Construction of houses from cinder blocks. A modern cinder block house: the pros and cons of such a choice

Cinder block refers to a relatively inexpensive type of building material that has long been loved by the Russian consumer. Inter-apartment floors are also erected from cinder blocks, it is often used in the construction of summer cottages, etc. Today the editors of the site will tell you about the disadvantages and advantages of this type of material, and will also introduce you to the work algorithm.

Cinder block houses are built very quickly

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What is a cinder block, and what do cinder block houses look like in the photo

A cinder block is a kind of created from a mixture and additives. It is known that the raw material for this building material is crushed stone in a special way, crushed and heated. Also used to create bricks broken glass or, expanded clay, shavings and sawdust, ash, ash, as well as ordinary river sand.

Such a characteristic as the strength of the cinder block depends on its brand. The spread of values varies from 35 to 125 kg / cm².

The lower value of the indicator means that given view cinder block can be used as an additional structure when strengthening non-bearing and low structures. For example, to shield, or to highlight. Grade 50-75 kg / cm² is suitable for internal partitions, 100-125 kg / cm² - material for and load-bearing walls OK. The most durable solid bricks can be used in the construction of structures partially submerged in water.

Important! Granite can produce an unpleasant radioactive background. It is better not to buy blocks with such fillers. To control the quality of goods, you can rent a Geiger counter at the time of purchase of the material.

Select a flat block or section of blocks, taking into account the geometric shape... Chips in the batch can indicate a technological defect and a violation of production technology.

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Head of the team of the repair and construction company "Dom Premium"

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“It's better not to use soft blocks. If you are planning on buying a cinder block, feel free to bring a nail with you. If you managed to stick it into the material without using a hammer, then it is better not to consider such a cinder block for purchase. "

Use pallets to transport blocks

Characteristics and dimensions of different types of cinder blocks

For different tasks are used different types blocks. Separate type building structures used for insulation, another for the construction of strong walls, the third for decoration.

Sturdy solid cinder blocks

For the construction of load-bearing walls and floors, use only solid blocks. It is necessary to choose them according to the strength class. Especially in demand foundation blocks from cinder concrete. But we must remember that they can shrink and need a reliable one.

Lightweight hollow cinder blocks

For the construction of light interroom, hollow cinder blocks are often used. The voids can be oval, round, square, or rectangular. The size of such voids is about a third of the volume of the building element.

Blocks of the following sizes are usually used: 39 × 19 × 18.8 cm. If compared with a brick, then 12 bricks are "placed" in the volume of one cinder block.

Decorative cinder blocks

Decorative material for the construction of large structures is rarely used. Usually colored bricks are used in the construction of fencing, as well as supports.

Important! Do not forget that the foundation must be settled before the construction of the walls. At least a month. Only after that you can proceed to the next stage of work.

How to properly lay a cinder block on the foundation: video instruction

Laying starts from the corners. In each of them, special fasteners are attached, which are leveled. Then a string or rope is pulled.

For an example of laying a cinder block wall, see the video below:

How to build the walls of a house yourself - features of laying cinder blocks

It is better to put a house from cinder blocks in warm season... According to the technology, use at temperatures below + 15 ° C is not allowed. It is recommended to leave a seam no more than one or one and a half centimeters. The elements are stacked with an offset of half a stone.

Again, we check ourselves by the level

Reinforcement needs to be done in every fourth row. For this, recesses are made with an electrofreser, pieces are inserted,. This technique allows you to make the walls much stronger.

Roofing and interior decoration

What is better to choose for construction: brick or cinder block

The cinder block has a porous structure and retains heat much better than a brick. Brick also has excellent thermal insulation qualities, but in order to heat cold house from this material, it will take a very long time.

A cinder-concrete wall weighs less than a brick wall, which means that there is no need for a reinforced foundation. For construction brick walls it will take more time and the cost of the work will be much higher.

How to calculate the cost if you decide to build a house from cinder blocks yourself

At this stage, it is important to understand that the cost of construction is not only the cost of building walls, foundations. These are communications, Finishing work etc. All this, naturally, increases the estimate. The need for exterior decoration and insulation plays a role. In addition, prices for materials are different in each region.

