What is the cheapest material to build a house from? What should we build a house: what is better, what material to choose, what house is better and cheaper? Brick - expensive, but for centuries

Living in your own home has many more advantages than even the most luxurious apartment. A private home is a place where you are free to do whatever you want. Here you will not be disturbed by noisy neighbors who want to make repairs early in the morning or late. Here you are not at risk of being flooded or experiencing the inconvenience that apartment residents face. Many are accustomed to believing that buying a plot, and even more so building a house on it, is fabulous money. However, with the development of modern technologies in construction, the cheapest technology for building a house has become several times more affordable. Now we will consider the main question: where to start, and most importantly, from what to build the cheapest house?

Preparatory stage

The first point that needs to be determined initially is the functionality of the house. What is it for.

If this is a country cottage for seasonal living, then only materials are needed,

if this is a full-fledged house for permanent residence, then it is completely different.

To decide what kind of house will be, you should thoroughly study the climate and weather conditions of the region where construction is planned. After all, the choice of building materials directly depends on the temperature regime during the year. A house for regular residence must be constantly heated during the cold season, which entails certain financial costs. Therefore, when choosing a material for a building, one should be guided by thermophysical properties: thermal conductivity and heat capacity, as well as shrinkage.

Each climatic region has its own temperature regime, wind speed and protection class in terms of heat-shielding properties. Therefore, when choosing a material and calculating the thickness of the walls, two main parameters must be taken into account: the coefficient of thermal resistance and thermal conductivity.

For each region, its own specially calculated indicator of the thermal resistance of the CTS is used. In order to obtain clarity on the upcoming heating costs, it is necessary to calculate the CTS of the future design. To do this, the width (δ) of the wall is divided by the coefficient of thermal conductivity (λ), which is indicated in the technical specifications of the building material R = δ / λ. The calculated value of heat transfer resistance must comply with the standard.

As an example, consider the use of cellular concrete, which has a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.12 W / m * ºС. Let's take a block with a thickness of 0.3 meters and calculate: R \u003d 0.3 / 0.12 \u003d 2.5 W / m 2 * ºС. This figure is below the norm and is suitable, except for construction in the southern regions of Russia. A block 0.4 meters wide gives heat transfer resistance 0.4 / 0.12 \u003d 3.3 W / m 2 * ºС, which is slightly higher than the standard indicator and can be used in the construction of buildings in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The calculation is relevant only when laying blocks on glue.

To determine the wall thickness corresponding to the advanced generally recognized standards in terms of energy efficiency, you can use the same formula, where it will be equal to the product of the heat transfer resistance value and the thermal conductivity coefficient δ \u003d λ x R.

From this it follows that in order to obtain the standard value of resistance λ = 3.2, the thickness of the wall from a solid wood of coniferous species (pine, spruce) will be 0.18 x 3.2 = 0.576 m, from brick 0.81 x 3.2 = 2.592 m, and from concrete 2.04 x 3.2 = 6.528 m. At the same time, mineral wool insulation with a thickness of 140-150 mm complies with the standard: 0.045 x 3.2 = 0.14 m.

Therefore, when choosing a material and determining the thickness of a structure, one should take into account the resistance to heat transfer and the coefficient of thermal conductivity.

Coefficient of thermal conductivity,

specific heat

and the change in linear dimensions for each material is different.

In addition, when choosing a material for building an inexpensive house, you need to study the market for building materials that are typical for this region. Delivery of materials, as a rule, occupies a considerable share in their cost.

Now you need to decide on the size of the future home. For example, do you want to build a one-story house inexpensively or the house will have more floors. What will be the area of ​​the house in relation to the area of ​​your site?
You can calculate the area of ​​​​your plot online.

Windows of standard sizes;

Practical layout without frills;

simple roof;

Available building materials;

Flat small fireplace;

You should also take into account one important nuance, if you have a small plot, then you can choose a simple project of a two-story house. Such a solution will be much cheaper than building a one-story large house.

The cost of a future home is determined by three components, on each of which you can save:

• architectural layout is compact, maximum functionality and comfort and allows you to achieve 20% savings;
• a simple design solution should be rational and not contain any architectural frills will provide another 10% savings;
• modern materials make it possible to use the latest technologies in construction, allowing you to do the work yourself or with the involvement of a minimum amount of outside labor, which guarantees up to 40% savings in the end result.

The optimal solution for a family of 2-3 people is housing consisting of three rooms with a total area of ​​approximately 50 m 2 . A reasonable option would be a 6×9 house, which includes: two bedrooms, a living room in the form of a studio, with a kitchen, a combined bathroom and toilet, and a small entrance hall.
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Layout: maximum functionality and comfort

The main principle of space planning is to extract the maximum benefit from each square meter of space. In our case, this is the ratio of total and usable space. This house, consisting of three rooms with a total area of ​​54 m 2, will fully satisfy your needs in modern housing. Moreover, the ratio of total and usable area (52 m 2) is 96.3%.

But over time, you will want to increase its area. Such a structure is most suitable for transformation. It can be expanded in width and height.

Second option

Important! The construction of the second floor must be thought out in advance in order to lay the appropriate foundation.

Third option, first floor

Third option, second floor

The exterior of the house economy option

Exterior view of the house after expansion

The key to savings: simplicity of design

Designs should also be approached as simply as possible, without additional frills. With economical construction, there are a number of points that must be considered:

• The selected house width of 6 m will allow you to easily install floor slabs. The standard size will not require the construction of an additional load-bearing wall.
• Combining the dining kitchen and the hall into a modern living room, according to European standards, will save on the absence of walls and doors.
• A sufficient width of the walls will be 30 cm, and heat resistance can be achieved due to the thickness of the layer of heat-insulating material when facing the house. In this case, the plinth is reduced in width to 25 cm.
• It is advisable to make the walls in the house from drywall, they do not require a foundation and are easy to install.
• The roof is made gable, without unnecessary frills - this is the most cost-effective design.

Building a cheap house with your own hands is the most economical option

Approximately half of the cost of construction is payment for the performance of work. When building a cheap house, it is more expedient to do the maximum amount of work with your own hands, without involving hired workers.

Why you need to purchase only modern material. Its installation technologies are designed for a simple average person, so construction will not require professional skills from you and will provide an opportunity to save money. As a labor force, you can attract one assistant. If you do not have free time to build a house with your own hands, hire a team of two people with the appropriate qualifications, leaving control over the work.

Another option is the construction of standard projects. Here you do not need to participate in the construction, it is enough to take the finished house into operation, be sure to draw up an act of acceptance of the work performed, specifying the warranty obligations of the developer.
This 6×9 house is a great version of a two-story transformation.

Reviews and disputes: which cheap house is better?

To explain which of the cheap houses is better, we invite you to read the comments we have collected from various forums:

Alexander V.

I want to talk about building a cheap house. And I will touch not only the monetary side of the issue, but also the labor-intensive one. We buy modern materials, preferably in a construction hypermarket, where prices are much cheaper. We discard ideas about buildings from improvised materials (clay, straw, savage stone) as untenable. In the 21st century, we can talk about how walls made of clay and a foundation made of rubble. We are talking about modern housing, not Grandpa Pumpkin's house. We will not even consider the environmental friendliness of building materials. At the time of the developed world wide web, you can find the most controversial opinions about any material.
Hired builders will not be considered either. This multiplies the estimate at least twice initially. We carry out construction on our own, everyone can do it. The issue is the duration of the process.
And so the foundation. When building a house, you can not do without it. The most expedient and cost-effective - strip foundation on piles. The job is not difficult. Every 2m we drill piles, the length depends on the soil, and pour the grillage.
Nevertheless, the cheapest construction will be a frame house, insulated with mineral wool or polystyrene foam. Building a house of brick or sides on cement mortar will increase the cost of the estimate, take a lot of time, as a result we get a cold building that requires insulation.

Bogdan S.

I was going to build a house 6 × 9. For the past two months, I have been doing a personal project and drawing up a construction estimate. I read smart books, I participate in forums on all topics of interest, I watch videos. Now I read it and understand that everything is as you said: the foundation is piled, the house is frame, the roof is slate. Finishing inside: drywall, OSB boards and wallpaper. Of course plus heating and lighting. One thing I can say is that I do not invest in 10 thousand conditional raccoons. A bit more.

Sergei Zh.

I developed a project for a house of 50 m2 for my friend. Nothing special budget option, but house for year-round use. The foundation is solid. Wooden frame house insulated with mineral wool. Outside vapor barrier film, inside hardboard. The roof is slate. Pretty warm building, suitable for winter use. Appearance is not very good. Just covered with vapor barrier. Subsequently, you can sew up the siding. But the budget is the most modest. A friend spent only 4 thousand USD. True, he built it himself, he didn’t even want to hear about any hired brigade.

Looking at my house, I am more and more convinced that it is hardly possible to build anything cheaper than a frame house. I insulated the walls, rollers, the roof with mineral wool 15 cm thick. In addition, I built an attic floor. My roof is the simplest gable, covered with zerolin. Outside finished with siding, and inside the OSB and pasted wallpaper. It cost me a pleasure of $ 9,500.

The frame is the cheapest and warmest, but this does not mean that it is free. Everything is relative. My friends built a house from Sibit. They were happy until winter came. They froze through the winter, and now they are deciding how to insulate themselves and what it will be like.

Of course, the main costs are building materials, which we will talk about in more detail.

