What is the house made of? Construction Materials. Good question: What material is better to build a country house from?

Before starting construction, you should find out which house is better in specific conditions. There are a significant number of types of structures and they all have different characteristics. Choosing what is better to build a house from, you need to take into account your own preferences and capabilities.

Which house is better

What determines the strength of the walls of the house?

There are two kinds loads acting on walls: vertical and horizontal. Vertical loads are forces directed from top to bottom. Such loads are created by the weight of the wall itself, floors. Roofs and other overhead structures.

Since private houses are low-rise, and wall building materials are highly durable, they can withstand vertical loads quite easily.

Horizontal and torque moments appear under wind action, with soil pressure on the foundation from the side, due to transverse ceilings, and in some other cases.

Horizontal loadshave the most significant effect on the walls. If the wall thickness is small, then cracks or deformations may occur. It is the lateral and rotational influences that do not allow making the walls of an individual building thin. The compressive strength of the materials is sufficient for a wall of very small thickness to be reliable, but lateral loads make it necessary to increase the dimensions.

The reliability and stability of the walls is affected not only by their thickness, but also by the structural features of the building as a whole. With the help of reinforcement, connecting the outer walls with the inner ones, creating monolithic belts, a power frame which helps to resist external influences.

Differences between warm and energy-saving walls

Considering which house is better to choose, a person chooses a place with comfortable conditions for himself. Any home is a shelter from cold or heat, precipitation and other external factors. To be comfortable inside, three conditions must be met.

1. Temperature the room should be at least 22 degrees Celsius. To maintain it at this level in winter, additional heating will be required. Install stoves, boilers, heaters

2. Inner surface the walls should also be warm enough - about four degrees less than the air temperature. In this case, they will not pull cold and they will not become damp, creating an unhealthy microclimate. In order for the walls to be warm, it is necessary to make them of a certain thickness, in accordance with the heat technical specifications and material.

3. The design of the wall should not purge. The presence of cracks through which outside air freely passes will lead to significant heat loss.

Wall structures with such characteristics will be warm and create comfortable conditions in the room. but energy saving they may or may not be. Energy saving regulations require that heat losses be reduced to minimum dimensions. In this case, it is necessary to make the resistance to heat transfer at the walls much higher. To do this, the thickness of the wall should almost double. But it is worth noting that in private construction, compliance with energy saving standards is not necessary.

Helps reduce heating costs complex insulation. The tightness of windows and doors increases, the floor, basement, ceilings and roof are insulated. All this in combination can significantly reduce overall heat loss and reduce spending on space heating.

Single-layer or double-layer wall - which is better?

Modern wall materials allow you to build walls of small thickness, but at the same time strong enough. At the same time, the construction costs will be quite modest. But a thin wall cannot effectively retain heat. There are two ways to solve the problem: a multi-layer or single-layer wall is selected. In this case, a multi-layer structure is understood to mean a structure consisting of two or more layers.

In the first option, a fairly thin load-bearing wall is built, which is complemented by a layer of effective insulation. The insulation protects against heat loss, and the wall provides strength.

Whether to insulate the wall

In the second option, in the case of single-layer walls, initially materials are used for construction that have not only mechanical strength, but also low thermal conductivity. When they ask the question: what material is better to build a house from, the most common answer is - cellular concrete. It has a large number of air cavities, which increase the resistance to heat transfer. However, materials intended for single-layer wall structures do not have outstanding characteristics. They have average level strength and mediocre thermal performance. Various design methods are used to improve all properties.

Nothing prevents and combine these two options. Walls made of porous materials can also be insulated. In this case, a small layer of insulation is sufficient. It is suitable for use in cold climates.

Features of single-layer walls

Some time ago, when they were thinking about what is better to build a house for permanent residence, they chose a material suitable for the construction of single-layer walls. The thickness of the wall was chosen to provide thermal comfort. At the same time, energy saving issues were not raised.

Now single-layer walls are built only from certain materials. They have sufficient thermal insulation to ensure compliance energy saving.

As a material for single-layer walls are actively used blocks from porous hollow ceramics, cellular concrete and large-porous expanded clay concrete. All of them have General characteristics: low density combined with a large number of voids. With a decrease in density, thermal conductivity decreases, but mechanical strength also decreases.

Species cellular concrete there are several. They differ in the way they form pores. One of the best options for building single-layer walls is autoclaved aerated concrete.

Aerated concrete blocks are accurate. This allows you to create walls without gaps, with precise joints. If there are groove-comb profiles, then the solution is also unnecessary.

There are certain advantages of single-layer walls that should be noted. This is the speed of erection, since one layer of materials is laid faster than two or more. Such a wall can be cheaper, since it does not need to be supplemented with other components and the labor costs for creating it are lower.

Which walls are better

There are also disadvantages of using single-layer walls. They always turn out to be wider, because a certain thickness is required for optimal heat saving. As a result, the foundation has to be expanded.

Since jumpers are laid in a number of places, creating cold bridges, the design of the building has to be complicated. Heat loss areas are blocked by various methods, but this cannot be done without the right project.

The laying of such a wall should be done as carefully as possible. The surface is covered only with a thin, decorative layer of plaster. If there are significant irregularities, then hiding them under a small layer will not work. In addition to plaster, facing plates can be used for facade decoration.

Inside the walls are plastered or sheathed with plasterboard sheets. Decorative trim can be any.

Multilayer walls for the house

Multilayer walls consist of the main supporting structure and additional layers of insulation and cladding. Carrier the wall can be built from almost any material. Ceramic and silicate bricks, foam concrete blocks and much more are used. Concrete Choice depends on personal opinion which house is better. You can also choose wood for construction: log or timber.

Insulated walls are built from materials that have a higher density and mechanical strength. This allows you to make the main carrier layer of small thickness.

If masonry materials are used, then the masonry is carried out with a mortar. They fill all the vertical and horizontal seams between the individual elements.

Significant mechanical strength of the wall surface allows you to attach any structures and facing materials to it.

In a multi-layer structure, wall insulation is required insulation, otherwise the level of heat preservation and energy saving will be very low. It is the layer of insulation that is responsible in this case for thermal insulation. From its thermal characteristics depends on how comfortable and warm the house will be. An important indicator is the thickness of the insulation for the walls. The thicker the insulation layer, the less heat penetrates through it.

Most often, facade insulation is performed mineral wool. This material is the most common due to its ease of use and performance characteristics. This material is produced in roll form, but much more commonly used mineral wool boards for wall insulation. Another actively used insulation is polystyrene foam in slabs.

For double-layer walls, the insulation is located on the outside. Three-layer have a slightly different design. In them, the insulating material is located in the center of the wall, between two layers of the base material.

If we consider advantages of multilayer walls, the following should be noted:

• a layer of thermal insulation blocks the cold bridges in the walls, which makes it possible to do without complicating the design;
• the thickness of two-layer walls is less than that of single-layer ones, which saves on the width of the foundation;
• you can use any finishing materials, including ventilated hinged facades.

Insulation replacement: when to perform?

Over time, insulating materials age, begin to break down and lose their properties. In order to maintain comfortable conditions in the house, it is necessary to replace the insulation. The specific replacement time is determined by energy audit. Measurements are taken with the help of special thermal imaging devices, and a visual assessment is also performed.

Initially energy audit it is better to spend immediately after the construction of the house. This will provide data for subsequent assessments. After about twenty-five years, measurements are taken again. If the thermal conductivity of the wall has decreased by a third or more, then it will be necessary to do a major overhaul with the replacement of thermal insulation.

Since the energy audit of houses began to be carried out relatively recently in our country, no data has been accumulated for many years. It is possible to evaluate the durability of heaters only by indirect indicators.

Which walls are cheaper?

