Laying walls from expanded clay concrete blocks: technology, features, methods. Laying expanded clay concrete blocks - mortar, reinforcement, laying technology On which mortar to lay expanded clay concrete blocks

Gaining more and more popularity. And this is not surprising, because expanded clay concrete blocks have a huge list of advantages. These include low thermal conductivity, resistance to humidity and low temperatures, environmental friendliness, ease of installation and the ability to produce this material with your own hands. Moreover, the products are inexpensive.

Laying walls from expanded clay concrete blocks is possible using several technologies, all of them are used in different situations. The differences determine the type of future structure, soil properties, temperature regime environment and many other nuances. However, if there is step by step instructions When constructing a building, you don’t have to be afraid of anything. In this article we will analyze in detail how to lay expanded clay concrete blocks.

Masonry methods

Laying expanded clay concrete products can be done using several methods. In order to decide on the choice of method, you need to know the thickness of the future walls and what materials are supposed to be used finishing work. There are the following technologies for laying expanded clay concrete blocks:

Installation of a box with a thickness the same size as the width of the block. In this case, the internal part is processed plaster mixture, and the part that is finished on the outside with insulating materials. Often foam or mineral wool is used as insulation. This method is ideal option, if you have to install a garage or warehouses.
Installation of a box with a thickness the same size as the length of the block. Processing the walls occurs in exactly the same way as in the previous method. The only difference is the insulating material; its thickness may be less. Good method when installing small buildings, such as saunas.
Installation carried out with simultaneous dressing construction products and passing an air gap between them. The thickness of the box with this installation method will be 60 centimeters. The part of the wall that is located inside is treated with plaster mortar, but the insulating material is placed in the air gaps between the products. This method is used during the construction of dachas or suburban buildings.
Installation in which two walls are installed with a small free space between them, however, they must be strictly parallel. The walls must be secured with reinforcing rods, and insulating material must be placed in the void between them. This masonry technology is the most complex, but a building erected in this way will be much stronger and more durable. What is also important is that with this method, the expanded clay concrete block has a much higher level of thermal insulation.

Basic rules

When laying these blocks, everything must be done correctly. And although installation with such material is not much different from brick, there are still some rules:

It is worth remembering that these products do not have an ideal shape, so when doing masonry with your own hands, you must constantly check everything using a building level.

Masonry technology

We can say that laying expanded clay concrete products with your own hands is not very different from a similar procedure with bricks. And due to the larger volume of products, it happens easier and faster, you just need to follow the right technology.

Preparation of tools and materials

You cannot be proud of your masonry until you have at least prepared a list of everything needed for the installation of the building. It is worth making sure that everything you need is at hand. During installation you may need the following components:

Preparation of the solution

Expanded clay concrete materials can be laid using a cement-sand mixture or a ready-made adhesive solution. If you mix the solution yourself, it is important to maintain the exact dosage of the components:

1 share of cement;
3 shares of sand;
1 share of water.

The class of cement used must be at least M400. The volume of water can be varied, because its dosage is influenced by the presence of moisture in the sand. The finished solution must have sufficient plasticity so that the block can be easily molded desired position. Under no circumstances should the solution be too liquid. If it is necessary to increase it, then the quarry sand in the composition can be replaced with river sand. Plasticizers in the composition are used to impart greater plasticity.

If the amount of solution is small, you can knead it manually in a special container. In case large quantity, it is rational to use a concrete mixer. The solution must be mixed only in the amount that will be used immediately. If you do not follow this nuance, and also do not mix everything constantly, then it will separate.

When laying with your own hands, you can also use dry glue; it only needs to be diluted with water, according to the instructions. This glue has the necessary plasticity for making thin seams. But it has one drawback, it is higher cost than cement. The solution is mixed using an industrial mixer or a drill, but with a special attachment.

Today there is an abundance of all kinds building materials, which allows you to select the most suitable option for different needs and any wallet. In particular, a common method of constructing structures is masonry from expanded clay concrete blocks. Like any other construction operation, this procedure has a number of its own characteristics, so further we will get acquainted with it in more detail.

General information

First of all, let's look at what this material is. As you might guess, expanded clay is used as its initial component. In essence, it is foamed and fired clay, which, after hardening, acquires the structure of granules.

Thanks to their baked shell, the material has high strength. In addition, the porous structure provides expanded clay with low weight and good heat and noise insulation properties.

