Construction of a house made of aerated concrete begins. Building a house from gas silicate blocks with your own hands

Why do many people choose aerated concrete when building a house? Because it has a lot of advantages, namely: optimal price, good noise and sound insulation, easier installation compared to brick, fire safety. There are, of course, disadvantages. One of them is the hygroscopicity of aerated concrete, i.e. its ability to absorb moisture. Therefore, when building a house from aerated concrete with your own hands, it is necessary to provide waterproofing and finishing of the walls in order to avoid local destruction of this material in the future. More about all this in our article.

Foundation

Before you start building a house from aerated concrete with your own hands, all the necessary calculations are carried out to determine the type of foundation and its depth. The foundation of a house made of aerated concrete must be strong, reliable and solid. In the photo you can see a monolithic foundation.

Depending on the depth of soil freezing and heaving forces, which can be determined from the soil map of the region, the recommended foundation depth is determined.

When calculating the width of the base, it is necessary to take into account if future work on facing the facade with brick is planned. Ideally, the width of the base should be 5 cm wider than the wall.

When arranging the height of the plinth, it is necessary to completely exclude the possibility of contact of aerated concrete blocks with melting snow and water on the site.

Laying aerated concrete

Before starting work on laying aerated concrete yourself, it is necessary to carry out work on shut-off waterproofing of the foundation from the first row of masonry. The base is insulated from the aerated concrete masonry with roofing felt or more modern materials. Before starting laying, the blocks must be dried. They have the declared strength and thermal conductivity in a dry state.

Therefore, during masonry work, aerated concrete blocks must be unpacked immediately before work. Masonry must be laid using special masonry adhesive. The use of cement mortar leads to the appearance of cold bridges in the walls, which can increase the cost of the project due to the need for additional insulation. Each row must be checked for level. Unevenly placed blocks can create uneven stresses, leading to cracks.

Building a house from aerated concrete with your own hands involves creating armored belts. To create them, manufacturers produce special hollow blocks with grooves for laying reinforcement. Armored belts are usually laid in the first row, in every 4th row of masonry and on top of window blocks.

Also, walls with increased, for example, wind loads need to be additionally strengthened. The row must be monolithed, after which the floor slab is laid. If you plan to build an aerated concrete house with your own hands, you definitely need to study SNIPs.

The thickness of internal and external walls and internal partitions is usually regulated by regulations depending on the area in which construction takes place. The blocks are easy to process: they are chipped, milled, sawn. It is very convenient to provide for the installation of reinforcement during masonry to secure window and door openings.

Insulation and waterproofing

Additional wall insulation is usually not necessary. The thermal conductivity of aerated concrete is equal to the thermal conductivity of wood; in addition, it is a breathable material that provides a comfortable indoor microclimate.

Thermal conductivity deteriorates only when wet. However, this only applies to literally being in water for a long time. Normal precipitation does not affect the technical characteristics of the blocks.

To protect against getting wet, it is enough to correctly install a drainage system from the house: canopies and ebbs. The main bridges of cold in the house are window and door openings and the roof. Thermal insulation in these places is done using conventional technologies.

Exterior and interior decoration

For exterior finishing, it is necessary to select vapor-permeable materials that will not prevent the escape of steam and moisture from inside the room to the outside. If a place is characterized by long slanting rains, then it is better to make a curtain facade, but in this case it is necessary to provide for the presence of a ventilation gap. Materials with high vapor permeability are used. Plaster is usually suitable for these purposes.

Half of private houses are built from popular and traditional stone materials. Warm, reliable and inexpensive houses built from aerated concrete blocks occupy only 15% of this row. In this article we will look at how to build a house from aerated concrete blocks with your own hands.

Advantages and disadvantages

A house made of aerated concrete will cost much less than a brick building. But this is not the main advantage of the blocks; they perfectly meet modern needs for heat conservation.

Due to the constant rise in energy prices, developers have begun to increasingly use energy-saving technologies and pay special attention to the financial costs of heating the premises.

A house built from aerated blocks is warm and, due to its characteristics, does not require additional insulation.

Distinctive Advantages

1. Maintained geometric dimensions guarantee the construction of smooth walls and savings on finishing costs. When laying, you can use special glue; the distance between the blocks will correspond to the minimum permissible values, and this prevents the appearance of cold bridges and significantly reduces the construction time of the building.
2. Aerated blocks have thermophysical characteristics that are superior not only to brick, but also to concrete and wooden beams.
3. A healthy microclimate in a house made of gas blocks is ensured by its excellent thermal insulation and high air and vapor permeability.
4. Aerated concrete blocks have a low dead weight and therefore the load of the house on the foundation is small - this will save you from constructing complex, expensive foundations.
5. Aerated concrete blocks are fire-resistant and environmentally friendly. In addition, the blocks can be easily processed with simple tools, which will allow you to easily make any extraordinary architectural details.

Note! Aerated blocks have a high absorption capacity.

The disadvantages include restrictions when laying walls - 75% humidity limit. It is not recommended to build the walls of the basement and basements from aerated blocks.

Aerated concrete blocks are an ideal solution for the construction of a country house. When building a block house, you must comply with all stipulated standards. First of all, conduct a soil survey and determine the level of groundwater. If you want to save money on an individual architectural project, then purchase ready-made drawings and link them to the terrain of your land plot.

Stages of work

1. You prepare the construction site: provide temporary power supply, determine storage locations, and do excavation work.
2. You perform zero-cycle work: lay the foundation, build the underground part, lay and install the pipeline, cable networks.
3. The main cycle includes work on the construction of walls, columns, monolithic structures, and floors between floors from aerated blocks. Install stairs, pipes, window and door openings.
4. Finish the house inside and out, install the roof.

At the same time, you carry out electrical installation work, install a heating and sewage system in the house. You finish the ceiling, lay the floors, do the final painting, install doors and windows.

Tools and materials

Note! When building a gas-block house, you need to take special care of waterproofing. To do this, apply mastic to the finished foundation, lay 2 layers of roofing felt on top of it. This will protect the aerated concrete walls from getting wet.

To carry out high-quality construction of a house made of aerated concrete, you will need the following tools;

1. Hammer, chisel, wall chaser.
2. Hand saw, electric band saw or circular saw.
3. Hand plane.
4. Various drills.
5. Drill.
6. Construction level, corner, mallet, template.

Laying aerated concrete walls

The walls of a house made of aerated blocks are 1-2-3-layer according to the type of masonry. Internal load-bearing walls are made with ligated vertical seams, external ones - with offset vertical seams. If you decide to make the exterior decoration with ceramic or sand-lime brick, then remember: it should be secured using reinforcing mesh and metal brackets. They must be coated with an anti-corrosion layer.

Insulate the openings of windows and doors well; for this you can use mineral wool or expanded polystyrene.

If construction standards and recommendations are correctly followed, you will build a beautiful, warm and reliable house from aerated blocks that will serve you for a long time without additional financial costs for its operation.

The gas block has a standard size of 200 x 300 x 600 mm. See how to calculate gas blocks for a house. For example, let's take a house 10x10 and 3m high.

