Exterior walls- the most complex construction building. They are exposed to numerous and varied force and non-force influences (Fig. 1). Walls perceive their own mass, permanent and temporary loads from ceilings and roofs, wind effects, uneven deformations of the base, seismic forces, etc. outside external walls are exposed to solar radiation, atmospheric precipitation, variable temperatures and humid outside air, external noise, and from the inside - to the effect of heat flow, water vapor flow, noise. Performing the function of an external enclosing structure and a composite element of facades, and often a supporting structure, the outer wall must meet the requirements strength, durability and fire resistance, corresponding to the capital class of the building, to protect the premises and adverse external influences, to provide the necessary temperature and humidity regime of the enclosed premises, to have decorative qualities. At the same time, the structure of the outer wall must meet the industrial requirements, as well as the economic requirements of minimum material consumption and cost, since the outer walls are the most expensive structure (20-25% of the cost of building structures)

In the outer walls, there are usually window openings for lighting the premises and doorways - entrance and for access to balconies and loggias. The complex of wall structures includes filling the openings of windows, entrance and balcony doors, construction of open spaces. These elements and their connections to the wall must meet the requirements listed above. Since the static functions of walls and their insulating properties are achieved by interacting with internal supporting structures, the development of external wall structures includes a roar depending on the natural-climatic and engineering-geological conditions of construction, and also, taking into account the peculiarities of space-planning solutions, are cut by vertical expansion joints of various types: temperature-shrinkage, sedimentary, anti-seismic, etc.

Classification.

By static function distinguish between load-bearing, self-supporting or non-bearing structures.

Load-bearing walls in addition to the vertical load from its own mass, they perceive and transfer to the foundations loads from adjacent structures: floors, partitions, roofs, etc. Self-supporting walls perceive the vertical load only from their own mass (including the load from balconies, bay windows, parapets and other wall elements) and transfer it to the foundations directly or through plinth panels, round beams, grillage or other structures. Curtain walls floor by floor or through several floors supported on adjacent internal structures buildings (floors, walls, frame). They carry the load from their own weight and wind within a storey with a height of no more than 6 m. Load-bearing and self-supporting walls, along with vertical and horizontal loads, being vertical elements, perceive the rigidity of structures.

Bearing and non-bearing external walls can be used in buildings of any number of storeys. Height self-supporting walls limited in order to prevent operationally unfavorable mutual displacements of self-supporting and internal supporting structures, accompanied by local damage to the decoration of the premises and the appearance of cracks.

By material there are four main types of wall structures: concrete, stone, from non concrete materials and wooden. In accordance with the building system, each type of wall contains several types of structures: concrete walls- from monolithic concrete, large blocks or panels; stone walls- hand-made masonry, walls made of stone blocks and panels; walls made of non-concrete materials - half-timbered and panel frame and frameless; wooden walls - frame-sheathing, frame-panel, shield and panel walls, chopped from logs or beams.

Constructive decisions... Exterior walls can be of single or layered construction. Single layer walls are erected from panels, concrete or stone blocks, monolithic concrete, stone, brick, wooden logs or beams. V layered walls the performance of various functions is entrusted to various materials... Strength functions are provided by concrete, stone, wood; durability functions - concrete, stone, wood or sheet material(aluminum alloys, enameled steel, asbestos cement, etc.); thermal insulation functions - effective insulation (mineral wool boards, fiberboard, expanded polystyrene, etc.); vapor barrier functions - roll materials(cushioning roofing material, foil, etc.), dense concrete or mastics; decorative functions - various facing materials. The number of layers of such a building envelope can include air gap... Closed - to increase its resistance to heat transfer, ventilated - to protect the room from radiation overheating or to reduce deformations of the outer facing layer of the wall.

Single and multi-layer wall structures can be made pre-assembled or using traditional techniques.

Walls made of small-sized elements (stone walls): field of application; materials and types of masonry; basic measures to ensure strength, stability, durability, heat-shielding ability; details of stone walls (plinths, openings, cornices and parapets).

Handmade walls. Material for stone walls, bricks or stones of the correct shape, made of natural or artificial (fired clay, concrete) materials, and mortar (lime, lime-cement or cement), along which stones are laid in horizontal rows with mutual dressing of seams, are used. Bricks (clay and silicate, solid and hollow) have a mass of up to 4-4.3 kg, stones (ceramic hollow with a density of up to 1400 kg / m3, lightweight hollow concrete with a density of up to 1200 kg / m3, from autoclaved and non-autoclave aerated concrete with a density of up to 800 kg / m3, made of natural light stone materials with a density of up to 1800 kg / m3) have a height of up to 20 cm and a mass of up to 30 kg.

