Monolithic wood concrete: calculation and construction of a house with your own hands. Features of pouring formwork in winter

Construction methods and technology

Let us consider step by step the technology of monolithic house construction from wood concrete.

Foundation and plinth

The choice of foundation type and calculation of its dimensions depends on the composition and properties of the soil, local climatic conditions, soil freezing depth, and groundwater level. One of the advantages of wood concrete is its low weight, which allows you to install a pile-grillage foundation or a strip foundation with a shallow depth for the foundation. The minimum permissible values for the height of the plinth for arbolite monoliths vary between 500-800 mm. When pouring a strip base, it is recommended to make it monolithic, as a continuation of the foundation structure.

Installation of formwork

The use of a permanent formwork system leads to higher construction costs. Therefore, removable disposable panel or inventory formwork is most often used in the form of reusable blanks made of boards, plywood, plastic, and metal. The form-building elements are mounted on the supporting structure of the house in such a way that their lower edges overlap it. The panels are connected to each other using wooden jumpers in increments of 0.5-0.8 m and additionally fastened with metal pins.

Preparation of working solution

The ratio of components in the solution for the construction of external wall structures of a one-story house made of class B1 wood concrete looks like this:

organic component – 200 kg;
cement mixture grade M500/M400 – 300-330 kg;
active fillers – 8 kg;
water – 350-390 l.

When making homemade wood concrete, instead of expensive ingredients such as aluminum sulfate, more affordable components are used as active additives - lime or liquid glass, mixed in equal proportions.

Walling

Today, there are three known methods for pouring monolithic arbolite wall structures.

By floors. The monolith is erected with permanent formwork for the floor or foundation using the continuous pouring method. The cement mass is supplied by a local concrete-mortar plant or an automixer.
By the belts. The entire contour of the building is equipped with formwork up to a meter high with sequential movement of forms for pouring the cement mass from bottom to top.
By segment. In one pour, a part of the wall structure is formed with a fixed length, height and having limiters on the sides.

If you plan to build a house with your own hands without involving a professional, then it is better to abandon the first two methods of pouring, due to their labor intensity, in favor of the last option. It is quite possible to implement it on your own, and without using a concrete mixer.

Work order:

The prepared segment is filled with wood concrete mixture. When filling the form with mortar, do not add it 4-5 cm to the upper border of the formwork structure panels.
The poured mixture is compacted manually using a pin, which is used to sequentially bayonet the formed mass of wood concrete to get rid of air bubbles inside the material.
When the poured segment of the wall structure has hardened, the formwork is dismantled and installed in the next section, repeating the same steps as during the previous pour.
The rearrangement of the panels and the filling are first carried out in one plane, forming a closed contour of the building, and then the entire system is raised to the higher tiers.

Floor arrangement

You can do this in several ways:

install the formwork structure and fill it with wood concrete mortar in two layers;
make an armored belt around the perimeter of the walls under the reinforced concrete slabs, and pour a leveling screed on top;
install a prefabricated monolithic floor (SMP) for pouring concrete mixture.

SMP is a frame system formed by reinforced concrete beams in combination with blocks installed between reinforced concrete elements. When the cement mass poured into the lower part of the structure hardens, the SMP becomes a sealed monolith.

Construction of internal walls and ceilings

The construction of interfloor spaces is carried out using the same methods that were used for the floor. Partitions can be erected in a monolithic manner or arbolite tongue-and-groove blocks can be used to create internal walls. At the end, the rafter system and roof are installed, the facade is faced and the blind area is laid.

Advantages

Ability to plan complex structural solutions for buildings. Prefabricated monolithic slabs make it possible to optimally cover structures with complex configurations. There is no need to start from the generally accepted sizes of slabs, lay them out and arrange monolithic areas.
Monolithic flooring can withstand heavy loads. You can calculate this yourself. For the flooring, wood concrete blocks of class B 3.5 are used, which have a density of 800 kg/m3. The cement screed takes on compressive forces, and the reinforcement takes on tensile forces. Together they have a density of more than 200 kg/m3.
A prefabricated monolithic floor does not require the installation of a separate armored belt. Concreting a structure with beams, reinforcement and wood concrete in itself constitutes an armored belt. The concrete screed performs the same functions that a reinforced floor should perform: it protects the structure from cracks due to swelling of the soil.

The weight and size of the structures allows one vehicle to transport up to 200 m2 of floors.
Installation and arrangement of floors can be performed without the use of additional equipment. The weight of the structures allows all construction operations to be performed manually.
Unlike reinforced concrete slabs, a monolithic arbolite floor requires less consumption of concrete and reinforcement.
Wood concrete has high thermal insulation and sound insulation properties.
Prefabricated monolithic floors are cheaper than other types of floors. And not only the material itself, but also the possibility of installation without expensive equipment also reduces construction costs.
Possibility of making wood concrete floors with your own hands.

Wood concrete: “old new” lightweight concrete

Private construction involves the use of simple technologies and those materials that do not require special equipment for processing, so lightweight concrete often outperforms heavier or capricious “colleagues” in competition. Wood concrete is also often classified as lightweight concrete, but this is not an entirely correct definition, since it does not contain sand.

A Brief History of Wood Concrete

Arbolite, another name for which is wood concrete, was invented in the Netherlands in the first half of the 20th century (in the 1930s). They called it DURISOL. The material appeared in the USSR 30 years later: It was simply copied from the original sample.

In the 90s, wood concrete was forgotten: the factories producing it were either repurposed or collapsed. And at the beginning of the new century, when humanity began to think about the planet and its future on it, the forgotten wood-concrete was remembered again. And for good reason. Now it is considered as a worthy replacement for cellular concrete, blocks that are relatively fragile and therefore not very durable.

