Do-it-yourself aerated concrete laying technology. Technology of laying walls from aerated concrete blocks: nuances and stages of work

The first row of the block is laid on a solution of sand and cement in a ratio of 1:3 (the thickness should be no more than 30 mm).

Nowadays construction technologies developed enough to allow you to select the best, most progressive and not very expensive components. Aerated concrete is a material that falls precisely under this category.

One of the many advantages of the material is the ability to easily and quickly carry out masonry work, even if you do it yourself.

However, there are numerous legends in society associated with performing work such as gas block masonry. Aerated concrete, for example, when using glue, allegedly may not behave in the best way or even depressurize. This myth has no basis in reality.

Once the first row is in place, any uneven surfaces should be removed using a sanding board or plane.

Another common myth is that there are problems associated with masonry work in winter period. But these stories are more far-fetched. Thus, when working with aerated concrete in the cold season, the problem with the adhesive base is often mentioned. It is generally believed that in cold weather it is impossible to reliably attach blocks to glue, while they lose sight of the fact that there have been various compositions, designed specifically for use with low temperatures. It is possible to carry out masonry work at a temperature of -6°C, of ​​course, if the right technology is chosen.

Of course, in winter there are still some problems with masonry, but they are all easily solvable. More and more new additives are being developed for mixing into masonry mortar, thanks to which it acquires the necessary and convenient properties for use. In terms of price, such a solution will be more expensive, but during the operation of the premises such costs will more than pay off. Specially prepared types of glue with additives provide long-term protection against frost. To prepare a solution in winter time better use warm water. The amount of the prepared solution should be such that it can be used in approximately half an hour of work.

Transporting blocks

Aerated concrete blocks can be delivered to the site without packaging - in containers or wrapped in polyethylene film covered on pallets. During transportation, construction, and storage, blocks should be carefully protected from getting wet. When unloading material, the blocks must be placed on supports or a waterproofing substrate to protect them from water that may fall on them from the ground.

Laying aerated concrete walls

The technology is not that complicated, but at first glance the process is quite labor-intensive. The masonry is done in the same way as with brick, observing the laying seams, using a level, rules, and order.

The external walls are solid masonry made of aerated concrete.

To process aerated concrete blocks you will need:

• plane;
• grater;
• saw;
• drills;
• marking square;
• basting brush.

Tools required for and their alignment:

• trowels of various widths;
• mallet - a hammer made of wood or rubber;
• building level;
• pegs for digging into the ground, durable cord.

When constructing the walls of a building from aerated concrete, you should start from the corners and continue in rows along the entire perimeter. Before the first row, its waterproofing must be ensured. To do this, 1-2 layers of roofing material are laid on the foundation. For the first row, the blocks are laid on a solution of sand and cement in a ratio of 1:3 (the thickness should be no more than 30 mm). After the first row is laid in place, all irregularities must be removed using a sanding board or plane. The correct height of the rows must be carefully monitored from the very beginning of masonry work using a stretched cord-mooring and a level (vertical, horizontal).

The contact between the internal and external walls is carried out by ligating the blocks to a depth of 20 cm.

Particular attention should be paid to laying the first row, as mentioned above, and here's why. By setting the first masonry row to a horizontal, flat surface, you can make laying the next rows as easy as possible. As a cut-off horizontal waterproofing, which is placed between the foundation and aerated concrete masonry, you can use rolled bitumen materials or polymers based on special dry compositions. If it is not possible to obtain a perfectly flat foundation surface, the first row of blocks must be laid on a leveling layer of cement and sand mortar. If according to calculations bearing capacity blocks are used only by two-thirds and no more, it makes sense to make the leveling layer of mortar not continuous, but with a gap. Thanks to this approach, it is possible to significantly reduce heat loss through masonry joints.

When there is a gap in the first row of masonry that is less than the length of the whole block, it is necessary to make an additional block for it. When installing it in masonry, carefully coat the end surfaces with glue. When installing blocks, control over their correct placement must be carried out using a level and a mooring cord. The position must be adjusted using a rubber mallet.

Advice: when laying the next row of blocks, the surface of the masonry must be leveled using a trowel. There should be no level differences between adjacent blocks. If this operation is not performed, local vertical cracks may form in the masonry where stress is most concentrated. If dust has formed on the surface, shake it off with a special brush.

