability as wooden ones.
• Foam concrete is a kind of very heat-resistant material, it perfectly stores heat in winter, and coolness in summer.
• Foam concrete has soundproofing qualities.
• From the point of view of environmental standards, foam concrete is clean, it does not need to be further processed.
• Allows you to save on heating.
• Over time, foam concrete becomes stronger.
• Affordable price, since the composition includes simple, affordable components.
• The volume of blocks is equal to the volume of fifteen bricks, despite the fact that its weight is half as much, and it is much easier to build from foam concrete.
• Foam concrete houses do not require foundations that can withstand particularly heavy loads.

Despite the convincing list of advantages, if you decide to build a house from foam blocks with your own hands, you will have to face some disadvantages of the material:

• The house must be built exclusively using frame technology, so you will have to experience all the disadvantages of frame construction.
• It will be necessary to carefully monitor the quality of each connection, make laborious calculations and measurements. If you do not have the necessary experience in construction, a specialist designer will come in handy.
• The structural basis of the blocks is demanding on insulation, be especially careful in choosing it.

Reviews

Here are some reviews of those who dealt with this type of material during construction:

Vladislav Voronin, novice builder, Engels:

“Twice I participated in the construction of a house from foam blocks: the first time, so to speak, I helped. The second time, and the armored belt was laid with the guys, and they started laying the blocks. I got the impression that with a competent drafting of the project, foam blocks are the building materials of the future. Almost any structure can be built from it - a garage, a house, and quite a full-fledged two-story mansion. The house was built in almost a month. The main thing to remember is that professionals should work in the team, because if you deviate from the standards, the finished house will not be durable.”

Igor Korchygin, owner of a house made of foam blocks, Moscow region:

“Seven years ago, my wife and I decided to build our own house, bought a plot with a ready foundation. For everything together they gave about 1.5 million, moreover, that half of the money went to the site. Thus, the house cost (plus or minus) 800 thousand. The cost included foam blocks and roofing and support pillars and a team of four people for the construction of an armored belt. Inside the house there was one large load-bearing wall. The armored belt was erected within one day. The dimensions of the walls grew and grew every day, he laid a huge number of blocks on his own, but not without advice (they advised how to properly moisten the surface of the blocks with water for better masonry). Saved not only in money, but also in nerves, time. It's funny now to watch how people give advice, they say, a house made of foam blocks will not stand idle, it will not be as warm as we would like, etc. There are doubts - don't build anything at all, but if you want to build - I advise everyone to use foam block structures" .

Step-by-step construction of a house from foam blocks

Step #1. Paperwork.

To get started, you'll need documentation. To start building a house with a clear conscience, solve all the formal procedures - obtain building permits, for a plot, develop or modernize water supply systems, sewage disposal, heating and electricity issues.

A rationally laid water supply system is a guarantee of comfort

Step #2. Order in the workplace.

Avoid the usual order of things. A construction site is not a dirty place where everything around is dangerous and chaotic. Provide water supply to the construction site, take a special place for tools, building materials. The site should be clean - no nails, screws and scraps of foam blocks. Space should be reserved for you and those who will help you, tools should be protected from rain, covered with a heavy tarpaulin if necessary.

Mark all future structures on the site, think everything in advance, including the number of people that you may need.

Step #3. Construction materials and soil preparation.

The construction of the foundation is considered one of the main stages of building a house. You will have to consult with many people and read a lot of literature.

Soil preparation for strip foundation

The best option is a strip foundation. According to the project, on the site you need to make an accurate marking, according to which you, either manually or using equipment, will dig a pit.

Step number 4. Pit.

Before laying the foundation, sand must be poured into the pit (the thickness of the layer is not more than 0.25-0.3 m of sand). Crushed stone must be poured over the sand - its thickness should be the same. After compaction, the concrete pad can be considered finished. After that, it is necessary to assemble the reinforcement cage.

Pit filling scheme

The fittings should be attached to each other as firmly as possible and at a high level - no slips, shifts.

Formwork installation

The next step is the installation of formwork. You will need strong boards that will be fastened into a shield. They must be placed strictly parallel to each other, otherwise the pit will not be even. From above, all shields must be arranged with each other with transverse wooden fasteners.

Now it's time to prepare concrete: a unit volume of cement + sand (three units) + small gravel. The solution is poured onto the pillow, then erect the entire structure. The foundation tape must have a width of 0.3 to 0.5 m and a height of 0.7 m or more.

If you have finished the foundation, now it's time to start bringing building material: foam block, glue, reinforcing bars, waterproofing.

Step number 5. Walling.

Construction can begin, which means take up the construction of walls. Having processed the foundation with waterproofing materials, you can start laying foam blocks. For this, special notched trowels are used.

Coating the foam block with mortar

It should be noted that laying walls is a pleasant job (in terms of the visibility of the result), but not an easy one. Particular attention must be paid to the first row of blocks. The quality of further rows depends on its evenness.