If we compare one- and two-layer walls with the same thermal parameters, then practice shows that the first type of construction is cheaper. But in this case, only the construction of the wall is taken into account. The cost benefit is not so significant, given the need to lay a wider foundation. In addition, thick walls eat up space: either the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe premises decreases, or the free space of the site is reduced.

What walls are best soundproofed?

When choosing which is better to build a house for permanent residence, various factors are analyzed, including the level of sound insulation. When evaluating soundproof characteristics attention must be paid to the density of the material. The denser it is, the worse it conducts sound. Therefore, a wall of heavy and dense brick will provide better noise protection than a thicker porous aerated concrete structure.

The same can be said about the heater. heavy mineral wool boards better protection against the penetration of sounds than lightweight foam.

There are various ways to help make walls quieter. One way is to apply a layer of heavy mineral plaster. This method will significantly reduce the amount of penetrating noise.

The structure of the wall also affects the sound insulation. The presence of cracks in the thickness of the wall parallel to its surface makes the sound insulation better. If the slots are horizontal, coming to the surface and passing through the wall, then the sounds will easily penetrate inside.

Since sound waves are refracted at the boundary between two different materials, then two-layer and three-layer walls are quieter than single-layer ones. Added to this is their high density.

Which walls are more aesthetic?

Since walls of any materials are finished, their aesthetics depend on the method and features of the finish. Wall material has little effect on beauty.

For single-layer walls, it is usually used plaster. Three layers are applied successively. The top one is decorative. It can be smooth or textured.

Plaster can also be applied to double-layer walls with insulation. In this case, a thin layer of a special composition is applied. Acrylic, silicate and silicone are used, as well as many other varieties.

The plaster surface can be painted with appropriate paints.

What is the best way to build a house

Popular options are cladding with clinker materials, arrangement of ventilated facades and other finishing methods. The beauty of the house depends on the chosen method of finishing, on the quality of application or installation.

Environmental friendliness of the walls

All wall materials used for the construction of houses emit substances harmful to humans into the air. An exception can only be natural, unprocessed wood. However, when determining the environmental friendliness of materials, attention is paid not to the very fact of the release of substances, but to their quantity. All building materials have certificates that indicate that there is no excess of emission standards for harmful substances.

In order for the walls of the house to be environmentally friendly, it is necessary to observe construction technology. So mineral wool boards can become sources of harmful dust. To prevent it from entering the house, the insulation should be covered on all sides with windproof and vapor barrier films.

If we compare two-layer and single-layer walls, then the former contain more polymers, so they are less environmentally friendly. Polymers age faster than minerals and break down with the release of various substances.

So that harmful substances do not accumulate in the house, it is not enough to choose the most eco-friendly materials. We still need to equip a quality ventilation.

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Who today does not dream of a big country house? But before you decide to make your dream come true and start building a home ownership, you should think carefully about the purposes for which the future construction is planned. If you need a dacha for a seasonal stay, this is one thing, but building a house for permanent residence is a completely different construction format. And the most exciting question: from what to build a house inexpensively and efficiently. Let's try to understand our article.

The first thing you need to decide when deciding to build own house for permanent residence is a building material, the choice of which depends on a huge number of related factors:

• strength and durability;
• microclimate inside residential premises;
• thermal conductivity and sound insulation;
• frost resistance;
• thermal insulation and moisture resistance.

What materials for suburban construction does the modern market offer, and what is the best way to build a house for permanent residence?

Of course, you need to choose the material for individual construction, taking into account all of the above parameters, but The main criterion is considered to be strength, since it is she who forms the structure of the building and affects the load-bearing function of the walls.

When choosing what to build a house for permanent residence from, all materials can be divided into four main groups:

• brick and stone;
• lightweight concrete materials;
• wood;
• chipboard panels.

Construction of a house for permanent residence from bricks

Brick buildings are the most massive structures. They are highly resistant to all kinds of natural factors and, at the same time, have an attractive appearance. However, in order to build your own house, from the most seemingly popular material - brick, you will have to incur no small financial costs.

The main advantages of a brick house are the high strength of the material. And according to its characteristics bearing capacity, a wall erected from this variety of building materials is almost as good as a concrete one. Such characteristics are ideal for both low-rise suburban construction and for the construction of multi-storey buildings. In addition, a brick house will not burn, rot or shrink.

Only, in terms of maintaining energy efficiency, walls made of ceramic or silicate bricks lag far behind other building materials. In order to provide sufficient energy efficiency to a private house, a brick wall must have minimum thickness 120 cm. It becomes clear what to build for permanent year-round living Nobody will have a "bunker" with similar walls, so today more and more often brick is used as a facing material.

Another important disadvantage of building a brick house is the high cost of the material, so it is important to correctly calculate your financial capabilities, otherwise the construction may take a very long time.

Summarizing all of the above, we can say that the main The advantages of brick as a building material are:

• the possibility of long-term operation of the built house;
• high frost resistance;
• exact geometry of products;
• good combination with any kind of masonry mortars;
• high strength;
• aesthetic appearance.

But, brick has many disadvantages:

1. Low moisture resistance some types of material. For example, silicate brick strongly absorbs water, this can be clearly seen when during the rain it acquires a dark shade. This quality greatly affects the humidity inside the room. In this regard, silicate brick is not used for laying basements and basements; you should not use silicate brick when building a house in regions with high air humidity.
2. High thermal conductivity. To achieve positive characteristics, it is necessary to resort to additional costs for thermal insulation of walls or their thickening.
3. High product weight. The brick has a large mass, which makes the structure heavier and creates an even greater load on the foundation. To solve such a problem, it is necessary to build a stronger and more solid foundation, and this further increases construction costs.
4. High price material.

So, it turns out that the brick has significant disadvantages, therefore, before making it the main material in the construction of a private house, you should think carefully.

As well as, brick houses

Building a house from concrete blocks

Today, among building materials, brick significantly reduces its position, giving way to modern building blocks.

Affordable price is the main reason for choosing blocks. At the same time, building a house for permanent residence from blocks is not only cheaper, but also much faster, since such a large-sized material can replace from 4 to 14 ordinary bricks in quantity.

Today, the building materials market offers block types:

• gas blocks;
• foam blocks;
• cinder blocks;
• expanded clay concrete blocks;
• wood concrete;
• shell rock blocks.

Let's take a closer look at each type.

Gas and foam blocks

Gas and foam blocks have the same technical characteristics and are great for the construction of low-rise buildings. Their only difference is in the internal structure of the material.

gas blocks are made from a homogeneous mixture of sand, cement and lime with the addition of a special powder - a blowing agent, in order to achieve small through channels inside the block.

foam blocks, on the contrary, they have closed pores inside the material. Such a structure is achieved during production by adding special substances - foaming agents to the concrete solution. It is worth noting that such production allows you to increase the quality of foam blocks, creating additional energy-saving opportunities for the material and significantly reducing its weight. Also, unlike a gas block, the open channels of which conduct moisture well, foam blocks do not need additional protection from moisture.

They produce blocks of various formats and thicknesses, which allows the developer to choose the best material for individual construction without extra costs for additional insulation. Good geometric data make it possible to build houses with a complex structure.

Also, foam blocks and gas blocks do not need complex finishing, this can be done using putty or decorative plaster.

In addition to all these advantages, a weighty argument in choosing this particular material for construction will be its low cost. average price in the construction market 1 m 3 is about 3 thousand rubles.

Among the disadvantages of foam and gas blocks can be identified the following characteristics of these materials:

• fragility;
• high water permeability (for gas blocks);
• mandatory external and internal decoration of the house;
• Availability chemical elements in composition.

On our website you can see the most popular projects houses from gas blocks and foam blocks from construction companies represented at the exhibition of houses Low-Rise Country.

Cinder blocks and expanded clay concrete blocks

Cinder blocks are also inexpensive building materials, however, due to the too high thermal conductivity of the erected walls, they require additional insulation. In addition, the cinder block has a lot of weight. It is these shortcomings that can explain the fact that consumers prefer expanded clay concrete blocks.

