Aerated concrete is one of the varieties of “lightweight” concrete; it is universal and is used for the construction of structures of various functions - from fences to residential buildings. Let's take a closer look at aerated concrete blocks, the pros and cons of the material.
Aerated concrete blocks are made in two ways:
- Autoclave – drying and hardening of products occurs in an autoclave oven;
- Hydration – natural hardening of blocks.
The main advantage of the material, according to experts, is its thermal insulation, strength and relatively low weight, which allow the use of aerated concrete for any construction purposes:
- Construction of low-rise buildings;
- Residential buildings - dachas, cottages;
- Non-residential premises, such as utility and agricultural premises, garages, bathhouses, sheds, etc.;
- Fences, enclosures;
- Additional wall insulation.
Let's take a closer look at what aerated concrete is, their advantages and disadvantages, and also find out the opinions of experts about aerated concrete.
Characteristics of aerated concrete blocks
Aerated concrete is a cellular type of concrete; they are characterized by the presence of floors in the body of the product, which give the blocks certain properties.
When creating aerated concrete, the following components are used:
- Portland cement grade not lower than M400;
- Sand, free of impurities;
- Gas-forming agent – aluminum powder;
- Lime;
- Purified water.
The resulting mixture is poured into molds and sent to dry in an autoclave oven. During the process of hardening under pressure, aluminum reacts with lime and gas begins to be released, as a result, many cavities and cracks are formed in the body of the block through which gas escapes.
With the autoclave method of manufacturing aerated blocks, the material acquires high levels of basic characteristics - strength and density. The resulting products can be used for masonry load-bearing structures.
Aerated concrete, dried naturally, is used only for insulating facades, it is not suitable for other construction work, as it is not durable.
Main indicators of strength and thermal conductivity of aerated concrete
Aerated blocks, the strength of which is equal to D350, are used only as additional insulation. D400 blocks are used for interior partitions, not carrying heavy load, and for the construction of load-bearing structures and the construction of two-story buildings, strength grade D500-600 is used.
According to these indicators, aerated concrete is divided into;
- Structural;
- Structural and thermal insulation;
- Thermal insulation.
Gas blocks are produced different forms and sizes, their cutting and shaping takes place on automatic equipment, which allows you to create precision and evenness of lines.
Advantages of aerated concrete blocks
According to expert reviews, gas blocks have big list advantages that distinguish the material from other types of concrete.
The main advantages of using aerated concrete:
- Thermal insulation of the structure - the blocks have high thermal insulation rates, they retain heat in the room for a long time, which allows saving on heating the building, suitable for additional insulation buildings;
- Ease of use - aerated concrete can be easily processed with available materials; it can be cut, sawed, drilled. Arched openings and other complex structures can be formed from aerated blocks.
- Vapor permeability - in buildings built from aerated concrete, there is natural circulation air. Due to the fact that the body of the block is permeated with open pores, air passes freely through the walls, experts note that the vapor permeability of aerated concrete is comparable to that of wood.
- Geometry – a wide variety of block shapes and sizes are offered, various lengths and thickness. The blocks have precise cutting, the surface is smooth, the maximum deviation that is possible is 1 mm.
- Fire resistance - the blocks are completely safe; when heated, no toxic substances are released, they do not burn or melt. Aerated concrete can withstand up to 3 hours of exposure to fire without loss of technical properties.
- Speed of construction - structures made from aerated blocks are erected quickly and easily; builders do not need to create a super-strong foundation, due to the fact that the blocks are quite light, and their size reduces the time spent on construction by three or even four times.
- Sound insulation - products have a porous structure that absorbs sounds and increases sound insulation.
- Absence of “cold bridges” - so-called “cold bridges” are formed in interblock seams when laying on cement mortar, aerated concrete blocks are laid only on a special glue for cellular concrete, which is applied in a thin layer, so “bridges” do not appear.
- Strength – blocks undergoing the hardening process in an autoclave oven are characterized by high strength.
- Biological stability - aerated concrete does not rot, is not susceptible to mold and fungal formations, and is also not of interest to rodents and insects.
