Monolithic sawdust concrete building a house with your own hands. DIY sawdust concrete production technology
Sawdust concrete used in the construction of houses is usually called a type of wood concrete. The building material was created a long time ago, but real popularity came to it only now. Sawdust concrete is a type of wood concrete, a building material made of sawdust and shaving residues, cement, chalk, sand, clay, etc. For the first time sawdust concrete was applied more than half a century ago, but it became really popular against the backdrop of the construction boom of the "zero" years. The material is especially widely used in the construction of country houses and utility rooms.
The peculiarity of sawdust concrete is that everyone can work with it. Even people without serious construction experience can build a barn or a country house using concrete blocks from sawdust. Working with the material does not require special knowledge, skills, the use of complex tools and equipment.
Sawdust concrete has many advantages, but the highest level of heat capacity is considered the main one. By constructing an external wall 300 mm thick, you can be sure that the house will be warm. However, experts still recommend using a profile with a thickness of 400-500 mm.
Sawdust concrete is a fairly durable material with good resistance to mechanical stress. The strength of sawdust concrete makes it possible to erect buildings from it with a height of 2, and even 3 floors.
When building houses, two main methods are used:
- production of sawdust concrete blocks and construction of a building according to the block method;
- application of the method of monolithic construction using different types of formwork.
Both methods involve the preparation of a concrete-sawdust mixture using the same technology.
Video instruction: how is sawdust concrete prepared?
Another huge plus of sawdust concrete is the ease of preparation of the parent composition. Both a summer resident and a novice builder can make a mixture. The main thing is to have a sufficient amount of raw materials and equipment for effective mixing of the composition. To prepare the mixture you will need:
- a metal, plastic or wooden container of large volume (it is in it that the solution will be mixed);
- a mixer for construction or a construction hammer with a nozzle designed for effective mixing;
- ingredients of the mixture: cement, sand, sawdust, chalk, water, lime, etc.
A construction concrete mixer will be an excellent assistant in the preparation of the solution. To determine the correct proportions of the mixture, you can use a construction scale, or you can get by with a table that roughly determines the amount of ingredients you need:
- M5 sawdust concrete with a density of 500 kg / m³: for 80 sawdust buckets 4.5 buckets of M400 cement, 3 buckets of sand, 14 buckets of clay or lime.
- M10 grade 650 kg / m³: 80; 9.5; 12; 10.5.
- M15 grade 800 kg / m³: 80; 13.5; 21; 7.
- M20 grade 950 kg / m³: 80; eighteen; thirty; 35.
Please note: in the above table, the amount of sawdust is unchanged, and the amount of other components of the construction mixture depends on the brand of sawdust concrete. In turn, the grade is determined by the density of the material.
Its construction qualities depend on the density of sawdust concrete. For example, M5 sawdust concrete is an excellent heat insulator, but its strength is low. For the construction of walls, material of higher grades is required, with a much higher content of cement. Based on the table, you can calculate the approximate amount of ingredients per 1 cubic meter of sawdust concrete.
The production of a concrete-sawdust mixture requires adherence to a certain technology. First, two solutions must be prepared in two containers:
- dry mix: sawdust, cement, sand; mix all components thoroughly;
- dissolve clay and lime in water.
At this stage, you can do without a concrete mixer by mixing the ingredients of the mixture with a shovel. Nevertheless, you will have to try, because the mass must be homogeneous and plastic. A high-quality mixture is quite dense, it does not spread, but at the same time, when compressed, it does not fall apart. To achieve optimal density and strength, table salt, calcium nitrate or some water glass can be added to the mixture. By the way, these ingredients will increase the resistance of the finished material to mold and mildew. For block sawdust concrete, the same proportions are used as for monolithic.
Which is better: monolith or blocks?
The plastic mortar fits well, so it can be used to create walls from fragments-blocks, and for an all-concrete structure. But which way is still better? When choosing a construction technology, it is necessary to take into account a variety of factors, because each has both pros and cons.
First of all, let's take a look at the aesthetic side. Block buildings look much more interesting than monolithic ones. The fact is that the monolith requires displacement of the formwork and it will not work to create absolutely even horizontals. Smooth and beautiful walls can be folded from the blocks. The only exception is non-removable formwork made of expanded polystyrene. The use of such formwork is the key to building a beautiful house.