Modern building materials - the cheapest way to build a house

There is a lot of competition in the building materials market today. Therefore, by making a small detour of the main points of purchase, building materials such as a hypermarket, a bazaar or a warehouse, it will not be difficult to find the most reasonable price. But different material differs significantly in price.

The author of the article does not pursue the goal of promoting this or that building material, since the site does not sell them. The main thing is that a person who has a limited budget for construction can become the owner of a good and solid house.

Before reading the various options for houses, pay attention to Compared with other houses, it is characterized by cheap construction.

Cheap brick house?

1. Brick.

As many people know, brick is one of the most durable, but at the same time heavy materials. Based on this, it has both advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

1. high strength and durability;
2. excellent sound insulation;
3. availability;
4. environmental friendliness.

disadvantages:

1. large mass - laying a solid foundation will be required;
2. insufficient energy saving;
3. poorly processed;
4. long construction process.

Modern brick allows you to build any size and design of the house.

Cheap steel structure house

1. Steel strong constructions.

Today it is one of the most durable and affordable building materials, which allows you to build reliable structures, houses, etc. in the shortest possible time.

Advantages:

1. affordable cost;
2. quick and easy installation;
3. versatility - you can build any structure;
4. using modern finishing materials, you can create a unique exterior.

disadvantages:

1. low strength;
2. poor and thermal insulation sound insulation without the presence of additional insulating materials.

Steel durable structures are becoming more and more popular today in the construction of private houses.

Cheap wooden house - is it true

1. Log or timber

A modern stylish log house looks amazing, and high environmental friendliness, durability and thermal insulation distinguish this building material from others.

Advantages:

1. high strength;
2. environmental friendliness;
3. excellent sound insulation;
4. quick and easy installation;
5. high thermal insulation;
6. easy to process;
7. relatively small weight;
8. amazing appearance.

disadvantages:

1. price;
2. the need for additional pest control;
3. fire hazard without special impregnations;
4. low water resistance.

A modern house made of logs or timber is stylish, practical and comfortable.

Favorite: cheap foam concrete house

1. Foam concrete is the most profitable material for building a house.

A lightweight building material that outperforms others in its characteristics.

Advantages:

1. quick and easy installation;
2. high load capacity and low weight;
3. over time, high strength;
4. excellent sound and heat insulation;
5. light weight;
6. acceptable cost;
7. easy to process;
8. environmental friendliness.

Disadvantages:

1. the first few years after manufacture has a low strength;
2. the porous structure of foam concrete will require additional finishing work;
3. hot in the summer.

Foam concrete is the cheapest way to build a house.

We looked at some of the most affordable building materials that can be used to build an inexpensive home. Today they are also widely used: twin blocks, monolith, ceramic stone, etc.

For example, the cost of a one-story frame house with two rooms, a kitchen, a living room and a bathroom will cost 600-700 thousand rubles. Thus, the cheapest frame houses can be built for relatively little money.

We also recommend you:

Don't limit your dream to standard shapes!

One of the main issues that is decided long before the construction of a house, both in the city and in the countryside, is the choice of material for building walls. The decision of what is better to build a house from can be slow and difficult. On the one hand, a wide range of proposed wall designs, especially considering the possible combination. On the other hand, the limitations of local environmental conditions and the market for materials. All this is dominated by our tastes, desires and possibilities. In the following presentation, we will consider all the identified aspects, analyze, compare and draw conclusions about which house should be built. The description provides individual examples from many years of personal experience of the author of the text.

Buildings based on heavy materials

Heavy materials include concrete, bricks, various kinds of blocks, concrete slabs, stone. Buildings made of such materials require a solid foundation; delivery and installation of building components are complicated and often require special equipment. Most often, these are strong, durable, but not cheap designs. During construction, it is necessary to withstand the foundation without load for a month before the construction of the walls begins. Brick and block buildings are more fire resistant than wood-based houses. Probably, it is problematic to engage in construction from heavy materials in frosty time on cement mortar.

Foam concrete house finished with brick and stone

Habitual brick houses

Brick houses are widespread and popular since ancient times. There are quite a lot of types and types of bricks: silicate, ceramic, refractory, hollow, solid, finishing, etc.

Consider the advantages of brick:

• high strength and durability;
• excellent sound insulation;
• environmentally friendly material;
• a wide variety of sizes, colors and shapes.

The disadvantages include:

• big weight;
• low thermal insulation;
• high hygroscopicity;
• hard to process;
• relatively high cost.

Brick houses can be very different

As a feature, we mention the high heat capacity. Commenting on the above, we note that it is allowed to build buildings of various shapes and sizes from brick. It is easy to realize different color solutions. In a beautiful durable and reliable brick building, almost any layout is provided. External walls do not require maintenance. The radiation background of the brick has a meager level, and the material is considered environmentally friendly.

However, it is not easy to work with bricks: heavy material must be delivered, raised to the desired height, the mortar is mixed and each brick is held in hands, laying accurately and evenly. To give the desired shape, you will have to use the "grinder". The brick absorbs moisture and, with insufficient protection, or the choice of an inappropriate design, can crack and crumble under the influence of frost. Improper use of brick leads to the appearance of "efflorescence" (white spots) on the facade of the building.

In this case, the most significant drawback should be considered low thermal insulation. To ensure the required level of energy saving, a wall of silicate bricks must be made with a thickness of 1.2m!

Brick and ceramic blocks for every taste

Material manufacturers are trying to solve the problem by building voids inside the brick. The most successful solution is ceramic porous blocks. In terms of thermal conductivity, such blocks are almost 3 times more efficient than bricks. Blocks have sizes from (250x250x140)mm to (510x250x219)mm and replaces up to 14 standard bricks. Of course, laying walls is greatly accelerated and simplified. At the same time, porous blocks have strength no worse than ordinary bricks and frost resistance up to 50 cycles. The disadvantage of ceramic blocks is the relatively high cost, which is gradually falling, and this is encouraging.

A feature of brick walls is their high heat capacity, which in various situations can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. The temperature of the walls of a brick building slowly changes and tends to the average daily, which stabilizes the temperature inside the building as well. This, of course, a pleasant effect is noticeably enhanced if the outer side of the wall is insulated. When the heating is turned off for a short time, for example, for repairs, the temperature in the room will drop slowly, which is also a positive factor.

Everything is different if the dwelling is used for temporary residence: a guest house, a summer house, etc. So, at one time I thoughtlessly followed the general example and built a cottage from silicate brick. As a result, it turned out that it was impossible to use the house during the off-season. During 5 days of the week, the walls of the building cool down safely, and on weekends it is simply impossible to warm it up in a few hours in any way.

Practical expanded clay houses

After finishing, the "gray neck" of expanded clay concrete will become a wonderful "swan"

Today we can say with confidence that claydite concrete is quite a successful invention of the past century. Quite a lot of buildings from expanded clay concrete have been built, although this is not striking. The blocks themselves have an unpresentable appearance, therefore they are covered with plaster, insulation and other finishing materials. The blocks consist of a cement mortar with a filler of expanded clay gravel - pellets of burnt and porous clay.

Consider the advantages of expanded clay concrete blocks:

• satisfactory sound insulation;
• fairly environmentally friendly material;
• relatively small weight;
• good thermal insulation;
• good vapor permeability;
• relatively low price.

The disadvantages include:

• the impossibility of laying small decorative elements.

As features, we mention that the blocks are produced by small firms, the quality of which varies markedly. To the above, it should be added that the blocks of expanded clay concrete have dimensions (390x190x188) mm, which allows you to build buildings at high speed. The low cost of masonry, combined with the low price of the blocks themselves, ensures a relatively low cost of the finished structure.

Note that expanded clay concrete blocks can be made by hand using inexpensive equipment. At the same time, it is not recommended to build houses with a height of more than 3 floors due to limitations in bearing capacity. The issue of the quality of the blocks is solved quite simply: you should not choose the cheapest option.

It makes sense to verify the honesty and experience of the manufacturer. There are a sufficient number of companies on the market that provide high quality blocks using imported high-tech equipment. The following video is about one such example.

Inexpensive housing from cinder blocks

Cinder blocks consist of a cement mortar with coal slag as a filler. Captured Germans built houses from slag after the end of the Great Patriotic War. These buildings have wooden floors and stairs, but they are plastered, painted and still serve people. True, the construction technology was somewhat different. Formwork was exposed along the perimeter of the building, which was poured with cement mortar with locomotive slag. After the layer hardened, the formwork was moved up and so on, until complete.

The locomotive slag is gone, but many boiler houses and power plants run on coal, so the material is still relevant. Cinder blocks have the same dimensions as the expanded clay concrete blocks discussed above, as well as similar characteristics and are almost indistinguishable in appearance. We note some features and differences. The slag used as a filler has been in the furnace and acquired some radioactivity. The level is quite acceptable, but there is an environmental issue. Another feature is that slag easily absorbs moisture.

I had to visit a house made of such material, built on the territory of Belarus. This area has relatively high humidity. Moisture appeared on the inner surface of the walls of the building, and a fungus appeared. On the contrary, in a house made of expanded clay concrete, built in one of the southern regions of Russia, I did not find any problems with moisture on the walls: the climate is dry.

Thus, cinder blocks should not be used for the construction of the basement of the building. Before laying cinder block walls, a flawless horizontal waterproofing between the building base and the wall should be ensured.