1. We assume that the thickness of the house is 300 mm.
2. The perimeter of the external walls is 4 x 10 = 40 m.
3. S walls is equal to the product of the length of the wall and its height; 40 x 3 120 m².
4. From the resulting area, subtract the area of ​​window and door openings, let it be 10 m². 120 m² - 10 m² = 110 m².
5. The area of ​​one block is 0.12 m². For 1 m² it turns out 8.33 pieces. 1: 0.12 = 8.33 pcs.
6. For your entire house you will need 110 m²: 0.12 = 916, 3 pcs. 917 pieces will be used for your aerated concrete house.
7. If you purchase gas blocks in cubes. Calculate the volume of one block: 0.2 x 0.3 x 0.6 = 0.036 m³. 917 x 0.036 = 33 m³.

Note! You need to take into account that any material must be purchased with a small margin. Perhaps the roof structure will require the addition of gas blocks to the gables.

The number of blocks for internal walls and various partitions is also calculated.

A house made of aerated concrete is an excellent choice for those who want to build inexpensive and high-quality housing, characterized by excellent heat-saving properties and many other advantages. Aerated blocks are becoming increasingly popular every year due to their positive technical characteristics and relatively low cost.

Due to certain physical and mechanical properties of the material, low-rise buildings are most often built from aerated concrete (up to 3-5 floors maximum), as well as outbuildings, garages, and bathhouses. Aerated blocks are quite fragile and require reinforcement; they can shrink slightly, so in multi-story construction they are used for laying internal partitions.

Aerated concrete is a type of concrete produced by adding aluminum powder to the traditional solution composition (cement, sand, water), which acts as a gas former. As a result of the reaction, pores appear in the solution, which reduce the density and weight of concrete and increase sound/heat insulation properties.

The production process is simple: all components are mixed, poured into a mold, waiting for the reaction to occur and the mixture to increase in volume and for the monolith to set. It is then cut into blocks of a specified size and sent to an autoclave, where drying occurs under pressure and high temperature.

Aerated concrete blocks are structural for construction, thermal insulating to improve the heat-saving characteristics of buildings, and structural and thermal insulating (combine the properties of the first two categories). The construction of houses from aerated blocks is extremely popular today and many examples of the implementation of various projects confirm the relevance of this choice.

Properties of aerated concrete

Construction is carried out using a certain technology, which necessarily takes into account the characteristics of the material that are important for creating a durable and reliable building. First you need to study the properties of aerated concrete.

For low-rise construction, structural and thermal insulating aerated concrete is suitable, which demonstrates the best ratio of a good level of heat saving and sufficient strength, its density is in the range of 500-900 kg/m3 and correlates with the grade - D500-D900.

It is better to build houses from aerated concrete blocks using autoclaved hardening material. Naturally dried blocks may exhibit reduced strength and resistance to various influences.

• Low level of thermal conductivity - within 0.12-0.19 W/m°C.
• Good vapor permeability - in the range of 0.15-0.20 mg/mchPa.
• The optimal compressive strength is about 1-1.5 MPa.

• Safety and environmental friendliness - aerated concrete is non-flammable, biologically inert, and does not emit toxins or harmful substances into the air.
• Large sizes, which simplifies and speeds up installation - standard block dimensions are 25-30 centimeters in height, 50-62.5 centimeters in length, 10-40 centimeters in thickness.
• The light weight of the blocks makes it possible to carry out construction from aerated concrete with your own hands, without the involvement of special equipment and a large number of workers.
• Easy processing - aerated concrete is simply cut, sawed, drilled and processed with any hand tool.

Cellular concrete is produced in the form of blocks of different sizes with smooth edges, the presence of a tongue-and-groove lock, there are also thin profile and partition elements, and other options. Some blocks have special recesses at the ends for convenient construction of a house made of aerated concrete. There are reinforced beams and slabs that have high bending strength.

Foundation for a house made of foam blocks

The foundation is the basis of the entire building and its design must be carried out on the basis of accurate calculations. Errors during the construction of the foundation can cause destruction of the entire building, which will be irreversible. While the roof can be reinstalled, the foundation of the house cannot be rebuilt. And therefore, the construction of a house from an aerated block must begin with the important stage of calculations and foundation design.

Aerated concrete is a lightweight material and does not require a serious foundation. One wall made of aerated concrete blocks weighs 2-3 times less compared to brick. At the same time, the base must be reliable, since aerated concrete is very fragile and the slightest shrinkage of the base can cause cracks in the walls.

Choosing a foundation type

The main criteria and factors that are taken into account when choosing the type of foundation for a house made of aerated concrete with your own hands: the total mass of the building, the load from wind and snow, the groundwater level, the bearing capacity and composition of the soil, the presence/absence of a basement, climatic features, the topography of the entire territory, surrounding buildings and their location in relation to the future home.

For a house made of aerated concrete, the following types of foundation are chosen: strip, pile, slab. According to the installation method, the foundation can be monolithic or prefabricated. Pile types come with a recessed, above-ground, or hanging grillage. A strip foundation can be made in the form of a beam, which is laid below/above the level of seasonal freezing of the soil. A monolithic slab also involves laying the sole at different depths.

Soil studies must be carried out before construction of a house made of aerated concrete with your own hands or by the developer begins. The soil can vary greatly not only across regions, but even within the same territory.

The type of foundation is chosen taking into account the characteristics of the soil and it is better that all calculations are performed by a professional. It is quite difficult to calculate everything on your own.

• The territory has dense, homogeneous soil, which is determined by digging holes in the corners of the future building to a depth of 50 centimeters greater than the depth of the foundation.
• If the soil water level is low - from 3 meters.

• When there are no swampy plants around, if there are any, situations of interlayer water release or flooding are possible.
• If there is a flat site for construction, eliminating differences in height.
• When it is possible to arrange drainage designed for effective drainage of melt/rain water.
• If there are no cracks or subsidence of the foundation in neighboring buildings and houses.

In all other cases, before building a house from aerated concrete, they must carry out geological surveys, determine all the soil characteristics, and consider different options for creating a foundation. It is better to leave the task to a design organization or an individual specialist.

Shallow strip foundation

This type of foundation demonstrates optimal load-bearing capacity to absorb the load from the roof and other elements. A shallow foundation is not afraid of frost heaving, is relatively inexpensive, and easy to install.

• Marking the boundaries of the future foundation using pegs and cords, checking the geometry with a tape measure and optical instruments.
• Installation of cast-offs in the corners and at the intersections of walls, made of 2 posts and a board nailed between them. Here the position of the axes of the structure is noted.
• Digging a trench up to 70-100 centimeters deep with preliminary removal of a fertile soil layer up to 30 centimeters thick. Fill the bottom of the trench with a cushion of crushed stone and sand; the layer should have a total height of 30-50 centimeters. Next, layer-by-layer compaction is performed.

• Installation of removable formwork made of wooden panels, or assembly of a permanent structure made of polystyrene foam. The structure should rise above the ground by a maximum of 30 centimeters, the optimal strip width is 30-40 centimeters. A layer of waterproofing is laid inside with an overlap on the formwork.
• Assembling a reinforcement frame from rods with a cross-section of 12 millimeters or more in the amount of 4-6 pieces. Fastening a sleeve from pipe scraps where communications will be laid.
• Filling the formwork with at least M200 concrete, high-quality layer-by-layer compaction using mechanical or hand tools.
• Dismantling of formwork after concrete has gained strength - after 28 days.