When choosing a decent material for construction, the owner's review of a cinder block house may come in handy in the first place. This building material was once widely used for buildings of all kinds, which is why it has become quite familiar and, by inertia, is already credible.

At the moment, cinder block is perhaps the most inexpensive building material, so the idea of building something out of it seems very tempting. Indeed, a cinder block is in some cases 20 percent cheaper than a brick. On the other hand, more modern materials are heavily praised by manufacturers. Often they compare their products with a cinder block, emphasizing that by certain parameters she is superior to him.

Construction is a capital thing, it requires substantial financial investments, which means that it needs a comprehensive assessment of the prospects for the future structure. Without proper analysis and comparison, there is a risk of not fully implementing your ideas.

Owner's review of the cinder block house from this point of view, it will be valuable precisely because the owner has already lived in it and can tell how the building meets his expectations. The so-called inside view, which will help to understand the nuances. And if hopes were not justified in something, it can tell you what additional actions should be taken, or what mistakes should be feared during the construction.

The main thing is the material

First of all, developers who have tested the cinder block in action are advised to carefully and carefully consider its choice. Specifications This building material is highly dependent on the fillers added during the casting. And if the manufacturer decided to save on them, then your construction and its result will bring only disappointments in the future.

When purchasing, ask about what exactly the cinder block was supplemented with. It is desirable that the fillers are environmentally neutral (if not clean). The best are expanded clay, sawdust, shell rock, gravel, brick chips. Chemically active components will not only endanger the health of people living in a house made of such a cinder block, but also make it very short-lived.

No less carefully you need to check the method of manufacturing cinder blocks. If it was produced without the participation of a vibrator, it will be less durable and reliable. Such material will fit for a garage or a barn, but not for a house.

To make sure that the cinder block meets the strength characteristics for your purposes, produce simple check: Take a 15mm nail and try to stick it into any block. If he enters, albeit with difficulty, this is not what you need.

Construction features

When planning to use a cinder block for the construction of walls, one must not forget about its hygroscopicity - this is the main quality of a building material, which is not approved by all owners cinder block houses... During the construction process, they advise avoiding some of the mistakes made by their predecessors.

The material lying on the ground, waiting for its turn, collects water, which deteriorates the quality of the wall and prolongs the setting time of the mortar. Developers who noticed this recommend either covering the ground with construction polyethylene, or placing a cinder block on wooden pallets rising above the ground by at least 10 centimeters. Due to the instability of the material to moisture, it is also required to almost immediately erect a roof and arrange a high (up to 70 centimeters) foundation with reinforced waterproofing.

The material itself has good thermal insulation properties. However, thick seams between the elements reduce its heat resistance. The optimal indicator is no more than 1 cm.

The hygroscopicity of the cinder block requires preliminary thought over the external waterproofing. In addition, it must be arranged immediately after the completion of their construction.

You should know that internal work will be complicated by poor adhesion of the plaster to the wall. Needed additional processing walls.

If we take into account all these nuances, the cinder block house will stand for a long time and will not cause trouble in the future.

Of the noted advantages

Despite some shortcomings and difficulties, in general, the owners of houses made of this material were satisfied with their choice. Most of all, they were pleased with the following features.

Absolute Fire safety... The cinder block is not only incapable of igniting, but also does not support the flame. Moreover, after the fire, the walls remain intact, perhaps sooty. Brick in such force majeure circumstances are destroyed sometimes even by 70%.

High strength: the house is not afraid even of hurricanes, especially if, during its construction, the walls are strengthened with a steel bar.
Simplicity of masonry. Working with a cinder block is many times easier than with the same brick. Even a layman can handle the construction of walls.
Excellent sound insulation. If there is a highway next to the house, even a column of trucks will not disturb the residents especially, except through the double-glazed windows.
Resistance to biological degradation. The house is not afraid of insects, fungal colonies, or rodents.

Few of the developers know, but many companies offer free projects for the construction of cinder block houses. If you are going to build from this material, take an interest in such promotions in your region - this will significantly reduce the upcoming costs. Moreover, the projects are designed for specific conditions, taking into account the type of soil and climatic features. And not dull boxes are offered, but quite modern, often original dwellings.

conclusions

In general, almost every owner's review of a cinder block house can be considered positive. Someone cites the need for exterior decoration - but they are engaged in it with almost any material for the construction of a house. Someone is dissatisfied with the need for waterproofing and insulation - but, again, most buildings need similar measures.

