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House made of cinder blocks wall thickness. Building a house from cinder blocks with your own hands: fast, economical and fun! Physical and mechanical characteristics of cinder blocks

In the 70s of the 20th century, cinder block came to the building materials market. Initially, utility rooms and garages were built from this material. But, considering the merits inexpensive material, let him go to more serious buildings. Today, private houses and buildings are being built from this material on an industrial basis. Interestingly, there are conflicting opinions about a finished cinder block house with pros and cons. This is where they need to be dealt with.

Characteristics of cinder blocks

Initially, slag was laid as a basis in cinder blocks - a product remaining from combustion in coal blast furnaces. Over time, the composition of the base began to change. A modern cinder block may consist of granite screenings, brick cullet, expanded clay, crushed stone, perlite, ash, cullet, sawdust, slag, hardened cement cullet, and concrete. The connecting element in this case is cement, sand, clay, gypsum, plasticizing additives. Properly selected components, processed by vibrocompression on special vibroforming equipment, lead to the manufacture of industrial cinder block (Fig. 1). The production of this material is also possible in a handicraft way using wooden or metal molds(Figure 2). Wanting to build a house from a cinder block, the pros and cons of such a structure are determined by the owners during operation, but you need to think through everything in advance.

cinder block (Fig. 1)
making cinder blocks with your own hands (Fig. 2)

Types and sizes

Thanks to the calculations of technologists and developers, standard sizes cinder blocks, as in Fig (3). Moreover, such material can be full-bodied or have a different form of hollowness (from 28% to 40%). A different percentage of voids affects the weight of one block and its specifications. For the production of partitions, blocks are made with a smaller thickness.

About the building material - cinder blocks.

Cinder block house pros and cons

A cinder block house can have a variety of sizes and architecture. It has a low weight, which does not weigh down the entire structure of the building and does not require a reinforced foundation. The cinder block house has excellent refractory properties. Due to the large size of the blocks and their lightness, it is comfortable to work with such material. Walls are built quickly, at a lower cost physical energy. Any bricklayer will cope with such construction; additional machines and mechanisms are not needed here. In this case, the consumption of the solution does not increase at all. Thanks to high-quality material, the cinder block house has strength and reliability, long service life. The slag block is not afraid of rodents and mold. It is UV and chemical resistant. All this can be attributed to the plus sides of cinder block houses.

types and sizes of cinder blocks (Fig. 3)
cinder block for interior partitions

Important #1:

The most important advantage of a cinder block house is considered to be it. The purchase of material and the construction of a "cinder block box" will not require large expenditures. But from this point on, negative characteristics begin. The operation of cinder block buildings without additional insulation and cladding is possible in the country (during summer residence) and in buildings without heating, temporary buildings, garages. Despite the fact that some manufacturers praise their material from all sides, it is impossible to live permanently in a cinder block house without additional insulation. And builders agree with this - professionals and those people who have personally encountered the problem of cold in a cinder block house.

Important #2:

In order for the pros and cons to be leveled in a cinder block house, additional insulation with polystyrene foam should be carried out (for our climate, a material with a thickness of 50 mm is chosen) and lining:

  • siding;
  • facing brick;
  • tree;
  • plaster.

At this stage, the plus side in terms of efficiency of the cinder block structure develops into a minus one. After all, the cost of insulation, facing material and work may exceed the cost of the "cinder block box". And this minus is not the only one. The disadvantages of a cinder block house include:

  • the difficulty of laying pipes and communications;
  • moisture absorption;
  • poor sound insulation and thermal insulation (which improves after insulation and sheathing);
  • the inability to hang heavy objects on the walls due to the fragility of the blocks;
  • not always a flat surface of the blocks;
  • not always a pleasant color;
  • dubious environmental friendliness and harmlessness of the material.

molds for making cinder blocks
do-it-yourself scheme

cinder block making machine
cinder block house

What should be followed?

In a cinder block house, the pros and cons will become less expressive if:

  • construction technology will be observed;
  • professionals will take the job;
  • the house is additionally insulated and sheathed;
  • construction will take place in dry weather;
  • masonry will be carried out on a high foundation of a tape type (due to the fact that the cinder block is afraid of dampness, it is quickly saturated with moisture and can collapse);
  • walls will not remain without a roof with vapor barrier for a long time.

Is cinder block harmful?

