Aerated concrete

Foam - not an achievement of modern supertehnology and material poyavshyysya in Russia for almost seventy years ago. Soviet scientist, builder of an experimental set up by the addition of foam concrete in cement mortar soap root - a plant that lived in Central Asia and forms the foam. So obrozom to light a new building material - foam concrete. Based on these developments in Russia began to make building materials out of foam - blocks, partitions, wall panels, which by their thermal insulation properties exceed the brick and heavy concrete by 3-5 times. Pumice or chocolate? Foam concrete - it is a regular cement mortar, which is mixed with small amounts of additives, blowing agents. They are called surface-active agents (surfactants) and, incidentally, is widely used in the manufacture of detergents and shampoos. So that the concrete blocks and all sorts of detergents in a sense, relatives, albeit distant. For the type of aerated concrete gray material that looks like a pumice stone, and "internally" - a porous chocolate. As a result of the foaming mass of concrete filled with air bubbles and acquires a cellular structure. This, in turn, makes the material easy: do not accidentally experts consider to light aerated concrete aerated concrete. That same quality gives the material additional sound and thermal insulation properties. So, despite its homeliness, foam - even very wonderful thing. Despite the obvious advantages of the new material, foam in Russia has not caught on. There are several reasons: there was no quality foam, good machines for the manufacture of foam and other equipment. Therefore, our builders continued to use the traditional "Russian" materials - brick and wooden beams. On the cellular lightweight concrete simply forgotten. And hardly would remember if it had not formed a circumstance, moreover - a national scale. This is the second birth was a few years ago, Russian experts studied teplosberezheniya in homes. Wanted to know if you can somehow save fuel and energy resources? And found that traditional building materials (the same brick or plain concrete) have a low level of thermal protection. So we have to spend a lot of money on heating. Later came an interesting document - a Presidential Decree "On the development of federal target program" The House ", the ETA program included the development of new kinds of building materials that were supposed to reduce construction costs. That's where the experts and reminisced about our "hometown" of foam concrete. Increased production of building materials (primarily from cellular concrete) and to create technological systems for their manufacture. Penobeton again subjected to scrutiny and held a series of tests. For the experiment, laid out two walls - one of bricks, another of the foam. It turned out to retain the same heat in the room, a brick wall to be five times thicker penobetonnoy.Takim, even non-specialist to understand that to build a house of bricks, respectively, will take five times as much. To somehow solve this problem and little to reduce the thickness of the brick walls, the builders have done since time immemorial in masonry heat and sound insulation "layer" of mineral wool or polystyrene plates. It was found that the mineral wool quickly absorbs water, and polystyrene is flammable and toxic. Its positive technical properties of foam concrete required internal cellular structure, reminiscent of aerated chocolate. And each air cavity is hermetically separated from adjacent cells, resulting in no water seeping inside. At the expense of cellular foam concrete has good heat and sound insulator: in a house made of foam concrete warm in winter, cool in summer and at any time of year - quietly. Walls and partitions of the foam perfectly tolerate changes in temperature. They "breathe" and do not sweat. Microclimate in the buildings of foam is the same as in the wooden houses. Moreover, this material is environmentally friendly and fireproof: done-it with cement and sand, and, therefore, simply have nothing to burn. Mathematical calculations without a special unit penobeton not cook and did not build. Podschetaem to determine how much the house cost of foam. We proceed from the fact that building a wall for the home, for example, measuring 6 x 6 m. The construction of a house begins with the foundation. The pleasure in these times is not cheap - about $ 2000 to put necessary. After working to make a foundation and he "stand", you can begin construction. To do this, buy "raw" (cement and sand), to pump water from the well and to invite a team working with aerated concrete plant. In the end, all about everything will go somewhere 2000 - 2500 $ (building materials plus work). Add to that $ 2000 for the foundation. Thus, the home of the foam, which was built using monolithic removable formwork, cost about 4000 - 4500 $, and the house of prefabricated units - 1,5-2 times more. This amount is in any case less than the price for the construction of a brick, and even the wooden house. In addition, it is quite possible to build parts: first, the wall, then walls, then roof. Incidentally, in the foam concrete can drive nails, it is very easy to paint and even cut an ordinary hacksaw. So that the wall can be reduced by simply cutting off. I remind you that if you decide to use a monolithic styling with a concrete panel or decides to lay down a house of prefabricated aerated concrete blocks, construction costs will increase significantly. So before making a decision, it is necessary to weigh all the pros and cons. Are there any internal walls of the foam? Of the foam is quite possible to build an excellent interior partitions, they are much better than the walls of drywall or bricks. For example, if you need to make alterations, then put a new brick wall is very risky and uncomfortable. Risky, because your joists such a weight may simply not survive. And uncomfortable, because in the process of "brick" the work will be a lot of dirt, construction dust and debris. As for drywall, just to bar them little room - it's not a wall. First, you need special guides that are being strengthened two sheets of drywall in parallel to each other. Secondly, between them must also lay some soundproofing! And thirdly, on a wall is not recommended to hang anything heavier than your favorite dog pictures - more of a burden the wall may simply not survive. So, foam successfully perform all these tasks: the process of its production is much "cleaner" and, moreover, the wall of this material is light, durable and reliable. Moreover, if you want out of it you can even make a pillow (a podium) for the beds or more, as they say the designers, "as something to solve the original design of living space." Recipe for foam first knead "dough" made of cement, sand and water (and in some cases instead of sand added to polystyrene beads (if the material is obtained more easily). Then, in a homogeneous mass is added finished foam, which makes foam concrete porous. "Dough" is ready You can create building blocks, slabs, walling. Under present conditions the foam made of foam concentrate. It is produced by commercial methods. To prepare the foam requires special equipment, such as foam generator or small-sized unit (sm.chertezh), which not only "whips" foam but mixing with cement mortar. Adding to install a hose can be fed (transport) ready mix to the house being built to a height of 20 m and a distance of 40 m. handles the installation of two people, but the performance is amazing - 1600 - 4000 l / h! The only condition: in order to obtain high-quality foam concrete, the air temperature in the batch must be below 10 gr.S. Installing fairly compact: takes about 2.5 meters, it easily can be put in the back "Gazelle" and drop off the construction site. By the way, it can help to make cellular concrete, not only on the street, waiting for the treasured 10 gr.S, but also in the room (if you need to fill in, say, sex or make a partition). In the manufacture of units using monolithic styling, with which the foam concrete is poured into the formwork, thus obtaining a wall, partition, etc. Decking is a removable (sliding) and non-removable. For removable formwork used fibreboard. They put on two sides, poured into the foam concrete and then removed. turns smooth wall or partition. And Fiberboard is used repeatedly. The concrete panel may be different options: either both sides of erecting walls of brick and aerated concrete is poured between them, either from the outside - a brick and the inside - fiberboard, gypsum board etc. Once between the two layers of foam concrete floods drown, fiberboard can be removed, but you can not shoot - it's a matter of taste. If you do decide to remove the hardboard and leave within a "foam" surface, it can be painted, glued her tiles, etc. If you want to make a monolithic stacking, takes care of the mold a firm that carries out the construction. But we should not forget that for a monolithic installation of permanent form (especially if both sides are built of brick wall ) construction costs increase by several times. In other words, a monolithic styling with removable formwork is cheaper than with non-removable. Do not want to communicate with the monolithic styling? Fold the house of prefabricated foam blocks that hold them together with cement mortar. Units are sold in specialty stores and construction markets . You can apply directly to producers of products made of reinforced concrete - concrete products plants. Dimensions of aerated concrete blocks are different, but usually it's "bricks" of 0,2 x 0,2 x 0,4 m (width x height x length) or 0 , 2 x 0.3 x 0.6 m, which are sold at a price of 15-20 rubles apiece. And another thing: if you build a house of prefabricated units, it still would cost less than brick.