Expanded clay blocks: characteristics and varieties. Expanded clay concrete blocks: technical characteristics Expanded clay concrete from france 0 5 properties

Expanded clay concrete blocks- common construction material, which is made in accordance with GOST 6133–99 from sand, cement and expanded clay (in a ratio of 2/1/3) and is actively used in the construction of low-rise buildings.

High performance and specifications in combination with an affordable price make expanded clay concrete one of the most demanded materials in the construction market.

The use of expanded clay concrete blocks instead of bricks can reduce:

the load of the walls on the foundation is 2 times;
the cost of heating the house by 3 times;
labor costs 4 times (due to low weight, large format - one building block equal to 6 bricks);
significantly speed up the construction time.

Specifications

Standard dimensions expanded clay concrete blocks are - 190/390/90 mm and 190/390/188 mm. Manufacturers have the right to change these parameters in the direction of increase or decrease, but not more than the permissible deviations specified in the tables of technical regulations:

length: +/- 44 mm .;
width: +/- 3 mm .;
height: +/- 4 mm .;
the maximum deviation of the straightness of the ribs is 6 mm.

The weight of lightweight aggregate concrete blocks depends on the type, dimensions and voidness and can vary from 5 to 26 kg. A list of the most common types of blocks, indicating the weight, brand, dimensions and the presence of voids:

Solid block (390/190/188 mm.)

SKTs-1PRP 01 / 01S - 16.9 kg.;
SKTs-1PRP - 26 kg.;

Solid block (250/188/120 mm)

SKTs-25R - 9.9 kg.;
SKTs-25L - 12.8 kg.

2 hollow block(390/190/188 mm)

SKTs-1R - 14.7 kg.;
SKTs-1L - 17.5 kg.

Ordinary smooth block (390x188 mm / 196x140 mm):

SKTs-14R 01/01 - 7 kg.;
SKTs-14R - 10.9 kg.

Seven slotted block (390/190/188 mm.)

SKTs-1RG 01/01 - 12.2 kg.
SKTs-1RG - 16.8 kg.

Partition block (390/90/188 mm.)

SKTs-3R 01 / 01S - 5.1 kg.;
SKTs-3R - 9.7 kg.;

Volume weight of expanded clay concrete blocks, depending on the type

constructive - volume weight up to 1700 kg / m3;
structural and thermal insulation - volumetric weight 700–1400 kg / m3;
thermal insulation - volumetric weight -150-200 kg / m3.

Strength of expanded clay concrete

According to the tables of GOST 6133–99, depending on the brand, it can vary in the range of 25 - 150 kg / cm². This indicator marked with the letter M and a digital index, which indicates the maximum allowable pressure on the material in kg / cm². For example: M50. The number 50 means that each cm² of the block is able to withstand a load of 50 kg without breaking.

The thermal conductivity coefficient depends on the type of blocks

constructive expanded clay concrete - 0.55 W / (m * K);
structural and heat-insulating expanded clay concrete - 0.22 - 0.45 W / (m * K);
heat-insulating expanded clay concrete - 0.10 - 0.17 W / (m * K).

Frost resistance

constructive - 100 - 400 Mr3;
structural and heat-insulating - 20 - 100 Mr3;
heat-insulating - 15 - 50 Mr3.

Compressive strength

structural and thermal insulation - 35 - 100 kg / cm2;
constructive - 100 - 500 kg / cm2;
heat-insulating - 5 - 25 kg / cm2.

Other specifications

density: from 400 to 1800 kg / m3;
water absorption - 50%;
vapor permeability - 0.30 - 0.090 mg / m / h / Pa (under normal conditions);
shrinkage - 0%;
fire safety class A1. Expanded clay concrete can withstand exposure to an open flame at 1000ºC up to 10 hours without destruction;
sound insulation indicators comply with SNiP 23-03-2003. Wall blocks provide noise protection from 50 to 62 Db, partition blocks - from 41 to 50 D;
durability - 50 - 75 years;
high environmental friendliness. The content of radionuclides is essentially established standards.

Conclusion: Analyzing the above data, it can be noted that the technical characteristics of expanded clay are very worthy. In terms of its physical and mechanical properties, the material is in no way inferior to brick, but it costs significantly less.