Expanded clay concrete and cinder blocks practically do not differ in appearance

Wood concrete walls - an interesting solution

Another option for blocks that you can make with your own hands is wood concrete blocks. The same cement mortar acts as a binder, and wood chips plus sawdust serve as a filler.

Advantages of wood concrete blocks:

• sufficient strength and durability;
• good sound insulation;
• environmentally friendly material;
• relatively small weight;
• good thermal insulation;
• good vapor permeability.

The disadvantages include the following:

• unpresentable appearance;
• the impossibility of laying small decorative elements;
• noticeably more expensive than expanded clay concrete blocks;
• lack of reliable manufacturers.

Shavings and sawdust as part of the block are reliably protected from moisture and are not subject to decay. At the same time, they provide reinforcement and increase the strength of the material. Naturally, the filler facilitates wood concrete blocks and provides good thermal insulation. From such blocks it is allowed to erect buildings up to 2 floors without reinforcement and using floor slabs. The rough surface guarantees excellent adhesion to the plaster, which means that it is allowed to do without reinforcing mesh.

These wood concrete blocks don't look the best.

Shell rock is a wonderful local material

Shell rock is cut out of marine sediments of approximately the same size as expanded clay concrete blocks. Blocks of the M15 brand have a strength of 15 kgf / cm2, are characterized by high porosity and are suitable for the construction of one-story buildings. Mark M25 means strength 25kgf / cm.kv. and allows the construction of 2-storey buildings. The M35 brand corresponds to the strength of 35kgf / cm.kv. and is suitable for the construction of foundations and plinths.

Positive qualities of the material:

• high environmental friendliness;
• good thermal insulation;
• does not absorb moisture;
• low cost in the area of ​​material extraction;
• high frost resistance.

Disadvantages of shell rock:

• fragile material;
• significant deviations of the geometric shape and size;
• high shipping cost.

The unusual color and texture of the shell rock attracts attention

Note that the high cost of delivery leads to the fact that the final price of shell rock is 1.5 times higher than expanded clay concrete. However, this option should not be completely discounted. During the construction of a building not too far from the place of extraction, the shell rock is quite competitive with expanded clay concrete blocks. In addition, the unusual color and texture contribute to the use of shell rock for exclusive architectural and design solutions.

Houses from popular foam and aerated concrete

The construction of private houses from lightweight concrete is quite popular today. This is due to the following number of positive characteristics:

• good thermal insulation;
• light weight;
• high environmental friendliness;
• wonderful geometry;
• blocks are easy to process;
• good sound insulation;
• low cost.

Aerated concrete house: two floors plus an attic - quite realistic

The disadvantages of lightweight concrete blocks include fragility and low strength. However, the construction of houses of 2-3 floors with floor slabs is allowed. At the same time, it is necessary to provide, although lightweight, but a solid monolithic foundation.

The material shrinks, therefore, after the walls are erected, the building box must stand during the warm season until finishing work is carried out.

As an example: in the near Moscow region, I saw a beautiful 3-storey mansion made of foam concrete, the facade of which was covered with a continuous grid of small cracks. The building was plastered immediately after the walls were built. Now both frost and moisture continue their destructive work.

Manufacturers offer blocks with a thickness of 10 to 30 cm of various density and thermal insulation properties: structural, structural and thermal insulation and thermal insulation. If you use heat-insulating blocks on the outside of the wall, and structural blocks on the inside, you can do without additional insulation.

Together with a relatively inexpensive foundation, a completely comfortable and relatively cheap structure is obtained. Note that blocks of foam concrete and aerated concrete are produced using different technologies, have different internal structures and characteristics. In the production of foam concrete, a foaming agent is added to the cement mortar, which creates closed pores inside the material. A powder blowing agent is added to the raw material for the production of aerated concrete, which leads to the appearance of small through channels in the thickness of the block. As a result, gas blocks absorb moisture much more strongly and need waterproofing.

Various types of concrete blocks

Proposal of progress - a house made of TEPLOSTEN blocks

TEPLOSTEN blocks attract with their completeness. The outer and inner structural layers of the block are made of expanded clay concrete, and inside there is a polystyrene foam heat insulator. The design of the "hamburger" is completed by an external decorative element, painted in any color. Inside the block there is a fiberglass reinforcement that prevents material delamination.

One of the disadvantages of the block is low vapor permeability, due to the presence of foam between the layers of expanded clay concrete. This can lead to wetting of the interior walls with high humidity and insufficient ventilation. Probably in the dry southern regions this problem will not arise. The TEPLOSTEN blocks are almost 2 times more expensive than expanded clay blocks, but they do not need additional insulation and finishing of the outside. The relative novelty of the technology under consideration should be noted. It makes sense to make sure that everything worked out well for someone before deciding to build HEATWALLS from blocks.

The design of the TEPLOSTEN block

Concrete panels - greetings from the USSR

In Soviet times, mass production of houses from large-panel blocks was organized. By today's standards, a 34 cm thick expanded clay concrete panel does not provide sufficient thermal insulation, so it is necessary to add insulation. The main advantage of building from panels is the high speed of building construction. Today, the low demand for large-panel blocks is explained by a small range of sizes, which leads to a limitation of possible planning solutions.

Old familiar wall panels

THERMODHOUSE made of foam blocks poured with concrete

For the construction of a house using the TERMODOM technology, special foam blocks are used. The blocks are hollow inside and have thick walls. During installation, the foam blocks are laid in a row and filled with cement mortar. Reinforcement is inserted into the solution to strengthen the wall. Outside, the wall is plastered on a grid, or finished with siding. For interior decoration, drywall is most often used.

To strengthen the foam before pouring concrete, it is necessary to install a wooden formwork. Concrete is poured into the EPS formwork in layers, so it is necessary to wait for the previous layer to harden before moving on to the next one. Of course, this increases the construction time. It is allowed to erect 2-storey buildings with floor slabs.

The advantages of TERMODOM include:

• low cost;
• high thermal insulation;
• acceptable environmental friendliness;
• relatively easy job.

THERMODHOUSE made of polystyrene was designated above the surface of the earth

We note the following as disadvantages:

• low vapor permeability;
• the difficulty of attaching furniture to the walls;
• insufficient knowledge of technology.

The presence of foam completely blocks the penetration of moisture through the walls, which can lead to wetting of the walls and the appearance of fungus. The use of a serious ventilation system in such conditions is simply necessary. Although in areas with a dry climate, such problems may not arise at all. In addition, it should be noted that the foam plastic burns, which means that the fire safety of the building will be noticeably lower than the option of brick and blocks.

In order not to disturb the inner layer of the insulation, it is necessary to provide channels for all types of communications even at the stage of pouring the solution. To hang heavy furniture on the walls, you will have to fix pre-embedded wooden elements to the concrete. The outer walls of the building must be closed from solar radiation in the foreseeable future.

This is how the construction of THERMODOM looks like

Wood based buildings

In the recent past, most of the population of our country lived in wooden buildings. So the older generation evaluated the characteristics of such buildings from their own experience. Most often, wooden houses are light, eco-friendly, aesthetic structures. During construction, a light and not even a monolithic foundation is suitable, that is, relatively cheap. Delivery and installation of materials is easier than for buildings made of heavy materials.

A wooden structure can be quite durable and reliable, but no impregnation will save you from fire.

Wooden houses are prone to rotting, termite attack and require constant maintenance. Protective measures such as antibacterial and fire impregnations, varnishes and paints are valid for a limited number of years. Periodically, all treatments must be carried out again. However, there are tools and technologies that, to a large extent, compensate for the shortcomings and emphasize the advantages of wooden structures. About the pleasant: the technology does not prohibit building wooden houses at a negative temperature.

Eco-friendly log house

I want to touch with my hands a pleasantly smelling log house

A log house cannot but evoke positive emotions associated with the smell of wood, tactile sensations and a reminder of antiquity. Let's evaluate the positive and negative qualities of rounded logs.

List of advantages:

• environmental friendliness;
• aesthetics;
• good assembly speed;
• good vapor permeability;
• the possibility of transferring the log house to a new location;
• durability.

The disadvantages also need to be mentioned:

• the need for additional insulation;
• relatively high cost;
• the need for constant maintenance;
• change in geometry over time.

Log house and stone: this option is possible

I will give laconic memories from childhood about living in a log house. In winter, the stove in the house was melted in the evening "red-hot". Already in the morning it was terribly cold, and I flew like a bullet to get warm in the kitchen to the open mouth of the Russian stove, in which my mother was already wielding her tongs. In other words, with permanent residence in a log house, it is difficult to do without additional insulation. In order not to use additional thermal insulation, logs with a diameter of at least 0.4 m are required.

The walls of logs are quite vapor-permeable, and the house breathes easily. Sometimes moisture can condense in the thickness of the log as a result of temperature changes, which leads to rotting of the wood. The tree itself is very environmentally friendly, no doubt, but what will happen to it after a variety of chemical impregnations and coatings? Big question! Unfortunately, you can't do without them.

Another feature - a wooden frame inevitably and constantly changes its geometry. You can somehow protect yourself from this by providing increased gaps in doorways and window frames. Fighting this problem, manufacturers dry and process wood, obviously not improving the environmental component and increasing the cost of the material.

In my opinion, it is better to refuse the use of logs, if there are alternatives, in the case of building a house for permanent residence. On the contrary, for a summer residence, a guest house, a hunting lodge, a bathhouse, that is, a structure not intended for year-round use, perhaps nothing better is needed! The building will not warm up for a long time and delight its owners with comfort and warmth.

