Consider all the pros and cons of aerated concrete

Recently, aerated concrete blocks have become increasingly popular in the independent construction of private housing. All the positive properties of this building material were appreciated by both amateurs and professionals. And, of course, can not but rejoice that their number more than exceeds the negative features of block elements.

Own house of aerated concrete: the pros and cons

If you are going to build a country house or a summer house, you must decide on the choice of building material, but since we are talking about aerated concrete, we will omit this question. We start with the components that allow us to achieve such high rates in construction (find out here how to independently calculate how many cubic aerated concrete blocks are in).

Note! This will allow you to better understand the material with which to work.

The composition of aerated concrete

The ingredients of aerated concrete are:

1. As the main knitting substance - cement.
2. As mineral aggregates:

• Sand.
• Crushed stone
• Gravel.
• Cockleshell.
• Керемзит.

Note! All these components are carefully sorted and filtered, only the smallest and purest particles are included in the blocks.

1. Lime.
2. Water.

Note! Depending on the size of the main aggregate, the specific weight of aerated concrete can vary in the range from 500 kg to 3 tons. According to this parameter, there are several types: lightweight concrete, light and heavy, and also particularly heavy.

The composition does not particularly stand out, such components are found in many other building materials. And yet our material is definitely “different,” if only because the flaws of aerated concrete blocks fit in two lines, while the positives can be described for a long time.

Distinctive features of aerated concrete

Some positive properties of aerated concrete are superior to traditional masonry materials:

• Brick.
• Shlakoblok.
• A natural stone.

Note! We will list both the pros and cons of aerated concrete blocks in one section, so that you can visually assess how much the chosen material is suitable for building a house.

This cellular material is able to "breathe." In the production process, aluminum powder is introduced into the aerated concrete, contributing to rapid gas formation. The presence in the body of aerated concrete a large number of air bubbles and gives products from this material excellent thermal insulating properties.

Naturally, the heating of the house of aerated concrete blocks will be extremely effective in terms of energy saving and saving your material resources! In this regard, there are no drawbacks of aerated concrete houses

According to the insulating properties, the construction of housing from this material is extremely profitable.

• The second thing that lies on the surface is the environmental friendliness of aerated concrete.. It consists of only natural ingredients without any harmful additives, do not worry about harmful fumes.
• Excellent sound insulation properties also eliminate the drawbacks of aerated concrete in this regard.. Walls with a recommended thickness of 400 mm will reliably protect you from intrusive sounds that reach from the outside and bring discomfort.

Note! Of course, additional heat and noise insulation is not completely excluded, it is recommended to achieve the best result.

• The relatively low price of aerated concrete products will make it possible to translate your innermost desires about your own housing with a rather modest construction budget.
• The frost resistance of aerated concrete reaches 200 cycles of alternate freezing and thawing.. This makes the material very attractive for construction in regions with adverse climatic features.

Interesting! Although in reality there is still no such building from this material that has survived at least 100 cycles, it remains to hope for scientists and manufacturers.

• Aerated concrete has good resistance to biological aggressive effects (rodents, harmful insects, bacteria, fungi, mold).

• The low weight of aerated concrete blocks and the flexibility of processing will make the process of building a house with your own hands not just easy, but rewarding. In addition, easing the load on the foundation will make it possible to design it in a more concise and economical version.
• The safety of the dwelling of aerated concrete blocks will ensure their high strength and non-combustibility (fire safety).
• Manufacturers of aerated concrete promise that the house will last for more than a century, which in itself speaks of high quality materialbut. An exception, of course, can be a house built without compliance with the rules dictated by the instructions for working with aerated concrete blocks.

Note! In this regard, special reinforcement of aerated concrete masonry deserves special attention (read our article on this process). As well as the observance of precautionary measures to prevent the occurrence of cold bridges in these areas.

Perhaps a few cons of aerated concrete lie in its low moisture resistance. This is due to its cellular structure.

Tip! With the proper organization of rainwater and thawing snow removal, as well as proper drainage under the foundation of your house, this deficiency can be nullified. And, of course, do not forget about the waterproofing of all structural elements of the structure.

Do not forget about the aesthetic side of the issue:

• Aerated concrete blocks one of the few materials with a perfect shape geometry and a smooth surface.
• Laying material is carried out using a special mixture of white, which is applied with a thin layer to the stone. The result is an ideal surface uniformity, which in principle does not require additional finishing work. Only if you have irresistible desires and free means for it.

Again, it is enough to varnish the walls of brick and wood so that they become attractive, but the material chosen by us still requires a more extensive finish.

Conclusion

Теперь зная все плюсы и минусы дома из газобетона, вы сможете сделать единственно правильный выбор кладочного материала для застройки. И даже если строительные работы вы будете осуществлять несамостоятельно, лишними знания о достоинствах строительных возможностей блочных изделий не будут (читайте также «Автоклавный газобетон: преимущества и технология изготовления»).

In the presented videos in this article you will find additional information on this topic.