Technology for laying walls from foam blocks. How to lay foam blocks with your own hands: detailed instructions with video. Laying load-bearing walls

Foam block laying technology

Being an inexpensive and accessible material, foam blocks are widely used in the construction of residential buildings, garages, industrial and domestic premises. They represent a serious alternative to traditional brick and allow you to independently erect a building in a limited time, without the involvement of hired workers. Not required vocational training to build permanent walls and internal partitions of the building from foam blocks with your own hands.

It is important to know technological nuances, comply with a number of conditions so that the laying of foam concrete products is carried out quickly and ensures the quality and durability of the building. Having mastered the specifics of constructing walls and walls, the laying technology of which is quite simple, you can carry out the construction yourself or monitor the correctness of the work performed by the builders.

The technical data of this material compare favorably with a number of significant advantages

You need to understand where to start laying foam blocks. Not everyone knows what materials and tools are needed, or how to work correctly, observing the main principles. Let's take a closer look at these issues.

Where to start laying foam blocks

High-quality masonry of walls made of foam blocks is carried out subject to the following recommendations:

ensuring reliable waterproofing of the building base. Using special waterproofing compounds or two layers of rolled roofing felt, you can effectively protect foam concrete walls from the negative effects of moisture;
performing masonry of foam concrete products from the highest corner point. This will create a level base for the construction of main walls and internal partitions subject to horizontal control by building level;
fine-tuning the geometry of blocks with dimensional deviations. Sagging should be eliminated, burrs should be removed using a grater or a special plane, and defective products with large chips should be trimmed.

To ensure high strength and reliability of the structure, prepare the foundation surface for the construction of walls in advance

Laying foam blocks - necessary materials and tools

To complete the masonry, prepare the following materials:

Foam concrete blocks. Use material for main walls that can withstand increased loads with a density of D600, and foam concrete marked D500 for interior partitions. Use products made by trusted manufacturers industrial technology. Please note that there is a certificate guaranteeing compliance with performance characteristics.
Sand-cement mortar. When mixing sand and cement, maintain a 4:1 ratio. Add plasticizers if necessary, following the dosage indicated on the package. Application available materials allows you to lay blocks with dimensional deviations of up to two centimeters on an increased layer of mortar at low cost. The disadvantage is the increased thickness of the seam and increased heat loss caused by “cold bridges”.
Adhesive composition. Dry mix industrial production It is offered in specialized stores in a form ready to be diluted with water (0.2 liters of water per kilogram of mixture is added). The glue is mixed with a mixer to a homogeneous consistency, laid in a layer of up to three millimeters, ensuring high adhesion to the foam concrete material. This allows you to reduce the cost of preparing the mixture and increase the thermal insulation of walls by reducing the thickness of the seam.

The entire process of laying foam blocks is not complicated, but there are some mandatory nuances

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When deciding what composition will be used to lay foam blocks, give preference to increased strength with a reduced seam thickness. Do-it-yourself foam block laying is done using the following tools:

hammer with rubber nozzle necessary for leveling foam blocks;
building level, which allows you to control the horizontality of the rows;
square and hand hacksaw used for marking and cutting material;
an electric drill equipped with a nozzle for mixing the binder;
a trowel that ensures uniform application of the solution to the surface;
special plane and grater required for finishing the geometry;
wall chaser, which makes it easier to make grooves for reinforcement;
cord necessary to ensure correct laying of foam blocks;
brushes for wetting the surface of a building material with water.

Foam block laying technology

At self-construction walls of the building, masonry from foam blocks is carried out according to a certain algorithm. Follow the sequence of operations:

Clean foam concrete products from dirt. Ensure the correct geometry of the products by removing sagging and irregularities.

Maximum smoothness of the formed walls, which makes it possible to save on the absence of the need for subsequent leveling work

Check the presence of a waterproofing layer on the surface of the foundation. If necessary, lay two layers of rolled roofing felt, ensuring overlaps at the joints of 10–15 cm and a width exceeding the size of the foundation by 4–6 cm.
Determine the highest base angle using laser level. From this angle the foam blocks will be laid.
Apply a layer of cement mortar up to 3 cm onto the waterproofing coating of the base using a notched trowel. Lightly moisten the corner foam blocks with water using a brush. This will improve adhesion.
Install foam blocks at the corners of the foundation, which serve as a guide when laying the first row. Provide an overhang of 3–5 cm over the plinth to protect against moisture.
Secure the mooring cord to the outer elements with nails, preventing it from sagging.
Lay the bottom row of blocks on a sand-cement mortar, which allows you to level out foundation unevenness up to 2 cm. Wet the surfaces with water, make sure that all joints are filled with the mortar.
During the laying process, compact the blocks with a rubber hammer, ensuring the horizontal joint size is 1.5–2.0 cm, and the vertical joint size is up to 1 cm.
Check the horizontalness of the bottom row with a building level. Remove unevenness and distortions using a special plane. If necessary, hammer down the blocks with a rubber mallet.

