10 tips on choosing ceramsite concrete blocks: the pros, cons, brands, manufacturers

Contents

1. №1.How do keramzitobeton
2. № 2.Expanded clay blocks: the pros and cons
3. №3.Types of lightweight aggregate blocks for the purpose of
4. №4.Size of claydite-concrete blocks
5. №5.Strength mark of keramzit concrete blocks
6. №6.Density of keramsit concrete
7. №7.Frost resistance and thermal conductivity of expanded clay
8. №8.What to look for when choosing?
9. №9.The best manufacturers of expanded clay
10. №10.DIY-made lightweight concrete blocks

The growing number of developers and the desire to find an economical, durable, durable and warm material for building a house has led to an increase in the popularity of lightweight concrete blocks. Along with the gas block and foam block, keramsit concrete blocks, which have excellent thermal insulation qualities, are safe, lightweight and relatively inexpensive, are widely used. Many private builders call this material one of the best solutions for the construction of a country house or cottage. Is it really? We deal with the question of the correct choice of expanded clay concrete, the pros and cons of the material, its types and manufacturers.

№1.

is made in the middle of the last century, then it was safely forgotten, and today it is experiencing a new era of popularity. The material, like any light concrete block, includes cement, water, and sand , while is used as a filler. is a granule of various sizes obtained by burning low-melting clay grades. Lightweight expanded clay granules due to the large number of pores inside, but durable, as they have a strong burnt envelope. For the production of expanded clay used granules with a size of 5-40 mm. Blocks can be corpulent or hollow. Moreover, the claydite solution can be used for monolithic construction of the walls of the house .

The ratio of claydite and cement is of great importance for the operational characteristics of the unit. The more claydite, the lighter, warmer and more expensive the block will be. The quality of cement determines the grade of strength of the material. Due to the expanded clay filler, the material acquires unique insulating properties, for which modern developers are so fond of him.

Unscrupulous manufacturers add glue additives to the mixture to increase the strength of the material, but this has a negative impact on environmental safety. The blocks in production are formed under the influence of . and vibrations are dried in special chambers, where the heating is carried out by hot air or infrared rays.

Today private houses and country houses, summer houses, sheds, garages, fences are being built from expanded clay, which are used for the monolithic construction of buildings.

№2.Expanded clay blocks: the pros and cons of

The composition of expanded clay concrete causes its numerous positive aspects, which ensure the popularity of the material. Among the main advantages of expanded clay concrete blocks:

• excellent thermal insulation qualities , so the inhabitants of the Scandinavian countries have chosen the material. For the harsh climatic conditions of our country, such blocks are indispensable. The thermal conductivity coefficient of keramzit concrete of the D500 brand is 0.17-0.23 W / m * K, of the D1000 brand - 0.33-0.41 W / m * K;
• good sound insulation ;
• low construction cost .The price of claydite-concrete is comparable to the cost of other light-concrete blocks, but significantly lower than the price of a brick. If we take into account the reduction in the cost of arranging the foundation, a smaller number of seams, then we can say that a claydite-concrete house will cost about a third cheaper than a brick house;
• fast construction times , which is associated with large block sizes and their relatively low weight;
• low load on the foundation;
• sufficient strength;
• vapor permeability allows the walls of the house to breathe and brings out excess moisture;
• moisture resistance and frost resistance, resistance to fire( blocks do not melt and do not burn), mold and rodents;
• durability, which is achieved by moisture and frost resistance and is at least 75-100 years old;
• environmental friendliness, because only natural materials are included;
• no shrinkage;
• the ability to use both traditional mortar and glue for laying.

There are also disadvantages of claydite-concrete blocks:

• difficulties while working with with a material. If many blocks( for example, polystyrene concrete) can be cut with a hacksaw and it is easy to give them the necessary shape, then the claydite concrete will have to be cut with a saw with teeth out of them - the other side of strength;
• can not be denied the difficulty of mounting , but you should not overestimate this problem either. For example, anchor bolts and dowels normally stay in walls of claydite-concrete;
• although there is vapor permeability of the material, it is less pronounced than of a brick, therefore it is better to provide high-quality ventilation in the house;
• is often called another drawback - the formation of cold bridges, but rather, it is dragged by the ears, since there is absolutely always the case when walls are erected from individual elements. It is possible to get rid of the cold bridges, if you build walls of expanded clay concrete using monolithic technology;
• if it is planned to build a high-rise massive building from expanded clay concrete, then careful professional calculations cannot be done;
• is another dubious drawback - the need for lining blocks of expanded clay concrete, as they do not look very aesthetically pleasing. Yes, there is little beauty in them, but today almost all houses are trimmed, except for wooden ones. But as a finish you can use anything: siding, plaster with painting, stone, decorative brick.