- Frost resistance - aerated concrete products can withstand up to 50 cycles of alternating freezing and thawing, this figure may be more. Aerated concrete appeared not so long ago, so this indicator has not yet been tested by time.
Based on the above indicators, it is clear that these advantages of aerated concrete make it possible to construct durable, reliable buildings in short term and minimal costs.
Disadvantages of aerated concrete
Like any material, aerated concrete has advantages and disadvantages, and if we have dealt with the first, then it is worth taking a closer look at the second.
The main disadvantages of gas blocks:
- Poor resistance to moisture - blocks absorb water, swell, resulting in cracking and delamination of the material. This is due to the fact that the pores in the inside of the blocks are open, along the paths through which gas escaped and water entered. It is not difficult to prevent this problem - lay a waterproofing layer, cover the surface with water-repellent compounds, make external finishing facades.
- The appearance of cracks in the wall - this problem occurs when the foundation shrinks; it is necessary to correctly calculate and install the foundation.
- Poor adhesion with finishing materials— gas blocks do not hold plaster and other materials well decorative finishing, the surface must be carefully prepared - priming with deep penetration solutions. Gypsum-based plaster is also used for aerated concrete; before applying it, it is better to fix the reinforcing mesh, then the result will be more durable.
- Compressive and flexural strength - aerated concrete is characterized by low flexural strength, so it is impossible to build buildings higher than two floors from this material. As an option, use gas blocks to install partitions in such houses.
Another disadvantage of aerated concrete blocks is the problems that arise with the installation of various fasteners and dowels - metal elements are subject to erosion, the fasteners do not hold well and fall out, so it is necessary to use special parts suitable for cellular concrete.
Many people would like to build a house with their own hands, and sometimes the dream remains a dream due to the lack of opportunity to realize it. These may be material difficulties, psychological prohibitions, and there are people who simply do not have information on how to do this. But at this time there are many options on how you can build a house with your own hands at optimal costs. And this construction will not only save money, but the creative process will take place here.
The house will be much warmer and more beautiful simply because the owner’s soul is involved in the construction process. Everything will be done with high quality, since he and his family will have to live in it. All that remains is to make some effort when choosing building materials in accordance with price and quality. Only the owner himself can combine his desires with the opportunity to get a quality result. Therefore, we invite these people to study this material. Real opportunity dreams come true - one-story house from aerated concrete. The pros and cons of such construction will be discussed below.
It is necessary to first determine what they are made of. They are made from environmentally friendly materials (cement, filler, aluminum powder, lime, water).
“What to build a house from?” is the main question that arises after deciding to create your own home. On modern market Brick, foam blocks, gas blocks, slabs, wood are offered. The advantage of aerated concrete blocks compared to the first material:
- aerated blocks are an environmentally friendly product;
- a wall made of such material is 5 times lighter than a brick one; accordingly, the foundation is made simpler; a strip foundation can also be used;
- the price of one block is higher, but overall in terms of cubic capacity, compared to brick, construction will be cheaper.
There is a drawback: aerated concrete is not moisture resistant, but if arranged correctly drainage system, window drains and necessarily good drainage under the foundation, then the pros compensate for this minus.
The advantage is as follows. Aerated concrete is considered heat-insulating material, it has a high heat capacity. If you put your hand on it, you feel warm compared to brick. It holds it longer, so it will cost more to heat a house than for a brick or stone one.
It is hardly possible to say anything about the disadvantages, since in terms of all thermal insulation parameters such a structure is very advantageous.
House made of aerated concrete: pros and cons in design construction
- Here, too, positive decisions can be noted. It does not have to be lined with another material. Such a house looks very aesthetically pleasing from the point of view of modern construction.
- Aerated concrete also does not crumble, is durable, it can be sawed, planed, drilled to give it any shape, which is suitable for any design solutions.
Based on the listed advantages and disadvantages of aerated concrete in building a house, the approach to price cost is changing. If the blocks themselves more expensive than brick, then the savings come from costs when laying the foundation, construction time is reduced, and heat is retained in such a home much better than in those made from other materials. A house made of aerated concrete has very tangible advantages: the cost of construction and operation is lower than the same building built of brick.
