Building a house from a material such as concrete in winter

With the onset of frosts and when the temperature drops to zero degrees in our latitudes, it is customary to “freeze” construction work. And so about how to start building in the winter and there could be no talk if outside the window the temperature is below +5⁰. However, short periods of thaw for residents of northern countries have led to the search for ways to build houses in the winter, and such methods have certainly been found and are now widely used in various climatic zones.

Construction of a flood foundation

The construction of the water-based foundation was considered the most difficult in the construction process in winter time; therefore, the method with the use of bored and pile supports was often used. The reason for this choice was the process of crystallization of the liquid in the solution, which must be poured.

The main methods of working with concrete in winter

The choice of one of the existing methods of working with a solution in cold time depends on such parameters as:

• The size of the planned design;
• The chemical composition of the concrete solution and the proportions of each component;
• Brand cement powder and the fineness of its grinding;
• Climatic conditions;
• Possibility to mix water or filler when mixing.

Preparation of concrete in the winter is a process associated with the release of a certain amount of heat, but, unfortunately, it is not enough for the normal flow of solution hydration into cold. A little higher temperature of the mixture will help the use of cement finer grinding, which will react much faster and release more heat in the process of hydration. Also warming will be facilitated by the use of warm water or heated aggregates.

Note! You can only heat water or filler. Cement cannot be heated under any circumstances, because it can lose its binding characteristics.

The easiest method of heating the mixture

This option is associated with heating not only water and aggregate, but also the solution completely, by installing a brazier, gas burner or heat pad near the concrete mixer.

Council This method is especially relevant in cases when the temperature is above zero in the daytime and frosts are possible at night.

Drying of concrete in the winter according to this scheme has the following strict rules:

• Heat up to a maximum of 80. ⁰WITH;
• Heated water is first kneaded with a filler and only then cement cement is gradually introduced;
• It is advisable to use cement brands from M-400 to M-500;
• Instructions for creating a solution involves the use of additives that can increase the rate of mass hardening.

Council The use of vibration devices is an optional condition for erecting buildings with your own hands, but desirable. The construction vibrator will reduce the amount of air in the concrete monolith and reduce the porosity of the composition.

After the filling and sealing will be done, it is advisable to cover the monolith with a tarpaulin, burlap, insulation mats or specialized cinder-block blankets. The temperature of the monolith must be maintained until the moment of curing, by placing around the perimeter of the roaster or other devices that generate heat.

Note! Remove the formwork panels only after the casting has reached the required level of concrete strength. According to the requirements of SNiP III -15-76, regardless of the type of mortar, the strength must be 70% at the time of dismantling the formwork.

Concrete preparation in the winter is a difficult task. Therefore, a reasonable decision of the owner will be to purchase ready-made solution, mixed at the factory with the addition of specialized additives.

Despite the fact that the price of such concrete will be higher, but you will be sure that the professionals will correctly calculate the proportions taking into account the climatic conditions.

Concrete with additives

Antifreeze additives in concrete solution - a measure aimed at increasing the heat produced by the mass itself in the process of hydration. In addition to this property, such means allow to reduce the temperature threshold of water crystallization. Due to these effects, the process of setting will occur in normal mode, even at low temperatures.

As an answer to the question of what is added to concrete to combat frost, there may be:

• Calcium chloride;
• Sodium chloride;
• Potash;
• Sodium Nitrate

Council The proportions of additives should be no more than 2% by weight of the solution, otherwise the strength parameters of the final product will be significantly reduced.

When using such additives, dismantling of the formwork should be started when:

• 40% strength gain M200 solution;
• 30% strength gain M300 solution;
• 20% strength pick up concrete M400 and above.

Complicated methods of winter concreting

Consider briefly some more methods of pouring the foundation in winter, the purpose of which is to accelerate the process of setting the mixture.

Each site owner who started construction in the winter can choose one of them depending on the availability of electrical appliances, insulation materials and finances:

• Thermos method. Insulating plating, constructed around the formwork for a concrete structure, in this case will exclude heat leakage and cooling of the monolith body. Such insulation is a metal lining with an electric, water or steam heating circuit;
• Filling with steam heating. To put this method into practice, you will need powerful equipment, a considerable amount of water and the construction of a pipeline inside the formwork, which, after solidification, will remain forever in the thickness of the monolith;
• The installation of a heating room around the basement is a method involving the construction of a large tarpaulin or polyethylene tent over the monolith;

• Electrical heating. This method involves starting current through steel wires that form and form the reinforcement, or this cable is placed in the concrete itself. This method is considered the most economical against the background of all of the above, and therefore it is also the most common.

We build walls

Now that everything is clear with the pouring of the concrete foundation, it remains only to figure out how to build concrete walls from light blocks.

Foam concrete walls

The construction of the masonry of foam blocks should be carried out according to standard technology with the following recommendations:

• Masonry with the usual solution is carried out at a temperature of +5⁰ up to +25 ⁰WITH;
• For masonry, you should use a specialized adhesive with antifreeze additives, which will allow work at a temperature of -10 ⁰WITH;
• To knead the solution at a temperature below zero should be in small portions;
• In the course of the work, the glue must be constantly mixed;
• Mixing water should be at room temperature;
• Very long walls must be reinforced with rods with a diameter of 8 mm.

Foam concrete in the winter can be used without problems, the main thing is that the mortar for laying such blocks mixed correctly.

Gas bonding

Construction in the winter of aerated concrete must certainly take into account some of the features associated with the temperature regime:

• It is necessary to stop work if the temperature is -5⁰C and below;
• Work should begin only after a few days the temperature will keep from +2⁰C and more;
• You can not build on the frozen surface. Freezing occurs if the temperature did not rise above the -2 mark for a few days.⁰WITH;
• You can not work during precipitation. At this time, it is better to finish the construction and cover the laying with roofing felt or film.

If you bought the blocks in advance or had to stop work, then you need to know how the aerated concrete blocks are stored in the winter.

In fact, the storage of aerated concrete in winter is no different from the storage of material in the summer, because such blocks are not afraid of frost. It is desirable, of course, to cover these blocks from the ingress of snow on their surface, but this condition is not mandatory.

The main problems are thaws, which lead to the melting of snow and the ingress of moisture to the surface, because frost is possible at night, which will lead to the destruction of the integrity of the material. The main thing is to store the blocks so that the melt water does not exceed the level of the pallet on which they are located.

Finally

Construction using different types of concrete products is a very real task. The main thing is to comply with the technology of this process and listen to the recommendations of specialists. And also we should not forget about the specialized additives that can speed up the process of hydration of the concrete solution and reduce the freezing threshold of the liquid in it.

A video in this article will allow you to learn even more secrets of winter construction with the use of concrete.