Cottage made of timber - at least prestigious

Of course, timber is luxurious!

In short, a house made of glued laminated timber is even more beautiful than a house made of logs, it is somewhat better in terms of characteristics and noticeably more expensive. The beam does not dry out, does not crack, cracks do not form in the walls, shrinkage is noticeably less. Probably, such a country cottage should be built solely for reasons of prestige: there may be a very small country house.

Frame houses - a visiting card of Canada

There is a lot of controversy around frame houses: some consider them the perfect fruit of progress, others consider them a product of “decaying” capitalism. Let's figure it all out together.

While in Toronto, I talked with a former neighbor on the landing. Her husband succeeded in business, and the lady decided to make money by building an elite cottage for sale. When asked about the progress of construction, she threw out a mountain of negative emotions, the essence of which is reflected in the words: “They are building from all kinds of garbage!” No more - no less! From myself, I note that, walking around the city, which largely consists of private houses, I did not find any traces of rickety, collapsing or withering buildings. Against! I was simply amazed by the variety of architectural solutions. Literally, in each of these houses you want to live. I think if beautiful houses are being built from garbage in Canada, then this is the highest professionalism.

Modern frame house in Toronto

However, when I was going to buy my own house, I did not succumb to the temptation of the fashionable and cheap frame house, but built a house of expanded clay concrete. Because in Russia there are cheap blocks, and their masonry is inexpensive. Because I do not believe in the quality work of small frame house manufacturers in our country. Moreover, I will not undertake to solder or control each connection in the wiring of the house, because of which it can burn out like a match.

Another is the opposite. If we consider the issue at the age of 20, when there is neither housing nor money, I would pick up a hammer and build the best beautiful frame house in the whole world. Now let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of frame construction.

Positive:

• good thermal insulation;
• light weight;
• good installation speed;
• low cost;
• seismic resistance.

A half-timbered (frame) house in Germany has been standing for hundreds of years

Disadvantages of frame houses:

• limited service life;
• the need to install communications outside the walls;
• limitation of options for planning decisions by the size of the source materials.

A feature of a frame house is that it warms up quickly enough and can be used not only for year-round, but also for temporary residence. The foundation will need light and relatively cheap. During the construction of the frame, various insulation and a variety of options for external and internal decoration can be used. Frame components can be produced with a wide variety of levels of processing and quality. You can not do the project at all, or you can purchase a ready-made and proven one. Thus, we get a fairly wide range of prices and quality of construction.

Definitely, a house can be built by two people, and all materials can be delivered using a car trailer. Probably a frame house is the best option for many of us.

Walls made of SIP panels deserve attention

A large house from SIP panels was built quickly

A house made of SIP panels is practically the same frame, which means it repeats many of its qualities. A feature of the house is SIP panels, which consist of 2 sheets of OSB, between which there is a layer of foam. Environmentalists have questions about OSB panels, and the foam makes the material absolutely vapor-tight. The problem of vapor permeability of walls is still the same: internal surfaces can get wet, covered with mold and fungus. However, in the dry climate of the southern regions of our country, this is unlikely.

Houses made of SIP panels have an undeniable advantage - the high speed of construction. At the same time, SIP panels are not the best offer for the price: a house made of aerated concrete, for example, will turn out cheaper. Probably, from such material it is convenient to quickly build a summer house or an extension to the house.

Tables of comparative characteristics of houses made of various materials

The tables brought to your attention do not aim to replace the calculation of building a house. The idea is to understand the order of prices and compare the parameters of houses built from different materials.

The prices shown do not take into account differences between regions and inflation, but they are quite suitable for comparison and valuation. It should be taken into account that there are much more options for building walls, the choice of wall materials affects the design and cost of the foundation, and the cost of communications and finishing works can easily reach 50% of the total cost of building a building.

Estimated cost of 1m2 of walls

Insulation and finishing \ Wall material	Wall without insulation	Plus facing kipich	Plus decorative plaster	Plus insulation and facing brick	Plus plaster for insulation
Arbolite blocks 400mm		3000	2900
Gas blocks 400mm		2600	2800
Foam blocks 300mm		2500		2500	2800
Ceramic porous blocks 510mm		3600	3600
Ceramic porous blocks 380mm				3300	3500
Expanded clay concrete blocks 400mm					3300
Shell rock 400mm					4300
Cinder block 400mm					3000
Brick ceramic M150 double 380mm				3200	3500
	2500
Teplosten TB-400	2900
	2800
	3800
	2800
	3800
Glued laminated timber 279*210 mm without thermal insulation	6700

The following table shows the comparative characteristics of the various options for the execution of the walls of the house and calculates the overall rating. All parameters are evaluated on a 3-point system: 1 - bad, 2 - satisfactory, 3 - good. The scores in each column are first multiplied by the significance coefficients from the top row of the table, and then added together. The coefficients are also divided into 3 levels: 1 - not important, 2 - important, 3 - very important. Of course, everyone can set the coefficients of significance, based on their preferences, and get their own result. The important thing is that with the help of this table you can really choose the necessary version of the walls of future housing.

Rating of the construction of the walls of houses from various materials

Comparison options	The cost of the builder stva	Ecological ness	Thermal insulation lation	Fire resistant responsiveness	Operating cost tions	Speed ​​builder stva	Durability ness	Qualify- cation builders	Paroproni- value	Teploiner- rationality	Soundproof lation	Sum points
Significance factor \ Wall material	3	2	3	3	3	1	3	1	2	1	2
Arbolite blocks 400mm plus facing brick	3	3	3	2	3	2	2	1	3	2	2	60
Gas blocks 400mm plus facing bricks	3	3	3	3	3	2	3	1	3	2	2	66
Foam blocks 300mm plus facing brick	3	3	3	3	3	2	3	1	3	2	2	66
Ceramic porous blocks 510mm plus facing brick	3	2	2	3	3	2	3	1	2	2	2	59
Ceramic porous blocks 380mm plus insulation and plaster	3	2	2	2	2	3	3	2	2	1	2	54
Expanded clay concrete blocks 400mm plus insulation and plaster	3	2	3	2	2	3	3	2	2	1	2	57
Shell rock 400mm plus insulation and plaster	2	3	2	2	2	3	3	2	2	1	2	53
Cinder block 400mm plus insulation and plaster	3	1	2	2	2	3	3	2	2	2	2	53
Ceramic brick M150 double 380mm plus insulation and plaster	3	2	1	2	2	1	3	1	2	1	3	50
Styrofoam fixed formwork	3	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	2	2	47
Teplosten TB-400	3	2	3	2	3	3	3	2	2	2	2	61
Frame-panel, thickness 174 mm	3	2	2	1	1	2	1	3	1	3	1	40
Panel narcas based on SIP panels, thickness 174 mm	3	1	2	1	1	3	1	3	1	3	1	39
Rounded tree with a diameter of 320mm	3	3	1	1	1	2	1	1	3	2	1	40
Beam profiled with a section of 210 * 210 mm without thermal insulation	3	3	1	1	1	2	1	1	3	2	1	40
Glued laminated timber 279*210 mm without thermal insulation	1	3	1	1	1	2	1	1	3	2	1	34

I hope that the above material will help you solve the key problem of building a house - what is more profitable to build walls from. Summing up, it can be noted that the fastest way to build a house using SIP panels; the cheapest housing involves frame technology, and the most reliable building has walls made of stone and brick. If you want prestigious, expensive and environmentally friendly - this is a house made of glued laminated timber. In any case, which option is better is up to you.

Analytical material about what to build the walls of the house from. An overview of popular materials and a brief description of each of them.

It is the walls that are the most important structural element of any house or cottage. In the final cost of construction, the cost of erecting walls reaches 30%. Depending on a number of climatic and other conditions, the choice of material, design and wall thickness is made. These parameters are determined by the design decision, which necessarily precedes the start of construction of any house.

The materials used to build the walls of the house are divided into three groups:

• Wooden.
• Stone.
• Heterogeneous.

How to choose the right material for the construction of the walls of a residential building?

This article will help you find the right answer to this difficult question. Suppose that we are faced with the task of choosing materials for the construction of walls:

• two-story residential building
• with a total area of ​​150-200m 2 .
• in the conditions of a temperate climatic zone, characteristic of most of the territory of the Russian Federation.

Essential characteristics of any wall materials

Before proceeding to consider the characteristics and features of the use of the most popular materials belonging to the groups presented above, it is worth noting that for any wall of the house, regardless of the materials used and design features, there are a number of mandatory functions and requirements:

• Structural strength. This criterion is one of the most important, since for several decades the walls must bear the load not only of their own weight, but also the weight of the roof and ceilings, communications and engineering units, and interior decoration. That is why all erected walls must have a certain margin of safety. For the construction of the walls of the house we are considering, you need to focus on the strength of the material, not exceeding 150kg/cm2.
• Minimization of loads on the foundation. This parameter is no less important than the previous one, since neglecting this factor can lead to the destruction of the entire building or to a significant increase in the cost of the zero cycle.
• Thermal resistance. This factor characterizes the indicator of thermal comfort indoors. It directly depends on the thermal conductivity of the material of the walls and their thickness. For the material of the walls of our house, you can focus on the value 2.5m 2 K/W.
• Water absorption. The features of a particular material to absorb and retain moisture are determined precisely by this criterion, which characterizes the percentage of the mass of water absorbed by the wall to the mass of dry matter of this wall. The water absorption of the wall materials used to build the house we are considering should be in the range from 6% before 15% .
• fire resistance. This criterion characterizes the ability of walls to limit the spread of flames.
• Frost resistance. This parameter characterizes the ability of wall materials and various structural elements to withstand alternate freezing and thawing. Most modern building materials have a frost resistance coefficient equal to 25-35 cycles. This value fully satisfies the requirements for the construction of the walls of our house. Experts do not recommend the use of materials with a frost resistance coefficient of less than 15 cycles, since in this case it is necessary to carry out additional processing, which will prevent the penetration of moisture from the side of the facade.