№3.Types of claydite-concrete blocks for the intended purpose

According to the presence or absence of voids, expanded clay-concrete blocks can be divided into two essentially different groups:

• full-bodied;
• hollow.

The full-bodied blocks is a construction material with high density and relatively large weight. Bearing and non-bearing walls are erected from it, even high-rise buildings can be built.

The hollow blocks, thanks to the holes inside, are distinguished by improved thermal insulation properties, suitable for the construction of partitions and load-bearing walls of single-story buildings.

№4.Size of claydite-concrete blocks

According to size, claydite-concrete blocks can be divided into:

• wall;
• partition.

It is clear that the former are used for masonry exterior walls. They must have certain indicators of strength and density, which will be discussed further. In size they can be 288 * 138 * 138, 288 * 288 * 138, 290 * 190 * 188, 390 * 190 * 188, 190 * 190 * 188, 90 * 190 * 188 mm. By fullness are full-bodied and hollow.

Partition blocks , as the name suggests, are used for the masonry of internal partitions. They have less weight, which reduces the load on the foundation. In size, as a rule, septum blocks are produced 590 * 90 * 188, 390 * 90 * 188, 190 * 90 * 188 mm.

Some enterprises produce blocks that do not correspond to the above dimensions - they are not carried out according to GOST, but according to specifications that the manufacturer can determine for itself. As a rule, on TU produce large format blocks.

Separately, it is worth noting facing blocks, which are produced by some enterprises. They have dimensions of 600 * 300 * 400 mm, are produced when dyes are added to the solution and have a relief decorative surface.

№5.Strength mark of claydite-concrete blocks

When choosing claydite-concrete for building a house, garage, partitions, outbuildings and other buildings, it is necessary to take into account the mass performance of the material: strength, density, frost resistance and thermal conductivity .They are all interconnected. Let's start with strength.

Strength refers to the ability of a material to withstand loads and resist destruction. Typically, the strength of lightweight aggregate denoted by the letter M followed by the number from 25 to 100 , which means how many kilograms can withstand each cm2 of the surface of the block. Block M25 withstands 25 kg / cm2, and M100 - 100 kg / cm2.In private construction, as a rule, blocks with a strength higher than M100 are not used: for erection of walls M75-M100 blocks are used, for partitions - M35-M50.In industrial and high-rise construction blocks of greater strength can be used.

It is worth noting that the M75 unit can withstand as much as 65 kg / cm2, so 75 or 80 kg / cm2.Despite inaccuracies, this method of keramzite concrete classification still continues to be used. A much more accurate option is strength classes, which are marked with the letter B. This is strength with guaranteed security. A numeric indicator from 2.5 to 40: the higher it is, the more durable the block will be. M100, for example, corresponds to B7.5.

№6.Expanded clay density

Another important indicator is density. The lower the density, the higher the thermal insulation quality. On the other hand, the higher the density, the higher the strength and resistance to moisture. The density of the blocks is marked with the letter D followed by the coefficient from 350 to 1800 .The coefficient is equal to the density, expressed in kg / m3.From

density dependent services using a material:

• structural units with a density between D1100 D1800 to have a compressive strength of from M100 to M500 and high cold resistance, which allows their use for the construction of load-bearing walls, which are assigned on a decent load;
• D600 to D1400 blocks have a compressive strength M35-M100, frost resistance F15-F100, ideal for private construction, because they have excellent thermal insulation with sufficient strength;
• heat insulation blocks with a density of D350-D900 with compressive strength M25 can only be used for building partitions and improving thermal insulation of load-bearing walls.

№7.Frost resistance and thermal conductivity of claydite-concrete

Frost resistance refers to the ability of a material to withstand sudden changes in temperature. This indicator is determined by the number of shock freezing and defrosting, marked with the letter F. For claydite-concrete, this indicator can vary from 25 to 300, but in private construction use the material F15- F100 .For the northern areas it is better to take the material with frost resistance F50-F75.Blocks with low frost resistance are suitable only for internal work.