Manufacturers are trying to dispel the myth about the radioactivity of cinder block buildings. In order to avoid disagreements, the radioactive background of the area and material should be checked. But, due to the fact that acid and sulfur residues can be found in the slag, it is better for such raw materials to erode in the air during the year. Only after exposure and purification, the slag can be used for the production of cinder blocks.

Output

We cannot say unequivocally that it is better not to build residential buildings from cinder blocks. We will not be understood by those people who live in such a house and do not know the problems. We will not promote this material either. One thing is for sure, this material belongs to the future. And about what to build from, it's up to you.

Slag concrete - a variety lightweight concrete, in which blast-furnace slag is used as a filler. In construction, slag concrete is used in the form of blocks, the maximum dimensions of which are 400 * 200 * 200 mm.

This article discusses the technology of building a house from cinder block. We will study the advantages and disadvantages of this material, technical characteristics and features of working with it.

Production, varieties, sizes

According to the provisions of GOST No. 13579 "Building blocks", in the solution for the manufacture of cinder blocks, not only blast-furnace slag, but also other construction waste can be used as a filler - granotsev, broken concrete and brick, cullet, volcanic ash. Portland cement grade M400 is used as a binder.

The production process of cinder block can be divided into three stages

  1. Mixing concrete mortar.
  2. Block molding.
  3. Drying blocks and set products strength.

In industrial conditions, production is carried out on automated lines, where operators only need to load raw materials into a concrete mixer. Blocks are formed in vibropresses, where the raw material loaded into the mold is subjected to vibration compaction for 60-90 seconds. It is vibration compaction that provides increased strength of the material.

Partial hardening of blocks, which allows you to store products in stacks, occurs within 2-3 days. Self-hardening takes place at a temperature environment, its period can be reduced by adding special hardening modifiers (relaxol, fulleron) to the composition of the solution. Slag concrete gains its final strength within 25-28 days.

The production of cinder blocks at home can be set up with only a concrete mixer and a vibrating machine, the cost of which varies between 10-100 thousand rubles. The productivity of the vibrating machine of the middle price category is 500-700 blocks per day, which will allow you to build a house from a hand-made glakoblock. The required number of blocks for a one-story building with an area of ​​10 × 10 can be made within 7-10 days.

Cinder blocks are classified into two types:

  • corpulent - with their use, the laying of load-bearing walls is carried out;
  • hollow - used for thermal insulation or laying internal partitions.

There are also decorative cinder blocks, in which one side has the texture of some material - stone, wood. The decorative surface is made of concrete, which allows it to perform not only an aesthetic function, but also protect the walls from moisture.

The most common size of cinder block is 390*190*188 mm, less common are 400*200*200 and 395*195*195 mm. The voidness of products can vary within 28-40%, while the shape of the perforations is different, they can be rectangular, round or square.

To find out how many blocks will be required to build the walls of the house, it is necessary to determine the volume of the wall (the length of the wall multiplied by its height and width) minus the volume of window and doorways, and divide the volume of masonry by the volume of one wall block.

1.1 Material characteristics, pros and cons of a cinder block house

Consider the main technical characteristics of cinder blocks:

  • density - from 750 to 1500 kg / m 3;
  • coefficient thermal conductivity - 0.28-0.64 W / mS;
  • strength class - from M35 to M50;
  • frost resistance class - F20-F50.

The scope of this material is extremely extensive, however, in individual construction it is most often used for the construction of utility buildings and garages. The use of cinder block for the construction of residential buildings is less common, since in terms of performance it loses significantly cellular concrete- cinder blocks and gas blocks.

Advantages of using cinder blocks:

  • comparatively low cost (about 2 thousand per cubic meter, while the price of foam concrete starts from 3 thousand);
  • low weight of the blocks, which simplifies the work with the material and makes it possible to use inexpensive types of foundation for construction;
  • large size of cinder blocks - accelerates the pace of masonry and reduces the number of masonry joints, which affects the consumption of mortar or glue;
  • simple masonry technology that even an inexperienced builder can perform;
  • the ability to save on the purchase of material and produce blocks at home;
  • excellent soundproof qualities;
  • long service life, subject to right technology construction.

The disadvantages of this material are as follows

  • high thermal conductivity, due to which the walls of the house do not hold heat well - additional insulation of the masonry will be required;
  • high moisture absorption, in comparison with heavy concrete, which negatively affects the frost resistance of the material (this problem is solved by external waterproofing of the masonry).