Wall structure strength ensure the strength of the stone and mortar and the laying of stones with mutual dressing of vertical seams. At the same time, the ligation of the masonry seams is provided not only in the plane of the wall, but also in the plane of the transverse walls adjacent to it. The most common type of masonry is six-row, where five spoon rows laid in succession with dressing in the plane of the wall are tied (in the plane and out of the plane of the wall) with a sixth row. Only with high requirements for the strength of the wall, a more laborious two-row masonry is used with the dressing of all vertical seams in each row (the so-called chain masonry).

Resilience of stone exterior walls provided by their spatial interaction with internal supporting structures - walls and ceilings. To ensure spatial interaction, the outer walls are rigidly connected to the inner walls by bandaging the masonry, and with the floors made of reinforced concrete flooring, by inserting the latter into the wall by at least 100 mm, leaning on the wall through a layer of strong mortar and connecting the walls to the ceilings with steel anchors. When constructing ceilings along beams, the latter are inserted into the wall by 250 mm and tied with anchors to the masonry every 6 m. multi-storey buildings, in addition, provide for floor reinforcement belts, located in the mortar joint under the ceiling or above it (with high above-window lintels).

Durability stone walls provide frost resistance of materials used for the outer part of the masonry. Accordingly, grades of stones and facing materials for frost resistance for the outer walls of residential buildings of medium and high storey, built in a temperate climate, are taken at least 15 Mrz, and for individual wall parts (cornices, parapets, window sills, belts, socles, etc.) subject to particularly intense atmospheric humidification - 35 Mrz.

Heat shielding ability external walls during the design are assigned in accordance with hygiene requirements and taking into account the need to save fuel resources. The thickness of the wall is taken according to the largest of the values ​​obtained as a result of calculations of the required R 0 tr, economically feasible resistance to heat transfer R 0 eq and static calculation. Materials and structures of stone walls have a variety of thermal properties. The thermal conductivity coefficient of solid masonry varies within 0.7 W / (m ° C) for tuff masonry to 0.35 W / (m ° C) for ceramic hollow stone masonry. This makes it possible, by choosing the most heat-efficient material, to significantly reduce the cross-section of a single-layer wall, its massiveness, cost and laboriousness of construction. Therefore, the solid masonry of the outer walls is made mainly of hollow ceramic, lightweight concrete stones or bricks. To save stone and labor costs while maintaining the required heat-shielding ability, lightweight multilayer walls are used. In residential buildings, the most common are three-layer structures of lightweight masonry. They contain longitudinal walls with a thickness of half a brick and an inner insulating layer between them. Sometimes, according to the strength requirements, the inner layer of the masonry, to which the load from the floors is transferred, is made 1 brick thick.

Differences in masonry designs lie in the ways of ensuring joint static work of the outer layers of the masonry, as well as in the insulation material and the participation of this material in the static work of the wall. Links between layers are designed to be flexible or rigid. Flexible ties are made in the form of steel brackets. With flexible connections, the brick layers of the wall separately perceive the loads falling on them.

Rigid connections are made in the form of transverse diaphragms connecting the outer layers. By the location of the transverse diaphragms, wall structures with horizontal and vertical ties are distinguished. In walls with horizontal diaphragms, the latter are performed every five rows, in walls with vertical diaphragms (well masonry) the step of diaphragms is 0.65 or 1.17 m. mineral wool boards on a synthetic or bitumen bond, cement fiberboard, foam glass, liners made of lightweight or aerated concrete, monolithic lightweight concrete with a density of up to 1400 kg / m3 or mineral backfills with a density of up to 1000 kg / m3.

Details of stone walls. Plinths stone walls are made of solid solid brick of solid masonry. Brick frost resistance grade - 50 Mrz. At a distance of 15-20 cm from the top of the blind area, a horizontal waterproofing layer is laid, which protects the ground part of the wall from ground moisture. The waterproofing layer is made of two layers of roofing material on mastic or from cement mortar... In accordance with the compositional solution, cladding of a brick basement with slabs of natural stone or leaning against ceramic tiles.

When making a basement from concrete foundation blocks or basement panels, the latter are placed with an inward distance from the facade surface (the so-called basement with undercut). At the same time, in the hanging over the plinth outside wall facade stones the bottom row of masonry is replaced with reinforced concrete bars. A plinth made of concrete blocks is usually faced with pre-layered ceramic tiles, and the plinth panels have a protective finishing layer made at the factory from decorative concrete or facing tiles.

Openings window and door in stone walls are made with the arrangement of quarters from the outside along the vertical and upper edges. The quarters protect the joint between the masonry and the joinery block from filling the opening from infiltration. Quarter size in brickwork 65 by 120 or 88 by 120, in stone - 100 by 100mm. The openings are covered, as a rule, with prefabricated reinforced concrete lintels, which perceive the vertical load from the overlying masonry, and in the load-bearing walls and from the floors.

The crowning part of the outer walls is made in the form of a cornice with an external drainage from the roof or a parapet with an internal drainage.