Option number 1: wooden walls

The most widespread among the materials belonging to this group are the following:

• Beam (simple and profiled).

The construction market does not stand still. With an enviable frequency, new building materials appear. However, despite all the newfangled trends, houses made of logs and timber not only have not lost their popularity, but are becoming increasingly relevant. The wood used for building walls has a number of advantages. Durability, strength, light weight, ease of processing - this is not a complete list of the advantages of this building material.

The technology of building modern wooden houses is greatly influenced by the emergence of the latest technologies and equipment. Whole wood is practically not used anymore. He was replaced by a wooden beam, which is a log hewn from all sides. It is the pre-treatment of the logs that ensures their almost perfect fit to each other. This technology improves the quality of housing and reduces the cost of construction.

However, the construction log used for the construction of walls has its own advantages:

• Strength.
• Ease of construction.
• Natural beauty.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Ease of machining.

The ability to quickly ignite, the need for additional processing to prevent decay and uneven shrinkage are the main disadvantages that characterize the use of construction logs.

Houses built from timber plain, profiled or glued) have a number of common advantages:

• Cost reduction (compared to other building materials).
• The speed of assembly at home. The two-story house (150-200m 2) described at the beginning of the article is quite realistic to assemble in two to three months.
• Creation and preservation of a special microclimate indoors.
• Design versatility.
• Ecological purity.
• Low thermal conductivity. An unheated house warms up completely in just a couple of hours and holds 6 times more heat than a brick house, and about 1.5-2 times more than a foam concrete house.
• Resistant to deformation.
• The ability to remove excess moisture.
• Excellent frost resistance. Houses can stand for more than a hundred years.
• High strength and elasticity.
• Practically no internal and external finishing is required (especially for houses made of profiled and glued beams).
• Aesthetic appearance.

In addition, houses built from simple, profiled or glued beams have a number of individual features and advantages. So, for the construction of walls from a simple wooden beam, you can use a columnar foundation or "floating columns".

Profiled timber provides increased durability of the building, high solidity, excellent vapor and air permeability, ease and speed of assembling the house, maximum environmental friendliness. The light weight of the timber can significantly reduce the load on the foundation, and the cheapness of the material (about 2-3 times cheaper than glued timber) and the aesthetics of the building sometimes tip the scales in the direction of the profiled timber.

houses built from glued beams, are distinguished by high strength, improved thermal insulation and higher (compared to natural wood) fire resistance. The advantages of glued beams include a fairly short period of construction of the building and, of course, the natural beauty of the tree and its texture.

Walls made of wooden beams, as well as from other materials, have their drawbacks:

• Anisotropy of wood. This indicator characterizes the heterogeneity of strength, steam conductivity, thermal conductivity and other properties depending on the direction of wood fibers.
• Limitation of use depending on the ambient temperature. So, it is not recommended to operate houses made of glued laminated timber in conditions of prolonged heating above 35 ° C, all the rest - above 50 ° C. A temperature of 35°C is not typical for the temperate climate zone (this is where our house is conditionally located), but in recent years it has not been such a rare occurrence. This fact makes us once again think about the use of glued beams.
• The possibility of cracking (except for glued beams). In fairness, it should be noted that this drawback is quite simply eliminated by rubbing with special mastics.
• The need to use additional finishing materials when using a simple bar. This will prevent moisture from getting into the space between the bars.

Thus, houses and walls made of wood quite successfully combine excellent consumer qualities and a relatively low price, and the environmental friendliness and beauty of this material cannot be overestimated. That is why wooden buildings continue to be built for many centuries, despite the emergence of modern building and finishing materials.

Option number 2: block walls

The most popular and widespread are the following building materials belonging to this group:

The masonry of walls from a wide variety of blocks has gained wide application and great popularity. Walls built from one or another type of blocks have different physical properties and features inherent in the material of the block filler.

However, most buildings built from block building materials are characterized by excellent heat and sound insulation properties, increased fire and frost resistance, environmental friendliness, lightness, strength, durability, resistance to mold and fungi, and ease of processing. In this section, we will dwell in detail on the advantages and disadvantages of various types of this building material.

cinder blocks

Slag, which is a flux-containing components of waste rock, is the main filler of cinder blocks. A wide variety of materials can be used as building stone fillers: cement, expanded clay, cullet, brick and concrete cullet, gravel, sand, granite screenings, crushed stone. Cement is the main binder of cinder blocks.

The main advantages of cinder blocks include the following:

• Low cost due to the cheapness of the components used. As a result, the cost of masonry and construction of the entire house is significantly reduced.
• Ease of use. For the construction of walls from cinder blocks, special skills are not required.
• Strength and durability.
• Fire resistance and frost resistance.
• Possibility of self-production.
• Low consumption of binder solution.

However, cinder blocks also have some disadvantages, among which the following can be distinguished: poor soundproofing properties, high thermal conductivity, the need for double-sided plastering of walls and the problematic laying of various communications.

Foam blocks

This type of building material is made from foam concrete, which is a type of cellular concrete. For the manufacture of foam blocks, cement mortar, sand, water and a foaming agent are used. The foam block is an artificial porous stone that can float in water. A wall made of this material is able to "breathe", creating an ideal microclimate in the premises. Approximately the same microclimate is created in houses built of wood. However, foam blocks, unlike wood, do not rot and do not burn.

Advantages of foam blocks:

• Low specific gravity.
• Low hygroscopicity.
• Ease in processing.
• High durability.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Cheapness. Foam block is one of the cheapest materials.
• Good soundproofing.
• Economical due to low weight. Thanks to this, you can significantly save on the construction of the foundation, the thickness of the plaster layer. Foam blocks can even be laid on glue.
• High fire resistance.
• Low shrinkage factor.
• High thermal insulation properties.

The disadvantages of foam blocks can only be attributed to the fact that the construction of walls is possible only in a frame way, and a synthetic foaming agent is able to enhance the hygroscopicity of concrete.

gas blocks

This building material has unique characteristics and is becoming increasingly popular. It is gas blocks that make real competition for classic bricks due to their natural origin and excellent performance. For the production of gas blocks, sand, lime, cement, water and aluminum powder are used. Depending on the binder used (lime or cement), a gas silicate or aerated concrete block can be obtained. Both types of gas blocks, due to their high porosity (up to 85%), have excellent performance properties inherent in both wood and stone:

• High strength.
• Ease of processing.
• Low thermal conductivity.
• High fire resistance and frost resistance.
• Excellent soundproof properties.
• Excellent vapor permeability.
• Durability.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Ease.
• Resistant to fungus, bacteria and mold.
• Moisture resistance.
• Installation speed.

However, gas blocks also have a number of negative properties. In particular, additional cladding of external walls or protective plastering may be required, sound and heat insulation properties decrease with increasing density and strength. It is impossible to build high-rise buildings (more than 3 floors) from aerated concrete blocks. However, in our case (the construction of a two-story house), this factor has absolutely no effect on the choice of material.

silicate brick

This building material is made from sand, lime and some additives. Sand-lime brick is used for the construction of external and internal walls and for cladding. It is not recommended to use silicate brick in places with high humidity and for masonry, which may be exposed to elevated temperatures. These features of the use of silicate brick are due to its ability to absorb moisture well, to decompose hydrate components with a significant increase in temperature.

The main advantages of silicate bricks include the following:

• Reliability and durability.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Resistance to the influence of aggressive factors.
• High fire resistance.
• Can be used for a wide variety of architectural solutions.
• High noise reduction factor.

However, silicate brick also has a number of negative properties that limit its use:

• Increased construction time and high labor intensity of work. This state of affairs is possible due to the small size of the silicate brick.
• High ability to absorb moisture.
• Big weight. Sand-lime brick is one of the heaviest building materials.
• Low adhesion with cement mortar.
• Limited use (in terms of temperature and humidity).

ceramic blocks

Ceramic blocks or "warm" ceramics are an environmentally friendly building material made from high quality clay with some additives. Many builders use the expression "warm block" in their everyday life, which indicates one of the main characteristics of this material - ceramic blocks are distinguished by excellent thermal insulation qualities. In addition, these blocks have almost all the positive properties of ceramic bricks:

• Resistance to aggressive factors.
• High strength.
• Light weight.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Ease of processing.
• High adhesion achieved due to the corrugated surface of the blocks.
• Durability.
• Frost resistance.
• Excellent heat and sound insulation properties.
• Optimum indoor climate.
• Reduced construction time (compared to brickwork).
• Saving mortar when laying.

There are few disadvantages of ceramic blocks, but they are: high price, the need to plaster the walls to protect against moisture, fragility during transportation.

