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In the age of new technologies, many things become real and accessible. A foam block cottage is a dream come true, which can be built in a short time.
We are planning to build from foam blocks
The construction of any building begins with a drawing. It includes communications, layout, and architectural features. An electronic version of a cottage made of foam blocks is the first step towards the home of your dreams.
Incredible foam block house
You should not start construction based on a drawing on paper - this will inevitably lead to further difficulties. You’ll forget something, you won’t think it through, or you just don’t know something. This can be avoided by having a clear plan. Your confidence in the quality of the work is a good motivation to order a drawing.
Ground floor plan
Foam concrete (foam block), as a building material, is gaining popularity.
There are many reasons for this:
- Lightweight material simplifies installation.
- Large dimensions, which saves construction time as much as possible.
- Porous structure with improved heat and sound insulation characteristics.
- Environmentally friendly material. Minimal amount of impurities that do not affect human health.
Second floor plan
This material is well suited for low-rise buildings. High-rise buildings are usually built using floor slabs. Their mass can negatively affect the structure of foam concrete. Such consequences can be avoided by spending the required time on shrinking the blocks. If you follow construction technology, you can build two floors without risks.
What is a foam block
Foam block is a parallelepiped-shaped building material used for laying load-bearing walls and internal partitions. Foam blocks are made in the factory from quarry sand, cement, water and foaming agent. A suspension of aluminum powder is mainly used as a foaming agent, which in reaction with water leads to the formation of hydrogen bubbles. Foam concrete poured into molds at the factory gains initial strength for several days, after which the resulting foam block is removed from the mold and left to further gain strength and harden for 15-20 days.
In addition, there is a foam block cutting technology, when foam concrete is poured not into small forms, but into a large pallet form.
After the foam concrete has hardened, the uneven cap is initially cut off using a twisted string, and then the material is cut into equal parallelepipeds. Note! Many people who are not experienced in construction matters often confuse foam block with gas block. As a rule, concepts are mistakenly substituted during an amateurish assessment of the cost of construction, since aerated concrete or aerated concrete block actually costs more than foam concrete. The composition of aerated concrete is much wider: cement, quartz sand, water, lime, foaming agent. In this case, both materials can be distinguished by color. The foam block is grayish in color, and the gas block is almost white.
Foam block is a building material in the shape of a parallelepiped.
Foam concrete and aerated concrete differ in color and structure.
Project of a one-story cottage or creating a “family” estate
Many years have passed since the times of the nobility, but who would refuse to become the owner of a “family” estate. And today, building a “family nest” is a common thing.
A house should please its residents. The future owner has the right to choose the location of the rooms, the kitchen area, the required number of sheds and greenhouses. Now architects work together with designers, creating beautiful buildings: from strict classics to gothic and hi-tech.
Foam concrete lends itself well to adjustments during construction; you can choose a house with complex architecture and be sure that yours will be the same . For a fee, you can "rearrange" the interior until you find something that suits your taste.
Landscaping using landscape design or building a swimming pool is an additional paid service. The price will also affect the scale of the changes, but if you start making your dream come true, it’s better to save money by drawing up an estimate.
A construction company that takes on a project can greatly overestimate the quantity and underestimate the quality, which will affect the final amount. Therefore, it is worth drawing up a “basis of the estimate”. It will include a basic calculation of the amount of building materials and the approximate price of services.
Why foam concrete?
There are several good reasons for this:
- first of all, unprecedented speed of construction and saving of material;
- foam block allows you to create walls of the required thickness using less material than, for example, brick;
- excellent thermal insulation, which will save on additional insulation of a foam block house;
- the ease of processing foam concrete will allow you to build structures of any geometric shape: the material can be sawed and polished well;
- due to the lightness of the material, you can also install the house on a less durable and, accordingly, cheaper foundation;
- the price of foam concrete will pleasantly surprise you;
- the considerable thickness of the blocks allows you to think about laying all the necessary communications directly in the walls, under a layer of decorative elements. This factor will allow you to spend even less time on construction.