Before starting work, the blocks should be cleaned of dust and dirt, and those with chipped corners or edges should be set aside. In the future, they can be processed using conventional tools: saws, hand hacksaw, a plane for chamfering, an angular template for directing the cut. After processing, it will be possible to use these blocks in internal walls or when laying gable walls.

Features of wall laying

When laying walls, the basic rule is to place the seam joints offset. That is, the joints of the rows that are located above each other should move relative to each other by the size of the overlay. This size is calculated in a certain way for all block heights. There are many different ways to connect.

Spoon dressing

Walls made of aerated concrete blocks are usually erected in a spoon bond. Regular size the lining is half the length of the block. Since the seam is quite narrow, a wall erected in this way has greater strength and special load-bearing capacity.

Bonded masonry

The length of aerated concrete blocks with through bonded masonry in relation to the wall surface is positioned vertically. In this case, the overlay is smaller, and the structure is not as strong as with a spoon dressing.

Internal walls can be laid simultaneously with external ones, or they can be erected later. Both methods have their pros and cons.

Partitions made of two shells are an obstacle to sound transmission. The wall shells should not touch in any place. The solution should not be left in the hollow space - this may destroy the sound protection.

Laying walls in two blocks

With this type of masonry, the vertical seams have a solid bandage. Its depth should be at least 10 cm. Connections between walls in different directions should be made only with an inclined groove, the dressing depth of which is at least 20 cm (the use of a vertical groove is not allowed). The construction of internal walls and partitions is carried out according to the same rules as any of the external walls. The pairing of internal and external walls is carried out by tying the blocks to a depth of 20 cm. To connect the partitions to the walls, flexible connections made from strips of steel are used, which are pre-fixed in certain places.

After graduation construction work partitions should be covered. This ensures protection of the thermal insulation layer from rainwater. Inside the house, partitions can be made in one layer. Sound insulation in this case is ensured by block materials with high density. Quite often used in such cases are full-bodied sand-lime bricks, laid on a standard solution.

Laying solution

The mortar for wall masonry is made in such a way as to provide the aerated concrete blocks with good connection and correct existing imperfections. In the process of laying walls made of block materials, unevenness in the seams is practically eliminated due to the geometric precision of the manufacturing of the elements. But they may be in between foundation slab, ceiling and the first of the brick rows. A thin layer of solution in this case is used only to bind the elements. The solution for applying a thin layer is purchased in the form of a dry ready-made mixture produced in a factory. Its composition is cement and sand, plasticizing, hydrophobic, and water-retaining additives. The thickness of the seams should not exceed 2-5 mm. Laying can also be done using light mortar. The seams have a thickness of 8-10 mm. Masonry is possible using cement-sand mortar with a thickness horizontal seams from 10 to 15 mm, on average about 12 mm within the height of the floor. With application, the heat transfer resistance of the walls decreases - this should also be taken into account. If laying work is carried out in dry weather, the blocks should be slightly moistened beforehand.

For laying walls from aerated concrete blocks, the solution is prepared at the site where construction is taking place, from ready-made mixtures in dry form, delivered from the plant, or from aggregate, binder and additives. The adhesive solution is prepared according to the instructions printed on the bag, mortar- according to instructions CH 290.

The prepared container (a plastic bucket is perfect for this purpose) is filled with the amount of water indicated on the bag with the dry mixture. The mixture must be added with constant stirring. After a quarter of an hour, the solution is mixed again. This procedure will need to be repeated several more times to maintain consistency. At sub-zero temperature An adhesive mixture with antifreeze additives should be used.

Subsequent rows

The prepared solution is unloaded into the tub, after which it is distributed over the work surface, leveling using the serrated edge of the trowel. The block is lowered onto the adhesive solution from above, and care must be taken that there is no horizontal movement of more than 5 mm. If the solution comes out, it must be removed immediately with a scraper before setting occurs. Aerated concrete blocks are straightened by pumping or simply beating with a rubber hammer. During laying, you must follow the dressing rules. In the next rows of masonry, vertical seams are made with an offset of no less than 0.4 of the block height (8-12 cm).

To carry out masonry work efficiently, you can use the most various devices, which will help make your work easier. These are, for example, wooden planks that are installed in the corners of the future building. The slats are installed vertically - so that they mark the corners as clearly as possible. They are marked with marks corresponding to the height of the masonry rows. A mooring cord is stretched between the rows; it will be necessary to lay the next row along it.

