7 tips on choosing slag stone( slag concrete): pros, cons, calculation, production

Contents

1. №1.Slag stone: features of production
2. №2.The main characteristics of the cinder block
3. №3.Slag stone: the pros and cons of
4. №4.What to consider when choosing and transporting cinder block?
5. №5.The calculation of the number of cinder blocks
6. №6.Major manufacturers of cinder blocks in Russia
7. №7.Production of cinder block with their own hands

Fireproof, durable, lightweight, also quite affordable in terms of price - such building material exists and is actively used for the construction of houses, garages and fences. Slag stones first appeared at the beginning of the last century, but deserved popularity came to them only in the 70s. Today, cinder block is actively used in private construction, but this material cannot be called ideal. We deal with the choice of cinder block, its pros and cons, the characteristics of its use, we learn how to calculate the required amount of material, make the right choice and make cinder block with our own hands.

№1.Slag stone: features of production

Shlakobeton belongs to the category of lightweight concrete blocks. For the first time about this material became known in the early XX century, when Nicholas II built a garage in the Winter Palace. Slag stone then, however, was made on the basis of coal combustion waste — slag, hence the name. Since then, the production technology has changed somewhat, and the durability of the first cinder block buildings provided the material with sufficient popularity.

Today, cinder block is made of on the basis of cement and sand , clay, lime or gypsum, as well as various plasticizing agents can be added. is no longer slag as a filler, but crushed stone, granite screenings, expanded clay, brick firing, perlite, broken glass and sawdust. In terms of environmental friendliness and safety for health, the best fillers are expanded clay, sawdust, crushed stone and shell rock. Production is carried out on vibroforming equipment.

If in the 70s, when the cinder block began to be actively used in construction, garages, sheds and other utility and utility rooms were built from it, but today the advantages of an inexpensive material allow it to be used for the construction of houses and even industrial buildings.

№2.The main characteristics of the cinder block

Slag blocks are made in the form of the parallelepiped without voids or with voids of different shapes and sizes .It is often possible to meet with the fact that the block sizes are rounded up to 200 * 200 * 400 mm, but documents normalize the length from 380 to 410 mm( usually 390 mm), the width and height - from 180 to 210 mm( usually 190 mm).

In hollow blocks, hollowness can vary from 28 to 40%. Usually make two or three round holes, two, four or more rectangular holes. The more voids, the better the insulating properties of the material, but less than its strength. On average, the thermal conductivity of the material is 0.27-0.65 W / m2.The use of certain materials is explained by the features of the building. The weight of the unit ranges from 15 to 20 kg.

Frost resistance cinder block can vary significantly, the choice depends on the characteristics of the region. Blocks F15-30( number means the number of freeze / thaw cycles that the unit experiences without loss of basic performance) are suitable for warm regions, blocks with maximum frost resistance F50 should be used in areas with a more difficult climate.

Durability is determined by brands from M35 to M125: M50 and M75 cinder blocks can be used for masonry partitions, M100-M135 for mounting walls, and M35 cinder block is used only in combination with other carrier materials. Today, by the way, in addition to the construction of residential and utility rooms, the material is used for arranging ventilation ducts and even for paving sidewalks.

№3.Slag stone: the pros and cons of

Slag stone is a rather ambiguous material in terms of advantages and disadvantages, so it is not suitable in all cases, but if you are going to build a country house or garage, you should definitely consider the material as one of the alternatives.

The main advantages of cinder block:

• resistance to fire, namely from the basic requirements for the house;
• low price. At the construction of a cinder block box will take a minimum of funds - the material can compete for the title of the budget;
• large block size and their relative lightness allows for very fast construction. The relative simplicity of the construction of the walls of cinder block allows people who have not had much experience in this field to undertake the construction;
• light weight blocks can save on the construction of the foundation;
• high degree of durability and reliability of a cinder block house;
• high durability, not less than 100 years;
• resistance to rodents and mold.

Cons :

• low thermal insulation quality, so we can not do without insulation. Exceptions are those cases if the room will be used only in summer( cottage), temporarily( shed) or do not have heating( garage).Styrofoam is often used for insulation, but mineral wool is also suitable;
• unpresentable view - minus controversial. Firstly, the majority of building materials in any case are additionally veneered, the only exception is wood. Secondly, today manufacturers began to offer cinder blocks of different colors and with a decorative surface. In any case, the walls of the cinder block can be trimmed with siding, decorative brick, painted plaster or wood;
• the complexity of the work on laying communications and mounting heavy objects on the walls;
• high hygroscopicity of the material, therefore, requires a good waterproofing;
• material safety is directly dependent on the name of the manufacturer, so it is better to trust the responsible and reputable companies.