While laying the foundation, it is advisable to simultaneously arrange drainage, which will protect the house from the influence of moisture. It is important to carry out heat/waterproofing work and install a temporary blind area. All this will prevent the foundation from collapsing under the influence of heaving.

Aerated concrete house: laying blocks

Before building a house from aerated concrete, it is necessary to become familiar with the characteristics of the material, which directly affect the choice of construction technology and require mandatory consideration.

• Masonry made from aerated blocks is susceptible to bending loads and may become deformed.
• Window/door openings significantly weaken the masonry, especially when it comes to load-bearing walls.
• The frame does not provide the required stiffness in the wall junction areas.
• If there is no ventilation gap under the finishing material, moisture can lead to destruction.
• The close proximity of buildings and subsidence of the soil can cause uneven settlement of the foundation, which has a detrimental effect on fragile aerated concrete.

A one or two-story aerated concrete house is susceptible to the appearance of cracks of various shapes, the most dangerous of which are inclined, vertical, parabolic, and V-shaped. If a crack opens from above, the load-bearing capacity of the masonry is significantly reduced. A special technology for building a house made of aerated concrete, which must be followed, will help prevent such problems.

Rules for laying aerated concrete blocks

Aerated concrete houses are built in accordance with the rules and regulations regulated by SP, SN, SNiP. It is also important to take into account the advice of experienced craftsmen who have built more than one house and help to avoid common mistakes.

• All cellular blocks with high water absorption should be laid on a layer of cut-off waterproofing running along the top of the plinth.
• Before work begins, order slats are installed in the corners of the building with a stretched cord between them. This makes it possible to lay the first row evenly. Marks must be placed on the rail in accordance with the position of each row.
• The laying should be carried out with bandaging of the seams, the displacement of the top row above the bottom row is about 8-12 centimeters (0.4 of the block height). When the installation of one level is completed, the cord is pulled to a new mark.

• The second and subsequent rows are placed with special glue, since the cement-sand mixture can cause the appearance of cold bridges.
• In the frames of openings, at the edges or corners of the walls, additional elements are installed, the length of which must be at least 11.5 centimeters.
• Internal and external walls must meet to a depth of at least 20 centimeters.
• The masonry must be reinforced with steel rods and mesh.

You can build a house from aerated concrete blocks at an ambient temperature of +5 to +35 degrees. When working in winter, special anti-frost additives are added to the masonry adhesive, which prevent it from hardening ahead of time.

Tool

When thinking about how to properly build a house with your own hands, you need to take care of all the necessary tools in advance. For construction you will need: a mixer and a container for mixing glue, a laser level or a level for checking evenness, a notched trowel, trowels, a rubber mallet, a hand saw, a grinder, a grater, a brush for cleaning after cutting blocks, a pencil/ruler for marking.

In addition, it is worth stocking up on scaffolding for assembling the blocks of the upper rows, a shovel, a ladder, and a box for mixing the cement-sand mixture.

Laying aerated concrete block

The general stages of wall construction are as follows: marking on the base or overlapping the locations of openings and walls, installing the ordering batten and tensioning the cord, laying out the DSP, installing the first row of aerated concrete blocks, geometry control, laying out the blocks along the wall, laying rows and reinforcement, cutting additional elements, cleaning them and styling them.

Laying the first row

First, they find the most elevated point of the base, then moisten the lower surface of the block with water and install it on the leveling layer of the DSP. Aerated concrete is moistened so that it does not set so quickly with the mixture. The blocks are placed horizontally, checked with a level and adjusted with a rubber mallet.

If you need to make an additional element, the size of the space in the row is measured and the product is cut according to it. The ends are leveled with a trowel, all sides of the block are coated with glue and installed.

To preserve the sling, the top row begins with a whole block above the sawn one. After installing the row, the entire surface is leveled with a trowel to eliminate local stresses in areas of height difference between the elements. Dust and crumbs of the gas block are swept away with a brush.

Second and subsequent rows

Construction is carried out relatively quickly: after one and a half to two hours after laying the first row, you can lay the second. Load-bearing walls begin to be built from the corners, the blocks are aligned horizontally/vertically. The cord is tensioned in the same way as in the case of the first row. Glue is applied to the blocks at the ends and bottom, the stone is pressed into place, the glue layer should be a maximum of 2-5 millimeters, the excess is removed with a trowel.

The position of the block can be adjusted within the first 15 minutes, excess glue is wiped off with a wet rag, and the solid solution is removed with a tool. All further rows are laid using the same technology, filling the seams with glue.

Reinforcement of aerated concrete

It is impossible to build a house from aerated concrete with your own hands without reinforcement - it will not be reliable enough and may soon become covered with cracks or completely collapse. Experience shows that houses are needed in any case, paying special attention to construction in earthquake-prone regions, on subsidence soils, and in places with hurricanes.

Reinforcement rules

In standard projects, provided there are no seismological factors, winds and other influences, reinforcement is performed in a certain way.

• The first row, which rests on the base.
• Every 4th row, provided the wall length is more than 6 meters.
• At the junctions of the walls and at the corners.
• In the areas of support of rafters, lintels, beams, ceilings, balcony slabs, stairs.
• All columns and vertical pillars.
• The lower part of the window opening structure.
• All sites with increased load.

Armopoyas

The reinforcement frame is created along the top row in the areas where the slabs or floor beams rest. The belt connects load-bearing walls made of blocks and partitions into one structure, taking them away from the elements located above and distributing the load evenly.

The formwork is assembled in a continuous strip running along the entire perimeter of the building and the partitions inside. They use wooden panels, bricks or U-shaped profiles. Thin partition blocks can be mounted outside and the board inside.

The rods must be made of class A3 steel, with a cross-section of 12 millimeters, which are placed 2 at the top/bottom (in 2 rows). The diameter of the clamps is 8-10 millimeters, mounted in increments of 20-30 centimeters. The rods are joined with an overlap, and U/L-shaped products are used at the junctions of the walls and in the corners.

To protect the structure from freezing, polystyrene foam boards 3-5 centimeters thick are placed in the formwork along the outer wall, which must be taken into account when knitting the frame. Next, concrete M200/M300 is poured with pre-mounted anchors or studs securing the rafters and floors.

Masonry reinforcement

To prevent wall deformation and maintain their stability and rigidity, different types of reinforcement are used. The construction of cottages from aerated concrete provides several options.

1. Horizontal reinforcement with metal rods - holes 25 millimeters deep are made in the blocks using a wall chaser, they are filled with glue, reinforcement with a cross-section of up to 8 millimeters is placed with an overlapping joint, bent at the corners, pressed in, and excess glue is removed.
2. Using perforated strips - galvanized steel 1 millimeter thick, cut into strips 16 millimeters wide, attached to the blocks with self-tapping screws (no grooves needed). Reinforcement involves a two-layer laying of tapes.
3. Masonry grids - steel, glass-basalt or fiberglass - are laid out over the masonry with a distance of 5 centimeters from the edges. Metal meshes are embedded in the solution, composite meshes are secured with glue.

Polymer meshes are considered more preferable, since they do not create cold bridges, do not corrode, provide high adhesion, and show high tensile strength.

Strengthening window openings of aerated concrete houses

It is necessary to strengthen the locations of window openings and this is not as difficult as it might seem. If reinforcement fails or is incorrect, cracks may appear.