If the cinder block is of high quality (and most reputable stores check the consignments coming to them for toxicity, strength and radioactivity), then your house can stand for a whole century and not require overhaul.

Only those who live in a very humid climate and in flooded areas will have to refuse to use this material. Not too cinder block is recommended for close bedding groundwater- in such circumstances high humidity it is certainly observed, and waterproofing on all sides levels out the low cost of building materials.

The cinder block has been used in construction since the last century. It got its name from the fact that it consists of slag remaining after burning coal. V recent times the composition of the material changed: expanded clay, brick chips, granite began to be added to it. Only the main one has not changed binder – cement M-500.

It is easier and faster to build a house out of it than, for example, from a brick. The material is much larger and much easier to lay.

How to build a house

Before you start building a cinder block house, you need to decide:

With the place of construction, prepare it in advance, remove extra garbage and, if possible, level the ground.
Decide on the type of foundation. Basically, a strip foundation device is used.

Foundation installation

For device tape type a number of procedures must be followed.

Dig a trench according to the selected dimensions, the depth of which should be about one meter.
Place crushed stone in the pit and compact well.
Put a pillow consisting of sand on top of the rubble.
After such actions, a wooden formwork is installed, which should be about half a meter above ground level.
Lay the frame consisting of metal reinforcement. It will give additional strength to the future building.
Lay down waterproofing material to prevent moisture ingress.
Pour the prepared structure with mortar. The prepared mass, by its consistency, should not be thick or too liquid.

It is necessary to fill in immediately, then pierce the solution to release excess air. The poured mixture dries up to six weeks. When drying, it is necessary to monitor this process: do not allow to dry out and cover from rain.

You need to be very careful about laying out the walls, because the state of the whole house depends on how the work is done.

Before starting work, lay out on the foundation waterproofing layer.
You need to start laying blocks from the corners of the future building.
Stretch the rope to flatten the first row.
Adjust the reinforcement after every two rows.
It is necessary to lay blocks in a checkerboard pattern. This is done to keep the building strong.
Decide in advance where the windows and doors will be. For this purpose, lay out an opening in the wall and lay the channel on top.
Having laid out the masonry to the required height, you need to lay the reinforcement in the penultimate row to fasten the beams of the future floor.

Having built the block box, proceed to following works... Pour the floor surface with cement mortar. Further, at the discretion, it is finished with laminate, linoleum or board material. The attic space needs to be insulated with expanded clay. At the discretion and financial possibilities, to carry out the interior and exterior decoration of the building.

Advantages of cinder blocks

The blocks, which include slag, have a lot of advantages:

Affordability, their cost is much less than other materials common in construction.
The service life of the erected structure can reach up to 100 years.
The process of laying out blocks is accessible even to a non-professional.
Due to its size, the time to work is reduced significantly compared to other materials.
The thickness of the walls can be adjusted independently: from half to two bricks.
The built cinder block house will withstand any natural disasters: from a hurricane to an earthquake.
The main advantage of this material is fire safety. This advantage has great value for your own home.
It retains heat well inside the room, resistant to extremes of outside temperatures.
There are a huge number of projects for the construction of such houses.

Disadvantages of cinder blocks

In addition to the listed positive qualities material, it also has negative ones, and during construction they must be taken into account:

This block stone complicates the work of communications and power grids. When working, it is better to take this moment into account immediately, because cinder block is very difficult to finish.
It passes heat very strongly, you need to immediately take care of internal and external insulation.

