Which house is better brick or aerated concrete. Brick or gas block: what is better to build a house from. Brick or aerated concrete: which is better

One of the issues with which construction begins is the choice of material for the construction of walls. The modern construction market can offer a large variety of building materials with a variety of characteristics, and it often happens that their consumer value is clearly overstated.

Before you start building a cottage, you need to make up an idea about what the expected operating conditions are, and stop choosing a building material that has a specific set of properties suitable for these conditions.

By the way, this is not so easy due to the vast number of offers on the market, accompanied by advertising, which may turn out to be false or contain inaccurate information. The most popular materials in this area are brick in the traditional version and cellular concrete, of which many consider aerated concrete to be the best. Which of them will be better - aerated concrete or brick - should be decided after familiarizing yourself with the main characteristics.

brick features

Fired bricks have been used in construction for a long time. He was known and more than four hundred years ago. Of course, he did not immediately acquire all the properties modern product, but it should be noted that during this time its characteristics have improved significantly.

Today, brick is a material with great strength and long term services. It is used by builders all over the world. This item is made from clay. In the production of bricks different kind clay of different composition and different dispersion is used.

Clay, mixed with water and properly dried, is able to retain its shape well. During the subsequent firing in the product, a whole complex is formed mechanical characteristics. The firing process takes quite a long time - a dynamic temperature change and a certain atmosphere in the drying chamber are applied.

Roasting is carried out in accordance with individual technologies- they are developed for a specific clay composition. The level of frost resistance and strength finished products depends on the temperature and duration of firing.

Depending on the production technology and the composition of the initial mixture, the brick is divided into silicate and ceramic types. Silicate bricks have such qualities as frost resistance and increased strength, but significant moisture absorption and rather high thermal conductivity caused a wider distribution of another type, that is, ceramic bricks. It is more resistant to washing out due to precipitation, has excellent soundproofing properties.

It also has higher thermal insulation characteristics than silicate brick. Ceramic brick has a strength of 25 MPa, making it suitable for use as a structural material for bearing walls in multi-storey buildings.

Definition of aerated concrete

In aerated concrete, the main characteristic can be considered a high thermal insulation capacity, which is due to the porous structure of the material, while the structural strength will remain at a level that allows building three-story buildings from it.

For aerated concrete, the following composition is typical: water, lime, cement, quartz sand and aluminum powder. Sometimes manufacturers add original composition slag, ash and other waste products. In this case, the total cost is somewhat cheaper, but the quality of the finished product is greatly reduced.

Have the best performance. At elevated temperature and pressure in the autoclave, aerated concrete blocks acquire a fairly homogeneous macrostructure, which significantly affects the strength of the building material. This reduces the effect of moisture and temperature shrinkage on stability. geometric shape blocks.

It is hardly possible to unambiguously answer the question of which material is better for building walls. Both aerated concrete blocks and bricks have a complex performance characteristics characteristic only of this material. But at low-rise construction gas silicate blocks ahead of the brick in several respects. The dimensions of aerated concrete blocks are equal to the dimensions of 7 or 8 bricks, so the construction is faster, and the bonding mortar will be needed in much smaller quantities.

Due to the wide range of grades of aerated concrete, it can be used for both thermal insulation and structural purposes. But it should be borne in mind that a brick-built building will need additional insulation. It can also be mentioned that aerated concrete blocks the price will be lower than for the same volume of bricks. And at the cost of 1 sq.m. aerated concrete masonry is the leader. Its use contributes to the economy of construction costs.

Before choosing any building material, you should familiarize yourself with its performance characteristics.

Comparative characteristics

One of the most important indicators when choosing a material is the mass of the future building. So, the foundation for brick will be required due to the greater weight, more expensive and complex than for aerated concrete.

The ability of a material to transfer heat, that is, thermal conductivity. To provide for a house with brick walls good quality thermal insulation, the thickness of the walls should be 50 cm, and this increases the amount of material needed for construction. Or you have to use insulation materials which is also not always convenient. with the same thermal conductivity can be made 40 cm thick.