Arbolit

This building material is a type of lightweight concrete. For its manufacture, a mixture of organic aggregates (woodworking waste, fires, reeds, etc.), a binder and water are used. There are also some additives in the mixture. For example, calcium chloride and alumina sulphate are added to accelerate cement hardening and aggregate mineralization.

Arbolit very successfully combines the best qualities of stone and wood. This unique building material is characterized by excellent heat capacity (the thermal conductivity of wood concrete is 4-5 times lower than brick), high strength, resistance to decay. It is environmentally friendly and fireproof. The negative quality of wood concrete can be called high water absorption, which can be successfully overcome by creating a reliable protective coating.

The positive qualities of this unique material more than compensate for this disadvantage:

• Low thermal conductivity, which allows you to significantly save on heating the house during the heating season.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Plastic.
• Ease of processing.
• High strength.
• Small specific weight.
• Fire safety.

In addition to the block building materials discussed above, ceramic bricks, expanded clay blocks, twin blocks, gas silicate blocks, sand concrete blocks, polystyrene concrete and sawdust concrete blocks can be used to build houses. These building materials have almost the same performance characteristics inherent in all block building materials.

Option number 3: heterogeneous (multilayer) walls

Among the building materials belonging to this group, the most common are the following:

The materials listed above have a number of undeniable advantages, among which are such as a significant reduction in construction time, low weight, cost savings, an excellent combination with other building materials, and a long service life. The main operational qualities of each material separately are presented below in more detail.

SIP panel

The SIP-panel is a structure, which consists of two oriented strand boards or OSB (OSB), between which there is a layer of insulation glued under pressure - solid expanded polystyrene. Expanded polystyrene has a number of excellent physical and operational properties.

It is resistant to aggressive media, environmentally friendly, durable, easy to use. This material is characterized by a low degree of thermal conductivity and vapor permeability.

Houses built from SIP panels have the following qualities:

• Strength.
• Durability.
• Energy efficiency.
• Relative cheapness.
• The beauty.
• Fire resistance.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Practicality.

In addition, houses made of this material are assembled very quickly. So, the two-story house with an area of ​​150-200m 2 considered in this article can be assembled in 12-15 days on a prepared foundation, and a full construction cycle, including interior decoration, will take no more than three months.

The relative cheapness of building buildings from SIP panels is achieved due to the following factors:

• Inexpensive foundation.
• Short construction time.
• Simplicity of finishing works.
• No additional insulation required.
• Significant savings on heating and maintenance of the house.

However, ideal building materials that have absolutely no flaws do not exist. SIP panels are no exception, the main disadvantages of which include the following: fire hazard, the need to use a ventilation system, and the possibility of rodent penetration.

Fixed formwork

Fixed formwork consists of panels or blocks made of various materials, which are mounted in the formwork structure. The use of fixed formwork can significantly speed up and simplify the construction process by combining several operations into one technological cycle.

The main advantages of using fixed formwork include:

• High construction speed. For example, the box of the house discussed in this article can be built in just a week.
• Lightweight blocks.
• Variety of architectural solutions.
• Low material cost.
• High fire safety.
• Environmental friendliness.
• High strength.
• Excellent heat and sound insulation.
• It can be used in any climatic conditions and on any soil.

This material also has its drawbacks. The use of fixed formwork is characterized by the difficulty of compacting the concrete mixture and arranging door and window openings, the need to use protective finishing materials and a grounded loop that protects the building from lightning.

Multilayer heat blocks

Multilayer heat blocks are made using the casting method from expanded clay concrete and contain a heat-insulating insert made of expanded polystyrene. The decorative front surface, made of expanded clay concrete painted with iron oxide pigment, is the third layer of this building material.

Multilayer heat blocks are practically devoid of disadvantages, but they have many advantages:

• High construction speed.
• Significant cost savings.
• Additional heat and sound insulation is not required.
• Excellent thermal performance.
• Durability.
• Aesthetic appearance.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Fire safety.
• Possibility to increase living space.
• Light weight.

Brisolite and insulated laminated timber, as well as the heterogeneous (multilayer) building materials discussed above, are widely used in the construction of houses and have many similar physical and operational properties.

Summary

Thus, this article outlines the comparative characteristics of the main building materials used for the construction of walls and houses. As you can see, all the presented materials have their pros and cons.

From what building material (group of materials) is it better to build the house considered in this article? I am sure that each reader has found the answer to this question on his own, having analyzed the physical, operational, aesthetic and economic features of each building material.

Questions and answers on the topic

No questions have been asked for the material yet, you have the opportunity to be the first to do so

In principle, each material for building a house has its undeniable advantages and disadvantages. The abundance of choice complicates the question of which house to build for permanent residence. One thing is for sure: for heavy and light materials, the main thing is skillful hands of the builder. An error in the calculations will come back to haunt you in any case and will surface the next day or 10 years later, when it will be very difficult to correct.

What material to choose, what is better and cheaper to build a house from? We will conduct a brief review, as well as materials for their construction.

What are heavy and light materials?

Heavy materials for construction include, as the name suggests, stones, various blocks, bricks, slabs. For houses made of heavy materials, an appropriate foundation is also needed. The most commonly used tape, but if the ground is not the best, it can be combined with a pile-screw.

When it comes to lightweight materials, it means wood, frames. Of course, these are only conditional names for such houses, which does not mean that the house will be really easy in the end. for wooden houses it is better to choose the best possible one. stand for several hundred years and the foundation should not fail.

For frame builders, you can save a little, choosing a simple pile option. The “shelf life” of the skeleton is up to 100 years, therefore, if the soil allows you to save money, this is quite realistic.

Brick - expensive, but for centuries

As they say, a brick can handle everything: hurricanes, frosts, unbearable heat - the natural mood is changeable.

However, this material is able to withstand not so much.

According to statistics, the "shelf life" of a brick house reaches 200 years.

Due to the fact that the material has been used by builders for a very long time, usually there are no problems with hiring craftsmen.

The range of types of bricks is also for every taste:

1. Ceramic bricks are made from clay, molded and fired in special kilns. Possesses high level of strength, refers to environmentally friendly materials for construction. Of course, if it is made with high quality and production standards are observed. It happens solid and hollow (inside up to 50% of voids). For construction, the second subspecies is a priority, since the more voids in the body of the material, the higher its heat-retaining property.
2. Silicate brick is made from lime and sand. It is white in color and looks great, especially the whole subspecies. Lightweight silicate brick - looks very messy, but has higher thermal insulation property.
3. Ordinary and front subspecies of brick will also find application in the construction of a capital house. Ordinary - in the inner masonry, facial - will decorate the house from the outside.

Be sure to pay attention to the labeling before ordering a batch of material. It is done in order to know whether the masonry of a particular brick will withstand the weight of the structure and natural phenomena. Usually the material is marked with the letter "M" with two or three digits. The minimum strength value per square centimeter is 75, the maximum is 200.

Important: During the construction of the basement, the minimum strength is 150; when building a two-story house, batches with a strength of M125 should be purchased. The more floors, the heavier the attic, the higher the coefficient should be, respectively, the brick will be heavier, and the cost per cubic meter of material will be higher.

For construction in Russia, especially in the outback, it is very important to take into account the fact that frosts in winter can disperse in earnest. The marking “F” is responsible for frost resistance, and the indicator varies from 15 to 100.

For facing a house in a temperate climate, the F50 marking is used; F25 masonry can be done inside. The higher the marking index, the more times the brick will survive freezing without damage to the structure.

Brief summary and characteristics of the material:

• you get an expensive box of a house and a foundation;
• very expensive, presentable appearance of the final work;
• phenomenal durability;
• precipitation, temperature fluctuations are unimportant;
• excellent fire resistance;
• difficult to lay out the box;
• rather "dirty" construction, you need a lot of extra space around.

Conclusion: brick building is a costly and time-consuming process.

However, all costs, including financial ones, will be more than repaid for the long life of the building. Properly selected brick and competent builders prolong the life of the house up to 100-200 years without changing the original characteristics.

concrete blocks

The second most popular material for laying load-bearing walls, in comparison with brick. Strong material, more profitable financially and much easier to build. In summer - the house is kept cool, in winter - warm and cozy, precipitation and other natural phenomena are not terrible quality concrete block.

Advantages of building from concrete blocks:

1. The first thing I want to note is the fire resistance of the material. Concrete does not burn, so, unlike building with wood, the house is safe from external fires and will withstand direct fire for several hours.
2. The material tolerates frost well.
3. For those who need good sound insulation in the house, construction from concrete blocks is suitable. Due to the structure of the concrete itself, extraneous noise will not be heard in the house.
4. With proper construction, thermal insulation is quite good. Together with an external, well-built heating circuit, you can achieve good savings on home heating.
5. It is possible to operate a building from blocks, as well as from bricks, for a long time. On average, without a major overhaul, the house will please 80-120 years.
6. Concrete blocks do not rot, are not covered with mold and fungus.
7. The versatility of the material allows you to build residential buildings, and garages, and multi-storey buildings of any type.

The disadvantages include unpresentable appearance of the house without finishing. Therefore, when calculating the budget for construction, one should take into account the external “marafet”. In addition, construction should only be done in dry weather and takes a considerable amount of time, due in part to the changeable weather. Due to the high level of groundwater in some areas of the country, waterproofing may be necessary.

What you need to know about concrete blocks?

Concrete blocks are of several types and differ from each other:

• brand (from 50 to 100) - this is an indicator of the strength of the product;
• frost resistance - from 15 to 200.