Pay attention!
The price allows you to significantly save on construction.
To calculate the benefits, you just need to compare how much a cube of expanded clay concrete and the same amount of other materials cost.

As a result of all these features, expanded clay concrete is a significant competitor to brick, concrete and other traditional building materials. Therefore, it is widely used for the construction of residential buildings, warehouses, as well as equipment for all kinds of livestock buildings.

Wall masonry

Masonry methods

Laying expanded clay concrete blocks can be done in several ways. The choice depends on the expected thickness of the walls, as well as the finishing materials.

Now let’s take a closer look at each method of laying expanded clay concrete blocks:

Laying a wall with a thickness equal to the width of the block – 200 mm. Inner side in this case, it is finished with plaster, and the outer one is finished with heat-insulating material up to 10 cm thick. As a rule, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is used for these purposes. This method is great for constructing warehouses or garages.
Laying a wall with a thickness equal to the length of the block. In this case, external and internal finishing is carried out in the manner described above.
The only thing is that you can use thinner insulation - no more than 50 mm. This method of masonry can be suitable for the construction of small structures, for example, bathhouses. (See also article.)

Masonry with ligation of blocks and leaving air space between them. The wall thickness in this case is 600 mm. The inner side is finished with plaster, as in previous cases, but the insulation is laid in the spaces between the blocks. This construction method can be used in the construction of country houses.
Construction of two parallel walls with a small gap between them. Both walls are fastened with reinforcement, and the resulting space is filled with insulation. This technology for laying expanded clay concrete blocks is the most labor-intensive, however, it is the most durable and has best level thermal protection.

Technology

By and large, laying expanded clay concrete is not much different from laying brick. And thanks large size blocks, it is performed even faster and easier.

Advice!
You can hire specialists to carry out this work, but you should first find out the cost of laying expanded clay concrete blocks.
It is quite possible that after learning the prices, you will still decide to perform this operation yourself.

Instructions for performing this work are as follows:

First of all, the foundation (base) for the masonry is leveled. If it has significant irregularities, reinforced concrete is cut diamond wheels or filling with bringing to zero.
If it is necessary to bring communications through the foundation, holes should be made in advance. Most effective way— diamond drilling of holes in concrete.
Then waterproofing is laid on the base. For these purposes, you can use two layers of roofing material.
Next, you need to prepare a solution for laying expanded clay concrete blocks in the following proportion:
- Part of cement;
- Part of sifted river sand;
- 3 parts quarry sand.

The next step is to install beacons. To do this, threads are stretched around the perimeter along which the blocks are aligned.
After this, the solution is laid out on the base. Its thickness should be about 30 mm.
Next, starting from the corner, masonry is carried out. The block should be installed in place and slightly pressed into the mortar. The distance between blocks should be no more than 10 mm.
The walls are erected evenly around the perimeter and “raised” along with them internal partitions. After constructing a row with your own hands, you need to make sure that it is horizontal using a building level. If necessary, the blocks should be trimmed.
Every 2-3 rows it is necessary to lay a reinforcing mesh.

Expanded clay concrete blocks, as the name implies, are made from cement, sand and expanded clay, which improves the thermal properties of the block.

By the way, speaking about the main pros and cons of houses made of expanded clay concrete blocks, you can learn from another article.

Dimensions and materials for laying expanded clay concrete blocks

Expanded clay concrete block, like almost any building material, has its own standard sizes. As a rule, for load-bearing walls The dimensions of the expanded clay concrete block in mm are 190 x 190 x 390. For internal partitions, the blocks are slightly narrower - 90 - 120 mm, otherwise the dimensions remain the same.

Expanded clay concrete blocks are packaged on pallets, followed by bandaging, and delivered to the site, as a rule, by a manipulator. Some manufacturers sell blocks in bulk, but it must be taken into account that there will be a lot of scrap during unloading.

Unlike masonry walls made of gas silicate blocks, expanded clay concrete blocks are laid exclusively on ordinary mortar. Laying with glue will not work due to the porosity and heterogeneity of the block surface. There is no way a 2-5mm seam will work.

The technology for laying expanded clay concrete blocks is not much different from the technology for laying brick walls. The only difference is the rubber mallet (rubber hammer), which is used to level the block on the wall.