You can compare brick with concrete in terms of frost resistance - this is the ability of a material to maintain strength both in a wet state and with repeated thawing and freezing. For aerated concrete, this is 25-35 cycles, for fireclay bricks - approximately 50 cycles. If it is necessary that the building can serve long years, it is better to choose a brick.

The main limitation in the use of aerated concrete: you should not build buildings higher than three floors from it because of the lower masonry strength than brick. Perfect option- a cottage, the construction of which, thanks to the choice of gas silicate material, will be cheaper.

The service life of the house will depend to a greater extent on such characteristics as water absorption. With its increase, the service life decreases. This indicator for gas silicate material is 100%, for brick - only 6-16%. Increased hygroscopicity leads to the formation of mold and fungus, because of this, construction should be carried out in sunny and dry weather.

But environmental friendliness and fire safety as in brick building, and in the house of aerated concrete blocks modern requirements match the same.

Moisture shrinkage is one of the indicators in favor of brickwork. The house, for the walls of which gas silicate blocks served as the material, gradually decreases in size, due to which cracks may form on individual blocks or walls. Where the material comes into contact with dry heat, such as near chimneys, shrinkage will be even greater. This does not happen with brick walls.

Gas silicate blocks are somewhat easier to machining, however, you should be as careful as possible about the installation of windows and doors - for this, a brick wall will be more reliable. Options for finishing the facade for bricks are also much more diverse.

The fire resistance of a material is its ability to resist the effects of elevated temperatures in the event of a fire. The degree of fire resistance is an indicator of how many hours the structure can withstand before the temperature rises and collapses, through cracks, holes occur.

Both gas silicate building materials and bricks belong to the first class of fire resistance.

This means that load-bearing walls made of these materials have a minimum fire resistance of 2.5 hours. For example, a comparison can be made with wood walls. Their minimum fire resistance is 30 minutes.

If it is not so difficult to deal with all other parameters, then it is unlikely that it will be possible to compare the cost of materials with high accuracy. The fact is that prices for the same building materials can differ significantly even within the same city. Therefore, it is imperative to calculate the cost of brick or aerated concrete, taking into account the location of the construction.

It is also necessary to take into account the fact that the purchased material will need to be transported to the facility. It is unlikely that anyone will be satisfied with such an option when the selected gas silicate blocks, which are cheaper than bricks, will cost many times more during delivery. But, as a rule, depending on the location of the construction, the cost of the purchased brick will be 15-30% more than such material as gas silicate blocks.

As for the construction time, aerated concrete blocks allow you to build walls much faster than when the structural elements are made of bricks. This is due to the volume of the material and its weight. A brick is 13 times smaller than a gas block, and it weighs four times more. In practice, it turns out like this: a box of bricks is obtained after 3-6 months of work, if blocks of aerated concrete are selected, then everything can be erected in 1-3 months.

Conclusion

For some, the defining moment when choosing a material can be the force of habit. A fairly strong belief has been formed in society that a solid house should only be made of brick. There are many confirmations of this. So, for example, many ancient fortresses are perfectly preserved, despite their more than respectable age.

Of course, you can set off on a safe and proven path, that is, follow the traditions. But one should not, choosing material, ignore modern technologies. This will save you money and cash, and time . The main thing here is that their use should be a balanced and sober decision, and not a tribute to fashion. Brick or concrete? The choice should be made based on common sense.

It is hardly possible to determine with accuracy what will be the best material for your building. The concepts of “more expensive-cheaper”, as well as “better-worse”, are quite relative - they can be used only in those cases when you already have a project for the future home in front of you. In some cases, it is better to use only gas silicate blocks as a material for construction, in others - only brick. There is also the possibility of combining both.

It is very difficult or even impossible to answer the question of which is better - brick or aerated concrete, because these are materials that are completely different in structure. They can only be compared in terms of frost resistance, density, moisture permeability, thermal conductivity and cost. Below we will try to understand the structures and qualities of these elements, and also watch the video in this article.

Technical features of aerated concrete

• Aerated concrete is an artificial structural and heat-insulating material, refers to cellular concrete with spherical pores 1-3 mm in diameter. These products are produced for the needs of construction in the form of slabs, panels and blocks (see photo above) from quartz sand, cement and a blowing agent (sometimes lime or gypsum is added), various slags and ash can also be added as fillers.