It should be noted that blast-furnace slag, which is a waste product of the metallurgical industry, which is part of the slag concrete, contains sulfur and acid. These materials are dangerous to the body, and in order for them to completely weather the unit must be kept in a ventilated room or outdoors for 12 months. When purchasing material, be sure to ask the supplier for a certificate of sanitary conformity.

1.2 The technology of building a cinder-block house (video)

2 Features of building a house from cinder block

Since the cinder block is a hygroscopic material, the first row of masonry must be raised above ground level to a sufficient height. For this, the foundation base must be high (about 50-70 cm above the ground). For buildings made of cinder concrete, a strip foundation is most often chosen.

If the construction is carried out in conditions of stable soil, then a shallow-depth tape is used (depth 50-60 cm), on heaving soil - a deep foundation (the sole of the tape is placed 20 cm below the freezing line). The width of the foundation corresponds to the thickness of the masonry. The base must be reinforced with a spatial frame of reinforcement bars with a diameter of 12-16 mm, concreting is carried out with concrete grade M400. You can start raising the walls 2-3 weeks after pouring the foundation.

Cinder block masonry has the following features:

  • the first row of blocks is placed on top of the rolled waterproofing made of roofing material, felts or glass isol laid on the foundation surface;
  • it is necessary to reinforce every 4th row of masonry, this is done by steel mesh with cells 5 * 5 and a wire thickness of 2-3 mm;
  • the thickness of the masonry joints when using a cement-sand mortar is 1.5 cm;
  • the second and all subsequent glads are placed with dressing in the floor of the block;
  • the upper contour of the wall along the line of placement of the interfloor ceiling or roof is reinforced with a monolithic armored belt 15-20 cm high, for the installation of which special U-shaped blocks are used;
  • if it is planned to insulate the wall, then you need to make masonry 1 block thick and clad the wall with brick, while thermal insulation material(extruded polystyrene foam or basalt wool) is placed between blocks and bricks.

The roof of a cinder block house can be any, the best option is a classic gable roof structure. Mauerlat, in which the rafter legs will rest, is made from a bar with a section of 15 * 15 cm fixed on a monolithic armored belt. There is no need to reinforce the lower contour of window openings with an armored belt, since cinder block walls do not shrink.

If insulation of the house and brick wall decoration are not provided, then it is necessary to veneer the box of the building from the outside immediately after its construction. The reason for the haste is the increased moisture absorption of the material, which must be eliminated. Facade decoration can be done using siding or a block house; options using hydrophobic plaster are also popular.

Increasingly, for the construction of modern houses, materials such as cinder block are used. And the secret of such popularity lies not only in its low cost. It has many benefits. It is no worse than modern building materials, which are made according to the latest technologies. It is ideal for the construction of residential buildings.

The cinder block is a building stone. It is obtained by shrinking cement mortar in different forms. The manufacturing technology is not particularly complicated, it does not require special equipment and installations. The solution is made up of various components, but this does not greatly affect the final characteristics. Therefore, you can make such a building material yourself. To do this, you will need to make a form into which the solution mixture will be poured.

Manufacturing

As a rule, industrial cinder block is always larger than red or sand-lime brick. By making it yourself, you can give it the size and shape of your choice. You can make a form from ordinary wooden planks. The solution is made from ash, which can be replaced with slag waste from boiler houses. Cement is also added to it. All these components make it possible to obtain building materials of increased strength. For even greater strength, sand, dolomite crushed stone, brick chips, and limestone screenings can be added to the solution. Of course, all this must be filled with water. From such a solution, concrete cinder blocks are obtained, which have a significant weight. To get a lightweight version, the solution is kneaded on the basis of cement, expanded clay, slag and ash.


Such elements are used not only for the construction of residential buildings. Other types of buildings are also built from them. Due to the relative lightness of the material, you can easily build a house on your own in the shortest period of time. A cinder block house is warm and comfortable.

Construction Benefits

A cinder block is essentially a concrete block. As a filler, slag is used for it, which determines the basic properties of the material. Slag is a vitreous mass. It consists of the smallest particles of waste rock, which is mixed with flux. This substance removes impurities that form during the melting of the metal.

What are the advantages of buildings built from such material?