This product can come in various shapes and sizes
Construction of two-story mansions
You need to start choosing a project long before construction begins. Time passes, life circumstances change, new thoughts about design features come to mind. In six months, your project will mature and become well thought out.
We have already talked about the advantages of custom projects. When building a mansion, they also matter. The customer models the interior spaces to his taste. The foundation plays a special role in the design of a two-story building. It should be based on knowledge of the geography of the area, soil analysis, and the mass of the entire proposed building.
Professionals choose a strip foundation.
This type of foundation is made of concrete. This is an expensive structure, but it will be able to support the weight of a two-story house. Another difficulty is fastening the mounting floors. Correct calculation is the key to safe living.
Advice Please note that if there are small children in the family, special attention must be paid to the stairs in the project. It must be secure or have protective side barriers.
Bathrooms on two levels are a complex branch of communications. They are “hidden” in projects, but with the necessary access for possible error correction. Additional water pipes are required. The heating system can be complex and require the installation of special equipment (circulation pump) - it is required for the accessible passage of coolant throughout the entire circuit.
The construction of two floors requires compliance with all technical formalities. Deviation from the norm can lead to negative consequences. Afterwards, it may be impossible to correct errors.
Made of foam concrete with attic
Looking at the design of such a house, you don’t immediately understand whether it is a two- or one-story house. An undeniable advantage of the attic is cost savings compared to the construction of two floors and a bonus in the form of additional usable space for a one-story building.
The price of a house with an attic is lower than the price of two levels due to the absence of ceilings and wall sections, which is why they have gained popularity among clients. It is especially valuable when the plot of land is small and saving space is one of the priorities. Many people ask to add a balcony to the project, which will add beauty and comfort to the house.
To make the attic room warm and comfortable, high-quality work with the roof is necessary. Even if you were able to build the walls yourself, you can go wrong with the roof and end up with a lot of problems. For the frame, you can use dry wood, select insulation and insulation, make plywood sheathing, and then cover it with metal tiles or other roofing material.
When purchasing roofing materials, remember that foam blocks absorb moisture. It is necessary to make a cape over the overhangs. They will protect the walls from the vagaries of nature.
The attic can be designed for any area you need: it could be an office, a nursery, a bedroom. The design of the attic may differ from the rest of the house - the room is separate, here you can realize the craziest idea. The space under the roof is no longer just a closet for unnecessary things.
Foam block dimensions
It is standardly believed that the size of the wall block should be 30x20x60 cm, and the partition block 30x10x60 cm. However, on the building materials market, you can buy foam blocks of almost any conceivable size from different manufacturers. There are blocks with a height of 20 and 40 cm
The most common sizes of foam blocks:
- For load-bearing walls – 20x40x60 cm;
- For load-bearing walls – 30x20x60 cm;
- For non-load-bearing partitions – 10x30x60 cm.
Project 8x8
This area of the house is calculated for the needs of an average family with one or two children. Everyone is provided with personal space, plus a common living room, hall, and spacious kitchen.
There are standard and individual projects. Typical cottages can be downloaded for free on the Internet. But if you have your own idea of your future home, hire a team of designers. They will take into account the climate zone in which you will live, the quality of the soil, and the geography of the site.
House project 8x8
Advice The importance of these actions cannot be underestimated, because the type of foundation of the future structure will depend on this. Additional reinforcement with reinforcement will provide your home with additional strength.
The facade of a house made of foam blocks needs plastering and cladding
The blocks have a cellular structure and need to be reinforced for additional reliability. The base must be horizontal. The correct laying of the first row depends on this parameter. Foam concrete is hygroscopic: before raising the walls, it is better to waterproof the foundation. The facade of a house made of foam blocks needs plastering and cladding. In addition to beauty, there is the factor of additional thermal insulation. The choice of facing materials is varied in texture and price.