Check the horizontal levelness using a building level

Use a wall chaser to make a groove along the axis of the wall (along its entire length). Place steel rods in the grooves and weld them. Fill with cement mortar, forming an armored belt.
Lay the second and remaining rows of blocks in the same way, using adhesive composition. Shift the blocks half the width when bandaging. Move the cord vertically, control horizontality layer by layer, and eliminate irregularities.
Reinforce every fourth level of masonry with steel rods. Place the rods in the grooves made. You can use steel mesh.
Erect interior walls, providing docking with the outer row at 50% of the length of the block. Strengthen the joint areas with reinforcement.
Create openings for windows and doors using ready-made foam block lintels. Reinforce with reinforcement, fill with cement mortar.
Secure along the perimeter of the foam block box and internal load-bearing walls removable formwork. Place the reinforcement in it, fill it with concrete to a height of 20–30 cm.
After the concrete has hardened, insulate the reinforced belt and lay the floor slabs on it.

Constantly moisten the products with water when performing work in hot weather;

cook cement-sand mortar or the adhesive composition in small portions, which retain their properties for 1–2 hours after mixing;
adjust the position of the blocks in the rows for 15–20 minutes until the binder begins to harden;
produce construction works at a temperature of 5–25 degrees Celsius;
use antifreeze additives if construction is carried out at subzero temperatures;
Plaster a building made of foam concrete 30 days after the construction of the box, when the shrinkage process is completed (2–3 mm per meter of wall height).

Conclusion

The technology of laying foam blocks, described in detail in the presented article, has been tested in practice and is accessible even to beginners who do not have construction skills. The increased dimensions of the products with low weight make it possible to quickly erect walls. It is important to use commercially produced foam concrete blocks. High-quality binders should be used and technological recommendations. This will ensure the stability and long service life of the structure being built.

Aerated concrete, foam blocks - all these names refer to the same material.

The use of porous concrete blocks for construction in Russia began in Soviet time, however, only recently have they become widespread.

The question of what to put foam blocks on is far from idle.

You can use both specialized formulations and mixtures for other purposes. There are also materials that are better not to use for this.

When choosing what to lay foam blocks on when building a cottage, the solution is chosen more often than other materials.

However, it is rarely used in the construction of partitions.

The fact is that after laying it on the mortar it must set, so you can lay no more than two or three rows per work shift.

When the total volume of masonry is large, and no more than two or three rows are erected per day, then this is acceptable.

However, when you have to lay a small partition, this will extend the process of its construction for a week.

Advantages and disadvantages of cement:

You can use a regular masonry mesh for bricks with a mesh size of 50 mm.
When using a regular mesh, there is no need to groove blocks to lay the rods.
The solution can be mixed without a special mixer, using a regular shovel.
The total volume of the solution is significantly larger than the volume of glue for blocks and other compositions.
You need to wait until the previous rows have set before starting new ones.
The solution can be used for laying regular lintels and sealing cracks.
The solution is convenient to make an adjoining uneven wall.
You can use blocks without grooves at the ends. As a rule, they are the cheapest.
Any laying of blocks, one way or another, begins with the first row, which is always laid on mortar.
The solution is convenient to use in cases where the amount of work is small and you don’t want to buy additional glue and drag out a mixer for mixing.
The solution, even with anti-frost additives, cannot be used for laying aerated concrete at subzero temperatures.