In addition, blocks made of sawdust concrete are easier to install. The builder simply assembles them like a constructor. Manufacturing a monolithic structure is a complex technological process that requires certain skills and knowledge.
The disadvantage of blocks is the complexity and duration of their creation. It takes much longer to create sawdust concrete blocks than making blocks from concrete or slag. Unlike other building materials, sawdust concrete reaches the required strength for months. The standard drying period for blocks is 3.5 months.
If you decide to build a building from self-made sawdust concrete blocks, the building material will have to be made in advance.
Additional thermal insulation will be given to the blocks by voids. In addition, it will reduce the amount of material used to manufacture each specific block.
In monolithic construction, the use of sawdust concrete has one serious problem: the formwork will have to be constantly moved, since the mass hardens quickly enough and after that its movement becomes problematic.
The key disadvantage of both block and monolithic construction from oplik concrete is that the material is hygroscopic, it strongly absorbs water. The outer walls will have to be carefully finished, completely protecting the sawdust concrete base from moisture. During construction, the blocks or mortar for the monolith must be kept under an awning to protect it from rain.
People's builder Andryukha: House of sawdust concrete
Construction features and pitfalls
Sawdust concrete is a rather specific material, therefore, when building a house from it, it is necessary to follow certain rules, to act in full accordance with the recommendations of experienced builders. Even a slight deviation from the recipe or violation of the peculiarities of construction work can reduce the quality of the final structure.
On forums on the Internet, you can often find discussions about whether it is possible to use sawdust concrete for building a foundation. The answer is unequivocal: of course not! The base is built from concrete, stone, brick. There are also metal pile foundations.
In general terms, building a house from sawdust concrete has the following features:
- The base must be raised above the ground so that the water contained in the soil does not reach the walls of the building; foundation waterproofing should be carried out responsibly.
- A prerequisite for the construction of a high-quality house from sawdust concrete is the reinforcement of the corners; it will not be superfluous to reinforce the walls. The best option is to install protective "casings" made of concrete or wood in the corner parts of the house.
- Do not leave open the openings of doors and windows: they must be enclosed in a reinforcing cage, placing jumpers on top.
- If the external walls are erected using a frameless technique, an upper strapping is required in the form of a monolithic concrete belt with the addition of metal reinforcement. The belt will relieve the roof load on the sawdust concrete structure. If a frame construction method is used, then sawdust concrete acts as a filler between the racks. In this case, it is necessary to build a strapping from a bar.
- The roof of the house made of sawdust concrete also has its own characteristics. The overhangs should be wide: this is necessary to protect the walls from moisture. It is very important to build a well-thought-out drainage system with water flowing into a reliable drainage or storm drain. It is impossible for water to collect under the walls of the house.
- Sawdust-based concrete structures require strong external protection. The hygroscopicity of the building material can cause serious trouble, therefore the top coat must be solid and completely waterproof.
Watch the video: how to rearrange the formwork. The house is looming!
Pros and cons of sawdust concrete
Sawdust concrete is a rather unusual building material with a lot of advantages. However, it also has disadvantages, and there are no less of them than advantages. Everyone will have to decide what is more important independently and taking into account the specific construction situation.
Let's talk about the pros first. The key advantage of the material is its low cost. A wall made of sawdust concrete will cost much less than a brick or cinder block. Placing sawdust concrete blocks is as easy as other piece building materials.
Another serious plus of sawdust concrete is the ability to use it not only for the construction of block walls, but also for the construction of monoliths. A house made of this material in its microclimate is close to a wooden frame - it is, as they say, breathable. In the summer, the house made of sawdust concrete is cool, in the winter cold it is warm. Sawdust "traps" sounds, providing excellent sound insulation.
As for the disadvantages, the main and most serious is the increased hygroscopicity of the material. Sawdust easily draws in water, so the walls will have to be insulated. The material does not differ in high strength: the maximum number of storeys of houses made of sawdust concrete is 3. The durability of the walls also leaves much to be desired, especially in comparison with walls made of bricks, concrete, cinder blocks. Strong hygroscopicity leads to the need for complex and rather expensive finishing, which is also a big disadvantage.