Its composition, production

Arbolite - a composite - is a material with a complex composition. It includes:

Wood chips, usually softwood. In addition to it, stems of hemp, flax or cotton can be added. Organic filler occupies approximately 80-90% percent of the volume. Wood concrete differs from sawdust concrete in a certain size of chips.
Cement, a traditional binder found in all concrete. Maximum strength is important for wood concrete, so in its production only high-quality cement is used - M400 or M500.
Mineralizers. Their task is to neutralize sugar in wood, improve the adhesion of organic matter to the solution, and give strength to concrete. Aluminum sulfate, liquid glass, and calcium chloride play this role.

The crushed wood chips are soaked and treated with chemicals. Another, more environmentally friendly way is air drying for 4-6 months. Such a long period allows you to get rid of sugar without the use of additives. Then a mixture of organic matter and cement is prepared and poured into molds. Blocks with mortar are compacted using vibrocompression machines and then dried in air.

Blocks, panels, and slabs are made from wood concrete. Products differ in density and different chip content. Products are divided into structural products, which are used for the construction of walls, and thermal insulation products, which are used to insulate structures inside a building. The density indicator is expressed in numbers (5-50). The blocks are narrow, wide, medium and connecting.

Two-story house from Velox

Velox chip-cement slabs are manufactured in dimensions of 500x2000 mm, with a thickness of 25 to 50 mm. They come in two types - internal and external. The manufacturer glues an additional layer of thermal insulation made of expanded polystyrene onto the outer slab.

When building walls, the slabs are installed in pairs parallel to each other and connected to each other with metal ties. Their length determines the thickness of the wall. Reinforcing cages are placed in the gap between the slabs, then liquid concrete is poured into it using a concrete pump.

A two-story Velox house can be built very quickly. It is also distinguished by its low price, durability, economical operation, and durability. Our company sells blocks and slabs made of wood concrete, Durisol and Velox at favorable prices for customers. We invite all interested parties to cooperate.

Call the number. It's convenient with us!

Basic properties of wood concrete

Since the material is 90 percent wood, it takes on its best qualities: low thermal conductivity, good sound insulation and thermal conductivity. In addition, the material belongs to the category:

environmentally friendly;
highly resistant to fungi, mold, and aggressive substances;
having good heat transfer and high heat capacity;
easy to machine.

Wood concrete is lightweight and has excellent impact resistance. Resists bending well. However, due to porosity, like all lightweight and cellular concrete, it requires particularly careful finishing of the facade.

Monolithic wood concrete is not the most common technology. Private developers prefer to use heavy concrete. The properties of wood concrete make it possible to use it for the construction of buildings as the main forming composition. Such construction allows achieving optimal costs.

Should you turn to specialists for your project?

Necessarily! Many questions cannot be answered without answers from specialists. Therefore, it is worth entrusting them with the development of the project right away. But it’s best if the developer himself takes on the design. He will assess the quality of the soil and other factors on the spot, take into account the budget allocated for construction without damaging the building, take into account the type of heating of the house and all the wishes of the customer.

And if you contact our company for a house project made of wood concrete, you will receive this document for free. We have many standard projects available. But we also take on the development of an individual plan of any complexity. In addition, our company is at once a designer, a developer, and a manufacturer of wood concrete. As a result, contacting us provides significant savings in terms of construction time and the cost of the house. After all, we work without intermediaries!

What kind of foundation is needed for a house made of wood concrete blocks?

One of the important features of this material is its good bending strength. Thus, arbolite blocks quickly recover after even heavy loads. This option reduces the restrictions on choosing the type of foundation for the house.

When choosing a foundation option, you need to understand the following: wood concrete is light in weight and the foundation may not be as powerful as in other buildings. And you don’t need to go too far down for the walls to be protected from moisture.

Types of foundations for a house made of wood concrete

One of the optimal foundation options is the pile type.

This foundation option is optimal for construction in areas where the soils have low density or complex terrain. The piles used are specially manufactured rods made of reinforced concrete or steel. They are buried to a level determined by the design in order to create sufficient structural strength. The foundation for a wood concrete house requires a careful approach to choosing the type of pile rods. The most commonly used are bored piles and screw models.

The foundation for a house made of wood concrete on bored piles is one of the strongest types of structures. Monolithic reinforced concrete rods are erected directly on site. First, special holes are made in the soil of the appropriate diameter into which the piles are immersed. The technology for arranging a pile foundation is absolutely identical for a wood concrete house and for any other type of structure. The step between the supports is set to 3 meters. This allows you to create sufficient load-bearing capacity.

Many designers and customers choose wood concrete on screw piles. This technology is also strong and durable, but requires minimal effort and time. A house made of wood concrete on screw piles has a long service life. The pile cores are created in a special way, each of them has blades and is easily screwed into any soil. Installation is extremely simple and does not require special equipment.

Construction of a foundation for a house made of wood concrete

Among these options, the bored method is preferred. This technology allows you to reduce costs without compromising structural strength. In addition, when building a foundation for a wood concrete house, it is recommended to use additional fastening for the building. This is done using reinforcing rods of a given length. The grillage is firmly connected to the rods and the result is an excellent and durable structure. The grillage itself is designed to ensure that all the piles are combined into a single system. This way it is possible to evenly distribute the load and create a truly powerful and common foundation.

When building a house from wood concrete blocks, you should carefully study the types of grillage designs. For house construction from wood concrete the following is used:

Recessed grillage (depth 20 cm into the ground).
Hanging grillage. This type of construction raises the walls 10 cm from the ground surface.

Before settling on a certain type of grillage, it is necessary to carefully study all the soil parameters obtained from the results of geotechnical surveys.

A strip base is also often considered as a foundation option for a wood concrete house

Before developing a project and proceeding to work on the construction site, it is important to carry out all the necessary preparatory work and surveys. If the soil density indicators are high enough, then during the arrangement you can choose a shallow-depth design option

In other words, the concrete belt need not be lowered below the freezing depth.

Choosing a base for a house made of wood concrete

The buried type of foundation is optimal for low soil density. In such situations, the use of increased depth helps to create sufficient structural strength. The wear resistance and durability of such a project deserves high marks from experts.