Since the expanded clay concrete block is usually hollow, any, even not very swipe with a metal hammer can break the block. Therefore, it is advisable to level the blocks on the wall with a rubber mallet.

Preparing the foundation for laying expanded clay concrete walls

Before you start laying a wall of blocks, you need to prepare the foundation for the house or basement, and then start laying the walls itself.

The preparation process is practically no different from preparing for laying walls made of gas silicate blocks, where I described it in detail.

The most basic preparatory process is waterproofing the foundation. It can be made of roofing felt in two layers, or some other bituminous material intended for waterproofing walls.

It is also necessary that the geometry of the perimeter of the walls be respected, i.e. right angles must be right, opposite sides of the rectangle must be equal, as well as its diagonals.

Do-it-yourself technology for laying walls from expanded clay concrete blocks

As always, you need to start laying from the corners. After erecting the corners in several rows, you can begin laying the walls, having first stretched the cord between the corners, which will help to build flat wall, especially if you are laying the blocks with your own hands.

Expanded clay concrete blocks are placed with the previous row bandaged. As a rule, the minimum distance between the vertical seams of adjacent rows is 10-20cm.

Reinforcement of block walls

Do-it-yourself reinforcement of expanded clay concrete masonry is very important and necessary process. Typically, either masonry mesh or 6-10mm reinforcement is used for this, every 3-4 rows.

It is possible to use fiberglass reinforcement, this will save on delivery and heat loss in the walls.

It is advisable to lay all external and internal walls, as well as partitions, at the same time, with dressings of all corners and reinforcement. If for some reason this is not possible, then a groove is made for bandaging and a reinforcing mesh is produced in those places where the internal wall will later be.

If for cladding a house it is placed facing brick, then it is necessary to tie it with a wall made of expanded clay concrete blocks with a mesh or fiberglass rods, which will be much better.

Along the top of the wall made of expanded clay concrete blocks, it is necessary to provide an armored belt made of solid brick or reinforced concrete.

It is necessary to take into account that the armored belt will have a thermal conductivity much higher than that of an expanded clay concrete hollow block, therefore, it is necessary to provide a place for laying some material for insulating the armored belt.

Do not make the seams too thin, they should be at least 10mm, and preferably a little more, because very often the dimensions of the expanded clay concrete block are not consistent and can differ significantly. And this, in turn, with a thin seam, will negatively affect the horizontal evenness of the wall.
Before laying a row, it is better to lay out the blocks on the previous row for convenience so that they do not interfere with applying the mortar to the wall. This can speed up the laying process, especially if you do it without help.
Do not hit the block too hard to level it; hollow blocks are very fragile individually and may break.
When laying, you will need halves of the block, and maybe quarters; if you do not have experience in breaking, then it is better to use a grinder for cutting.
Expanded clay concrete blocks are one of the applications of expanded clay concrete in construction, and despite their apparent fragility, they can withstand significant loads in masonry.

Today, the abundance of building materials allows you to choose best option for any need and any wallet. In the field of manufacturing external enclosing structures, there is a tendency to replace expanded clay concrete products with other types of insulation materials. However, despite everything, the construction of walls from expanded clay concrete blocks remains the most common method of constructing durable and warm structures.

The starting raw material for expanded clay concrete blocks is a completely natural product. Expanded clay is fired and foamed clay, which, as a result of processing, acquires the structure of frozen foam particles. The resulting granules are covered with a baked shell, which ensures high strength of the material. The porous structure of expanded clay makes it extremely light and easy to use. Expanded clay concrete blocks not only meet high standards of heat and sound insulation, but also seriously compete with ordinary concrete and bricks.

Expanded clay concrete is used everywhere for the construction of residential buildings, arrangement of underground communications, equipment of livestock buildings.

Advantages

Walls made of expanded clay concrete blocks have excellent sound and heat insulation. This material is universal, withstands temperature changes well, does not allow moisture to pass through and is suitable for construction in any climatic conditions. The special structure of expanded clay blocks allows air to pass through, while regulating air flows indoors. In this way, good ventilation of the interior space can be ensured.

Without exaggeration, structures built from expanded clay concrete blocks can be considered eternal. No material required special care, it is not susceptible to corrosion, burning, or damage by pests (insects, rodents, fungi). It combines the most useful qualities earth, stone and wood. The thermal insulation properties of the material often play a decisive role in the choice. Special research institutions have repeatedly tested various expanded clay gravel fillers. As a result of the tests, it turned out that this material can reduce heat loss by more than 75%.