When working with sawdust concrete, certain points have to be taken into account, and even a slight deviation from the technology will lead to operational problems.
Sawdust concrete belongs to the category of universal materials. The initial consistency is quite liquid, therefore it is possible to form blocks of any shape from it, to construct monoliths. This versatility allows builders to save a lot.
Watch the video online: block test
Construction cost from sawdust concrete
Sawdust concrete is sometimes called "wooden stone". Of all the building materials available, it is the cheapest and most affordable. So, blocks for a wall measuring 390x190x188 mm will cost about 230 rubles. One sawdust concrete stone replaces 7 bricks (the cost of each brick is about 6 rubles).
It will take 20 thousand bricks to erect a box of an 8 × 8 m house: this is about 120 thousand rubles. In addition, you will have to purchase cement for 30-40 thousand rubles. A similar construction made of sawdust concrete will cost about 100-120 thousand rubles. excluding cement. The savings are substantial.
Watch the video: material costs
Construction of a monolithic house
Monolithic construction is convenient and fast. Recently, this technology has been used extremely widely. Used in monolithic construction and sawdust concrete. Before erecting a building, it is necessary to carefully waterproof the foundation with two layers of roofing material.
If the foundation is low, it must be raised with brickwork. After that, formwork made of wood, plywood, metal sheets is installed on the basement. The height of the formwork panels is approximately 60 cm.
Simultaneously with the pouring of the first layers of sawdust concrete, wooden or metal posts are driven into the ground from both sides of the foundation into the ground into the entire proposed wall. The columns are connected with bars, pulled together with wire. After the completion of the pouring, the stakes cannot be removed, they will be needed to secure the shields when reinstalling the formwork. In addition, with the help of these stakes, it will be possible to fix the lathing during cladding work.
The sawdust concrete mixture is poured in layers of no more than 15 cm thick. Each layer is tamped with a special device. In one construction day, no more than 30 cm of material can be poured, that is, no more than 2 approaches. After that, a week break is taken. Every 40 cm. Wall heights are reinforced longitudinally. As reinforcement, a mesh-netting or wooden slats are used. A “belt” made of timber or bricks is mounted on the finished filler structure. The "belt" serves as a support for the roof.
The moisture protection of the walls is of great importance. The builder will have to cover the facade with high quality. done with wide overhangs. Nevertheless, the costs of building a house from sawdust concrete will pleasantly surprise: they are significantly lower than with traditional construction. The building, unlike brick and concrete structures, does not require additional insulation: 40-centimeter masonry easily withstands 35-degree frosts.
Watch the video: how to assemble a formwork frame for pouring sawdust concrete
Building a house from blocks
If a house made of sawdust concrete blocks is built in accordance with all the rules of GOST, it will have excellent heat and sound protection. The material contains many air bubbles that retain heat, allow air to pass through, regulate humidity. According to their technical parameters, houses made of sawdust concrete are close to houses made of timber or logs.
Construction belongs to the budget category (we talked about the prices for the material above). Blocks can be made independently, but it is better, of course, to purchase ready-made ones. Sawdust concrete of various brands is sold in all hardware stores.
If you have chosen to make blocks on your own, the material must be prepared in advance for work. This preparation is based on drying. It is necessary to dry sawdust concrete for a long time and thoroughly.
In private construction, blocks of various sizes are used. The walls are lightweight, thermally insulated and quite strong. Subject to all technologies, a sawdust concrete structure will last for many decades.
Despite the fact that the blocks are similar in structure to bricks and do not seem hygroscopic, it must be borne in mind: the material is afraid of moisture. The walls must be plastered. These works are carried out after the final shrinkage of the house, that is, 7-8 months after the completion of construction.
If you decide to build a bathhouse from sawdust concrete, the walls must be waterproofed especially carefully, paying maximum attention to the corners and joints.
Cost of materials for sawdust concrete
Sawdust concrete is an environmentally friendly and promising building material. The construction of houses from sawdust concrete is experiencing a rebirth, because the production of such blocks began a century and a half ago. Some developers believe that wood concrete is unreliable, but this statement is fundamentally wrong: in Western Europe, buildings made of similar material have already celebrated their 300th anniversary, and in the USSR, some houses did not stand for 50 years. The conclusion suggests itself: if you follow the technology of manufacturing blocks and construction, such a house is not inferior in strength and durability to brick counterparts.