• The manufacturing process is as follows: the raw material is placed in a mold, filling it with water, and then a process similar to manufacturing yeast dough- the mass rises or foams (reaction of water with a gas generator). After that, the frozen material is cut into the desired pieces (blocks, panels, slabs) and subjected to further processing. The product can be subjected to steam treatment in an autoclave, which acquires additional rigidity, or drying by electric heating.

• Due to the processing process, such material is divided into two types - autoclaved and non-autoclaved aerated concrete. It is very well cut with a hacksaw, it is easy to hammer a nail into it or screw in a screw. Aerated concrete, unlike foam concrete, absorbs moisture, but this can rather be called an advantage than a disadvantage, because plaster is easily applied to it, and the walls gain the ability to “breathe” (any housing construction instruction will approve this factor), which is no longer possible talk about foam concrete structures.

Physical and technical parameters for aerated concrete blocks

• The dimensions of aerated concrete blocks mainly depend on the strength and thermal insulation characteristics. Expediency also matters, so they can be produced with grooves of various types, as well as in the shape of the letter U.

The main parameter that is most often taken into account in the construction of buildings is the width of the block and most often it is 300 mm. But even here many nuances are taken into account, for example, aerated concrete can be used for the main wall or partition, in colder or warmer climatic zones.

Advice. Despite the apparent speed of laying larger blocks, in fact, the pace of work is reduced. This is due to the inconvenience that arises for a bricklayer when working with bulk material.

Brick

The above modular tables are taken from the book by A. M. Moroz “module tables for the design of structures and brickwork».

ceramic brick

1. ceramic brick different subspecies is used for the construction and cladding of load-bearing and self-supporting walls, partitions, chimneys, stoves and fences, laying foundations, sealing niches and openings. A wall of aerated concrete and brick can also be combined, while the latter will serve as the base of the structure.
2. Such a brick can be divided into two more subspecies - front (facing) and ordinary (construction). Ordinary brick has a number of advantages in terms of strength characteristics and this has been verified by many years of construction practice. The dimensions of an ordinary brick may differ in its thickness:

• single- 250x120x65 mm;
• one and a half– 250x120x88 mm;
• double– 250x120x103 mm.

1. For the convenience of masonry and cladding, the brick has its own side names, so its end is called a poke, the edge is a spoon, and the bottom and upper plane- bed.
2. Ceramic bricks of any type have excellent frost resistance, and walls built from such material, as a rule, comply with SNiP 23-03-2003 "Noise Protection". A brick and aerated concrete wall will differ in these parameters, and the first material will outperform the second. For ordinary bricks, water absorption is up to 14%, and for clinker bricks - no more than 3%, besides, both of them dry very quickly and plaster and putty from different mixtures perfectly adhere to it.
3. Red brick is made by firing clay, which has been used by people for thousands of years and does absolutely no harm. The density of such material is 1950kg/m 3 , and if manual molding is performed, then generally up to 2000kg/m 3 .
4. If we compare aerated concrete and brick, then we can distinguish at least three advantages that brick has, these are frost resistance, strength and stability, as well as different textures and colors. The disadvantages include such moments as the high price (compared to silicate), the possibility of the formation of effusions (salts of different origin), the need to select material from one batch (for facing bricks).

silicate brick

• Of such kind fake diamond made from quartz sand (9 parts) and air lime (1 part). Pressing into a mold takes place in a semi-dry form and is processed in an autoclave at a temperature of 170⁰C-200⁰C and a pressure of 8 to 12 atmospheres. Sometimes resistant to precipitation and alkali pigments and then color samples for finishing are obtained.
• Silicate brick of various subspecies is used for the construction and cladding of load-bearing and self-supporting walls, partitions, chimneys and stoves (for the outer part), fences, masonry, sealing niches and openings. By size standard samples silicate are very similar to red brick, so single has 250x120x65 mm, one and a half - 250x120x88 mm, and double silicate brick M 150 - 250x120x138 mm.

• Depending on the brand, the frost resistance of silicate can range from F 15 to F 50; thermal conductivity from 0.39 to 0.60 W / m C; density from 1330 to 1890kg/m 3 .