When building any of these options, be sure to use heat-insulating material between the ground and the foundation walls.

The foundation for wood concrete is calculated individually each time. The building site has many factors that influence the strength, technical and operational characteristics of the future building. At the design stage, the technical parameters of the structure must also be taken into account.

Construction of a house made of wood concrete in the Kolos residential complex, Stavropol district, Tolyatti, Samara region.

Prefabricated monolith (ceiling)

Despite the development of construction technologies in all directions, the construction of floors still remains conservative, where traditional methods are used for the most part, stubbornly ignoring progressive solutions.

Installing floors is a labor-intensive and expensive task. In construction estimates, concrete floors account for up to 20% of costs.

Prefabricated monolithic technology has been tested in practice in European countries for 20 years. The installation principle is the same, but this technology may involve the use of various materials.

1. Wooden formwork board

2. Vertical wooden support

3. Support wall of the building

4.5. Building wall block

6. Layer of concrete (300-500 mm)

7. Flat reinforcing structure connected in the form of a “mesh” (D-6 reinforcement, cell 200x200 mm.)

8. Block cassette / filler material

9. Volumetric reinforcing structure connected according to the “square” principle (D-12 reinforcement)

10. Concrete filling the interblock reinforced space

Prefabricated monolithic floors made of wood concrete are based on the generally accepted principles of prefabricated monolithic technology,

at the same time, they have elements of improvement aimed at simplifying installation and improving the quality of the final result.

1. The use of ready-made specialized metal structures made like “trusses” with additional stiffening ribs is many times superior to volumetric reinforcing structures connected by workers on site, both in terms of speed and ease of installation, and in terms of strength characteristics. So one such structure, with a maximum length of 11.7 m, supported only at two extreme points, can easily support the weight of an adult without visible signs of deflection.

Advantages of SPAIT metal structures in comparison with common European analogues:

- light weight - a metal structure with a length of 11.7 m weighs only 44 kg.

(for comparison, a 6-meter beam for a prefabricated monolith Teriva (Poland) weighs 72 kg, an 8-meter beam SerboCeramika (Serbia) weighs 68 kg.)

— ease of installation , transportation and use — any design can be easily given the required length both during transportation and already on site

(cut, weld, tie)

— speed of installation — assembly of the ceiling using ready-made metal structures significantly saves time and labor costs during installation

- reliability - metal structures,

due to their design features (in the form of a “truss”),
they are lighter (due to the use of less
metal) and, at the same time, more durable than the commonly used methods of knitting a volumetric reinforcing structure (in the form of a “square”)

— efficiency

2. The use of arbolite blocks-liners as a filler material makes it possible to create not only an incredibly light and strong floor, but also with the highest sound and heat insulation properties, superior in their performance to well-known foreign analogues.

Characteristics of a frequently ribbed prefabricated monolithic floor

This is a frequently ribbed floor consisting of reinforced concrete structures (like trusses) and wood concrete blocks placed between them. The length of the structures can reach 11.7 m, and the weight of a linear meter of the structure is 3.8 kg. The floor structures are 100 mm wide. and are installed at a distance of 650 mm. from each other, and wood concrete blocks weighing about 7 kg are placed in this space. It is recommended to lay two polyethylene-coated boards (not edged) under the structures, which will serve as formwork for metal structures, as well as support points for placing wood concrete block liners. To ensure that the formwork boards do not sag during concreting of the floor, it is recommended to install support posts under them in several places (wooden supports are installed at a distance of 1 m to 2 m, depending on the thickness of the formwork board). A metal mesh is laid on top of the structures and blocks, with a pitch of 200x200 mm. (D rod 6 mm), and concreting is carried out, and the concrete mixture is compacted by vibration so that the ceiling structure is dense and has no pores. The concrete class is accepted to be no lower than B-25. The thickness of the monolithic concrete above the surface of the blocks is 30 mm, and the total height of the ceiling is 200 mm. After the concrete reaches 100% strength, the floor will be able to bear a load of up to 670 kg/sq.m. excluding their own weight, for comparison: reinforced concrete slabs have a similar indicator of 400 - 430 kg/sq.m., monolith 200 - 250 kg/sq.m.

Advantages of prefabricated monolithic floors:

• Light weight (for example, 1 sq.m. of flooring (including the top layer of concrete) weighs about 260 kg, while 1 sq.m. of reinforced concrete floor slab weighs about 380 kg. As a result, covering an area of 200 sq.m. m. overlap, you get weight savings - 24 tons!). • No need for a truck crane (the ceiling is assembled from separate small-sized elements. Characteristically, they are so light that a crane is not needed for their assembly - they are assembled manually. The ceiling elements assembled in this way, immediately after delivery to the construction site, can be mounted, attached to the walls and forming required overlap). • No screed is needed to level the base of the floor (when installing a heated floor, this is especially important, since it can be laid directly on the ceiling). • Floors can easily replace wooden and weakened floors in existing houses (the small dimensions of the floor's components make it possible to work with it in hard-to-reach places). • Easy construction of floors in rooms with complex shapes - bay windows, ledges, openings (for stairs), etc. • Providing load-bearing capacity of floors up to 1000 kg/sq.m. (taking into account your own weight). • The highest level of thermal protection and sound insulation in the building (the floors consist almost entirely of wood concrete blocks, and therefore do not require either insulation or sound insulation). • The ability to modify floor structures on the construction site : cut, shorten, give the required shape. • The use of truss structures for the installation of powerful load-bearing lintels (2 structures are installed under the load-bearing partitions, which provides the necessary load-bearing capacity of the floor). • Significant savings on delivery (due to the small overall dimensions of the beam section, it is possible to deliver up to 250 sq.m. of SMP to the construction site with one machine).

Taking into account all materials, labor costs and costs of using heavy equipment

arbolite prefabricated monolithic floors are one and a half times cheaper than floors made of reinforced concrete slabs.