Starting from the second, all subsequent rows of masonry should be carried out with ligation of blocks. With respect to the previous row, the next one should move no less than 8-12 cm. To apply the adhesive composition to the surface of the blocks, you can use a carriage, a ladle with a serrated edge, or even an ordinary notched trowel, which is used in tile work.

How can you deal with the tongue-and-groove end surface of materials during masonry? For the general case, the following technology is recommended: if the walls are supposed to be plastered on both sides, the vertical joint can be made dry, without filling it with glue, in order to improve the thermal uniformity of the masonry. If it is not planned to do a wet finish on at least one side, the vertical seam is partially filled - this prevents blowing through the structure. If walls are made from aerated concrete blocks and are buried in the ground, the entire vertical seam is filled with glue.

The starting row receives the most attention. The work is carried out carefully. The ease of laying the walls of the house and the quality of the entire finished structure depend on the evenness and horizontality of the first blocks laid.

Installing the first row can take a team of masons a whole day. And this is considered normal. Here the basis of the future building is formed. The ease of subsequent wall laying depends on the accuracy of its placement.

Foundation preparation

A feature of aerated concrete is not only maximum lightness, but also high hygroscopicity. Any noticeable increase in humidity levels provokes loss of building material thermal insulation properties, therefore houses made of aerated concrete in mandatory built on a plinth usually made of concrete or brick.

The main purpose of the plinth is to protect the walls from precipitation, such as snow and rain, as well as from moisture that comes from the ground through capillary suction.

The height of the base for a house made of aerated concrete is determined based on the depth groundwater, average amount and nature of precipitation. It should be above the average snow cover for the area.

So for the Moscow region, the average snow depth reaches its maximum in February and averages 25-35 cm in open areas and 40-45 cm in protected areas. Protection can include fences, neighboring structures and vegetation. Based on this, a 40 cm base will be enough.


More the height of the plinth is influenced by aesthetic appearance buildings, number and height of steps, design of vents. As well as the presence or absence of basements and semi-basements, the location of communications underground.

Attention!

Do not forget to perform cut-off waterproofing using any roll material on a bitumen basis. When using less durable roofing felt, I recommend laying it in 2 layers.

A guarantee of high-quality masonry will be the use of cut-off waterproofing, which will complement the standard waterproofing of the foundation base.

What should I put the first row on?

If the difference in the base is more than 5 mm, which is quite common, then the usual one will not work. Here you will need to combine the laying of the initial row with leveling the surface for the subsequent laying of blocks.

In this case, the installation of the starting row must be carried out exclusively on properly prepared, high-quality cement-sand masonry mortars. Since the base of the plinth is not perfectly flat, with minor differences and roughness allowed, the use of expensive glue will be an unacceptable luxury for laying on the foundation. In addition, the glue is more flexible and is intended for thin-seam masonry.

Recommended for laying the initial row of blocks standard proportion cement and sand passed through a sieve in a ratio of 1:3, with the addition of water until the mixture has a relatively thick consistency.

A properly prepared solution will not only allow you to get the maximum reliable connection aerated concrete with a base, but also helps to correct all existing irregularities. It is also possible to use ready-made, factory-made mixtures made on the basis of cement and sand, supplemented with hydrophobic, water-retaining additives and plasticizers.

Preparation of the solution

The cement-sand mortar should have the most uniform consistency, so to prepare it, it is advisable to use a concrete mixer, in which you need fill a bucket of water, fill a bucket of M500 cement and add three buckets of sifted sand.

Manual mixing of the solution is also acceptable.

During the mixing process, you need to add water in small portions, which will bring the mixture to the required consistency. It is recommended to add a water-retaining additive to the solution to prevent rapid absorption of moisture into aerated concrete.

Cement mortars prepared for aerated concrete masonry should be used within a couple of hours from the moment of mixing.

Step-by-step masonry technology

At the first stage you need check the height and horizontality of the foundation. Differences of up to 5 cm are allowed, since with such a thickness the solution does not shrink.

Other cases are considered defective and require repair. Any imperfections that are not too pronounced need to be cut or filled. cement mixture. Very significant unevenness will require the installation of additional formwork and subsequent filling of the surface concrete mixture with plasticizers, and further leveling. The height of the leveling layer should be about 30-50 mm. Laying can be done after the layer has dried.

At the next stage Cut-off waterproofing is being laid. The surface is covered with rolled waterproofing with overlapping material at the joints.