Artificial stone, without exaggeration, is the most common building material. Without it, not a single building is erected, be it a residential building, a barn or a bathhouse. One of its varieties - expanded clay block - is something in between traditional brick and cellular concrete. This product belongs to the category "wall". The reader will learn about the features of its application, characteristics, pros and cons, as well as the estimated price of samples from this material.

By structure

Solid blocks. They are characterized by greater strength. They are mainly used where an increased load is expected - during construction outer walls, in some cases - a foundation for small buildings. For example, a private house with 1 - 2 floors, a bathhouse, a garage.
Hollow. They are less durable, but surpass full-bodied counterparts in such parameters as sound insulation, thermal conductivity (the latter is significantly reduced). Accordingly, the weight of such expanded clay concrete blocks is less. The shape and number of voids in stones can be different - slots or holes (blind), from 4 to 7 - 8 pieces.

By appointment

Wall blocks. The specificity of the application is clear from the name. The standard dimensions of such expanded clay concrete stones are: length - from 90 to 390, width - from 138 to 288, height - 138 or 188.
Partitional. Their main difference is in density (hence strength), weight and linear parameters... Expanded clay slabs and blocks of this type according to GOST must correspond to the sizes: 190 - 590, 90 and 188.
Ventilation. A separate type of expanded clay concrete stones that have a specific purpose. Such blocks already have prepared technological grooves (cavities, holes), which facilitates the laying of various engineering communications in the process of building a house. Their weight, as a rule, is 11 kg, and their dimensions are 390x190x188.

The reader who wants to understand in more detail the entire range of wall (expanded clay concrete) artificial stones, errors and other nuances, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with GOST No. 6133 of 1999, since a banal rewriting of this document does not make sense. Firstly, you can't say more precisely. Secondly, there are expanded clay concrete blocks of other sizes on the market. Before planning a purchase, you should familiarize yourself with the assortment of stones in all retail outlets cities and choose the best option in accordance with the design of the house to minimize the work of cutting them.

Technical characteristics of expanded clay blocks

Stone strength (kg / cm 2). It depends on the form in which the filler was used. If it was introduced into the expanded clay concrete mixture in the form of crushed clinker, and not granules, then the density (hence, the strength of the block) will be higher. The numerical expression of this characteristic is from 35 to 250.
Density (kg / m 3) - within 500 - 1800.
Frost resistance (cycles). According to this parameter, expanded clay blocks surpass cellular concrete and some types of bricks (up to 50).
Thermal conductivity (W / (m * C). This characteristic"Tied" to the structure of the block and its density (from 0.18 to 0.9).
Environmental "cleanliness". In the production of expanded clay blocks no "chemistry" in the form of various additives is used. This is one of the essential advantages of the material.
Water vapor permeability. Expanded clay concrete masonry blocks in this parameter, they are almost identical to gypsum board and wood, and brick is twice as big. According to the owners of the houses, the microclimate in the dwelling is automatically maintained at a constant level.
Fire resistance. Fire / safety class - the highest (A1).

Reviews of expanded clay blocks

“First of all, I would like to note the low cost of construction and the convenience of working with expanded clay concrete. He built everything himself - both the house and the bathhouse. No hired foremen or professional assistants. The "cube" of expanded clay block masonry cost me about 2,300 rubles. The sound insulation is excellent and the heat savings are very good. If you carefully read the nuances of choosing a stone and buy what suits you, then there will be no problems. I believe that all the reviews we meet about the pros and cons of the blocks are somewhat subjective, and the latter are caused by non-compliance with the technology and lack of experience with them. "

Vladimir Gorshkov, Moscow.

“My review of expanded clay concrete is the best. For an individual developer, low thermal conductivity of the material, high-quality sound insulation of the house are attractive. And given the fact that the dimensions of the expanded clay concrete blocks are identical (if this is not a "samopal"), then there is no need to hire specialists. It was built myself, I know what I'm talking about. The main thing is to buy a stone with the required characteristics, then there will be no problems. "

Andrey, Omsk.