  1. First of all is the cost. This type of block material is inexpensive. In addition, it is generally possible to make it yourself.
  2. Minor weight. This allows you not to focus on the strength of the foundation, and saves on construction.
  3. High strength. Blocks are made on the basis of cement, slag, sand and sawdust. As a result, the material is durable. After its surface is plastered, it will be no different from silicate brick.
  4. Fire resistant. There are simply no components left in its composition that could catch fire. Under the influence of high temperatures, they can melt, but not catch fire.
  5. The building is not afraid of insects and small rodents. Therefore, residents may not be afraid of such a neighborhood. But it is worth noting that such non-love is caused by the fact that some components carry a certain harmfulness.
  6. Technological simplicity. You can build a house from cinder block yourself even with a complete lack of experience in construction.


If we talk about insulating properties, then the prospects look rather sad. The cinder block has a porous structure that absorbs moisture. This leads to freezing of the walls in winter time of the year. Therefore, a building that is not insulated will serve as a poor protection for you from cold and frost.

Construction Disadvantages

Knowing all the shortcomings of the building material, you can more accurately understand whether this material meets your needs. Unfortunately, the cinder block also has them.

  • High level of thermal conductivity. House calls mandatory insulation. If you do not fulfill this condition, then the fuel costs will shock you.
  • An increased degree of hygroscopicity, that is, the material is too porous. This means that the walls will catastrophically absorb any moisture. This will lead to dampness and cold indoors in winter. To avoid this, you will need an exterior plaster and a wall waterproofing agent. The latter must be used even when the facade of the building will be insulated from the outside using wet technology.
  • Low level environmental friendliness. Of course, manufacturing companies convince that this building material does not contain anything bad. However, no one can guarantee you that radioactive slag was not used in its production.

The list can go on for a very long time. You can add some nuances that make the process more complicated. But in reality, all this is not important if the builder is armed in advance with modern and reliable high-quality tools.

Construction features

The technology of erecting buildings from cinder block material is practically no different from building, for example, from brick. In the same way, the foundation is made, walls are erected, a roof is put up and communications are laid. Differences are noticeable only at certain stages.

  • Protection of the foundation from water. Due to the fact that this species building material is hygroscopic, it just needs to be protected from moisture, which will come from everywhere, taking into account the foundation. Therefore, the waterproofing work of the foundation must be carried out with special care.
  • Masonry. The cinder block is laid in almost the same way as a brick. The method of bandaging the blocks is the same and has not changed for many years. The difference lies in the fact that the cinder block has voids. They are used depending on what the goal is. If the house is low, then the voids are simply filled with cement. This allows you to achieve additional strengthening of the structure. If the building will have several floors, then a reinforcement frame is inserted into the cavity. This allows the material to withstand the load coming from the upper floors.
  • A cinder block house cannot do without an armored belt. Of course, I use it in the construction of all buildings from blocks. It is designed to distribute the load that comes from the floor slabs to all walls. If the house is being built from cinder block, then the armored belt is especially important. It is even made a little larger than usual.

Start of construction

Before starting the construction process, you need to decide on the size of the budget. There should be enough money to purchase ready-made material or components for its subsequent manufacture. In addition, the construction process will also require funds from you, as well as the repair process.

So, if you get everything you need to build a foundation, and build walls on it, and there is not enough money to continue building, then all the work will go down the drain. After all, we already wrote earlier that the cinder block absorbs moisture, which means that it will quickly become unusable, and everything will eventually have to be redone. If you cannot make all the calculations yourself, then contact a construction company that specializes in planned development and calculates the number required material with budgeting.

Also, you must put in order all the documentation proving your right to property and so on.

Building a foundation

When the documentation is put in order, and all materials are purchased, you can start digging a foundation pit. To build the latter, you will need cement, reinforced concrete foundation blocks, crushed stone, gravel and sand. If you are planning to create a basement or want to build a garage under the house, then the foundation pit should be larger and deeper than usual.

The foundation itself, as a rule, has a tape structure. Especially when it comes to low-rise buildings. The quality of the soil on which the house is being built also affects how the foundation will look. Its height should have a height of at least 70 centimeters above ground level. This will protect the blocks from possible wetting.


When the foundation is ready, it must stand for at least one month. But laying the plinth is an exception. Its layer should be at least five rows if the building is built from concrete blocks. The lower part of the basement must be completely isolated from the surface of the foundation itself. Top part the plinth is covered with a layer of waterproofing.