The thermal conductivity of an material is directly dependent on density. For the D1000 unit, it is 0.33-0.41, D1400 - 0.56-0.65, etc.(see table).Depending on which block is selected for construction and which region the house will be in, will calculate the claydite thickness and analyze the need for insulation:

• first determine the value of normalized heat transfer resistance, you can see it in the table. Suppose we are dealing with the construction of a house in Moscow, then the desired value is 3.28 m2 * K / W;
  

  Normalized heat transfer resistance for Russian cities

• determines the thermal conductivity of a building material. Suppose we took the blocks D1000, the average value for them - 0.37 W / m * K, size - 288 * 288 * 138, when laying in one row the wall thickness is 28.8 cm;
• resistance to heat transfer of claydite-concrete wall 0.288 / 0.37 = 0.78 m2 * K / W, it remains to provide another 3.28-0.78 = 2.5 m2 * K / W, for which 10 cm of expanded polystyrene with thermal conductivity is sufficient0.041 W / m * K.
  

  Thermal conductivity coefficients of basic wall materials and insulation

№8.What to look for when choosing?

Visual inspection can say a lot about the quality of the material. Pay attention, above all, to such moments:

• geometry blocks .It does not prevent to compare several samples and measure their parameters. It will be much easier to build from the same blocks, and the house will turn out to be of higher quality. Dissimilar blocks are prone to shrinkage and swelling;
• all faces and angles must be smooth and without chips;
• The color of an quality block is dark gray, like asphalt after rain. The inclusion of white, black or yellowness indicates an excess of sand and a violation of the production technology;
• surface of the block should be rough;
• the weight of blocks from one batch should be the same, only a small deviation is allowed. Naturally, there should not be any chips on the surface.

# 9.The best manufacturers of keramzit concrete

There are a lot of factories engaged in the production of such a promising building material, and there is a great risk of stumbling upon a poor-quality product made in inappropriate conditions. A normal manufacturer is not afraid to show the production process and invite the buyer to the factory, he can provide all the necessary quality certificates and test results. Let us dwell on the largest producers of expanded clay concrete blocks:

• Cheboksary Building Company is one of the largest enterprises of the sphere, produces up to 7500 blocks a day, passed all the necessary and voluntary certification, personally deals with logistics issues( delivery to almost all regions of the country) and dispenses withintermediaries, which reduces the price of the goods. Lightweight aggregate blocks are produced by the strength of М35-М100, density D1050-D1500, frost resistance F35-F50 and various sizes, incl.partition and wall, hollow and corpulent;
• CJSC Keramzit , an enterprise specializing in the manufacture of a wide range of products based on expanded clay, is equipped with its own laboratory and modern equipment. Delivery is carried out in Ryazan and the Ryazan region. Full-bodied, hollow blocks, blocks with ridges are produced. The plant offers several series of blocks, divides them by strength and density, the choice is huge;
• Concrete plant "Lenoblbeton" produces a wide range of building materials, includingand high strength lightweight aggregate concrete( M100-M200);
• LLC TPA Yunite is an enterprise located in the Moscow Region. Production is conducted in compliance with GOST.Ceramsite blocks - the main specialization of the plant. Here products of different sizes, hollowness, strength and density are produced, the quality is high;
• LLC Keramzit is located in the Tula region, produces blocks of different sizes and with different characteristics, includingfoundation blocks. Production is strictly according to GOST.

# 10.Lightweight aggregate blocks DIY

Self-production of expanded clay concrete can significantly reduce the cost of building a house. As a rule, they make small batches of material for the construction of simple small buildings with their own hands, otherwise the laboriousness of the work will be simply unjustified.

In addition to the already known ingredients, you need special equipment , you can rent it. A concrete mixer with a capacity of at least 130 liters will be required. You will also need a vibromachine, it already has molding tanks, so you can not bother with their production. Otherwise you have to make them from metal or wood.

The process of making claydite-concrete blocks with your own hands looks like this:

• mixing components in a concrete mixer. First, mix 3 parts of sand and 1 part of cement, then add 1-1,2 parts of water, and then another 6 parts of claydite. Everything is thoroughly mixed, it may be necessary to add a small amount of water if the mixture is too dry. Some add some liquid soap to ensure better viscosity;
• mixture portionwise placed in a molding machine and include vibration, the excess solution is removed;The
• plate with the finished block rises, the blanks are dried for 2 days, then the steel plates are removed;
• without the use of the machine process is somewhat more complicated and longer. It will be necessary to pour the solution into the previously prepared and lubricated forms and ram thoroughly. It is better to use blocks not earlier than after 28 days.

If you are not confident in your own strength, it is better to buy ready-made material with well-known performance characteristics. With the observance of production technology( eminent manufacturers can be trusted) and the technology of masonry keramzite concrete house will stand for a very long time.