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Ceramic blocks insulation. How to build a wall from large-format ceramic blocks. Two-story and one-story houses made of ceramic blocks: the main characteristics of the material

Technologies for constructing walls of a private house are developing in three main directions:

1. Relatively thin and durable walls are insulated with highly effective insulation. The wall consists of two layers- a load-bearing layer that absorbs mechanical loads, and a layer of insulation.
2. For the construction of single-layer walls, materials are used that combine a sufficiently high resistance to both mechanical stress and heat transfer. The construction of single-layer walls from cellular concrete (autoclaved aerated concrete, gas silicate) or porous ceramics is popular.
3. A combination of these two technologies is also used when walls made of cellular and porous materials provide additional insulation layer high effective insulation. This combination allows make both wall masonry and a thin layer of insulation. This can be beneficial for structural reasons, especially when building a house in a cold climate.

Advantages of single-layer house walls made of warm ceramics

Especially in areas with mild winter more profitable and easier to build a private house with single-layer stone external walls. Modern Construction Materials allow you to build a single-layer wall of reasonable thickness and required strength that is sufficiently heat-saving for the specified climate.

Compared to two- or three-layer walls, single-layer outer structure stone wall has the following advantages:

• The total cost of building a house with single-layer external stone walls with a masonry thickness of up to 51 cm, at least, does not exceed the cost of building a two-layer, and less than a three-layer wall. Such walls make it possible to provide high consumer properties of housing, and at the same time reduce the cost of construction in areas with less severe winters.
• The homogeneous design of a single-layer stone wall provides greater durability, environmental friendliness, and better resistance to mechanical, fire and climatic influences.
• A house with external single-layer walls made of stone materials has a predicted durability of 100 years, service life up to the first overhaul- 55 years. For comparison, the duration of effective operation of buildings insulated with mineral wool or polystyrene boards before the first major repair is 25-35 years. During this period it is required complete replacement insulation.
• Single layer wall least susceptible to accidental or deliberate damage.
• Single layer wall is the key to the absence of hidden defects: it is impossible to place insulation poorly in it, since the insulation is the masonry material itself; it is impossible to perform a bad vapor barrier in it, since it does not need a vapor barrier; the entire wall is in front of your eyes and you don’t have to worry about the state of the foam or mineral wool hidden in its depths - nothing is hidden in the wall.
• Laying a single-layer wall is faster, since it is carried out from large-format blocks and does not require additional work for wall insulation.
• For laying single-layer walls, as a rule, blocks with a tongue-and-groove side surface are used, which makes it possible not to fill the vertical joints of the masonry with mortar. As a result masonry mortar consumption is reduced by 30-40%.

For example, in Germany, approximately 50% of private houses are built with single-layer walls made of autoclaved aerated concrete (gas silicate) or porous ceramics. According to this site, 10% of readers chose single-layer walls for their home.

Porous ceramics It is made from raw materials and in a way that is similar to the production of ordinary ceramic bricks. The difference is that components are added to the clay-based mass, which form pores when fired.

Hollow large-format blocks and bricks are made from porous ceramics. The hollowness further increases the heat-saving properties of products made from porous ceramics.

Masonry of a house wall from large-format blocks of porous ceramics with brick cladding of the facade

The compressive strength of porous bricks is higher than that of blocks. But a brick wall turns out to be more thermally conductive compared to masonry made from large-format blocks. In addition, brickwork is more labor intensive. For low-rise construction up to 3 floors it is more profitable to use large-format blocks rather than porous bricks.

On the construction market there are blocks of several standard standard sizes, from which single-layer masonry can be made with a thickness of 25, 38, 44 and 51 cm.

When laying the wall, large-format hollow blocks made of porous ceramics Place the long side across the wall. The thickness of the wall is equal to the length of the block.

For single-layer walls, blocks with a masonry thickness of 38, 44, or 51 cm are used. For double-layer walls with facade insulation, the masonry thickness is most often chosen 38, 44 or 25 cm.

A single-layer wall made of large-format blocks of porous ceramics 44 cm thick with masonry on a heat-saving mortar will have a heat transfer resistance of 3.33 m 2 *K/W. This wall corresponds Russian standards on energy saving for private houses located south of the St. Petersburg - Kazan - Orenburg line. North of this border, blocks with a masonry thickness of 51 cm are used, or two-layer walls are chosen from blocks of porous ceramics, with a masonry thickness of 25 - 44 cm and facade insulation mineral wool or heat-insulating slabs made of low-density aerated concrete.

In addition to standard-sized blocks, they produce small-format additional blocks - halves and blocks of a size convenient for dressing masonry in corners.

Porous large-format blocks, as a rule, have a compressive strength of 75 or 100 kg/m2 (M75, M100). The strength of porous bricks and small-format blocks can be M150, M175.

For construction, it is advantageous to choose a ready-made house project, which initially involves laying walls from porous large-format blocks.

The horizontal dimensions and height of walls, openings, and piers in such a project will be chosen so that the need for cutting blocks is minimized. It is better to adapt the design of a house with walls made of other materials to walls made of large-format ceramics.

Mortar for laying walls made of porous ceramics

The side surface of ceramic blocks usually has a profiled tongue-and-groove surface, which allows them to be connected without masonry mortar in a vertical seam. Such a connection facilitates and speeds up the laying, but requires the mason to be careful - the joints of the blocks must be smooth, without gaps or distortions. When laying cut blocks, the vertical joint must be filled with mortar. To reduce the air permeability (blowability) of the wall,

The masonry must be plastered on both sides. The laying of blocks can be carried out on ordinary cement-lime masonry mortar with a seam thickness of 8-12mm. But It is beneficial to use a heat-saving mortar for laying walls made of porous blocks

. This solution has lower thermal conductivity than the traditional one. m 2 *K/W, and when laying on ordinary mortar only 2.78 m 2 *K/W.