Wall and roof construction

When the foundation is settled, you can start laying the walls of the house. To do this, you need to prepare the cinder block itself and, of course, the solution. It is prepared from cement and plasticizer. The latter will not allow the cement to harden very quickly. Therefore, it can be mixed in large quantities. So, for the process of building walls, the following tools will come in handy.

  • Hacksaw. You will need it for sawing blocks to give them the desired size.
  • Respirator. When sawing, a lot of dust is generated.
  • Building level.
  • Hydraulic level.
  • Hammer.
  • Trowel.
  • Plumb.
  • Order.

Construction stages

As with building a brick house, you need to carefully align all the corners. The result should be a perfect rectangle shape. Then four cinder blocks are placed on the surface of the foundation. They are leveled with a building level and a stretched cord. After that, a layer of cement mortar is applied to the surface. It is on him that the first row of cinder blocks is exposed. If necessary, to give the solution a viscosity, ordinary ash is added to it. If there is red clay, then it will do the same.

The blocks are very easy to install. There are very few differences from brickwork. The solution is applied with a trowel. The stone is placed at an angle to the surface, turned so that it is parallel to the surface of the wall, and pressed firmly against the stone that was laid earlier. In this case, you need to lightly tap with a hammer on concrete block. Excess residues of the solution are removed with a paint trowel.


The very first rows must be laid out as accurately as possible. When erecting them, you need to check how even the surface is with the help of a building level and a plumb line. The more often you conduct such a check, the faster the work will go. In addition, you do not have to correct the mistakes made.

Laying methods

Laying walls made of cinder block material is possible in several ways.

1) In two stone blocks.

2) One and a half blocks.

3) In one cinder block.

4) Half a stone.

The solution must be laid with a thickness of no more than one and a half centimeters. If the layer is thicker, then the thermal insulation properties of the finished structure may decrease. To increase these properties, voids within blocks are best left unfilled. The solution is laid only at the joints of the blocks and where it is needed. When the wall is ready, the voids in it are covered with very fine slag, which is then carefully compacted.

In any case, the construction process is much faster than if you used ordinary brick. This is due to the size of the material and ease of use. So, the brick is smaller, so it will need twice as much. Therefore, more movements will have to be performed. Yes, and the same cement will go a lot. This means that the cinder block saves money. When the process of building walls is completed, you need to take on their hydro and thermal insulation. This is necessary so that moisture does not get on the surface of the material. This is especially important to do before you mount the roof.

When the walls are completely insulated from the effects of weather conditions, the roof frame is installed. It is designed after all the work related to the box of the building is completed. So that condensation does not form between the ceiling and the roof of the house, moisture does not collect, steam and waterproofing materials should be laid between them.
When the installation of the roof is fully completed, it is necessary to perform a vapor barrier on the ceiling. It, like the entire roof, must be insulated inside with basalt or mineral wool.

Video. We build a house from cinder block

Video. Cinder block its pros and cons

Any reasonable person and prudent owner, before building a house from cinder block, carefully studies the advantages of this building material, its physical and mechanical characteristics, thus choosing the most optimal type of wall blocks.

The low price, ease of installation and the possibility of making the material with your own hands, about thirty years ago, made the cinder block popular with both individual and large developers. But it is from those times to this day that there is an opinion among the people that building a house from cinder blocks is dangerous to health. This is partly due to the fact that earlier “improvised” material was used as a filler in wall blocks: blast-furnace slag, which desperately “fonil”, and solid waste from industrial enterprises.

Nevertheless, as the well-being of the population grows and the market is saturated with new, modern building materials, the construction of cinder block houses has not lost its relevance, because technical progress has also affected this simple product.

What is it, a modern cinder block

There are the following types of cinder blocks:

  • Solid - used for the construction of foundations, plinths and load-bearing walls;
  • Hollow - external walls and internal partitions are laid out from it.

To select a hollow material most often used in low-rise construction, it is necessary to take into account its properties, which directly depend on the type and number of internal voids:

  • Most high performance in terms of thermal conductivity, blocks with a voidness of 40% are also the least durable. Therefore, these products are used as thermal insulation in addition to more durable materials;
  • A voidage of 30% allows you to combine in products a balance of the necessary strength and good thermal insulation characteristics;
  • It is believed that blocks with round (oval) internal chambers are more durable, and with rectangular ones they are more convenient for installation, they are evenly cut.