Advice. Silicate is not plastered, and in this sense, the comparison of brick and aerated concrete outweighs the scales in favor of the latter. But in life there are different situations, and it happens that silicate masonry plaster is required. In this case, tile adhesive is applied to the wall with a comb (notched trowel) and after it dries, it can be successfully plastered.

• If speak about positive qualities silicate brick, then, first of all, we can note its environmental friendliness (quartz sand and lime), as well as good soundproofing qualities. Due to the low water permeability, silicate has a very high frost resistance (the warranty period for the operation of facades made of such material usually reaches 50 years). Compared to building bricks, silicate bricks have a much larger selection of colors and textures, which allows them to be most widely used as finishing material(in this sense, aerated concrete cannot be compared with brick).
• The significant disadvantages of silicate bricks include its low heat resistance and water resistance (not to be confused with water absorption). Because of this, silicate is never used for interior (not facing) masonry of furnaces, chimneys and foundations.
• Despite the shortcomings, ceramic and silicate bricks have the most wide application in industrial, civil and military construction. Many craftsmen who have built more than one house with their own hands will prefer brick rather than aerated concrete, but conservative views on many things, including construction, have been and will be present in all generations.

Walling

Installation of aerated concrete wall

• As already mentioned above (information in the table), aerated concrete blocks are manufactured with a geometrical error of no more than 2 mm, which allows them to be laid quite accurately. This means that the blocks are mounted on an adhesive solution, and the thickness of the vertical or horizontal seam will be no more than 3-5 mm. As you can see in the photo above, the installation order is carried out separately, in the same way as for brickwork - the block of the upper row overlaps each vertical joint of the lower row.

• The first row of blocks is in any case placed on a concrete or brick base, most likely it will be the foundation, since we are talking about walls. Mandatory requirement for such a base is its strict horizontality, and if there is none, then the blocks will have to be leveled with a solution. one more prerequisite for masonry of the first row is its cut-off with waterproofing, which is made either with roofing material, as in the photo, or with some kind of waterproofing solutions.
• The first row of blocks is laid on a cement-sand mortar, made in proportions corresponding to the brand of cement. Aerated concrete should be laid with maximum accuracy, and leveling the first row will affect the evenness of the seams of the entire wall.

Advice. If the blocks are thin, and you want to avoid pulling the cold from below, then lay them not on a continuous cement path, but on an intermittent one, sketching it with tubercles. So you reduce the area of ​​\u200b\u200bcold bridges.

Cleaning irregularities with a grater with a diamond mesh

• Before you start laying the second row, you need to thoroughly align the horizontal of the first. To remove small bumps and irregularities of various kinds, use a grater with diamond-coated or an ordinary joiner's planer. After that, carefully clean the surface with a broom or brush.

• The adhesive solution is applied with a trowel, and then leveled with a special spatula with a comb. Before laying the next row, remove the mixture spreading around the edges with a trowel so as not to stain the aerated concrete.

Bricklaying

• We will not consider everything, because this will require a large separate article, but simply pay attention to some features. The brick is placed on a cement-sand mortar, using various dressings (it all depends on the wall thickness).

• Most often, for brick walls, the well masonry method is used, which allows you to fill the gap with a heater in the form of slag or blow out this sinus with penoizol. For building insulation outer side such masonry can be made in two or even two and a half bricks. For the masonry itself, ordinary ceramic is most often used. single brick, and for the outer and interior decoration- the same ceramic or silicate, but only special - facing.

Conclusion

The walls are main part any building. It is from the walls that the strength, thermal conductivity, durability and appearance the entire building. For their construction use wall stone: brick or aerated concrete blocks.

Brick

Wall stone, such as brick, is used for the construction of various residential and industrial buildings. It has several types, each of which is used in construction.
- Silicate brick is used for the construction of small private houses, cottages and garages. It is low cost and easy to install.
- Ceramic brick is considered a universal building material. Suitable for the construction of any residential and industrial premises.
- Facing stone is used for decoration external walls, fence and garages.
- Chamotte brick is designed for laying stoves and fireplaces, as its main advantage is heat retention.