“Before building a bathhouse on the site, I spent a lot of time to clarify what the claydite-concrete stones are characterized by. After all, its operation is associated with a number of features - temperature drops, dampness. Plus to this - the need for more reliable insulation. I asked the opinion of knowledgeable people, read reviews on thematic forums. Surprisingly, no one noted the disadvantages of a bath from expanded clay blocks. And now, 2 years after the completion of the construction, I can say unequivocally - I join everything that I heard earlier. I did the right thing by choosing this particular product. "

Marat Rudenko, Ufa.

“There are no perfect materials. When buying expanded clay blocks, you should decide what characteristics should be a priority. This approach will eliminate the need to assess the fairness of judgments about the pros and cons of the material. It is clear that each of us has our own criteria. In general, expanded clay concrete is an excellent stone. It's just that we are not yet used to building out of it, and therefore many questions arise. "

Oleg, Rostov.

Pros and cons of expanded clay concrete blocks

Advantages:

1. Ease of transportation and stacking. This is primarily due to its low weight and significant size. Consequently, the cost of building a house is reduced, and not least because of the savings on the foundation.

2. Convenience of finishing. Expanded clay base goes well with almost all types of finishing (facing) materials.

3. Low thermal conductivity. One of the significant advantages of expanded clay concrete blocks, allowing you to save on building insulation. That is why it is good to build residential houses, baths from them, for which the ability of the material to retain heat is an important factor.

4. Density, sufficient so as not to face the problems of fixing anything attached, as in the arrangement of structures made of foam concrete.

5. Good sound insulation... According to the owners, it can be further improved if you buy an expanded clay concrete hollow block.

6. Strict sample sizes. It makes it easier further finishing surfaces from expanded clay blocks.

Disadvantages:

If we evaluate expanded clay blocks from the point of view of cons, then sometimes there are diametrically opposite opinions about this. artificial stone... But if you analyze all of them, then, judging by the reviews of those who built independently, there are only two main shortcomings.

Fragility of blocks. This somewhat complicates the process of cutting them. The edges are uneven, which makes it difficult to fit products in place. How significant this minus is is still a question, since it is not known what tool was used when cutting expanded clay blocks and the skill level of the master.
Instability against shock loads. And on this point, it is desirable to clarify what kind of expanded clay concrete sample we are talking about. Whether it is hollow or corpulent, the block density declared by the manufacturer.

Output

If we summarize all the reviews about the products, it turns out that, taking into account the characteristics of expanded clay blocks and their prices, such a construction for the private sector is one of the most attractive options. Moreover, there are still much more pluses than minuses, and they are much more significant.
All of the above is true only if it comes about certified products. In the numerous reviews of experts about expanded clay blocks, the emphasis is on this. Before buying, you should look at the documentation. In addition, the underestimated cost of expanded clay blocks is a reason to doubt the feasibility of acquiring. It is unlikely that their characteristics will correspond to those stated.

Sizes of expanded clay blocks and their cost

Manufacturers are guided by the release of products of those dimensions that are better implemented - this is an axiom. Therefore, below are data on blocks of expanded clay concrete, which are most often commercially available.

Dimensions (edit)	Density	Retail price, rub / pc
Dimensions (edit)	Density	Corpulent	Hollow
390x140x188	750		50,6
	820		54,5
	1 000		41,8
	1 150		43,6
	1 300	64,1
	1 650	52
390x90x188	750		31
	1 000		22,5
	1 650	26
250x120x188	1 750	30,1

Expanded clay blocks occupy an intermediate place between bricks and porous blocks of foam and aerated concrete.

They inherited strength and frost resistance from bricks. They can be compared with lightweight concrete due to their large dimensions, low thermal conductivity and low weight.

The production of blocks from expanded clay concrete is to add to cement mortar expanded clay gravel with a fraction of 5–10 mm and coarse expanded clay sand. The energy-saving characteristics of the block and its strength directly depend on the size of the filler. The coarser gravel is added to the molding mass, the warmer, but less durable the expanded clay blocks are.

Let us consider in more detail the technical characteristics of this material in order to have a good idea of its capabilities, advantages and disadvantages.

Specifications

The building standard provides for the following sizes of expanded clay concrete blocks: 188x190x390 mm and 188x90x390 mm with a maximum permissible deviation from the specified dimensions by 10-20 mm. The first standard size is wall blocks, the second is partition walls.

