The thickness of the bearing wall of expanded clay concrete blocks. What thickness do the walls of expanded clay blocks? How to calculate the thickness of walls from expanded clay concrete blocks

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When building your own house, you often have to deal with a situation where there is either not enough building material, or there is too much of it. Expanded clay concrete blocks are no exception. And despite their relative cheapness, extra costs are always not very pleasant.

There are even situations when a person, saving his precious time, tries to make a quick calculation with the help of building calculators that promise to accurately calculate the number of expanded clay concrete blocks he needs. But in the end, there is still a lot of surplus, or, which is sometimes much worse, there is not enough of them.

Why the calculation of blocks by "construction calculators" is not always accurate

In view of their primitiveness, most construction calculators are primarily intended for an approximate or preliminary calculation of building material, and in most cases are not suitable for an accurate final calculation.

As a rule, calculators work on a very simple principle - they calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200ball the walls, subtract the area of ​​\u200b\u200ball windows and doors (some do not even take this into account), and then calculate the number of blocks needed, ignoring many factors, such as the presence of gables, the need for armored belts , internal load-bearing walls, the multiplicity of the height of the walls to the height of the blocks, etc.

What must be taken into account for the accurate calculation of expanded clay concrete blocks

  1. The most common mistake in calculating expanded clay concrete blocks (KBB) for a house is that many people forget about the gables and do not take them into account. By the way, most online calculators make the same mistake.
  2. Very often, in addition to the external load-bearing walls, there are also internal load-bearing walls in the house, which will also be laid out from ordinary blocks.
  3. If your house is faced with brick from the outside, then this must be taken into account, because. in this case, the length of the wall of expanded clay concrete blocks will be slightly less than the outer wall of the house.
  4. If an armored belt is arranged over the walls, then when calculating the blocks, its height must be subtracted from the total height of the wall.
  5. The height of the wall of expanded clay concrete blocks, as a rule, should be a multiple of the height of the blocks themselves, together with the seam. Because the height of the block with a seam is about 0.2 m, then the height of the wall without the armored belt should be a multiple of this value (for example, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0, etc.).
  6. The length of the wall will not always be a multiple of the whole number of blocks, i.e. in most cases, there will be not only whole blocks in the wall, but also various inserts, for example, half a block, a quarter, etc. Due to its fragility, it is not always possible to cut or split an expanded clay concrete block without waste.
  7. It often happens that when unpacking a pallet with blocks, broken blocks are already found there, which will be unsuitable for masonry.
  8. If lintels will be mounted above the windows and doors, then they must also be subtracted from the total area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe walls, although if the area of ​​\u200b\u200ball the windows is not very large, this is usually neglected.

At first glance, the calculation is going to be very complicated and one cannot do without higher mathematics, but this is only at first glance. In fact, there is nothing complicated here, and I will now prove this with a small example.

An example of calculating blocks for a private house

For example, let's take a small one-story house with two gables, and one internal load-bearing wall. The thickness of the outer walls is 19 cm (0.5 blocks), the thickness of the internal load-bearing wall is 39 cm (1 block). Outside the house will be faced with brick. A diagram of this house can be seen below.

On the sizes of blocks from expanded clay concrete I will not stop, I have already written in detail about this earlier.

It should be noted that the diagram shows the dimensions of the outer walls, taking into account the facing bricks, in meters. Part of the wall will be occupied by brick and insulation, so each of the outer block walls will be about 15 centimeters smaller on each side.

Calculation of expanded clay concrete blocks for walls without gables

The calculation begins, as a rule, with the determination of the perimeter of the walls of expanded clay concrete blocks. When calculating, everything should be taken into account - all ledges, hallways (if any), balconies, etc.

In our case, each wall will be 0.3 meters less than in the diagram (as mentioned above, due to the fact that part of the wall will be occupied by facing bricks and wall insulation).

Perimeter of all walls: 9.7 x 4 = 38.8 m.

1. It is necessary to determine how many blocks will be in one row around the entire perimeter:

38.8 / 0.4 = 97 pcs.(0.4 is the length of one block along with the seam).

2. The resulting value is multiplied by the number of rows, which depends on the height of the walls (2.4 m = 12 rows, 2.6 m = 13 rows, 2.8 m = 14 rows, etc.). In our case, we take the height of the walls equal to 2.8 m, which corresponds to 14 rows of laying claydite-concrete blocks:

97 x 14 = 1358 pcs.

3. Now you need to subtract windows. We have 2 windows measuring 1.6x1.4 m. Let's calculate how many blocks our windows will replace. Length: 1.6 / 0.4 = 4 pieces, height: 1.4 / 0.2 = 7 pieces, total:

7 x 4 = 28 pcs each box.

Two windows - 28 x 2 = 56 pcs.

4. Our entrance doors are 2 x 1 m in size. According to a similar scheme:

(1 / 0.4) x (2 / 0.2) = 25 pcs.

5. Subtract doors and windows from the total number of blocks:

1358 - 56 - 25 = 1277 pcs.

Thus, we calculated expanded clay concrete blocks only for external walls, now it is necessary to calculate the internal load-bearing wall, given that its thickness is twice as large, i.e. in the length of one block (39 cm).

Calculation of the internal load-bearing wall of expanded clay concrete blocks

The required number of expanded clay concrete blocks for the inner wall is calculated according to the same scheme, except that now we take one block not 0.4 m, as in the previous calculation, but 0.2 m along with the seam, the difference is clearly visible in the photo.