Aerated concrete blocks

Aerated concrete is made from a mixture of cement, quartz, lime, aluminum powder and water. Aerated concrete is produced domestic producers, for example plant //bikton.ru/. All components are mixed and after hardening, they are ready to be used in construction. Most often, this mixture is used for the manufacture of wall blocks, ceilings and steps for stairs.

Aerated concrete blocks have a number of advantages:
- Natural composition mixtures from which blocks are made;
- Stability in any climatic conditions;
- High level of fire safety;
- Low cost.

Aerated concrete or brick?

What all the same to choose a brick or aerated concrete? If construction is planned high-rise building, using floor slabs, then the walls are best built from bricks. And for a small two-story house With wooden floors, country house or a garage, aerated concrete is perfect. Insulation will have to be used in any construction, no matter what material is used. If you choose by cost, then aerated concrete is much cheaper. Aerated concrete slabs have larger size, so it takes much less time to build. But at the same time, the brick withstands severe cold without losing its properties. Fire resistance of materials high level to protect any structure from fire. The level of thermal conductivity of aerated concrete is much higher, but if you follow the construction technology and build brick walls of at least a meter, then it will become an excellent heat-insulating material.

As a result, one material cannot be singled out, since both brick and aerated concrete are successfully used in construction. The choice will depend not only on the characteristics of the material, but also on the planned construction.

What better brick or aerated concrete? This is one of the most FAQ, which future developers ask themselves country houses when choosing a wall material. Currently, the most popular is the suburban house made of brick or aerated concrete: 1) gas block - in a different way (same) - aerated concrete, aerated concrete block, produced by an industrial autoclave method (not to be confused with foam blocks, which are most often made in a handicraft way to create a competitive attractive price, but with lower technical specifications); 2) ceramic block - in a different way (same) - brick, ceramics, ceramic blocks, ceramic stone, warm ceramics, large-format brick, porous brick, porous stone, porous block.

Brick or gas block- 2 most popular materials fighting for leadership in the modern building materials market. Being different materials in their composition and properties (gas block - sand, cement and lime; brick - clay), they have some similar qualities:

1. They are used for the construction of single-layer walls for individual residential buildings in the Leningrad and Moscow regions without additional use of heaters;
2. They have a high bearing capacity and a high coefficient of reliability, therefore they are more than sufficient for the construction of 2-3-storey country houses;
3. They have, to one degree or another, the property of steam and air exchange, which is important for comfortable living in cottages built from these materials;
4. Safe for the health of residents and environment, because in its composition do not contain harmful, toxic compounds;
5. Both materials are 100% minerals, so they are durable, fire and bio-resistant.

Aerated concrete or ceramics What then is the difference between them? To answer this question, let's look at the following table:

Material Properties	Build a concrete house D400 375x625x250mm	Build a brick house format 14.3NF 510x250x219mm
Comparative estimates for the construction of a 2-storey cottage with total area 165.8m2
Appearance of the cottage taken for comparison and its layout (visualizations belong to architectural studio Alfaplan)
The total cost of building a "box" house	3 729 168 rubles	4 201 422 rubles
Construction cost difference	472 254 rubles That. building a concrete house cheaper at home from large-format bricks by an average of 10-15%
Sufficient warm wall thickness(R norms \u003d 3.08 (m2 * C) / W - heat transfer resistance coefficient)	375mm R=3.36 (dry) - a warm wall does not require additional insulation (according to the manufacturer)	630mm R = 3.34 (taking into account the facing brick finish 120 * 250 * 65) - a warm wall does not require “additional insulation” (according to the manufacturer)
Material weight	400kg/m3	800kg/m 3
Block geometry	Geometry error of aerated concrete blocks +/- 1mm (best geometry). Masonry is carried out on thin-seam glue. Seam 2-3mm. The minimum shrinkage along the masonry joint is 0.3 mm / m and the absence of “cold bridges”.	Geometry error of large-format porous blocks +/-2-3mm. Masonry is carried out on a warm (perlite) masonry mortar (the joint is 4 times warmer than the cement-sand mortar) using a fiberglass mesh (it prevents the solution from falling into the gap). Seam 8-10mm. The minimum shrinkage along the masonry joint is 2-3mm/m.
Cutting and chipping blocks	Cutting with a hacksaw on aerated concrete, chasing with a manual chasing cutter	Diamond discs
Longitudinal wall reinforcement (reduces the risk of thermal shrinkage cracks under tensile loads)	It is carried out with rod reinforcement AIII 8mm on the 1st, then on every 4th row, in the window sill rows.	It is recommended to use rod reinforcement AIII with a diameter of 6-8 mm. We do not recommend using reinforcing mesh - because. it becomes an ideal bridge of cold along the entire perimeter of the walls, and the use of warm masonry mortar becomes meaningless. Composite mesh is recommended as an alternative material.
Material Features	The high vapor permeability of the walls creates a comfortable microclimate in the house due to the best vapor and air exchange. High capillary water saturation. Finishing is carried out only with vapor-permeable materials and mineral heaters. Optimal view exterior decoration for a house made of aerated concrete is a ventilated facade using face bricks or decorative panels.	Low capillary water saturation. Usually, exterior finish houses are made with facing bricks.
The composition of the blocks and safety for health	Does not contain harmful, toxic compounds. Composition: sand, cement, lime, water. During pore formation, aluminum powder turns into aluminum oxide - a bound and stable chemical compound.	Does not contain harmful, toxic compounds. Ingredients: clay. Sawdust added to the raw mass burns out during the firing process, forming micropores.
Radiation background ( allowable rate radiation 25-30 microR/h)	Does not increase the radiation background in the house.	May increase the radiation background in the house. It is necessary to purchase a brick only for industrial productions where products pass radiation control and have the appropriate certificates.
	For the category of customers who are worried about the radiation background in the house, we recommend purchasing a household dosimeter (radiometer) - the cost on the Internet is from 3,000 rubles and measure the value of the purchased batch of bricks.
Wall nailing	Required special fasteners. This property of the material is currently of no practical importance, because. with the help of modern fasteners, it is possible to mount and fasten structures and equipment to any walls.

It's important to know!

Differences most important to the consumer (aerated concreteversus . brick)

1. A brick house sells better and more expensive than aerated concrete (aerated concrete< brick)

   When, during a conversation, the question is asked: “What is your house built of?”, Then in response we hear: “from brick”, “from aerated concrete”, “from a bar”, “from expanded clay concrete”, etc. No one will ask at the beginning about the type of foundation or type roofing. Those. for all consumers, the material of the walls of a country house is of paramount importance, because. it is the walls that protect and create a private space for all family members, protect us from the aggressive influence of the environment (wind, precipitation, cold, heat, etc.) and keep warm.

   This psychological moment often determines our choice of wall material between aerated concrete and brick. In our minds, brick is primarily associated with reliability, durability and respectability, as the main construction material for castles, fortresses, palaces and mansions from ancient times. This rule clearly demonstrates the consumer demand for ready-made country houses. In the suburban real estate market, houses built of brick have a higher liquidity than houses made of aerated concrete. Those. a house made of bricks will be bought more readily, faster and more expensive than the same house made of aerated concrete.

2. The walls of the house are warmer, and the cost of building from aerated concrete is cheaper than from brick (aerated concrete> brick)

   At the same values on thermal protection of walls for individual residential buildings for permanent residence(when the walls of both materials are equally warm):

   • single layer thickness brick wall must be from 440mm (Porotherm ceramic block with outer and / or internal plaster) up to 640mm (ceramic blocks RAUF format 14.3NF 510mm + facing brick 120mm);
   • the thickness of a single-layer aerated concrete wall should be from 375mm to 400mm (with external and / or internal plaster) depending on the brand and density of the blocks.

   With the same thicknesses = the walls of a house made of aerated concrete are warmer than brick ones.

   That. if we compare 2 houses - made of brick and gas block with the same layouts and area of ​​\u200b\u200brooms, then for the construction of a brick house you will need a foundation with larger area than for a similar aerated concrete house. In addition, for a brick house, all other building volumes increase - the areas and volumes of all walls, ceilings, truss system, roofing. In general, the construction of a brick house more expensive than home from aerated concrete by an average of 10-15%.

