House of foam blocks - 150 real photos of the best projects. DIY step-by-step construction instructions

The construction of residential buildings using modern materials, which include foam concrete, is becoming increasingly popular. Building a house from foam blocks will not only save the budget due to the availability of material, but also make the construction time as short as possible. Foam concrete structures are quickly erected and hold heat well, which allows them to be used in unstable climatic zones.

Summary of the article:

Features of material production

Foam blocks began to be actively used for construction in the 90s of the last century. The basis for the production of the material is a mixture of water, cement and sand. After preparing the mixture, bar mixers are used to whip the resulting mass, from which the blocks are formed. To improve properties, polymers can be added to the blocks to increase the strength of the material.

Due to the simple manufacturing technology, foam blocks are widely used for the construction of private and industrial buildings. Equipment for production is available for sale, so you can build a house from foam blocks using your own made material. However, often the cost of acquiring equipment and production time will only slow down construction.

Choosing a construction project

An important preparatory task for the construction is the design of the future home. Considering your wishes for the construction, there are three options:

design in an architectural bureau;
independent design;
selection of a ready-made standard project.

When contacting the bureau, specialists, taking into account all the requests and wishes of the builder, will make a building project. Such a procedure may require considerable financial costs and waiting time for the project. If the customer plans to build a house from turnkey foam blocks, then this option will be optimal.

To design a house on their own, the owner can take into account absolutely all his wishes, and make a unique structure for himself. However, this requires minimal knowledge in the field of architecture.

In the third case, a finished house project is taken, which is freely available on the Internet. This is the cheapest and easiest way. When choosing, you can see not only projects, but also photos of houses built from foam blocks and choose the best option.

When choosing a project, it is necessary to take into account the size and configuration of the land, the number of people planned to be placed in the house, the proximity of communications. The most popular projects will be 8 × 8 and 9 × 9 m.

The square shape is very beneficial for the rational division of space into rooms, such projects are traditional. For a more interesting layout, projects with an elongated side are suitable - 8 × 10 and 9 × 10 m.

To select the number of storeys of the project, the main role is played by the size of the site. If it is small, then it is irrational to build a one-story house from foam blocks. Two floors will expand the living space and save space on the site. Usually the first floor is used as a living area, and the second floor or attic is a relaxation area. Often on the first tier the living room and kitchen are combined into one room.

Disadvantages and advantages of houses and foam blocks

Like any building material, foam blocks have pros and cons. The first include:

low thermal conductivity due to the cellular structure. The walls will retain heat well in winter, and keep cool in summer;
long service life - foam concrete becomes stronger over time;
high fire safety - an unprocessed foam block does not burn;
ecological purity - only natural materials are used in the production. When synthetic substances are added, their indicator will be no more than 0.5%;
quick construction of buildings. Laying bricks of the same volume will be produced almost 3 times longer;
low price of building material - one of the cheapest in its category. Prices for masonry will also please;
relatively low weight of buildings. Therefore, without fear, they are building not only two-story houses from foam blocks, but also with a large number of floors;
simplicity in processing. The block is easily sawn even with an ordinary hacksaw with a large tooth. Thanks to this, you can erect structures of any style and form;
the opportunity for a long time to do without finishing, the need for which is dictated mainly by aesthetic appearance.

But such a universal and reliable material has its drawbacks:

shrinkage. Therefore, before interior and exterior decoration, it is necessary to wait at least 6 months after completion of construction;
the need for reinforcement. Approximately every fourth row of foam blocks must be additionally reinforced during installation;
fragility. This property reduces the bearing capacity of the walls. Therefore, an accurate calculation is necessary when using floor slabs as a separation between floors in multi-storey buildings and in houses of foam blocks with an attic;
obligatory decoration. Without it, the building will not look quite aesthetically pleasing. Most often, decorative plaster is used for exterior decoration;
installation of a strip foundation. Piles or similar materials will not work in this case.

Construction phase

After the approval of the project of the house from foam blocks, you can begin construction. For this, a strip foundation is installed. A waterproofing is laid on it - usually a glassine or roofing material - to exclude the negative effect of water on the material. It is necessary to monitor the integrity of the waterproofing surface.

After installing it, lay out the first layer of blocks. As a solution on the first layer, a sand-cement mixture is necessarily used. With the help of a building level, foam blocks are aligned in a horizontal plane. Then the subsequent rows are laid using one of two binder solutions:

sand-cement mortar;
special glue for blocks.

In the first case, the technology of laying blocks is no different from bricklaying. With each layer, the block is shifted by half relative to the previous one. Every fourth or fifth layer must be reinforced.

In the case of using glue, the overall structural strength will be higher. The glue is applied to the block with a special comb. Such masonry requires a certain level of skill, since the ability to fix the masonry with subsequent layers is almost impossible.

To strengthen the masonry, bars of reinforcement or wire are used. In the case of adhesive laying, the thickness of the reinforcement is usually greater than the adhesive layer. Therefore, in a series of blocks, a special recess is made in which a reinforcing element is laid. After that, it is poured with adhesive solution and the laying of subsequent rows continues.

When laying, do not allow the ingress of mortar on the surface of the blocks. If such contaminants are not removed immediately, cleaning them after drying will be quite problematic.

House of foam blocks - the easiest and most affordable way to build a private house or cottage. Experts say that the process of laying blocks is easier than brick. Therefore, this can be done on their own.Good performance characteristics of the material will make the house a real fortress for its owners.