If you have an internal wall (walls) with a thickness of 19 cm, and not 39 cm, as in the example, then its calculation should be carried out similarly to external ones.

1. The length of the wall is 9.2 m. Let's calculate the number of blocks in one row:

9.2 / 0.2 = 46 pcs.

2. Multiply by the number of rows:

46 x 14 = 644 pcs.

3. Door (2m x 1m):

(1 / 0.2) x (2 / 0.2) = 50 pcs.

4. Subtract the door:

644 - 50 = 594 pcs.

5. Now, by simple addition, we determine the number of expanded clay concrete blocks we need to build a house:

594 + 1277 = 1871 pcs.

I would like to add that if you get a non-integer number when calculating doors or windows, then it is better to round it down to a whole number.

Calculation of gables

Who remembers the school geometry course, calculating blocks for gables will be a very simple task. To do this, it is enough to know the height of the future pediment, in our case it will be 2 meters. The width of the pediment will be equal to the width of the wall, in our case - 9.7 m.

The area of ​​two pediments is equal to the area of ​​one rectangular wall, in which the lengths of the walls are equal to the width of the pediment and its height.

In other words, we need to find the number of blocks for a wall with a height of 2m and a length of 9.7m:

(9.7 / 0.4) x (2 / 0.2) = 242.5 pcs.

It must be taken into account that the masonry of the pediment, as a rule, begins with a whole row, and already from the second row the blocks begin to be sawn. Therefore, to the resulting number, you need to add two whole series

242.5 + 48.5 = 291 pcs.

Given the large number of sawn blocks when laying the pediment, you can safely add a small amount "for cutting". And thus, it would be better to cook 300 pieces on the gables.

So, we calculated the required number of expanded clay concrete blocks per house with two identical gables:

1871 + 300 = 2171 pcs.

It is worth noting that for a more accurate calculation, it is necessary to count each wall separately, because, even in our case, it turned out that 24 whole blocks + 1/4 blocks are needed for each wall. And when cutting or splitting, rarely 4 quarters will come out of one block, due to the fragility of the blocks themselves. And given the above, you need to take a small margin of 5-7%.

As a rule, the stock is taken "up to a whole pallet", and you can check with the manufacturer. And then calculate how many pallets you need.

If suddenly your outer walls are not 19 cm thick (in the floor of a block), but 39 cm (in a block), then their calculation must be carried out similarly to the internal load-bearing wall from our example, or in the same way as in the example, then multiplying their number on 2.

How many expanded clay concrete blocks in a pallet

To be honest, there is no definitive answer to this question. "How many blocks per pallet does the manufacturer stack?"- You won't find it anywhere. Different manufacturers, different pallets, one might even say different sizes, although expanded clay concrete blocks do not differ in this diversity.

Basically, the number of expanded clay concrete blocks in a pallet depends entirely on several factors:

  1. From the manufacturer, because there are no strict standards, and everyone completes their products as it suits them best.
  2. From the size of the pallets, the larger the pallet, the more blocks will fit on it, respectively.
  3. From the weight of the expanded clay concrete block, since this affects the total weight of the pallet, and too much weight, firstly, the pallet itself may not withstand, and secondly, loading and unloading, and the delivery of the blocks itself can be difficult.

Despite this, there are still some figures that are typical for expanded clay concrete blocks, a certain unofficial standard that many adhere to and complete their products by 72, 84, 90, 105 pieces.

In addition to ordinary blocks with a thickness of 19 cm, blocks with a thickness of 12 cm and 9 cm are produced. Such blocks are called partition or semi-blocks.

Blocks with a thickness of 12 cm are stacked approximately 120 pieces per pallet, in turn, blocks with a thickness of 9 cm, as a rule, are placed on one pallet twice as many as ordinary ones, i.e. 144, 168 etc.

One of the most important purposes of the exterior walls of any home is protecting it from external natural influences, weather phenomena and the creation of the strength of load-bearing structures.

Building material expanded clay concrete is inexpensive and fairly easy to install.

What is this material?

Expanded clay concrete contains expanded clay in the bulk - it is foamed and fired special clay with cement and water.

With a sufficiently high level of strength, this material has a relatively light weight. Walls built of expanded clay concrete, in contrast to concrete structures, have good heat and sound insulation properties and much lighter, which allows you to build a house on a lighter foundation.

The period of preservation of the operational properties of such walls can be approximated by the age of 75.

What should be the thickness of the wall of expanded clay concrete blocks?

The thickness of the walls of expanded clay concrete depends on several factors:

If natural conditions are taken into account, then for the central region it is enough to build single-layer block walls with a thickness from 400 mm to 600 mm. For regions with a colder climate, the walls are insulated with heat-insulating materials.

Varieties of designs

By appointment, the walls are divided into internal and external. According to the distribution of the load - bearing and non-bearing. A load-bearing wall is a wall that experiencing a lot of stress and serves as a support for ceilings and roofs.

Non-bearing divide the room into separate rooms. From the purpose of the walls depends on the type of construction. The outer ones are mostly load-bearing. Internal walls can also be load-bearing, but there is no need to insulate them as much as external ones.