Basic recommendations for finishing the facade
Since the foam concrete block has a set of properties and qualities that distinguish it from similar materials for walls, the facade finishing must be carried out taking into account these features in order to emphasize the advantages of the material and ensure a long service life.
Protection of foam concrete walls
Foam block products are especially in need of protection, and it is highly not recommended to leave the façade unfinished for a long period of time. In this case, the blocks, under the influence of climatic and atmospheric factors, may noticeably decrease their basic characteristics.
It's worth starting with insulation.
Insulation of foam concrete
Foam concrete blocks have a low thermal conductivity, so some developers, with proper wall arrangement, do without additional insulation. However, if such a need exists, then there are quite a lot of options suitable for foam concrete walls.
Foam plastic, mineral wool, polyurethane foam can be used as insulation. Let us consider in detail using the table the technology of insulating a house made of foam concrete blocks.
Table 1. Materials for insulating walls made of foam concrete and their features:
Name of material | Brief instructions, course of action and technical features |
| The most common material used for insulation purposes. Foam plastic is deservedly a leader due to the combination of such qualities as: low price, light weight and low thermal conductivity. There are two ways to attach foam: framed and frameless. The first method involves gluing the material using a special mixture for thermal insulation and reinforcing mesh. The second method involves the mandatory installation of a frame. This method is relevant for subsequent finishing, for example, with siding. |
Mineral wool | Installation requires a frame. The material is ideal for constructing a ventilated façade due to its porosity in the structure. |
Polyurethane foam | Insulation with this material is the youngest technology. Apply as a spray. It is characterized by a high speed of the work process, a high insulation value and a significant price. |
Insulation of foam concrete
Plastering of facades made of foam concrete blocks and finishing
Plastering walls made of foam concrete is not much different from the general technology, but there are still some peculiarities. The work should be carried out after several months, or better yet, six months. During this period of time, the foam concrete will shrink. The best time of year is spring or not too hot summer.
To start work, you need to purchase a specialized mixture for cellular concrete blocks. Its composition differs from plasters intended for application to aerated concrete or brick, for example. This is due to the individual characteristics of the material.
The walls first need priming and reinforcement. This will improve the adhesion of foam concrete blocks with the plaster mixture.
The choice of compositions is quite large, so everyone can choose the appropriate plaster option that meets all requirements. The main difference between different brands is the predominance of one or another property and, of course, the price.
Plastering foam concrete walls
After plastering work is completed, you can begin finishing the building. This could be: painting, applying decorative plaster followed by painting, installing siding, facing with brick or wood. Silicate and silicone-based paint is the most suitable type of material for foam concrete walls.
When carrying out work, you should also pay attention to the process of applying water repellent. This is necessary to improve the properties of foam concrete to repel moisture.
It is recommended to cover the wall in two layers with small intervals. After drying, the solution covers the wall surface with the thinnest film, which, while maintaining good vapor permeability, can protect the foam concrete from the harmful effects of water.
Using a waterproofing agent
A fairly popular type of finishing of a foam concrete facade is coating with decorative plaster. Firstly, it is beautiful, and secondly, it is reliable. The only drawback is the price; plastering a house with decorative compounds will not be cheap.
The use of decorative plaster when finishing the facade
Another common option for finishing walls made of foam blocks is siding. It has an attractive appearance and low cost in comparison, for example, with the above-mentioned decorative plasters.
Facade cladding with siding
Cladding the facade of a building made of foam concrete block with brick is a current option. In this case, the service life is significantly increased.
Another advantage is the attractive appearance of the building. However, the price of this facing material puts off many developers. This type of finishing will cost several times more than most other types.
Cladding a foam block building with bricks
Made of foam concrete with a garage. Extra expenses or necessity?
Almost every family has a car; a place for a garage is required by the developer. They often think that this is an additional expense, and the car can even sit on the street. But if you look at the design of such a house, it will be impossible to resist.
