Arbolit floor slabs. Have you chosen to build a house from wood concrete? Laying walls from arbolite blocks
We talk about the installation of monolithic floors in a house made of wood concrete.
A monolithic floor is a load-bearing structure that divides a building into floors. In fact, it is a floor, so it must meet the requirements for strength and rigidity, and withstand its own weight and the weight of everything that is on it. The ceiling must also have the necessary heat and sound insulating properties and be fire resistant. The construction of a monolithic floor can be divided into stages:
1. Installation of formwork
The formwork consists of a deck and telescopic racks, securely fixed with tripods. The racks are installed at the same distance from each other, which is determined by the thickness of the slab: the thicker it is, the closer the racks are. Place on telescopic stands longitudinal beams, then perpendicular to them - transverse ones. We check the formwork structure for evenness using a level and a level. The quality of the surface of the future monolithic floor depends on this. Then we make the flooring with laminated plywood sheets 18 mm thick. It performs the function of a deck, which is one of the main structural elements of the formwork panel. To the benefits of use laminated plywood refers to high moisture resistance - the sheets can withstand repeated pouring cycles without deformation; thanks to the laminated surface of the plywood sheet, monolithic floors are smooth and even. We seal the joints between the plywood with film to prevent concrete from leaking into them during pouring.
2. Floor reinforcement
The reinforcement gives the structure rigidity, preventing the monolithic slab from breaking or bending. We install the reinforcement at a distance of 25-30 mm from the end to eliminate interaction between metal and air and prevent corrosion. Special plastic stops and clamps lift the reinforcement and create a protective layer of concrete underneath it. The size of this layer depends on the thickness of the floor, span length and other factors.
3. Filling concrete mixture
After reinforcement, we perform grouting using a concrete pump. To compact the concrete mixture, we must use an internal vibrator.
In the first days, concrete must be protected from precipitation and moisture loss, so when it rains, we cover it with a special film, in cold weather we warm it up and use it. antifreeze additives, in hot weather, on the contrary, we moisten it to prevent cracks.
4. Dismantling of formwork
Dismantling the formwork, the last stage of installation monolithic slab, occurs 4 weeks after concreting.
If the construction of a house is carried out from aerated concrete, the best floor for it is wooden. This is the most economical option, which can be made by hand.
Installation requires only two people. Another advantage of wood is its light weight, which is very important for aerated concrete.
Wooden floors in aerated concrete houses can be interfloor, basement and attic. The fundamental difference between them is small, but there are some features of their arrangement.
Flooring materials
- Wooden beams. Material - solid wood or laminated veneer lumber. Their dimensions should not be less than 50x150 mm. They must not have weakened areas or large knots that could affect their 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 thermal characteristics will cause condensation to form, 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.
Making an armored belt
Since aerated blocks have a relatively fragile structure, before arranging the ceiling on the walls, it is necessary to form a reinforcing belt of reinforced concrete. It will evenly distribute pressure loads over the entire area of the walls, and will also additionally strengthen the walls of the house.
To create an armored belt, U-shaped gas blocks are used, which are laid as the top row. If such blocks are not available, you can make them yourself by cutting out recesses in ordinary aerated concrete. After laying the U-shaped blocks, a load-bearing frame of reinforcement is formed in the recesses. It consists of four longitudinal rods connected to each other into a single structure. Pieces of wood are placed under the lower reinforcement to create a monolithic layer of concrete under the metal.
After this, concrete is poured into the blocks. The surface for laying the ceiling is ready. An armored belt can be made without U-shaped blocks by simply pouring concrete into the formwork fixed on top of the walls, but this method is too labor-intensive.
Interfloor covering arrangement
We list the procedure for performing work on creating an interfloor floor made of wood.
Approximate diagram 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 long walls Houses. The laying step usually does not exceed 1 m. B Alks should 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.
- Parts of the beams extending onto the wall are coated with a layer bitumen mastic, and are wrapped in several layers of roofing material.
- Beams are fastened anchor plates to the armored belt.
- The outer ends of the beams with outside The walls are insulated with expanded polystyrene.
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 long screws. Shields made of boards are laid on them, but you can also use individual cut pieces of boards. 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.
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, like basement, there are some features of its arrangement.
Since water vapor tends to circulate from a warm room to cold basement, the heat insulator 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 others wooden elements ceilings must be protected from rotting with special compounds.