What is sawdust concrete?
Sawdust concrete contains cement, wood waste, sand, water, binding particles. Since the bulk of the block is made of shavings, the product is characterized by low weight and high strength at the same time. According to GOST, wood-concrete blocks should not weigh more than 20 kilograms, and their dimensions are 39x19x19 cm. Such dimensions are considered optimal for construction.
Sometimes cement is partially replaced by clay, liquid glass or lime, then the cost of the material is reduced, and the shrinkage is reduced. By changing the ratio of the components, the density, porosity and strength of the material changes depending on the application. Wood concrete has many advantages; of the disadvantages, only water absorption can be noted. However, if you treat the building material with a special water-repellent compound, this minus is eliminated.
Performance characteristics
- Environmental friendliness... Since wood concrete contains 70% of natural components, it can be argued that such blocks are safe for human health and environmentally friendly;
- Water absorption... The level of hygroscopicity of sawdust concrete is 8-12%, this figure can be reduced to 3% if the sawdust is treated with special compositions. The lower the water absorption, the greater the resistance of the material to frost. With good waterproofing, frost resistance is 100 cycles.
Comparison table of materials
| Gas silicate | Sawdust concrete | Foam blocks | Expanded clay concrete | Cinder blocks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength (kg / cm 2) | 5-20 | 20-50 | 10-50 | 50-150 | 25-75 |
| Volumetric weight (kg / m 3) | 200-600 | 500-900 | 450-900 | 700-1500 | 500-1000 |
| Thermal conductivity (W / mGrad) | 0,15-0,3 | 0,2-0,3 | 0,2-0,4 | 0,15-0,45 | 0,3-0,5 |
| Frost resistance (cycles) | 10 | 25 | 25 | 50 | 20 |
| Wall cooling time (hours) | 50 | 65 | 60 | 75-90 | 65 |
| Shrinkage (% mm / m) | 1,5 | 0,5-1 | 0,6-1,2 | 0 | 0 |
| Water absorption (%) | 100 | 60-80 | 95 | 50 | 75 |
- Incombustibility... Despite the fact that the main component of the blocks is shavings, due to the presence of a sand-cement mixture, this material does not burn;
- Thermal conductivity... Sawdust concrete has only slightly less thermal conductivity than porous concrete blocks. When compared with brickwork, then 40 cm of wood concrete has the same indicators as 90 cm of brick;
- Strength... In terms of bending and tensile properties, blocks will give odds to many materials. Sawdust and additives reinforce the product, prevent it from deforming and impart shock resistance. It is allowed to use wood concrete in areas with increased seismic activity;
- Ease of handling and installation... Sawdust blocks are quite light in weight, they can be given any size and shape, so this is a significant material savings. Sawdust concrete is well drilled, cut, milled.
Making sawdust concrete with your own hands
To make such blocks, you will need: M300 Portland cement, sawdust or shavings, alumina sulfate or lime, mineral additives (water glass, ammonium nitrate, calcium chloride, sodium sulfate), water. Sand can be added to increase the strength of the blocks.
Approximate proportions:
- 1200 kg / m3 of cement;
- 1550 kg / m3 of sand;
- 220 kg / m3 sawdust;
- 600 kg / m3 of slaked lime.
Water will need 250-350 liters per cubic meter (depending on how wet the original sawdust is). Dry cement, sand and lime are mixed, after which sawdust is added, pour water in small portions. You can prepare a solution of a suitable consistency only with a concrete mixer. Squeeze the mixture in your hands: if it does not crumble and water does not run out of it, then it can be poured into a mold or formwork can be made.
When choosing sawdust, give preference to coniferous shavings up to 0.5 cm in size. Spruce sawdust is best pressed, you can compare the degree of suitability of consumables according to the table.
The hardening time will also depend on the quality of the sawdust mixture. If spruce sawdust hardens in a day, then larch sawdust takes more than 5 days. The cheapest way to make the sawdust less permeable is to leave it to dry in the sun, but oxidation takes several months. The second method is processing sawdust with liquid glass or calcium chloride (the latter is preferable). The shavings should be free of impurities - roots, earth, bark, and so on.