Cornice in stone walls, they are often laid out of brick or stone, however, the amount of removal of such cornices, according to strength conditions, is limited to half the thickness of the wall, and the sequential overlap of bricks to form an overhang should be no more than 1/3 of the stone in each row. If necessary, a cornice device with a large overhang is made of prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs anchored into the masonry.

Parapet is a part of the wall that rises above the roof, made in solid masonry. The thickness of the wall in the parapet area is taken to be reduced (up to 1 stone). The elevation of the parapet above the roof surface must be at least 300 mm. The upper plane of the parapet masonry is protected from moisture by a galvanized steel drain or concrete parapet stone.

Large-block walls: scope; materials for large blocks; types of blocks depending on their location in the wall; cutting walls into large blocks; ensuring the strength, stability, durability of block walls.

Large-block houses are usually designed frameless, on the basis of two design schemes: with longitudinal walls for 5-storey buildings and with transverse walls for multi-storey buildings. Sometimes (in certain areas of the building volume), a combined constructive system large-block buildings with inner frame... Accordingly, large-block walls are made load-bearing or self-supporting with a cut along the height of the floor into 2, 3 or 4 rows of blocks. The choice of the type of cut depends on the material and the static function of the walls.

Materials for large blocks there are lightweight concrete with a density of up to 1600 kg / m3 on various porous aggregates, autoclaved aerated concrete with a density of up to 800 kg / m3, brick solid or lightweight masonry, natural stone (limestone, tuff, etc.) with a density of up to 1800 kg / m3 ...

For any of the cuts, the principle of bandaging the seams and laying the blocks on the mortar is observed. In accordance with the location, they distinguish between paving blocks, lintel blocks, window sills, basement blocks, cornice blocks, parapet blocks, ordinary and corner blocks. Jumper blocks have quarters on the inner side: at the top for supporting the floors, at the bottom for setting the filling of the opening. Quarters along the vertical side edges are provided for the installation of filling the openings in the wall blocks. On the outside, the blocks have a protective and finishing layer.

Strength large-block walls are achieved by the strength of concrete blocks and mortar, by bandaging the masonry of blocks and their adhesion to the mortar, by floor strapping by bulkhead blocks connected by steel ties. The concrete grade in terms of compressive strength for lightweight concrete blocks is assigned according to a static calculation, but not less than M 50, and mortar - not less than M25.

Sustainability large-block external walls are provided with their spatial interaction with ceilings and internal transverse walls, combined with external walls by special steel ties.

In mid-rise buildings, the connections of intersecting walls are designed from T-shaped or T-shaped welded meshes, from strip or circular reinforcing bars laid in a solution of horizontal seams.

Durability large-block walls ensure the use of concretes with a frost resistance grade of at least 25 Mrz with corresponding frost resistance grades of concrete and solutions of protective and finishing layers. The frost resistance grade of concrete for cornice, parapet and basement blocks is 35-50 Mrz.

Panel concrete walls and their elements: scope; main types of wall cuts on the panel; material and construction of wall panels; rigid and flexible connections in three-layer wall panels.

Exterior walls made of large panels can be load-bearing or non-load-bearing. The massive use of panel walls in almost all countries of the world has determined the exceptional variety of their designs and cuts. However, in most cases, only single-row cutting is used (without ligating vertical seams) and sometimes (for low and medium-rise houses) two-row, vertical, cruciform and T-shaped.

Panels of concrete materials are designed as both laminated and single-layer. Load-bearing walls are designed from layered reinforced concrete panels made of heavy or structural lightweight concrete. Single-layer panels made of lightweight structural and heat-insulating concrete are used for load-bearing walls of a building with a height of no more than 12 floors. Carriers panel walls from autoclaved aerated concrete are used only in low-rise buildings. Curtain walls are made from panels of any design.

Single layer concrete panels are made of lightweight or autoclaved aerated concrete. The density of concrete should be no more than 1400 kg / m3. Load-bearing and self-supporting single-layer wall panels are designed as eccentrically compressed concrete structures... Nevertheless, single-layer panels of even curtain walls contain structural reinforcement, which protects against brittle fracture and the development of cracks during transportation and installation.

The concept of "single-layer panel" is conditional. In fact, in addition to the main structural layer of lightweight or aerated concrete, such panels contain an outer protective and finishing layer and an inner finishing layer.

The facade protective and finishing layer of lightweight concrete panels is made with a thickness of 20-25 mm from vapor-permeable decorative concrete, solutions or from ordinary solutions (with subsequent painting), the shrinkage deformations and modulus of elasticity of which are close in magnitude to the analogous characteristics of the main concrete layer of the panel. For the facade layer, they also use finishing with ceramic and glass slabs, thin slabs of sawn natural stone, and crushed stone materials. On the inside, a finishing layer of mortar with a density of up to 1800 kg / m3 and a thickness of no more than 15 mm is applied to the panels.

The required density and water resistance of the facade protective and finishing concrete layer is achieved when the panels are molded with the facade surface to the face-down pallet. This same molding process guarantees maximum adhesion of the concrete panel to the slabs.