The consumption of this building material also makes one lean in its favor - the thickness of a wall made of expanded clay concrete blocks is 390 mm equal to a brick wall laid with 1.5 bricks. The same indicators apply to height. Thus, the use of expanded clay can significantly save not only the cost of building materials, but also the time allotted for the construction of the structure.

Wall masonry

Methods

Laying walls from expanded clay concrete blocks can be done in several ways. The choice of method directly depends on how thick the wall should be and what facing materials will be used for finishing.

Let's look at each method:

Wall masonry, the thickness of which corresponds to the width of one expanded clay concrete block of 200 mm. The inner surface of the wall is finished with plaster, the outer surface with a layer of thermal insulation material thickness up to 100 mm. It could be polystyrene foam mineral wool, polyester foam, etc. This method Perfect for building garages or warehouses.
Masonry wall, the thickness of which corresponds to one length of the block. They are tied together, and the outer and interior decoration performed according to the principle of the first method. The only difference is that the thickness of the thermal insulation layer should be twice as thin (maximum 50 mm). This method is ideal for the construction of bathhouses and small structures.
Laying walls with ligation of expanded clay concrete blocks and leaving a small empty space between them. Thickness expanded clay concrete wall in this case it will be 600 mm. On inner part plaster is applied, and thermal insulation is laid in the spaces between the blocks. This method is suitable for the construction of country houses.
The outer surface is laid out with two parallel thin walls, fastened together with reinforcement. Thermal insulation is laid in the gap between the walls. A layer of plaster is applied to the internal and external surfaces. This is the most labor-intensive method of constructing walls from expanded clay concrete blocks, but the most advantageous in all respects. The level of thermal protection and durability is much higher than that of any other building material. This method is suitable for the construction of buildings in cold climates.

Technology

The technology for building walls made of expanded clay concrete is by and large no different from using conventional bricks. The same tying or spoon rows and mandatory bandaging are done.

Required tools and materials:

building level;
small rubber hammer;
plumb line;
mooring cord;
square;
trowel with a rectangular area;
jointing;
Angle grinder with cutting wheel 23 cm in diameter;
reinforcement/reinforced mesh (if reinforcement is planned);
shovel;
container for diluting the solution.

First you need to level the base on which the first row of blocks will be laid. After this, waterproofing made of two layers of roofing material is placed on the base. Then cement adhesive or prepared mortar is applied over the waterproofing. The thickness of this layer should not exceed 30 mm.

There are two types of solution:

cement adhesive – calculation: 1 cubic meter masonry for 40 kg of dry mixture;
cement mortar – 1 part cement, 1 part sifted river sand to 3 parts quarry sand.

When calculating a wall made of expanded clay concrete blocks, it is necessary to remember that construction begins from the corner. Then a full row is laid out, and the internal partitions of the wall are aligned evenly with the external ones. To avoid the appearance of cold bridges at the ends of blocks entering outer wall, you need to insulate these blocks of rectangles cut from polystyrene foam. The thickness of the rectangle is about 50 mm.

When the row of expanded clay concrete is completed, it is necessary to ensure that the surface is even. To do this, use a building level. Each expanded clay concrete block has a slight taper.

Reinforcement should be done using a special reinforced mesh or reinforcement 10 mm in diameter. To achieve best results the procedure should be repeated along the entire perimeter of the walls every 2-3 rows. A mesh or reinforcement is placed on top of the finished row, glue or mortar is applied on top, after which the next row is placed. In the process, do not forget about alternating spoon and butt rows.

Main nuances

In order for the construction of a wall made of expanded clay concrete blocks to be strong and reliable, it is necessary to adhere to certain masonry rules. Let's consider building a wall from blocks measuring 9*190*188 mm. To build partitions, blocks of 390*190*90 mm are used.

Execution sequence:

Using a new block, smooth out the applied layer of mortar to obtain an even coating.
Push the expanded clay concrete to the edge of the block already placed in this series. Leave a gap of about 5 cm between the blocks.
Apply this block to the place where it should be located so that the vertical seam collects some of the mortar. It is recommended that the seam thickness does not exceed 10 mm.
Without waiting for the solution to harden, create a seam. There are several types of special seams: embroidered convex, embroidered concave, undercut, empty.
At the end of the masonry process, regardless of the method you used, you need to fill the armored belt. This reinforced concrete structure, whose task is to perform the function rafter system. The armored belt prevents the walls from collapsing under the constant pressure of the roof.