Collapsible forms can also be made independently from boards. To make it easier to get the frozen mixture, stuff old linoleum on the inner walls. Ordinary champagne bottles are suitable for forming voids. The larger the block is, the longer it will take to dry. After about 24-28 hours, the blocks can be removed from the dies and dried in the shade for another two weeks. In order for the material to dry evenly, it is periodically moistened or covered with a film.
Building a house from sawdust concrete
After making sure that the wood concrete blocks have hardened enough, you can start construction. In the blocks, you need to make channels for ventilation or chimney in advance. To protect the structure from moisture, the basement is lined with bricks or other moisture-resistant material. The cornice should protrude from the wall by at least 50 cm.
Since the blocks do not weigh so much, you can make an ordinary tape shallowly buried foundation (60-120 cm). Brickwork is made to a height of about 0.5-0.7 meters. With the help of roofing material or bitumen mastic, it is necessary to perform waterproofing, after which the base is sprinkled with a layer of sand (at a distance of up to a meter) and insulated.
For masonry, use a special glue or a sand-cement mixture. Layer thickness - no more than 8 mm, otherwise the insulating properties of sawdust concrete will be nullified. Masonry technology is no different from brick. After installing the unit, be sure to check the level, add or remove excess glue. The rows are made with dressings, a plastic or metal mesh is placed through each 3-4 rows.
We install additional supports above the door and window openings - wooden beams or metal channels. With the help of brackets on the last blocks, we strengthen the Mauerlat, after which the roof can be installed.
Exterior wall decoration is varied: from ordinary plastering and subsequent painting to laying in one brick or siding. Subject to the norms and technologies, you will receive a strong and durable building that will delight you for many years!
Modern building materials have a wide range of choices. Building a house out of them is pretty simple. But not everyone takes into account that an alternative to the standard stone has long appeared or. You can use sawdust in the construction of a structure and build a house from sawdust concrete.
Project of a three-storey house made of sawdust concrete
"House of sawdust" is a figurative concept. A modern building material called sawdust concrete is made from this raw material. In addition, sawdust is used:
- for ;
- for insulation of the entire structure;
- for isolation and other things.
If earlier they were simply considered waste of carpentry production, now they have begun to be effectively used in various areas of construction.
What is sawdust concrete
This is a material that can be manufactured in a factory. Although this is rare. Most often it is made by hand. Especially if you have everything you need.
Sawdust concrete belongs to the category. In terms of its technical and quality characteristics, it is not inferior to natural wood. It is safe to say that it is environmentally friendly and endowed with a number of advantages.
Table with data on the constituent parts of sawdust concrete Raw materials for the manufacture of sawdust concrete
In addition to sawdust, the material includes:
- lime;
- cement;
- sand;
- water.
Sometimes craftsmen improve this composition by adding clay to it. Because of this, the strength and thermal conductivity of houses built from sawdust concrete increases.
The density of the material depends on the amount of sand, cement and sawdust used. Sand plays an important role. The more it is, the denser the structure of sawdust concrete is. If it is less, the house increases the thermal conductivity.
Important. Sand can affect strength. Together with lime and concrete, it has excellent quality indicators.
It is worth considering that a certain amount of raw materials can provide frost resistance and water resistance of sawdust concrete. At the same time, reinforcement masonry is also protected, which, under the influence of moisture, corrodes and destroys its structure.
It looks like a block of sawdust concrete In the manufacture of sawdust concrete for construction, the following technical characteristics of houses are taken into account:
- the thickness of the walls of the future house;
- number of load-bearing walls;
- the number of interior partitions;
- number of storeys of the cottage.
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Projects of houses and cottages with a swimming pool
And not only a house can be built from this material. Quite often, utility buildings, garages, fences, and so on are erected from it.
Sawdust concrete brands
Today, depending on the density of the structure, there are several brands:
The first two types are used for the construction of small houses, their reconstruction, basement insulation and other things. The density of the structure is not too high.
More suitable for these works are the M15 and M20 brands.
How to make sawdust concrete with your own hands
Initially, the so-called dough is kneaded from:
It is best to carry out the mixing process in a concrete mixer. All ingredients are gradually added. The consistency of the mass must be uniform. This will have a beneficial effect on the structure of houses, since the surface of the material will be flat.