A waterproofing layer has been made, blocks are placed evenly in the corners according to a level or level, the lace is stretched in a horizontal position.

The laying begins from the corners, and serves as a guide highest point foundation. It is at this point that the first block is installed. Then blocks are placed in other corners. Installation of corner blocks with a tongue-and-groove connection is carried out with the ridges facing outward.

After placing the blocks in the corners, measure the heights again and mark the thickness of the required layer of mortar on each corner block with a pencil.

The correct installation of corner aerated concrete blocks can be checked with a building level or an optical level. If necessary, adjustment of corner block elements is carried out with a special rubber hammer.

Attention!

Before installing the blocks on the mortar, measure all sides and diagonals again. In a rectangular building, opposite sides should be parallel and equal. Adjacent sides must be perpendicular, which is checked by measuring the diagonals.

Install corner blocks on mortar, checking the mortar thickness written on each block. Install the blocks exactly level. Use an optical level to check the height of the block corner. If there is a discrepancy, settle the block with a mallet, or add mortar.

After installing the corner blocks, the lace is tightened and the row is filled with gas blocks. The cord makes it easier to perform strictly horizontal masonry.

Attention!

When the wall length is ten meters or more, a block is placed in the central part to prevent the cord from sagging.

Solutions for installing aerated building blocks must be applied to the surface of the base using a trowel. The first row of gas silicate blocks is laid using cement-sand mortars, and all subsequent rows are installed exclusively using adhesives. Side surfaces in both cases they are coated with adhesives.

A rubber mallet is used to adjust the blocks. The dimensions of the elements, if necessary, can be adjusted using . Here you will need a special power tool. In this case, the grouting of the cut is carried out using a trowel or aerated concrete plane.

Before further installation, you need to wait until the solution has completely hardened, which will prevent the risk of deformation of the starting blocks by the weight of subsequent rows.

Useful video

This short story shows the main points that you should pay attention to when laying the first row.

Aerated concrete is a durable and primarily lightweight building material. It has low thermal conductivity. It is used as a material for main walls in low-rise construction and as wall partitions in houses built using monolithic housing construction technology. Enterprises producing aerated concrete produce finished goods– blocks with different size and weight characteristics. The average dimensions of aerated concrete blocks are length 600 mm, height 200 mm, and width can range from 200 to 500 mm.

Building materials made from aerated concrete have the following advantages:

• they are not subject to rotting;
• have long term operation.

Preparation of the adhesive composition

Manufacturers produce blocks with an accuracy limit of plus or minus 1.5-2 mm. An adhesive is used to install them in the wall. The mixture includes:

• sand (sifted);
• cement;
• various additives.

The thickness of the seam should not be more than 5 mm, the minimum height should not be less than 2 mm. Laying blocks can also be done using light mortar; in this case, the thickness of the mortar should be in the range of 8-10 mm. When using traditional sand-cement mortar its thickness can be about 12 mm. When laying blocks without a groove tongue, the width of the vertical joints should be 10 mm.

When laying aerated concrete products, it is necessary to take into account that the use of various masonry mortars leads to a drop in the thermal transfer resistance of the wall. That is, the seams are a kind of cold bridges.

It is advisable to prepare masonry mortar directly on construction site from ready-made mixtures that are delivered from the manufacturer. To prepare a high-quality solution, you must strictly follow the requirements set out in the manufacturing instructions. It is usually printed on the bag containing the mixture.

The technology for preparing the solution is not complicated. To obtain the finished solution, you can use a plastic bucket; following the instructions, you need to fill it with the amount of water indicated in the instructions. After this, you can add the mixture, remembering to stir it constantly. During operation, the resulting mixture must be constantly stirred. If work is carried out in the winter season, dry mixtures with special additives must be used.

Beginning of laying, rules for constructing walls from aerated concrete blocks

Laying first-level aerated concrete blocks is a very responsible operation. The quality of its execution determines how the entire wall structure will stand as a whole. The work begins with the base on which the wall parts will be laid being leveled, that is, small irregularities are removed, and the holes and cracks are filled with mortar. Then it is necessary to arrange waterproofing. It may consist of one or more layers of roofing material or its analogues. The purpose of this waterproofing is to stop capillary recharge. In addition to roofing felt and analogues, special cement compositions with the addition of polymer materials can be used.

And only after checking the quality of leveling can you begin laying the first aerated concrete product. By the way, all work on quality control of masonry walls made of aerated concrete blocks must be carried out using a construction measuring tool.