Depending on the quality of the surface of the side faces, expanded clay blocks are divided into ordinary and front ones. Privates are intended for laying walls, additionally protected exterior decoration... Front blocks allow erecting a building without further processing of the facade finishing compounds or tiled materials.

Partition block made of expanded clay concrete

Another one important detail, related to the characteristics of this material, is the presence of voids. A hollow block has through or non-through vertical voids. They reduce the weight of the material and increase its energy-saving properties. In contrast, corpulent blocks are heavier and more durable. They are used for masonry of solid walls that carry high loads.

Density and strength

These are the most important technical characteristics of expanded clay concrete blocks, since energy-saving and acoustic properties depend on density, and reliability depends on strength. load-bearing walls building.

The density of this wall material depends on the filler fraction and varies in a wide range (from 500 to 1800 kg / m3).

Strength of expanded clay blocks ranges from B3.5-B20, which in terms of the static load is from 35 to 250 kg / cm2. The weight of the blocks ranges from 10 to 23 kg. The durability of this material reaches 60 years.

The optimal ratio of thermal conductivity and block strength is achieved by using suitable clay for the production of expanded clay of the required density and fresh high-quality cement of the M500 brand. Here is an example of a qualitative proportion of expanded clay concrete blocks produced by Cheboksary Stroykombinat.

Standard, thickened and solid block

Energy saving

A very important parameter for anyone masonry material- thermal conductivity. In expanded clay blocks, it rigidly depends on the density.

Density, kg / m3	Thermal conductivity coefficient, W / (mC)
1800	0,81–0,90
1600	0,66–0,78
1400	0,57–0,64
1200	0,45–0,53
1000	0,32–0,42
800	0,25–0,32
600	0,21–0,27
500	0,18–0,24

For a simpler orientation in the purpose of blocks, builders use the concept of structural, heat-insulating and structural material. Expanded clay blocks with a volumetric weight of 600 to 1100 kg / m3 are referred to the first type, and with a material density of 1200 to 1800 kg / m3 - to the second.

Frost resistance and fire resistance

The frost resistance of expanded clay concrete depends on the durability and load bearing capacity walls. For expanded clay blocks, GOST has established several grades of frost resistance: F25, F35, F50 and F75. The numbers here indicate the number of freeze and thaw cycles that a block completely saturated with water can withstand without loss of strength.

Expanded clay blocks have the most high class fire safety- A1. This means that the action of an open flame does not destroy the brickwork for 7-10 hours.

Vapor permeability

An important environmental parameter, which today is being carefully studied not only professional builders, but also ordinary developers. Expanded clay concrete is a breathable material, which is confirmed by the table below.

To an inexperienced person, these numbers will tell little. The builder will see in them that expanded clay concrete "breathes" 2 times better than brick and is almost not inferior to wood and drywall in terms of vapor permeability.

In addition, the expanded clay block has the property of absorbing excess moisture from the air and giving it away at low humidity in the room. Therefore, in a house built from this material, even without using forced ventilation a comfortable microclimate is established.

Marking

All the most important technical specifications expanded clay blocks can be recognized from the abbreviation with which the manufacturer labels its products.

The first letter K indicates that this material belongs to the category of artificial stone.

The second and third carry information about the scope and purpose:

C - wall;
P - partition;
L - front;
R - private (for decoration).

The fourth and fifth letters specify the purpose of the block in the masonry: UG - angular, PR - ordinal, PZ - for dressing seams. The hollow block is marked with the letters PS. Further, the marking indicates the length of the block (39 cm).

Then there are grades of strength, frost resistance and density. Knowing this simple algorithm, you can easily read the most important information about the material. For example, we will decipher the marking of the KSL-PR-PS-39-75-F20-1200 block as follows: wall stone, front stone, ordinal, hollow. Its length is 39 cm, compressive strength 75 kg / cm2, frost resistance 20 cycles and density 1200 kg / m3.

Advantages and disadvantages

As we have already said, according to GOST, expanded clay blocks are manufactured without the use of toxic synthetic resins and other additives harmful to health.

In addition to good vapor permeability, their advantages include:

Durability.
Strength.
Light weight and low labor costs for masonry (large block format).
Low thermal conductivity.
The ability to use as additional thermal insulation of the main carrier material walls (concrete, sand-lime brick).
Fire resistance and absence of toxic combustion products during thermal decomposition.
Good compatibility of masonry with different kinds facing materials(tiles, ordinary and decorative plaster, wood).
Smooth surface allows to reduce the consumption of finishing solution.
Affordable price.