After that, the solution is poured into pre-made wooden forms of any size, upholstered with linoleum or special plastic tape. It will dry out pretty quickly. Only in order for the material to get stronger, it will take more than 3 months. Finished blocks of sawdust concrete are laid out under a canopy on the street. Moisture will come out of it gradually, thus avoiding the appearance of internal deformations.
Note. A house made of sawdust concrete, which has acquired natural strength, will be of better quality.
Project of a two-storey house built from sawdust concrete Sawdust concrete advantages and disadvantages
We can say with confidence that the construction of houses from this material is not particularly difficult. The blocks are quite large. The material is environmentally friendly.
The house does not need to be additionally insulated, since sawdust concrete itself is considered a heater.
Note. The material is able to qualitatively retain the same amount of heat with a wall thickness of 30 cm as a brickwork 1 meter wide.
It is worth noting that a house made of sawdust concrete will not have a large mass. Because of this, the load on the foundation is insignificant. Accordingly, the cost of its construction will decrease.
It has a long service life. Wood and concrete can serve for 50-100 years. Especially if they are in conjunction with other components.
It is almost impossible to break it, only with the use of special equipment. For this reason, the house turns out to be quite durable. The structure is not subject to deformation and can freely “work” for bending.
Important. Despite the fact that the material consists essentially of sawdust, it is not able to react to the effects of fire. The reason for this is considered to be cement.
Sawdust concrete does not rot, and insects will never start in it. This means that the house will last forever, even without additional cladding.
Sawdust concrete is an environmentally friendly and safe material that is very popular in one-story construction. It is often used in the construction of summer cottages and outbuildings. A house made of sawdust concrete can be built with your own hands, even without special skills. This does not require expensive equipment and materials.
The advantages of sawdust concrete
For the manufacture of building blocks from sawdust concrete, woodworking waste, cement, water, sand and binders are used. Due to the large amount of sawdust, the material is lightweight. The cement in the blocks gives them strength.
Blocks with a size of 390x190x190 mm and a weight of no more than 20 kg are considered optimal. Often, during manufacture, part of the cement is replaced with clay, lime or liquid glass, which reduces the cost of the finished product. By changing the percentage of the components, you can make material of different density, strength and porosity.
Pros of construction
Although simple and inexpensive components are used in the manufacture of sawdust concrete, this material has many positive properties. Its advantages:
Cons of building materials
Despite all the advantages of sawdust concrete, builders note some of its disadvantages. These include:
- A high degree of hygroscopicity, which requires additional wall cladding and the use of various additives.
- When building a house from sawdust concrete with your own hands on several floors, more cement must be added to the blocks. This increases the cost of construction.
- The material has a fairly large shrinkage, which complicates the finishing work.
DIY blocks
Strict adherence to technological requirements is a prerequisite for the manufacture of quality products. Sawdust and shavings are used as wood filler, which are taken in a one-to-one ratio. They should be free of earth, dust, roots and bark.
Fresh wood waste is not suitable for manufacturing. They are pre-aged for 3 months or treated with lime. Before making blocks, wood waste is sieved through a sieve. A concrete mixer is used to mix the components, since it is impossible to mix them thoroughly by hand. The following materials are required for the production of blocks:
- wood waste: sawdust and shavings;
- lime or alumina;
- cement grade M300;
- water;
- additives: liquid glass, ammonia acid, sodium sulfate and others.
There are different types of sawdust concrete, which differ in composition, manufacturing method, amount of binders and mineral additives. Building material is made as follows:
- mix cement, filler, sand and lime in the required proportions;
- mineral additives are dissolved in a container with water;
- the resulting solution is added to the mixture of components;
- mix the resulting composition thoroughly.
The resulting mixture should be flexible and homogeneous. To check its quality, you need to squeeze the resulting raw material in your hand. In a qualitative composition, moisture should not protrude between the fingers, and the mixture in the hand should not crumble. Otherwise, astringents are added to it.
The resulting mixture can be used to make blocks of different shapes and sizes. For pouring, special forms with a removable bottom are prepared in advance. Building composition is poured into them in layers and tamped. The blocks are left until completely solidified, after which they are removed from the molds and sent to dry in a place protected from sunlight and rain.