Masonry options

Depends on the size of expanded clay concrete blocks, how to produce masonry for residential premises:

  1. If the blocks have a size of 590:290:200 mm, then the width of the wall must be 600 mm. In this case, only voids in the blocks are insulated.
  2. If the blocks have a size of 390:190:200 mm, then the masonry should be 400 mm thick without external finishing layers and insulation.
  3. If the blocks have a size of 235:500:200 mm, then wall thickness 500 mm plus exterior and interior plastering.

Wall masonry made of expanded clay concrete blocks depends on the purpose of the design itself:

  1. During construction storage, utility rooms, do not require special insulation. The wall is laid in one layer along the width of the block (200 mm). The inner surface of the wall is plastered, and the outside surface is covered with insulation (mineral wool, polystyrene foam, or expanded polystyrene) with a layer of 100 mm.
  2. If erect small building, for example, a bath, then the principle of laying is similar to the option of laying utility rooms, only the insulating layer will be 50 mm.
  3. Three-layer masonry is performed predominantly in residential buildings. Leave a small gap between the blocks. The total thickness of the wall is 60 cm. Its inner part is covered with a layer of plaster, and insulation is placed in the spaces between the blocks.
  4. Laying of expanded clay concrete blocks for regions with cold climates. When installing the outer wall, two partitions are built parallel to each other, which are connected with reinforcement. Then insulation is laid between the partitions, then they are plastered on both sides.

Expanded clay blocks can be corpulent and hollow. corpulent more durable and are more suitable for load-bearing structures.

How to calculate?

In order to understand what the optimal thickness should be for walls made of expanded clay blocks, we must understand that wall thickness directly depends on its function.

If you adhere to the regulations of building codes and regulations, then the ceilings and walls erected from expanded clay concrete blocks must be thick, necessarily together with insulation, not less than 64 cm.

Walls of this thickness are suitable for living quarters. In order to correctly calculate the consumption of the required amount of building material for the construction of walls from expanded clay concrete, you need to know the total length of all walls of the building being erected together with all partitions and the height of the floor.

These figures are multiplied. However, it is necessary to take into account the approximate thickness of the cement mass for cement screeds and joints (approximately 15 cm).

The number that turned out as a result is necessary multiply by wall thickness and divide by the volume of expanded clay concrete block.

As a result, we get the required number of blocks that are necessary for construction work. To find out the approximate cost of the expanded claydite concrete wall being erected, it is necessary multiply the number of blocks by the price one block plus the cost of purchasing materials for thermal insulation.

Expanded clay block has a number of advantages, ease, ease of installation (the area of ​​​​one block is equal to the area of ​​\u200b\u200babout seven bricks), high performance properties all this makes it possible for this material to be more in demand.

See in the following video - laying of expanded clay concrete blocks:

The growth in the number of developers and the desire to find an economical, strong, durable and warm material for building a house has led to an increase in the popularity of lightweight concrete blocks. Along with and widely used steel expanded clay concrete blocks, which have excellent thermal insulation qualities, are safe, light and relatively inexpensive. Many private builders call this material one of the best solutions for or giving. Is it really? We deal with the question of the correct choice of expanded clay concrete, the pros and cons of the material, its types and manufacturers.

No. 1. How is claydite concrete made

Expanded clay concrete began to be made in the middle of the last century, then it was safely forgotten, and today it is experiencing a new era of popularity. The composition of the material, like any lightweight concrete block, includes cement, water and sand, and used as a filler expanded clay- granules of different sizes, obtained by firing low-melting grades of clay. The granules are light due to the large number of pores inside, but strong, as they have a strong burnt shell. For the production of expanded clay concrete, granules with a size of 5-40 mm are used. Blocks can be solid or hollow. Moreover, claydite concrete solution can be used for monolithic construction of the walls of the house.

Of great importance for the performance of the block is the ratio of expanded clay and cement. The more expanded clay, the lighter, warmer and more expensive the block will be. The quality of cement determines the strength grade of the material. Due to the expanded clay filler, the material acquires unique thermal insulation properties, for which modern developers are so fond of it.

Unscrupulous manufacturers add adhesive additives to the mixture to increase the strength of the material, but this negatively affects environmental safety. Blocks in production are formed under the influence vibration, dried in special chambers, where heating is carried out by streams of hot air or infrared rays.

Today, private and country houses, summer cottages are built from expanded clay concrete, it is used for monolithic construction of buildings.

No. 2. Expanded clay blocks: pros and cons

The composition of expanded clay concrete determines its numerous positive aspects, which ensure the popularity of the material. Among the main advantages of expanded clay concrete blocks:

  • excellent thermal insulation qualities, so the material was chosen by the inhabitants of the Scandinavian countries. For the harsh climatic conditions of our country, such blocks are indispensable. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of expanded clay concrete grade D500 is 0.17-0.23 W / m * K, grade D1000 - 0.33-0.41 W / m * K;
  • not bad soundproofing;
  • low construction cost. The price of expanded clay concrete is comparable to the cost of other lightweight concrete blocks, but significantly lower than the price of. If we take into account the reduction in the cost of arranging the foundation, fewer seams, then we can say that a house made of expanded clay concrete will cost about a third cheaper than a brick house;
  • fast construction time, which is associated with the large size of the blocks and their relatively low weight;
  • sufficient strength;
  • vapor permeability allows the walls of the house to breathe and removes excess moisture;
  • moisture resistance and frost resistance, resistance to fire (blocks do not melt or burn), and;
  • durability, which is achieved due to moisture and frost resistance and is at least 75-100 years;
  • environmental friendliness, because the composition includes only natural materials;
  • no shrinkage;
  • the ability to use both traditional mortar and glue for masonry.