Minuses:

Poorly tolerate dynamic and shock loads.
Due to their high abrasive qualities, it is difficult to saw and cut, forming uneven edges with cracks.

Comparing the pros and cons of expanded clay concrete blocks, it is easy to see that positive qualities they have more than negative ones. Therefore, reviews about this material are mostly positive.

When buying such blocks, you should pay attention to this point: some manufacturers, trying to save on cement, add organic and synthetic adhesive additives to the initial solution. They degrade the environmental performance of the material. Therefore, before you buy expanded clay blocks, you should check that the seller has a GOST certificate of conformity.

Estimated prices

When planning the construction of a house from lightweight aggregate concrete blocks, one should clearly navigate the prices for this material. Manufacturers indicate its cost not only in rubles per 1 m3, but also per 1 piece.

It is not difficult to understand the different prices if you use a simple translation algorithm: 1 m3 contains 72 blocks standard size(188x190x390 mm).

Average cost per hollow wall block from expanded clay concrete is from 40 to 54 rubles (1 m3 - 2900-3800 rubles)

A full-bodied full-length block is offered to be bought at a price of 52 to 65 rubles (price per cube 3700 - 4600 rubles)

The price of a hollow partition block ranges from 32 to 34 rubles apiece. Unlike full-size blocks, when sold, these blocks are measured not in cubic meters, but in "squares". The cost of 1 m2 (13 blocks) ranges from 416 to 450 rubles.

Comparison with foam and gas silicate blocks

Comparing expanded clay blocks, foam blocks and aerated concrete blocks, it should be noted that these materials are quite similar in a number of properties. They have comparable frost resistance and thermal conductivity.

Expanded clay concrete of structural grades surpasses its competitors in strength. It absorbs less moisture than foam and aerated concrete, which is also an advantage.

For clarity, we have given the comparative characteristics of these materials in tabular form.

Improvement technological processes, with the help of which concrete mortar, made it possible to start making a new material. This is expanded clay concrete, which differs from the usual materials in its composition. Expanded clay concrete is considered lightweight, while maintaining the quality indicators of concrete products. The low rate of thermal conductivity makes it possible to use the composition for decorating walls. For the production of expanded clay concrete of different densities, it is necessary to know the proportions of plasticizers, with the help of which elasticity is created, and other ingredients that affect the main indicators.

Expanded clay concrete - what is it

The material is a composite with a porous structure used in construction. When compared with other materials, the composition of expanded clay concrete is different.

Composition

Every specialist knows that the following components are required for the preparation of expanded clay concrete:

cement mass;
washed sand;
fine-dispersion expanded clay, for the production of which natural raw materials were used;
pure water that does not contain technical impurities.

Waste water, the pH of which is less than 4, is not suitable for a recipe for the production of expanded clay concrete. The same applies to sea water when a white coating forms on the surface.

In addition to these components, it is allowed to use sawdust for the preparation of dry expanded clay concrete mixture wood material, ash, plasticizers.

The exact selection of expanded clay concrete composition is carried out directly at the construction site. There are certain recommendations here, with the help of which an effective porous expanded clay concrete is obtained:

elasticity is increased through the use of quartz sand;
in order for the structure to perfectly resist the effects of moisture, expanded clay gravel must be added to the mortar mass;
cement grade M400 is a good binder that does not contain plasticizers;
cement improves the characteristics of the block material, but here it is necessary to take into account that the bulk density of the mixture may increase;
in case it is planned heat treatment blocks, it is necessary to use an alite cement composition.

Speaking about the size of expanded clay concrete:

it is recommended to add coarse expanded clay to a composition with a moderate density index. This type of concrete with expanded clay perfectly retains heat;
during the construction of the supporting structure, small-fraction expanded clay is used.

Small granules of expanded clay will give the material more weight. To get the "golden mean", it is recommended to use a mixture of large and small stones.