Adhesive for aerated concrete

When you have a choice of what to put foam blocks on, glue or mortar, then you should definitely choose glue. Glue has more advantages and fewer disadvantages:

Working with glue is much faster.
Less dirt and waste remains.
Can be erected a large number of rows at a time.
As a rule, masonry with glue is more durable.
The glue shrinks less and creeps less - as a result, the quality of the masonry is higher and the deviation from the plane is less. Usually, after laying on glue, the wall requires only minimal plaster, and after laying on mortar, full leveling is required.
When laying blocks with grooves at the ends on glue, it is allowed not to fill the vertical seams - they are covered from the outside and inside.
Laying with glue will require gating of blocks for laying reinforcing bars.
Reinforcement with rods is cheaper than with masonry mesh.
It is quite difficult to connect to an uneven wall using only glue.
You will still have to place the first row of blocks on .
You will need a special mixer with an attachment for mixing glue.
Glue is required several times less than solution.

Other materials that can be used

When deciding what to put foam blocks on in an apartment, you don’t have to buy special glue separately, but use other materials that are used for other types of finishing.

They all have the same pros and cons as laying with glue, but there are also some peculiarities. As good materials we can recommend:

Fugenfüller gypsum putty

When used, tile adhesive is practically no different from special adhesive for blocks. The only difference is that it needs to be laid a little thicker than aerated concrete glue. Fugenfüller is a gypsum putty that is used to fill joints in plasterboard facings.

It also performs well when laying aerated concrete. The peculiarity of the fugenfüller is that the “lifetime” of the solution is only 5-10 minutes, and it is mixed in small portions. Puffer masonry is very convenient for small volumes of work and sealing openings.

How to make your own mortar for laying foam blocks yourself - in the video:

Technical characteristics and production features

Modern production technologies building materials reach an unimaginable level. It involves the use of specialized chemical additives that give a particular product special properties that were previously unavailable.

Four ingredients are used to make foam blocks. Cement, sand and water are the standard three, to which a unique foaming agent is added. Its composition allows the formation of closed air cavities in the solution, giving the resulting material the necessary characteristics.

Nowadays, there are two ways to make this type of stone:

bulk or casting. This type involves filling a huge number of small cells. Quite a convenient method if viewed from any angle. The prepared solution is used in full. The exact quantity of each sample is known and there is confidence that they will be the same size. An excellent way to make foam blocks with your own hands, since it is also possible to prepare them at home;
split. Involves the production of one large dried piece of material, which is then cut into pieces required sizes. It has disadvantages in the form of residual material, which only has to be disposed of, since it cannot be recycled. To do this you need to have expensive equipment and the necessary volume starting materials. There is no point in making a piece that will later be cut into four bricks. The method is recommended to be used exclusively for industrial purposes.

Now I would like to help you understand the advantages of this type of stone over others by determining its technical characteristics:

education inside finished sample air pores makes it surprisingly light, while maintaining strength at the proper level. Low weight will simplify the work and also facilitate transportation both to the construction site and around the site itself;
non-standard internal structure reduces thermal conductivity, thereby avoiding loss internal heat premises. Installation of additional, passive insulation means - such as polystyrene foam, expanded polystyrene or mineral wool - will reduce the indicator to almost zero;
foam blocks have a very low hygroscopicity. This means that they practically do not absorb moisture. environment which manifests itself in the form of rain, fog or other precipitation;
The affordable price allows anyone who decides to start a small construction project to purchase it. However, global projects won’t particularly bother your wallet;
the material is environmentally friendly, since all elements are of exclusively natural origin;
All of the above indicators contribute to a long service life and establish high level frost resistance.

I am sure that after all the above, you will have no doubts about your choice.

Selection of materials and tools

Before starting any work, you need to prepare everything necessary materials and tools. Let's start with the first one. Considering that we will be making a solution, we will need its components:

cement directly;
sand. I recommend using river water, as it has the best price-quality ratio;
water. Some people recommend using distilled or rain water, but this is not necessarily the case.

Naturally, you also need the foam block itself. In order to make a choice, it is worth considering the height of your building and climatic conditions where construction work will be carried out. The difference lies in the density of foam concrete, which affects both its strength and ability to absorb moisture and conduct heat. A sales consultant from a construction hypermarket will help you choose, since this question It is best to solve locally, rather than talk about cliche concepts.

The third stage is waterproofing material. Both I and all my colleagues recommend using rubemast and moving away from traditional roofing material. It is better, of higher quality and will perform its functions longer. It is best to immediately buy the width of the sheet according to the size of the stone, so that there are fewer scraps left and so that you save your money.

You can’t go anywhere without an entrenching tool. Tools like shovels and buckets should immediately appear in your arsenal. A laser level will be an advantage that will allow you to get the job done faster and better. If you don’t have it, you can use the usual and already familiar thread and two stakes.