Prefabricated monolith (foundation)

Conditional connection of the installation principles of the Frequently Ribbed Prefabricated Monolithic Floor and the principle of the Insulated Swedish Foundation Slab

made it possible to develop a warm prefabricated monolithic foundation slab (FSMP).

Similarities and advantages of FSMP in comparison with USP:

1. Reliable - the basis of the FSMP is made up of arbolite blocks, the strength characteristics of which significantly exceed the strength of expanded polystyrene.

The thickness of the FSMP is 30 cm. It can serve as a full-fledged foundation for buildings up to 3 floors high, an excellent foundation for houses made of any materials, from lightweight

frame to brick.

2. Excellent heat-saving properties - provides a material with excellent heat-insulating properties - wood concrete, evenly distributed over the entire surface

residential premises of the future building.

3. Highest sound-absorbing properties (well dampens vibration).

4. Integrated communications - the ability to connect all communication systems through the FSMP, including sewerage, water, electricity, water pipe laying

heating system (all that remains is to connect the plumbing and make the wiring).

5. Absolutely environmentally friendly - wood concrete (unlike EPS, which is traditionally used as part of USP) is made from absolutely safe materials.

human materials (wood, cement, aluminum sulfate - used for drinking water purification)

5. No installation seams - upon completion of installation, the surface of the FSMP has an absolutely smooth surface, suitable for use as a base for

finishing floor covering (no finishing screed required).

6. Absolute biostability - FSMP contains materials that are not susceptible to rotting or the effects of mold and mildew.

7. Fire safety - wood concrete is not flammable.

8. Simplicity and high speed of installation - labor costs required for assembly and pouring 200 sq.m. surface FSMP is 3 people; period of FSMP assembly and filling

is 2-3 days.

9. No extensive excavation work.

10. No need to use heavy special equipment (except for a concrete pump).

11. Economical - the most expensive component of any foundation is concrete, the content of which in FSMP is reduced to a minimum (concrete savings for FSMP will be

about 20-30% compared to the volume of concrete required for pouring a strip foundation; at the same time, the FSMP is not only the foundation, but at the same time

full floor covering).

Algorithm of work when installing FSMP:

1) Excavation - the top fertile layer of soil is removed, and the bottom of the pit must be leveled to the horizon.

2) Geotextile flooring - it does an excellent job as a separating layer. During operation it does not rot or collapse.

3) Construction of a sand cushion - consists of filling the sand cushion and compacting it. It is advisable to press wet sand in layers to achieve maximum cushion density. The thickness of the sand layer is about 15 cm.

4) Installation of the drainage system and laying of communications (water, sewerage, electricity) - to install the sewerage system, it is necessary to follow the sequence: compaction of the sand cushion, excavation of sand for laying the sewer line, backfilling of sand, spilling it, repeated general compaction.

5) Gravel cushion - similar to a sand cushion, its thickness is also about 15 cm. The crushed stone is carefully leveled over the entire area of the future foundation, leveled in height (reinforcement rods with marks placed in advance in the thickness of the sand and gravel cushion can serve as beacons), and rammed.

6) Assembly of the FSMP body consists of laying out metal structures and wood concrete blocks according to the design - it is best to start with formwork blocks (along the perimeter), laid on the end (300 mm high) and fastened together (gravel/block, block/block) using masonry solution; all metal structures must be securely fastened together (binding and welding does not matter).

7) Installation of outputs for communication systems (water, sewerage, electricity) - the wood concrete filler block is easy to process (sawed, cut), so a lot of time and effort is not spent on arranging the outputs.

Laying out the masonry mesh (200x200mm, D6) - it is necessary to lay out the mesh with a slight overlap (one cell is enough), and also tie it with tying wire to the metal structures in some places (ensuring there is no movement of the mesh).

9) Installation of warm water heating - carried out in accordance with the project.

10) Laying out the masonry mesh (200x200mm, D6) - it is necessary to lay out the mesh with a slight overlap (one cell is enough), and also tie it with binding wire to the metal structures in some places (ensuring there is no movement of the mesh).

11) Pouring concrete (grade no less than M25) - the use of a concrete pump and vibrating screed will speed up and simplify the process, and also improve the quality of the FSMP.

After the FSMP has completely dried, you can begin laying the walls of the future structure!

Areas of application of the monolith

As mentioned above, the composition of foam concrete has properties that allow it to be used in a wide variety of areas of construction.

Walls

Thanks to permanent formwork, the walls become three-layered: a layer of foam concrete and two layers of frame (inside and outside). This allows you to obtain very high thermal insulation without additional insulation.

If a building of several floors is being built, then two brick walls can act as permanent formwork. Later, the gap between them will be filled with foam concrete.

The frame from the inside can be mounted from plasterboard sheets. They are very convenient in interior decoration, therefore they are an indispensable material for permanent formwork. You can also use fiberboard sheets for the inside of the formwork and metal for the outside.

We install formwork for the walls

Wood or plywood can be used as formwork. Such materials most often appear in removable formwork. In order to subsequently be able to use them for other purposes, the formwork should be carefully covered with polyethylene before pouring the liquid mixture.

Whatever option is chosen, the frame must be made in such a way that monolithic foam concrete in permanent formwork does not exert excessive pressure on the walls, as a result of which the structure could bend or bend. To do this, all frame supports should be placed at a distance of no more than 60 cm.

Floors

A difficult task in construction is pouring a leveling screed for floors. However, monolithic pouring of foam concrete can solve this problem. A high-density mixture of grades D800-D1200 is perfect for screeding. Thanks to the porosity of the material, firstly, the load is reduced, and secondly, sound insulation characteristics are improved.

The thickness of the screed should be at least 3 cm, sometimes it is up to 5 cm, and in some cases up to 10 cm. Another effective option is when the lower part of the floors is filled with foam concrete with a density of 300-500 kilograms per cubic meter, and the upper part with a mixture of more high density or even concrete screed. Of course, for each individual case there is a correct solution.