• Cutting grooves in masonry with a wall chaser that are 60 centimeters longer than the width of the window on both sides.
• Pouring glue into the furrow.
• Installation of class A3 reinforcement 8-10 millimeters, pressing it into the glue, removing excess mass.
• You can make lintels yourself from monolithic concrete or a metal corner. You can also buy ready-made ones. The cross-section of the structure depends on the width of the opening.

Where the jumpers rest, multidirectional stresses operate. To evenly distribute the weight of the wall, the beam must be laid in compliance with the minimum extension length beyond the masonry. It is better not to increase the width of the wall between the openings by more than 60 centimeters. To lay out a narrower structure, you can take brick or reinforce it with vertical reinforcement.

The lintel need not be installed where the width of the openings does not reach 120 centimeters, and above them the height of the masonry is at least two-thirds of the width. In this case, it is allowed to lay 2 rows of reinforcement, which must be inserted into the wall at least 50 centimeters.

Vertical reinforcement

When we build a house, the plan must be stage-by-stage, including all mandatory and optional items. Horizontal reinforcement is done in any case, but the vertical type of strengthening is relevant only in the following situations: the location of the house in an earthquake-prone region, if there is a strong wind load, when the site has complex terrain, in columns/pillars, when using aerated concrete with a density of less than 400 kg/m3, with wide openings and narrow partitions, at points of support of heavy structures and elements.

To perform vertical type reinforcement in the walls, grooves are drilled in the direction from bottom to top, O-shaped profiles are mounted, 1-4 steel rods with a diameter of at least 14 millimeters are inserted inside, then filled with M250/M300 concrete.

How to winter without heating

Often, when a country house made of aerated concrete has already been built, but the heating has not been connected and winter looms ahead, you have to think about protecting the structure. You can’t leave it as is – gas blocks don’t like water and frost and can collapse.

• Draining water from all systems.
• Insulation of the base, plinth, blind area with polystyrene foam boards.
• Close doors and windows tightly or secure in all openings a thick film taken in 2 layers.
• Without exterior decoration, the building can be left for a maximum of 1-2 winter seasons.

A house made of aerated concrete is an excellent solution, which is already being implemented in Moscow and the regions. Construction companies present standard and create individual designs for houses of various shapes, sizes, layouts, etc. If the technology is followed and all requirements and standards are correctly met, the structure turns out to be strong, comfortable and durable.

Every person dreams of his own home in which his family will live. Over time, construction technologies have made great strides forward, so there is no need to limit yourself to materials such as brick and wood. Today, there are new materials for construction, one of which is aerated concrete. A house made of such material will serve you for many years without losing its original characteristics during operation. After reading this article, you will learn how to build a house from an aerated block with your own hands.

Advantage of aerated block

Aerated concrete is an excellent alternative to brick, as it is distinguished by its good thermal insulation properties, reliability, strength and durability. This material has already won the respect of most builders and developers, as it has many advantages. What are they?

It is for these characteristics that gas blocks are gaining more and more popularity:

1. Aerated concrete has low thermal conductivity, so buildings made from it have much better thermal properties than houses made from brick, concrete or wood.
2. The porous structure of aerated concrete gives the walls high air and vapor permeability. Houses built from aerated blocks have constant regulation of air humidity and air circulation, which creates a good microclimate, the same as in natural wooden houses.
3. Aerated blocks are made to precise dimensions with minimal tolerances and a smooth surface, so when laying walls you can use special glue, which will speed up the construction process and prevent the formation of cold bridges during operation. The process is also accelerated due to the large block sizes.
4. Aerated concrete is fire-resistant and environmentally friendly material.
5. The material has a porous structure, due to which the weight of the blocks and, accordingly, the load on the foundation is not the same as that of other building materials. This allows you to reduce the cost of building a foundation.
6. Due to its high strength, aerated concrete does not break, does not crumble and retains its original appearance.
7. According to many experts, a building made of aerated concrete can last more than 30 years.
8. Aerated concrete has a high absorbent surface, which allows it to adhere well to plaster and other materials.

Such advantages allow you to use the material to build your own home.

Due to its porous structure, aerated concrete easily accumulates moisture and can store it for a long time, and this will lead to freezing of the walls and the formation of mold on them. Therefore, during operation and during further operation, the material should be protected from external factors.

What you need to know before construction

If this is your first time building your home, you need to know that the first thing you need to do is take care of the paperwork. After all, no one will just let you build a house on a plot of land. You must first obtain a building permit to be approved by the authorities in your area. Therefore, you need to prepare the necessary documents, including a plan for the future construction.

Not everyone can make house drawings, because this requires special education. Therefore, you can turn to specialists who, for a certain amount of money, will be able to transfer your dream home to paper. Another option is to surf the Internet in search of a house project. In this case, be careful, because you don’t know who made them and whether they were done correctly.

Such a plan must have:

• foundation;
• floors with cuts;
• roof truss structure and calculation of the roof surface;
• door and window openings.

You need to decide in advance on the design of the building. Aerated concrete can be cut, so you can make various arches, columns and beautiful openings. There are many options, the design can be different, depending on your desire.

Another important point before starting construction is to purchase material. To avoid additional financial costs, you need to buy as many blocks as needed. But how to calculate gas blocks for a house in such a way as to avoid shortage and excess of material? Here you need to take into account the size of the house itself and the aerated concrete blocks. The first step is to find out the area of ​​the walls.

All dimensions must be indicated in the house plan. For example, one wall is 12 m long, and the other is 10 m long. There will be two such walls. All of them need to be added:

12+12+10+10=44 m

It turns out that along the perimeter we have a length of 44 m. But the house also has a height, so it needs to be multiplied by the perimeter. Suppose the height of the house is 4 m. Then it turns out:

44×4=176 m 2

In total, the wall area of ​​your house is 176 m2. Based on this data, you need to calculate the number of blocks that are sold by cubic meters. To do this, the thickness of the block (0.3) must be multiplied by the area:

176×0.3=52.8 m 3

So, to lay out the outer box of the house, you will need 53 m 3 of gas blocks. For internal walls the calculation is the same. Please note that it is not advisable to take material close to each other; it is better to add 10% on top so that you have enough blocks during construction.

During transportation, the blocks must be covered with a hermetic film so that moisture does not destroy the material during transportation. Moreover, aerated blocks need to be strengthened so that after delivery they are not damaged, given the kind of roads there are.

Aerated concrete must be stored in a dry place where it will not accumulate moisture. Cover it under a canopy to prevent precipitation. It is important to provide a level surface on which to lay the blocks. Then the material will be stored correctly without losing its qualities.

How to fasten aerated concrete blocks - mortar or glue?

As mentioned earlier, one of the advantages of a gas block is that it can be fixed either using a regular solution or using a special glue. What material should I choose for the job? It should be borne in mind that each of them has both certain advantages and disadvantages.

There are the following advantages to using glue:

• perfect joints;
• very smooth wall masonry;
• no cold bridges;
• it is simpler and easier to work with.

But it is important to consider that:

• during operation, the glue will release various toxins;
• its price is much higher than that of the solution.

An ordinary solution consists of water, cement and sand. Of the minuses, it should be noted that laying is somewhat more difficult than using glue, since you constantly need to monitor the evenness of the masonry. But it is much easier to correct these irregularities using a solution.

There are no specific rules or laws when choosing. Based on the above, you can determine for yourself which material to use.