Attic floor installation
Difference attic floor from interfloor is the absence of a floor, as well as the use of a thicker layer of thermal insulation. If an attic is built on top, then the floor is also made. Wooden flooring for walls made of aerated concrete blocks, with correct installation, will ensure the reliability and durability of the built house. At the same time, the cost of work and materials will be much lower than when using reinforced concrete floors.
ARBOLIT- is a building material, is a type lightweight concrete. The composition of the wood concrete includes M500 cement; water; wood chips of certain sizes, treated with lime, alumina sulfate, or simply aged for at least a month outdoors(chips should be at least 80-90% of the total volume of the block). Arbolite is made without the use of sand. Arbolite is widely used in Russia for the construction of houses, dachas, bathhouses, garages, but mainly in those regions where there is a lot of forest. After all, in order to produce 1 m3 of wood concrete, you need 1.3 m3 of dry wood chips of the sizes determined by GOST. That is why all the main production of wood concrete in Russia is located in regions rich in forests.
Arbolite is a large-porous material that provides excellent air exchange in rooms, thereby making the microclimate in the house very comfortable for living;
wood concrete density is 500-600 kg/m3, which allows saving on the foundation;
wood concrete has low thermal conductivity;
the strength of wood concrete B2 and excellent characteristics of tensile and bending strength make it possible to build houses with a height of 2-3 floors with a wall thickness of 30-40 cm without any problems. In this case, you can use both wooden and reinforced concrete floors;
large and convenient block sizes speed up the construction process and save money on paying workers;
despite the fact that wood concrete consists almost entirely of wood chips, it does not rot and is not susceptible to infection by microorganisms and fungi. Wood acquires such properties after processing, provided it is in a solution of high-grade cement and mineral additives.
wood concrete belongs to the class of fire-resistant materials and is able to withstand an open flame with a temperature of at least 1000°C for 45-90 minutes.
Wood concrete is resistant to impact and mechanical stress, and at the same time is easy to drill and saw, and easily holds fasteners.
The specific heat capacity of wood concrete is several times greater than that of brick, which is why in houses made of wood concrete summer heat It’s cool, and in the cold of winter, wood concrete walls can retain heat for a long time.
Wood concrete is manufactured in accordance with the current GOST 19222-84 and Instructions for the design, manufacture and use of structures and products made of wood concrete (Approved by the resolution State Committee USSR for Construction Affairs dated May 4, 1982 No. 116).
History of wood concrete
Developed and standardized in the 60s. During the years of the USSR, more than 100 wood concrete plants were built.
Wood concrete production technology
For the manufacture of wood concrete and products made from it, the following materials are used:
* mineral binder (Portland cement, Portland cement with mineral additives, sulfate-resistant cement - except pozzolanic - according to GOST 10178 and GOST 22266 grades of at least 300 - for heat-insulating wood concrete and 400 - for structural wood concrete);
* organic fillers (chopped wood from waste from logging, sawmilling and woodworking of coniferous (spruce, pine, fir) and deciduous (birch, aspen, beech, poplar) species, hemp and flax bonfire, chopped cotton stalks and chopped rice straw);
* additional substances (hardening accelerators, steam generator, plasticizers, steel corrosion inhibitors, etc.) according to GOST 24211;
* water according to GOST 23723.
Types of wood concrete
There are the following types of wood concrete - thermal insulation (density from 400 to 500 kg/m³) and structural (density from 500 to 850 kg/m³). It is used in the form of ready-made building blocks or slabs for the construction of self-supporting walls or internal partitions of buildings, as well as as thermal insulation and soundproofing material.
Characteristics
The thermal conductivity of wood concrete is 0.07-0.17 W/(m K). The most important characteristic wood concrete, like any building material, is its compressive strength. The compressive strength of wood concrete varies from M5-M10 for thermal insulation to M25-M50 and even up to M100 for structural.
Wood concrete has increased bending strength and absorbs sound waves quite well.
Wood concrete does not support combustion and is convenient for processing. Structural types have a high flexural strength and can restore their shape after temporarily exceeding the maximum load.
The disadvantages of wood concrete include reduced moisture resistance. Outer surface Wood concrete structures in contact with atmospheric moisture must have a protective finishing layer. It is advisable to maintain air humidity in rooms with wood concrete walls no higher than 75%.