Laying walls from aerated concrete blocks begins from the corners of the building. Aerated concrete bricks of the first level are laid on a pre-applied mortar. Its maximum thickness should not exceed three centimeters. After laying the first row, it is necessary to level its top layer. To perform this operation, use an ordinary plane or sanding board. Control over correct installation construction products must be performed using a stretched cord, a building level or laser devices.

Why is it so important high-quality styling first level? The whole point is that by providing a horizontal surface, the task of laying the next rows is made as easy as possible.

When the first row is laid, a gap will form, the length of which is most likely shorter than the length of a typical product. To complete the laying of the row, it is necessary to make an additional stone corresponding to the size of the gap. Before laying it in place, all edges must be treated with adhesive.

The installation of each product must be carried out by controlling its location in space using a stretched cord and the building level. As the blocks are installed, it is necessary to adjust their installation. You can use a rubber mallet for this.

By the way, after laying the next block in its place in the row, you need to level the resulting masonry surface using a trowel. Between side by side standing blocks there should be no level differences. If this operation is neglected, cracks may form. The dust that forms after performing this work must be removed using a soft bristle brush.

Before installing the block in its place in the row, dust, dirt and other contaminants are removed from its surface. It is advisable to put wall parts with damaged edges and surfaces aside. Only then, they can be processed with a hacksaw or a plane; subsequently they can be used when laying inter-wall partitions and other structures constructed inside the building.

To improve reliability building structure Reinforcement of the wall from aerated concrete blocks is used. For this purpose, steel can be used welded mesh, the width of which should not exceed the width of the building material. It is laid through two to three rows of aerated concrete bricks.

Laying subsequent rows of blocks

Using a trowel, lay out adhesive composition to the place where the masonry will be carried out. To ensure uniformity, spread the solution over the surface using a notched trowel. The block is installed on the solution strictly from above. It must be placed so that the maximum displacement does not exceed five millimeters. The solution that will be squeezed out from under the installed part must be removed with a scraper before it hardens. To install it in place and level the surfaces, the block can be slightly rocked or tapped with a hammer with a rubber striker. The vertical seams of the top row should not coincide with the bottom ones. The distance between them should be 8-12 cm.

Laying the next row must be done with ligation of the blocks, maintaining an offset of 8-12 cm.

The following question often arises: what to do with the tongue-and-groove surface? To do this, you need to know whether the walls will be plastered on one side or on both. In the latter case, the vertical (end) seam is not filled with glue.

Based on the above, we can conclude that laying aerated concrete blocks with your own hands is quite a feasible task.

Features of masonry walls and partitions

Sometimes, for a number of reasons, it becomes necessary to create walls consisting of two rows. There are several subtleties in their construction. In particular, when laying walls made of two blocks, they use ligation of vertical seams called slab ligation. The depth of this type of dressing is at least 100 mm.

An aerated concrete wall located indoors is constructed according to the same rules as an external one. At the junction of the external and internal walls, it is necessary to install a dressing to a depth of up to 200 mm.

Reinforcement is allowed at junction points internal partitions And external walls. For this purpose, steel strips are used, which must be installed in advance at the junction.

When building houses from aerated concrete blocks, the standards defined in SNiP II-22-81, Manual for SNiP 2.03.01, STO 501-52-01-2007 and some others should be followed.

The thickness of a wall made of aerated concrete blocks for a house should be determined not only by strength parameters, but also by the conditions of thermal resistance. When calculating the wall thickness, you must be guided by the requirements of SNiP 23-02-2003.

Rules for transporting and storing aerated concrete blocks

In accordance with the requirements of safety and labor protection rules, the maximum permissible load, in this case of a block moved without the use of small-scale mechanization, should not exceed 45 kg.

Working with aerated concrete blocks must be done very carefully and accurately. In particular, it is strictly forbidden to unload blocks in bulk, dropping them from the back of a car or railway carriage. Transportation of blocks is allowed on pallets, and the blocks must be wrapped in plastic film.

Allowed long-term storage blocks. To do this, the pallet with the products must be placed on a flat base, which must be protected from the influence of soil water. All work must be carried out using small-scale mechanization. The maximum permissible storage height is two tiers. If storage is carried out outdoors, they must be protected from precipitation.

The adhesive composition should be stored in indoors at an ambient temperature of at least five degrees Celsius.