Preparatory work

To build a house from aerated concrete, the first thing you need to do is do some preparatory work, without which construction will not begin:

• first of all, you need to provide electricity at the construction site so that there is light and tools can be connected;
• organize a place for storing aerated concrete;
• prepare a place that will serve as a warehouse for consumable construction materials;
• deliver the necessary inventory, tools and equipment to the site;
• bring the material necessary for the work (aerated concrete, cement, sand, crushed stone) for at least a week of work;
• carry out geodetic preparation;
• study the building plan, methods and methods of conducting work and organize the safety of the workplace.

Laying should be done at temperatures from 5 to 25ºC. If the ambient temperature is above 25ºC, then when performing work, the aerated concrete must be constantly moistened with water.

Construction technology

The technology of building houses from aerated concrete blocks began to be used in Europe, where it came to us from. For many years, aerated concrete has been a popular material that has proven itself well due to its properties. For many decades, such houses have stood in most countries of Canada, Asia and Europe.

Many people without construction experience know the technological procedure for performing work in general terms. Let's take a closer look at what needs to be done to build the building:

1. Construction of the foundation. Due to the fact that aerated concrete is a relatively lightweight material, it is not necessary to make a reinforced foundation; it all depends on the number of storeys, the location of groundwater and the type of soil at the construction site. Basically, for a house made of aerated concrete, a strip or monolithic foundation is chosen. Work on its installation can last 3 weeks or more. Please note that the porosity of the material contributes to increased water absorption, so it is necessary to carry out waterproofing work, paying special attention to them.
2. Laying walls. It is much easier to build walls from aerated block than from brick. Since the blocks are large and even, it can be completed very quickly. The main thing is to choose the masonry and strictly adhere to the scheme. If the house has two floors or more, it is important to strengthen the walls, making the structure reliable and durable. For this, reinforced belts are used, then the perimeter of the house will be additionally strengthened.
3. To lay the walls, use a solution or special glue, which is applied with a special tool or a comb spatula. Thanks to it, you can achieve an even technological layer of millimeters. To level the blocks, use a rubber hammer and tap on top of the block. This will not damage the block and will ensure uniform masonry. It should be noted that aerated concrete walls practically do not shrink after construction. It turns out that finishing work can be carried out immediately, due to which the construction costs will be significantly reduced.
4. Covering a house is an important part of construction. For an aerated concrete house, they can be monolithic, wood, concrete slabs, or combined.
5. Another important stage is the construction of the roof. You immediately need to calculate the roofing surface, purchase material and make a roof truss system, as well as cover it with roofing material.
6. Glazing of finished frame windows. You should choose a double-glazed window to provide sound and thermal insulation.
7. After which you need to carry out interior finishing: lay utilities such as sewerage, water supply, heating, electricity, arrange the base of the floor, erect internal partitions, prepare the surface of the walls for finishing and complete it.
8. Final finishing of the facade. At this stage, the eaves overhangs are hemmed to the roof, and a water drainage system is installed. Well, the walls are finished directly. Thanks to it, you can achieve the following goals: level the surface, hiding unevenness, protect the material from mechanical damage and moisture, and give the house a beautiful aesthetic appearance.
9. The last stage is landscape design. You can decorate the area, plant it with landscaping, build a fence and make decorations.

If you adhere to these technologies, your home will last a long time without losing its qualities, it will be cozy and warm, and fungus and mold will not bother you.

So, theoretically you are already prepared, you can move on to practice to learn how to build a house with your own hands.

Start of work - preparing the base for the foundation

The first thing you need to do is mark the site on which the house will be built. This is done for orientation in order to dig a trench under the foundation. To do this you need a rope, a hammer and stakes. Further according to the scheme:

• clear the site for construction: remove debris and obstructing objects; if the site is overgrown with large weeds, they also need to be removed;
• now make the markings. To do this, starting from the drawings, drive stakes into the corners of the building. It should be noted that a strip foundation is erected under each wall, following the contour of the building. This is what you need to do on earth. You will dig a trench using this marking, so everything needs to be done smoothly, respecting the dimensions and width of the foundation;
• After the stakes are driven straight, you need to measure the diagonals. When they match the drawings, feel free to pull the rope between them.

The rope should be pulled tightly so that there is no sagging.

Now you can move on to the next stage - digging a trench. Digging a trench begins with finding the lowest point of the site. It is from this that you need to calculate the depth of the foundation. Please note that the size of the finished pit must be identical to the size of the house based on the project.

For the work, you will need shovels and labor, since doing all the work yourself will not only be difficult, but also take a long time. As a last resort, if circumstances permit, you can hire special equipment. The walls of the trench must be made vertical and the bottom level. To check this, use a plumb line while digging as it will be more difficult to correct anything once it's finished. The depth of the foundation depends on the soil and number of storeys of the building. It can be shallow - from 50 to 70 cm for small houses, and recessed - from 1 to 2 m.

Be sure to make a foundation cushion at the bottom of the trench. Pour sand or crushed stone there in a layer of 10 to 20 cm. Compact everything well and lay a layer of roofing material on top. This will provide good waterproofing without allowing the foundation to absorb moisture.

Installation of formwork and laying of reinforcement

Shields need to be assembled from boards, plywood or other wooden materials. You can connect the elements together with self-tapping screws or nails. If you live in areas with a harsh climate, raise the formwork 40–50 cm above ground level so that the walls do not freeze under the thick snow. And when the climate is not so harsh, the base can be made even 30 cm. Then stretch the fishing line around the perimeter so that it corresponds to the level of pouring concrete into the foundation.

This stage includes not only the installation of formwork, but also the necessary communications. After all, if you do not do this in advance, holes for sewerage or water supply will need to be made in the finished foundation.

To strengthen the foundation, you need to place a reinforcing mesh in it. It will be placed in formwork. To make such a frame, you will need Ø14 mm reinforcement rods and flexible steel wire. The rods need to be tied into a mesh with wire. When making cells, it is not necessary to adhere to certain dimensions. On average, these are cells 20x20 cm in size, equal to the size of the trench.

In order for the concrete to completely cover the reinforcing mesh, it must be installed not flush with the top of the trench, but 5–10 cm lower.

Now everything is ready to pour the concrete.

This stage of work can be divided into several steps:

1. Determining the required volume of concrete. To calculate how much mixture will be used to fill, there is a formula: V=S×L, where:
   V is the required volume of concrete,
   L – foundation length,
   S – cross-sectional area.
   And to find out the area, just multiply the height of the tape by its width. For example, the length of the foundation strip is 44 m, height 1.3 m, and width 0.5 m. To determine the cross-section, multiply the height by the width: S = 1.3 × 0.5 = 0.65 m 2. After which: V = 44 × 0.65 = 28.6 m 3. It turns out that to fill your foundation you will need 28.6 m 3 of concrete solution.
2. Now you need to decide whether to order concrete from a construction company or make it yourself. The easiest way is to order the solution - it will be quick, without extra effort, but the service costs more. If you want to save money, you can make concrete yourself, this process is more labor-intensive. It is better to have a concrete mixer, because mixing such a large volume by hand is unrealistic. To ensure high-quality concrete, strictly adhere to the proportions: 1: 1: 3 - cement, crushed stone, sand. Water must be added until the mixture reaches the required consistency.
3. If you have never poured concrete, you should know that it is wrong to dump all the concrete into the trench. It is important to pour concrete in an even layer of 20–30 cm so that the concrete comes out monolithic. There is no need for haste in this matter, since the foundation is the foundation and support of the house, which allows it to stand for a long time.
4. It is important to expel the air from the concrete by tamping each layer. To do this, use a vibrator. If this is not available, simply compact the concrete with a stick or reinforcement. Continue pouring until you reach the line level. To better compact the concrete, tap the formwork with a mallet from the outside.
5. After finishing the pouring, the surface of the foundation must be leveled using a trowel.