Application of wood concrete
Arbolite is used for monolithic construction of low-rise buildings for residential, commercial and industrial purposes, as well as in the form of blocks.
Questions and answers
How many blocks are needed for a bathhouse measuring 2x4 meters?
Approximate calculation for a 2x4 meter bath (according to external dimensions)
Perimeter of the building (2+4)x2= 12 meters, wall thickness 20 cm (block laid on edge)
With a wall height of 2.4 m from the base, 12x0.2x2.4 = 5.76 cubic meters. minus windows and doors.
With a wall height of 2.1 m from the base, 12x0.2x2.1 = 5.04 cubic meters. minus windows and doors.
What kind of solution is used to lay arbolite blocks?
The laying of arbolite blocks is carried out on cement-sand mixture(CPS). For greater plasticity, a certain amount of fluff lime can be added to the mixture. In order to avoid cold bridges, perlite can be added to the CPS during laying. In the same way, sawdust can be used instead of perlite, but it will require mineralization to neutralize sugars.
Is it possible to use wood concrete blocks as a foundation, or for the construction of a basement?
The use of wood concrete in the foundation is not recommended not because it will not withstand loads, but because the natural humidity of the earth is much higher than the natural humidity of the air, even during rain, secondly, this humidity is constant, and if water inflow in the form of high water or groundwater, then everything is further aggravated. Arbolite is a material with high water absorption, i.e. it will begin to absorb water from the soil, constantly, and accordingly the material will have increased humidity. But when the humidity begins to differ greatly from the norm, the wood concrete’s thermal conductivity immediately increases and some other characteristics in the wall deteriorate. That is why it is not recommended for foundation. It is impossible to achieve such critical humidity values in a wall, even if you water it with a brassboil during the day; it will dry out overnight and release excess water into the atmosphere.
How tall can you build houses from wood concrete?
Arbolite is divided into structural and thermal insulation. As the name suggests, build buildings with load-bearing walls from wood concrete stands from structural wood concrete. The strength of M25 wood concrete blocks is sufficient for the construction of a building of 2.5 floors with floors made of hollow core slabs.
Is it possible to use wood concrete as a floor when building a house? hollow core slabs?
Can be used various types interfloor coverings, such as hollow core slabs, interfloor ceilings from expanded clay concrete, flooring on wooden beams, etc. To evenly distribute the load on the walls, it is recommended to make an armored belt between floors.
Is it possible to use a regular concrete mixer instead of a mixing station?
No, concrete mixers are not capable of producing high-quality wood concrete mixture. An example of what happens to a concrete mixer when mixing wood concrete can be seen in our production. At the same time, the mixing station not only mixes the mixture, but also additionally, by grinding the wood chips with an auger, brings it to the size required by GOST.
Wood concrete is more expensive than foam concrete, why is it better?
In addition to the best thermal insulation properties (70% on average), allowing you to avoid additional work In terms of insulation, arbolite blocks, when the load is exceeded, under shock loads, do not crack like foam concrete, but shrink, easily restoring their original shape after removing the load. This plasticity not only saves money during transportation and construction, but also protects the house from cracks during operation caused by shrinkage, temperature changes and other factors. In terms of earthquake resistance, houses made of wood concrete have almost no competitors. When building a house from wood concrete, unlike foam concrete, no reinforcement is required, which also significantly reduces the cost of work and materials. Summing up all construction costs, a house made of wood concrete is obtained cheaper than home from foam concrete. Wood concrete has better frost resistance (the ability to withstand repeated freezing and thawing in a water-saturated state without signs of destruction or loss of strength), is more environmentally friendly, etc.
Is it possible to make wood concrete not from wood chips, but from sawdust?
It is possible, wood concrete made from sawdust is often called sawdust concrete. The characteristics of sawdust concrete are in many ways superior to other similar materials, although they are inferior to wood concrete made from wood chips.
Construction market saturated with a variety of materials; The extensive assortment creates a difficult choice problem. If brick and timber are understandable and familiar to everyone, then newer and more technologically advanced varieties (for example, aerated concrete) cause mistrust. Arbolit is a new (although, in fact, well-forgotten old) product for many, whose advantages and disadvantages are lost behind rumors. Why are houses made of wood concrete good: projects and prices, features of buildings in our article.