3. There are more negative reviews on the Internet about aerated concrete houses than about brick (aerated concrete< brick)

   As a rule, the main complaints of residents during the operation of houses are related to the fact that the inner surface aerated concrete walls damp not only in wet (bathrooms, toilets), but also in living quarters. Damp walls retain heat worse, and besides, they contribute to the formation of mold and fungi. Is there an explanation for these negative reviews? Of course, there is, and this is due to the fact that the construction of the walls was carried out in violation of technology due to the lack of necessary knowledge in case of self-building or negligent attitude to production installation work hired teams.

   Any material, both brick and aerated concrete, has its own scope and features that are regulated constructive solutions and requirements. If we know and comply with these requirements, then we get the desired result, and if we violate the technology or expect something unusual from the material, then we are deceived in expectations and begin to talk about its “shortcomings”, as in the case of negative reviews on the Internet . For quality construction aerated concrete walls, it is necessary to take into account many nuances, the knowledge of which only experienced and professional builders have.

4. Walls made of ceramic blocks are fragile, with poor nailability. (aerated concrete> brick)

   Some developers, when considering a ceramic block as a wall material, are afraid that “later” nothing can be hung on the walls, because. puncher and conventional fasteners are indispensable. This is true - for hanging heavy objects and structures (stairs, shelves, wall cabinets, swedish wall, horizontal bar, etc.) on the walls, after the completion of their construction, special fasteners will be required. But at present given property is not a big disadvantage, because in almost any hardware store and construction hypermarket, special anchors (plastic, chemical) for walls made of ceramic blocks are presented. In addition, during new construction, even at the design stage, concrete or metal embedded elements are provided for future hinged structures. Professional builders know all this and will take it into account when building walls.

Keramoblock or aerated concrete expert opinions.

Over the 11 years of work, Full House has built more than 80 large-format brick houses and more than 130 aerated concrete houses. Keramoblock or aerated concrete? Both materials have proved to be reliable in practice. wall materials. Ceramic blocks or aerated concrete which is better? Both materials are good, however, each of them has features that must be considered in masonry work, anchoring, finishing and insulation. Compliance special technology in work with both ceramic blocks and gas block - the main component in the construction of a reliable and comfortable residential building.

We told you about the main properties of ceramic blocks and aerated concrete, now the choice is yours. There will always be customers who will choose a house made of aerated concrete and those who will always remain staunch adherents of brick housing construction.

An estimate for the construction of a brick and / or aerated concrete house (including comparative estimates) is prepared by our specialists free of charge and in just 1 day. To get a quote, just fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

Comments:

Today, even among professional builders, there is no consensus on which is better - aerated concrete or brick. This situation clearly indicates that there is no unequivocal answer to the question posed yet. Each of these materials has its strengths and weaknesses, and in order to make a choice, you need to know and consider them.

brick properties

Brick is an environmentally friendly, strong and durable building material. There are brick buildings that are over a thousand years old. It is made from natural materials: water, lime and quartz sand, if we are talking about silicate, and clay, which is the raw material for ceramic bricks.

Silicate brick has a greater density than ceramic brick and is a good sound insulator, and its strength and frost resistance indicators are much superior to those existing today. The houses built from it are not afraid of either heat or cold, and for decades they have been pleasing to the eye with an elegant appearance.

The only thing that silicate brick is afraid of is excess moisture, since it softens the lime that is part of the brick. He also doesn't like constant exposure. high temperatures, and therefore not suitable for the construction of stoves, fireplaces, sewer wells, chimneys and underground parts foundations.

But when it comes to brick houses, more often mean a house made of fired clay bricks. Over its long history, this brick has repeatedly proved its strength and durability. Clay bricks are divided into two types - ordinary or ordinary and front. The latter is manufactured using a special technology that makes it heavy-duty and virtually invulnerable to the adverse effects of the environment.

Both types of clay bricks are characterized by high frost resistance, increased strength and stability. Despite the fact that they are made exclusively of clay, such bricks absorb little moisture, and if this does happen, they dry out quickly without losing their original properties. The pressed and fired clay provides the brick with high density allowing it to withstand heavy loads.