A wall built using a heat-saving mortar will cost more, about 10%, than masonry using a traditional composition.

It should also be taken into account that the heat-saving solution reduces the compressive strength of the masonry by approximately 20%. Therefore, the use of heat-saving mortar for masonry walls should be provided for in the project.

Masonry of porous blocks in two-layer walls with facade insulation is usually carried out using traditional cement-lime masonry mortar. A slight increase in the thermal conductivity of the wall in this case is not so critical.

Before laying on the solution The blocks must be moistened with water. This is necessary so that the water from the solution is less absorbed into the ceramics of the block. Otherwise, the solution in the joint will quickly lose water and will not gain strength.

Some manufacturers produce blocks with milled (polished) horizontal edges. This processing makes it possible to achieve minimum deviations block size in height, no more than plus or minus 1 mm.

The laying of blocks with milled edges is carried out on adhesive solution with a seam thickness of 2-3 mm. Installing blocks with glue increases the heat transfer resistance of the wall compared to laying with mortar.

In the European Union countries, laying milled blocks on polyurethane foam glue - foam - is gaining popularity. The composition differs from conventional polyurethane foam in its faster setting and less ability to increase in volume. Laying on adhesive foam reduces the load-bearing capacity of the walls.

Features of masonry walls made of large-format ceramic blocks

It should be noted that wall materials for single-layer walls have mediocre, both mechanical and thermal properties . We have to improve them with various design tweaks.

A large-format ceramic block is pressed against an already installed block and lowered vertically onto the mortar so that no gap is formed in the vertical seam between the blocks.

Hollow ceramic blocks are cut using special stone-cutting saws - hand-held or on a stone-cutting machine.

To lay communications in the masonry of the wall, you have to punch holes - fines. Horizontal and vertical fines along the entire length of the wall or the height of the floor are allowed to be made with a depth of no more than 3 cm. Short vertical fines located in the lower third of the floor height are allowed to be made up to 8 cm deep.

Deeper grooves weaken the wall's masonry. Therefore, their dimensions and location must be indicated in the project and confirmed by calculations. Deep and extended fines are especially dangerous for walls less than 30 cm thick.

After laying communications, the grooves in the external walls are filled with heat-saving mortar.

Connection of external and internal walls from large-format ceramic blocks

Internal walls are bearing, taking the load from the structures above - floors, roofs, and self-supporting- partitions.

Internal load-bearing walls are erected simultaneously with the laying of external walls. Load-bearing walls must rest on the foundation. In turn, load-bearing walls serve as support for floors and rafter system roofs.

1 - load-bearing internal wall, 38 or 25 cm; 2 - thermal insulation, 5 cm; 3 - outer wall

Internal load-bearing walls connect with outer wall method of dressing masonry. To do this, install an internal wall block, position 1 in the figure, in outer wall, position 3, to a depth of 10-15 cm. The blocks are placed not in each row, but every other row. In the second course of masonry, the inner wall block is simply adjacent to the outer wall masonry block.

Partitions in the house They serve only to separate rooms. They do not bear the load from the overlying structures of the house. The laying of partitions can be done simultaneously with the construction of external walls, but it is more convenient to do this after the construction of the frame of the house.

In any case, the height of the partition should be 2-3 cm below the ceiling so that the ceiling cannot put pressure on the partition. The gap between the ceiling and the masonry of the partition is sealed, for example, with a strip of mineral wool.

Non-load-bearing internal walls and partitions can be connected to external walls using galvanized steel anchors, placing at least 3 pieces in the masonry joints. along the height of the partition.

The basis for partitions made of masonry materials can be a ceiling or a concrete floor screed on the ground. The ceiling or other foundation must be designed to bear the load from the weight of the partition. If necessary, strengthen the base by installing a monolithic reinforced concrete beam under the partition.

The thickness of the masonry is chosen based on need provide the necessary sound insulation between rooms. Solid, without doorways, partitions separating living rooms from other rooms in the house, it is recommended to make it from ceramic blocks with a masonry thickness of 25 cm.

Other partitions are made of ceramic blocks or bricks with a masonry thickness of 12 cm.

To improve sound insulation, it is recommended to fill vertical joints in the masonry of partitions and internal walls with mortar.

Foundation and basement of a house made of ceramic blocks

If the foundation of the house is made of prefabricated concrete blocks, then a monolithic reinforced concrete belt must be installed on top of the blocks. The masonry of walls made of large-format ceramic blocks should be supported by a continuous reinforced concrete strip.

The thickness of single-layer walls of a house made of large-format blocks is quite large: 38 - 51 cm. To reduce construction costs, the width of the foundation (basement) walls is made smaller than the load-bearing walls of the house. The wide wall of the house overhangs on one or both sides over the narrower wall of the basement. Vertically, the wall of the plinth falls behind the surface of the masonry walls of the house.

Without performing calculations, the width of the plinth wall can be made 20% narrower than the thickness of the masonry made of porous blocks. For example, with a block masonry thickness of 44 cm, the width of the plinth wall can be reduced to 35 cm. Reducing the width of the plinth wall by 30% is allowed, but must be confirmed by the designer’s calculations. The horizontal surface of the wall overhang above the plinth is plastered from below.

For guard ceramic walls at home from splashing water and moisture when snow melts, it is recommended to choose the height of the base above the level of the blind area at least 30 cm.