Project of a two-story house made of wood concrete
A little history
The idea of combining the warmth of wood and the hardness of stone has visited people more than once and was realized in different ways. Since time immemorial, adobe has been known - a brick made from clay and plant additives, straw or reed. In the dry Central Asian climate, houses made of this material last for centuries, withstanding summer heat and winter frosts.
A successful option that combines both materials was developed in Holland in the 30s of the last century. It quickly spread around the world under the Durisol brand. In the Soviet Union, they tried to produce similar blocks back in the 30-40s, but their quality was low due to technological shortcomings (low-grade cement, incorrect chip format, mismatched equipment).
High-quality domestic material was developed, standardized and certified in the 60s; it was called arbolite (from Latin arbor - tree). Modern factory-produced arbolite blocks, produced in compliance with technology, are effective material with a set unique properties. The reputation of wood concrete suffers, as a rule, due to the products of folk craftsmen.
Industrial production blocks
Composition and technology
Wood concrete, from which houses were built en masse already 60 years ago, belongs to the family of lightweight concrete, which has now won a significant market share from brick. This is a composite (complex in composition) material consisting of the following components:
Wood chips(crushed pine sawdust, crushed cotton stalks, flax or hemp stalks). The organic part is a filler and occupies 80-90% of the volume. Chips have a specific shape and size, which distinguishes wood concrete from sawdust concrete.
Cement. Mineral binder. To make the block durable, Portland cement grades M400-500 are used.
Additives-mineralizers. They neutralize the sugar present in wood and affect the strength of wood concrete (improving the adhesion of wood chips to cement). Calcium chloride, soluble glass, aluminum sulfate are used (the latter is food additive E-520, which is actively used in the confectionery industry and in fish canning factories).
Vibropress at work
The production of blocks is carried out on automated lines and is divided into stages:
Preparations. The wood chips are crushed, soaked and treated with a chemical composition. If the chips are pre-conditioned for fresh air 4-6 months, no additives needed, sugar breaks down on its own.
Moldings. The required, precisely adjusted amount of wood chips and cement are mixed and formed into blocks.
Drying. On a brick press, the blocks are compacted, obtaining the final density and geometry corresponding to GOST.
Classification
Blocks, panels and slabs are made from wood concrete (another name for wood concrete). According to state standard, wood concrete products do not need additional insulation. Products vary in density (percentage of sawdust), they are classified according to their purpose:
Structural. Used for the construction of external walls.
Thermal insulation. For interior walls.
Based on their dimensions, blocks are divided into: wide, medium, narrow and connecting. In addition, the elements are marked from 5 to 50 (strength indicator).
Wood concrete house - fast, cheap, energy efficient
Specifications
Arbolite blocks applicable in all climatic zones (arbolite buildings are available not only in middle lane, but also in Antarctica, at the Molodezhnaya polar station). Such multi-purpose use was made possible thanks to the combination of technical characteristics of the material:
Light weight. The density of structural blocks is 500-850 kg/m 3, heat-insulating blocks - up to 500 kg/m 3.
Low thermal conductivity. In terms of parameter (0.11 W/(m*K)) it surpasses wood. A wall with a thickness of 0.3 m corresponds to 0.6-0.7 m of brick in terms of its ability to retain heat.
Environmental friendliness and biostability Wood concrete is safe for human health; the material does not rot, fungus and mice do not grow in it.
Fire resistance. The material can withstand an open flame at a temperature of 1000°C for up to an hour and a half, then it begins to smolder.
Sound insulation and vapor permeability The block structure absorbs sounds and supports natural ventilation and humidity control, which ensures a comfortable microclimate in the house.
Comparative characteristics of popular building materials
Homemade mistakes
The technological chain for the production of wood concrete is described in one phrase: a mixture of concrete and wood chips is placed in molds and dried without additional heating (firing). External simplicity is deceptive. The absence of obvious technological problems encourages home craftsmen to independently produce wood concrete blocks. Having decided to save money, a garage manufacturer is guided by the following misconceptions:
Any wood chips will do (even sawdust from a sawmill).
The brand of cement has a slight effect on the strength of the product.
The mixture is concrete, so it can be mixed in the usual household stirrer, and neglect the mineralizer.
You can do without a press or assemble it yourself.
The form is easy to construct from plywood or foam concrete. Since the mixture is thick, the formwork can be removed immediately, and the blocks will dry under a shed or in a barn.