Blocks dry slowly. It will take several months for them to be fully prepared for installation. To obtain high-quality building materials, the following rules are adhered to in the manufacture:
Advantages of buildings
Sawdust concrete buildings comply with all sanitary and hygienic standards. They retain heat and have good sound insulation. Sawdust concrete blocks have a large number of pores, which provides natural ventilation of the premises and maintains optimal humidity in them.
Building a house from sawdust concrete with your own hands turns out to be quite budgetary. The blocks can be made by yourself, all the necessary components are easy to purchase in stores. Their production must be started in advance, since the blocks must dry completely.
Depending on the needs of the building, products of different sizes can be made. Sawdust concrete buildings are erected in two ways:
- form sawdust concrete blocks and work with them in the same way as with any block material;
- make monolithic sawdust concrete using formwork casting.
The second method gives an advantage in speed, but the construction of a smooth formwork is laborious. Since sawdust concrete is highly hygroscopic, the walls need to be plastered. This is done after the building has completely shrunk, approximately 8 months after construction.
Erection of foundations and buildings
Houses made of sawdust concrete are lightweight, so they can be built on any soil. The only exceptions are those who are too heaving. The base for houses can be shallow. Driven piles or strip base are suitable as a foundation. You can also use a columnar foundation, the supports for which are made of concrete or brick. The choice of the type of foundation depends on the financial capabilities and wishes of the owner.
The foundation is waterproofed with roofing material, bitumen mastic or other materials. Additionally, it is sprinkled with sand at a distance of 0.5-1 m to prevent contact with the soil. Brickwork is made to a height of up to half a meter from the base, which will protect sawdust concrete from melt water.
Block buildings
The walls of houses from sawdust concrete blocks are erected in the same way as from block materials of another type. The following compositions are used as a solution for masonry:
- Adhesive for porous materials. It allows you to create thin seams to prevent heat loss. But it does not provide an opportunity to correct the geometric defects of the blocks.
- If the wood filler is treated with moisture-repellent agents, then cement mortar can be used for masonry. It corrects block irregularities well and strengthens walls.
The blocks are laid from the highest corner of the foundation. When laying, the horizontal and vertical walls are regularly checked. Every three to four rows, the masonry is reinforced with a metal or plastic mesh. The size of the masonry joints should be no more than 8 mm, otherwise there will be significant heat loss.
Window and door openings are decorated with a bar or channel. After the last row of blocks has been laid, a support bar is attached to the perimeter of the walls for mounting the roof.
Flooded houses
To speed up construction, monolithic sawdust concrete is often used. To make a monolithic house from sawdust concrete with your own hands, formwork is mounted from steel sheets, moisture-resistant plywood or lumber. The shields are attached to the frame with self-tapping screws. Its optimum height is 60 cm. The formwork is filled with building mixture. After the material has set, the formwork is shifted, then the next level is poured. As a result, a monolithic wall is obtained, which dries and gains strength as a single mass.
Before the construction of the foundation, geological tests are carried out to determine the composition of the soil, the level of freezing and the depth of the groundwater. The results of the analyzes allow you to choose the optimal type of foundation.
Self-built houses will last long enough, subject to manufacturing technology. Living conditions in them are comfortable. The cost of building houses from sawdust concrete is much lower than that of buildings from other materials.
The desire to improve living conditions, to comfortably equip life spurs representatives of the construction industry to seek raw materials, with the help of which inexpensive materials are created that are used in the construction of buildings. One of these materials is sawdust concrete - a composite based on wood chips. You can build a house from sawdust concrete on your own, with minimal construction skills.
We build a house from sawdust concrete
Before opting for sawdust concrete as a material for the construction of a building, you need to figure out what properties it has. Sawdust concrete is a cheap building material. Possesses increased heat-insulating and sound-absorbing characteristics. But its shortcomings require deep understanding when choosing a composite as a material for building a house from sawdust concrete with your own hands.
The special components of the product and its characteristics endow it with a lot of advantages in the eyes of consumers.
The main disadvantages are:
- Low moisture resistance of the material requiring additional processing.
- Unpresentable appearance requiring decoration.
- Short service life due to reduced strength.