As positive characteristics of cinder block builders provide:

• fire resistance;
• low cost;
• high thermal insulation;
• resistance to fungus and mold damage;
• long service life of the built house.

The main disadvantages of cinder block are:

• brittleness of the material;
• low moisture resistance;
• low sound insulation;
• the need for interior and exterior decoration of the house.

Expanded clay block products, at the same cost, are less thermally conductive, more durable and environmentally friendly material.

Expanded clay blocks are a material consisting of expanded clay gravel (the result of special firing of clay) and cement mortar. Such raw materials have high strength indicators and are designed for the construction of individual houses up to 3 floors. At the same time, the construction process does not take much time. In addition, expanded clay concrete is a fairly warm and environmentally friendly building material, as it does not contain synthetic additives.

Good vapor permeability creates an optimal balance of humidity in the living room.

Prices for expanded clay blocks quite acceptable, 1m 3 will cost about 3 thousand rubles.

houses from expanded clay blocks from construction companies represented at the exhibition of houses Low-Rise Country.

Arbolit

The constituent components of wood concrete blocks are wood chips and cement mortar with special additives. This composition allows you to get a warm and light block.

In terms of its density, arbolite allows the construction of buildings with a small number of storeys, while its elasticity, it is able to withstand, among other things, floor slabs.

Such material breathes well, is very environmentally friendly, has excellent heat and sound insulation.

The disadvantages of arbolite include:

1. High rate of moisture absorption. A house made of wood concrete blocks requires additional protection from moisture, which means that you will have to invest in insulating and specialized moisture-repellent finishing materials.
2. The uneven surface of the block leads to some difficulties in the construction of walls, and is also the reason big expense concrete mortar.

Also, a significant disadvantage of wood concrete is often considered a large amount of low-quality material in the construction market. In view of the fact that the production of blocks does not require specialized equipment, they are often produced by an artisanal method, using non-certified chemical additives and violations of production technology. All this causes a deterioration in the quality of finished raw materials, so you need to buy wood concrete only from trusted sellers and manufacturers.

Prices for the purchase of wood concrete start from 4 thousand rubles per 1m 3.

You can also see the most popular projects on our website. houses from wood concrete from construction companies represented at the exhibition of houses Low-Rise Country.

Shell rock blocks

This type of material is the most expensive among the blocks and will cost at least 5 thousand rubles per 1 m 3. At the same time, the technique of obtaining raw materials from the marine sedimentary massif additionally makes the shell rock fragile.

Advantages of shell rock blocks:

• sound absorption;
• good thermal insulation;
• durability;
• good vapor permeability;
• environmental friendliness.

In addition, the shell rock has a number of exceptional properties determined by its nature. So, the material during its formation is impregnated with sea salt and absorbs a large amount of iodine. The presence of these substances in the composition of raw materials endow the house from it with healing properties. Also, it is thanks to iodine that shell rock walls protect very well from radiation.

The cons of the shell rock can be considered:

1. The need for strengthening in the case of building a house of more than two floors with the help of special armored belts.
2. The absence of unified forms of blocks (it is practically impossible to find two blocks of shell rock that are identical in shape).
3. The need for additional protection of the structure from moisture.
4. The material, due to its fragility, requires care during transportation, as well as unloading or unloading.

Construction of wooden houses for permanent residence

As for wood, there are two options for building materials:

1. log;
2. beam;

A house for permanent residence made of wood has a minimal load on the foundation, which allows you to save money already at the very first stage of construction.

An important point when choosing a building material is also considered the fact that it is possible to build wooden houses regardless of the season and in any weather.

Timber house

A modern timber will allow you to build a neat individual house in any style. It has good geometric parameters, rectangular or square section and smooth very even sides. Houses made of timber give minimal shrinkage, the manufacture of a log house does not require the use of special construction equipment, and the aesthetic data of the material make it possible to do without external and internal decoration, and thereby save on finishing works Oh.

The beam has a large number of advantages:

• environmental friendliness;
• aesthetics;
• the efficiency of the construction of the building;
• high level of sound insulation and good thermal conductivity;
• strength and reliability of the structure;
• the possibility of installation at any time of the year;
• does not require the construction of a bulky, expensive foundation;
• does not require decorative finishes;
• positive, healing properties from wood.

However, the beam also has disadvantages:

1. The need for additional material processing. The main, common disadvantage of wood products is its susceptibility to moisture and insects. In addition, over time, it has the properties of cracking and rotting, thereby losing its original aesthetic appearance, so the tree must be constantly treated with special substances.
2. High fire hazard of the material. Any wood is highly flammable, and because of this, it requires additional protection by treatment with fire-retardant compounds.
3. Requires additional costs for heat and waterproofing.
4. Long term shrinkage. Despite a slight shrinkage, sag private house will be within six months. In this case, cracks may occur in the walls during shrinkage.

On our website you can see the most popular projects houses from double timber, glued laminated timber and profiled timber from construction companies represented at the exhibition of houses Low-Rise Country.

log house

classic wooden houses are log buildings. In addition to the traditional Russian hut, modern building technologies allow you to build a log cabin of any configuration, from a small Finnish house to a cozy cottage in Art Nouveau style.

Modern building logs are 100% natural and environmentally friendly, which provides excellent natural ventilation premises.

As in the case of timber, no cost for a massive foundation is required.

Durability, reliability and beautiful appearance are also the main characteristics of a log house.

The advantage is the rapid warming up of a house made of wood, because this significantly saves heating costs.

The availability and lightness of the material make it possible to build a comfortable wooden house as soon as possible.

TO cons logs, like any wooden material, include:

• susceptibility to decay;
• strong and prolonged shrinkage;
• fire hazard of the material;
• additional costs for insulation and waterproofing of the structure.

Today, the construction market offers two types of logs, chopped or rounded.

rounded log- a product of the industrial processing of lumber. It has more low price, do not require additional finishing and look quite attractive.

Chopped logs they are more expensive due to their manual processing, but they have greater strength.

Beautiful log house

When deciding which specific construction technology to choose, you should pay attention to two aspects:

1. When building a house from timber and logs of industrial processing, there is absolutely no need to cut recesses (bowls) for greater stability of the structure.
2. If you choose to build a house from logs manual felling, then you have to pay for the very expensive work of a professional cutter (a specialist who cuts bowls - special recesses for connecting logs into a log house).

Building a house from a log can hardly be called quite affordable. So, cost of 1 m3 rounded log ranges from 7 to 10 thousand rubles, and chopped is much higher.

Also, on our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects houses from hand-cut logs and rounded logs from construction companies represented at the exhibition of houses Low-Rise Country.

Construction of a frame house for permanent residence

A new type of construction of houses for permanent residence is frame technology. The frame of the building can be wooden or metal, but it is the wood frame that is most popular.

The advantages of building walls according to this technology are as follows:

• high thermal conductivity;
• the building is not subject to shrinkage;
• ease and speed of construction;
• ease of interior decoration;
• savings on the foundation;
• environmental friendliness of materials.

An additional advantage of this technology is its low cost.

But, despite this, frame houses also have disadvantages, the main of which is very low tightness.

Due to the insufficient strength of the frame house, its reliability decreases and the service life of the building is reduced.

There is no air exchange in the room, so the frame house requires the installation of a ventilation system.

Also, the disadvantages of frame houses are:

• high fire hazard;
• very low soundproofing of rooms
• poor resistance to fungal infections.

In addition, like any wooden buildings, wooden frame houses are susceptible to insects.

Price 1m2 area, when building a house using this technology, it will cost the developer 2500 rubles.

What is better to build a house for year-round use is an individual matter. It is only clear that the modern building technology market offers dozens of options for this, so it is important to carefully study the modern types of materials for building a private house.