The foundation is poured. The cement will dry in 3–5 days, but it will only be able to reach the desired “condition” and gain strength in a month. To prevent precipitation from falling on the surface and eroding the concrete, the entire surface should be covered with something, you can use plastic film. If you are building in the summer and it is hot outside, the composition needs to be moistened from time to time so that the concrete does not crack. After 10 days you can remove the formwork.

Before you start building walls, you need to carry out waterproofing work. The base can be coated with bitumen and several layers of roofing material can be laid.

After the concrete has dried, you can begin constructing the walls of the building. In this article we will look at the process of laying walls using the tongue and groove method. So, you need to lay out the first row of blocks on the prepared surface. Any builder knows that the first row is the most important, since others will be guided by it. When the first row is not level, the entire building will be crooked.

For work you will need:

• building level;
• rope or cord;
• electric or manual wall chaser;
• rubber mallet;
• brush for removing dust from the groove;
• hacksaw with large teeth;
• Master OK;
• fittings Ø8 or 10 mm;
• trowel or notched trowel;
• planer for aerated concrete.

To lay the first row, experts recommend using cement mortar. Let it dry longer, but you will be able to lay the first row strictly according to the level. The thickness of the solution layer should be at least 1 cm. This is enough to even out differences.

The first step is to prepare the solution. There is a simple recipe for preparation. You will need:

• shovel;
• buckets;
• trough;
• boron sand;
• cement;
• soap solution;
• water.

So, prepare a trough and pour 1 shovel of cement, 3 shovels of sand into it and mix them thoroughly. Pour water into a bucket and add 1 drop of dishwashing detergent to it. This soapy water will help prevent the cement mixture from settling to the bottom and will make mixing the solution easier.

Now add water to the sand and cement mixture. There is no specific measurement, you need to look at the consistency so that the solution is not too liquid and not too thick. Stir the solution with a shovel. It is important to ensure good quality and viscosity so that it adheres well. Since this amount will not be enough, you can make a larger portion. The main thing is to adhere to the proportion 1:3.

After preparation, you can start laying. The technology is simple - you need to start building the wall from the corners. Place corner blocks on both sides of the wall on the mortar layer. Using a mallet and level, align them perfectly evenly. Then stretch the fishing line or cord from one corner to the other. The following blocks will be laid out on it. When the wall is more than 10 m in length, a block is also placed in the middle of the row so that the cord does not sag, since it must be well stretched. After which the first row of blocks is laid along the entire perimeter and partitions. To adjust them, use a rubber mallet to tap the blocks. It is clear that the length of the wall will not always be a multiple of the blocks, so some of them will need to be adjusted to size. This is where you need a hacksaw.

During laying, do not get carried away so as not to block the doorways.

Once the first row is ready, wait 2-3 hours for the solution to set. After it has dried, the surface of the blocks should be treated with a plane to give it roughness, then the next row will lie much smoother. Now, instead of the solution, you can use special glue. It must be applied with a notched trowel. The second and third rows are made according to the same pattern as the first. Only now the rads need to be tied up with the previous one, moving the blocks halfway. The block can be moved at least 8 cm. After which the laying process is repeated.

The glue will dry much faster than the solution, so you don’t have to wait long, the work should be done at a fast pace.

If you are building a large house, the walls need to be strengthened. To do this, in every 3rd or 4th row you need to reinforce the masonry. Take a wall chaser and make 2 parallel channels in the blocks. Their width should be 4 cm, and the distance from the edge of the block should be 5–6 cm. Remove dust from them with a brush and install 1–2 reinforcing bars there. Then fill everything with cement mortar or glue. There is no need to wait for it to dry.

Window sills and windows

Where the window opening will be, you need to cut two parallel lines. Their size should be 30 cm larger than the size of the window frame, 15 on each side. Clean the grooves from dust with a brush and place Ø8 or 10 mm reinforcement in them and cover everything with the solution. When laying, do not block openings. It's better to do them right away. There is an option to cut them out later, but this is a waste of material and effort.

Installing jumpers

As things move along, you will need to install a lintel over the door and window openings. To do everything right, you need:

1. Place a board over the window.
2. Lay blocks 15 cm thick outside.
3. Inside there are blocks, 10 cm thick.
4. In the center is a block 15 cm thick, sawn in half.
5. Make a frame from Ø12 mm reinforcement.
6. Install the finished structure between the blocks.
7. All that remains is to fill it with concrete.

You can make doorways in the same way, although there are other options for constructing a lintel. It can be made from reinforced concrete, metal corners and filled with concrete, making formwork.

You can buy ready-made jumpers that are easy to install.

Armopoyas

When the masonry of the walls comes to an end, the last row needs to be strengthened by organizing an armored belt. Thanks to it, the integrity of the structure can be ensured. To fill the armored belt, formwork must be formed from 10 cm thick blocks around the perimeter of all walls, laying them parallel to each other. You need to lay reinforcement into the resulting groove. Then prepare the concrete and pour everything around the perimeter.

To simplify the task of installing the Mauerlat for the roof, threaded metal studs can be inserted into the armored belt. They can be welded to the fittings. It is important to adhere to the exact dimensions so that they rise at the same level. Having done this, it will be much easier to install the Mauerlat.

When building a multi-story building, you need to make a ceiling separating the floors. It can be made from wood, metal, concrete and reinforced concrete slabs. The ceiling must be supported by an armored belt. If the walls of the house are separated from each other by less than 6 meters, you can use aerated concrete slabs, which have the same properties as aerated block walls. The slabs are installed on a reinforced belt, the joints between the slabs are filled with mortar. The ends of the slabs from the outside must be covered with ax blocks.

It is clear that you cannot lift the concrete slabs yourself, so for the work you will need heavy equipment - namely a crane that will lift the slabs to the required height. You need to guide the slab to position it correctly.

Another flooring option is to use wooden beams. Their height can be 150–300 mm, and their width – 100–250. Their ends need to be cut at an angle of 60–80˚, treated with an antiseptic and tarred. After which these ends are wrapped in roofing material and placed in niches to a depth of 150 mm. In this case, the gap between the beam and the wall remains 30–50 mm. They need to be installed in increments of 600–1500 mm. Then the sheathing is made and the flooring is laid.

There are different types of such coverings:

• basement - the ceiling between the basement and the first floor;
• interfloor – separating floors;
• attic - floors between the floor and the attic;
• attic – separates the floor of the house from the attic.

Before making a roof, you need to make an attic or mansard floor, depending on the type of roof.

Roofing device

The last stage of building a house box is building the roof. First of all, you need to decide what kind of roof to make, since they are made into the following types:

• pitched roof;

You choose what kind of roof you want to build yourself. The main thing that needs to be done for any type of roof is to carry out waterproofing, thermal insulation and vapor barrier work.