Roof

If we talk about insulating a flat roof, then monolithic filling with foam concrete is an excellent option. Thanks to this method, there are no cold bridges, and the poured layer is both a leveling screed and insulation.

This material is fire-resistant, which is very important for the roof of a building. This makes it stand out among commonly used insulation materials.

It is also not susceptible to rotting, mold or mildew. Therefore, it is used on the roofs of private houses and businesses, as well as on damaged roofs.

Floors

Monolithic foam concrete can significantly reduce the load of floors on the foundation. Also, thanks to this technology, sound insulation increases, which is especially valuable in multi-story buildings.

When pouring foam concrete into a frame for flooring, accelerators, plasticizers, and hydrophobic ingredients are added to the concrete mixture.

Industrial use

Since foam concrete has thermal insulation properties, it is advisable to use it for insulating pipes. Moreover, this can be done both at the facility itself and during manufacturing. There are also no restrictions on the length or diameter of pipes that need to be insulated.

Another option for using foam concrete for industrial purposes is to fill voids created by building tunnels or digging trenches. This material can also serve as a base for road surfaces. Of course, the density of the material in such cases must be high.

Wall insulation

When a building was built a long time ago and needs insulation, you can use the thermal insulation properties of foam concrete for these purposes. In this case, it is necessary to attach a light frame to the walls at a short distance equal to the thickness of the insulation. DSP sheets can be used to cover the formwork frame. Upon completion of work with the formwork, the liquid mixture should be poured into the formed wall.

Types of formwork and their construction

To construct any monolith of walls and floors, formwork is required, which is a structure of various material designs that limits the space filled with a liquid building mixture, which, after hardening, forms the structural elements of a house or other building. Depending on the geometric shapes that are planned to be reproduced in the architecture of the house, for example, concave or convex walls, special prefabricated molds may be required. Although in most cases, the construction of walls from monolithic wood concrete involves straight lines and shapes that can be reproduced using wooden formwork, assembled with your own hands from boards and bars.

Considering the hygroscopicity of wood concrete, a reasonable solution would be permanent formwork made of polystyrene foam boards, creating a double-sided vapor and heat impermeable layer. The assembly of an enclosing form made of polystyrene foam consists of connecting standard elements using special locks that are molded during the manufacture of formwork elements and are their integral part. A device of such a design will require additional costs, since a non-removable polystyrene foam structure cannot be made with your own hands from scrap materials.

Having chosen wood concrete as a structural material for a house to fill the monolithic walls and floor of the house, the use of factory molded products or permanent formwork will be illogical. It would be more reasonable to make panels from boards or chipboards, by connecting them together and setting a distance equal to the thickness of the walls, you can get a reusable device that can be rearranged in horizontal and vertical planes.

The surface of the boards facing inward must be well processed, since all unevenness and defects in the wood will be transferred to the walls, which means an additional finishing layer will be required to eliminate them. So that after the wood concrete hardens in the form, the limiting structure can be easily dismantled, the surface of the boards or chipboard should be pre-treated using any oily composition, for example, used motor oil.

Manufacturing Features

The porous material meets all thermal insulation standards and helps create a rigid frame. At the same time, it is quite light and does not sink at all in water. This makes working with monolithic blocks comfortable and convenient. Such features make the material popular among builders and home owners.

Foam concrete blocks meet all thermal insulation standards. They include many parameters, including frost resistance and strength.

Foam concrete is produced on any site. But for the accuracy of the process and the creation of high-quality material, it is necessary to comply with certain standards. Therefore, without proper experience, it is advisable to entrust production to professionals and purchase finished products.

The monoliths contain sand and cement. The composition is mixed in certain proportions and can be aerated

At the same time, it is important to maintain temperature conditions on the site. The air should not be cooled below 100

The process of enriching the sand-cement mixture with oxygen must be carefully controlled. It is extremely difficult to do this on your own. In production, special electronics are used for control purposes. This greatly simplifies the process and makes production higher quality. The finished mixture is poured into reinforced molds. If necessary, it is thickened with a finish. To make structures stronger, reinforcement is sometimes used in manufacturing.

Another advantage of a ready-made foam concrete block purchased in a store is the ability to measure density and conduct tests. This helps ensure the strength and durability of a structure made from such material. The ideal density should be 200 kg/m3.

How to lay blocks

Deviations from the nominal dimensions, even for arbolite blocks produced on modern equipment, can reach 7 mm (allowed by GOST). Thus, the normal thickness of masonry joints is 10–15 mm, and the use of conventional cement-sand mortar will lead to a significant deterioration in the thermal characteristics of the walls.

Block manufacturers recommend laying with a “warm” mortar (it should not be confused with thin-seam adhesive for gas silicate blocks, which is of little use in this case). It’s not that difficult to prepare a “warm” solution yourself from cement and low-density filler, such as perlite sand, which is sold in bags and in bulk. Or you can purchase a ready-made masonry mixture, for example “Putform MS114” (“Osnovit”) or TKS 2020 (Perel).

The first row of blocks is laid on the bed seam on top of the two-layer waterproofing of the base. The second and then every fourth seam should be reinforced with reinforcing mesh. It is also necessary to reinforce the row above the openings. T-shaped joints of walls are made with bandaging, but when installing internal partitions it is possible to fasten them to the walls with embedded meshes, pins, and also anchors.

If it is decided to erect a slab interfloor ceiling, in the places where it rests on the walls it is necessary to install a reinforced concrete belt with a width of 200 mm and a height of at least 100 mm with volumetric reinforcement; in this case, the width of the supporting platform of the slabs should be 80–100 mm. To avoid freezing of the wall, the belt is insulated on the street side with polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam.

For wooden floors, ventilated (without subsequent sealing with mortar) insulated nests under the beams are made. As a general rule, the working depth of these nests should be 15 cm, however, it is better to calculate the required support area individually, taking into account the load on the floor and the compressive strength of a particular batch of blocks.