It makes sense to deliver blocks intended for laying walls to the construction site using a forklift or other special equipment designed for transporting goods. It is best to move products on a construction site using two or three-wheeled carts.

And yet, it is advisable to purchase products of this type from a plant that specializes in mass production of blocks, slabs and other products made from aerated concrete.

Posted By: 03/03/2017

In the previous article we told how we found it. It is with this that the construction of the first row of walls made of aerated concrete blocks will begin. This is done due to the fact that by changing the thickness of the sand-cement mixture, we can later easily level the first row of blocks, which will become the basis of the entire masonry.

By the way, we also checked our measurements using a water level. To do this, they poured water into it, installed it on corner blocks, and then checked the values. This measuring instrument and we will definitely devote one of our future articles to its use. Now let’s just summarize that our measurements with water level are completely identical.

Now we will tell you step by step about the procedure for installing and laying aerated concrete blocks, and to be precise, about how we did it and what nuances we encountered.

How to lay the first row of aerated concrete blocks.

• Installation of corner blocks on the foundation. First of all, we placed 4 corner blocks. I would like to note that at first we carried out all the manipulations by eye, then we took measurements. Our blocks are located outside the foundation. Thus, when installing the blocks, we checked the dimensions of the outriggers several times. different parts block. To ease your conscience, we checked the indicators using a water level laser level. Then we needed to check the distances between the blocks, they must match the design of the house. And it would be good to check the diagonals; just like when marking a house, they should be equal. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to check the diagonals, since the foundation was filled with flying blocks, but in terms of the size of the future walls, everything agreed.
• Guide for laying blocks. We stretch the mooring. Now we need to tighten the guide, which will later serve as a guide when installing the first row of aerated concrete blocks on the foundation of the house. For this we used the most ordinary rope (construction cord) yellow. It is better to choose a brighter color so that it is clearly visible. We tried 2 options. The first involved stretching the rope between the remnants of reinforcement driven into the ground. The second one is in the mount metal corners to the blocks, and then tighten the lace in a similar way. In both cases, the rope must pass through the corners of the blocks. With its help, you not only set the masonry guide, but also double-check whether the corner blocks are aligned correctly. If the lace clearly passes along the border of the blocks, then you have done everything correctly, and you can begin full-fledged masonry. By the way, we liked the second option with the placement of the mooring more.

  

• Laying corner blocks on the mortar. We laid the first row of blocks on a ready-made sand-cement mixture, to which you just had to add water according to the instructions. We started with corner blocks. To ensure that the blocks do not move from their proven location during the installation process, we pre-circled the boundaries of the block with a white construction marker, not only on the foundation itself, but also on our roofing felt sides, which we talked about in the article about waterproofing the foundation. Thus, having accidentally moved an aerated concrete block, we clearly understood to what place on the foundation it needed to be returned. Then they applied sand-cement mortar to the foundation and then laid the block on it, clearly understanding the boundaries beyond which it should not go. Using building and water levels, as well as a rubber mallet (special hammer), we achieved even masonry. Then the first 4 corner blocks were allowed to dry on sand-cement mortar to secure the position.

  

• Laying the first row of blocks. The corners were ready. Now you need to continue laying the first row. By the way, before laying the blocks, we recommend that you quickly clean them, going over them literally a couple of times with a spatula and a brush to remove possible unevenness and then construction dust. Let's return to the masonry. After counting required quantity blocks per row, it became clear to us that we need additional blocks, i.e. blocks that need to be adjusted to length. It is not recommended to make an additional block less than 10 cm. If such a small gap remains, it is better to first reduce 2 blocks in order to eliminate the need to install one. It is better to place smaller blocks not in a row, but on different sides. This will simplify the laying of aerated concrete in the future. The entire first row is placed on a sand-cement mortar, and the bases are lubricated with it. We lubricate the sides of the blocks special glue, intended for aerated concrete. In the future, glue will be used when installing all other rows except the first one instead of sand-cement mortar. We use a mallet to level the blocks and remove excess mortar. At the same time, we knock down the blocks not only from above, but also from the sides, constantly checking their location and joints with a level. I would like to remind you that we started laying blocks from the upper corner of the foundation, so now is the time to pay special attention to leveling all the flaws in the foundation using sand-cement mortar. That is, in the place where the highest corner of the foundation was located, the layer of mortar will be smaller than in the lowest corner of the foundation. Thanks to this manipulation, we lay the first row in such a way that it removes all the unevenness of the foundation and prepares good foundation under the remaining rows, ensuring us in the future smooth walls Houses.

