To put up load bearing walls of residential buildings, various partitions and also extensions the foam block mortar is used. It can be separated into two views, proceeding from ways of production of such material. So, it is divided into gas concrete and foam concrete. Now it is necessary to understand in what these two types of concrete differ.
What is gas concrete and foam concrete?
Gas concrete is the type of foam mortar which is made by introduction to solution of blowing agents. Also this mix includes water and silicic component. Then in mix there is number of chemical reactions, in particular between aluminum and hydrate of oxide of calcium therefore process of gas generation proceeds more successfully. The hydrogen which is released at the same time, swelling solution, hardens and remains porous.
Foam concrete call foam mortar of easy type which is formed of mix of such components as sand, cement, water and foam. And here air bubbles which have appeared in the thickness of concrete after its hardening are evenly distributed on all its area.
Difference and similarity of gas concrete and foam concrete
For a start it is necessary to understand already having information. The gas concrete turns out thanks to chemical reaction in special autoclaves with addition of aluminum powder. Foam concrete, in turn, is formed by mixing of foam-forming substance with special structure.
Foam concrete hardens just under natural conditions, and here the gas concrete needs surely high temperature and appropriate level of humidity.
But if to look at strength qualities, here foam concrete block strongly concedes to gas concrete. Therefore the first is not recommended to be used for construction of load-carrying structures. Considering gas concrete, it is possible to note that in its structure all bubbles of almost identical size. Exactly thanks to it loading works evenly on all thickness of blocks. This feature does such type of foam mortar to the strongest among similar, even in spite of the fact that it has smaller weight and density. As for internal structure of foam concrete blocks, in them under the influence of foaming agent the water permeability of micropores is much lower, because of it all internal moisture is more slowly absorbed. In turn, water at leakage in internal cavity strongly freezes that as a result can lead to clinkings in material.
Foam concrete blocks are put on cement and sand solution, and here gas-blocks - on special glue therefore when mounting the second it is possible to eliminate the cold bridge with ease.
When finishing walls, plaster or hard putty sticks to gas-blocks better, than to foam concrete blocks. A lot of cement also is part of foam concrete block that promotes its shrinkage even more. Costs of production of foam concrete are about 20-25 percent lower, than on production of gas concrete. The foaming agents who are simply used in foam concrete production have lower cost, than gas-forming additives which are part of gas concrete.