Of course, the issue of financial capabilities will become an important indicator, but we must not forget about such criteria as durability, moisture resistance, heat and noise insulation, energy efficiency of the building.

On our website you can find the most popular house designs from double volume frame, on classical frame technology and technology SIP panels from construction companies represented at the exhibition of houses Low-Rise Country.

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Which house is better: Wooden, Brick or foam blocks?

Only knowledge and comparison of all characteristics various materials will allow you to accurately determine the choice of material for your country house.

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In principle, each material for building a house has its undeniable advantages and disadvantages. The abundance of choice complicates the question of which house to build for permanent residence. One thing is for sure: for heavy and light materials, the main thing is skillful hands developer. An error in the calculations will come back to haunt you in any case and will surface the next day or 10 years later, when it will be very difficult to correct.

What material to choose, what is better and cheaper to build a house from? We will conduct a brief review, as well as materials for their construction.

What are heavy and light materials?

Heavy materials for construction include, as the name suggests, stones, various blocks, bricks, slabs. For houses made of heavy materials, an appropriate foundation is also needed. The most commonly used tape, but if the ground is not the best, it can be combined with a pile-screw.

When it comes to lightweight materials, it means wood, frames. Of course, these are only conditional names for such houses, which does not mean that the house will be really easy in the end. for wooden houses it is better to choose the best possible one. stand for several hundred years and the foundation should not fail.

For frame builders, you can save a little, choosing a simple pile option. The “shelf life” of the skeleton is up to 100 years, therefore, if the soil allows you to save money, this is quite realistic.

Brick - expensive, but for centuries

As they say, a brick can handle everything: hurricanes, frosts, unbearable heat - the natural mood is changeable.

However, this material is able to withstand not so much.

According to statistics, the "shelf life" of a brick house reaches 200 years.

Due to the fact that the material has been used by builders for a very long time, usually there are no problems with hiring craftsmen.

The range of types of bricks is also for every taste:

1. Ceramic bricks are made from clay, molded and fired in special kilns. Possesses high level strength, refers to environmental clean materials for construction. Of course, if it is made with high quality and production standards are observed. It happens solid and hollow (inside up to 50% of voids). For construction, the second subspecies is a priority, since the more voids in the body of the material, the higher its heat-retaining property.
2. Silicate brick is made from lime and sand. He white color and looks great, especially the whole subspecies. Lightweight silicate brick - looks very messy, but has higher thermal insulation property.
3. Ordinary and front subspecies of brick will also find application in the construction of a capital house. Ordinary - in the inner masonry, facial - will decorate the house from the outside.

Be sure to pay attention to the labeling before ordering a batch of material. It is done in order to know whether the masonry of a particular brick will withstand the weight of the structure and natural phenomena. Usually the material is marked with the letter "M" with two or three digits. The minimum strength value per square centimeter is 75, the maximum is 200.

Important: During the construction of the basement, the minimum strength is 150; when building a two-story house, batches with a strength of M125 should be purchased. The more floors, the heavier the attic, the higher the coefficient should be, respectively, the brick will be heavier, and the cost per cubic meter of material will be higher.

For construction in Russia, especially in the outback, it is very important to take into account the fact that frosts in winter can disperse in earnest. The marking “F” is responsible for frost resistance, and the indicator varies from 15 to 100.

For facing a house in a temperate climate, the F50 marking is used; F25 masonry can be done inside. The higher the marking index, the more times the brick will survive freezing without damage to the structure.

Brief summary and characteristics of the material:

• you get an expensive box of a house and a foundation;
• very expensive, presentable appearance of the final work;
• phenomenal durability;
• precipitation, temperature fluctuations are unimportant;
• excellent fire resistance;
• difficult to lay out the box;
• rather "dirty" construction, you need a lot of extra space around.

Output: brick building is a costly and time-consuming process.

However, all costs, including financial ones, will be more than repaid for the long life of the building. Properly selected brick and competent builders prolong the life of the house up to 100-200 years without changing the original characteristics.

concrete blocks

The second most popular material for laying load-bearing walls, in comparison with brick. Strong material, more profitable financially and much easier to build. In summer - the house is kept cool, in winter - warm and cozy, precipitation and other natural phenomena are not terrible quality concrete block.

Advantages of building from concrete blocks:

1. The first thing I want to note is the fire resistance of the material. Concrete does not burn, so, unlike building with wood, the house is safe from external fires and will withstand direct fire for several hours.
2. The material tolerates frost well.
3. For those who need good sound insulation in the house, construction from concrete blocks is suitable. Due to the structure of the concrete itself, extraneous noise will not be heard in the house.
4. With proper construction, thermal insulation is quite good. Together with an external, well-built heating circuit, you can achieve good savings on home heating.
5. It is possible to operate a building from blocks, as well as from bricks, for a long time. On average, without a major overhaul, the house will please 80-120 years.
6. Concrete blocks do not rot, are not covered with mold and fungus.
7. The versatility of the material allows you to build residential buildings, and garages, and multi-storey buildings of any type.

The disadvantages include unpresentable appearance of the house without finishing. Therefore, when calculating the budget for construction, one should take into account the external “marafet”. In addition, construction should only be done in dry weather and takes a considerable amount of time, due in part to the changeable weather. Due to the high level groundwater in some areas of the country, waterproofing may be required.

What you need to know about concrete blocks?

Concrete blocks are of several types and differ from each other:

• brand (from 50 to 100) - this is an indicator of the strength of the product;
• frost resistance - from 15 to 200.

Strength marking must correspond to the total mass of the building. That is, for the basement - the highest value, for a house of 2 floors - approximately M75 (it also depends on the size of the attic). Frost resistance, as already discussed, depends on the location of the future building.

Very important for quality construction explore the soil under the place for the house. To do this, it is better to play it safe and hire specialists, which will also be very costly. But, if you choose the wrong type of foundation and the building starts to drive, the costs will be even greater. For "restless" lands, a monolithic type of foundation is suitable (if the house is not large), as well as pile and tape.

Output: concrete blocks are only slightly inferior to brick in their qualities.

but price and ease of construction are more attractive, if you choose between these two materials. Additional costs may apply for waterproofing, as well as external insulation and finishing.

Construction from natural stones

People have been using natural stones for a very long time. Many old-timers remember the times when the construction of this material cost a penny, as the stone was not highly valued and was simply mined. Natural stone was especially available in areas close to the place of extraction.

Now the situation has changed radically and allow yourself construction of sandstone, shell rock, granite, basalt is sometimes more expensive than you would like. Things are more or less good with the construction of natural stone near the mountains, that is, near the place of extraction.

Advantages use of natural stone for building a house:

• for non-remote areas, this material will be inexpensive, the farther from the extraction sites, the more expensive the quality material will be;
• the material is the cleanest in the ecological concept of all heavy building materials;
• blocks pretty large sizes, so the construction will not be delayed;
• depending on the deposit, the porosity of the shell rock is different, which means that the thermal conductivity also changes;
• good sound insulation;
• perfectly survives all weather changes, does not rot, is not covered with bacteria with proper construction.

Like any other material, natural stones have their limitations:

• heavy: you need a good, expensive foundation and additional costs for the construction of the box;
• different shapes of each block create additional difficulties when docking, more cement will be required;
• very serious waterproofing is required: the material absorbs moisture;
• the facade of the wall made of shell rock is finished on a reinforced mesh, otherwise everything will quickly fly around.

Output: minor difficulties associated with the construction are more than paid off, due to the fact that the material is environmentally friendly, the house will last a long time.

Having chosen the correct density (all natural stones are also marked) stone, it is possible to equip both the basement and the upper floors with it. And the cost per cube will depend on the location of the customer.