Experts recommend erecting walls from a cinder block only in dry weather and not leaving the houseless box for a long time. In addition, it is desirable to keep laying on a high foundation in order to reduce the negative effect of moisture. With the application of decorative coating is better not to delay.

№4.What to consider when choosing and transporting cinder block?

When choosing a cinder block, consider the following points:

• it is important to find out from the seller the main characteristics of the material, including thermal conductivity, frost resistance and brand strength;
• does not interfere with asking about filler used. In principle, there is nothing dangerous in the composition of the cinder block. The only caveat is the use of granite sifting, as this stone may have natural radioactivity. Background measurement will allow you to choose the safest option. For greater importance, you can ask the seller certificates of quality;
• integrity and compliance with the geometry of the blocks speak of high quality material. You can inspect several blocks for the presence of chips, cracks and deformations. It is necessary to make selective measurements and check the compliance of the sizes of the faces;
• is an easy way to check quality - manually try to stick a nail into the surface of the block. If it works, it is better to refuse to buy such a slag block;
• if the material was made without using a vibromash, then there is no need to talk about high strength - it can not be used to build residential premises.

Masonry thickness is determined by the climatic features of the area. Too thick layer of mortar is better not to do, otherwise you can greatly reduce the heat resistance of the walls( the optimal seam is up to 1.5 cm).

It is better to transport cinder block on pallets, it is better to store them under a canopy so that they do not absorb moisture harmful to them.

№5.Calculation of the number of cinder blocks

Calculate the required number of cinder blocks for the construction of the walls of the house is simple - it is important to know only the parameters of the building being erected and the size of the blocks. Let's take as a basis a block of standard sizes 390 * 188 * 190 mm:

• If building an wall half an block( 190 mm) thick, the side surface area will be 0.39 * 0.188 = 0.073 m2.On 1 m2 of the wall will need 1 / 0,073 = 13.7 blocks. If we take into account the thickness of the seams of 8-10 mm, then 13 blocks will be needed for 1 m2.It remains only to know the area of ​​the walls and multiply this value by the number of blocks. If laying is planned in two layers, then the value is multiplied by 2;
• A similar calculation is carried out using with one block thickness( 390 mm).In this case, the side surface area will be 0.188 * 0.19 = 0.0357 m2, and 1 / 0.0357 = 28 per 1 m2. If we discard the thickness of the seam, then we can talk about 27 blocks per 1 m2.

Add 10-15% to the obtained value for possible losses. The area of ​​windows and doors can not be taken away. When calculating it is important to consider what the blocks will be holding together between them: the thickness of the mortar is 5-10 mm( no more than 15 mm), the thickness of the glue is 2-3 mm. As a rule, 60 blocks are placed on one pallet. Having considered the required amount of material, you will know how many pallets of cinder block to order.

№6.Major manufacturers of slag stones in Russia

The quality guarantee of cinder block and the safety of a house built from it is the name of the manufacturer. It is not a secret for anyone that it is better to give preference to proven large companies, and we’ll dwell on them:

• “Stroyindustriya” - the plant, founded in Chelyabinsk in 2000, produces a lot of building materials, includingcinder blocks of standard sizes and in a range of colors
• Modern Stone is another Chelyabinsk company. Produces standard and septum block( 120 and 90 mm thick) of different hollowness;
• “Stroykomplekt Plus” is a Stavropol-based company that manufactures cinder block and sells a wide range of building materials. Produces wall and partition slag stones of varying degrees of emptiness;
• "Block Expert" produces cinder blocks in Yekaterinburg and delivers to many regions of the country. The only negative is that only M75 blocks are produced for strength and with voids inside.

№7.Production of cinder block with your own hands

When cinder block is needed in small quantities( building a shed or producing the missing amount of material), you can resort to the independent production of cinder block, however, you cannot do without a vibrating table or a vibroforming machine.

At home, as a rule, blast-furnace slag, coarse sand, and M400 cement are used. The proportions of are chosen by each home craftsman, but the classic recipe is this: slag - 7 parts, sand and gravel - 2 parts, cement - 1.5 parts, water - 1.5-3 parts. In addition to the blast furnace slag, you can, of course, use gravel, sawdust, perlite, brick battle. You can also add a plasticizer - 5 g per unit. Water is taken so much that the solution is well connected in a fist, but when it falls, it crumbles.

The resulting solution is poured into molds with a slide, tamped using vibration for 3-5 seconds. If the solution is very precipitated, you need to report a new batch, lower the clamp and turn on the vibration. After that, the block is removed from the mold and dries for 5-7 days, then it gains strength for about a month. It is possible, of course, to make cinder blocks in metal or wooden forms, but without vibroforming they will not be strong enough.

Slag stone bribes with its budget, durability, fire resistance and a lot of other positive operational qualities, but it has not gained widespread use( such as gas-block) due to certain features, but it is definitely worth considering as a building material for a house or garage.

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