Concrete panels two-layer construction have bearing and insulating layers: bearing - from heavy or structural lightweight concrete, insulating - from structurally heat-insulating lightweight concrete of dense or cellular structure. The denser carrier layer has a thickness of at least 100 mm and is located on the inside.

Concrete panels three-layer construction have external and internal structural layers of heavy or lightweight structural concrete and an insulating layer enclosed between them. Minimum brand heavy concrete M 150, light - M 100. For the insulation layer, the most effective materials with a density of not more than 400 kg / m3 are used in the form of blocks, plates or mats made of glass or mineral wool on a synthetic bond, foam glass, fibrolite, polystyrene or phenolic foam.

The concrete layers of the panel are united by flexible or rigid ties, ensuring its assembly unity and meeting the requirements of strength, durability and thermal insulation. The most advanced design of flexible ties consists of individual metal rods, which provide the assembly unity of the concrete layers, regardless of their static work. Flexible ties do not prevent thermal deformations of the outer concrete layer of the wall and completely exclude the occurrence of temperature forces in the inner layer. Elements of flexible connections are made of low-alloy steels resistant to atmospheric corrosion or from ordinary construction steel with durable anti-corrosion coatings... In three-layer panels with flexible ties, the outer concrete layer performs only enclosing functions. The load from it, as well as from the insulation, is transmitted through flexible connections to the inner concrete layer. Outer layer they are designed with a thickness of at least 50 mm from concrete of the frost resistance grade Mrz 35 and reinforced with a welded mesh. These measures provide the required durability and crack resistance of the facade layer. Along the butt edges of the panel and along the contour of the openings, the outer concrete layer is thickened for the device of waterproof profiling of the joints and edges of the openings. The thickness of the inner concrete layer of three-layer panels with flexible ties in load-bearing and self-supporting walls is assigned at least 80 mm, and in curtain walls - 65 mm. Insulate panels the most effective materials- expanded polystyrene, mineral wool and glass wool plates. Steel elements designed to connect the panel with the rest of the building are placed in its inner layer.

In three-layer concrete panels Along with flexible ones, rigid ties are also used between the layers in the form of transverse reinforced ribs molded from heavy or lightweight concrete. Rigid connections provide joint static work of concrete layers, protection of connecting fittings from corrosion, ease of implementation, and allow the use of heaters of any type. The design flaw is through heat-conducting inclusions formed by the ribs. They can lead to the formation of condensation on the inner surface of the wall in their area. To eliminate the danger of condensation, the heat capacity of the inner concrete layer is increased, thickening it to 80 -120 mm (according to the results of calculating the temperature panels), and the thickness of the connecting ribs is set to no more than 40 mm.

The structural reinforcement of three-layer panels with rigid ties is performed on both sides. It consists of spatial reinforcement blocks similar to those used in single-layer panels, but supplemented with a welded mesh with a cell of 200X200 mm, reinforcing the facade concrete layer.

Exterior wall structures are classified according to the following criteria:

The static function of the wall, determined by its role in the structural system of the building;

Material and construction technologies determined by the building's building system;

Constructive solutions - in the form of a single-layer or layered enclosing structure.

According to the static function, they are distinguished (Figure 4.4) load-bearing walls (4.3), self-supporting walls(4.4) and curtain walls (4.5).

Figure 4.4. Classification of external walls by bearing capacity: a - bearing; b - self-supporting; c - non-bearing

The non-bearing walls are supported by the floor on the adjacent internal structures of the building (floors, walls, frame).

Bearing and self-supporting walls perceive along with vertical and horizontal loads, being the vertical stiffeners of structures. In buildings with non-bearing external walls, the functions of the vertical stiffeners are performed by the frame, interior walls, diaphragm or stiffening trunks.

Bearing and non-bearing external walls can be used in buildings of any number of storeys. The height of self-supporting walls is limited in order to prevent operationally unfavorable mutual displacements of self-supporting and internal supporting structures, accompanied by local damage to the decoration of the premises and the appearance of cracks. In panel houses, for example, it is permissible to use self-supporting walls with a building height of no more than 4 floors. The stability of self-supporting walls is ensured by flexible connections with internal structures.

Load-bearing external walls are used in buildings of various heights. The maximum number of storeys of a load-bearing wall depends on the bearing capacity and deformability of its material, design, the nature of the relationship with internal structures, as well as on economic considerations. So, for example, the use of lightweight concrete panel walls is advisable in houses with a height of up to 9 - 12 floors, load-bearing brick outer walls - in mid-rise buildings, and steel lattice shell walls - in 70 - 100-storey buildings.

By material, there are four main types of wall structures: concrete, stone, non-concrete materials and wood. In accordance with the building system, each type of wall contains several types of structures: concrete walls - made of monolithic concrete, large blocks or panels; stone walls - brick or small blocks, walls of large stone blocks and panels; wooden walls - chopped, frame-panel, panel and panel.