  

This step by step instructions laying aerated concrete blocks is theoretically correct, but we encountered some nuances that caused our masonry to go downhill. We will now tell you about these mistakes and tricks.

Attempt No. 1 of laying the first row of aerated concrete blocks.

Everything was done according to the instructions. At the stage of laying corner blocks, it was discovered that the building level, when changing its position, slightly changes its indicator. At a distance of 11 meters, this error in calculations can give quite unpleasant results.

Conclusion: for laying aerated concrete or any other blocks, it is necessary to use the most accurate building level. In this case, the proverb “the miser pays twice” has direct relation to the situation...

Attempt No. 2 of laying the first row of aerated concrete blocks.

We acquired a new, more accurate construction level. We installed corner blocks, then installed the entire first row around the perimeter. All measurements showed excellent results. But we encountered another problem, which you can find out about in the second part of the article HERE.

In the meantime, we offer you a video from our YouTube channel with a detailed step-by-step story about installing corner blocks on the foundation and complete installation the first row of aerated concrete blocks. Enjoy your viewing and look forward to your feedback and comments.

Best wishes,

Yana and Zhenya Shigorev.

Following modern trends, the building materials industry is developing large number building systems and materials that can be easily transported, processed to the required shape, using simple tools, and also, most importantly, they can be installed quickly, easily and reliably.

One such material is aerated concrete. The technology of its production itself is not new; people have long learned to produce something similar. However, it has earned its greatest popularity in recent decades. The mass of its use is constantly growing and everything more home specialists are interested in how aerated concrete walls are laid. You can read more about this by following the link to one of our articles.

In this article we will consider its advantages and disadvantages, mixtures for masonry, devices and tools that will be required for correct installation, as well as the technology of laying walls from aerated concrete.

Advantages and disadvantages of aerated concrete

Aerated concrete is an artificial material that has a large percentage of voids formed by cellular small pores with a diameter of 1-3 mm. It is produced by autoclave curing under high pressure and temperature. Includes: quartz sand, lime, cement, special gas generators, which are thoroughly mixed in water beforehand.

Aerated concrete has a number of advantages. For example, it is light in weight, which greatly facilitates the laying of walls and partitions. What makes installation even easier is the ability to cut out almost any shape you need. And what adds another plus to it is that all this is done with an ordinary hacksaw for wood. For many, its ability to retain heat well will be attractive, but keep in mind that this is under certain conditions.

However, even with such significant advantages and low price of aerated concrete, it cannot be called a universal building material. Many developers refuse to build structures from it not at all because they do not know the masonry technology. The reason for refusal is individual, and sometimes significant, deficiencies. Below is a list of the most famous of them:

1. Hygroscopicity. In fact, it is impossible to get rid of this property, because... there are a large number of pores, and this leads to high degree absorption (i.e. absorption) of moisture from the air. This feature will be dangerous in those climatic zones, in which warm seasons will be replaced by frosty winters. As a result, in addition to the presence of harmful high humidity in a building, hygroscopicity will lead to the appearance of cracks on the walls: water that gets into the block will freeze when it’s below zero outside, and the ice, increasing in volume, will burst the wall’s masonry. More details about, using an example brick house, find out by following the link.
2. Fragility . In those areas where any soil movements or technological ground shaking are possible, before you start laying aerated concrete walls, you need to understand that such movements can lead to dangerous cracks in the masonry of aerated concrete blocks. And this will already lead to all the ensuing consequences for the completed interior decoration. And the fact that the surface of the block can be easily picked out with a screwdriver or chisel should be alarming and make you think that when arranging engineering structures and hanging furniture in the house on such walls, you will have to stock up on special fasteners that can carry the necessary load in the masonry aerated concrete. About We've already talked too.
3. Chemical aggressiveness. The presence of lime in blocks can lead to accelerated corrosion and oxidation metal elements in masonry - reinforcement or sheathing.

In general, the above disadvantages are not fatal, although they will be unpleasant. However, trouble will only occur if you do not take measures to eliminate these negative properties. For example, if when laying walls, you perform moisture insulation and external insulation, and select the necessary dowels for fastening, then these shortcomings will be completely invisible.