Characteristics of expanded clay concrete and its brands

The main characteristics are the grade and density of the material. The indicators are complex, depending on the composition of expanded clay concrete and fractions of the feedstock. Each brand is used for its intended purpose:

M50 - used when pouring partitions in a house or arranging a load-bearing wall;
М75 - structures of a load-bearing nature are manufactured in residential and industrial premises. In this case, monolithic technology is used;
M100 - the properties are such that the screeds are perfectly filled with the material;
М150 - used in the manufacture of blocks;
M200 (b15) - block material and lightweight floor options are prepared from this composition;
M300 - used in the construction of bridges and roads.

In terms of density, the material is divided into three groups:

1. Sandless - gravel, water and cement composition are used for production, no sand is added. The main advantage is the acceptable cost. Application in construction - used in the construction of walls, floors and ceilings in low-rise buildings.

2. Porous - blocks are made from M20 solution. In terms of strength, there are three subspecies of expanded clay concrete:

thermal insulation - d400 - d700 - used as additional insulation for walls;
body insulation and construction - from d800 to d1 400, used for insulation or when laying partitions;
wall - d1 400 - d2 000, from which various engineering structures are made.

3. Dense - contains an increased amount of cement composition, combining the characteristics of sandless and porous compositions. The price of the material is high, it is rarely used in the construction industry.

There is another version of the classification of the composite composition - by volumetric mass. According to this criterion, expanded clay concrete is divided into three groups:

heavy - the strength indicator is 25 MPa, the volumetric weight is 1200 - 1400 kg per cubic meter;
light - the weight is 800 - 1,000 kg, the composition contains light expanded clay material with a small specific gravity;
especially light - the weight of one cube is from 600 to 1800 kg, the strength is 7.5 - 40 MPa. In the form of a filler, instead of crushed stone, expanded clay, ash gravel, slag pumice can be added to concrete.

Production technology

How to make expanded clay concrete with your own hands? To do this, you should follow certain tips:

the preparation of expanded clay concrete is carried out in a concrete mixer;
when mixing, all components are fed in a strict sequence - water, cement composition, sand, and only after that - expanded clay;

to increase the compressive strength of expanded clay concrete, it is recommended to use reinforcement;
The mixture is considered to be of high quality, where the cement mass completely covers each granule of the filler;
the time of one batch is no more than seven minutes. If this condition is not observed, then the characteristics of expanded clay concrete will not meet the requirements of the certificate of conformity. It is recommended to stop the concrete mixer at the moment when the consistency of the composition resembles sour cream, without containing lumps.

To check the readiness, the mixture is scooped up with a shovel. A quickly spreading slide indicates the low quality of the material.

Application area

As follows from the reviews, expanded clay concrete is universal material with a fairly wide scope of use. Its main feature is the ability to regulate the mixture, taking into account the desired density of finished products:

construction of walls for low-rise buildings. Expanded clay concrete is lightweight concrete from which panels, blocks, etc. are formed;

filling the screed. Many people ask the question - what is expanded clay on the floor for? But he is considered good insulation material... It is enough to take two parts of the stone, add three - sand, one each - water and cement composition. This ratio will ensure good floor strength and quick curing of the concrete material.
production of floor slabs. The injection molding method makes it possible to obtain products with low weight, excellent resistance to moisture, having a long operating period, capable of maintaining thermal energy... One flaw in the material - high level fragility.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's deal with positive sides material:

the ratio of thermal conductivity and strength index is the main advantage of the material. As follows from the passport for expanded clay concrete, in terms of heat preservation, it is practically not inferior to light aerated concrete, but its strength is much higher;
I have an opportunity self-made material. Expanded clay concrete is a composition that does not require large financial costs at the stage of preparation. Can expanded clay be used instead of crushed stone in concrete? In certain situations, yes;
price is another important advantage, comments on which are not required, since it is very acceptable;
thermal conductivity of floors - this material has almost no equal in this matter;
long operational period;
environmental safety of the material;
light weight.