Exterior walls can be of single or layered construction. Single-layer walls are built from panels, concrete or stone blocks, monolithic concrete, stone, brick, wooden logs or beams. In layered walls, different functions are assigned to different materials. Strength functions are provided by concrete, stone, wood; durability functions - concrete, stone, wood or sheet material (aluminum alloys, enameled steel, asbestos cement, etc.); thermal insulation functions - effective insulation (mineral wool boards, fiberboard, expanded polystyrene, etc.); vapor barrier functions - roll materials (cushioning roofing material, foil, etc.), dense concrete or mastics; decorative functions - various facing materials. An air gap can be included in the layers of such a building envelope. Closed - to increase its resistance to heat transfer, ventilated - to protect the room from radiation overheating or to reduce deformations of the outer facing layer of the wall.

Study and analyze the above material and answer the proposed question.

All private developers ask themselves what the walls should be near the house. Even if the construction is carried out in accordance with the project, then all the same, doubts remain about better choice and mistakes ...
Choose a wall design for your home, wall materials, a consistent consideration of the requirements that apply to the walls will help.
What qualities should the walls of a private house have? Probably:

• strong - do not collapse, do not crack;
• environmentally friendly - do not pose a threat to human health;
• warm, - the house should have thermal comfort, and energy (owner's money) should not be spent on space heating;
• durable - if the walls need to be repaired periodically, or they quickly collapse, then hardly anyone will like it;
• beautiful - the facade of the building must be aesthetic.

The walls of a private house must be strong

For walls made of heavy materials - for brick or concrete, in some modern projects a thickness of 18 - 25 cm is adopted for a one-story building. But with an armored belt at the top and reinforcement of masonry and openings.

In terms of compressive strength for low-rise construction, the most thin walls... But in terms of twisting, shifting, overturning loads, thin walls are unsuitable. The walls are weakened by inaccuracies in the masonry, displacements of the foundation, the presence of window and door openings ....

Walls are guaranteed to be strong for one- two-story house made of heavy materials with a thickness of 30 - 36 cm.

If lightweight, porous (hollow) materials are used, - large-porous expanded clay concrete, gas blocks, porous ceramics, etc. then the thickness of the walls, more is required, with a guarantee - from 36 cm, but in projects you can also find from 25 cm.

Wall insulation

According to requirements sanitary standards inner surface the walls should not be more than 4 degrees colder than the air in the room. If the room is 24 degrees, then the wall surface should be more than 20 degrees, i.e. from the walls should not blow cold, they should not condense moisture on the surface or inside.

This condition is fulfilled if the resistance to heat transfer of the wall, for example, in the conditions of the Moscow region is - 1.37 m2xC / W, and in the climate of Yakutia - 2.15 m2xC / W.

But according to the economic feasibility of heat saving (requirements of SNiP23-02-2003), the resistance to heat transfer of walls, for example, in Moscow should already be more than 3.15 m2xC / W, and in the Yakutsk region - 5.04 m2xC / W.

Those. if we fulfill the requirements of SNiP 23.02.2003 for heat saving, we are guaranteed to create comfortable conditions.

But there is also a factor of temperature and humidity stability as the basis for thermal comfort.

In panel-frame houses, they try to create this stability by a developed ventilation and condensation system, which absorbs money, so much so that during the existence of the house it levels cheap construction this house.

In houses made of heavy materials, comfort is provided by the heat capacity and moisture capacity of the structures themselves. And when using lightweight porous materials, the load on ventilation and air conditioning will be greater.



How to make a wall heat-saving - single-layer and multi-layer structures

Walls made of heavy materials must be coated on the outside with a layer effective insulation to achieve the heat transfer resistances indicated above. For example, for the Moscow region, a foam thickness of 10 cm is required, and for Yakutia - 16 cm.

The result is two-layer walls - a load-bearing layer and a layer of insulation.
Such walls take longer to build and require special qualifications from builders. Walls are not durable, they require overhaul... And also they threaten accidents and destruction due to the accumulation of water, if the structure, construction technology is violated.




Single layer walls can be made from lightweight materials. To fulfill the requirements for thermal insulation, for example, for the Moscow region, a thickness of 55 cm of aerated concrete will be required.
But for a guarantee - also with a layer warm plaster, since for porous materials, thermal conductivity significantly depends on the humidity inside the material. Porous ceramics are a slightly colder material.

In fact, in our climate for the central and northern regions, for a reasonable thickness of walls made of porous materials of 40 - 45 cm (an increase in wall thickness entails an increase in the thickness of the foundation), the requirements for thermal insulation are not met by 20 - 50%.