Ceiling in the wall made of large-format ceramic blocks

1 - compensation tape; 2 - seam reinforcement (if necessary); 3 - reinforced concrete belt; 4 - thermal insulation 10 cm; 5 — additional ceramic block; 6 - wall made of ceramic blocks; 7 - a cushion of cement mortar no less than 2 cm. 8 - prefabricated monolithic, often ribbed ceiling; 9 - concrete screed 5 cm; 10 - thermal and sound insulation.

At the level of supporting the floors on load-bearing walls made of ceramic blocks, a continuous reinforced concrete belt is installed, pos. 3 in the picture. A continuous belt is installed on top of all load-bearing walls of the house. A monolithic reinforced concrete belt forms a rigid frame that absorbs vertical and horizontal loads of floors, as well as upper floors, and evenly transfers them to the load-bearing walls of the house.

The installation of a monolithic belt is mandatory if the floor is made of monolithic or precast reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete belt is also required in seismic hazard areas. Minimum dimensions monolithic reinforced concrete belt in section 150x150 mm.

By the way, you can also use large-format panels to install floors in your home. ceramic blocks.

Length of support for prefabricated reinforced concrete, prefabricated monolithic or monolithic ceiling on a wall made of large-format porous ceramic blocks should be at least 125 mm.

Steel and wooden beams of prefabricated floors rest on a monolithic reinforced concrete belt with a width of 150 mm and a height of at least 100 mm. The belt is placed under the ceiling.

In one-story houses, beams wooden floor it is allowed to rest on a masonry of three rows of solid ceramic bricks. There is no need to make a monolithic belt in such houses.

Window in the wall made of porous ceramic blocks

1 - seam reinforcement (if necessary); 2 — additional ceramic block; 3 - thermal insulation 10 cm; 4 - window; 5 - masonry made of large-format ceramic blocks; 6 — reinforced concrete lintels; 7 — reinforced concrete belt; 8—frequently ribbed ceiling; 9 — heat and sound insulation slabs; 10 - concrete screed 5 cm; 11 - compensation tape.

As lintels over window and doorways, item 6 in the figure, it is recommended to use reinforced concrete products - crossbars, specially designed for walls made of large-format ceramic blocks. Such lintels have dimensions convenient for placement in the wall and do not require adjustment to adjacent wall elements.

Heat loss through windows can also be reduced by using modern designs. When making heat-saving windows, the number of chambers in a double-glazed window is increased, special glass with a selective heat-reflecting layer is used, and the thickness of the window frame is increased.

WITH outside It is recommended to install roller shutters on the windows of a private house. Closed roller shutters not only protect windows from burglary, but also severe frosts reduce heat loss through windows, and in the summer heat reduce overheating of the house sun rays. It is better to provide for the installation of roller shutters on windows in advance, at the design stage of the house.

Connecting the roof to a wall made of ceramic blocks

1 - mauerlat beam; 2 - monolithic reinforced concrete belt; 3 — additional block made of porous ceramics; 4 - masonry of the wall from large-format blocks; 5 - insulation boards

The roof of the house rests on walls made of large-format ceramic blocks through a monolithic reinforced concrete belt, position 2 in the figure. A continuous belt is installed on top of all load-bearing walls of the house. A monolithic reinforced concrete belt forms a rigid frame that absorbs the vertical and horizontal loads of the roof and evenly transfers them to the load-bearing walls of the house.

Finishing single-layer walls from large-format ceramic blocks

Warm ceramic walls, both outside and inside, can be plastered with traditional cement-lime plaster.

Gypsum plaster solutions are also used for interior decoration.

Heat-saving plaster can be applied to the facade of the house in a layer of up to 10 cm. This will significantly increase the heat-saving characteristics of the external walls.

The facade of a house made of ceramic blocks is often faced with facing or clinker bricks. There is no need to create a ventilated gap between the wall made of ceramic blocks and the cladding masonry.

Watch the video tutorial on how to properly lay walls from large-format ceramic blocks.

Porous ceramic blocks in your city

Porous ceramic block for walls.

Insulation of walls made of porous ceramics

When building a house in areas with harsh winters, walls made of warm ceramics require additional insulation.

The outside walls are covered with a layer of highly efficient insulation - slabs of mineral wool or extruded polystyrene foam.

Foam glass slabs are glued to the wall masonry. Plaster is applied on top metal grid. The mesh and insulation boards are fixed with dowels to the wall.

More expensive ones are used less often foam glass thermal insulation boards with double-sided fiberglass coating. Fiberglass provides good adhesion to cement-sand mortar and other building materials. Compared to traditional insulation, foam glass insulation is more durable, has increased compressive strength, does not get wet, does not burn, is environmentally friendly, is not damaged by rodents, and is vapor-tight.

Thermal insulation slabs made of low-density aerated concrete (gas silicate)- another, relatively new material is gaining popularity for insulating facades. Some manufacturers have learned to make and produce aerated concrete with a density of 200 kg/m 3 or less, with a fairly high strength index.

When insulating walls, at the boundary between masonry and insulation, there is a risk of water vapor condensation and moisture accumulation in the wall.

For walls made of warm ceramics, the following facade insulation options are most often used:

• Plates are fixed to the wall for facade insulation from mineral wool with a density of at least 125 kg/m 3 or thermal insulation slabs made of low-density aerated concrete. The façade is finished with a thin-layer vapor-permeable material.
• medium density 45 — 75 kg/m 3. Insulation boards are placed between the lathing of the ventilated facade.
• Walls insulated with slabs of mineral wool or low-density aerated concrete can be lined with brick, but always between the cladding and the insulation. arrange a ventilated gap.
• When insulating with extruded polystyrene foam or foam glass, thin-layer facade plaster over insulation or insulation is used to finish the facade.