The garage is designed as part of the house, forming a single whole with it. It is assumed that the garage is both a haven for the car and an additional utility room for storage. Often families use the garage as a storage room for storing pickles and twists, equipping shelving storage.
Advice It is recommended to locate the garage on the north side - on the south side it will heat up excessively.
It is worth taking care of ventilation. The smell of exhaust gases should not penetrate into the living area. It is better to build a garage at a distance of 5-10 meters from the house itself.
Pros of a garage:
- You can access the garage directly from your home. It’s very convenient when you don’t need to go outside to buy a tool or a jar of pickles.
- If you come back with a lot of purchases or a heavy item, you don’t need to drag it across the yard, you can unload it in the house.
- In bad weather, it won’t be a hassle to start and warm up the car, and when you return, you won’t have to get wet or freeze when returning to the house.
- There is much less chance that the car will be damaged or stolen if it is parked in a “home” garage.
- A built-in garage is warmer than a separate building and minor repairs will not seem like a very troublesome task.
Having considered all the pros and cons of a built-in garage, I will add that in the free space you can build a playground or put up a gazebo. You can save on building a house with a garage by abandoning the second floor in favor of an attic.
Materials and tools
You need to prepare for the construction of a house made of foam concrete by purchasing materials and tools.
What materials are needed to build a house:
- Blocks
- the main building material.
- Special glue
- for laying blocks.
- Steel bars
– for reinforcing various structural elements.
- Sand, gravel, wooden boards (for formwork), waterproofing layer, concrete mortar
- for the foundation.
- Everything you need for roof installation
– truss structure, insulation, roofing.
A set of tools for building a foam concrete house:
- Drill and attachment for mixing glue.
- A cut mallet is used to compact foam blocks in masonry.
- Hacksaw for cutting blocks.
- Foam concrete planer – simplifies leveling.
- Notched trowel for applying glue.
- Level to check horizontality.
- Plumb line to check vertical deviation.
- Container for mixing glue.
- A spatula with a flat part for grouting.
- Concrete mixer - if you plan to pour the foundation yourself.
Economy class houses. Great possibilities for a small house
Great possibilities for a small house
The customer chooses whether to build according to the project or not, depending on his financial capabilities. Look online for free projects. This will allow you to better navigate the issue. If you find a ready-made option, you can look for a construction company to implement the project. If not, develop your own concept for the house. Designers will take into account all your wishes and develop a project that is right for you. By interacting with them, you can make changes at any stage, and this will be done competently, taking into account the technological process.
Option for decorating a living room
For those who do not have enough funds for expensive construction, there are offers in the “Economy Class Houses” segment . This is a very functional housing without territorial scope. Pensioners, newlyweds, young families - these are the main categories of customers for such projects.
Small, cozy bedroom in blue tones
Sometimes it happens that the price of such a mini-cottage is comparable to the price of an apartment in the city, and the advantages of living outside the city cannot be compared with the “kingdom of concrete and asphalt.” Today you will not surprise anyone with developed infrastructure. Shopping centers, shops, schools are located everywhere. The more valuable life outside the city becomes.
Stylish and comfortable bathroom
Economy class is a characteristic of costs, not quality. You lose nothing by investing in design and construction, but you gain the advantage: you decide what the housing will be like. For example, the kitchen is the cornerstone of any housewife. Inexpensive apartments require a kitchen space of no more than 6.5 meters. And you can include a 10-12 meter kitchen in the project.
Small dining area
The same applies to everything else: you voiced it - they developed and built it for you. And one more price comparison is not in favor of the apartment - if you buy a two-room apartment in the city, a garage (which still needs to be reached), in terms of costs you can qualify for an economy class house. But there will be a 10-meter kitchen, 2 or 3 rooms, a spacious hallway and a built-in garage.
You can place a dining table in the living room
All calculations for the costs of building and designing a house will be provided to you by the selected contractor. Your concern is setting tasks, paying bills. Most companies offer installment plans and lending to customers.