Construction from thermal panels

Thermal panels or panels from - a relatively new product for construction. If the material for construction is selected on the basis of savings, in the first place, then you can take a closer look at this option. Frame thermal panels declare themselves as the most heat-saving material. In addition, the construction of a house from a new material is quite fast.

The panel consists of clinker tiles and thermal insulation in the form of expanded polystyrene. The main disadvantage of frame thermal panels is that they 100% synthetic material. That is, for connoisseurs of environmentally friendly buildings, panels will not work under any pretext. The material does not absorb moisture, is not subject to destruction, withstands compression very well, pressure from all sides, does not burn, perfectly withstands any natural changes.

Other dignity panels:

• excellent appearance;
• in tandem with thermal panels outside, heat losses are immediately reduced by 30-35%;
• very tight joining of panels, thanks to their precise cutting.

TO shortcomings already attributed that they are not environmentally friendly. In addition, you can supplement this list with the fact that additional corner shape panels are needed to decorate the shape of the house. These building materials have passed all known tests and meet modern requirements.

Output: the use of frame thermal panels is an economical option that provides a very solid look to the finished building.

The outside of the house exterior finish will look like brickwork. The clinker board is bonded to expanded polystyrene with a special high-quality construction adhesive under high pressure, which ensures high strength of the final work.

Which house is better?

Wooden houses

The most environmentally friendly type of construction. Since ancient times, wood has been used for construction. The best trees for building a house - pine, cedar and larch. Coniferous trees are less affected by fungi, have good performance resistance to weather conditions. Larch material does not rot, does not fade. Natural resin has a bactericidal property.

Since time immemorial, mankind has built its homes from clean, breathable natural material - wood. A huge number of surviving architectural monuments are built of wood. The durability of such buildings is estimated in hundreds of years and is amazing.

Larch wooden houses

No wonder this tree is called "iron", those who have dealt with this material know that this wood very thick and heavy. It has an amazing quality for wood - increased fire resistance. Over time, larch only becomes denser, this is the only tree that doesn't rot at all.

In addition, for people with respiratory problems, doctors strongly recommend visiting the larch forest more often. It turns out that it is three times better for health to live in a house made of this material. Great house for living with family, children.

cedar houses

One of the most expensive building materials is oak. It is close to larch trees in density, withstands phenomenal loads. A house built from this material can withstand an earthquake of up to 7 points. In addition, cedar has the property of thermal insulation, more than other trees.

Pine timber house

Most popular building material, due to the lower cost per cubic meter of material. This material has good thermal insulation, allows you to build a house in 2-3 floors. A properly assembled house will last at least 150 years with timely care, replacement of the lower rims.

log house

This construction technology has been perfected for centuries and has come down to us in the most refined form. The trunk is cleaned of bark and dried for a long time in natural conditions.

Professional builders know that the material that is dried under a roof or a canopy on the street retains its properties much longer than those dried in the dryers of timber processing enterprises.

Log houses are unique, each house can be completely different from the others. A well-built wooden house perfectly retains heat.

In room there will always be a healthy microclimate, clean air. The disadvantages include the cost of construction and its duration.

First, a bar is purchased and dried under the flooring for at least 3-4 months, then a box is assembled. The work of the masters also flies a pretty penny. Then the log house (read:) should stand for a year or two, otherwise it will be driven and cracks will go. After shrinkage, you can do the finishing, conduct water, connect to electricity, install windows and the like. All this takes a lot of money and time.

How log houses are made:

1. The largest, resinous and thick logs are placed in the first rows - the crown of the log house. Waterproofing must be provided before laying. You can use roofing material, waterproofing, etc.
2. In each subsequent log, a longitudinal recess is made for closer contact between the rows of logs. Thus, all rows are collected.
3. After the initial shrinkage (about 3 months), the logs are marked, disassembled and reassembled, laying all longitudinal grooves moss, tow or modern materials.
4. After complete shrinkage (1.5 years), the logs are caulked using a heater. Caulking is done only after the roof and windows are ready.
5. Sometimes after 5-7 years, when complete shrinkage occurs, you have to caulk again, as new gaps appear and heat blows out.

Of course, these steps are described only in common features ah, but this will make it possible to better visualize the stages of construction of a log house.

Output: construction chopped house- a way to express your imagination full program. The design of such a house can be absolutely anything. wall thickness, lower crown make the building not only warm, but also the most durable from all other wooden buildings.

Round timber construction

The construction of rounded logs is the use of even logs of the same size and diameter, which are made industrial way . Of course, you can use your golden hands to prepare the material, but, as practice shows, this is a long and laborious task.

After the purchase, according to the construction plan, the customer receives a ready-made, impregnated special formulations a log that only needs to be assembled into a log house. The larger the house is planned, the larger the diameter of the log should be. Thanks to high-quality processing, the logs fit well together and each crown fits well on the previous one.

The method of building from round logs is similar to the chopped method. The advantage of this type of construction can be considered environmental friendliness and beautiful appearance, even without exterior decoration. By the way, it is not at all obligatory for most regions of the country.

Output: ordering and buying a rounded log will cost more than buying unprocessed wood and peeling off the bark, processing and turning the log yourself. But, in any case, houses made of such material look very nice, respectable. The house will be warm, breathable, environmentally friendly.

frame houses

Another subspecies of construction, which is considered very new and seductive for its speed of construction.

A rigid frame is assembled from a bar, the main material is installed between the supporting beams.

Less commonly, a frame is made of metal beams, they will be discussed below.

1. Frame-panel. A frame is built from beams, sheathed on the inside and outside with slabs of large chips or other, between board material heater is installed. The main advantage is the speed of construction. Of the shortcomings - the need to use special equipment.
2. SIP panels. These panels consist of insulation (expanded polystyrene), glued on both sides with OSB boards. Walls, ceilings, floors are built from this material. These panels are smaller than in the case of a panel house, so a crane is not needed and you can build a building with your own hands. Of all the wireframes, this method is the easiest for novice builders.
3. Frame houses. Compared to the rest, such a building will be the cheapest. The frame is assembled from thick boards, stuffed onto a foundation box. You can use glued laminated timber, not a board (half-timbered method of frame-frame building). Finished frame filled with bricks, stones, double-glazed windows, wood.
4. Metal frame houses. The principle of construction is similar to the previous ones, with the exception of the frame material. Are used metal bases , in combination with slabs with insulation. Such houses are light, the service life is about 80 years (according to the guarantee from the manufacturers of such frames, which is not possible to verify). Despite the thermal profile used, more money will definitely be spent on heating such a house than on a wooden “brother”.

Output: frame construction is clean, inexpensive.

In addition, little space is needed, construction can be carried out “from the body”, without unloading panels and material, if the space on the site does not allow or is occupied by plantings. To increase the life of a frame house, it is important to correctly calculate and design the frame itself, take the foundation seriously.

What is the cheapest way to build a capital house?

As already noted, a house that will stand for centuries - it is a priori expensive for its owner at the time of construction. However, for budget construction there is an innovation of the last decades - carcasses.

The lighter the walls, the cheaper it will cost. If you use inexpensive SIP panels, the price will be even lower. However, many are skeptical of the walls of the house, which can be pierced. big knife with great effort.

Of heavy materials, construction will be the cheapest from cellular concrete or thermal panels. Construction will be expensive brick and ceramic blocks. For these buildings, the cost of work will be higher, since the blocks themselves are not easy to lift.

The same conditions will apply to the foundation: the more durable, stronger, the more expensive it will be both in terms of materials and costs for workers. Optimal for small house put pile foundation if there is an idea to attach a 2nd floor or a good attic, it is better to play it safe.

What to build a house on a small plot?

To organize the construction of heavy materials, you need a scope for the area. The site will need to be divided into zones for the foundation, for placing a warehouse with material (at least - a canopy), for mixing concrete. It is also worth thinking about the heap of garbage, which will certainly be collected.