Wall block fillers

Perhaps one more important aspect The one you need to pay attention to is the fillers. As mentioned above, industrial waste was previously used as fillers, often their use had a negative impact on the health of residents.

Now you can also find products with blast-furnace slag inside, but most often the manufacturer tries to produce a product that meets the requirements for safe use and living.

To obtain durable, dense blocks with high thermal conductivity, sand, pebbles or crushed stone are used. From a lighter concrete mix with the addition of gravel, perlite or expanded clay, blocks are made with less weight and thermal conductivity. The most environmentally friendly filler - sawdust, the only disadvantage of such products is hydrophobia.

Weight and dimensions of the cinder block

Physical and mechanical characteristics of cinder blocks

  • Strength. The M35 brand is used in conjunction with other material for structural insulation; M50 and M 75 - for laying walls and internal partitions; M100 and M 125 - for foundations and plinths;
  • Frost resistance– 15 to 50 freeze and thaw cycles. For external walls, it is recommended to use blocks with frost resistance of at least 35 cycles, and in the northern regions - 50;
  • Thermal conductivity cinder block is not inferior to brick indicators.

Knowing the above features of the building material, you can easily choose the most suitable one, and building a house from a cinder block will not bring unpleasant surprises.

Appearing less than 50 years ago, the technique of building structures from cinder blocks has gained wide popularity. All thanks to the simplicity and high speed of installation. To make the construction even more economical, many decide to build a cinder block house with their own hands. With a minimum of tools, following the technology, you can build a warm, reliable, durable structure.

For construction, a certain number of cinder blocks will be required. You can make them yourself. This will require special forms in large quantities, since drying will take place directly in them. With the help of filler, water and cement, a mixture is created that is distributed over the forms. To form voids in blocks, you can apply glass bottles or metal and wooden blanks.

The entire manufacturing process will take about a month. Therefore, if the speed of construction of the building is important to you, and the necessary funds are available, then it is better to purchase ready-made material. It must be certified and have the relevant documents. Experts recommend paying attention to the following points:

  1. Use in the production of environmentally friendly fillers.
  2. These include shell rock, shavings and crushed stone. All ligaments with cinder block must be the same and without defects.
  3. You should carefully study the qualitative characteristics, such as resistance to low temperatures, strength, thermal conductivity, so that building a house from a cinder block with your own hands brings the maximum result.
  4. Take an interest in manufacturing technology. When purchasing material for the construction of a residential building, pay attention to the use of a vibrocompression machine. If other devices were used in the production, then such cinder blocks are suitable only for outbuildings.
  5. Pay attention to the color of the blocks. Gray indicates a large amount of cement. If a different shade prevails, then this is a sign of use. a large number filler, which is unacceptable for such a building material.

Connoisseurs of the construction business advise checking the quality before building a house from a cinder block with your own hands. This can be done with an ordinary 1.5 cm nail. If it enters the bottom of the block, then its quality is in doubt. You can also drop it from a height of 1.5 meters. A reliable cinder block will remain intact or its corners will slightly go astray. If the material crumbled or crashed, then it should not be used for construction.

Calculation of the number of blocks

The result of building a house from cinder concrete with your own hands from scratch largely depends on the correct calculation of building materials. It should be borne in mind that masonry can occur using different technologies:

  • in the floor of a stone (20cm);
  • in one (40 cm);
  • in two (80 cm);
  • one and a half (60 cm).

This choice will depend on the climate zone. In a temperate climate, a stone floor may be enough, but in regions with harsh winters, a thickness of at least 60 cm will be required.

The required number of cinder blocks is calculated according to the following algorithm:

  1. First you need to calculate the cost of building materials per meter of wall. The standard area of ​​one cinder block is 0.08 m². That is, 12.5 blocks are required for 1 m. If the laying of a cinder block house with your own hands will take place in two rows, then we double the resulting figure.
  2. Next, you need to calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe entire building. To do this, its perimeter must be multiplied by the height.
  3. To find out the total number of cinder blocks, you need to multiply the amount for one meter by the resulting area.

When making calculations, do not take into account window and door openings. This will be a reserve, since rejection or damage to building materials is possible.

Foundation laying

When building a house from a cinder block with your own hands, it is worth laying a fairly high foundation. This is due to the fact that under the action of moisture, the blocks can collapse, as a result of which the entire structure will suffer. The minimum height must be 70 cm. The best option considered to be a tape type foundation.