It is best to make lintels over openings using special U-shaped blocks. A reinforcement frame is placed in these trays and cement-sand mortar or heavy concrete is poured. You can also cover the openings with homemade reinforced concrete beams and pieces of reinforcement and rolled metal, but if you plan to plaster the walls, it is undesirable to use bare metal, since over time rust will almost certainly appear on the finish.

Arbolite is widely used in the construction of half-timbered houses, combining blocks or panels with massive wooden posts and beams.

Monolithic construction technology

For monolithic buildings made of wood concrete there is no need to construct a reinforced concrete floor. Lightweight wood concrete is installed on a strip foundation. Its width should correspond to the thickness of the walls.

The technology for constructing monolithic buildings is not particularly complex. Often this type of house is built with your own hands:

When pouring the foundation, reinforcement bars are placed up to the floor level of the next floor of the building. The more floors it is planned to build, the thicker the details of the reinforcing structure are selected.
The formwork knocked down to the required size is laid on the foundation so that its lower part overlaps the strip base. The parts of the mold for pouring are connected with metal pins. All side cracks are closed with wooden scraps. After the wood concrete has completely hardened, the formwork is removed, and the fasteners are cut off so that there are no unnecessary holes.
Arbolite solution is poured into correctly installed formwork. The composition of the mixture is prepared according to the type of wall - internal or external. The form should be filled so that its edges from the top cut remain five centimeters free.
The poured solution is thoroughly compacted over the entire surface. A metal pin is used for this. This compaction will eliminate air bubbles from the material, increasing its strength.
The formwork is removed only after part of the wall has completely hardened. After this, it is cleaned, impregnated with an oily substance and set out for filling the next area. The shape is moved in one plane until the perimeter is closed. Next, the climb to the upper sections is carried out.

Monolithic wood concrete, view inside the formwork during backfilling and compaction. When the lower walls are completely filled, the floor of the next floor is installed.
For this purpose, formwork is specially installed, which is filled with an arbolite mixture or laid out to cover reinforced concrete slabs. Then the upper walls are poured in the same way as the first floor. Thermal insulating arbolite mortar is used to fill the openings between double brick walls. This design significantly reduces the heat transfer of brick structures and greatly simplifies the construction of the building.

Types of monolithic foundation designs

As already noted, a monolithic foundation is a slab laid in a previously prepared place. But, nevertheless, there are several ways to make such a base. They differ from each other in their hydro- and thermal insulation options. As you already understand, a strip monolithic foundation is a little different. There, the earth is dug up only for the foundation, if there is no basement, and the earth remains under the space of the rooms. Here the entire volume of earth is excavated, under the entire area of the house.

The simplest of these types of foundations is performed according to the following scheme:

A reinforcement structure is installed at the bottom of the pit, on a pre-compacted sand cushion, and then filled with concrete. More complex ones include structures that use sheets of waterproofing material, geotextiles, and, depending on the type of soil, it is possible to make an additional cushion from crushed stone.

The most complex monolithic foundation looks like a multi-layer sandwich in cross-section:

sand cushion;
layer of geotextile;
layer of crushed stone;
the so-called preparatory layer of concrete;
waterproofing layer;
monolithic slab.

Such complex structures are used on difficult soils, for example, with a high groundwater level. Builders with extensive experience say that a monolithic foundation can be used even in peat bogs.

Basement floor covering device

If the ceiling is made above a heated basement floor, its design is no different from the installation of an interfloor ceiling. If the ground floor is cold, such as a basement, there are some features of its arrangement.

Since water vapor tends to circulate from a warm room to a cold basement, the insulation will absorb a lot of moisture. To prevent this, a layer of vapor barrier is laid on top of it. It is also recommended to increase the thickness of the insulation layer to 20 cm. All beams, as well as other wooden floor elements, must be protected from rotting with special compounds.

A house made of wood concrete: what kind of foundation is being built under the building?

When choosing a foundation for a house made of wood concrete blocks, you should take into account the composition of the natural soil on the site where the construction of a residential building is planned, the number of storeys of the building, and the size of the building area. Particular attention should be paid to the depth of soil freezing, the presence of a high groundwater level, as well as the composition of the soil under the future house

Tape

Shallow strip foundation

It is customary to build a shallow strip foundation for a house made of wood concrete block on dense soils with a low groundwater level and a shallow freezing depth of the soil.

The technology for constructing a strip foundation (foundation) for a residential building does not differ from the classical technology for constructing strip foundation supports.

To begin with, the construction site should be cleared of bushes, grass and debris. Then the surface of the site should be planned.

The future foundation is marked on the site using driven pegs and a stretched cord. According to the markings, they dig a trench, the depth of which should be at least 0.5 m. The bottom of the trench is leveled, cleaned and compacted.

Then they begin to construct the formwork for the foundation - it is very convenient to use wooden boards or thick plywood. The height of the formwork above ground level is 0.5 m.

The bottom of the formwork is covered with a layer of coarse sand and carefully compacted (the thickness of the backfill of coarse sand in the compacted state is 0.15 m). The waterproofing layer is laid on top of the sand cushion, for which roll roofing felt is used.

A spatial frame made of reinforcing rod with a diameter of 10 mm is placed at the bottom of the formwork

It is very important that the foundation frame does not touch the bottom of the trench, for which it is raised on bricks

Tamping tool - vibrating rammer

The top of the poured foundation structure is leveled by tamping the concrete mixture with vibrating rammers. The surface of the foundation should be as smooth and even as possible.

The foundation for a house made of wood concrete is left to gain strength for 28 days, providing care for the concrete surface - periodic moistening.

To prevent the concrete surface of the foundation from drying out, it is covered from the sun and wind with plastic film. Wetting the base surface continues for several days.

Budget filling option

Instead of a concrete mixture, the formwork of the foundation structure can be filled with an arbolite mixture, which is prepared from sawdust with shavings kept in air for 3-4 months, mixed with cement and lime mortar. Proportion of wood concrete mortar: for 1 part of cement take 1 part of lime, 9 parts of wood waste, from 2 to 4% of other additives. You can mix the composition in a regular concrete mixer.