Scraps, packages, empty boxes, defective materials, and similar working moments. Workers need a place to at least have lunch or have a smoke break.

Pay attention to construction from frame thermal panels. Despite the fact that this material is more of a heavy one, you can build from it directly from the machine. In terms of timing, finances and costs on the ground, this is a profitable material.

As for light materials, the work will require a much smaller area. Most of all - to work with beam, log, takes the least frame, especially from SIP panels. If the site is extremely small, there are already plantings or there is only space for the house, it is better to give preference to wood, carcasses.

What is the final cost of construction?

Evaluating and comparing materials, the question involuntarily arises: what, besides the main raw materials, will money still be spent on?

Not every site owner can immediately put on the table in front of the builders the amount that will be required for turnkey development.

Usually, especially for young families, it is customary to divide the work into parts and build it in stages.

So the total will be:

• the complexity of the shape of the house, its number of storeys (complication of the work of the team);
• internal layout;
• insulation;
• exterior finish;
• roofing costs;
• building materials;
• foundation - almost 40% of all costs;
• interior decoration;
• the severity of the base material;
• additional fittings;
• conducting communications;
• waterproofing;
• heating system installation;
• other minor expenses.

The list is pretty impressive. Depending on the choice of material, it can both grow and decrease. However, building your own home is a real way to create really cozy house dreams about which everyone fantasizes in one way or another.

The abundance of building materials in our time is growing every year. The search for the ideal material will probably continue for more than one hundred years. However, in order to build a solid house in which it will not be cold, scary or expensive to live, it is worth turning to materials that have been tested for centuries.

Out of competition will always be brick and wood. These are the most reliable, long-lived houses that are inexpensive to operate and are good in terms of environmental friendliness. If the question is financial, it is better to choose modern methods: frame houses, thermal panels.

Average by money investment at home - from sand blocks, sand-cement blocks, concrete blocks etc. Block buildings retain heat well in winter, as they cool down for a rather long time, and in summer a pleasant coolness remains indoors.

If the option of moving out of town is seriously considered, the question of which is better to build a house for permanent residence comes to the fore. The choice of materials for construction depends on the preferences of the owner of the future housing, his financial capabilities, in some ways - on the prevailing local traditions. Of course, the specifics of the climatic conditions of the region and the characteristics of the soils on the site acquired for the construction of housing are taken into account.

Today, both traditional and new technologies are used for the construction of private houses. In order to opt for one of them, you need to figure out what problems you will encounter during large-scale construction work and during the operation of the finished building.

When choosing a material for building a house, you should start from a number of important criteria:

• In order for the house to be comfortable for living at any time of the year, when choosing a material for construction, it is necessary to take into account the average winter temperatures of the region where it is planned to build it, comparing them with the thermal insulation qualities of future walls and ceilings.

• In addition, most potential owners strive to make their homes energy efficient. That is, at minimal cost for energy carriers to receive on the premises comfortable temperature both in winter and summer.
• The ability of a building material to become an effective barrier against external noise is especially important if the building is being built near a busy highway or railway.
• The durability and reliability of a residential building will directly depend on the strength of the selected material.
• The appearance of the building also plays an important role. Therefore, it is immediately necessary to decide: which version of the material is preferable - requiring or not requiring additional finishing.
• Undoubtedly, important criterion always is the affordability of the material. In many ways, it depends on the region of construction.
• If the owner plans to carry out construction on his own (in whole or even in part), then the degree of complexity of working with the chosen building material may also be a priority of the criteria.

The main types of materials for building a private house

Today, for the construction of houses are used as traditional materials, used, without exaggeration, for centuries, and developed relatively recently, but have already managed to show themselves on the positive side.

So, when deciding on materials for building a house, you need to know that they are conventionally divided into four groups:

• Natural wood (log or timber).
• Brick, stone and shell rock.
• Porous blocks.
• Composite materials based on wood.

To determine which of the listed materials is better to choose for a particular case, it is necessary to consider their physical and technical characteristics and other features.

Brick

For the construction of houses, silicate and ceramic bricks are used. Both one and the second option are produced in two types, which differ in the internal structural structure - a brick can be hollow and solid.

Both types are widely used for building walls of houses. However, different bricks can also have very different characteristics.

Solid brick has a higher strength, so it can withstand high loads. However, it has a high thermal conductivity, and because of this, walls made of it usually require additional insulation and cladding.

Hollow products retain heat better in the house, so they are often lined with a wall built of solid bricks, leaving a space between the walls that is filled thermal insulation materials- slag, expanded clay, foam concrete or expanded polystyrene.

Brick houses have a respectable appearance and a long service life, which sometimes exceeds the deadlines laid down in the design of the building. Buildings made of this material favorably differ from other buildings in their strength and reliability. That is why, despite the emergence of innovative materials, the brick has not lost its popularity at all, as it has successfully passed the test of time. The proof of this is that the buildings, sometimes erected several centuries ago, are still in operation.

However, despite the large number positive qualities brick, this material has not only advantages, but also obvious disadvantages.

To the main benefits brick, and hence the houses built from it, include:

• Ecological purity of the material.

Nowadays, future home owners always pay special attention to this quality of the material. Brick buildings in this respect are impeccable, since the composition of the solution from which the products are made does not include artificially produced or toxic components. Ceramic bricks are made from refined clay, and silicate bricks are made from sand and lime.

• The strength of the structure built from it, long term operation.

For centuries, in different countries, both one-story and multi-story buildings were built of brick, some of which are still in operation today, without even requiring restoration of facades. The walls, built of bricks made without violating technology, and laid on a high-quality mortar, are resistant to ultraviolet rays, moisture, wind, and biological damage.

In addition, brick buildings are able to withstand various natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, etc.

• Frost resistance.

This quality indicates that the material is able to fully maintain its operational and decorative qualities during numerous cycles of deep freezing and thawing. Today, different brands of bricks are on sale, the frost resistance of which may vary. Therefore, when purchasing this material, you should pay attention to the F indicator, which just shows this number of cycles. The higher the value, the more durable the material.

• Natural regulation of humidity in the building.
• Fire safety.

Unlike wood, brick is resistant to open fire, as it is made of non-combustible material, moreover, it has been hardened at high temperatures during firing. The brick does not ignite and does not support the combustion of adjacent elements of the building. True, when exposed to open fire for a long time, it loses its safety margin. And this means that the operational life of the walls that survived the fire is significantly reduced.

To the list of essential shortcomings brick buildings include the following factors:

• Material cost.

Choosing a brick for building a house, you need to be prepared for enough high costs, because, given the "modest" size of the products, they will need a lot. In addition to the brick itself, you will need to complete the interior decoration of the walls - this is plastering, followed by puttying, painting or wallpapering. All these processes are also quite costly and require a certain amount of time.

• High thermal conductivity of brick. If a house is being built in a region with cold winters, where the temperature drops to -35 ÷ 40 degrees, then the brick walls should be thick and be at least 640 ÷ 770 mm. Another option could be a "sandwich" wall, that is, made according to the principle of "well masonry". In this case, at a certain distance from each other, two relatively thin brick walls are simultaneously erected, the space between which is filled with heat-insulating materials. Sometimes another method is used for insulation - a crate is fixed on the front side of the wall, between the elements of which a mineral wool or expanded polystyrene, and then the walls are lined with one of the decorative materials.
• Massiveness.

Brick houses are a very heavy structure. And this means that under them it is necessary to equip a reliable and solid foundation. Otherwise, under high load, it will sag, and with it the brick walls, as a result of which deep cracks will go along them.

Therefore, to build a high-quality foundation that is guaranteed to cope with a high load, you will also have to spend a lot of money.

• The design of a brick structure should only be carried out by a professional. Errors in the calculations of the foundation and the determination of the thickness of the bearing walls are unacceptable. The project and calculations will also be expensive.
• hygroscopicity of the material.