There are still quite a few advantages in expanded clay concrete, but there is a need to remind about its disadvantages. Builders note the following disadvantages:

water permeability. The airiness of expanded clay concrete contributes to the active absorption of moisture, which has a destructive effect. This feature limits the use of expanded clay concrete. Simply put, external walls made of expanded clay concrete will lose all their advantages, and there will be solid disadvantages. Here a prerequisite must be observed - the exclusion of water from entering the surface of expanded clay concrete.
the need for additional insulation. Although the material has a good indicator thermal conductivity, but in most regions it is not used as an independent insulation. As a rule, load-bearing walls outside require an additional insulation layer;
disadvantages of products from expanded clay concrete. They do not have ideal geometric parameters, which makes it impossible to make seams when laying the tonic, thereby increasing the likelihood of "cold bridges". But the minus is corrected if the walls are additionally insulated;
unfair treatment of manufacturers. It has already been noted that the production of expanded clay concrete does not require large financial costs. This is often used by artisanal manufacturers without caring about the final quality of the product.

Conclusion

Experienced experts assure that it is allowed to add expanded clay to concrete instead of crushed stone. This decreases the strength of the product, but increases its ability to retain heat. The method for selecting expanded clay concrete in this case has its own peculiarities.

The choice of building material is carried out at the initial stage of building design and is one of its most important tasks. Having made this choice correctly, you can ensure not only a warm, comfortable and reliable home, but also significantly save both the time required to achieve the final result and the amount of financial investment.

It should be borne in mind that the correct choice of material for construction depends on many factors, ranging from the type of soil on which the structure will be erected and ending with the required temperature inside. One of the universal types of building materials for the construction of walls in low-rise buildings are expanded clay concrete blocks. We will consider the pros and cons of this particular building material today.

Expanded clay concrete blocks

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of expanded clay concrete blocks is the absence of chemically harmful substances and connections. The building material is made only from environmentally friendly components, which explains their safety of use for the construction of residential and public buildings... In addition, the advantages of expanded clay concrete blocks include:

light weight;

increased bending and crumbling strength;

high vapor barrier properties;

low thermal conductivity;

resistance to microorganisms, mold and mildew;

resistance to temperature extremes;

incombustibility.

The use of lightweight aggregate concrete wall blocks makes it possible to erect buildings in a short period of time, since the technology of working with this material is quite simple and professionals will cope with it many times faster than, for example, when using bricks. The speed of building a house is also influenced by the size of the expanded clay concrete block. And using in aggregate other types of construction and finishing materials, you can give the appearance of the building individuality and originality, without spending a lot of finance.

Building a house from expanded clay concrete blocks and bricks

Expanded clay concrete blocks do not even tolerate well large values shock and dynamic loads are the most significant drawbacks of a building material. Another disadvantage is that expanded clay concrete blocks do not lend themselves well to perfectly even sawing.

Cutting process of expanded clay concrete block

In the process of sawing or cutting, chips and cracks easily form on the edges of the block, which ultimately can affect appearance buildings. In particular, this must be taken into account when working with front elements that will not be additionally veneered. This is a significant argument so that when building a house from expanded clay concrete blocks, contact only those specialists who have sufficient experience in this type of work.

Building a house from expanded clay concrete blocks

Main characteristics

The main components of expanded clay concrete blocks are cement, crushed expanded clay and sand. Depending on what fraction of expanded clay in the composition, that is, on its size, the strength characteristics of the blocks change. The larger the fraction of expanded clay, the less the strength of the block and its thermal conductivity.

Four different fractions of expanded clay

On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer the service of building houses from expanded clay concrete blocks. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the Low-Rise Country exhibition of houses.

The existing sizes of expanded clay concrete blocks are provided for by the GOST 613399 standards, in which they are divided into two main groups, namely:

188x190x390 mm - elements intended for the construction of load-bearing structures of walls;

188x90x390 mm - elements intended for the construction of partitions.

Expanded clay concrete block SB - 12 (188x90x390)

Considering expanded clay concrete blocks as a building material for partitions or load-bearing walls of a house, the dimensions must be chosen appropriate for the purpose.

Expanded clay blocks are divided into front and ordinary, full-bodied and with the presence of voids. The front ones are designed to create structures that do not need additional finishing, while the privates are additionally revetted with finishing material.

The division of lightweight aggregate concrete blocks into hollow and solid is carried out according to the presence of cavities in their structure, the purpose of which is to reduce the weight individual elements... In addition, the holes in the hollow blocks increase it. thermal insulation properties, but reduce strength and reliability when exposed to loads. The solid block has no holes.