In addition, take a spare trowel and concrete mixer. If you don’t have the latter, I advise you to look better. It will significantly speed up the process. If you can't get it anywhere, arm yourself with a drill and a special mixing attachment, but don't be surprised if the equipment doesn't survive until the end of construction.

The process of laying walls from foam blocks

The masonry process should begin with the installation of waterproofing. It is installed correctly directly on the foundation. Considering that foam blocks tolerate precipitation well, but do not adequately survive constant exposure to liquid, it is worth raising it above ground level.

To do this, we lay out a sheet of rubemast in such a way that it reaches from one edge of the future wall to the corner. At the corner, you should immediately make an overlap, and in such a way that the insulation of the next side is under the first sheet. This way we will achieve maximum grip. It should be laid on a mortar, the thickness of which should not exceed two centimeters, otherwise the entire building may sag significantly.

You need to approach the laying of the first row with special responsibility. Remember that you need to start exclusively from the corner, since part of the stone on the first level can lead to damage to the building. I also don’t recommend finishing near the wall; it’s better to create a seam somewhere in the center.

If you do not have proper experience as a mason, then you will need a special device. You can buy it anywhere, and it doesn't cost as much as you might imagine. It is a small piece of plastic that allows you to apply the solution evenly and make the seam between the layers as pleasant as possible for external perception.

Remember that the level is yours best friend, and without it you will achieve absolutely nothing!

Features and lifehacks

My friends, the first and main negative feature of foam blocks is their lack of strength. Great amount Experts, including myself, do not recommend using them during the construction of tall buildings. Alas, my colleagues do not know which floor to limit themselves to. I can say with confidence that I would not go higher than the first. Maximum - two-story building. The rest is done!

When I was about twenty, my father took me to help at a site where walls were being built using foam blocks. Considering that this was at the beginning of the two thousandth, find quality material it wasn't that easy. Then the foreman showed me a secret that I still use to this day.

He carried out the reinforcement of the masonry. The house had two floors, so it was extremely necessary. By placing reinforcement every four bricks horizontally and every seven bricks vertically, my father achieved phenomenal adhesion, and this house is still standing.

A great feature of the foam block is that it lends itself to any type. I still prefer to do external insulation, and then lay it with decorative gypsum bricks. Someone will say that it is expensive, but not when you know how to do it.

Another secret: having acquired silicone mold the required stone, you can make hundreds of such slabs at home using an ordinary bag of gypsum. How exactly this is done can be seen in the video below:

Friends, I am sure that this article has opened your eyes to some points, and soon your construction will be moving at full speed! All the best!

One of the most profitable, because popular types masonry materials are blocks of cellular concrete. Laying foam blocks, which have a low density (weight), regular rectangular geometry and impressive dimensions, is done quickly and does not present much difficulty. How to properly lay walls with foam blocks, which ones Additional materials and you will need tools - you will learn about this by reading the article.

About foam concrete blocks

If you decide to build walls with foam blocks, you need to choose the right building material. Building structural units made of porous concrete in most cases have dimensions of 60x30x20 cm (length, width, thickness, respectively), although other dimensions are possible. When choosing a building material, you should pay attention to the uniformity of the structure, the correctness geometric shapes, the presence of chips, broken corners, and other damage. High-quality building blocks must be free of visible defects.

Standard blocks are produced with a continuous structure and a smooth surface on all sides. Larger foam blocks may have technological voids, side pockets for easy hand grip, and tongue/groove type joint locks. These elements make the building material lighter and make it easier to work with it yourself

In addition to the main masonry blocks, special U-shaped foam blocks will be needed for the construction of reinforcing reinforced belt, the total length of which should slightly exceed the perimeter of the building at one-story construction and two perimeters during the construction of two floors (the first reinforcement of the structure under interfloor covering, the second - for the roof structure).

Additional materials

High-quality laying of foam blocks involves the use of the following materials:

masonry mortar;
reinforcing mesh;
reinforcing steel bar;
waterproofing agents.

Masonry solutions

Above the first row, polymer cement is used for laying foam concrete. ready mix, sold in paper bags, packaged 25 kg. To prepare a working solution (construction adhesive), just mix the mixture with water in the proportions indicated on the package with a hand-held construction mixer.

Important. For laying foam blocks, it is necessary to use only special glue intended for these purposes. It is incorrect to use polymer-cement mixtures for other purposes (for installing tiles, polystyrene slabs, basalt insulation mats, etc.).