When insulating walls with polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam or foam glass, it is important to choose the correct layer thickness. If the insulation thickness is too small, steam will condense and moisture will accumulate at the border with the masonry wall. The thickness of the insulation from these materials is selected based on the calculation of moisture accumulation in the wall. Consult local planners on this topic.

When insulating walls with mineral wool or aerated concrete, moisture accumulation in the wall does not occur regardless of the thickness of the insulation.

When choosing a method of finishing a facade, it should be taken into account that the service life of mineral wool and polymer insulation is significantly shorter than brickwork cladding. Under brick cladding It is recommended to use a more durable one mineral insulation - thermal insulation boards made of low-density autoclaved aerated concrete or foam glass boards with double-sided fiberglass coating, for example, trademark FOAMGLAS® BOARDS WALL BOARD W+F.

Thermal insulation boards made of autoclaved aerated concrete have a density of 100 - 200 kg/m 3 and a dry thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.045 - 0.06 W/m o K. Mineral wool and polystyrene foam insulation have approximately the same thermal conductivity. Slabs with a thickness of 60 - 200 mm are produced. Compressive strength class B1.0 (compressive strength not less than 10 kg/m 3.) Vapor permeability coefficient 0.28 mg/(m*year*Pa).

We all dream of a warm, reliable and durable home of our own, be it a one-story cottage or two-storey house. And we try to select building materials based on these parameters. But to achieve the goal, it is important to take into account not only the properties of the material, but also the masonry technology, because improper use significantly worsens the quality of the material for which it was purchased.

This article will be of interest primarily to developers who wish to implement house designs made of ceramic bricks, as well as to those who would like to understand the main features of such a material as ceramic blocks.

Two-story and one-story houses made of ceramic blocks: the main characteristics of the material

The material for the production of ceramic hollow blocks is high-quality clay. Structures erected from them have the following advantages:

• Low thermal conductivity. Effective thermal insulation of these blocks is achieved due to many microscopic cavities that are filled with air and located in the body of the ceramic block. The creation of these cavities occurs by adding fine clay to the clay mixture. wood shavings, and their combustion during firing of blocks. Certain brands of ceramic blocks have the ability to absorb natural solar energy and maintain the internal temperature in the room. This property is the reason for the slow cooling of brick buildings in winter period and conservation comfortable temperature V summer heat, which undoubtedly takes into account both the design of a two-story brick cottage and a one-story brick house with or without an attic (the thickness of the house wall, the thickness of the external insulation, the parameters of heating devices; The heat transfer coefficient U of a single-layer wall is 0.29 W/m2K).
• Economical. Since the thermal insulation properties of ceramic blocks are excellent, external walls made of this material do not require additional insulation, and you can save on insulation.
• Comfort. Possessing the property of diffusion, ceramic blocks are able to stabilize indoor air humidity, constantly creating comfortable internal microclimate conditions for humans.
• Durability. This property is expressed by the high strength of structures that can withstand more than one decade. Some manufacturers offer earthquake-resistant ceramic blocks. All two-story, one-story and attic houses, the finished projects of which are designed for the use of ceramic blocks.
• Fire resistance. Brick is fired during the production process, so it is not resistant to fire. Depending on the thickness of the external walls, brick building Can withstand fire for 4 hours.

Projects of two-story houses and one-story cottages: mistakes in laying walls made of ceramic blocks

We have collected common mistakes made by inexperienced builders so that you can avoid them. Remember that the material retains its characteristics only with proper use. In order for the construction result to meet customer expectations, it is necessary to follow the instructions for laying ceramic blocks.

Let's list the main ones construction errors when using porous ceramic blocks:

The basic rules for laying ceramic blocks are demonstrated in this video:

The main idea of ​​our story is the understanding that even high-quality and expensive building material in itself cannot guarantee its successful use in construction. An important point in achieving success is compliance with the rules of its use. It was then that one-story, attic houses, and two-story cottages, built from ceramic blocks, will serve their owners faithfully for decades.

A distinctive feature of low-rise construction is the wide range of building materials used in it. This is due to small loads on the foundation and supporting structures.

Wood, brick, stone, concrete, etc. can be used to build walls in private buildings. At the same time, technologies in this construction segment are constantly updated, new materials and methods of constructing buildings appear.

One of these relatively new technologies is the laying of ceramic blocks.

Building ceramics are made by firing clay concentrate containing various improving additives.

Thanks to its strength, durability and remarkable decorative qualities, ceramic elements found the most wide application in various fields of construction.

The availability and low cost of industrial raw materials made it possible to establish the production of this material in almost all regions of the country.

Dense material does not absorb moisture as well as porous material

Ceramic building materials are divided into several types according to their technical properties and purpose. According to their density they are:

• dense;
• porous.

Dense ceramic products have a low moisture absorption rate, amounting to about 5% of their own weight. Porous materials have many interconnected cavities inside, so they can absorb a very large amount of moisture - up to 20% of their own weight. Accordingly, dense materials are more durable and weather resistant.

But at the same time, porous products have better thermal insulation properties, which allows significant savings on additional insulation.

According to their purpose, ceramic building materials are:

1. Roofing. These include various types of tiles.
2. Floor coverings - tiles, porcelain stoneware, etc.
3. Special purpose - fire-resistant cladding, pipes for laying communications (sewerage, electrical and fiber-optic cables), thermal insulation protection (expanded clay).
4. Facing - tiles for decorative finishing walls, facing bricks.
5. Wall materials - intended for the construction of load-bearing structures, primarily the walls of buildings. These include ceramic bricks and wall blocks.