Tools and materials for installation of aerated concrete blocks

In order to make high-quality aerated concrete masonry, you will need the following devices and materials:

• Special assembly adhesive;
• Cement mortar;
• Sand;
• Wood hacksaw;
• Trowel;
• Rubber hammer;
• Plumb;
• Notched trowel;
• Cord-mooring;
• Construction level;
• Roulette, square;
• Metal fittings;
• Wall chaser;
• Sanding board;
• Container for mixing solutions.

Aerated concrete masonry technology

The technology will be as follows. First, it is performed, on which the first row of masonry is placed. The base on which you will place the aerated concrete must be raised from the ground surface by about 50-80 cm. Waterproofing must be done between the foundation of the house and the masonry. Look at what types of waterproofing there are.

The first row of masonry should rest on the mortar laid on top of the waterproofing. Laying aerated concrete walls always begins at the corner of the building being constructed. In the corners for laying each row you need to pull a mooring cord. It is along this cord, checking everything with a building level, that the correct placement of each block is monitored. The position of each block is adjusted using a rubber hammer. If the blocks have a tongue-and-groove system, they are connected to each other without the use of an adhesive mixture. After laying each row, all irregularities that appear must be removed by rubbing the surface with a sanding board.

Additional blocks are sawn in advance. Fortunately, they are quite easy to saw with a regular hacksaw. For precise cutting, measure everything with a square. For the greatest cutting accuracy, you can use a band saw.

The laying of each next row should begin 1-2 hours after the completion of the previous row. Each time you need to start with angular bandaging of the blocks. Each element must be aligned and adjusted with a rubber hammer.

In the process of laying aerated concrete walls, you need to special attention relate to the technology of correct mating of walls. For example, internal partitions need to be soundproofed and waterproofed. When laying out interior partitions every second row must be connected to the main wall using anchors or brackets, to which a galvanized perforated strip (die-cut) is attached.

If interfloor floor slabs are planned, then they should be planned in such a way that they are supported by an armored belt. We looked at it in one of our articles, but we’ll talk about it in a few words. On top of the last row of the gas block it is necessary to make a reinforced reinforced or, as it is also called, a seismic belt. It is a ring-shaped belt made of concrete, which is reinforced with reinforcement placed in it. Firstly, the belt will protect the walls from cracking, and secondly, it will evenly distribute the load that will be applied from. Thirdly, a mauerlat is attached to the armored belt, connecting the walls to the roof.

Reinforcement of aerated concrete masonry

Since aerated concrete blocks themselves have a rather fragile structure, the masonry technology must include a reinforcement process. This operation is very important point and is used to reduce the load on walls from interfloor ceilings or the roof of a house. It is thanks to the reinforcement of the walls that the durability and strength of the entire structure significantly increases.

It is recommended to reinforce the first row, as well as every 3rd or 4th row in the masonry. In addition, the spaces on the doors and window openings, as well as a belt for interfloor ceilings.

For laying reinforcement along the entire perimeter of the masonry wall, grooves are used. Usually, 2 grooves 4 cm wide are made. The distance between them is 5-6 cm. After cleaning them from dust, they should be filled with a semi-liquid solution. The fittings, it is recommended to use a diameter of 8-10 mm, are completely recessed into the solution in the groove. The excess squeezed out solution is naturally removed. Upon completion of this operation, you can immediately, without waiting for the mortar to dry, begin laying the next row of the wall.

The technology for reinforcing lintels will be slightly different from strengthening walls. You can do this job in two ways. The first is to purchase ready-made U-shaped blocks for reinforcing walls and openings. The second is to make formwork over the door or window opening and fill it with concrete.

The first option will, of course, be easier. U-shaped blocks over the opening are installed using a wooden support. In this case, the thicker side wall should be located on the outer side of the wall. You place a reinforcement cage of up to 5-6 rows in the internal cavity. Next, you pour fine-grained concrete into the cavity of the block, compact it and level it. That's it, wait until it cools down and continue working.

The second option will be more sophisticated technology, but quite a large number of developers choose this method. Above the door or window opening you assemble a wooden formwork, which is also supported from below by a wooden support. It should extend at least 20 cm onto nearby blocks. In formwork you assemble a frame from reinforcement, you can also use 8-10 mm. Next, you fill everything with concrete, and everything needs to be compacted and leveled in the same way. However, you will need to wait until the concrete hardens to continue working. You can look at the operating technology in more detail in the article “”, because the operating principle is the same.