This quality is especially pronounced in bricks made in violation of technology, that is, in insufficiently hardened or too porous bricks. In houses made of such material, there is always increased humidity, and getting rid of it is quite difficult. Therefore, the walls have to be periodically etched, which takes a lot of time and causes discomfort in the operation of housing. It is good that today there are many tools that will help protect brick walls from moisture - they process surfaces at the very beginning of the building's operation. It will help protect the brick walls and the high plinth of the house, separating them from ground moisture, splashes in the rain or from contact with snow drifts.

Silicate brick is more hygroscopic than ceramic. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it for building a house in regions with a humid climate. And it is completely excluded when laying the basement.

In digital terms, the main characteristics of a brick are as follows:

Feature name	solid brick	hollow brick	silicate brick
Density, kg/m³	1600÷1800	1400÷1700	1700÷1900
Thermal conductivity, W/m˚С	0.81÷0.87	0.44	0.95
Strength, kgf/cm²	125÷200	100÷200	150
Moisture absorption, %	7÷8	7÷8	8÷10
Frost cycles	50÷100	50÷70	35
Recommended wall thickness, mm at air temperature -20/-30/-40 ˚С (mm)	510/640/770	380/510/640	510/640/770

The cost of a brick in the table is deliberately not indicated. This parameter varies over a very wide range, depending on the type, brand, size, manufacturer, region of construction. Even for one seller, the spread of prices for seemingly identical products, but coming from different factories, can be very significant.

Cement based masonry blocks

In recent years, cement-based building blocks have been increasingly chosen for the construction of a private house. Such masonry materials have a number of advantages over traditional bricks, and the first of them can be called an affordable cost. In addition, the blocks have impressive linear dimensions - one can replace from 4 and even up to 14 standard bricks, so the construction of the house will go much faster.

Manufacturers today supply the construction market with blocks on cement base, but manufactured using different technologies and with different physical, technical and operational indicators:

• Foam blocks and aerated concrete blocks.
• Cinder blocks and expanded clay concrete blocks.

To understand what each of these materials is, and how they differ from each other, let's take a closer look at their characteristics.

Aerated concrete and foam concrete blocks

These building materials, at first glance, are similar in their characteristics. However, their manufacturing techniques are somewhat different.

Aerated concrete is made from cement, lime, sand and water with the addition of aluminum powder. Thanks to these components, during the manufacturing process of the composition, a chemical reaction is activated, accompanied by gas evolution, which ensures the creation of a porous structure with an open cell. This determines the very high hygroscopicity of the material.

Foam concrete products are made from cement, sand and water. But the main thing for the formation of the structure of the material is a foaming agent, added at the stage of mixing the solution before pouring into molds. The cell is closed.

Both one and the other blocks can have different densities, and are divided into grades. The numerical indicator in the brand just indicates the density of the finished material (kg / m³):

- D 1000–D 1200 - structural products, that is, intended for the construction of load-bearing walls. Their insulating qualities are not the most outstanding.

- D 500-D 900 - structural and thermal insulation materials. It is they who are most often chosen for individual construction, combining, so to speak, “pleasant with useful”.

- D 300- D 500 - thermal insulation blocks. For load-bearing structures The strength properties of such a material are clearly not enough.

Foam concrete is also produced in another version, which is marked D1300 to D1600. These are structurally porous blocks having a high density, but also a very significant thermal conductivity. As a rule, the material of this brand is made to order, and is practically not used in residential construction practice.

Aerated concrete and foam concrete blocks have the following characteristic features:

• Ease of processing. Blocks are easily sawn with a regular wood saw. Thanks to this quality, anyone, even an inexperienced builder, can handle the adjustment of the material during the construction of walls. Moreover, the block can be given an arbitrarily intricate shape.
• Material strength. The indicators of this parameter may vary depending on the porosity and brand of the product.
• Low thermal conductivity. This indicator averages 0.08÷0.22 W/(m×˚С). The D300 and D500 grades have a particularly low coefficient, so they are great for additional insulation of houses for permanent residence. Walls made of this material perfectly retain heat in the house in the winter cold and cool on hot summer days.
• Soundproofing. Aerated concrete and foam concrete have significant noise absorption indicators, and the final parameters depend on other characteristics of the material, as well as on the thickness of the walls. According to the norms of SNiP II-12-77, in private houses the level of sound insulation should be 41 ÷ 60 dB, and the sound insulation qualities of aerated concrete usually exceed these figures:

Brand of material most often used to build a private house	Sound insulation level, dB, with the thickness of the walls of the enclosing structure, mm
	120	180	240	300	360
D500	36	41	44	46	48
D600	38	43	46	48	50

• Ecological purity of the material. Industrial production of blocks is carried out under strict control (especially for aerated concrete). In laboratories, checks are carried out for the presence of radioactive materials and toxic components - they are completely excluded.
• Mass of blocks. This parameter depends on the density of the material:

As you can see, this parameter can vary somewhat in one direction or another. It must be remembered - the higher the density of the material, the higher its thermal conductivity and the worse the sound insulation.

Along with positive characteristics, these building materials also have their own limitations about which you also need to have information:

• Foam and gas blocks are fragile, therefore, during work, with careless handling of the material, it can crack or split. In addition, this can also happen when the foundation shrinks. Therefore, the base under the walls should be as reliable as possible. In order to avoid subsidence and cracking, every second ÷ third row of masonry must be reinforced with metal rods.
• The hygroscopicity of aerated concrete can be attributed to serious shortcomings. This feature predetermines an increase in the volume of work, which includes waterproofing measures.
• Mandatory interior and exterior finishing involves additional costs.

What to choose - foam concrete or aerated concrete?

With a lot of common features, these materials also have significant differences. By what criteria can you compare More detailed information can be found in a special publication of our portal.

Expanded clay blocks and cinder blocks

These blocks, like the materials described above, can be classified as very affordable and have decent characteristics.

Their frost resistance and strength are commensurate with similar parameters of brick walls. The blocks have very large linear parameters and relatively low weight, so they are laid in a short time.

Expanded clay blocks are made from cement mortar with the addition of expanded clay of a fine fraction of 5 ÷ 10 mm, or coarse expanded clay sand.

Cinder blocks are also made from concrete mortar, in which various fine-grained material with low thermal conductivity is added as a filler - blast furnace or boiler slag.

If you intend to choose one of these materials, then you need to compare their technical characteristics and determine the "pros" and "cons":

• The standard linear parameters of cinder blocks and expanded clay concrete blocks are 188×90×390 and 188×190×390 mm, with possible deviations of 10÷20 mm. Blocks with a smaller thickness are intended for the construction internal partitions, and wide products - for the construction of load-bearing walls.
• Blocks made of expanded clay concrete are divided into ordinary and front products. Ordinary ones are used to build walls, which are planned to be plastered or lined with decorative facade material in the future. Surfaces removed from the front blocks do not require mandatory additional finishing.

Cinder block walls definitely require additional finishing, otherwise the house will have an unrespectable appearance. In addition, unfinished surfaces will actively absorb atmospheric moisture.

• Both types of material are produced in two versions - hollow and full-bodied. Hollow blocks have through vertical voids, due to which their mass and thermal conductivity are reduced. Solid products are characterized by high weight and strength, so they are used for the construction of load-bearing walls, which account for high loads.
• The density of the material. The strength and thermal insulation qualities of the blocks depend on this parameter. The density of expanded clay concrete blocks can vary and be 850÷1800 kg/m³, and cinder blocks 500÷2000 kg/m³. The density of the material depends on the size of the fractions of the fillers that are used in the solution for the manufacture of blocks.