If you have an attic roof, you definitely need to take care of sound insulation.

Let's consider the construction of a common gable roof. So, on the prepared metal studs along the perimeter you need to install a mauerlat - a beam that will serve as a support for the rafters. At this stage, you need to lay 1 or 2 layers of roofing material under the timber for waterproofing. Now you need to attach rafters with a cross section of 7x15 cm to the mauerlat. You can attach the rafters to the beam in different ways, which are shown below.

The upper part of the rafters overlap each other so that the edge of one rafter overlaps the edge of the other. Then they need to be fastened with nails or bolts. To strengthen the structure, parallel rafters are connected to each other using a board.

To distribute the load and strengthen the rafters, you need to fasten them together with a crossbar. These are beams with a cross section of 5x15 cm that need to be nailed to the rafters. They need to be secured slightly above the middle of the roof. And in order to give additional strength to the roof and avoid sagging of the rafter system, you additionally need to install vertical posts.

After this, you need to secure a layer of waterproofing on top of the rafters. Insulation, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is fixed under the waterproofing. And at the end you need to lay a vapor barrier, attaching it with slats to the rafters. All that remains is to make the sheathing, gable and lay the roofing material.

Today there is a wide variety of roofing materials; slate is already a thing of the past. Now your roof can be not only reliable, but also beautiful. As a material you can choose:

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  Video

  Watch an animated video that shows how to build a house from aerated concrete:

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Aerated concrete block is a building material with a porous structure. It is made from cement, water, crushed lime, sand and gypsum stone, and aluminum powder is also added as a gas-forming component. Aerated concrete is produced only on special equipment in the factory. It is quite possible to build a house from aerated concrete with your own hands.

Aerated concrete is widely used in various climatic zones in the construction of industrial premises and houses. It has a relatively light weight (less than 30 kg), and in terms of laying area it can replace 30 bricks. You can build a house from aerated concrete blocks with your own hands.

Positive characteristics:

• due to its air-porous structure, the gas block has good heat and sound insulating properties;
• made from non-flammable components, fireproof;
• has high frost resistance and a long service life;
• according to environmental standards, aerated concrete is considered a safe material;
• not subject to rotting or mold formation, as it is made from mineral raw materials;
• easy to process, you can easily build a house of any design and make arched door or window openings;
• due to its low weight, the use of lifting equipment is not required;
• not subject to destruction from ultraviolet rays and precipitation;
• heat-inertial - when heated by the sun, the room inside does not overheat, and in cold weather it does not freeze;
• external finishing or additional thermal insulation is done depending on the climate zone and is not mandatory.

The heat efficiency of the material depends on the thickness of the wall and the brand of aerated concrete used. Thus, the use of a d600 block with a width of 20 cm has an indicator of 0.71 W/m·K, 30 cm - 0.45 W/m·K, 40 cm - 0.34 W/m·K. If brand d400 is used: 20 cm - 0.50 W/mK, 30 cm - 0.31 W/mK, 40 cm - 0.25 W/mK.

Negative characteristics:

• hygroscopic - it is not recommended to use blocks for the construction of a sauna, steam room or bathhouse without additional vapor barrier;
• aerated concrete masonry, like any other stone material, needs a solid foundation to prevent deformation;
• plastering work is difficult, since aerated concrete has a smooth surface, which requires adding PVA to the solution;
• Special fasteners are required for fastening.

When you independently build a house from aerated concrete, you can expand your architectural plans due to its easy workability. In addition, aerated blocks are larger in size than bricks, so laying 1 m2 will take no more than 20 minutes.

Set of tools for construction

Before you start building a house from aerated concrete with your own hands, you should prepare all the necessary tools and building materials. For each construction stage you will need your own set:

• cord for marking the trench, tape measure;
• shovels, crowbar, pickaxe necessary for excavation work;
• hacksaw for cutting blocks, dosing carriage with glue, scoops, trowels, grater, brush, polishing, building level, rubber hammer, corner. They are used when laying gas blocks;
• plastering spatula and float, cuttings, rustications, brushes, spatulas, buckets - used for plastering and finishing work;
• The wall chaser is designed for cutting grooves for laying fittings and wiring;
• electric milling machine is used for cutting deeper grooves;
• electric drill with a crown for drilling holes for switches and sockets.

Aerated concrete can be processed well with simple tools. As a result, using simple devices, you can quickly and efficiently lay the blocks yourself. You can also easily make decorative trim using a regular chisel.

Site marking

Before the start of construction work on the site, it is necessary to strew the access road with large crushed stone so that in the future there will be no problems with the delivery of building materials and special equipment. The site for the future home is cleared of unnecessary materials and debris.

A plan is drawn up taking into account the boundaries of neighboring plots, on which a house and places for outbuildings are outlined. Using a tape measure, pegs and a cord, the site for the construction of the building is marked. Pegs are driven into the ground at the corners of the perimeter, and a rope is stretched between them. Markings for the outer foundation of the house are made by stepping back from the stretched cord to the width of the future foundation, and stretching a rope parallel to it. To check the evenness of the perimeter, pull the cords diagonally.

Preparing the trenches

Before digging a trench, it is necessary to determine the type of soil at the site of the future house. The soil may be very rocky, which will make digging a trench difficult, or, conversely, sandy, in which case there is a risk of it crumbling. It is necessary to calculate to what depth and width the trench will be dug. If there are stumps or bushes with trees that interfere with construction, they are uprooted, or the upcoming construction is moved. Removing a large tree can be a very expensive and time-consuming undertaking.

Digging a trench

You can dig a trench yourself - using a shovel, or dig with an excavator. When soil falls to the bottom of the ditch, it is removed, since even when compacted it will remain loose. The depth of the trench depends on the level of freezing, the width is 70-80 cm, or it is equal to the width of the concrete base (a hole for a monolithic slab). If the soil is loose and crumbling occurs, then install boards. At the bottom of the trench, make a foundation cushion of sand, 15-20 cm thick, and compact it well.

Making the foundation

A strip or monolithic foundation is made for an aerated concrete house. The choice of the right foundation depends on the technical characteristics of the soil and financial capabilities. The work process can be divided into stages:

• we make formwork;
• we lay the fittings;
• pour concrete.

Installation of formwork

Formwork is a structure made of boards, panels, block elements for pouring concrete. There are two types: removable - dismantled after the solution dries, and non-removable - remains as additional thermal insulation.

Permanent formwork is erected from extruded polystyrene foam, wood concrete or expanded clay concrete. Each material has its own positive and negative properties.

Before laying the formwork blocks, waterproofing material or reinforced film is laid at the bottom of the trench. The work of laying the formwork is done from the corner, moving along the perimeter, laying them in a checkerboard pattern. If the blocks have connecting grooves, they should be on top. The evenness of the installation is checked by the tension of the cord and the level.

Laying the reinforcement

Before installing the first row of strip formwork, iron rods are tied into grooves inside it and secured together with wire. Vertical reinforcement bars are installed and attached to the horizontal ones. After the required height of the formwork has been built, the excess reinforcement is cut off.

Pouring concrete

It is better to pour concrete in dry and cool weather to avoid excessive waterlogging or evaporation of moisture from the solution. To prepare concrete mortar, it is necessary to use high-quality cement grades M400 or M500. Sand is used without any admixture of earth and clay, preferably river sand. The water must be clean, not chlorinated. Crushed stone is suitable for large fillers.