But given the advantages of single-layer walls - simplicity, trouble-free, ultimate durability, many agree on increased heat loss through the walls.
But heat loss through the walls rarely exceeds 20% of the losses of the whole house, (the leaders are ventilation (drafts and wall blowing), openings, and ceilings). Therefore, insufficient resistance to heat transfer of the wall masonry may simply not be significant, against the background existing problems of a poorly insulated building. More information -

Durability

As indicated, single-layer walls will be durable. Because they do not contain organic or synthetic substances, but consist of natural minerals (mineral materials). For example, porous ceramics consists only of clay and is obtained by annealing in a mixture with sawdust in special forms. Autoclaved aerated concrete consists of sand, cement, aluminum powder (not to be confused with chemical foam concrete). Not to mention the "simple" bricks. Walls made of such materials have a service life of about 100 years.

At the same time, mineral wool contains up to 10% of organic matter and synthetics and lasts a maximum of 35 years (the higher the density, the less shrinkage, and the longer the service life). Expanded polystyrene is completely synthetic, decomposes, their service life does not exceed 25 years. Thus, two-layer and three-layer walls with the indicated materials need to be overhauled every 30 years - to renew the insulation layer.

But purely mineral materials - foam glass and low-density aerated concrete (100 - 200 kg / m3) - also belong to heaters. Moreover, if "eternal" foam glass is expensive, then aerated concrete with a coefficient of thermal conductivity with a nominal humidity of 0.5 - 0.7 W / m ° C is comparable in price with mineral wool. Therefore, it seems that today wall insulation (and not only) with aerated concrete is the best option if we take into account the long-term perspective.



Aesthetics

Many developers prioritize the appearance of the facade, even at the sacrifice of heat conservation and durability. But is it possible to combine good qualities?

The classic look of solid brick building, with durable cladding very resistant to harm, it is achieved by lining the house with clinker (facing) bricks.

This creates a third layer in the wall (three-layer walls). In this case, as a rule, the insulation layer is ventilated similarly to a ventilated facade. The problem of the durability of the insulation can be solved by expensive foam glass (a wall without ventilation and ventilation duct) or a layer of aerated concrete.



Double-layer walls \ "ventilated facade \" suggest finishing with hinged panels. Now it's not only vinyl siding... The panels can be used with clinker tiles, imitate a stone, and so on ...

A wet facade with plaster on the insulation can be finished with vapor-transparent embossed plaster with sun-reflecting painting, many like this appearance ...

Environmental friendliness

Not only walls, but all materials used to build a house must be environmentally friendly. It is not recommended to use decomposing synthetics and organics inside the building, which are known in advance, materials that emit harmful substances into the atmosphere.

Mineral wool emits not only formaldehyde, but also dangerous microfibers. Expanded polystyrene constantly decomposes with the release of toxic phenol, styrenes, which are not excreted from the body. All plywood emit formaldehyde and other non-useful substances to one degree or another….

But also the environmental friendliness of others synthetic materials can be questioned. For example, the same modern wall putties with plasticizers or paints. Should you use them? Isn't it possible to do with the usual cement-sand mortar ...

When building walls of a house from inside the premises, it is advisable to use only mineral materials or natural plant origin.
The environmental friendliness of the walls must be fully ensured. Environmental friendliness is their main quality.

Also, walls are often chosen for the price of creation. But you need to take into account that the cost of the walls is only 10 - 15% of the value of the house. If some walls are 30 - 50% more expensive than others, then still this is not the amount for which it is worth giving up on achieving the intended goal.

An individual developer is necessarily faced with the question of choosing the optimal material for the construction of a residential building. The choice of building materials for the walls takes into account climatic features, embossed nuances, financial capabilities, etc. There is no single formula on this score. All materials for construction have different strengths, require the use of a unique construction technology, and have different levels of thermal conductivity.

Read the article to the end and you will find out: what materials are best used today for building walls at home, what are their advantages and disadvantages. And also: at the end of the article - interesting reader poll regarding this issue.

Let's see what houses are being built from today. Or rather, what materials are used to build the walls. We will present the information “without water” and in a structured manner. First, we will consider the most popular building materials, and then those that are used less often.

Of course, each material has its own pros and cons. Therefore, we will also talk about this. So…

Popular materials for building walls at home

There are many of them. Let's start with the most tried and true option.

Ceramic brick (red)

It is made of clay - an environmentally friendly material. Firing gives it a red color, and also improves the strength properties.

Previously, houses were built mainly of bricks. And they showed themselves well. We can say briefly about this material: this is a classic ... Time-tested.

Pros of red brick:

• high strength;
• reliability;
• the ability to withstand heavy loads for a long time.

Cons of bricks:

• high material cost;
• complex and expensive masonry (highly skilled workers are required);
• relatively large construction time.

Red brick houses are always valuable. They are reliable, durable, warm enough (with a wall thickness of 60 cm or more). Such a house after construction and after 25 years can be sold at a good price. Because brick houses last 100 years.

Ceramic blocks (porous ceramics)

Modern material for the walls of the house. In fact, the same red brick, only with numerous voids. It is made by firing the same clay. However, this creates voids in the material, which significantly improve it. thermal insulation properties... In addition, sawdust is added to the raw material during production. During firing, they burn out, due to which microscopic pores are formed.