Construction technologies are evolving along with the demands that people place on their living or working spaces. What the house is built from or what materials it is made of interior decoration, how safe and durable it is - all this has a very important for a modern person.
Modern building materials must meet many parameters. Today, the buyer places a number of mandatory requirements on products:
- environmental friendliness - sometimes the pursuit of cheapness results in diseases that do not immediately appear, because the category is more available building materials does not have an environmental passport and usually contains formaldehyde, phenol and other carcinogens;
- ease of use or installation;
- high wear resistance index;
- frost resistance;
- light weight;
- non-flammability;
- high index of thermal insulation parameters;
- soundproofing;
- affordable price.
![](https://i0.wp.com/agronomu.com/media/res/6/9/4/0/7/69407.p3vpl0.790.jpg)
Did you know?To get quality rest, a person needs to sleep in a wooden house- 6 hours, in brick - 8 hours, in multi-storey building from concrete slabs- 12 o'clock. Aerated concrete house in this list it ranks second after wood. Scientists have found that a person will need only 7 hours to rest in it.
Almost all of these requirements are met by aerated concrete - a modern building material, which is classified as lightweight foam concrete and is widely used in individual construction.
It represents blocks different sizes from cellular concrete, in which about 80% of the volume is occupied by gas bubbles.
In its production, only environmentally friendly components are used. The main component of the mixture for future blocks is quartz sand (60%), lime and cement (20%), aluminum powder (0.5-1%) and water are used in equal parts. Based on the method of its production, a distinction is made between autoclaved and non-autoclaved aerated concrete.
The production process of autoclaved concrete has the following scheme::
- quartz sand is placed in industrial ball grinding mills, inside the drums there are balls that grind the sand to dust;
- crushed sand, cement and lime are mixed in a special container;
- Water and aluminum paste are added to the dry mixture. As a result of the reaction of lime and aluminum suspension, hydrogen is produced. It forms a huge number of voids in the mixture (and then in the finished product) - from 1 to 2 mm in diameter;
- the finished mixture is poured into molds, leaving a fourth of it unfilled. At this stage the mixture resembles yeast dough- after 2-3 hours it not only rises to the edge of the mold, but also has time to harden. The humidity in the room where aerated concrete is produced should be high;
- the frozen material is cut into blocks same size, outer side which is polished;
- after this, the blocks are placed in an autoclave, in which the steaming process takes place for 12 hours at a temperature of 191 ° C and at a pressure of 12 atmospheres. Autoclaving allows you to obtain such changes in the molecular structure of aerated concrete that form an artificial mineral - tobermorite, which has unique performance properties, including increased strength and reduced shrinkage. Immediately after heat treatment, the material has a humidity of about 30%, which decreases to 5-10% during the year;
- finished blocks are packaged and sent to consumers.
The production of non-autoclaved aerated concrete differs only in that the final product bypasses the autoclaving stage. It is a frozen porous cement-sand mortar, significantly inferior in quality to its brother.
Video: technology for the production of autoclaved aerated concrete
Types of aerated concrete blocks
Aerated concrete blocks differ in their purpose and form.
Did you know?Aerated concrete is actively used by sculptors, because its lightness and affordable price make it possible to create masterpieces with less physical and financial costs. Thanks to this artificial stone, a whole direction in sculpture arose-Ytong Art.
By purpose they are:
![](https://i2.wp.com/agronomu.com/media/res/6/9/4/0/9/69409.p3vpq0.790.jpg)
By shape:
![](https://i1.wp.com/agronomu.com/media/res/6/9/4/1/2/69412.p3vpyc.790.jpg)
Did you know?France and Germany are the leaders in the volume of use of this material (80% of construction). In second place is Spain (55%). Conservative Great Britain also pays tribute to this construction miracle - it ranks third in Europe in its use - 40% of construction projects are built from aerated concrete blocks.