To lay the first row of foam concrete, you will need a classic cement-sand mortar in a ratio of 1:3. Often a lime mortar is used for this purpose, when cement-sand mixture add a third part (by volume) of slaked lime (paste).

Reinforcing materials

Foam concrete has good compressive strength, but its fracture and tensile strength characteristics require additional reinforcement. For this purpose, reinforcing masonry mesh and reinforcing steel rods are used. They are not mounted continuously. Fiberglass mesh should be laid between the blocks in 3-4 rows, and steel reinforcement (rods with a diameter of 8-10 mm are used) in places of greatest load (corners, openings). If it is necessary to construct a reinforcing belt, you will additionally need steel reinforcement and tying wire to create a continuous reinforcing structure.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing materials are needed to create a moisture barrier between the foundation (basement) and the first row of foam concrete. Considering the porosity of wall building materials and the ability to actively absorb moisture, in this case there are increased requirements for waterproofing. Double protection is usually used - first a layer bitumen mastic on the surface of the base, then 2-3 layers of rolled waterproofing material (roofing felt, waterproofing material, etc.)

Tools and devices for laying foam concrete walls

Considering the peculiarity of laying foam concrete blocks, you will need an appropriate set of special and general construction tools. The first include:

specific plastic trowels with a comb (can be replaced with a regular notched trowel);
wall chaser for making longitudinal recesses on the surface of foam concrete;
hand saw for cutting and fitting blocks;
flat sanding boards for removing large and small irregularities and protrusions;
a square to facilitate precise cutting of cellular building materials;
hammer with rubber working part;
small paint spatula.

General construction tools that will be useful when laying foam blocks with your own hands include:

bubble level;
laser level (water level);
strong thread or fishing line;
construction mixer or a drill (perforator) with an appropriate attachment for preparing mounting adhesive.

To lay the first row you will need an ordinary trowel, a container for preparing cement-sand mortar and available tools. If you have a concrete mixer, the solution is prepared in it.

Technology of laying foam concrete blocks

By the time the construction of foam concrete walls begins, a foundation must be built. The first mandatory action should be the creation of a water barrier between the base of the building and the future wall. To do this, the contacting surface of the foundation is generously covered with a coating containing bitumen, after which several layers of roofing material are laid. Only after creating a reliable waterproofing barrier is the masonry of walls made of foam blocks, which includes several technological processes.

First row

The foundation surface is rarely ideal, differing in horizontal projection by 1-3 cm, and sometimes more. The task of the foam blocks laid in the first row is to create a surface that is as horizontally level as possible, allowing subsequent laying of building materials with a minimum of seams using polymer-cement glue.

Before installing corner blocks, you need to determine the degree of deviation of the foundation surface from the horizontal, for which a water level or a laser level is used. A cement-sand mortar is prepared, which can be used to adjust the thickness of the seam. The greater the difference between different sections relative to the horizontal plane, the thicker the solution becomes.

The block is placed first at the highest corner of the foundation, and the smallest possible masonry joint is formed. Using horizontal level control, the rest are laid further corner elements masonry As a result, the surface of the foam blocks laid in the corners should correspond as much as possible to one horizontal line, while the blocks themselves must be leveled in all projections.

On a note. Forming the corners of the first row is a very responsible task, the result of which depends further work, so there is no need to rush, and if errors are detected, it is better to redo it.

After making sure that the corners are positioned correctly, cords are stretched between them, which serve as a guide when laying the order. Vertical seams, even when forming the first row, are closed with glue, so it is necessary that the master has both solutions and the appropriate tool at hand.

Second and subsequent rows

In the future, during construction, only assembly adhesive is used. For better adhesion (gluing) of foam concrete surfaces, they must be cleaned of dust as much as possible and coated with a thin layer of mortar. Only after this is glue applied, a uniform layer is formed using a comb and the masonry elements are pressed. Masonry adhesive is very flexible, so excessive force is not recommended. The blocks are gradually seated to the required level by lightly tapping with a rubber hammer.

Another feature of the adhesive mounting solution is the long initial setting time (1-3 hours depending on the humidity of the material, the consistency of the glue and the air temperature), so the blocks are laid in one row around the perimeter. The next row of blocks is placed after the glue in the previous seam has set.