Pros of porous ceramics:

• excellent thermal insulation properties;
• ecological cleanliness;
• large-format blocks (masonry is performed rather quickly);
• less weight (which means less load on the foundation).

Disadvantages:

• high price;
• reduced load bearing capacity and strength (compared to solid ceramic bricks);
• increased fragility (especially noticeable during transportation, loading / unloading);
• easily absorbs moisture.

By the way, regarding the strength characteristics, one point should be noted ... Manufacturers often claim that porous ceramic blocks(used for the construction of load-bearing walls) in terms of strength correspond to concrete grade M100. For example, you can often hear that "the strength is the same as that of a regular full-bodied red brick." However ... in practice this is not always the case. Have different manufacturers the strength of porous ceramics can vary. Therefore, when buying, you need to be vigilant.

Despite the shortcomings, this material is now very popular. It is used for the construction of luxury houses.

Aerated concrete

The material is a kind of aerated concrete. It is made from quartz sand, cement, special blowing agents. In addition, lime, gypsum, slag and other industrial waste are used. At the exit, a material with an open porous structure is obtained (the pore diameter is approximately equal to 1 ... 3 mm).

The advantages of aerated concrete:

• small weight;
• low thermal conductivity;
• ease of machining;
• good strength;
• relatively low price.

Disadvantages of aerated concrete:

• strongly absorbs moisture (due to open porous structure);
• increased fragility (required solid foundation to exclude even small drawdowns).

Now the popularity of aerated concrete is at its height. Indeed, for a relatively low price, you can get a warm and quite solid house. Due to the low thermal conductivity, it is possible to build walls that are much thinner than, for example, in the case of red brick. This further reduces the cost of masonry material. In addition, the cost of labor for workers is noticeably lower. Aerated concrete houses are built relatively easily and quickly.

Foam concrete

Also a kind of aerated concrete. Unlike aerated concrete, this material has a closed porous structure. It is made from sand, cement, foaming agent and water.

The technology for making foam concrete is quite simple. No expensive equipment is required for production. And I must say that this fact gives not only a plus, but also adds an important minus: there is a lot of foam concrete on the market made by dubious private firms (handicraft production). Accordingly, the quality of such material cannot be high.

Advantages of foam concrete:

• light weight;
• good thermal insulation properties;
• ease of processing (easy to drill, sawn);
• due to the closed porous structure (the pores are closed), foam concrete does not absorb as much moisture as aerated concrete.

Disadvantages of foam concrete:

• poor vapor permeability (walls "do not breathe", a good ventilation system is required);
• almost does not work on bending;
• over time, it gives significant shrinkage (which means that cracks may form).

Despite the significant disadvantages, foam concrete is used for the construction of residential buildings. Also, this material is used for sound and heat insulation - walls, roofs, floors, etc.

Wood

Time-tested natural material. Wooden houses have been built since ancient times. This material has not lost its popularity in our days.

And there is different technologies construction of wooden houses. So, they can be built from a log house (the old method) - when the trunks are cut to the required length, locks and grooves are made in them, and then laid, creating walls.

There is also a method of building from rounded beams. In this case, the logs in production are processed to a smooth surface and marked. In this case, the beams can be planed, sawn, glued.

The advantages of wood:

• relatively affordable price (compared to other expensive materials);
• ecological cleanliness;
• excellent thermal insulation characteristics;
• aesthetic and attractive appearance;
• no need to build a powerful foundation;
• sufficiently long service life (at correct construction and care) - naturally, different types of wood have different wear resistance;
• ease of machining.

Disadvantages of wood:

Despite the shortcomings, houses built of wood have always been and will always be in value. It is pleasant to be in a wooden house, it is easy to breathe. It is cozy and comfortable in it. In a word, a tree.

Shell rock

It is completely environmentally friendly clean material, fully natural origin... The rock of this stone is porous, carbonate. It consists of pressed shells. Hence the name - "shell rock" (also called "shell rock", "limestone").

The stone is different in density, shape, type and number of shells that form its base. Accordingly, the strength, aesthetic and other characteristics of different shell rock can be very different.

However, in general, according to the pros and cons of this stone, we can say the following.

Benefits of shell rock:

• complete environmental friendliness (it even surpasses wood, since it requires impregnation with special protective substances);
• does not accumulate radiation (usually it is below the sensitivity level of measuring instruments);
• relatively low price(excluding delivery);
• high speed of construction (for example, it can be sawn into blocks measuring 490 × 240x188 mm);
• dense stone has a fairly high strength (suitable for the construction of load-bearing walls).

Disadvantages of shell rock:

• increased ability to absorb moisture (especially in porous and low-strength stone) - higher than that of ceramic bricks;
• the dimensions of the blocks are inaccurate, significant deviations are often observed (due to the fact that the blocks are not stamped, but cut out);
• in terms of thermal conductivity, it is inferior to brick, aerated concrete, wood and some other materials;
• heterogeneity in density and strength is often observed (the material is completely natural).