This product has many advantages:
- environmental friendliness - only natural ingredients are used in its production;
- low price - this one artificial stone costs much less than other building materials;
- high strength;
- light weight - allows you not to attract additional equipment for construction and does not place unnecessary and unwanted load on the walls and foundation of the building;
- provides good thermal insulation- this is facilitated by the cellular structure of foamed concrete;
- ease of installation - thanks to the large sizes of the blocks, grips, grooves and ridges, the material can be easily transported and given the desired size;
- thermal insulation - a layer of aerated concrete blocks placed on top of the facade of the house will ensure the preservation of heat in the house for many years;
- soundproofing;
- vapor permeability - the porous structure allows steam to freely escape from the room;
- guaranteed quality - factories are required to have control and have a quality certificate for their products;
- fire resistance - it contains no flammable or combustion-supporting components.
![](https://i1.wp.com/agronomu.com/media/res/6/9/4/1/5/69415.p3vq50.790.jpg)
Disadvantages of aerated concrete blocks
Although the list of advantages of aerated concrete is quite impressive, the material also has its disadvantages. The latter include:
- low density (especially when compressed);
- ability to absorb and retain moisture;
- the need to use special fasteners;
- the appearance of microcracks and cracks in the masonry over time.
When purchasing building materials, you can seek advice from a store salesperson, or ask for advice from friends who are knowledgeable in this industry.
Video: what types of blocks are there and how to choose the right one
Important! When choosing aerated blocks, you need to correlate the purpose of use and technical specifications purchased goods.
If you decide to choose aerated blocks yourself, then you need to know the basic criteria for quality products. Each advantage or disadvantage of a product has a numerical expression:
- thermal conductivity- the lower its coefficient, the warmer the room. The coefficient ranges from 0.075 W/(m K) when marking the density D350 and 0.25 W/(m K) when marking the density D700;
- density- the higher the grade, the stronger the product and vice versa - with lower grades the strength indicators drop (but then the block gains weight and, if possible, various construction operations can be performed with it). Typically, aerated concrete has the following density indicators: D300; D350; D400; D500; D600; D700; D800; D900; D1000; D1100; D1200 kg/m3;
- strength- this characteristic is denoted by the letter M followed by a number measured in kgf/cm2. It indicates the average strength value. The extent to which the quality of the material can fluctuate is indicated by the marking B followed by a number in MPa indicating the guaranteed strength. The lowest strength class is designated as B0.35 (M5), and the strongest materials have a density index of 350–400 kg/m3;
- fire resistance- aerated concrete is classified as a non-combustible product. Structures made from it can withstand flames for several hours;
- vapor permeability- this indicator determines the possibility of removing steam and moisture from the room. It is calculated in mg/(m.h.Pa). Vapor permeability directly depends on density: the lower the density, the higher the vapor permeability. At a density of D 600, vapor permeability will be 0.023-0.021 g/m*hour, D 700 - 0.020-0.018 g/m*hour, D 800 - 0.018-0.016 g/m*hour;
- soundproofing- this indicator is calculated in decibels (dB). The higher it is, the better the soundproofing characteristics. The thickness of the walls and the density of the material from which the house is built also affect the noise insulation coefficients. The higher they are, the less sound will penetrate into the home;
- size- the permissible deviation from the declared one should be 0.5-0.8 mm. If this indicator is higher, the product is defective.
![](https://i1.wp.com/agronomu.com/media/res/6/9/4/1/6/69416.p3vq8c.790.jpg)
Storing aerated concrete blocks is simple, but requires certain rules to be followed. When stored under open air First of all you should:
- prepare a level area covered with crushed stone in advance;
- take into account the characteristics of the terrain - if it rains often, then the site for storing blocks should be located on a slight slope to drain rainwater.
Important!You cannot store aerated concrete blocks by dumping them on a pile. This can permanently damage most products.
It should be noted that blocks are not afraid low temperatures. Therefore, even the coldest winters are not scary for them.
If the original packaging has been opened and some of the products have already been used, then the rest of the material in the printed packaging should be covered.
Film, tarpaulin, roofing felt, pieces of old linoleum are suitable for this. In this form, aerated blocks can be safely preserved until the weather warms up and a new stage of construction begins. It must be remembered that the material does not readily give up water. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that precipitation (rain, snow, melt water) does not initially enter the materials. To do this, the packaging pallet must be at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground. It is worth checking the reliability and integrity of the shelter (film, tarpaulin, etc.).