Let's consider the last type of building ceramics in more detail.

Technical characteristics of wall materials

Large blocks can be laid in one layer

In terms of their purpose and laying technology, wall blocks and ceramic bricks are completely identical to materials such as building bricks, cinder blocks, etc.

The masonry technology in this case is determined by the size and shape ceramic material. Small elements close in size to ordinary brick, allow the construction of walls using the standard method. In this case, they are laid in several layers and tied to each other in all directions.

Large elements, called, make it possible to lay them in one layer. This technology is similar to laying slag and foam blocks.

Air-filled voids - thermal insulation chambers

They differ from bricks not only in their size, but also in their production technology. In addition to clay, they add a certain amount of organic impurities, most often sawdust. This makes it possible to reduce their thermal conductivity.

The presence of air-filled voids inside the blocks also improves the thermal insulation qualities. Thus, a wall made of ceramic blocks 51 cm thick has a thermal conductivity coefficient of 3.3 m x K/W, which is significantly less than that of a wall made of solid building bricks or monolithic concrete.

The compressive strength of ceramic blocks ranges from 75 to 100 kg/sq.cm; for ceramic hollow bricks and small-sized blocks this figure is even higher - up to 100-150 kg/sq.cm. cm. This allows the construction of load-bearing walls of one- and two-story buildings from them.

The table gives specifications various types ceramic blocks.

On construction market ceramic blocks are supplied in several standard options sizes.

Depending on the dimensions, they can be produced in one layer with a thickness of 25 to 51 cm, that is, the thickness of the resulting load-bearing structure is similar to that obtained when laying using building bricks (standard size 24 by 12 cm).

Narrow ceramic blocks are used, as a rule, for laying walls in two or more layers. In addition, special additional elements are available for sale, which are non-standard blocks, usually of shortened length - “halves” and “quarters”.

Advantages and disadvantages of ceramic blocks

Walls made of ceramic blocks will not require additional insulation

Statistics show that in countries Western Europe From a third to a half of all low-rise buildings are built using building ceramics. In our country, this figure is still less than 10%, but tends to grow steadily. This is facilitated by a number of positive qualities:

1. The high thermal insulation qualities of the material make it possible to build walls from it without using additional insulation. Thus, a wall with a thickness of 44 - 51 cm corresponds in its heat-saving properties to SNiP standards for such regions as the Baltic States, the Volga region, the Central Black Earth Region, not to mention the more southern regions. This aspect makes construction from ceramic porous materials more financially profitable.
2. Simplicity and speed of installation. Due to the large dimensions of the blocks, building a wall from them will take much less time than laying standard bricks. In addition to saving time, this also provides significant savings in masonry mortar.
3. Durability of use. The service life of the wall guaranteed by the manufacturer is about 50 years, which is not inferior to similar indicators for concrete or sand-lime brick. It should be borne in mind that in reality this period can be much more than half a century.
4. Low weight. Due to the presence of internal voids, ceramic blocks have a much lower density than solid brick or concrete. This makes it possible to use lightweight foundation options in construction - columnar and pile, which again leads to significant savings in building material and time.
5. Excellent sound insulation. Due to their porosity, the blocks not only have excellent thermal insulation properties, but also good noise absorption.
6. Fire resistance. Since clay is absolutely non-flammable material, a wall made of ceramic blocks can withstand the spread of fire.
7. Unlike wooden building materials, ceramics do not shrink, so interior decoration can begin immediately after construction is completed.
8. Vapor permeability. Ceramic blocks do not interfere with free gas exchange between interior spaces buildings and the outside world. As a result, a comfortable microclimate is created in the premises and the formation of internal surfaces walls of fungus and mold. For more information about construction using ceramic blocks, watch this video:

Ceramic blocks are fragile, so they must be handled with care during loading and transportation.

Like all other building materials, ceramic blocks also have their disadvantages, which must be taken into account when designing a building and carrying out construction work.

Due to their structure with internal voids, ceramic blocks are not resistant to shock loads, so care must be taken when transporting and constructing them. In addition, the presence of pores determines their high hygroscopicity.

To avoid excessive moisture in the blocks and their subsequent destruction when moisture freezes, moisture should not be allowed to penetrate into the internal cavities during construction.

Technology of laying walls from ceramic blocks

Walls made from ceramic blocks are laid using a special technology that is different from brickwork.

Preparation of masonry mortar

To mix the solution, not sand is used, but perlite or expanded clay.

When laying a wall of ceramic blocks in one layer, you cannot use the usual masonry mortar used for bricks.

The fact is that the frozen solution has a very high performance thermal conductivity, creating “cold bridges” - areas in the wall through which cold penetrates into the building. Thus, all the thermal insulation properties of ceramic blocks are negated.

Technology for preparing a solution for ceramics in general outline similar to preparing a regular solution. The binding element in it is cement grade M-300 or M-400, but instead of construction sand Expanded clay, fine perlite or crushed pumice are used in the solution. You can prepare the masonry composition yourself or buy a ready-made dry mixture from hardware store. It is diluted by adding water in the proportions indicated on the package.

Laying the first layer of blocks

The first layer of blocks is laid on the foundation base. It must be perfectly level, otherwise it is necessary to pour a layer of leveling screed on top of it.

Before laying the blocks, a waterproofing layer should be laid between them and the foundation.

The first step is to place the corner blocks

Waterproofing will prevent moisture from penetrating the concrete into the pores of the ceramic blocks. For its construction, roll waterproofing is usually used - roofing felt and its analogues.