Start building walls

Do not forget that the strength of the house depends not only on the material, but also on the principles of masonry - use the dressing of the foam blocks exactly, as with bricks: in each row, shift the blocks according to the principle “row relative to the previous row” by half the length of the foam block. This type of masonry will make a great contribution to the strength of the future home.

Cultivation of glue for foam blocks

The adhesive for the foam block must be prepared according to the recommendations on the package, with a notched trowel it must first be applied to the side faces of the blocks, and then to the bottom. Then lay down the block. The level needs to be checked not for each laid row, but for each laid block. Yes, the work is painstaking, but the result will bring you so much joy and pride that it is worth it.

We invite you to watch a video that shows how in 15 days the guys built a house from foam blocks with an area of ​​​​90 square meters:

Reinforcement and wall insulation

Reinforcement is the key to strength. The reinforcement procedure is very important. Those who complain about the fragility of a house built from foam blocks, as a rule, initially decided to save on reinforcement. It is this process that prevents cracks from appearing in the future. After you have laid out the first row of foam blocks, it is necessary to make strobes on their surface with a wall chaser (as a rule, 0.4 m x 0.4 m is enough, while retreating from the edge of each of the blocks by at least 6 cm). Make two grooves, they should be parallel and have rounded corners. Be sure to clean the grooves of dust residues, after which the adhesive solution must be poured into them. Lay the reinforcing bar inside. Then continue laying rows. Every 3-4 rows, it is necessary to repeat the laying of the armored belt. Some builders reinforce each row, this slows down the construction process significantly, but we can only guess how much it strengthens the structure!

Cleaning the grooves for the armored belt

You should know that when working on window and door openings, you should not forget about metal corners. The length of the corner to be laid (placed over the future window and doors) must be greater than the width of the opening itself by at least 0.6 m.

According to observations, a team of 4 people cope with the erection of the walls of a 120-meter house in an average week. When working at a calm pace, three weeks will be enough.

Attic and ceiling

In order to build a ceiling for the ceiling, as a rule, finished products are used, namely concrete slabs from the factory and wooden beams. When buying beams, remember that they must be dry. It is desirable to tie the beams with 3 cm boards.

The most correct is the ground assembly of attic structures with further lifting and installation. The structure should be sheathed with boards, then waterproofing layers should be laid, and then proceed to the roof.

We build a wooden frame of the second floor

Facade finishing

Since you are building a house, this means that you, first of all, want comfortable living conditions for yourself and your family. Appearance houses are an important component of comfort, so the surface of the walls must be finished on the outside, otherwise the house will darken and turn into a “gloomy castle”. Moreover, the aesthetic component is not the main reason for the need for outdoor work, the finish enhances the parameters of foam concrete, the house becomes stronger and warmer, moreover, soundproofing characteristics increase.

Exterior decoration of the house

There are several ways to exterior finish a foam block house:

• Decorative panel. An air gap must be left between the walls and hinged cladding.
• Mixtures that are used as a plaster of concrete material.
• Stones or bricks for decoration.
• Painting with silicone, waterproof and vapor-resistant paint.

Concerning interior decoration, then here “there are no comrades for the taste and color” - the interior design depends solely on your taste and imagination.

Roofing d ohm from foam blocks

When erecting the roof of the house, it should be remembered that its weight should not be too large, because, otherwise, the load on the ribs of the walls will be unacceptable.

If the walls of the house were made of reinforced concrete, then the roof could be any, but things are a little different with foam blocks - the material has a cellular structure, you should strive not to load it, excessive efforts on the blocks can lead to destruction.

In order to make the roof lighter, you should adhere to the following rules:

• use a lighter lattice shape;
• use hollow wooden crossbar;
• Use channels based on OSB;
• Use for roofing corrugated materials, sheet structures made of copper, metal tiles.

Foam block house - an intermediate stage of construction

Most contractors persistently instill in the minds of people the idea of ​​what to build Vacation home cheapest of all from foam block. To test this statement, you should not rush to order a project. Practice shows that the cost of housing construction is not affordable for every developer. Therefore, the need for economical spending of finances comes to the fore. Before deciding to build a turnkey house, you should study the features of foam concrete, learn how to correctly calculate the estimate. Read about how to build an extension to a house from foam blocks.

The main items of expenditure that affect the calculation of construction:

1. Architectural plan - The development and approval of documentation is carried out in the relevant state bodies. The total cost of the service depends on the total area and number of floors of the house. The initial price of the project is 15,000 rubles.

2. Arrangement of the foundation - Since foam concrete has a low mass of blocks, the construction does not require the creation of a powerful buried foundation. When laying the foundation of a one-story building, you can get by with a lightweight structure with a reinforcing cage. Materials will cost inexpensively - 120,000 - 150,000 rubles, depending on the region.

3. Basement construction - 5-6 foam blocks 20 × 30 × 50 cm in size will be required in height. This is approximately 50,000.