The presence of a canopy facilitates the already simple storage of gas blocks. Here you should only be wary of melt water, so it is necessary to provide for the possibility of finding the material at a sufficient height from the ground.
Aerated concrete is a modern building material. In addition to its environmental friendliness, accessibility and other advantages, it combines perfectly with other materials and is used in construction work of any complexity (even in sculpture).
Its versatility is increasingly in demand and allows it to be called one of the most sought-after and popular building materials on the modern market.
One of new building materials for the construction of the house is aerated concrete. Nowadays, it has become widely used in mass construction. To build a house from such a material, it is necessary to determine what the pros and cons of aerated blocks are. Once the properties of aerated concrete blocks have been studied, a choice of material for building a house can be made.
Advantages and disadvantages of gas blocks
The advantages of gas blocks include:
Lightness of the material. This property allows you to reduce the cost of constructing a massive foundation, because the weight of a building made from aerated blocks is significantly less than the weight of a building made of any other material. However, the foundation should not sag or shrink. In this case, cracks may form on the walls. The lightness of aerated blocks facilitates their transportation, as well as delivery to the work site.
Strength. When the material is exposed to pressure and high temperature, the strength of the gas blocks is formed in the autoclave. Crystals of calcium hydrosilicate are formed, which give the material stable structure and strength.
Aerated concrete cannot be called the most durable building material, but given its low weight, it has a very high rate. In terms of strength-lightness ratio, it is best option for the construction of a private house.
Thermal insulation. This indicator is determined by the thermal conductivity coefficient, the lower it is, the higher thermal insulation properties. Low thermal conductivity does not allow heat to escape from the room through the enclosing structures and does not allow cold to enter winter time year, or hot air- in summer. Thus, a comfortable microclimate is formed in the house, where it is warm in winter and cool in summer. Due to the low thermal conductivity, money is saved on heating and additional thermal insulation. Manufacturers claim high thermal insulation, but in practice not everything is so rosy.
Soundproofing. The structure of aerated blocks allows absorb sound waves, therefore such material has a very good sound insulation, which complies with all building codes.
Ease of processing. Aerated concrete products are easy to process. They can be sawed, drilled or ground using hand tools without putting any special physical effort into it. No, there is no need to buy any special equipment for processing the material.
Easy to install. Simplicity lies in light weight piece material and availability special grips, allowing you to conveniently transfer blocks. For better adhesion of the blocks, a groove and a ridge are arranged on their surface. The installation speed is increased by a thin layer of special glue, which is used for laying gas blocks, and their large dimensions; Thanks to this, the structures of the building under construction can be quickly erected.
Versatility. The ease of processing of aerated blocks and their properties make it possible to use this material for the construction of walls, partitions, stairs, fences and many other structures.
Geometric parameters. The technology for producing aerated blocks allows for very precise block sizes. This is achieved through cutting the semi-finished product and autoclave firing. After such processing the material does not shrink. The accuracy of the block size simplifies the construction of a structure of the required dimensions. Dimensional deviation is ± 2 mm.
Resistance to biological influences. Mold, fungi or rot do not form on the surface of aerated concrete.
Fire resistance. Racked concrete does not burn and does not support combustion when in contact with open fire. The temperature during a fire is 600 degrees; aerated concrete can withstand twice that temperature (up to 1200 degrees). In fire conditions, aerated block construction does not lose its load-bearing capacity for up to 3 hours.
Frost resistance. The frost resistance of the material is determined by the corresponding grade, which is designated by the letter “F”, then a number indicating the number of freezing cycles is indicated. The gas block can withstand up to 35 freezes, which means it can withstand more than 35 winters. True, this cannot yet be verified in practice, since houses built from aerated blocks are still quite young.
Comfort. Aerated concrete is a porous material, so a house made of aerated concrete can be safely called “breathable”. This allows air to circulate and humidity levels to be controlled. And this contributes to the formation of a healthy indoor microclimate.