Expanded clay concrete blocks also have disadvantages:

  • difficulties at work with material. If many blocks (for example,) can be cut with a hacksaw and easily give them the necessary shape, then expanded clay concrete will have to be cut with a saw with teeth from a win - the reverse side of strength;
  • mounting complexity cannot be denied, but this problem should not be overestimated either. For example, anchor bolts and dowels normally stay in walls made of expanded clay concrete;
  • although the material has vapor permeability, it is less pronounced than that of a brick, so it is better to provide high-quality in the house;
  • another drawback is often called - the formation of cold bridges, but it is rather far-fetched, since it absolutely always takes place when the walls are built from individual elements. It is possible to get rid of cold bridges if walls are erected from expanded clay concrete using monolithic technology;
  • if it is planned to build a multi-storey massive building from expanded clay concrete, then one cannot do without careful professional calculations;
  • another dubious drawback is the need for facing blocks of expanded clay concrete, as they do not look very aesthetically pleasing. Yes, there is little beauty in them, but today almost all houses are finished, with the only exception being wooden ones. But you can use anything:, plaster with, decorative brick.

No. 3. Types of expanded clay concrete blocks for their intended purpose

Based on the presence or absence of voids, expanded clay concrete blocks can be divided into two fundamentally different groups:

  • corpulent;
  • hollow.

solid blocks It is a structural material with high density and relatively high weight. Load-bearing and non-bearing walls are erected from it, even multi-storey buildings can be built.

Hollow Blocks thanks to the holes inside, they are distinguished by improved thermal insulation qualities, suitable for the construction of partitions and load-bearing walls of one-story buildings.

No. 4. The size of expanded clay concrete blocks

By size, expanded clay concrete blocks are usually divided into:

  • wall;
  • partition walls.

It is clear that the former are used for laying exterior walls. They must have certain indicators of strength and density, which will be discussed further. They can be 288*138*138, 288*288*138, 290*190*188, 390*190*188, 190*190*188, 90*190*188 mm in size. By fullness they are full-bodied and hollow.

Partition blocks, as the name suggests, are used for laying internal partitions. They have less weight, which reduces the load on the foundation. In size, as a rule, partition blocks are produced 590*90*188, 390*90*188, 190*90*188 mm.

Some companies produce blocks that do not match the above dimensions- they are carried out not according to GOST, but according to TU, which the manufacturer himself can determine for himself. As a rule, large-format blocks are produced according to specifications.

It is worth noting separately facing blocks which are produced by some companies. They have dimensions of 600 * 300 * 400 mm, are produced by adding dyes to the solution and have a relief decorative surface.

No. 5. Strength grade of expanded clay concrete blocks

When choosing expanded clay concrete for the construction of a house, garage, partitions, utility rooms and other buildings, it is necessary to take into account a lot of performance indicators of the material: strength, density, frost resistance and thermal conductivity. All of them are interconnected. Let's start with strength.

strength called the ability of a material to withstand loads and resist destruction. Usually, the strength of expanded clay concrete is denoted by the letter M and the number following it. from 25 to 100, which means how many kilograms each cm 2 of the surface of the block can withstand. The M25 block can withstand 25 kg / cm 2, and the M100 - 100 kg / cm 2. In private construction, as a rule, blocks with a strength higher than M100 are not used: blocks M75-M100 are used for the construction of walls, and M35-M50 for partitions. In industrial and high-rise construction, blocks of greater strength can be used.

It is worth noting that the M75 block can withstand both 65 kg / cm 2, as well as 75 or 80 kg / cm 2. Despite the inaccuracies, this method of classifying expanded clay concrete still continues to be used. A much more accurate version is strength classes, which are marked with the letter B. This is strength with guaranteed security. A numerical indicator from 2.5 to 40: the higher it is, the more durable the block will be. M100, for example, corresponds to B7.5.

No. 6. Density of expanded clay concrete

Another important indicator is density. The lower the density, the higher the thermal insulation qualities. On the other hand, the higher the density, the higher the strength and resistance to moisture. The block density is marked with the letter D followed by a coefficient from 350 to 1800. The coefficient is equal to the density, expressed in kg / m 3.

The scope of use of the material depends on the density:


No. 7. Frost resistance and thermal conductivity of expanded clay concrete

Frost resistance called the ability of a material to withstand sudden changes in temperature. This indicator is determined by the number of shock freezing and thawing, marked with the letter F. For expanded clay concrete, this indicator can vary from 25 to 300, but in private construction, the material is used F15-F100. For the northern regions, it is better to take material with frost resistance F50-F75. Blocks with low frost resistance are suitable only for interior work.

Thermal conductivity material directly depends on the density. For the D1000 block, it is 0.33-0.41, D1400 - 0.56-0.65, etc. (see table). Depending on which block is chosen for construction and in which region the house will be located, they carry out calculation of the thickness of expanded clay concrete and analyze the need to use a heater:No. 9. The best manufacturers of expanded clay concrete

Today there are a lot of factories engaged in the production of such a promising building material, and there is a big risk of stumbling upon low-quality goods produced in inappropriate conditions. A normal manufacturer is not afraid to show the production process and invite the buyer to the factory, can provide all the necessary quality certificates and test results. Let us dwell on the largest manufacturers of expanded clay concrete blocks:

No. 10. DIY concrete blocks

Independent production of expanded clay concrete can significantly reduce the cost of building a house. As a rule, small batches of material are made with their own hands for the construction of simple small buildings, otherwise the laboriousness of the work will simply be unjustified.