After this, you can proceed directly to laying the blocks. Masonry begins from the corners of the future building. Using a building level, corner blocks are placed on the mortar.

The thickness of the mortar layer should not be too thick or too thin - according to building regulations, it is about 10 - 12 mm.

It is advisable to moisten each block with water, so it absorbs moisture from the solution less intensively. As a result, the mortar sets more evenly without overdrying or other violations of construction technologies.

To level and settle ceramic blocks, you cannot use a mason’s pick due to the fragility of the building material. When working with them, you should use rubber mallets.

For orientation, twine is stretched between the outer blocks

After installing the corner blocks, we fill the first row.

To do this, a thin twine is stretched between the outer ceramic blocks, serving as a guide for installing the remaining blocks.

When joining the last blocks of a row, they may not match in size.

To obtain an element of the desired size, you should use a grinder with a special cutting disc. You should not try to break off a piece of the required size using a mason's pick - the ceramics will most likely break into many pieces.

You can also purchase special additional elements measuring ¼ or ½ the length of a solid ceramic block. Upon completion of the laying of the first row, the mortar should be allowed to set thoroughly. This usually takes 12 hours, after which you can begin laying subsequent rows.

Further work

Vertical seams of adjacent rows should not match

All subsequent rows also begin to be mounted from the corners, adjusting the installation of the outer blocks using a building level. Particular attention should be paid to seams.

They must be even and of the same thickness - the beauty of the masonry largely depends on this. Vertical seams must be carefully filled to avoid through gaps.

Dressing should also be observed: the vertical seams of adjacent rows should not coincide with each other. To achieve a greater decorative effect, the seams are embroidered using a slightly bent metal rod or tube with a diameter of 10 mm. To learn how to properly lay blocks, watch this video:

Every 3 - 4 rows it is necessary to lay masonry mesh or reinforcement with a diameter of 6 - 8 mm. In a similar way, walls are erected in accordance with the design drawings. Openings for doors and windows are arranged in the right places, ventilation holes etc.

After the walls are erected, you can immediately begin arranging the roof to protect the walls from precipitation.

There are not many ways to combine a load-bearing structure with thermal insulation, so porous ceramic blocks are definitely worth considering. Today we’ll talk about the properties of this building material, the features of working with it, the technique of laying and finishing the walls of buildings of different heights.

The situation with porous ceramic blocks is very ambiguous. Distributors praise warm ceramics, while at the same time some well-wishers criticize them. Let’s try to get to the bottom of the truth, it’s not for nothing that these blocks have become so widespread.

Porous blocks: characteristics and essence of the material

The main problem in the production of red building bricks has always been considered a high degree of defects: during the firing process, the clay mass tends to change its linear dimensions and become deformed, in addition, a considerable amount of waste is formed during transportation. Create from such material building blocks large sizes Until some time it was a very difficult task.

The issue was resolved by extrusion molding of ground clay mixture. The composition of the latter may vary depending on the additives mineral type and pore-forming inclusions. Thus, in addition to the presence of large vertical channels that lengthen the path of heat outflow, the brick pillar itself may have micropores that increase heat transfer resistance.

At its core, warm ceramics are nothing more than a type of hollow brick. But the linear dimensions of the blocks are nine or more times larger, which gives a noticeable increase in the speed of wall construction. The void ratio is also much higher and can reach 80%, this is a huge plus in terms of thermal conductivity and in terms of reducing the structural load on the foundation.

Large blocks, oddly enough, do not have high dimensional tolerances. First of all, because the cellular format, together with mineral and pore-forming additives, eliminates shrinkage during firing; in addition, some types of warm ceramics may have ground ends. In general, the deviation from the declared dimensions is up to 2-3 mm for each block. The material is packaged on cargo pallets rather than in bulk, so the amount of waste during transportation is kept to a minimum.

Types and formats of blocks

There are two main types of PCB - for insulation and laying the load-bearing layer. Adding ground wood flour to clay at the stage of preparing the mixture results in its burning out during firing. The brick becomes brittle and is not suitable for constructing a load-bearing layer (strength grade M30-M50).

Various kinds of mineral additives, which have good sinterability along with clay, can increase strength to grade M100, which makes warm ceramics suitable for laying entire external and internal load-bearing walls. The thermal conductivity of such blocks is higher, but this is eliminated by a relatively thin outer layer of insulating cladding.

In construction practice, it is customary to combine materials in one wall. The internal load-bearing layer occupies 50-70% of the total thickness of the wall; it is laid out in high-strength blocks. This is followed by a layer of 20-30% of the total thickness with high resistance to heat transfer and the structure is completed by an external cladding of half a small-sized brick with a hollowness of about 30%. This scheme is considered generally accepted, and we will describe its advantages later.

Ceramic blocks come in a wide range of formats. Regardless of the material, structure, blocks are divided into basic masonry and additional facing. Both types have a strict direction of masonry: tongue-and-groove side edges complicate the outflow of heat by convection, and such a connection of blocks of the same row is mandatory. When choosing a format in advance, you can focus on the final thickness of the load-bearing walls of 25, 38, 44 and 51 cm. The facing blocks provide a heat-protective layer thickness of 8, 12 and 20 cm. For the end masonry, there are appropriately sized additional elements for each format.

Use with caution: how to avoid construction defects

The main argument of critics of porous ceramic blocks is their insufficient compressive strength. “Experts” tend to compare incomparables and pass off the low strength of insulating blocks as the complete technological unsuitability of the material as a whole. However, combining different brands allows you to correctly distribute the load along the wall: the main part of it is taken over by the internal load-bearing layer, and external cladding although it does not directly perceive the axial vector, it serves to generally strengthen the array.