Solid expanded clay concrete blocks

Hollow claydite concrete blocks (3 hollow)

8-hollow expanded clay concrete block

It should be borne in mind that the expanded clay block may not have accurate dimensions. Permissible deviation in width, height and length is a value equal to 10 to 20 mm.

Density and strength

When choosing a building material for the construction of load-bearing walls, it is necessary to pay attention to characteristics such as density and strength. Reliability depends on the latter finished structure, and on the density - its heat-saving and acoustic properties. The density of the blocks is in the range from 500 to 1800 kg / m³, while the weight of the expanded clay concrete blocks accordingly changes from 10 to 23 kg.

In turn, the strength varies from 3.5 to 20, which corresponds to the values of the static load, which are in the range from 35 to 250 kg / cm². These parameters provide an operating period of at least 60 years.

Watch the video for a simple strength test of expanded clay concrete blocks:

Frost resistance and fire resistance

Frost resistance of the building material plays an important role in the durability of the structure. It is determined empirically, in the course of freezing and thawing, a claydite-concrete block completely saturated with water. Currently, GOST establishes 4 main brands that differ in frost resistance, namely: F25, F35, F50 and F75.

The larger the number after letter designation, so large quantity freezing and thawing cycles can withstand the expanded clay concrete block.

Fire resistance of blocks made of expanded clay concrete has the highest class. If the impact of open fire on the expanded clay concrete block does not exceed 7-10 hours, then nothing will happen to it.

For more information about expanded clay concrete blocks, see the video:

Pros and cons of houses made of expanded clay concrete blocks

Houses made of expanded clay concrete blocks have their own advantages and disadvantages. To the main positive aspects of construction and finished structures can be attributed:

Financial benefit. Costs are significantly reduced due to the low cost of the material and work with it, and since the structure of expanded clay concrete is not heavy, then a reinforced foundation is not required, this also saves money.

The process of laying expanded clay concrete blocks

Warm house. Thanks to the porous filler of the blocks - expanded clay, their structures keep heat well.

The walls of a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks are durable, they can freely withstand the loads of floor slabs.

Houses made of high-quality expanded clay blocks are practically not subject to shrinkage, which prevents the formation of microcracks in the walls.

The building material is environmentally friendly, which means that the walls of the scrap do not emit any harmful substances.

Good noise isolation in the House.

Plaster adheres well to walls made of expanded clay concrete blocks.

It should be noted that the porosity of expanded clay blocks is both a plus and a minus. The building material absorbs water well, and when frost sets in, moisture crystallizes and begins to destroy the structure of the block. Therefore, houses made of expanded clay concrete blocks should be protected from moisture by facing materials.

The disadvantages can also be called the occurrence of cold bridges, which will help to reduce the likelihood of the appearance of which only thermal insulation will help. Cold bridges occur at the seams between the individual elements.

Also, the disadvantages include the dimensions of the expanded clay concrete block, or rather their limited selection - there are only two of them and they differ only in width - there is no way to choose the thickness of the walls of the house.

A wall made of expanded clay concrete blocks, insulated with foam plastic and lined with bricks

It is also worth noting that due to the fragility of the blocks, they are a fragile basis for fixing dowels and other types of fasteners. Therefore, the choice of materials for interior and exterior finishing works should be guided by this condition.

House of expanded clay concrete: a new trend in modern construction

Low-rise buildings made using blocks of expanded clay concrete can be confidently called a new trend in modern construction... Using this material as the main one in the construction of external walls and internal partitions, the time for performing work, their cost, is significantly reduced, as well as the heat supply of an already finished structure is simplified.

House: the first floor of the front from expanded clay concrete blocks and the attic from a bar

Thanks to all the advantages, turnkey construction from expanded clay concrete blocks is much more acceptable, which means that more families will be able to afford their own private house.

Thus, choosing expanded clay concrete blocks as the main material for the construction of your house, you can count not only on the operational timing of the work, but also on their fairly acceptable cost. And this can be called one of the most powerful arguments for those who decided to get out of the bustle of a noisy city closer to nature.

Large house with an attic and a garage made of expanded clay concrete blocks

Conclusion

Expanded clay concrete blocks as a building material are becoming more and more popular every year. If you want to save a little, contact the construction company, where you will be offered finished projects houses from expanded clay concrete blocks or make up a unique project based on your wishes.