Problem areas in masonry made of artisanal wood concrete
The output is a fragile product that crumbles along the edges and has incorrect proportions (not according to GOST). Handicraft production that throws thousands of cubic meters of low-quality blocks onto the market discredits industrially produced material. Until the buyer sees real, strong and smooth products, he will consider wood concrete to be a worthless material.
On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects of houses made of wood concrete blocks from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.
Advantages and disadvantages of technology
Thanks to technical specifications material, building a house from wood concrete blocks is becoming more and more in demand. Houses made of wood concrete blocks have a number of advantages:
Low cost. Wood concrete is cheaper than most building materials (the cost is comparable to foam concrete), which makes it possible to inexpensively build a house from wood concrete; the average price can be around 2.5 million rubles for housing for a family of 4-6 people.
Light weight. Speeds up work and allows the use of a lightweight foundation.
Strength. Good impact and bending strength (not prone to cracking, unlike cellular concrete).
Arbolite surface has high adhesion
Simple machining . The blocks are easy to saw, drill and hold fasteners.
High adhesion. High-quality adhesion of the wall surface to concrete and plaster (without additional reinforcement).
Frost resistance. For facing blocks, 50 freeze-thaw cycles are guaranteed.
Shrinkage. Minimum, 0.4% (for wood up to 10%).
Building a house from wood concrete has the following nuances:
You can use adhesive for cellular concrete, which eliminates cold bridges from the walls.
The plaster is applied to a dense and uniform surface without a mesh.
There is no need to install forced ventilation.
External cladding hides a boring wood concrete façade
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer the service of building houses from wood concrete blocks. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
When designing a house made of wood concrete, you need to remember the disadvantages:
Hygroscopicity. The problem with many cellular concretes. But if a foam concrete block that has absorbed moisture can crack, then an arbolite block swells, remaining intact. The disadvantage is eliminated by plastering.
Blowing. It can be removed with rough plaster.
Appearance . The facade looks unpresentable, which, however, can be easily corrected with decorative exterior decoration.
Features of using technology
Housing built from arbolite blocks combines the strength of brick and the comfort of a wooden building; There are also some disadvantages, which are quite easy to eliminate.
Video description
What advantages and disadvantages this material has, as well as detailed characteristics, are discussed in this video. Let us dispel all fears and misconceptions. What is an arbolite block, what is it made of and what is it for?
1. Design
Any project created for the construction of a house made of wood or stone is suitable for construction from wood concrete. When adapting a project, the following stages of work must be worked out:
Geodetic research. An important parameter is the depth of groundwater. High water levels are a reason to raise the foundation or change its type.
Floors. The strength of wood concrete allows it to withstand both wooden beams and reinforced concrete (prefabricated monolithic) floors.
Waterproofing. She needs to be given enough attention; maybe use vapor barrier materials or hydrophobic paint.
Insulation. Your estimate will cost you no money on solid thermal insulation; the material is exceptionally frost-resistant.
Finishing. Since wood concrete holds fasteners well, for finishing you can use not only plaster, but also a block house, lining, and facing bricks.
Country house made of wood concrete, lined with brick
2. Foundation
Most often, for houses made of wood concrete, which has a low specific gravity, a lightweight foundation is chosen, usually a shallow strip foundation. This allows you to reduce costs (a conventional foundation accounts for 25-30% of all construction costs). High groundwater They are forced to replace the foundation (with a columnar one) or build a basement.
3. Walls
The use of large arbolite blocks facilitates and speeds up construction; The masonry scheme is no different. It is convenient to use a special adhesive for cellular concrete as a mortar for masonry. The seam will not serve as a “cold bridge”, as it will be thin (for masonry 1.8-2 m high, the seam thickness is 1-1.5 cm).
The masonry technology involves wetting the blocks with water or treating them with moisture-retaining impregnation. This prevents moisture from being excessively absorbed into the blocks and deteriorating the quality of the masonry mortar.
Construction of the first floor
4. Partitions, door and window openings
Using narrow blocks for internal partitions will save money without compromising the heat and sound insulation of rooms. There are no problems when creating openings; The blocks can be easily sawed with a hand saw or quickly with a chainsaw.
5. Roof
The wood concrete frame confidently withstands heavy roofing; You can put slate on the roof or decorate it with natural ceramic tiles. Experts recommend designing wide roof overhangs that can protect wood concrete walls from slanting rain.