In addition to the already known ingredients, you will need special equipment, you can rent it. It will be necessary with a volume of at least 130 liters. You will also need a vibrating machine, it already has molding containers, so you don’t have to bother with their production. Otherwise, you will have to make them out of metal or wood.

The process of making expanded clay concrete blocks with your own hands looks like this:

  • mixing components in a concrete mixer. First, 3 parts of sand and 1 part are mixed, then 1-1.2 parts of water are added, and then another 6 parts of expanded clay. Everything is thoroughly mixed, it may be necessary to add a small amount of water if the mixture is too dry. Some add a little liquid soap for better viscosity;
  • mixture in portions put into mold machine and include vibration, excess solution is removed;
  • the plate with the finished block rises, the blanks are dried for 2 days, then the steel plates are removed;
  • without using a machine, the process is somewhat more complicated and longer. It will be necessary to pour the solution into pre-prepared and lubricated forms and carefully tamp. It is better to use blocks no earlier than 28 days later.

If there is no self-confidence, then it is better to buy ready-made material with well-known performance qualities. Subject to the production technology (famous manufacturers can be trusted) and the technology of masonry, a house made of expanded clay concrete will stand for a very long time.

Expanded clay concrete is one of the varieties of concrete. Recently, this material has become increasingly used for various works: the construction of cottages, outbuildings, garages, etc.

e. Also, expanded clay concrete is used to fill the frame of multi-storey buildings built of reinforced concrete. Expanded clay concrete is so popular that it is used in almost all countries of the world, or rather, already made blocks of expanded clay concrete are used.

Order expanded clay concrete blocks on favorable terms by calling us at:

or submit an application through the form on the website.

Those who have not yet been able to appreciate all the advantages of expanded clay concrete are already beginning to celebrate them. Those who decide to start building a house from this material should carefully study the issue regarding the thickness of the walls of expanded clay concrete blocks.

Let's see why this nuance is so important.

The thickness of the wall erected with blocks of expanded clay concrete, first of all, depends on the choice of the type of masonry. In turn, each type depends on the weather and climate.

It is also necessary to consider how much the building will be used. In capital construction, other building materials can also be used: brick, cinder blocks or foam blocks. The thickness of the walls of the future building will also depend on what kind of thermal insulation of the room will be needed.

In addition, it is necessary to take into account the thermal conductivity and moisture-repellent characteristics of the material used. Depending on which masonry option is chosen, the thickness of the walls will also be calculated. At the same time, both the internal and external layers of plaster, which are used to decorate the walls, are also considered.

Masonry options:

The first option: the supporting wall is built from blocks with a size of 390/190/200 mm.

In this case, the blocks are laid with a thickness of 400 mm, without taking into account, at the same time, the inner layers of plaster. The second option: the load-bearing wall is laid in blocks measuring 590 by 290 by 200 mm. In such a situation, the size of the wall should be 600 mm, and the resulting voids in the blocks are filled with insulation. The third option: when using blocks of expanded clay concrete measuring 235 by 500 and 200 mm, the resulting wall will be 500 mm. In addition, layers of plaster are added to the calculations on both sides of the wall.

Influence of thermal conductivity

Scheme of a block of expanded clay concrete.

Before starting any construction work, you need to calculate the thermal conductivity coefficient, since it is of great importance for the durability of the structure. The resulting coefficient is necessary to calculate the thickness of the walls of expanded clay concrete blocks. Thermal conductivity is a characteristic of a material that indicates the ability to transfer heat from warm to cold objects.

In calculations, this characteristic of the material is shown through a certain coefficient, which takes into account the parameters of the objects between which heat exchange occurs, as well as the time and amount of heat.

From the coefficient, you can find out how much heat can be transferred in one hour from one object to another, while the size of the objects is 1m2 (area) by 1m2 (thickness). Various characteristics affect the thermal conductivity of a particular material in different ways. To such characteristics refers to: size, composition, type and presence of voids in the material. Thermal conductivity is also influenced by air temperature and humidity. For example, porous materials have low thermal conductivity.

Recommended thickness for the construction of a residential building

During the construction of each particular house, its own thickness of future walls is measured. It may vary depending on the purpose of the building.

For the construction of a residential building, the thickness of the walls must be exactly 64 cm, which is prescribed in special norms and rules for construction work. But, some think differently, and I make a load-bearing wall only 39cm thick. In fact, such calculations are suitable only if for a summer house, garage or country cottage.

Wall thickness calculation example

The calculation must be made very accurately. It is necessary to take into account the best thickness of walls erected from expanded clay concrete material. In order to make an accurate calculation, you need to use a special formula.

To do this, you need to know only two quantities: the coefficient of thermal conductivity and the coefficient of resistance to heat transfer. The first value is denoted by the symbol "λ" and the second by "Rreg". The value of the drag coefficient is influenced by such a factor as the weather conditions of the area where construction work will be carried out.

This coefficient can be determined according to building rules and regulations. The thickness of the future wall is indicated by the icon "δ". And the formula for its calculation will look like this:

For example, you can calculate the required wall thickness for the construction of a building in Moscow or the Moscow region. The heat transfer resistance coefficient for this area has already been calculated and is approximately 3-3.1. The thickness of the block itself can be any, for example, take 0.19 W. After calculating the above formula, we get the following:

δ \u003d 3 x 0.19 \u003d 0.57 m.