Projects of country houses. Comfortable weekend
Construction of a country house is a responsible undertaking. It differs from the construction of housing only in scale. The function of a dacha is to become a home while the owners, tired of the bustle of the city, come to their land to rest.
A country house building is designed taking into account the specifics:
- Are you planning to live temporarily at the dacha?
- Calculation of sleeping places.
- The presence of a basement and basement.
- Operation in the warm season or heating is provided.
If you decide to order your own country house project, a group of designers will take the necessary measurements on your site, draw up a cost estimate, and prepare a project taking into account your wishes.
The function of a dacha is to become a holiday home
All these important points need to be thought through in advance. If you have finances and a small plot of land, it is better to build a two-story building. If there are no space restrictions, a one-story building will be an economical option.
Self-construction does not always mean low costs. More often than not, it turns out that the stingy pays twice. If you build for a long time, damage to the foam blocks is inevitable.
They quickly absorb moisture and can collapse. Haste can lead to disruption of technology.
There is only one option left - to entrust the construction to the craftsmen. Once you have a project, there is little chance of error.
If you have finances and a small plot of land, it is better to build a two-story building
If you doubt the necessity of the project, try to calculate the actual difference between self-construction and construction done by professionals. Consider the cost of the material, delivery, nerves, and time spent. You may be disappointed by the endless carousel of building materials, construction dust and your own fatigue.
Performing calculations
Before starting any work, everything must be calculated correctly. The most important thing is to determine the size of the building and layout, and calculate the need for blocks.
When determining the dimensions of a building, the following factors are taken into account: the area of the land plot, the layout, the total amount of costs (calculating the cost is very important, since if there are not enough funds, the process can take a long time).
How to calculate the requirement for blocks:
- The length of the foam block walls, the sum of their sizes.
- Calculation of the area of the walls - they need to be multiplied by the height and perimeter.
- Subtracting the area of door/window openings from the resulting value.
- Divide the result by the lateral surface area of the block.
Example - material calculation for a 6x8 building (height 2.8 meters, made of blocks 19.8 centimeters high and 59.8 centimeters long):
- Calculation of the wall area - (6+6+8+8) x 2.8 = 78.4 square meters.
- Door and window area – (0.8 x 2 = 1.6 m2) and (1.4 x 1.6 = 2.24 m2), total area (1.6 + 2.24) = 3.84 m2.
- Net area – (78.4 – 3.84) = 74.56 m2.
- The lateral surface area of the blocks is calculated as follows - (0.598 x 0.198) - 0.118 m2.
- Material requirement – 74.56 / 0.118 = 632.8 = 633 pieces.
Modern design trends
The world is developing at an accelerated pace. Design and construction is no exception. New materials appear, firmly conquering the market. Bricks were replaced by foam concrete blocks. Its characteristics made it possible to build quickly and efficiently. The design of the buildings being erected is amazing.
At the same time, small houses have become in demand among the middle class. More and more people dream of country cottages. If previously this was considered a luxury, now many families can afford private property.
The characteristics of foam concrete allow you to build quickly and efficiently
Previously, few developers could afford the project. Ordinary people built in the old fashioned way or like their neighbor. Nowadays architects, planners, and designers are in-demand professions.
Anyone who has ever built knows how difficult it is not to make mistakes, to foresee everything, without being disappointed with the result after a few years. The pace of construction is growing, and with it the need for projects. You quickly get used to everything good: it’s difficult to refuse a turnkey project.
Modern style building
The formula “you control, but do not participate”: most of us devote time to work, and construction requires constant presence. Demand has given birth to supply - companies have appeared that take full care of our houses under construction.
To build from modern materials, you need to know the subtleties and navigate the mass of innovations. Designers cope brilliantly with this task. Few people want to take on construction on their own.