6. Insulation
Arbolite walls do not need insulation, but heat can be lost in other ways. To identify weak points, conduct a heat audit of the house. The most likely heat losses are through the following parts of the structure:
Floor. Due to its proximity to the ground, 50-60% more heat is lost through the floor than through the walls. For thermal insulation, mineral wool or expanded clay are mainly used.
Thermal imaging diagnostics is an effective way to check the thermal insulation of a country house
Ceiling and roof. The ceiling is insulated if attic space non-residential Otherwise, the roof is insulated.
Windows. The gaps are filled silicone sealants, sealants or polyurethane foam.
Subtleties of design
A country house built from wood concrete looks like wood or stone thanks to its finishing. The choice of material is more a matter of aesthetic preference than functionality.
Video description
About choosing wood concrete in the following video:
Exterior finishing
The main method of finishing wood concrete is plastering. It is important to remember that the consumption of plaster will be 1.5-2 times more than for concrete wall. However, even without a reinforcing mesh, the finishing layer will be strong and even. For finishing it is permissible to use the following types of plaster:
Cement. The standard block will be protected by a 20 mm finishing layer.
Decorative. Latex, lime and acrylic options are used.
Limestone. Needs additional processing(primer and putty).
So that the walls can breathe, when using cladding, a ventilation gap is arranged (most often wooden sheathing). The following is used as cladding:
Block house, lining or imitation timber. Externally, the housing will not differ from a wooden building.
Vinyl siding. Offers a huge number of options, is non-flammable, practical and easy to attach directly to the wall.
Facing brick . An ideal opportunity to turn your home into a brick house.
Wood concrete house, external finishing with elements of half-timbered style
Interior decoration
Some of the most common ways interior decoration arbolite walls:
Plastering and cladding plasterboard sheets (on the frame). Both options allow you to later paint the walls or cover them with wallpaper.
Clapboard finishing. A crate is arranged for it, playing the role ventilation gap and helping to hide communications.
Design styles
Projects of houses made from arbolite blocks are successfully reproduced characteristic features popular architectural styles, often improving the comfort of a residential building.
1. Chalet
Traditionally, chalet houses are made of two floors, with the first floor being built from stone and the second from wood to convey the spirit mountain hut. A feature of original chalets is often the high humidity of the basement. Features of building a chalet from wood concrete:
Ground independence. Wood concrete chalets can be built on problematic soils, unlike stone chalets.
Chalet style house. Stone plinth or stone finish?
Facing. For the first floor, basement panels with stone relief are used, for the second floor - a block house or wooden lining. In both cases, installation is carried out on the lathing. A person who has not taken part in construction work is unlikely to determine with certainty what the house is built from.
Microclimate. It will be equally comfortable on both floors.
2. Minimalism
Buildings in the minimalist style are traditionally built from lightweight concrete or brick and constructed using a monolithic method. They are characterized by strict geometry and a minimum decorative elements. Design choice in interior design are subdued colors and finishes with a smooth texture (plaster or tiles predominate)
Arbolite house, the project of which is embodied this style, has additional advantages:
A house made of wood concrete does not need an expensive slab or buried foundation, like a building made of monolithic reinforced concrete.
Arbolite wall covered with glass wallpaper
Arbolite walls after finishing will look the same as concrete (brick) ones, but unlike them they are able to breathe.
If the project includes French (panoramic) windows, a house made of wood concrete will have much less heat loss than its concrete or brick counterpart.
3. Loft
The loft arose when savvy city dwellers began to inhabit empty industrial buildings with spacious rooms and huge windows. What was previously considered a disadvantage - open communications and rough finishing (or better yet, its absence) suddenly became a sign of chic and belonging to the elite.
“Real” lofts in industrial buildings are not very practical, so country houses made of concrete or brick, which were specially designed for this brutal style, became widespread. Arbolite blocks are no less durable, and their thermal insulation qualities are much (2-3 times) superior to traditional stone materials. It is worth taking a closer look at wood concrete if the loft project includes large windows and siding; heat loss will be minimal, and finishing will be easy and quick.
Heat loss from large windows is compensated by wood concrete walls
4. Traditional (ethnic) style
For the construction and decoration of houses in ethno-style, they try to use natural materials, avoiding the use of brick, tile, glass or chrome elements (forged are allowed). Such houses in Asian or folk European (the same chalet) style are environmentally friendly, but often cold and often weakly built. Arbolite houses can give a head start in weight, comfort, fire safety and energy saving.