Environmental friendliness. Aerated concrete is environmentally friendly pure material, which remains so throughout its entire service life. It does not emit toxic substances and does not pollute the environment. When producing piece material, 5 times less raw materials are used due to the porous structure of aerated concrete.
Pest protection. Rodents or insects will not be able to settle in a structure made of such material.
Quality. Due to the complexity of manufacturing technology and expensive equipment Handicraft production of gas blocks is excluded. At the factory, each batch of the product undergoes quality control, so all declared technical characteristics of the material correspond to reality.
The gas block has a large number There are advantages, but there are also plenty of disadvantages. Manufacturers usually keep silent about them or provide rather scanty information, but if a person is going to build a house for himself, he should know about the disadvantages of gas blocks.
The disadvantages of gas blocks are:
![](https://i0.wp.com/dachaorg.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/okno.jpg)
It is important to pay attention to all the pros and cons of the material in order to decide whether it is worth building a house from aerated block.
Classification of gas blocks
Differences in shape:
![](https://i0.wp.com/dachaorg.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/block.jpg)
Differences in purpose:
![](https://i1.wp.com/dachaorg.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/izolyaciya.jpg)
Today there is a lot of competition among manufacturers. Many companies have already earned authority in the building materials market. The most famous are the Dutch company "HESS AAC Systems", "N+N", one of the pioneers in Russia "SIBIT", and also "AEROC".
There are many other manufacturers that provide a full range of aerated concrete blocks. To purchase the required volume of material for building a house, you need to determine how many gas blocks are in 1 cube, since the sizes of the blocks vary. The following table will help you correctly determine how much material you need.
Table of parameters of individual blocks and packaging.
Product | Options | Block volume, m 3 | Package volume, m 3 | Number of blocks in the package | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Length | Height | Width | ||||
Gas block of the 1st grade. Brands D400, D500 | 600 | 200 | 75 | 0,009 | 1,8 | 200 |
100 | 0,012 | 1,8 | 150 | |||
150 | 0,018 | 1,8 | 100 | |||
250 | 0,03 | 1,8 | 60 | |||
300 | 0,036 | 1,8 | 50 | |||
350 | 0,042 | 1,68 | 40 | |||
375 | 0,045 | 1,8 | 40 | |||
400 | 0,048 | 1,44 | 30 |
Depending on the production technology and the proportions of the constituent components of the material, gas blocks have different physical and technical parameters. According to these technical indicators, each product must be labeled.
Table of brands and their technical properties.
Physical and technical characteristics | D400 | D500 | D600 | D700 | D800 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Concrete strength class | B2 | B2.5 | B3.5 | B5 | B7 |
Concrete compression class | B2.5 | B3.5 | B5 | B7 | — |
Thermal conductivity in dry state, λ W/m* 0 C | 0,095 | 0,118 | 0,137 | 0,165 | 0,182 |
Thermal conductivity of wet material, λ W/m* 0 C | 0,1 | 0,127 | 0,15 | 0,192 | 0,215 |
Frost resistance grade | F35 | F35 | F35 | F35 | F35 |
Vapor permeability, µ mg/m*h*Pa | 0,23 | 0,2 | 0,16 | 0,15 | 0,14 |
Shrinkage, mm/m | 0,3 | 0,3 | 0,3 | 0,3 | 0,3 |
Aerated concrete is the latest building material; it is a type of cellular concrete. Aerated concrete, the pros and cons of which are determined by the materials and manufacturing method, is produced from several components.
The blocks consist of a binder: quartz sand and lime.
The blocks are based on a binder (Portland cement is most often used), lime and quartz sand.
The cellularity of the blocks, that is, a large number of pores in the material, is ensured by one of the additives - aluminum powder. It performs the function of a gas generator.
All components are mixed, and a large block is formed from the resulting mass. It is kept in a chamber with high humidity for some time, then cut into blocks the right size. They are sent to an autoclave oven, where they are treated with high temperature and steam pressure.
This technology gives the blocks precise geometric shapes, strength and others unique properties material.
Advantages
Diagram of the advantages of aerated concrete.