Strength marking must correspond to the total mass of the building. That is, for the basement - the highest value, for a house of 2 floors - approximately M75 (it also depends on the size of the attic). Frost resistance, as already discussed, depends on the location of the future building.

Very important for quality construction explore the soil under the place for the house. To do this, it is better to play it safe and hire specialists, which will also be very costly. But, if you choose the wrong type of foundation and the building starts to drive, the costs will be even greater. For "restless" lands, a monolithic type of foundation is suitable (if the house is not large), as well as pile and tape.

Conclusion: concrete blocks are only slightly inferior to brick in their qualities.

However price and ease of construction are more attractive, if you choose between these two materials. Additional costs may apply for waterproofing, as well as external insulation and finishing.

Construction from natural stones

People have been using natural stones for a very long time. Many old-timers remember the times when the construction of this material cost a penny, as the stone was not highly valued and was simply mined. Natural stone was especially available in areas close to the place of extraction.

Now the situation has changed radically and allow yourself construction of sandstone, shell rock, granite, basalt is sometimes more expensive than you would like. Things are more or less good with the construction of natural stone near the mountains, that is, near the place of extraction.

Advantages use of natural stone for building a house:

• for non-remote areas, this material will be inexpensive, the farther from the extraction sites, the more expensive the quality material will be;
• the material is the cleanest in the ecological concept of all heavy building materials;
• the blocks are quite large, so the construction will not be delayed;
• depending on the deposit, the porosity of the shell rock is different, which means that the thermal conductivity also changes;
• good sound insulation;
• perfectly survives all weather changes, does not rot, is not covered with bacteria with proper construction.

Like any other material, natural stones have their own limitations:

• heavy: you need a good, expensive foundation and additional costs for the construction of the box;
• different shapes of each block create additional difficulties when docking, more cement will be required;
• very serious waterproofing is required: the material absorbs moisture;
• the facade of the wall made of shell rock is finished on a reinforced mesh, otherwise everything will quickly fly around.

Conclusion: minor difficulties associated with the construction are more than paid off, due to the fact that the material is environmentally friendly, the house will last a long time.

Having chosen the correct density (all natural stones are also marked) stone, it is possible to equip both the basement and the upper floors with it. And the cost per cube will depend on the location of the customer.

Construction from thermal panels

Thermal panels or panels from - a relatively new product for construction. If the material for construction is selected on the basis of savings, in the first place, then you can take a closer look at this option. Frame thermal panels declare themselves as the most heat-saving material. In addition, the construction of a house from a new material is quite fast.

The panel consists of clinker tiles and thermal insulation in the form of expanded polystyrene. The main disadvantage of frame thermal panels is that they 100% synthetic material. That is, for connoisseurs of environmentally friendly buildings, panels will not work under any pretext. The material does not absorb moisture, is not subject to destruction, withstands compression very well, pressure from all sides, does not burn, perfectly withstands any natural changes.

Other dignity panels:

• excellent appearance;
• in tandem with thermal panels outside, heat losses are immediately reduced by 30-35%;
• very tight joining of panels, thanks to their precise cutting.

To shortcomings already attributed that they are not environmentally friendly. In addition, you can supplement this list with the fact that additional corner shape panels are needed to decorate the shape of the house. These building materials have passed all known tests and meet modern requirements.

Conclusion: the use of frame thermal panels is an economical option that provides a very solid look to the finished building.

The outside of the house without exterior finish will look like brickwork. The clinker board is bonded to expanded polystyrene with a special high-quality construction adhesive under high pressure, which ensures high strength of the final work.

Which house is better?

Wooden houses

The most environmentally friendly type of construction. Since ancient times, wood has been used for construction. The best trees for building a house - pine, cedar and larch. Coniferous trees are less affected by fungi, have good indicators of resistance to weather conditions. Larch material does not rot, does not fade. Natural resin has a bactericidal property.

Since time immemorial, mankind has built its homes from clean, breathable natural material - wood. A huge number of surviving architectural monuments are built of wood. The durability of such buildings is estimated in hundreds of years and is amazing.

Larch wooden houses

No wonder this tree is called "iron", those who have dealt with this material know that this wood very thick and heavy. It has an amazing quality for wood - increased fire resistance. Over time, larch only becomes denser, this is the only tree that doesn't rot at all.

In addition, for people with respiratory problems, doctors strongly recommend visiting the larch forest more often. It turns out that it is three times better for health to live in a house made of this material. Great house for living with family, children.

cedar houses

One of the most expensive building materials is oak. It is close to larch trees in density, withstands phenomenal loads. A house built from this material can withstand an earthquake of up to 7 points. In addition, cedar has the property of thermal insulation, more than other trees.

Pine timber house

Most popular building material, due to the lower cost per cubic meter of material. This material has good thermal insulation, allows you to build a house in 2-3 floors. A properly assembled house will last at least 150 years with timely care, replacement of the lower rims.

log house

This construction technology has been perfected for centuries and has come down to us in the most refined form. The trunk is cleaned of bark and dried for a long time in natural conditions.

Professional builders know that the material that is dried under a roof or a canopy on the street retains its properties much longer than those dried in the dryers of timber processing enterprises.

Log houses are unique, each house can be completely different from the others. A well-built wooden house perfectly retains heat.

In room there will always be a healthy microclimate, clean air. The disadvantages include the cost of construction and its duration.

First, a bar is purchased and dried under the flooring for at least 3-4 months, then a box is assembled. The work of the masters also flies a pretty penny. Then the log house (read:) should stand for a year or two, otherwise it will be driven and cracks will go. After shrinkage, you can do the finishing, conduct water, connect to electricity, install windows and the like. All this takes a lot of money and time.

How log houses are made:

1. The largest, resinous and thick logs are placed in the first rows - the crown of the log house. Waterproofing must be provided before laying. You can use roofing material, waterproofing, etc.
2. In each subsequent log, a longitudinal recess is made for closer contact between the rows of logs. Thus, all rows are collected.
3. After the initial shrinkage (about 3 months), the logs are marked, disassembled and assembled again, laying all the longitudinal grooves with moss, tow or modern materials.
4. After complete shrinkage (1.5 years), the logs are caulked using a heater. Caulking is done only after the roof and windows are ready.
5. Sometimes after 5-7 years, when complete shrinkage occurs, you have to caulk again, as new gaps appear and heat blows out.

Of course, the above stages are described only in general terms, but this will allow us to better visualize the stages of building a log house.

Conclusion: building a log house is a way to show your imagination to the fullest. The design of such a house can be absolutely anything. The thickness of the walls, the lower crown make the building not only warm, but also the most durable from all other wooden buildings.

Round timber construction

The construction of rounded logs is the use of even logs of the same size and diameter, which manufactured industrially. Of course, you can use your golden hands to prepare the material, but, as practice shows, this is a long and laborious task.

After the purchase, according to the construction plan, the customer receives a ready-made log impregnated with special compounds, which only needs to be assembled into a log house. The larger the house is planned, the larger the diameter of the log should be. Thanks to quality processing, the logs fit well together and each crown fits well on the previous one.

The method of building from round logs is similar to the chopped method. The advantage of this type of construction can be considered environmental friendliness and beautiful appearance, even without exterior decoration. By the way, it is not at all obligatory for most regions of the country.

Conclusion: ordering and buying a rounded log will cost more than buying unprocessed wood and peeling off the bark, processing and turning the log on your own. But, in any case, houses made of such material look very nice, respectable. The house will be warm, breathable, environmentally friendly.

frame houses

Another subspecies of construction, which is considered very new and seductive for its speed of construction.

A rigid frame is assembled from a bar, the main material is installed between the supporting beams.

Less commonly, a frame is made of metal beams, they will be discussed below.

1. Frame-panel. A frame is built from beams, sheathed on the inside and outside with slabs of large chips or others, insulation is laid between the slab material. The main advantage is the speed of construction. Of the shortcomings - the need to use special equipment.
2. SIP panels. These panels consist of insulation (expanded polystyrene), glued on both sides with OSB boards. Walls, ceilings, floors are built from this material. These panels are smaller than in the case of a panel house, so a crane is not needed and you can build a building with your own hands. Of all the wireframes, this method is the easiest for novice builders.
3. Frame houses. Compared to the rest, such a building will be the cheapest. The frame is assembled from thick boards, stuffed onto a foundation box. You can use glued laminated timber, not a board (half-timbered method of frame-frame building). The finished frame is filled with bricks, stones, double-glazed windows, wood.
4. Metal frame houses. The principle of construction is similar to the previous ones, with the exception of the frame material. Metal bases are used, in combination with slabs with insulation. Such houses are light, the service life is about 80 years (according to the guarantee from the manufacturers of such frames, which is not possible to verify). Despite the thermal profile used, more money will definitely be spent on heating such a house than on a wooden “brother”.

Conclusion: frame construction is clean, inexpensive.

In addition, little space is needed, construction can be carried out “from the body”, without unloading panels and material, if the space on the site does not allow or is occupied by plantings. To increase the life of a frame house, it is important to correctly calculate and design the frame itself, take the foundation seriously.

What is the cheapest way to build a capital house?

As already noted, a house that will stand for centuries - it is a priori expensive for its owner at the time of construction. However, for budget construction there is an innovation of the last decades - carcasses.