Expanded clay concrete blocks are made using the pressing method; making them with your own hands is not easy. For their production, components such as expanded clay, cement, sand and water are used without the use of chemicals. It is important that the size and shape of the products allow them to be freely combined with other materials during the work process.

The blocks are durable, dense, have very low thermal conductivity, and high frost resistance. But it is important to remember that due to their porous structure, they absorb moisture quite easily; without destruction, the material can withstand no more than 25-30 freeze-thaw cycles. For a residential building this is a normal indicator, but if you plan to build, for example, a bathhouse, it is necessary good thermal insulation walls When fixing the fasteners, you need to be careful not to damage the block and secure the groove or dowel well. When constructing walls, they must be reinforced.

Foreman's advice: a high-quality mortar should be soft and have good viscosity. When applied, it fits perfectly, does not smear and does not fall out of the seam.

Allows you to build structures of different formats. Despite the higher cost than other materials, in particular brick, it is more profitable to use. And it's not just about higher technical specifications, but also at lower costs for the solution (for example, a wall 39 cm thick does not differ in strength brick wall 1.5 bricks). The technology for laying an expanded clay concrete wall is not very different from building a brick one. You can do it yourself, without the involvement of professional builders. It is even possible to carry out work with sub-zero temperature, but in this case you need to use special solutions. If the facade contains a thick layer of insulation and is built using the thin block masonry technique, very dense reinforcement is necessary, because temperature fluctuations will destroy the structure.

Foreman's advice: it is important to pay attention to the thickness of the seams (especially when laying with your own hands): horizontal ones should be 12 mm, vertical ones - 8-15 mm. The error value cannot exceed 1 mm down or up.

Step-by-step instructions for laying expanded clay concrete blocks

The first question after purchasing the material is how to lay expanded clay concrete blocks. Before starting masonry, it is imperative to waterproof the foundation. First, apply a moisture-repellent solution of cement and sand in a layer of 1-2 cm. Then apply a layer waterproofing material with an overlap of at least 150 mm. Finish stage– additional cement layer. Only after this can you begin laying walls (it is necessarily accompanied by reinforcement). The approximate algorithm of actions is as follows:

Before starting work, you need to mark the locations of walls, doors, windows, and openings. To calculate the number of blocks, measurements are taken between the corners and door spans, expansion joints. It is important to check the position of all reinforcement pins to ensure accurate alignment of the cavities inside the blocks.
Proper wall laying begins at the corners and ends. Sections of the wall are built first (it is advisable to start at a corner to maintain accuracy). Row height, squareness and level must be constantly checked. To prevent the formation of “cold bridges” at the end of the block, it is recommended to separate it with a foam plastic rectangle at least 5 cm thick.
After the corners and ends are completed, row by row the gaps are filled with blocks. In this case, a cord must be used to maintain the level of the rows, and a masonry template is used to check the height of the row.
If necessary, during masonry, a deformation (compensation) joint is formed, which will take on the load. It must be sealed using a special rod and an elastic seal.
To avoid cracks, the blocks must be reinforced. The reinforcing rod is installed in the center of the cavity of the blocks, they are stacked so as to form an even row, without debris or interruptions within the wall. The minimum is the use of one reinforced seam per 1 m of wall height. The seams above the first and last row are reinforced in any case.
Each row of blocks must be filled with a layer of liquid mortar (lift). Its level, if we are not talking about the last level, should not exceed a mark of about 38 mm below the top horizontal seam to create a gap for future elevators.
After creating the section, check the degree of hardening of the solution and emboss it (first process the horizontal seams, then the vertical ones in the direction from the corner). If you are making facing masonry, including with your own hands, you need to reinforce every 3-4 horizontal seams.

Foreman's advice: if the wall thickness exceeds 150 mm and the masonry contains air gaps, craftsmen advise reinforcing each bed with the mixture.

Step-by-step instructions will help even a novice builder understand how to lay expanded clay concrete blocks. The material has all the necessary properties for building a warm and strong house, and correct masonry will ensure the reliability of its operation.