Aerated concrete blocks are one of the most suitable materials for building a house. It has many advantages that allow you to build reliable home, capable of maintaining all its characteristics for a long time. TO positive properties include:
- good moisture resistance;
This property of blocks is determined by their unique porous structure. Even with an air humidity of about 90%, which is unlikely in reality, the maximum of this indicator for elements made of aerated concrete is approximately 8%. Such a small moisture capacity is indispensable when building a house in regions with high humidity.
- lightness of the material;
Gas silicate blocks are so light due to the relatively low density of the material (up to 1200 kg/cubic m). The lighter the material, the easier it is to use in construction.
This is why houses are built quite quickly compared to some others. building materials. The lightness of the material also does not require a powerful foundation; the foundation will only need to be strengthened if the house is finished with heavy materials, such as brick.
- high frost resistance;
Scheme of vapor permeability of walls.
Gas silicate products have the ability to withstand the effects of freezing that destroy many materials. Temperature changes and, as a consequence, constant freezing and thawing also do not affect operational properties blocks.
Such frost resistance allows even in harsh northern climates.
- high fire resistance coefficient;
The blocks simply do not contain materials that would support combustion. In addition, gas silicate systems when exposed to high temperatures do not emit toxic substances into the atmosphere.
Thanks to high class fire safety aerated concrete can be used for the construction of residential buildings and socially significant facilities.
- resistance to biological effects.
Mold and mildew do not form inside the blocks, which can significantly save time and money on expensive treatment of building materials with antiseptic agents.
Additional benefits
- convenient overall dimensions;
On walls made of aerated concrete devices, the joints will be invisible, which is why the structure will look monolithic.
Productivity when carrying out construction work using aerated concrete products is an order of magnitude higher than, for example, when working with brick. This is explained enough large sizes elements that fit into the desired structure and quickly fill the required volume.
In addition, on a wall made of aerated concrete devices, the joints will be almost invisible, and in general the structure will look monolithic.
- durability;
Aerated concrete blocks will retain their original appearance and all the properties laid down by the manufacturer for many years. Even under unfavorable conditions external conditions service life is about 100 years.
- high environmental friendliness;
In this indicator, it is superior to elements made from aerated concrete only natural wood. And taking into account the fact that wood, in order to increase its resistance to negative influence environment processed by various chemicals, aerated concrete may well compete for primacy in matters of environmental friendliness.
- low thermal conductivity;
Due to their structure with a large number of pores, aerated concrete blocks retain heat perfectly. The walls do not require additional insulation with foam plastic or " warm plaster" It will always be warm and comfortable.
- good sound insulation.
Gas silicate products have low sound permeability. The noise of cars or a party under the windows of the house will not cause any disturbance to the inhabitants of a house made of this material.
There are a lot of advantages. It is perfect for the construction of buildings for a wide variety of purposes in any climatic conditions. But despite all its advantages, aerated concrete also has several disadvantages.
Disadvantages of blocks
The disadvantages, as well as its advantages, are determined starting materials, from which it is produced. The disadvantages include:
- hygroscopicity;
The disadvantages include: hygroscopicity, the possibility of cracking, the cost of the material.
Aerated concrete does not allow moisture to enter the room. But because large quantity For now he holds her inside himself. Over time, this leads to a significant decrease in the stability of the structure and destruction of the material. This disadvantage can be overcome by strengthening the waterproofing of the room. This can be done using, for example, waterproofing tape.
- possibility of crack formation;
Due to incorrect calculations of the maximum load, aerated concrete begins to crack and crumble some time after completion of construction. To avoid these defects, all construction calculations should only be carried out by professionals, based on production characteristics one block or another.
- cost of material.
Compared to some traditional building materials, such as foam blocks, aerated concrete blocks have a relatively high cost. Although this minus can be considered controversial, since in most cases the price is fully compensated high quality aerated concrete and its unique properties useful for construction.
Aerated concrete is a fairly new material, and it has not yet been tested by time. Its predicted service life is about 100 years, but houses built from aerated concrete blocks were built quite recently, and it is difficult to say what will actually happen to them in many years.
Therefore, conservative people prefer to build houses from long-known and well-studied materials.