When forming seams, some of the glue comes to the surface. The solution should be removed immediately with a spatula. If the glue is not cleaned off very carefully, by the time the next row is laid, the solution dries out and forms unevenness on the masonry surface, preventing the formation of a thin horizontal seam. To remove glue tubercles, you should have a special board with an attached abrasive on hand.

If necessary, cut off a fragment of a block, use a special hacksaw and a square. The latter allows you to create a cut surface geometry similar to the factory one. If problems arise with the evenness of the cut, it is more advisable to direct the cut edge towards the openings (here small unevenness is not a problem, and besides, they can always be straightened upon completion of the masonry).

Masonry reinforcement

It is believed that the reinforcing mesh placed in every 3-4 masonry seam sufficiently strengthens wall structure, erected with foam concrete. It is not recommended to lay reinforcing fiberglass mesh less often; it is possible more often, but it is not advisable in terms of excessive consumption of reinforcing material and slowdown of work. The reinforcing mesh is laid like this.

The surface of the previous row is cleaned and the resulting dust is removed.
The surface is coated with a thin layer of glue, on top of which a mesh is laid.
Glue is applied to the reinforcing fabric and a uniform layer is formed.
The next row of blocks is laid.

When laying in this way, the reinforcing mesh appears in the thickness of the seam, strengthening both adjacent rows of foam blocks.

For large-scale construction, it is recommended to use steel rods instead of mesh using the same laying pattern. In order to lay the rods in the previous row of foam blocks, grooves (grooves) are made in their surface using a special wall cutter. The depth of the longitudinal recesses should be sufficient to ensure that the rods do not protrude above the masonry surface. Two grooves are made with a distance of 5-6 cm from the edge of the blocks. Before laying the reinforcement, the recesses are cleaned and filled with glue.

Before installing floor slabs or basic elements roof, it is necessary to create a reinforcing reinforced belt. To do this, it is convenient to use U-blocks, which are ready-made formwork into which a reinforcing structure is laid and filled with concrete. In the absence of U-shaped masonry elements, a low (12-20 cm) vertical formwork from boards is created on top of the masonry.

The information on how to lay foam blocks with your own hands, set out in the article, will certainly help in practice to construct walls from porous concrete. Watching this video will help you consolidate your knowledge.

Foam concrete blocks are in demand in private construction; they are valued for high speed and ease of laying, low weight load and good insulating properties. The cost of work when contacting professionals varies from 1200 to 3000 rubles per 1 m3; in order to save money, it is better to do it yourself. The technology for installing products is considered simple, but a number of rules are mandatory; it is important to familiarize yourself with them in advance.

The main requirements for working with this building material include:

Masonry on a stable monolithic base, reliably protected from moisture, at least 30-50 cm above ground level.
Reinforcement of rows with reinforcement - the first and every fourth.
Laying an armored belt in the upper part around the entire perimeter load-bearing walls for attaching floor slabs or Mauerlat to a roofing system.
Elimination of cold bridges: it is best to place it on a thin layer of special, all bridges and metal elements are insulated.
Mandatory protection of foam concrete structures from moisture and steam.
When constructing load-bearing walls, use blocks with the required strength grade (not lower than D400, preferably more).
Checking the certificate and geometric accuracy of products even before the moment of purchase.

Differences between masonry using glue and cement

The final characteristics of the structure being built and the need for external insulation depend on the type of connecting mortar. There are two options: laying on special adhesives or a cement-sand composition. In the first case, ready-made dry mixtures are used (Osnovit Selform, Praktik Bergauf, Aero, Ceresit CT 21 and many others) based on Portland cement, quartz sand, modifiers and polymer powders, diluted strictly according to the instructions. The advantage is the creation of a thin seam - within 1-3 mm, no more. This eliminates the formation of cold bridges if the wall thickness is correctly selected foam concrete blocks will not need insulation. Also, the advantages of using glue include the evenness of the rows, the ability to install products with your own hands, even in the absence of work experience.

Cement mortar itself is cheaper, but due to the inevitable increase in the thickness of the joints, its consumption increases and, as a result, the costs are not inferior to glue. The optimal proportions of PC M400 and sand are 1:3 with a W/C ratio within 0.5. To improve mobility, it is recommended to introduce plasticizers (the cheapest is liquid soap). This option is chosen only in the case of poor block geometry; due to the different thermal conductivity coefficients of foam concrete and cement, cold bridges and heat loss will inevitably form.