Taking into account the disadvantages, the use of sawdust concrete is limited to the construction of buildings with a small number of storeys. The main application is country houses, auxiliary buildings that do not require high strength of load-bearing walls. With a density of 300–700 kg / m³, it is used as a heater. With an increase in density to 700–1200 kg / m³, it is used in the construction of load-bearing walls with subsequent moisture-proof treatment.
Construction options
The chip-based material is quite ductile.
In this regard, you can build a house from sawdust concrete with your own hands in the following ways:
- form blocks from the ready-made mortar, further working with them, as with any concrete blocks;
- to carry out construction activities by the method of formwork filling of the composition.
Each of the building construction methods is relevant. If you need to build a structure quickly, then it is better to use the formwork method, since the blocks made by yourself will gain strength for at least four months. You can use ready-made blocks, but you need to be sure of the decency of the manufacturer, using environmentally friendly raw materials in the production. The pouring method provides fast construction of walls, but differs in the laboriousness of arranging smooth formwork.
These products for the construction of buildings can be easily made by hand, and the strength will be high
The use of ready-made blocks simplifies the masonry process, does not require large labor costs for the production and rearrangement of the formwork. In addition, blocks that have reached operational strength are less susceptible to shrinkage than a monolithic structure.
Block house construction technology
The construction of buildings from sawdust-based material begins with the manufacture of blocks.
The technological process involves the use of the following components:
- sawdust;
- sand;
- cement;
- lime;
- water.
To increase the strength and thermal conductivity characteristics, the solution is saturated with clay (optional). The sand content determines the density. As the amount of sand increases, the density increases.
Having prepared the necessary ingredients, start making:
- Mix the ingredients until smooth. Add the ingredients gradually. This will ensure that the ingredients are evenly distributed. It is better to mix the solution with a concrete mixer, since it is difficult to achieve uniformity of the composition with a different structure of components by manual mixing.
It is possible to build houses from sawdust concrete using two technologies - from blocks or from monolithic material
- Lay out pre-prepared molds of the required size on the forming surface. Wooden forms are most common for self-production of blocks due to the availability of raw materials. Industrial technology provides for the use of plastic reusable molds.
- Cover the forms with a smooth, non-highly rough material (plastic wrap, linoleum). This will help you to extract the blocks without difficulty at the end of the process.
- Pour in the prepared solution. Fill slowly, with light shaking to evenly fill the volume without the formation of voids.
- After the mortar has set, lay the products under a canopy, leave to dry in the open air. The process of achieving the required strength is long, takes 3-4 months - it is determined by the weather conditions of the region. The gradual evaporation of moisture avoids the formation of internal defects.
While the blocks, lying down, are gaining strength, start arranging the foundation for the planned building.
Foundation
For low-mass buildings, including structures made of sawdust concrete blocks, several types of foundations are suitable.
Due to the low weight of this product, the installation of a shallow foundation is allowed.
Depending on the desires, financial capabilities of the developer, you can equip the following types of foundation:
- shallow strip or slab foundation. Does not require the use of heavy construction equipment. Excavation work is carried out to a limited extent, which significantly affects the cost of the foundation;
- columnar foundation. The poles are made of concrete, brick or asbestos cement. The installation of supports is carried out according to the developed project in the most loaded points. The popularity of a columnar foundation for light buildings is explained by the speed of construction, improved strength characteristics. The disadvantages of the foundation include a short service life;
- pile foundation. Steel supports with a screw-shaped tip are easily screwed to the required depth, connected with a grillage, which is responsible for even distribution of loads along the contour. Arrangement works do not require increased labor costs, which attracts many developers.
Regardless of the type of foundation chosen, remember the need for high-quality waterproofing. If possible, equip a plinth with a height of at least 50 cm on the foundation. This will help protect the structure from excess moisture.
Masonry mortar
Sawdust-based blocks are laid using:
- special adhesive for porous materials. The glue creates small seams that reduce heat loss. But the adhesive does not make it possible to eliminate the geometric errors of the blocks;
Most often, a special type of glue or cement mortar is used as a masonry mortar.
- sand-cement mortar. After processing sawdust with special moisture-repellent compounds before making the blocks and reducing the saturation of the masonry mortar with water, you can use cement mortar for work. With its help, it will be possible to easily cope with irregularities, to achieve high strength characteristics of the structure.