The lighter the walls, the cheaper it will cost. If you use inexpensive SIP panels, the price will be even lower. However, many are skeptical of the walls of the house, which can be pierced with a large knife with great effort.

Of heavy materials, construction will be the cheapest from cellular concrete or thermal panels. Construction will be expensive brick and ceramic blocks. For these buildings, the cost of work will be higher, since the blocks themselves are not easy to lift.

The same conditions will apply to the foundation: the more durable, stronger, the more expensive it will be both in terms of materials and costs for workers. Ideal for a small house pile foundation if there is an idea to attach a 2nd floor or a good attic, it is better to play it safe.

What to build a house on a small plot?

To organize the construction of heavy materials, you need a scope for the area. The site will need to be divided into zones for the foundation, for placing a warehouse with material (at least - a canopy), for mixing concrete. It is also worth thinking about the heap of garbage, which will certainly be collected.

Scraps, packages, empty boxes, defective materials, and similar working moments. Workers need a place to at least have lunch or have a smoke break.

Pay attention to construction from frame thermal panels. Despite the fact that this material is more of a heavy one, you can build from it directly from the machine. In terms of timing, finances and costs on the ground, this is a profitable material.

As for light materials, the work will require a much smaller area. Most of all - to work with beam, log, takes the least frame, especially from SIP panels. If the site is extremely small, there are already plantings or there is only space for the house, it is better to give preference to wood, carcasses.

What is the final cost of construction?

Evaluating and comparing materials, the question involuntarily arises: what, besides the main raw materials, will money still be spent on?

Not every site owner can immediately put on the table in front of the builders the amount that will be required for turnkey development.

Usually, especially for young families, it is customary to divide the work into parts and build it in stages.

So the total will be:

• the complexity of the shape of the house, its number of storeys (complication of the work of the team);
• internal layout;
• insulation;
• exterior finish;
• roofing costs;
• building materials;
• foundation - almost 40% of all costs;
• interior decoration;
• the severity of the base material;
• additional fittings;
• conducting communications;
• waterproofing;
• heating system installation;
• other minor expenses.

The list is pretty impressive. Depending on the choice of material, it can both grow and decrease. However, building your own home is a real a way to create a truly cozy dream home about which everyone fantasizes in one way or another.

The abundance of building materials in our time is growing every year. The search for the ideal material will probably continue for more than one hundred years. However, in order to build a solid house in which it will not be cold, scary or expensive to live, it is worth turning to materials that have been tested for centuries.

Out of competition will always be brick and wood. These are the most reliable, long-lived houses that are inexpensive to operate and are good in terms of environmental friendliness. If the question is financial, it is better to choose modern methods: frame houses, thermal panels.

Average by money investment at home - from sand blocks, sand-cement blocks, concrete blocks etc. Block buildings retain heat well in winter, as they cool down for a rather long time, and in summer a pleasant coolness remains indoors.

In this article, we will understand which materials for building a house are best for various purposes.

Today, many people dream of a big, beautiful and comfortable home. But before you make a decision and start building a building, you need to think carefully about the purpose for which the construction of the house is planned. One format is suitable for a seasonal building, the second for permanent residence. After planning, you should think about the material, because safety and convenience depend on quality material.

On the modern market there are various materials that have certain properties. Usually the most important selection criteria are:

• strength, reliability of raw materials;
• the ability to isolate noise;
• preservation, isolation of heat;
• frost resistance;
• moisture impermeability.

Of course, before construction, all the parameters indicated above should be taken into account, especially if the building is individual. But still, the most important point is strength, as it forms the structure of the building and affects its functionality.

Materials for construction are divided into several categories:

• stone and brick;
• ceramic;
• concrete;
• wooden (from a log and a bar).

Buildings made of stone and brick

Structures made of stone and brick are distinguished by their massiveness. They are not afraid of the elements, while they have a stylish appearance. However, these durable materials are expensive.

The characteristics of a house built of stone or brick are not inferior to concrete.

Brick and stone structures are suitable for both small country houses and multi-storey buildings. Their main advantage is resistance to fire, moisture, and also such a building will not settle over time.

The disadvantage of brick and stone houses is low energy conservation. In order to build warm housing from this material, it is necessary to lay out walls 120 cm thick. Therefore, today brick and stone houses are losing their popularity, and raw materials are used for cladding.

Another significant disadvantage is high cost of material. Those wishing to build themselves a stone or brick house must calculate their finances and plan everything in advance before proceeding with the implementation of the plan.

Ceramic structures (ceramic blocks)

Bricks and ceramics are made using the same technology from clay. The difference is the savings on the construction of the building, because the ceramic blocks are larger in size, they need less, in addition, the protrusions at the ends suggest connecting the blocks to each other without a mixture. It is only needed to fix the horizontal rows to each other.

concrete materials

To date, brick is no longer as popular as it used to be, it has given way to a modern concrete block.

The advantages of this material are its affordable cost and speed of construction. One concrete block can replace several bricks. You can build a house from a gas block, foam block, cinder block, shell rock, wood concrete, expanded clay concrete. All of them are similar in characteristics, most subspecies practically do not need complex finishing, but the disadvantage is that concrete materials are brittle, have high water permeability, and there are chemical elements in the composition of the material.

Wooden houses

Wooden houses are built from logs and beams. They have a low load on the foundation, as a result of which it will not settle over time, moreover, this is a good savings at the initial stage of construction. An important advantage is that, using wooden materials, you can build a house, regardless of weather conditions or seasons.

Timber buildings are a profitable option for those who want to become the owner of a neat individual building. Its cross section is both rectangular and square, with a smooth, even side. For such houses, shrinkage is minimized as much as possible, and the production of log cabins occurs without the use of special equipment. The tree is aesthetic, does not require finishing, therefore it is an economical option.

Positive aspects of using wooden beams:

• eco-friendly material;
• fast building;
• good sound insulation, thermal conductivity;
• design safety;
• installation regardless of weather conditions and temperature;
• does without expensive foundation and finishing;
• pleasant smell of wood.

Disadvantages of timber houses:

• requires additional processing from insects, prevention from rot and cracks;
• easily catches fire, it is necessary to use fire-fighting means;
• long idle time of the foundation;
• well passes cold and water, so the cost of heat is inevitable.

Log buildings are traditional, well studied and quite attractive. You can build a small house or a huge, comfortable cottage. Such structures are natural and environmentally friendly, in addition, they do a good job with the natural ventilation of the space. Just like log buildings, log buildings do not need a massive foundation.

Advantages of log houses:

• natural raw materials;
• strong, safe and beautiful design;
• warms up quickly, reducing the cost of heating;
• available material;
• short construction time.

Cons of log houses:

• tendency to decay, attacks of insects;
• easy tanning in a matter of seconds;
• the foundation should be defended for about a year;
• the design warms up quickly, but does not hold heat, it is necessary to insulate.

What is better to build a house for permanent residence (permanent residence)?

A classic for suburban housing construction is baked clay brick and has good wear resistance, strength, durability. The material is considered environmentally friendly, not afraid of high and low temperatures, resistant to all weather conditions. They are massive, but require insulation.

There are several times more positive aspects in such material than negative ones, so a brick house is considered the most successful option for permanent residence. He and the fire is not so terrible, and will last much longer than concrete and, especially, wood.

What materials are suitable for a summer house in the country?

Traditionally, summer cottages are built of wood. Log buildings or houses made of glued laminated timber- any of these options will be successful for a comfortable summer. Such constructions are environmentally friendly and safe, they ventilate the premises well, and besides, they have a pleasant smell.

Wooden cottages are especially appreciated, which can be easily built on an individual order. Such a house needs processing and care, but its availability, reliability and comfort are important advantages when choosing a summer house for a summer residence.

What is better to build a house in the Urals or in Siberia?

Such cold corners of Russia as Siberia or the Urals need warm houses. It is important to choose the material that will warm up quickly and not lose heat. Of course, in such regions, the house will still have to be well insulated, but if initially the raw materials are already “warm”, the owner of the building will save on cladding. The ideal option would be a concrete building, namely with cells.

Initially, porous concrete was used for insulation, and a little later, whole houses began to be built from it, which were distinguished by excellent heat retention. In addition, the construction of a fire-resistant building will take a little time. After construction, for more insulation, the house should be plastered, covered with panels.

What is suitable for the warm corners of Russia (house by the sea)?

A house by the sea is the dream of many romantics. Mostly, such buildings are made of stone. The increased humidity of the coast will quickly destroy the wooden structure. Still fit ceramic blocks who are also not afraid of water.

There is no need to build a house right on the beach, because a lot of money will be spent on the foundation for a house on the sand, very close to the coastline. It is better to start construction work at least 200 meters from the beach. In addition, a thunderstorm is a frequent occurrence near the sea. A wise decision would be to get a lightning rod and eliminate a large number of metal structures in the building.

What materials are cheaper to build a house from?

Nowadays, many people want to run away from the city and build their own house, but there may not be enough money for a massive structure. The current great financial difficulties do not leave the possibility of a big flight of fancy, so you have to choose from cheap materials, given that the house must be reliable and safe.

The cheapest houses are made from concrete and wood. Aerated concrete is refractory, does not rot, it needs a simple foundation, it is also warm and needs light processing. But when laying the material, it is necessary to adhere to a certain technology. While wooden houses are easy to build without certain nuances, they are prone to rotting, burning, and the foundation should stand for about a year.

The choice between these two cheapest materials depends specifically on the future home owner.

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