That is, the thickness of the walls should be 57 cm. Most experienced builders advise building walls with a thickness of 40 to 60 cm, provided that the building is located in the central regions of Russia.

Thus, by calculating a simple formula, it is possible to build walls that will ensure not only the safety of the structure, but also its strength and durability. By performing such a simple action, you can build a truly strong and reliable home.

The walls of private houses, cottages and other low-rise buildings are usually made of two or three layers with an insulating layer. The insulation layer is located on the bearing part of the wall made of bricks or small blocks. Developers often ask questions: “Is it possible to save on the thickness of the wall?” “But why not make the load-bearing part of the wall of the house thinner than that of a neighbor or than provided by the project?

On construction sites and in projects, you can see a load-bearing wall made of bricks with a thickness of 250 mm., And from blocks - even 200 mm. became commonplace.

The wall was too thin for this house.

The strength of the wall of the house is determined by calculation

Design standards (SNiP II-22-81 "Stone and reinforced masonry structures"), regardless of the results of the calculation, limit the minimum thickness of load-bearing stone walls for masonry in the range from 1/20 to 1/25 of the floor height.

Thus, with a floor height of up to 3 m, the wall thickness in any case should be more than 120 - 150 mm.

A load-bearing wall is subjected to a vertical compressive load due to the weight of the wall itself and overlying structures (walls, ceilings, roofs, snow, operational load). The design compressive strength of masonry made of bricks and blocks depends on the brand of brick or class of blocks in terms of compressive strength and brand of mortar.

For low-rise buildings, as calculations show, the compressive strength of a brick wall 200-250 mm thick is provided with a large margin. For a block wall, with an appropriate choice of block class, there are usually no problems either.

In addition to vertical loads, horizontal loads act on the wall (wall section), caused, for example, by wind pressure or the transfer of thrust from the roof truss system.

In addition, torques act on the wall, which tend to rotate the wall section. These moments are due to the fact that the load on the wall, for example, from floor slabs or a ventilated facade, is not applied in the center of the wall, but is shifted to the side faces. The walls themselves have deviations from the vertical and straightness of the masonry, which also leads to additional stresses in the wall material.

Horizontal loads and torques create a bending load in the material at each section of the load-bearing wall.

The strength, stability of walls with a thickness of 200-250 mm or less, does not have a large margin for these bending loads. Therefore, the stability of the walls of the specified thickness for a particular building must be confirmed by calculation.

To build a house with walls of this thickness, it is necessary to choose a ready-made project with the appropriate wall thickness and material. Correction of the project with other parameters for the selected thickness and material of the walls must be entrusted to specialists.

The practice of designing and building residential low-rise buildings has shown that the load-bearing walls are made of bricks or blocks with a thickness of more than 350 - 400 mm. have a good margin of safety and stability, both to compressive and bending loads, in the vast majority of building designs.

The walls of the house, external and internal, resting on the foundation, form, together with the foundation and the ceiling, a single spatial structure (skeleton), which jointly resists loads and impacts.

Creation of a durable and economical building frame is an engineering task that requires high qualification, pedantry and culture from the construction participants.

A house with thin walls is more sensitive to deviations from the project, from the norms and rules of construction.

The developer needs to understand that the strength, stability of the walls is reduced if:

    the thickness of the wall decreases; the height of the wall increases; the area of ​​the openings in the wall increases; the width of the wall between the openings decreases; the length of the free section of the wall increases, which does not have support, mating with the transverse wall; channels or niches are arranged in the wall;

The strength, stability of the walls changes in one direction or another if:

    change the material of the walls; change the type of floor; change the type, dimensions of the foundation;

Defects that reduce the strength, stability of the walls

Violations and deviations from the requirements of the project, norms and rules of construction, which are allowed by builders (in the absence of proper control by the developer), reducing the strength, stability of the walls:

wall material (brick, blocks, mortar) with reduced strength compared to the requirements of the project is used.

metal ties of the ceiling (beams) with walls are not anchored according to the project; masonry deviations from the vertical, displacement of the wall axis exceed the established technological standards; deviations of the straightness of the masonry surface exceed the established technological standards; masonry seams are not sufficiently filled with mortar. The thickness of the seams exceeds the established norms. excessively many halves of bricks, blocks with chips are used in the masonry; insufficient dressing of the masonry of the inner walls with the outer ones; gaps in the mesh reinforcement of the masonry;

In all of the above cases of changing the dimensions or materials of walls and ceilings, the developer must contact professional designers to make changes to the project documentation. Changes in the project must be certified by their signature.

Your foreman's suggestions like "let's make it easier" must be agreed with a professional designer. Control the quality of construction work done by contractors. When performing work on your own, do not allow the above construction defects.

The norms of the rules for the production and acceptance of work (SNiP 3.03.01-87) allow: deviations of the walls by the displacement of the axes (10 mm), by the deviation of one floor from the vertical (10 mm), by the displacement of the supports of the floor slabs in the plan (6 ... 8 mm ) etc.

The thinner the walls, the more they are loaded, the less they have a margin of safety. The load on the wall multiplied by the "mistakes" of designers and builders may be excessive (pictured).

The processes of destruction of the wall do not always appear immediately, it happens years after the completion of construction.