Video description
How to build a house from wood concrete? What type of foundation does a house made of wood concrete blocks require? How much does a turnkey wood concrete house cost?
5. Rustic
The style is characterized by deliberately rough, minimal processing of stone and wood. The same materials are used for interior decor; the interior is enlivened natural fabrics, pottery and animal skins designed to highlight the natural beauty of nature. The advantages of wood concrete are immediately visible:
Compared to an arbolite building, a stone house is too heavy for problematic soil, and a wooden house is powerless in the face of fire.
In a climate characterized by long wet periods (long autumn and spring rains), owners of a wood-concrete house do not have to worry about the appearance of mold and rot.
An arbolite house with a block house finish is difficult to distinguish from a wooden one
Projects and prices of wood concrete houses
Many construction companies have own production arbolite blocks, which allows them to offer houses at reasonable prices. The customer can choose a standard (ready-made) project and modify it, or order an individual project with full development. A turnkey house made of arbolite blocks is available in several configurations:
Economy. The foundation is being laid, the walls and roof are being erected. The option will cost from 11,500 rubles/m2.
Standard. In addition to the frame and roof, the customer can count on the installation of windows and doors, as well as insulation of floors. From 12500 rub./m2.
Optimal. In addition to the previous work, facade (exterior) finishing is carried out, the roof and attic are insulated. From 14,500 rub./m2.
Premium. A full range of construction and finishing works, wiring of communications and other activities stipulated by the contract. From 17,000 rub./m2.
Let's look at some projects of houses made of arbolite blocks:
Project country cottage made of arbolite turnkey
Houses made of arbolite blocks, the price of which allows you to keep the budget within reasonable limits, are also pleasing with the construction time: a house with an area of 100 m2 is completed in 2.5-3.5 months (depending on the complexity of the project). Average prices for projects in the Moscow region:
Houses with area up to 100 m 2: 1,470 - 1,860 thousand rubles.
From 100 to 200 m2: 2,350 - 3,470 thousand rubles.
More than 200 m2: 3,980 - 6,295 thousand rubles.
Conclusion
By many parameters country house made of wood concrete can be a profitable solution for those who are thinking about their own family nest. Thanks to a huge selection of modern finishing materials(plaster, plinth panels, liquid wallpaper) a house made of wood concrete will not lose in appearance to its brick, wood and concrete counterparts. The multiple win will be its unrivaled ability to retain heat.The most creative method of constructing buildings, which makes it possible to obtain a structure of any shape and configuration, is the construction of monolithic walls that do not have connecting seams, and therefore provide the greatest airtightness. By simulating a casting form with the desired profile, you can obtain any futuristic contours of a country house by sequentially pouring and rearranging the formwork.
The main disadvantage of this method is its high cost and labor intensity, since sand-cement screed is a heavy and expensive material. An alternative way to construct a building on a budget using a similar technology is to construct the walls of the house from monolithic wood concrete, which is much lighter, which means the work can be done by hand.
Preparation of wood concrete mixture
The term wood concrete combines a wide range of mixtures of crushed plant fibers with cement, which makes it possible to obtain a lightweight building material consisting of 80–90% shavings or crushed pieces of various plants. The composition of such a construction material makes it possible to minimize the cost of its production, since crushed plant fibers can be obtained from any waste from the wood processing industry intended for disposal.
The recipe for mixing the components for the preparation of wood concrete will depend on the class and brand of material that should be obtained in the end, based on the purpose:
- for external walls you need the most dense and durable mixture composition;
- internal walls and floors may have lower density, but higher thermal and sound insulation.