Filling with wood concrete

The formwork is filled with the solution in the same way as a concrete mixture. The sides of the strip foundation made of wood concrete are insulated with brickwork; along the upper plane of the foundation there is a belt of 5 rows of bricks across the entire width of the strip base. A brick belt for walls made of wood concrete blocks is made regardless of the material from which the foundation for the construction of a residential building is poured.

Pouring a foundation with an arbolite mixture, even with the most careful insulation, is not capable of ensuring the strength of the foundation for a long time.

The finished foundation for a house made of wood concrete must be insulated along the surface of the vertical walls along the entire height of the base. The best results are obtained by insulating the foundation with ordinary polystyrene foam or extruded polystyrene foam with a layer thickness of 100 mm.

Interfloor covering arrangement

We list the procedure for performing work on creating an interfloor floor made of wood.

Approximate diagram of a wooden floor. Designations: 1 - floor; 2 - waterproofing; 3 - insulation; 4 — counter rail; 5 - beam; 6 - rough ceiling; 7 - vapor barrier; 8 - internal finishing.

Laying beams

The formation of the floor begins with the laying of power beams on the walls. They are laid perpendicular to the long walls of the house. The laying step usually does not exceed 1 m. The beams must extend onto the walls at least 15 cm.

First, the outer beams are installed, which are leveled using a long and even board placed on the end. There should not be a tight connection of the outer beams to the walls. A gap of about 3–4 cm should be left between them. Subsequently, this gap will be filled with insulation.

Installed wooden beams

The outer beams are attached to the wall, after which the remaining beams are installed. Not only their level is controlled, but also the horizontal position. If the length of the support beams is insufficient, they can be extended with the same material. To do this, two beams are connected with an overlap of 0.5 m to 1 m, after which they are bolted. This connection is considered quite reliable.

The timber is attached to the reinforced belt using anchor plates in the following order:

The ends of the beams are cut at an angle of about 70 degrees to ensure moisture removal.
The wood is coated on all sides and ends with antiseptic and heat-resistant impregnations.

Advice: the ends of the beams should not be coated with oily impregnations or paint. In this case, the evaporation of moisture from the wood will be disrupted.

The parts of the beams extending onto the wall are coated with a layer of bitumen mastic and wrapped with several layers of roofing felt.
The beams are attached with anchor plates to the reinforced belt.
The outer ends of the beams on the outside of the walls are insulated with polystyrene foam.

Insulation of beams

The voids between the laid beams are filled. This can be done with bricks, but preferably with gas blocks. It is necessary to leave 2-3 cm gaps between the blocks and the wood. These voids are tightly clogged with mineral wool. This prevents the formation of condensation and dampening of the wood from contact with the walls.

Laying beads and insulating the floor

To insulate the ceiling, it is necessary to make a roll-up. 5x5 cm bars are attached along the bottom of the laid beams. They can be secured with long self-tapping screws. Boards made of boards are laid on them, but individual cut pieces of boards can also be used. Insulation (mineral wool or expanded polystyrene) is tightly placed on the boards. The recommended insulation thickness is from 10 cm.

Laying joists and flooring

On top of the created structure, perpendicular to the beams, logs are laid, which are also pre-treated with special impregnations. Logs usually have a smaller cross-section than beams. The pitch of laying the logs is 50–70 cm. The logs are attached to the beams. Floor boards are laid on top of the fixed joists. The bottom of the floor is sheathed with OSB boards, chipboard, plasterboard or multi-layer plywood.

Pouring concrete into formwork - the whole process from “A” to “Z”

Pouring concrete into formwork

How to pour concrete into formwork? If there are large volumes (when the solution is delivered from the factory on a mixer), concrete is poured immediately along the entire perimeter to a predetermined height. At home, it is usually not possible to prepare a large amount of solution. There are two methods for correctly pouring concrete into formwork using hand-prepared portions of mortar:

pouring the entire perimeter of the formwork with concrete to a thickness of up to 0.5 meters, while the presence of too thin layers is not allowed;
Filling a separate area with mortar to the entire height of the formwork. The side edge of the poured concrete should be beveled for more reliable adhesion between the individual parts of the structure.

How to pour concrete into formwork? Concrete supply is carried out:

manually, carrying buckets of solution;
direct pouring from a concrete mixer;
imported concrete is poured directly from the mixer tray; if necessary, the tray can be extended with wooden or metal gutters.

The concrete surface is leveled with a shovel or building rule. If for any reason the work on filling the formwork with mortar is stopped for more than 24 hours, it can be resumed only after the concrete has completely dried. Before starting new concreting, the concrete working seam is wiped with a brush and washed with water.

Features of application in construction

Due to high moisture absorption, monolithic wood concrete requires specific measures for waterproofing walls:

the distance from the planning ground mark to the bottom mark of the wall must be at least 50 cm;
on the top of the foundation or plinth it is necessary to lay a layer of waterproofing material or a cement-sand screed with waterproofing with liquid glass;
protect façade surfaces with plaster, cladding or curtain façade;
cornice overhang - at least 50 cm.

Structural wood concrete is used for the construction of monolithic external walls with removable or permanent formwork made of plywood, moisture-resistant chipboard or OSB, and boards. Permanent formwork serves as a finishing layer. When using removable or sliding formwork to level the layer and reduce the consumption of cement for subsequent finishing, it is better to wrap the boards with PVC or polyethylene film.

Installation of permanent formwork. We immediately get the façade finished.

Structural wood-reinforced concrete during the construction of 2-story cottages will require additional reinforcement or a load-bearing frame, as well as the installation of reinforced belts under the floor and coating slabs.

Thermal insulation material is used for the insulating layer in masonry or three-layer walls. It can also be used in the construction of frame houses to fill cavities.

Attention! When installing reliable waterproofing, a screed made of monolithic wood concrete can be used to insulate the floor of the first floor on the ground, over the ceiling, including the attic.