The attitude of people to this stone is ambiguous. In some regions, most of the houses are built from this stone. In others, they practically do not build due to existing significant shortcomings and prefer other building materials for the construction of walls. Of course, this is also due to the fact that the delivery of stone to some regions can be expensive and unprofitable.

Other building materials for wall construction

Now let's list what is used less often. Moreover, there are also advantages here.

Expanded clay concrete

It is made by pressing from a mixture of water, sand, cement and expanded clay (which is made from clay). Additionally, the blocks can be filled with voids of different volumes and shapes (for example, rectangular, cylindrical).

Laying is usually done using a reinforcing mesh (every 3-4 rows).

Advantages of expanded clay concrete:

• low thermal conductivity;
• good strength (higher than, for example, aerated concrete);
• relatively low price;
• ecological cleanliness (in fact, clay is the basis);
• small weight (due to the presence of a porous and lightweight material - expanded clay);
• manufacturing technology is quite simple (you can make it yourself);
• durability (time-tested);
• good vapor permeability (walls "breathe").

Cons of expanded clay concrete:

• Increased water absorption (waterproofing is needed, protection from external atmospheric influences);
• A solid foundation is required;
• The presence of cold bridges (thin seams are problematic to do due to significant deviations in the size of the blocks);
• There is a material of "handicraft" production with low quality (due to the simplicity of the manufacturing technology).

It should also be noted that expanded clay concrete is quite versatile. Suitable both for the construction of load-bearing walls in low-rise construction, and for the construction of partitions, floors, ceilings. This material is often used simply as insulation.

Arbolit

Refers to lightweight concrete. Another name is also used - wood concrete blocks. Cement, water, organic aggregates, chemical additives are used for the production. Moreover, different materials can be used as fillers (80-90% of the total volume) - wood chips (often), flax or hemp fires, cotton stalks, etc.

Chemical additives are used to eliminate negative impact organics on the process of cement hardening. These can be: water glass, calcium chloride, aluminum sulfate, etc.

The advantages of wood concrete:

• environmental friendliness;
• low thermal conductivity (you can do without insulation);
• good fire resistance (does not support combustion, and when exposed to fire only charred);
• the speed of building walls (blocks of large enough sizes);
• high bending strength (has the ability to restore shape after exposure to loads - due to the presence of wood particles);
• a powerful foundation is not required (as, for example, for aerated concrete);
• you can easily screw screws into the walls, hammer in nails (they are held securely).

Disadvantages of wood concrete:

• protection from moisture is required (due to the presence of organic substances in the composition);
• material is difficult to find in some regions;
• the price can be clearly overstated by the manufacturer (therefore, making wood concrete with your own hands is popular).

In general, we can say that this is a pretty good building material for the construction of walls. Moreover, if you wish, you can make it yourself.

It is used for low-rise buildings (usually up to 3 floors). These can be both residential buildings and utility buildings.

Cinder block

This stone is produced by vibrocompression or natural slag shrinkage is used. concrete mortar... The binder is cement, the filler is metallurgical slags.

However, it should be immediately emphasized that at present all stones that are made by vibrocompression from concrete mortar are considered to be cinder blocks. As a filler, in addition to slag, can also be used: granite screening, broken brick, hardened cement, cullet, etc.

In this case, the resulting blocks can be both full-bodied and with voids (which, in turn, can be different shapes and size).

Cinder block pluses:

• does not burn;
• not afraid of temperature changes;
• long service life (about 100 years);
• affordable price;
• good sound insulation;
• retains heat well (due to the porous structure), although it is inferior in this regard to some other materials (for example, aerated concrete);
• high strength;
• building walls is easier than, for example, laying bricks (block sizes are much larger).

Cons of cinder block:

• Hygroscopic (capable of absorbing moisture by 75%) - waterproofing is needed;
• The walls still need insulation;
• The composition may contain substances of dubious origin that can have a toxic effect on the human body (production wastes make themselves felt);
• the environmental friendliness of the blocks depends on the conscientiousness of the manufacturer;
• the high strength of the material makes it difficult to lay cables, pipes in it;
• the walls have an unpresentable appearance (therefore, finishing is required).

In general, we can say that cinder block is a good material for building walls. It is also used for laying foundations, building partitions.

However, many are stopped by the question of harmfulness. Therefore, for residential buildings, they often prefer to use other options - brick, aerated concrete, etc. And the cinder block - for outbuildings, garages, fences.

Building materials for the walls of the house: draw conclusions

As you can see, today the market offers many options for solving this issue. The house can be built the way you want - not only according to outward appearance, but also in terms of thermal insulation, strength and other characteristics.

So choose optimal material for building walls at home and ... for work.

And now, as promised, a survey among our readers.

Survey

What is the best way to build walls at home? How do you think?