The ratio of cement to sand is 1:4, to crushed stone - 1:2, to water - 1:0.5. If wet sand is used, the amount of water is reduced.

At sub-zero temperatures, a plasticizer is added to prevent the solution from freezing. If you are building a small house, you can use a concrete mixer to mix the concrete, but for a larger area of ​​pouring the foundation, it is better to use a ready-made concrete mixture. It must be ordered in such a volume that it is enough to fill the entire area at one time. The poured concrete must be processed with a vibrating rammer to remove voids and distribute the mixture evenly.

Building walls

The use of aerated concrete as a material for building walls allows one to achieve good strength and thermal protection of the building. The blocks are light and large in size, which makes it possible to build the walls of a house with an area of ​​150-200 m2 in just 1-1.5 months. Construction work can be divided into several stages:

• lay out the first row;
• put the 2nd and 3rd rows;
• preparation for window sills and windows;
• lintels for windows and window sills;
• interfloor armored belt.

Laying the first row

We remove debris, dust from the top of the foundation and lay waterproofing. We lay it along the entire perimeter and interior walls. It is better to lay the insulation not by joining, but by overlapping.

Cement mortar is used to lay out the first row, since the top of the foundation is not level enough. Using the mixture will help level out all the unevenness and lay the aerated concrete blocks more evenly.

The minimum thickness of the cement mortar layer is 1 cm, so it is necessary to determine the highest angle on the foundation using a level. From there they begin laying gas blocks, constantly checking the level readings. They do this after each placed block.

The masonry is carried out along the entire perimeter of the house and along the walls inside it, not forgetting to adjust the evenness according to the level. It is convenient to use gas blocks with tongue-and-groove fastening - they are easier to lay and carry. Also, for convenience and to save time, pallets with blocks are placed inside the building.

Making the 2nd and 3rd rows

Before laying a new row of gas blocks, the surface of the previous one must be polished. This is done for better adhesion of the glue between the blocks, since it is applied only 0.5-0.7 cm at a time.

The second row is laid from the corner with a shift of half a block (at least 8 cm) so that the seam from the laid gas blocks does not coincide with the previous rows. The glue is applied using a dosing carriage or a special ladle with teeth. The gas blocks are placed as close to each other as possible; if necessary, use a rubber hammer. The work must be done as quickly as possible, since the glue sets within 15 minutes. At sub-zero temperatures down to −15°C, glue with special additives is used.

The blocks of the third and subsequent rows are also placed. It is necessary to regularly monitor the evenness of the laid gas blocks. Having added aerated concrete to the location of future doors or windows, it is not always possible to lay them so that they do not protrude into the openings. This problem can be easily dealt with using a regular hacksaw with long teeth. For an even cut, a special corner is used.

Preparing walls for window sills and windows

Reinforcement of window openings should be done one row below the future window sill. This is necessary to strengthen the walls where the window opening will be. To do this, use a wall chaser to make 2 longitudinal grooves along the length of the wall. The furrows should be larger on each side by 30 cm of the width of the window. The reinforcement is laid and filled with cement mortar. Further installation of aerated concrete blocks is done with glue, in the required order, taking into account window and door openings.

We make lintels for windows and doors

It is necessary to install lintels over door and window openings to prevent wall collapse. You can do this in several ways:

• A simple option is to purchase ready-made ones.
• You can use U-shaped aerated concrete blocks. A support is made from boards above the door or window opening. The required number of U-shaped gas blocks are glued together and placed in the right place. Reinforcement is placed inside the blocks and filled with cement mortar.
• Simple aerated concrete blocks are glued together and 3 longitudinal grooves are made into them. They lay the reinforcement and fill it with a cement-sand mixture. Allow to dry for approximately 24 hours. Such lintels are placed on openings no wider than 1 meter and with the reinforcement facing down.

The gaps between the wall and the lintels are filled with gas blocks of the required size.

Interfloor armored belt

An armored belt is a layer of reinforced concrete poured between blocks. Necessary to add strength to the entire wall structure and install the Mauerlat.

Gas blocks 10 cm wide are placed along the edges of the external walls, forming formwork. Reinforcement is placed in the resulting space between the blocks and filled with mortar.

To attach the Mauerlat to the armored belt, reinforcement bars with threads cut into them are vertically concreted. The studs are placed at a distance of 1-1.5 m from each other.

Roof

Waterproofing material is laid on the reinforced belt of the walls and the mauerlat (support beam) is laid. It is attached to the studs using nuts. At the corners of the structure, the support beams are fastened together with steel brackets. Tightening is done, that is, transverse beams are laid along the width of the building. Further along the length of the house, 2 rows of beams (beams) are attached so that they are at the same distance from each other and from the edges. So, for example, if the width of the house is 10 m, then this distance will be equal to 3.3 m.


Vertical wooden posts are attached to the beds using staples, corners or nails at a distance of 2-2.5 m. They are installed opposite each other on both sides. For better fastening, tie downs are placed on top of the posts parallel to the width of the roof. Then longitudinal beams are laid on wooden posts on both sides along the length of the roof - a purlin. They are needed to support the rafters.

The installation of the rafters begins from the edge of the roof, making an equal distance between them. Their lower part is attached to the mauerlat, and the top is attached to the rafter beam standing opposite. To ensure the strength of the entire attic structure, the rafters are fastened to purlins.

Before laying the roofing material, a sheathing is made. The roof is placed on it, doing it from right to left and from bottom to top. Each type of material requires its own fasteners.

Finishing work

Aerated concrete walls are lined with siding or sandwich panels on the outside. When installing them, it is necessary to leave a gap between the gas blocks and the finishing material. It is needed to remove moisture that can enter through various cracks.

Interior finishing of aerated concrete walls is carried out at a temperature not lower than +10°C. If there are chips, broken edges, or holes on the surface of the blocks, they are filled with masonry mixture. Protruding parts on the walls are rubbed with a sanding float.

Inside, aerated concrete walls are finished with plaster or plasterboard. After which they can be painted, wallpapered or covered with other material.

The walls are plastered with a special mixture for aerated blocks, which is diluted in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Estimated estimate for construction

The construction of a house begins with the creation of a project and work to determine the characteristics of the soil. The cost depends on the prices of the organizations.

• monolithic base (slab) - 500-700 thousand rubles;
• tape - 300-500 thousand rubles.

If you make a monolithic foundation yourself, the price will be almost half less.

With a block cost of 3 thousand rubles. per m 3, 210 thousand rubles need to be spent on the construction of all walls. For masonry you will also need about 105 bags of glue. The average cost of one is 250 rubles. The total amount is 250×105=26250 rubles. Reinforcement is also added here. It will be needed with a reserve of about 1 km, and this will cost 15 thousand rubles. The armored belt will cost 75 thousand rubles.

The cost of flooring depends on the type of material. Starts from 50 thousand rubles. The price of the roof also varies depending on the content. The installation of a rafter system costs about 100 thousand, roofing coverings start from 70 thousand, insulation with mineral wool - 20-50 thousand rubles. A house made of aerated concrete without finishing, with an area of ​​100 m2, built with your own hands, will cost approximately 1 million 200 thousand rubles.