Frame elements in contact with the wood concrete mixture must be protected: metal from corrosion, wood from rotting. The frame racks are installed in increments of 1.2-1.5 m, at the openings of windows and doors. To reduce the load on the walls and foundation, it is recommended to carry out ceilings using wooden beams.

The façade and interior surfaces of wood-concrete walls require protection from moisture. This can be plastering, facade cladding with curtain panels, tiles or bricks, plasterboard cladding, plaster or interior wall cladding.

Flooring materials

Wooden beams. Material: solid wood or laminated veneer lumber. Their dimensions should not be less than 50x150 mm. They should not have weakened areas or large knots that could affect their load-bearing capacity. The wood must be dry at the time of installation. The specific dimensions of the beams depend on the length of the span to be covered and the pitch of their installation. This provides a calculated load of 400 kg per square floor.

Boards for flooring and flooring.
Wooden logs.
Wooden blocks 5x5 cm.
Roll and coating waterproofing to prevent contact between wood and aerated concrete. If there is direct contact between these materials, the difference in thermal characteristics will lead to the formation of condensation, causing the wood to rot.
Mineral wool type insulation.
Material for internal floor lining. OSB, plywood, lining, drywall, etc. can be used.
Antiseptic and heat-resistant impregnations. They are necessary for impregnation of beams and boards. Impregnations prevent wood from rotting, damage by pests, and fire.
Cement and sand to create an armored belt.

Preparation of wood concrete mixture

The quality of wood concrete mortar for monolithic construction depends on compliance with the proportions of the mixture and its correct manufacture.

Preparing the Components

The composition of the arbolite filling solution includes more than 80 percent coniferous wood chips. It has a certain size and shape. The standard size of raw materials is 25*5*10 millimeters. If wood particles have a larger volume, then the strength of the material decreases. With smaller sizes, a larger amount of cement mixture is required and at the same time the level of thermal insulation properties decreases.

The composition of the solution for pouring wood concrete includes more than 80 percent of coniferous wood chips

Portland cement is used for the cement base. The brands M500 or M400 are mainly used. To speed up the hardening of the mixture, mineral additives are added, such as aluminum sulfate, calcium chloride or liquid glass. Slaked lime has also proven itself well.

For pouring monolithic structures, wood concrete mortar is prepared depending on its type. For structural wood concrete per 1 cubic meter, the following proportions of the main components are required:

for density B1 - 210 kilograms of cement and 210 kilograms of crushed wood are used per 360 liters of water;
B2 – 350 kilograms of cement, 230 kilograms of wood chips and 400 liters of water are combined;
class B2.5 requires 250 kilograms of softwood filler, 440 liters of liquid and 380 kilograms of Portland cement.

To mix wood concrete, which is used for thermal insulation purposes, 1 cubic meter, depending on density, requires from 280 to 300 kilograms of cement, 300-430 liters of water and from 170 to 190 kilograms of wood chips.

All calculations are used subject to the addition of M400 cement

If dry solution M 500 is used, then the coefficient of 0.96 is taken into account for the proportion

Solution manufacturing technology

The kneading process consists of the following stages:

Wood chips and a mineral or chemical additive are mixed in dry form. After this, Portland cement is added. All components are stirred until smooth.
Water is poured into the prepared mixture in a small stream. In this case, you should continuously mix the solution with a construction mixer or concrete mixer. In the finished wood concrete material for pouring, all chips must be covered with a cement mixture. The process of mixing the components takes at least 5 minutes.

A properly made solution should be moist, but not very wet. When adding lime as an additive to completely extinguish it, the solution is mixed for 20 minutes.

Features of monolithic material

Monolithic wood concrete construction mixture, 80-90% consisting of wood chips, crushed rice straw, flax kernels or cotton stalks, the rest is cement of a grade not lower than M 400 and 2-5% of additives (by weight of cement) neutralizing wood sugars, which, in in turn, slow down the hardening of wood concrete.

Additives used : calcium chloride, aluminum sulfate, liquid potassium glass, fluffed lime.

Arbolite concrete is laid in layers, up to 30 cm high, using sliding formwork. It is rearranged 3-4 days after pouring the layer.

Brief information about the material

Arbolite belongs to the group of lightweight concrete. The blocks contain up to 90% organic fillers, as well as cement and chemical additives that do not allow organic matter to influence the hardening process of the binder. The environmentally friendly material has high levels of heat and sound insulation with a low weight of the erected structure.

The unique characteristics of wood concrete make it possible to significantly reduce the thickness of walls and allow its use in regions with harsh climates. Despite the fact that the production of blocks in the USSR was established in the 60s of the last century, the material did not become widespread, and in the 90s the factories were completely repurposed or simply destroyed. At that time, developers paid little attention to energy-saving technologies, focusing on other areas that seemed more promising.

Modern conditions associated with the search for more economical methods of construction have forced us to remember arbolite concrete. The industry is currently undergoing a revival, and for good reason. Objects erected from wood concrete more than half a century ago are in excellent condition, which means the material has stood the test of time. In Europe and America, analogues were and continue to be used, since ordinary residents of capitalist countries value such concepts as “efficiency” and “energy saving”, “environmental friendliness” and “quality”.

Flaws

Each material has its own disadvantages. Arbolite is very afraid of moisture. A one-time wetness does not threaten it, but constant exposure to precipitation destroys the material.

Flammability of wood concrete

Many manufacturers claim that the material does not burn, but at high temperatures the wood chips begin to smolder.

After a fire, the ceiling cannot be restored. Many manufacturers do not conscientiously fulfill all the requirements of technology during production. An insufficient amount of lime in wood concrete leads to rotting of wood chips. Non-standard block sizes can also be considered a disadvantage. There are deviations in height and width up to 2 cm.

A prefabricated monolithic arbolite floor must be carried out in accordance with all the rules of installation technology. Arbolite blocks may begin to rot inside such a ceiling. And the concrete pour hides the wood concrete, making it difficult to see this process until the floor begins to collapse.