In order not to be mistaken in the choice of materials and production of work, you must follow some instructions

When purchasing blocks, you need to clarify the composition, it is best that it includes expanded clay or crushed stone. This is the most environmentally friendly material.
It is worth paying attention to the integrity and evenness of the blocks. The best option will be compared with different pallets.
When buying a product, immediately clarify all the characteristics: strength, thermal conductivity, density. In the best way checks - take certificates confirming the quality of products.
You can check the density of the blocks yourself, try to stick a nail into it. If it pierces, then it is better to refuse the purchase.
The calculation of the thickness of the walls must be carried out according to the climatic conditions of the area.
An increased layer of solution (more than one and a half centimeters) reduces the thermal conductivity of the walls.
In order for the masonry to be of high quality, it is necessary to install scaffolding, even if the wall is of a small height.
The calculation of the number of blocks for work must be done without taking into account the size of windows and doors. These dimensions can go into the natural loss of materials in construction.

In works, two types of cinder blocks are most often used: Heavy- characterized by durability and resistance to weathering and impact. The disadvantage is high thermal conductivity, which requires additional insulation.

Light- the peculiarity is that, in addition to the main fillers, the blocks include sawdust and needles, which have a low weight.

It is quite possible for an inexperienced beginner to build a building from a cinder block on your own. For construction, you need to purchase a cinder block or make it yourself. This material allows you to build a dwelling in a short time, because the size of the blocks is quite large, much larger than, for example, a brick. The very name of the material comes from the main constituent material - slag, but now both slag and other compositions can be used. Among the wide variety of materials on construction market, the construction of buildings from cinder blocks takes a leading place. Let's take a closer look at how to build a house with your own hands using cinder blocks, how to make the material yourself, what are the nuances of this type of construction.

Making a cinder block yourself

If you decide not to buy building material for the construction of a dwelling, but to make it yourself, you need to prepare for this process and take into account the necessary points:

Find or do special forms where the solution will be poured, there should be a large number of them, since it dries finished goods will be in forms, the material for the base can be iron or wood.
Cement of the best brands - four or five hundred, the strength of the cinder block will depend on the quality, and therefore the quality of the entire building.
Water that will be used to mix the solution.
Various fillers, which ones, you decide, it can be sand, expanded clay, furnace slag, shavings.
Devices for creating voids in blocks; bottles or blanks made of any materials are suitable for these purposes.

To obtain a high-quality cinder block, it is necessary to mix the solution in proportions of three to one and to five. These will be sand, cement, and your chosen filler. It is necessary to insert devices for the formation of voids into the mold and then pour the solution, the blocks will dry for a certain number of days, which will depend on the weather conditions, but it is recommended to remove the blanks after six to eight hours.

V best case in a day, it will be possible to release the molds for the blocks for the manufacture of the next batch. We lay the released blocks in a pile for final drying, the cinder blocks must be kept for about a month, and only after final drying can the walls be erected. But the ideal option will still not be the most freshly made products, but those that were prepared for several months, and even better from the previous season.

The advantages of cinder block houses

The building, erected from a cinder block, serves for a hundred years, and these are not just words. There are buildings made of this material, which are already a century old, and their quality is still perfect.

Why is the construction of cinder blocks considered a priority? Let's analyze:

one of the most important advantages of such buildings is fire safety;
if, during the construction of a cinder block house, the issue of reinforcement is not ignored, then the construction is not afraid of either natural disasters or climatic changes;
the material is good because it perfectly keeps heat, protects from temperature changes;
it is easy to repair the structure;
masonry is made faster due to the fact that the size of the blocks is large enough, you can change the thickness of the walls and use masonry in one, one and a half or two blocks;
no special knowledge is needed for construction;
on the Internet you can find a variety of proposals for designing houses from cinder blocks;
building material is not subject to biological destruction and can serve for more than a century;
the blocks are an excellent soundproofing system;
prices for building materials are affordable.

Features of the cinder block

Cinder block can be found in three types - standard block, twenty by forty centimeters in size, a half-block and a block with internal voids. Therefore, there are two options for building blocks:

monolithic;
hollow.

Hollow ones differ in the volume of cavities inside the product:

two rectangular cavities;
four rectangular cavities;
two or three rounded cavities;
three rows of free-form voids.

The strength of the material is marked by the value of the load. If the block is low bearing capacity, its use in multi-storey buildings is prohibited, high hygroscopicity entails the following requirements:

masonry only in good dry weather;
make masonry only on a sufficiently high foundation - more than half a meter;
apply the topcoat immediately after the walls are built, the layer thickness should be at least two to three centimeters;
the frame of the house must be covered with a roof as soon as possible.