Back to index

Properties of aerated concrete

Aerated concrete (another name - gas block) for last years rapidly gaining popularity in the construction market of countries former USSR. It is made from quartz sand with the addition of aluminum powder, cement, lime and water. Some manufacturers, in pursuit of high profits, add ash, slag and other production waste to the composition of aerated concrete to the detriment of the quality of the final product.

For the manufacture of aerated concrete, all ingredients are mixed with water and poured into special molds. Water serves as a catalyst for the reaction of lime with aluminum powder, which results in the appearance of many pores throughout the mass of aerated concrete. During the reaction, the mixture grows in volume as yeast dough, and after its completion it hardens. The hardened mass is cut into aerated concrete blocks of the same size and sent to the autoclave to reach it under pressure.

The age of aerated concrete does not even count 100 years. Due to the porous structure, the thermal insulation properties of aerated concrete are several times higher than the thermal insulation of bricks. This is enough lightweight material, but at the same time it has strength that allows you to build three-story mansions from it. It is still undesirable to build taller buildings from aerated concrete.

The gas block is an excellent sound insulator; buildings built from it do not need additional sound insulation walls. According to its characteristics, this building material is much closer to wood than to concrete: breathable, warm, environmentally friendly. But at the same time, aerated concrete, like any other type of concrete, does not burn and is not subject to decay.

Back to index

Comparative specifications

To determine which is better - brick or aerated concrete, a comparison of their main characteristics can partly help. These characteristics include:

• compressive strength factor;
• thermal conductivity;
• frost resistance;
• water absorption;
• fire resistance;
• weight of 1 m³ masonry.

The strength of the extruded building box directly depends on the compressive strength coefficient. In other words, this indicator characterizes the maximum loads that the wall material is able to withstand without visible negative consequences. For bricks, this figure is 110-220 kg / cm², and for aerated concrete - only 25-50 kg / cm², therefore, unlike bricks, aerated concrete blocks are not suitable for the construction of load-bearing walls multi-storey buildings, they simply cannot withstand their own weight and the weight of interfloor floor slabs.

Thermal conductivity is the ability of a material to pass heat through itself. The higher its coefficient, the more heat from the building will go outside. For a brick wall, this figure is in the range of 0.32-0.46 W / mK, for a wall of aerated concrete - 0.09-0.12 W / mK. Comparison of these indicators shows that a brick house will be 3-4 times colder than aerated concrete house. Therefore, brick houses need either to be additionally insulated, or to make their walls 3-4 times thicker than aerated concrete ones.

Frost resistance is determined by the ability of the material to maintain its basic characteristics during alternating cycles of freezing and thawing. The more cycles the material is able to withstand, the greater its frost resistance. For brick, this figure is from 50 to 100 cycles, and for aerated concrete - 50 cycles.

Despite such a difference in the frost resistance of aerated concrete and brick, an equal sign can be put between them according to this indicator. Ordinary brick domestic production can hardly claim the title of product High Quality. But the aerated concrete sold on the construction market is also almost all of domestic production.

The water absorption coefficient determines the ability of the material to absorb and retain water inside. Absorbed moisture degrades the properties of the material and primarily affects its strength. Materials with a high water absorption coefficient need additional protection against moisture ingress. This figure is from 8 to 12% of the mass of bricks and 20% of aerated concrete. Comparison of this indicator for brick and aerated concrete shows that brick additional protection moisture is not needed, and aerated concrete blocks will not last long without it.

With fire resistance, everything is clear: both materials in terms of fire resistance belong to class A (non-combustible).

The mass of the wall directly indicates the weight of the walls and those lying on them acting on the foundation. floors. This is the most important indicator when determining the type and width of the foundation. For bricks, this figure is 1200-2000 kg per 1 m³ of wall, for aerated concrete - 200-900 kg / m³.

Comparison of aerated concrete and brick in terms of this indicator leaves no doubt that, with the same dimensions, an aerated concrete building is 6-10 times lighter than a brick building. Therefore, for aerated concrete buildings there is no need to equip massive foundations, which makes it possible to significantly save time and materials for their construction.