Technically, such a three-layer wall is equivalent to a pillar of two and a half solid bricks of grade 100, while in terms of thermal conductivity it corresponds to 60-80 cm of hollow brick. Therefore, the construction of four floors from PCB (including the attic and basement) is quite realistic with proper design. If the building is built on a reinforced concrete frame, there are no restrictions on the number of storeys.

Another argument against warm ceramics is insufficient fastening ability. The blocks are really fragile and practically do not hold standard dowel-nails, which makes finishing using hanging systems difficult. Special fasteners for cellular concrete and chemical anchors: in the end, they don’t cost much more, but at the same time, the benefits of a light and warm wall are much more important.

One of the specific subtleties of working with PCB is cutting grooves for laying electrical or pipes. A common mistake is hammering with a hammer drill in impact mode, leading to severe crumbling of the porous wall. You should only work with wall chasers or angle grinders, but it is better to gouge out the channels manually - with a chisel and hammer; this will not take much longer, but will eliminate the formation of dust.

It is impossible to argue with the fact that PCBs require the involvement of qualified personnel to erect walls. Warm ceramics are only part of the technology, but not its basis. The material must be of high quality and certified, this is not even discussed. But here is the masonry technique, the final protective cladding, the use special materials- all this is no less important so that walls made of warm ceramics are truly warm and correspond to the declared characteristics.

Correct technique for laying walls

One of the supposed disadvantages of porous blocks is the partial elimination of porosity during the laying process due to cement mortar spilling into the cells. This phenomenon is eliminated by using a special mesh, which is placed in each row spacing and retains the binder. An ordinary fiberglass mesh can be used for facade plaster, but experts recommend using basalt mesh in order to increase the uniformity of the masonry mass.

Strictly speaking, cement mortar or sand concrete is not used in laying warm ceramics. They do not have a high enough resistance to heat transfer, so technological construction use liquid adhesive mixtures for polished blocks and mortar for unpolished ones. A dry block is dipped into a solution or adhesive mixture; the adhering layer is enough to reliably fasten the rows.

Cold bridges are not completely eliminated, but their number is reduced to a minimum. To completely eliminate thermal conductivity, it is customary to lay 30-50 mm of extruded polystyrene or cheaper PBS between the layers of masonry. At the same time, the vapor permeability of the wall is artificially limited by membranes of various types, and on the outside of the separator there remains a 30-50 mm gap for ventilation. If there is no insulation between the layers, when laying each row, roll out a 10 cm strip of polyethylene foam.

When bandaging elements of the same row, no binder is used. Technically, such a wall remains ventilated, which is why it is so important to have facade plastering with a thickness of 30 mm or more or facing it with traditional bricks and cement mortar. Sometimes this rule is deviated from in low-rise construction, and the outer layer of the wall made of insulating blocks is removed with finishing masonry. If there is no insulation between the layers of the wall, the gaps between the blocks are filled from the inside polyurethane foam, the consumption of which is minimal due to the precise fit of the blocks.

Despite their low dead weight, walls made of porous ceramic blocks are not recommended to be loaded with prefabricated and monolithic reinforced concrete floors in buildings more than two floors high. It is much more correct to arrange frame floors on wooden trusses or beams.

There is a myth that a reinforced crown is not required under the ceiling. However, it is still necessary to distribute the load along the pitch of the beams. The crown has minimum thickness: 12 mm reinforcement and two protective layers of 30 mm each. In multi-layer walls it is cast using panel formwork placed with inside, the outside is protected by insulating masonry.

For single-layer walls, special trays made of warm ceramics are used, similar to permanent formwork. They not only provide floor protection, but also create a uniform surface on the front side of the building.

A house made of ceramic blocks can be built quite easily and quickly and, moreover, it has excellent thermal insulation qualities and is quite durable and environmentally friendly. The walls of such a house, one ceramic block thick, have thermal insulation properties that are not inferior to a brick house if it had walls - about 1 m! You can learn about the masonry features of such a house from this article.

Features, advantages and disadvantages of a house made of ceramic blocks

A house made from ceramic blocks or porous ceramics is built three times faster than from ordinary bricks. The walls of a house built from blocks of this type breathe naturally - large cracks and micropores improve the diffusion properties of ceramics.

A house made of this material, in addition, allows you to reduce the load that the walls have on the foundation of the house, since the specific gravity of ceramic block masonry is half that of brick. Due to the large format of the blocks, the consumption of mortar when building a house from it is three to four times less than with brickwork, while three to four times less time is spent on laying 1 m2 of wall.

The cost of porous ceramics is comparable to the cost of aerated concrete, while ceramic blocks have several times lower water absorption than aerated concrete, and load bearing capacity and their frost resistance is much higher. This determines the greater durability of a house built from such blocks compared, for example, to a house made of aerated concrete.

When building a house from this material, it is possible to combine them with other building materials. For example, on the first floor the walls are built from ceramic blocks, and on the second - from gas blocks or other material. In this case, it is desirable that the strength grade of the material on the first floor be greater than or equal to the strength grade of the wall infill on the second floor.

But it is undesirable to mix ceramic blocks and other building materials in one masonry, since different types materials differ in strength, thermal insulation properties and water absorption, which can negatively affect the strength and durability of the wall itself.

Convenient material for building a house

Ceramic blocks are a very convenient material for laying walls. Ease of installation is initially inherent in the shape of the product and its production technology.

Firstly, such blocks are porous ceramics and are made on the equipment of European manufacturers, where the manufacturing process is controlled by a computer, the human factor is practically eliminated, so the finished ceramic blocks have precise geometric dimensions.