Disadvantages of cinder block

Despite the large number of advantages of the cinder block as a material for the construction of residential buildings, there are also negative aspects of using the material:

the appearance of the erected walls is not very attractive and requires topcoat who can decorate the building;
when using blocks with a decorative structure, it requires additional waterproofing, which complicates construction and requires additional financial investments;
it is not easy to carry out sewerage and power supply;
wall insulation is necessary, since the material has high thermal conductivity;
environmental safety is often a big question, if manufacturers used unlicensed brands of fillers, then there may be a possibility of radioactive radiation.

Exterior decoration of a cinder block house

The construction of residential buildings from cinder block is becoming more and more popular, such construction can be carried out quickly, while cinder block is inexpensive material, but the looseness of the walls, absorption of water, poor transfer of temperature changes make it necessary to insulate the walls outside or apply decorative finishes.

Builders argue that if you carry out high-quality external finishing of wall surfaces, it will not only protect the material from adverse influences the environment, but will also help insulate the house. In this case, internal insulation is not needed.

You can wall the house with many materials, the owner decides which one to choose, based on cost and preferences.

You can distinguish the following types of exterior decoration of a cinder block house:

curtain facade or siding;
stone cladding;
decorative plaster;
brick cladding.

The most inexpensive works are considered to be the insulation of the house with the help of polystyrene foam and the application of plaster and painting.

Choosing a cinder block for home

If you make cinder blocks yourself, then carefully check the quality of the materials. An excipient such as slag, granulation or other raw materials must have a quality certificate. A dangerous point when using cinder block construction is the possibility of radioactive radiation. Also, when buying ready-made material, check the documents and certificates. Pay attention to these recommendations when choosing a cinder block:

when buying blocks, give preference to environmentally friendly fillers - crushed stone, shell rock, shavings;
buying finished material, check all the bundles with the cinder block so that they are identical and intact;
check the characteristics of raw materials that directly affect density, frost resistance, thermal conductivity and strength;
the quality of the product can be checked with a one and a half centimeter nail, if it enters the lower block - the quality of the building material is questionable;
during manufacture, a vibrator must be used, otherwise the blocks will be suitable only for outbuildings, but not for residential premises;
pay attention to the color of the cinder block - gray indicates a large amount of cement, if the color of the filler predominates, it is necessary to check the quality of the blocks with special attention.

When choosing a cinder block, heed the advice of professionals who recommend:

give preference to blocks made at the factory, and not in unknown places using an unknown technology, you will be so sure of the quality of the building material and the reliability of its characteristics;
there is a way to check the quality of the cinder block - if it falls from a one and a half meter height and does not break, does not crumble, but remains intact or the edges are slightly beaten off, then the block is very good quality, in the opposite case, there are big questions to the quality of the material.

DIY home building tools

You can build a house with your own hands, without involving this process construction crew... For this, it is necessary to prepare theoretically if you are an inexperienced amateur. Surely, in your environment there is a person who will give useful advice how to build a house from a cinder block. First you need to stock up on the necessary tools:

trowel to throw the mortar;
level to check the correctness of the masonry;
a plumb line in order to lay out the wall evenly;
tub for mixing the solution;
shovel for collecting raw materials;
pickaxe for leveling blocks;
bucket, carry water;
stretchers, carry heavy materials;
protective equipment, it can be a respirator and goggles for eye protection.

To save energy experienced builders it is recommended to rent a concrete mixer, since it is very difficult to mix the mortar by hand and a lot of time is spent on one batch. Day rent is inexpensive, but you will significantly save energy, health and time.

It is also necessary to think in advance about the forests from which it will be much more convenient and faster to build a house. It is very difficult to lay a cinder block from a stepladder, since the weight of the block is on average twenty-eight to thirty centimeters.

Cinder block house construction technology

The tools have been collected, the material has been purchased, you can proceed, but it remains to be convinced of some points once again:

double-check the number of blocks, make sure there are enough of them;
check the availability of all the necessary tools;
carefully study the masonry technique and methods of bundling the rows;
calculate the forces and time to erect the walls at the most suitable temperature;
before the start construction works on the construction of walls, make sure that the foundation is leveled, if necessary, use a brick;
do not forget about waterproofing the foundation before laying the first row.