Another reason to lay foam blocks on glue is to increase the load-bearing capacity of the walls. The opinion that the greater the thickness of the seam, the more reliable the structure will be, is erroneous; such areas absorb loads worse and are essentially a weak link. It is also worth considering that when using self-prepared cement mortar straight rows can only be obtained by experienced masons, and their services are expensive. The time spent on mixing glue or CPR is approximately the same, but in terms of saving effort on preparing components, the first type wins.

Step-by-step instructions for laying foam blocks with your own hands

Before starting work, prepare tools: a construction mixer and clean containers for spreading glue, hacksaws for cutting, rubber hammer, levels, notched trowel, wall chasers, plane and grater, brushes or a special hair dryer for removing dust. Next, adhere to the following scheme of actions:

Preparing foam blocks for installation: inspection, if necessary, leveling with a fine grater and cleaning from dust, cutting to the required dimensions.
Waterproofing the upper edge of the foundation. First, 2-3 cm of cement mortar is applied, two layers should be placed on top of it roll materials with maximum for a long time services. The width of the waterproofing layer must exceed the thickness of the future walls.
Laying the first row of blocks - from the very high angle, exclusively for cement composition. To achieve the ideal level, a tensioned cord is used and carefully checked. The first row must be reinforced - two grooves are drilled into the laid foam blocks, equidistant from the edge, into which mortar and metal rods with a cross-section of 8 mm are placed (if the reinforcement scheme is agreed upon with specialists, thinner rods can be placed, but not less than 5 mm).
Installation of subsequent rows - from the corners to the center, with ligation of foam concrete blocks. The glue is applied with a notched trowel to the horizontal surface of already laid products and to the end of those being placed. The foam blocks are lightly pressed against each other; if necessary, they are tapped for compaction. Excess is removed immediately, the same applies to the correction of displaced foam blocks. Level deviations are checked on each row without exception.
Laying a monolithic reinforced belt around the entire perimeter of load-bearing walls. There are two options: installing formwork and pouring concrete mortar with simultaneous insulation of the edges or the use of special U-shaped blocks.

The instructions provided are also suitable for constructing partitions. In this case, the first row is tied to a flat, clean and moisture-protected floor using reinforcement. Special ones, left in advance on the corners load-bearing structures beacons help to correctly lay foam block walls inside the house. If it is necessary to attach a new partition, dowels are used that go 20 cm deep into existing walls.

To simplify the process and improve the quality of the connection, it is recommended to slightly wet the foam blocks. It is important to place them as tightly as possible; if the rows deviate horizontally, the products are sanded with a plane. Construction dust After each treatment, it must be removed; it affects the reliability of the connection of adjacent blocks. Work is carried out mainly in the warm season, at air temperatures from +5 to +25 °C.

Possible mistakes

Violations of block laying technology include:

Absence masonry mortar in vertical seams and the appearance of voids between products. This error is observed when saving glue applied to the walls; it leads to the accumulation and freezing of moisture inside the foam concrete walls. As a result, the risk of destruction of the seam or the block itself increases.
Lack of dressing or insufficient shifting of products in subsequent rows. The recommended minimum is a quarter of the length, ideally they move exactly halfway.
Correction of foam blocks after the glue has hardened or the CPR has set. Any changes should be made no later than 5-15 minutes; deviations from the level are checked on each row.
Refusal of reinforcement.

Most mistakes are made during the finishing process; the understandable desire of the owners to protect the foam concrete from moisture as best and as quickly as possible must still be properly implemented. Blocks shrink within 3-6 months; earlier plastering leads to the formation of cracks. To prevent the accumulation of moisture in foam blocks, their interior finishing is carried out first and only then proceed to the facade.

Closing is considered the gravest violation external walls impermeable materials without creating gaps; ventilated ones are best suited for protecting cellular concrete grades hanging systems or special plaster.

Cost of laying foam blocks

The minimum price of 1 m3 of high-quality foam concrete, suitable for the construction of load-bearing structures, is 2,500 rubles, the approximate glue consumption per cube is 20 kg (about 150 rubles), and reinforcement is also added to the final cost of building materials when laying them yourself.

Professional services cost no less than 1,200 rubles for installation of 1 m3; when erecting load-bearing walls, they reach 3,000. The price is influenced by the number of floors, the type and size of foam concrete blocks, their geometric accuracy, and the overall complexity of the project.