The main stages of laying the foundation:

  1. The pit breaks out. In cases where a basement is planned, it should be deepened.
  2. A pillow of gravel and sand is laid half a meter thick.
  3. Mounted crate and metal frame.
  4. The cement mortar is poured.

If it is planned to build a basement, then it will be possible to start it a week after pouring. The house itself is built after complete drying. This may take about a month. Important! It is necessary to take care of waterproofing between the plinth and cinder blocks to prevent their damage from moisture.


Walling

At this stage, the most important nuance is alignment. Therefore, after laying the first row, it is necessary to carefully check this moment with the help of a level.

As for the laying of cinder blocks, it is carried out quite quickly. You should have at hand a mallet for tamping, a trowel to remove excess mortar and a spatula.


It is necessary to monitor the thickness of the applied solution. It should not exceed 1.5 cm. Otherwise, the thermal characteristics of a self-built cinder block house will deteriorate. To increase the strength of the mixture, a plasticizer is added to it. It will also help slow drying down, resulting in less frequent re-mixing of the mortar.

It is necessary to lay the blocks at a temperature not lower than 15 ° C in dry weather.


The rows are stacked with an offset on the floor of the block. To increase the strength of the structure, you can use reinforcement, which is inserted into specially prepared recesses in cinder blocks every 4 rows.

How to insulate a house?

Since external insulation is much more effective than internal insulation, it is worth taking care of this already at the construction stage. In addition, the installation of insulation will create reliable protection for cinder blocks. The most economical and sufficient effective option is considered foam insulation. If exercise internal insulation using this material, a vapor barrier is required. It is not needed for external thermal insulation.


You need to do the following:

  1. Putty the walls.
  2. Attach the heater. This can be done on a metal bar, the role of which can be played by drywall profiles. Styrofoam should be tightly laid so that there are no gaps between the seams.
  3. Apply a reinforcing mesh to prevent the appearance of defects during mechanical action.
  4. Level the surface and finish. Finishing work carried out using bark beetle or decorative plaster.
  5. Paint the walls.

It is also possible to insulate with mineral wool. In this case, you can sheathe the house with siding. If financial possibilities allow, then you can purchase polyurethane foam. This insulation is applied by spraying, as a result of which there are no joints, therefore, thermal insulation characteristics are improved.

Roof

On the finished frame of a cinder block house with your own hands, it is necessary to mount the roof in a short time. This is necessary to protect the cinder blocks from negative atmospheric phenomena. This process can be carried out simultaneously with warming.


The most common type of roofing is gable roof. The installation process includes the following steps:

  1. To begin with, a Mauerlat is mounted, the so-called base, on which it will rely rafter system. Here you should think about waterproofing to prevent wood from rotting from rain and snow.
  2. The rafter system is assembled. This process is standard. The rafters form the shape of the letter A. But in the case of cinder block houses, additional racks and beds must be used so that the walls are not under constant stress.
  3. Next, ceiling beams are installed.
  4. Then farms are mounted. It is important to choose their sizes correctly so that they can withstand roofing material. You also need to make sure they are identical.
  5. After that, the hydraulic barrier is stretched. To do this, use a special membrane.
  6. The installation of the crate and the covering with roofing material is carried out.
  7. The final stage is warming. It will help reduce heat loss by another 15-20%.

Advantages and disadvantages of cinder block houses

Cinder block housing is very attractive due to its features:

  • It is quickly erected, while the costs are minimal when compared with other materials.
  • There is no need to lay a massive foundation.
  • The material used for construction is easy to store and transport.
  • The quality of the erected house is in no way inferior to structures made of other materials, if the technology is followed correctly.

But with all the advantages, there are also disadvantages:

  • Moisture is detrimental to cinder block.
  • This material does not provide an adequate level of sound and heat insulation.
  • The material does not differ in attractiveness, such as wood.

It is worth noting that these disadvantages are easily compensated. Proper laying of the foundation, construction in dry weather will help solve the problem with moisture. At the construction stage, you can use mineral wool, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, which will help achieve the required level of heat and sound insulation. And modern Decoration Materials will give an attractive appearance housing.

A do-it-yourself cinder block house is an excellent alternative to buildings made from other materials, which helps to save money and get quality housing in a short time.

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