Blocks can be laid in several ways:

in one block;
in half;
one and a half blocks;
in two blocks.

Particular attention is paid to the first rows, it is on them that the evenness of the entire building depends. After each block, the evenness of the masonry is checked using a plumb line, level. Construction begins with masonry of four corners at once, the height is driven out in four rows. It is necessary to lay the rows using a stretched cord.

When working with hollow blocks, remember that the voids do not need to be filled with mortar, their purpose is in thermal insulation.

It is important not to forget about a bunch of rows and use reinforcement. Reinforcement is recommended every four rows.

If, after the walls have been erected, cladding is planned external walls, then it is not worth embroidering the seams. But if you don't plan decorative cladding, every two to three rows it is necessary to remove excess mortar from the seams.

A house from a cinder block with your own hands can be built in a short period of time. If it's hard to figure out how it should be future home and make a drawing, you can contact the specialists who will help you plan, taking into account your desires. Drawings of a cinder block house can be found on the Internet or you can come up with it yourself. A flight of imagination and the realization of your desires will help you create your dream home.

Before building a house from a cinder block, you need to thoroughly study theoretical issues and weigh your strengths. If you are ready, then watching the video on how to build a house from cinder blocks will help you figure out the main issues of acquiring building materials, stages and rules of construction. At the end of the construction, you will be able to equip a house built with your own hands, which will allow you to enjoy life in it not only for you and your children, but also for future generations.

A cinder block is a masonry wall stone made by vibrocompression or natural shrinkage in the form of a solution based on cement, sand and metallurgical by-products. The opinions of experts and reviews of the owners of buildings are ambiguous, largely due to the method of production (handicraft or factory), its type and properties. The generally accepted opinion is that self-produced material is excellent for the construction of garages, sheds and other low-rise buildings, but residential buildings require only certified products, in the latter case, construction cannot be called budgetary.

Description of the material, types of raw materials used for production

Manufacturing specifications, shape, dimensions and are regulated by GOST 6133-99. According to this standard, wall stones are represented by solid and slotted rectangular products with flat, grooved or comb ends. When preparing a mixture for their formation, only cement is used as a binder, in the form of a coarse and fine filler - sand and screenings and products of crushing slag, crushed stone, gravel, broken bricks, frozen cement mortar, glass or concrete, expanded clay, volcanic ash, ash, sawdust, etc. The size of fractions is limited to 10 mm for large-slotted, 20 - for full-bodied. The total cost is low, availability is considered the main advantage of the product.

Initially, exclusively metallurgical by-products were used for the manufacture of cinder blocks, but now this term is applicable to all wall concrete stones obtained by vibrocompression. The average density in slotted species is limited to 1650 kg / m2 (in private construction, products are selected in the range of 450-1650), in corpulent ones - no more than 2200. Weight depends on the voidness and porosity of the sludge, cinder block standard size 390 × 190 × 188 with 40% slots weighs 10 kg, solid - 28.

Main properties and characteristics

The indicators of the blocks depend on the type and filler, full-bodied ones are considered the most durable (from 35 to 125 kg / cm2) and are suitable for masonry load-bearing structures low-rise buildings. The material is non-flammable, not subject to shrinkage, and is resistant to fungus (but only under the condition of good water protection). The thermal conductivity coefficient varies from 0.27 to 0.65 W / m ° C, the more porous and looser the filler, the higher thermal insulation properties and the lower the strength. Negative manifestations are associated with hygroscopicity - the high water absorption of cinder blocks is considered their unequivocal disadvantage, they need mandatory protection from external moisture.

Another drawback is associated with the high radiation background of raw materials or the release of their hazardous substances; only certified material is suitable for the construction of residential buildings. The harm to health has not been proven, but according to reviews, allergy sufferers and people with respiratory diseases feel bad in such houses. The problem is solved by buying a cinder block from responsible manufacturers and reliable interior decoration (in the case of complete closure of the walls with simultaneous insulation). At self-production it is recommended to use aged slag (at least 2 years) and conduct an examination for radioactivity.

