What first of all do the people who are going to build the house think of? About the choice of construction material. If earlier the choice was limited to brick, tree and concrete, then today it is possible to find many types of masonry units in sale.
Foam concrete and gas-silicate
Cement and sand mix, water and foaming agent is applied to production of foam concrete. Production of this material does not demand the special equipment — to mix enough ingredients and to pour mix in forms. It leads to emergence of numerous handicraft works which make products of doubtful quality. It is better to buy products of the famous producers and to be interested in availability of certificates of quality.
From the consumer point of view material is rather good. It is easy, at the expense of the big size of the block it is plain in mounting. Thanks to close-meshed structure well keeps heat. On the other hand, this time well absorbs moisture that can lead to gradual destruction of material. That to avoid it, walls from foam concrete need to be covered with plaster coat.
There is one more kind of foam mortar — gas concrete. It is often confused with foam concrete, but these materials differ on manufacturing techniques. The gas concrete has higher quality. It is stronger, is more durable, has the best adhesion that facilitates its plastering. One more type of cellular blocks — gas-silicate. For their production cement is not used therefore material is not concrete. It is made of mix of sand, lime, silicates and foaming agent. Blocks place in the autoclave where they are affected by high temperature and pressure. Strengths of these blocks same, as well as at gas concrete — they easy, warm and convenient in work. It is possible to carry the low durability, bad frost resistance and tendency to defeat to shortcomings fungus. To save gas-silicate from influence of the external environment, it is revetted with brick.
Keramzitobeton
Kermazitobetonny blocks are manufactured of cement and sand mix and haydite — porous balls from the burned clay. Durability material is given vibropressing and steaming. Blocks of this kind can be both integral, and hollow. Material has high strength and hardness, is not afraid of frost and does not absorb moisture. It is capable to maintain heavy loads. The haydite which is its part serves as heat insulator and provides good air exchange. On heat-insulating properties material exceeds blocks from gas concrete. Besides, to it moisture is not terrible. On strength characteristics it is close to brick, but has twice smaller specific weight. On the basis of keramzitobeton one more type of construction material — heatblocks is created. It is the three-layer design consisting of the bearing layer, heater and decorative finishing. As heater expanded polystyrene is applied, decorative part is made of the concrete imitating stone, and the bearing loading is assumed by layer of keramzitobeton. Using such blocks, it is possible to save time and money on works on facing and warming.
Other types of blocks
Earlier in construction widely applied slag stones. Binding substance in them is sand-cement mix, and role of filler is played by blast furnace slag. This material is considered outdated and does not conform to modern requirements. It badly keeps heat, is afraid of moisture and emits hazardous substances. Its only advantage is low price. One more outdated type of masonry units — opilkobeton in which cement and sand mix is connected to sawdust. It very well absorbs acoustic waves that does it by ideal material for sound insulation. It is at the moment inexpedient to use it for capital construction in view of its shortcomings — he is afraid of water, badly keeps heat, and the quality of material is unstable.