Secondly, they have a tongue-and-groove vertical joining system. On those faces of the block that end up inside during laying, there are longitudinal ridges and grooves of a trapezoidal profile - their number is from two to eight, depending on the size of the block.

When building a house from such blocks, the tongues and grooves fit tightly into the wall, without the need for additional fastening with mortar. The absence of mortar in vertical joints does not in any way affect the thermal conductivity of walls made of porous ceramics, which is confirmed both during multiple tests and during the operation of already built houses.

For the convenience of plastering the walls of a house made of ceramic blocks, the edges of the blocks that form the outer surface have shallow longitudinal grooves.

Types of blocks

For the construction of houses, ceramic blocks of various sizes are used, but their height is always a multiple of the height of the brickwork, which makes it possible to adapt the designs of brick houses to this relatively new building material.

The width of porous ceramic blocks is usually 230-250 mm, and the length is 250-510 mm. It is the length of the blocks that determines the width of the wall, since they are laid with the long side across the wall.

For load-bearing walls, ceramic blocks with a length of 300 - 510 mm are used, and for internal load-bearing walls and partitions, blocks with a length of 250 mm are used.

Small ceramic blocks with a length of 80 - 110 mm are also produced, which are used for the device interior partitions, cladding monolithic belts and as additional elements.
.There are also half-section and corner blocks.

Masonry solutions

When building a house, for laying blocks of porous ceramics, it is advisable to use an unusual cement-sand mortar, but a “warm” or light composition. The binder in it is usually cement, and the filler can be pumice, perlite or expanded clay sand. Warm masonry mortar is used for the construction of external walls, and regular mortar can be used for internal walls and partitions.

The solution is prepared directly at the construction site. When using ready-made dry mixtures, simply add water and stir.

The thermal conductivity of a warm solution is several times less than that of a conventional solution, so such a wall turns out to be thermally homogeneous. This makes a house built from ceramic block more energy efficient and durable.

The thermal conductivity of walls made of porous ceramics is affected not only by the composition of the solution, but also by its consistency and method of application. The solution, whether warm or ordinary, cement-sand, should not be liquid and should not fall into the pores of the block and fill them. It should be quite thick, but also, at the same time, plastic.

Laying on adhesive perlite mortar made of ready-made mixtures prevents errors in its preparation, since the instructions on the bags always indicate required amount water to obtain a high-quality solution.

The thickness of the seam should not be more than 10 mm. In this case, the thermal insulation properties of the wall increase by 15-18%.

Parameters of a single-layer wall made of porous blocks in comparison with an insulated brick wall.

Adhesive masonry

An interesting version of the solution for ceramic blocks is used in Germany. Using special equipment, their specialists evenly apply a special adhesive composition, thickness 3-4 mm. The glue lies in the form of a dense tape, covering the entire upper edge, but does not fall into the voids. Such a seam on finished wall practically invisible.

Laying ceramic blocks on polyurethane foam

In Poland, polyurethane foam is often used instead of mortar. Using a dispenser, it is applied in two strips about 5-7 cm wide, retreating 40 mm from the edges of the wall.

After applying the mounting foam, the ceramic block is tightly installed in the grooves of the previous ceramic block and, using a rubber “mallet,” is seated on the applied foam strips until it stops.

After setting, the polyurethane foam forms a thin, durable and warm seam.

With this method of laying, it is necessary to ensure that the mounting foam does not fall on the outer surface of the blocks. If this happens for any reason, the uncured foam can be immediately removed using a solvent for nitro paints or acetone.

DIY masonry

Before starting to lay blocks concrete screed the plinth arranges a reliable horizontal waterproofing. The solution is applied in an even layer, without voids, over the entire thickness of the wall.

Laying begins from the corners, using whole blocks and controlling the horizontality of the masonry.

Masonry mortar is used only in horizontal joints. The vertical edges are joined “dry” using the tongue and groove system. Laying ceramic blocks is carried out using a special rubber mallet. With its help, each block fits tightly to the neighboring one.

During breaks in the wall construction process, the upper rows of masonry must be covered to prevent precipitation from getting inside the blocks.

If the masonry is carried out using mortars or adhesive mixtures that are diluted with water, then it is advisable to build a house from ceramic block at an air temperature of at least +5 o C. Masonry on polyurethane foam can be produced at lower temperatures.

Wall design options

A house made of ceramic blocks can have both single-layer construction walls, both two- and three-layer.

A single-layer wall consists of only ceramic blocks with external finishing, which is used as a vapor-permeable “warm” (with perlite additives) or ordinary improved plaster.

A two-layer wall is obtained by insulating the walls of a house with various insulation materials. In this case, the first layer is a ceramic block, the second insulation with applied facade plaster. Can be used as insulation by systems bonded thermal insulation. In this case, the second layer is multi-component: glue mixture, insulation, waterproofing mixture, reinforced mesh, a layer of glue and finishing plaster.

Also, the wall turns out to be two-layer when facing ceramic, clinker or other types of bricks are used as cladding.

Three-layer walls of houses made of ceramic blocks are arranged with rigid or bulk insulation, placing it between load-bearing wall made of porous blocks and a lined outer wall (usually made of facing or clinker bricks).

Is insulation necessary for walls made of porous ceramics?

The need to insulate external walls made from these blocks depends primarily on their thickness.
Walls built from blocks 300 mm thick or less must be insulated. The thickness of the insulation is calculated when calculating the house design and depends on the temperature zone of construction.

The insulation must have a vapor permeability no less than that of ceramic blocks, otherwise moisture may accumulate in the wall.

Options for insulating walls made of ceramic blocks 250 mm thick