It is certainly advisable to choose a wall thickness of 200-250 mm from bricks or blocks for a one-story house or for the upper floor of a multi-story building.

A house with two or three floors with a wall thickness of 200-250 mm. Build if you have at your disposal a finished project, tied to the soil conditions of the construction site, qualified builders, and independent technical supervision of the construction.

In other conditions, for the lower floors of two-three-story houses, walls with a thickness of at least 350 mm are more reliable.

To learn how to make load-bearing walls only 190 mm thick, read here.

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Expanded clay concrete is one of the types of concrete. It has recently become quite often used in construction work: the construction of cottages, outbuildings, garages.

It is also used to fill the frame for multi-storey buildings that are built of reinforced concrete. This material has become so popular that it is already difficult to imagine a country in which it would not be used by builders. More precisely, prefabricated expanded clay concrete wall blocks are used.

Many who have not yet had time to appreciate the advantages of this material are beginning to notice them. Those who decide to use it for their construction should carefully approach such a characteristic as the thickness of the wall of expanded clay concrete blocks. This is all for a reason, because having studied all the nuances, you will be able to get the most out of this insulation.

The dependence of the thickness on the type of masonry

The thickness of the surface finished with expanded clay concrete block mainly depends on which masonry option you choose.

Each option, in turn, depends on weather and climatic conditions. It also takes into account how heavily the building is exploited. When the construction is capital, then not only one block of expanded clay concrete can often be used.

In addition, bricks, foam and cinder blocks are used. The thickness of the future masonry will depend on what kind of thermal insulation is required for a particular building. Various heat-conducting and moisture-repellent characteristics of the insulation will also be taken into account.

Depending on the choice of masonry, you will calculate the thickness of the walls, which is made with ceramic blocks. Moreover, the outer and inner layer of finishing plaster applied to the wall will be taken into account:

    The first option: if the supporting wall is laid out in blocks of 390:190:200 millimeters, then the masonry must be laid with a thickness of 400 millimeters, not counting the layers of internal plaster and insulation that is outside. The second option: if the structure of the load-bearing wall consists of blocks of 590:290: 200 millimeters, then the wall should be exactly 600 millimeters. In this case, it is worth filling special voids in the blocks between the walls with insulation. The third option: if you decide to use an expanded clay concrete block measuring 235:500:200 millimeters, then the wall thickness will be 500 millimeters. Plus, add layers of plaster to the calculations on both sides of the wall.

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Influence of thermal conductivity

Scheme of expanded clay concrete block.

In construction work, it is important to calculate the coefficient of thermal conductivity, as it has an impact on the durability of the entire structure. The coefficient is important when calculating the thickness of walls, which consist of expanded clay concrete blocks. Thermal conductivity is such a property of a material that characterizes the process of transferring heat from warm objects to cool ones. Everyone has known this since physics lessons.

Thermal conductivity in the calculations is expressed through a special coefficient. It takes into account the parameters of the bodies between which heat is transferred, the amount of heat, and time. This coefficient shows how much heat can be transferred during one hour from one body to another, which have dimensions of one meter of thickness and one square meter of area.

Different characteristics have their own influence on the thermal conductivity of each material.

These include the size, type, presence of voids of the material or substance, its chemical composition. Humidity and air temperature also affect this process. For example, low thermal conductivity is observed in porous materials and substances.

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For each specific building, its own wall thickness is measured. It varies depending on the purpose of the building. For a residential building, the thickness norm will be exactly 64 centimeters. This is all spelled out in special building codes and regulations.

True, some people think differently: that the load-bearing wall of a residential building can be 39 centimeters thick. In fact, such calculations are more suitable for a summer house, country cottage, garage, buildings for household purposes. You can build interior finishes with a wall of this thickness.

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Calculation example

Table of reduced heat transfer resistance for various wall designs.

It is very important to make an accurate calculation. It is necessary to take into account the optimal thickness of the walls, which are made of expanded clay concrete blocks. To achieve the result, use a very simple formula consisting of one action.

Builders, in order to solve this formula, must know two quantities. The first thing you need to know is the coefficient of thermal conductivity, which was mentioned earlier.

In the formula, it is written through the sign "λ". The second value to be taken into account is the coefficient of resistance to heat transfer. This value depends on many factors, for example, on the weather conditions of the area where the building is located.

The area in which the building will then be used is also an important factor. This value in the formula will look like "Rreg". It can be determined by the norms and rules of construction.

The value in the formula that we need to find, namely the thickness of the wall under construction, we denote by the icon "δ". As a result, the formula will look like this:

To give an example, you can calculate the thickness of a wall under construction in the city of Moscow and its region. The value of Rreg for this region of the country has already been calculated, officially established in special rules and construction standards. Thus, it is 3-3.1.

And you can take any size of the walls as an example, since you will already calculate your own on the spot. The thickness of the block can be completely different. For example, it will be possible to take 0.19 W / (m * ⁰С).

As a result, after solving this formula:

δ \u003d 3 x 0.19 \u003d 0.57 m.

we understand that the thickness of the walls should be 57 centimeters.

So, by calculating a simple formula, you can build such walls near the house to ensure the safety of the building, its stability and durability. Just by performing a simple action, you will build a truly good and reliable home.

One of the most important purposes of the external walls of any house is to protect it from external natural influences, weather phenomena and to create the strength of load-bearing structures.

The building material expanded clay concrete is inexpensive and quite simple to install.