4. Wall laying - To build a one-story house, you will need 14-15 rows of blocks - the cost is 120,000 - 130,000. To correctly calculate the number of elements, you must remember to exclude the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwindows and doors.

5. Roof frame - the cost is usually 5% of the estimate.

6. Building mixture- A bag of cement M400 with a volume of 50 kg costs an average of 250-300 rubles. It will take about 100 packages to fill the foundation and build a house, which will eventually cost 30,000. High-quality building sand is cheap - 350-500 rubles per cubic meter.

Experts recommend calculating the approximate costs for the house, considering the box, foundation and frame under the roof as a whole. The average price per square meter is 13,000 - 16,000 excluding work. It usually lays 30% of the cost of building materials.

Additional costs for building a house:

• Communications - summing up and distributing pipelines of sewerage systems, water and gas supply.
• Separating elements - in the house you need to accurately calculate the number of partitions, doors, windows.
• Facing - the calculation takes into account the prices of materials for finishing the facade and internal surfaces of the building.
• Thermal insulation - the choice of insulation for walls and ceilings.

Preliminary calculations show that it is possible to build an economy class house from turnkey foam blocks at a minimum cost of 800,000 rubles. Since the work is stretched over several months, you need to be prepared for possible changes in prices in the building materials market.

The main cost is the purchase of building materials. To calculate the cost of building a house from foam concrete, you must first find out the number of elements along the perimeter of the building. Then determine the number of foam concrete blocks for internal partitions. The initial data is the length, height, thickness of the walls of the building, as well as the parameters of the blocks.

As an example, consider a simple house made of foam blocks 10 × 10 in size and 3 m high. Dimensions of building elements are 20 × 30 × 50 cm.

• We calculate the total length of all walls: 10 × 4 = 40 m.
• The resulting value is divided by the length of one foam block: 40 / 0.5 = 80 pcs.

It turns out that for laying one row of the house along the perimeter, 80 blocks will be required.

• Divide the height of the wall by the height of one foam concrete element: 3/0.2=15.

The calculation shows that to build a wall 3 meters high, you need to lay out 15 rows of blocks.

• We multiply the results obtained with each other: 15 × 80 = 1200 pcs.

So we find out the number of foam blocks from which you can build a box of a house of 10 × 10 m.

1. We divide the area of ​​two window and one door openings by the surface area of ​​one block: 40 m2 / (0.2 × 0.3) m2 = 67 pcs.
2. We make adjustments to the total amount of foam concrete material: 1200-67 = 1133 pcs.
3. We multiply the number of foam blocks by the average price of one unit: 1133 × 100 = 113,300 rubles.

The disadvantage of building modules is considered to be weak strength. Therefore, when purchasing, you should take 2-3 dozen foam blocks in reserve. This will help compensate for possible defects in the processing of elements.

Conclusion. To build the outer walls of a house from foam concrete blocks, you will have to spend about 120,000 rubles.

How to save money on building a house from turnkey foam concrete blocks?

• In order to make the correct calculation and buy the exact amount of materials, it is important to take into account all the parameters of the object being built: dimensions, number of storeys, number of openings, the presence of a basement.
• Prices for the construction of houses from blocks directly depend on the size and density of the base material. The cost of foam blocks for walls ranges from 80-120 rubles. Modules for interior partitions are thinner, so their prices are lower - 60-90. Large bulk purchases also reduce the cost of foam blocks.
• To build a multi-level structure, floors made of strong concrete slabs are used. In a two-story house made of foam blocks, you can get by with a tree.
• You can additionally reduce costs by self-delivery of foam blocks and consumables.
• It is also inexpensive to build a house from foam blocks with your own hands on a turnkey basis. By refusing to work with contractor teams, you can save 25-30% of the total cost.

Features of building a house from foam concrete

1. For the construction of residential buildings, modules with a size of 200 × 300 × 600 mm and a mass of about 10 kg are best suited. Such blocks have an optimal length that allows you to save on quantity. The width is quite suitable for building a house in places with a cold climate. To insulate walls made of foam concrete from the outside, it is enough to use a thermal insulator with a thickness of 0.5-1 cm.

2. To check the quality of the foam blocks for hardness, you need to rub two fragments against each other. Good material should not crumble. You should also pay attention to the chipping of the foam block. The shape of the cells should be spherical, not oval.

3. To check the foam blocks for geometry, connect two modules together. Flat surfaces save on joint mortar.

4. A waterproofing membrane should be laid between the foundation and the first row of foam blocks. This will protect the foundation of the house from groundwater and increase its operational life.

5. It is considered normal to lay out 4-5 rows of foam blocks per shift. In order not to overwork during work, it is advisable to call one or two people for help.

6. Every two rows of blocks, reinforcement is made with steel bars. This strengthens the structure and protects the walls from cracking.

7. Instead concrete mortar to connect the foam blocks, you can use special glue. This will slightly increase the cost of construction. But such a step will help reduce laying time and save on insulation. The minimum thickness of adhesive joints makes them almost invisible on the wall surface.