| Filler | Component content, kg/m 3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B0.35(M5) | B0.75(M10) | B1.0(M15) | B2.0(M20) | B2.5(M25) | |
| Softwood shavings and sawdust | 260/160/280 | 280/180/300 | 300/200/330 | 330/220/360 | 360/240/400 |
| Coniferous wood chips and crushed wood | 280/170/300 | 300/190/330 | 320/210/360 | 350/230/400 | 380/250/440 |
| Sawdust and mixed wood shavings | 290/180/330 | 310/200/360 | 330/220/390 | 360/240/430 | 390/250/460 |
| Mixed rock crushing products | 310/160/330 | 330/180/360 | 350/200/390 | 380/220/430 | 410/240/460 |
| Rice straw crusher | 300/180/350 | — | 370/220/400 | 400/250/450 | — |
| Ground hemp and flax stems | 220/200/400 | 310/190/470 | 360/180/450 | 450/170/420 | — |
| Crushed cotton stalks | 260/200/400 | 290/210/460 | 320/220/480 | 360/230/510 | — |
When accepting the composition of the mixture presented in the table, a number of assumptions should be taken into account and the data adjusted based on the actual parameters of the components:
- The proportion is given for cement grade M400, that is, when using other grades, the coefficient of change in strength should be entered: M300 - 1.05; M500 - 0.96; M600 - 0.93.
- The filler consumption is given for absolutely dry material, which is rare for real construction conditions; therefore, its mass should be increased by multiplying by a factor greater than one by the proportion of water in the filler composition (moisture content in % divided by 100%).
- The amount of pure water must be reduced by the amount of its content in the chemical additive, which is injected as part of a mixture of a certain concentration.
Types of formwork and their construction
For the construction of any monolith of walls and floors, formwork is required, which is a structure of various material designs that limits the space filled with liquid mortar, which after solidification forms structural elements 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 made of 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 decision would be permanent formwork from polystyrene foam boards, creating a double-sided vapor- and heat-proof 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 an integral part of them. Device similar 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.
Monolithic construction technology
Wood concrete is the lightest structural material, therefore, for the construction of walls, a monolithic floor made of reinforced concrete is not required; it will be enough to limit yourself to a strip foundation made by yourself, the width of which should be equal to the thickness of the walls. As a material for the device supporting structure reinforced concrete or brick should be used at home, capable of supporting the weight of a building of three floors, since a large number of floors for monolithic structures from wood concrete is not allowed. Subsequently, floors must be installed between the strip foundations, which can also be made of wood concrete.
Monolithic construction can be carried out in several ways:
- continuous floor-by-floor pouring, in which permanent formwork is installed on the floor or foundation, and the mixture is supplied from an automixer or a local concrete-mortar unit;
- by pouring belts, when formwork of a certain width is formed immediately along the entire perimeter of the building and sequentially moves from bottom to top;
- segmental pouring, when a section of a wall of a fixed height and length is poured in one go, with restrictions on the sides.
Formwork for a monolithic floor and wood concrete flooring Manual tamping of the first floor floor Compacted floor and prepared formwork for pouring walls Rearranged formwork for pouring the next layer of wood concrete Rearrangement of formwork Poured and compacted wood concrete in the formwork for walls Formwork for the façade side Walls made of monolithic wood concrete
If building a house is done with your own hands, then the first two options are frankly utopian, but the last one is the most realistic and practically feasible, even in the absence of a concrete mixer.
The sequence of operations in this case will be as follows:
- The formwork prepared with your own hands is placed on a certain section of the foundation, into which reinforcing rods must be walled up in advance, reaching the height of the mark where the floor of the next floor will be. The diameter and pitch of the rods when installing wall reinforcement is selected based on the planned number of storeys of the building; the higher it is, the shorter the distance and the greater the thickness of the embedded parts.
- The lower edge of the enclosing panels overlaps with the foundation of the house, and the upper cut is fixed at two or three points along the thickness of the wall. For a tight fit, the panels are pulled together with metal pins with a diameter of 3–5 mm, which, after removing the formwork, must be cut flush so that there are no holes left in the wall. The gaps on the sides of the formwork are closed with pieces of boards.
- Wood concrete is poured into the prepared segment, the composition of which is determined by whether it is an external wall or partition, adding 3–5 cm to the top edge of the formwork. After pouring, be sure to compact the solution using manual compaction with a specially prepared pin along the entire length of the fill, thereby removing air bubbles from the wood concrete layer in order to achieve the desired density and strength.
- After the wall section has hardened, the formwork can be removed, protected, oiled and installed on the next segment, after which all previous manipulations must be repeated. The rearrangement is carried out sequentially: first in one plane in height, and after closing the perimeter, the rise is made to a higher level.
- After reaching the mark of the next floor, it is necessary to construct the floor by filling it with your own hands with wood concrete on top of specially prepared formwork or by laying standard reinforced concrete slabs ceilings After the floor is equipped, all operations are repeated until the design height of the building is reached.