What is this material?

Expanded clay concrete contains expanded clay in the bulk - it is a foamed and fired special clay with cement and water.

With a sufficiently high level of strength, this material has a relatively light weight. Walls built of expanded clay concrete, unlike concrete structures, have good heat and sound insulation properties and are much lighter, which allows you to build a house on a lighter foundation.

The period of preservation of the operational properties of such walls can be close to 75 years.

What should be the thickness of the wall of expanded clay concrete blocks?

The thickness of the walls of expanded clay concrete depends on several factors:

Firstly, it is necessary to understand what functions the building will carry: a residential building or an industrial facility. Based on this, it is important to determine the degree of operation of the building. It is equally important to take into account climatic conditions.

Of great importance is the choice of masonry blocks, which depends on the functional value of the building. The thickness also depends on the moisture-resistant and heat-conducting properties of the heater. A layer of finishing plaster on both sides will also increase the thickness of the expanded claydite concrete wall being erected.

If natural conditions are taken into account, then for the central region it is enough to build single-layer block walls with a thickness of 400 mm to 600 mm. For regions with a colder climate, the walls are insulated with heat-insulating materials.

Varieties of designs

By appointment, the walls are divided into internal and external. According to the distribution of the load - bearing and non-bearing. The load-bearing wall is called the wall that is under heavy load and serves as a support for ceilings and roofs.

Expanded clay concrete is one of the types of concrete. It has recently become quite often used in construction work: the construction of cottages, outbuildings, garages. It is also used to fill the frame for multi-storey buildings that are built of reinforced concrete.
This material has become so popular that it is already difficult to imagine a country in which it would not be used by builders. More precisely, prefabricated expanded clay concrete wall blocks are used.
The thickness of the surface finished with expanded clay concrete block mainly depends on which masonry option you choose. Each option, in turn, depends on weather and climatic conditions. It also takes into account how heavily the building is exploited. When the construction is capital, then not only one block of expanded clay concrete can often be used. In addition, bricks, foam and cinder blocks are used. The thickness of the future masonry will depend on what kind of thermal insulation is required for a particular building. Various heat-conducting and moisture-repellent characteristics of the insulation will also be taken into account.
Depending on the choice of masonry, you will calculate the thickness of the walls, which is made with ceramic blocks. Moreover, the outer and inner layer of finishing plaster applied to the wall will be taken into account:
The first option: if the supporting wall is laid out in blocks of 390:190:200 millimeters, then the masonry must be laid with a thickness of 400 millimeters, not counting the layers of internal plaster and insulation that is outside.
The second option: if the design of the load-bearing wall consists of blocks measuring 590:290:200 millimeters, then the wall should be exactly 600 millimeters. Insulation in this case is to fill special voids in the blocks between the walls.
The third option: if you decide to use a claydite concrete block with a size of 235:500:200 millimeters, then the wall thickness will be 500 millimeters. Plus, add layers of plaster to the calculations on both sides of the wall.
Thermal conductivity is a material property that characterizes the process of transferring heat from warm objects to cool ones. Everyone knows this from physics lessons.
Thermal conductivity in the calculations is expressed through a special coefficient. It takes into account the parameters of the bodies between which heat is transferred, the amount of heat, and time. This coefficient shows how much heat can be transferred during one hour from one body to another, which have dimensions of one meter of thickness and one square meter of area.
Different characteristics have their own influence on the thermal conductivity of each material. These include the size, type, presence of voids of the material or substance, its chemical composition. Humidity and air temperature also affect this process. For example, low thermal conductivity is observed in porous materials and substances.
For each specific building, its own wall thickness is measured. It varies depending on the purpose of the building. For a residential building, the norm of thickness will be exactly 64 centimeters. This is all spelled out in special building codes and regulations. True, some people think differently: that the load-bearing wall of a residential building can be 39 centimeters thick. In fact, such calculations are more suitable for a summer house, country cottage, garage, buildings for household purposes. You can build interior finishes with a wall of this thickness.
Calculation example
It is very important to make an accurate calculation. It is necessary to take into account the optimal thickness of the walls, which are made of expanded clay concrete blocks. To achieve the result, use a very simple formula consisting of one action.
Builders, in order to solve this formula, must know two quantities. The first thing you need to know is the coefficient of thermal conductivity, which was mentioned earlier. In the formula, it is written through the sign "λ". The second value to be taken into account is the coefficient of resistance to heat transfer. This value depends on many factors, for example, on the weather conditions of the area where the building is located. The area in which the building will then be used is also an important factor. This value in the formula will look like "Rreg". It can be determined by the norms and rules of construction.
The value in the formula that we need to find, namely the thickness of the wall under construction, we denote by the icon "δ". As a result, the formula will look like this:
As a result, after solving this formula:
δ \u003d 3 x 0.19 \u003d 0.57 m.
we understand that the thickness of the walls should be 57 centimeters.
δ = Rreg x λ
To give an example, you can calculate the thickness of a wall under construction in the city of Moscow and its region. The value of Rreg for this region of the country has already been calculated and officially established in special rules and construction standards. Thus, it is 3-3.1. And you can take any size of the walls as an example, since you will already calculate your own on the spot. The thickness of the block can be completely different. For example, it will be possible to take 0.19 W / (m * ⁰С).
Experienced builders, experts recommend making walls from forty to sixty centimeters thick if the building is located in such central regions of Russia as Moscow, St. Petersburg.