Reinforcement and insulation of walls
Reinforcement is the key to strength. The reinforcement procedure is very important. Those who complain about the fragility of a house built from foam blocks, as a rule, initially decided to save on reinforcement. It is this process that prevents cracks from appearing in the future. After you have laid out the first row of foam blocks, you need to make grooves on their surface using a wall cutter (as a rule, a size of 0.4 m x 0.4 m is sufficient, and at the same time step back from the edge of each block by at least 6 cm). Make two grooves, they should be parallel and have rounded corners. Be sure to clean the grooves from any remaining dust, after which the adhesive solution should be poured into them. Place reinforcing rod inside. Then continue laying the rows. Every 3-4 rows it is necessary to repeat laying the armored belt. Some builders reinforce each row, this significantly slows down the construction process, but we can only guess how much this strengthens the structure!
Cleaning grooves for armored belts
You should know that when working on window and door openings, you should not forget about metal corners. The length of the corner to be laid (placed above the future window and doors) must be at least 0.6 m greater than the width of the opening itself.
According to observations, a team of 4 people copes with the construction of the walls of a 120-meter house on average in a week. If you work at a relaxed pace, three weeks will be enough.
Some design tricks
While working on the project, there were a lot of disputes in the family about the location of the rooms inside the house. For example, a corridor: apart from the passage function, there are no useful characteristics. This space can be eliminated by removing partitions, creating a single area . You can also make an arched structure. This creates the illusion of the presence of another room and slightly expands the space (especially if you install a large mirror in one part of the room).
Living room in a cozy, country style
With the help of design and furniture, the site will be divided into visual zones and create the impression of a large, bright space. This trick can be used on the first floor of a two-story building.
Advice The first floor can be made more dynamic by choosing the right wall color or wallpaper pattern. But the second floor will become more “residential”, “sleeping”. It is better to leave pastel colors, floral patterns and light furniture for him.
If the project includes a built-in garage, the space above it is ideal for a dressing room. Residential premises are not recommended for safety reasons. Sometimes this space is equipped with space for stairs.
The room on the ground floor should be comfortable for all family members
The premises on the ground floor are for general purposes. It should be comfortable for all family members. It’s better to plan it right away, while amendments can be made. If the family is large, then it is better to allocate the largest room on the first floor as a living room, so that all family members can easily fit at a large table.
We divide and arrange
The kitchen is often combined with the living room. Visual separation occurs due to the installation of a bar counter. The hood with this layout should be powerful. Smells are perhaps the only disadvantage of such zoning.
Large and bright bedroom in a country style
When there are children in the house, the task becomes more complicated. The equipment for the children's area must be integrated into the overall design. It is better to choose furniture taking into account the intensive use by little fidgets. Try to buy wooden tables, chairs, cribs, toys. Environmentally friendly material will keep your child healthy.
Instead of plastic painted in thermonuclear colors and fragile glass objects, it is better to equip the children's area with sports equipment and furniture without sharp corners.
Your sons and daughters don't need mirrors and vases. Everything in the nursery should be aimed at the safety of the child.
Beautiful kitchen in light colors
Some customers ask to include a basement in the project. This is an expensive undertaking, but its functionality is not in question. You can dig a hole for a cellar inside the house, or you can find free space in one of the sheds. It is much more convenient to place a basement in the house, because the cellar is not just a place for pickles and tinctures. Shelves are often installed here and communication systems are installed.
Bathroom in a minimalist style
Creating a project is a fascinating process. There are a lot of ideas, and sometimes the grain of truth is difficult to find. Listen to the advice of professionals - their experience can suggest the ideal option for you.
Materials for home finishing
Since foam concrete cannot boast of a presentable appearance, it is subjected to additional finishing.
Various materials are suitable for finishing activities, including:
- Lining, siding or decorative panels. This promotes good ventilation of the façade and prevents moisture accumulation.
- Facing brick, artificial imitation stone or porcelain stoneware. They transform the design of the building and also prevent the problem of air stagnation.
- Mineral grout or thin varieties of plaster. They provide a strict but cozy design.
Interior work is carried out using decorative panels of plasterboard, wood or plastic, plaster and silicate paints. The use of wallpaper is also practiced.