Pros and cons of blocks, comparison with products from expanded clay concrete

The clear benefits include:

Affordable cost, especially for hollow ones.
The ability to lay cinder blocks with your own hands and make them at home. At the same time, a definite plus is the low cost of the filler.
Sufficiently high sound absorption capacity in solid species.
Refractoriness.

The cons are:

Hygroscopicity.
The need for mandatory finishing, including due to the external unattractiveness of the blocks (with the exception of decorative).
Problems with the laying of communications, at least in solid products based on metallurgical slags.
Low geometric accuracy, deviations from dimensions are regulated by GOST, but even for responsible manufacturers they can reach 1 cm, and even more for homemade products. This leads to an increase in thickness masonry mortar, their installation on special glue is impossible, the formation of cold bridges is inevitable. As a result, a cinder block house needs external insulation... An increase in wall thickness does not solve the problem and only leads to stricter requirements for the foundation.
The need for verification of environmental performance.

It is easy to see that most of the disadvantages of the cinder block are eliminated by using a safer filler. Its separate and improved variety are products made of expanded clay concrete, with a proportion of fired clay up to 35%. The manufacturing process of factory expanded clay blocks is distinguished by the last stage - heat treatment, which increases their resistance to moisture and others. external influences... A comparison of the main advantages and disadvantages is given below (relevant only for certified products):

	Cinder block	Expanded clay concrete block
Strength, kg / cm3	25-125	5-500
The weight	With equal dimensions and voidness, the expanded clay block is 25-30% lighter
Average number of freezing cycles	20	50
Water absorption,%	75	50
Shrinkage,%	absent
Thermal conductivity, W / m ° С	0,27-0,65	0,14-0,66
Environmental friendliness	Conditional, highlighting possible harmful substances and the deviation of the radiation background from the norm	Does not release toxins

Reviews of experts and home owners

“I built a garage out of factory hollow cinder blocks, I did all the work myself. The pluses include the simplicity of laying, no special skills are required for this. I did not find any minuses, but I do not recommend dropping or knocking metal on the blocks. In total, with dimensions 6 × 4 and a height of 3 m, it took 600 pieces, taking into account the delivery and unloading of the product, the products cost me 22,000 rubles. The garage has not yet served for long - 1 year, but I do not observe cracks or shrinkage. "

Alexander, Moscow.

“With all the advantages of the cinder block, I do not advise using it for the construction of a residential building with a permanent residence, the characteristics of its radiation background may exceed the norm, this material is conditionally environmentally friendly. For outbuildings and rarely visited objects, its significance is not so relevant, there are no restrictions in its application. Regardless of the purpose of the building, the blocks need protection from external moisture, exceptions are made only for decorative varieties. "

Roman, Yekaterinburg.

“I built a bathhouse from a factory-quality cinder block on my own, the expenses were high, but in my opinion they were justified. Used for marking and masonry finished project, I advise you to immediately take into account all possible communications, including interior walls, I personally forgot to leave the hole for the piping, then I spent a lot of effort on drilling. Insulation of the floor and walls and good waterproofing bottom are required, outside it is enough to close everything from moisture. I initially protected the facade of the bathhouse with cheap siding, after 3 years I overlaid it facing brick, I didn’t notice much difference in heat retention ”.

Igor, Moscow.

“I bought an old cast house with a good, well-established rubble foundation, I decided to replace the walls with cinder-block ones. Due to the lack of free time, I entrusted the purchase of the material and the masonry to professionals, all the work on the construction and insulation of the facade took a little more than 4 months, I did not notice the minuses, I think the cost is acceptable. Interior decoration I did it myself, after reading the reviews, I treated the walls with concrete contact, as a result, the plaster lay down without any problems. "

Sergey, Voronezh.

“I advise those who decide to build a cinder block bath Special attention waterproofing floors and internal insulation. Wood flooring it will definitely not work here, only concrete screed, preferably - on top of the filled-in expanded clay or foam glass. The foundation is required stable, perfect option- reinforced tape. If all the rules are observed, the bath will keep warm well and will last a long time, if violated, it will collapse from dampness, starting from the bottom. "

Leonid, Rostov-on-Don.