Tools for aerated concrete - features of autoclave, no

We can safely say that aerated concrete is currently at the peak of its popularity. The material is lightweight and easy to handle, making the construction technology available not only to professionals, but also to amateurs. Although there is one nuance, for fast and most importantly high-quality construction, a special tool is needed to work with aerated concrete.

Before talking about the tool, let's understand what aerated concrete. This material appeared on the market relatively recently and is one of the cellular types of concrete.

It is based on cement-sand mixture with the addition of lime. Aluminum powder acts as a disintegrant and frother. The result is a lightweight and strong enough unit.

Mounting tool

Этот строительный материал укладывается на специальный клеевой раствор, он легко обрабатывается своими руками и, хотя для этого можно использовать традиционные инструменты, но имея специализированный инвентарь, скорость выполнения работ увеличивается в разы (читайте также статью «Смета на дом из газобетона – особенности проведения расчетных работ»).

Standard tool kit

• In order for the masonry to be uniform, the adhesive must be applied in a uniform thin layer. To do this, use a ladle-trowel. This tool is made in the form of a container with a handle, the same thickness of the application of the composition is ensured by a gear cut, with a tooth height of 3 - 5 mm. Depending on the width of the block, several types of buckets are available.
• It is possible to cut blocks with the help of a usual hacksaw, but the wood saw is very quick to set, therefore there is a special hacksaw for such works, the teeth of which have pokladitovye soldering. Serial model is designed for cutting 25m? material. Similar cutting chains for electric saws are also available. Theoretically, the unit can be cut by a grinder with a diamond disc, but there will be a lot of dust.
• The blocks are volumetric and a special square is used to ensure accurate marking and even cut.. You can of course use a half case, but professionals, most often, only manage with a square.

• Since the thickness of the adhesive composition is minimal, the upper cut of the masonry should not have differences in height. Therefore, before laying the next row, the surface must be leveled; a grater for aerated concrete is used for this, it is also called a plane for aerated concrete.

The tool looks like a big plaster poluterok. Bottom, on the plane, it is equipped with metal cutting elements.

• In work, you need to need a wall chaser, this is a cutting tool, which is intended for cutting into blocks of grooves for flexible connections for aerated concrete, fitting reinforcement bars or wiring. With small volumes, you can get by with the manual version; professionals prefer to use an electric wall chaser with two diamond discs.

• For applying large amounts of glue on long straight sections of the walls a carriage for aerated concrete can be used. This adaptation can be called an improved version of the trowel. The tool is classified as narrowly professional and is used on large construction sites.
• It will also be hard to do without a rubber mallet.. It is nothing like a rubber hammer, with its help it is easier to produce accurate stacking of blocks in a row without fear of damaging them.

Tip: professional bucket or carriage, of course, work more convenient, but the price is higher. Therefore, often used trowel for aerated concrete with their own hands made. More precisely, they work with a set of a conventional construction trowel and a wide notched trowel.

The video in this article shows the work with a self-made trowel.

Subtleties of technology

Talking about the tool will be incomplete if not to mention the production. The general production technology of the material is not very complex.

Blocks can be made in the factory on special equipment, and at home with their own hands. In professional production, an autoclave is used to improve the quality, and at home they can do without it.

Autoclave production

If to describe the technology in general terms, then the components are initially laid in the mixer for aerated concrete and thoroughly mixed. After that, the mixture is poured into molds, where the first stage of strength development occurs.

Next, raw, but already formed briquettes are loaded into the autoclave. The autoclave is a large, hermetically sealed chamber, in which hardening of aerated concrete occurs under pressure and at high temperature.

After closing the lid, a pressure of 0.5 bar is created inside the unit. Further, gradually over 2 hours, the pressure is brought to a level of 12 bar, plus the temperature rises to 190? С. Moisture from the array is evaporated and the material gains design strength.

The process of lowering the temperature and normalizing the pressure also lasts about 2 hours. Blocks, on average, gain design strength within 12 hours, taking into account switching the unit on and off.

But to make the presentation material still need to cut it into standard blocks according to GOST. The production uses a cutting complex for aerated concrete.

This is a separate machine, which, according to the specified parameters, cuts the hardened array. After cutting, the blocks can be used.

The video in this article shows how the cutting complex for aerated concrete works.

Autoclaving production

The general production technology at home resembles the above. But in view of the fact that it is almost impossible to make an autoclave for aerated concrete with your own hands, strength build-up takes place under natural conditions. Of course, the quality of such units will be significantly lower, but for home, small construction is enough.

The expensive mixer for aerated concrete, at the same time, is replaced by a standard concrete mixer. Forms can be made independently, but we advise you to purchase a ready-made factory version. The price of such forms is affordable, plus all sizes are clearly maintained.

Tip: do not try to mix the solution yourself. Quality directly depends on the level of mixing, and from experience it can be said that it is impossible to mix well by hand.

In the manufacture of their own hands, cutting complex for aerated concrete is replaced by a conventional steel string. After loading the solution into the molds and the initial curing, stretched by a string, the excess is removed.

The video in this article shows some of the techniques for working with aerated concrete.

Conclusion

Мы перечислили лишь основные инструменты, без которых обойтись трудно. Но кроме них используется еще ряд вспомогательных, так например, для монтажа розеток и выключателей используются круглые коронки на электродрель из тугоплавких металлов, плюс на профессиональном производстве применяется множество дополнительных  агрегатов (см.также статью «Дома из газобетона: особенности материала, стоимость, порядок проведения строительства»).