• Thermal conductivity of blocks. Cinder blocks have a thermal conductivity parameter of 0.3 ÷ 0.65, and expanded clay concrete blocks 0.4 ÷ 0.8 W / m˚С, which indicates that cinder block walls will more reliably retain heat in the premises of the house.
• Fire resistance and frost resistance. Both materials are resistant to open fire, they do not melt and do not emit toxic substances when heated. The walls of these blocks are able to withstand the pressure of fire for 8-10 hours, without destroying the material itself. The frost resistance of cinder blocks and expanded clay concrete blocks is somewhat different. So, for the former, it is 15 ÷ 35 cycles, and for the latter, from 50 or more, depending on the quality and some technical characteristics of the materials.

Summing up the characteristics of expanded clay concrete and cinder blocks, it is necessary to briefly highlight their positive aspects and disadvantages.

So to virtues Such masonry materials include the following features:

• Affordable material cost compared to brick and wood.
• Fast laying of blocks due to their impressive linear dimensions, which saves time and masonry mortar.
• Relatively small block weight.
• Quite low thermal conductivity - this quality will help save on heating at home.
• Reliability, strength and durability of the building.
• Flame retardant and no release of toxic substances upon exposure high temperatures.
• Frost resistance.

disadvantages materials are their following qualities:

• The hygroscopicity of cinder blocks, due to which the walls require mandatory external finishing - priming and plastering.
• The fragility of the material - the blocks require very careful handling during masonry.
• Insufficiently high aesthetic qualities.
• Due to the presence of specific fillers, it is difficult to process - when cutting, an uneven edge with cracks is often formed.

When buying one of the types of this material, you need to know that some unscrupulous manufacturers, saving on cement, add synthetic adhesives or other artificial additives to the solution that worsen the environmental characteristics of block products. In order not to run into low-quality products, you should ask the seller for a quality certificate before purchasing it. If there is no such document, it is better to refuse to buy blocks from this seller.

At the end of the section - table comparative characteristics various masonry blocks, popular nowadays among private developers:

Name of characteristics	Aerated concrete blocks	Foam concrete blocks	cinder blocks	Expanded clay blocks
Density, kg/m³	300÷1000	600÷1000	500÷2000	850÷1800
Thermal conductivity, W/m˚С	0.08÷0.14	0.14÷0.22	0.3÷0.65	0.4÷0.8
Compressive strength, kg/cm²	5÷20	10÷50	25÷75	50÷150
Moisture absorption, %	70	10÷20	25÷50	50
Frost cycles	from 35	from 35	15:35	from 50
Recommended wall thickness without insulation for middle lane Russia, mm	from 400	from 600	from 1000	from 1000
Cost in rubles, for 2018, per 1 m³. (depending on size and manufacturer).	2950÷4300	2200÷3000	1900÷2500	1500÷3500

Houses made of natural wood

For many centuries, wood has occupied a leading position among the materials used to build private low-rise buildings.

Previously, wood was chosen for construction mainly because of its availability. Today, many people put environmental safety first. Of course, wood has its positive and weak sides, and you need to have information about them, choosing this material.

To get a “healthy” wooden house, it is necessary to choose a properly dried wood of a certain breed, which also plays an important role in the durability of the structure being built.

For the construction of houses, different types of wood are used, which have their own characteristics and have their own “pluses” and “minuses”. From coniferous species, pine, spruce, cedar and larch are used for construction, and from deciduous species - aspen, alder, birch and oak.

When using any wood, the durability and comfort of living in a house can be guaranteed not only by the right material, but also by compliance with the technological processes of construction, as well as periodic preventive operations during operation. When performing all necessary activities wooden buildings can serve faithfully even for more than one century, and there are many confirmations of this.

As practice shows, the most popular material for building houses is pine. This is due to its affordability and prevalence in different regions, quite suitable for the technical characteristics of wood.

For the construction of wooden houses, logs and timber are used. These materials, although they have the same internal structure, since they are made from the same types of wood, require a different approach during construction. Yes, and in the process of operation of the building behave differently.

Wooden house from quality wood, built in compliance with all technological requirements, is distinguished by the following virtues :

• Absolute ecological purity of the material.
• Healthy microclimate inside the building.
• Durability and reliability.
• The low thermal conductivity of wood makes the house warm and cozy.
• Aesthetic appearance of the facade and interior.
• It is quite possible not to apply additional finishing to the external and internal surfaces of the walls.
• Fairly fast construction of a log house.
• There is no need to build a bulky foundation, since a shallow tape, pile or even columnar design is quite suitable for wooden buildings.

TO shortcomings wooden buildings should include the following factors:

Comparative characteristics of natural wood materials used for wall construction:

Name of parameters	rounded log	Regular profiled timber	Glued laminated timber
Shrinkage	3÷7%	6÷8%	0.004
The term of the final shrinkage of the structure	2÷3 years	2÷3 years	1÷2 months
Longitudinal warpage during evaporation of moisture	maybe	maybe	ruled out
Crack initiation (normalized values)		width up to 10 mm, depth up to 150 mm, length up to 1500 mm	possible in length, does not affect the strength of the structure
Loss of aesthetic external qualities	maybe	maybe	ruled out
The appearance of fungal infections, wormholes and rot	Maybe	Maybe	Almost out of the question
Surface characteristics		there is no perfect smoothness, the presence of fallen knots and cracks.	the surface is smooth and does not require additional finishing.
Response of finished structures to temperature changes		possible deformation of wood	does not respond to temperature changes
The need for additional insulation		requires laying interventional insulation and caulking	requires laying interventional insulation and caulking
Estimated cost pine wood in rubles for 2018, per 1 m³, depending on the size and processing.	6800÷11000	8000÷11000	20000÷25000

frame houses

Frame houses can be called combined buildings, since several materials are used in the construction of their walls. Such buildings can be built different ways- this is a traditional frame-frame, shield (frame-panel) and half-timbered method.

To understand what they are, it is necessary to briefly consider each of them.

Frame-frame construction

The traditional frame is assembled from a bar, the space between its elements is occupied by a heater. External surfaces walls are sheathed with sheet materials (OSB, plywood, etc.) or boards, and moisture-resistant drywall can also be used for interior surfaces.

The construction of a frame structure of this type consists of several stages. And all of them may well be produced independently, since all the material used to build a house is light in weight.

• As a basis for a frame house, any type of foundation can be used - pile, tape, slab or columnar.
• The lower framing and floor beams of the first level are fixed on the foundation. All this is done from a bar with a section of at least 150 × 150 mm.
• Then, at a distance of 550 ÷ 600 mm, vertical racks frame, which for rigidity are interconnected by crossbars and diagonals. When creating the frame of walls and partitions, openings for windows and doors are simultaneously formed.
• The rack-mount part of the frame is strengthened by the upper strapping.
• Attic floor beams are fixed to the upper trim, and then assembled wooden frame rafter system.

• Then, the roof is insulated and covered. Roofing work is recommended to be done at this stage, so that the frame of the house and the materials mounted on it are protected from rain.
• Further, insulation material is installed between the frame beam. Most often, mineral wool is chosen as it, although expanded polystyrene or environmentally friendly heaters can be used - ecowool, linen or reed mats.
• From the outside, the walls of the structure are tightened with a waterproofing membrane, and from the inside - with a vapor barrier membrane.
• Then, the walls are sheathed on the outside with boards or (sometimes both materials are used). From the inside, vertical surfaces can be covered with the same OSB sheets, plywood or drywall.
• Vinyl or metal siding, natural lining or other material can be used as external decorative cladding.

half-timbered method

This method of building frame houses also involves the formation of a frame for the walls and subsequent insulation, but in this case a completely different technology is used.

Frame on both sides, starting from bottom strapping, temporarily sheathed with sheet materials, for example, OSB - it will create a kind of formwork for the poured insulation. Sheathing is first made to a height of approximately 1000 mm.

Then, the formwork is filled with a heater specially designed for these structures - rufalit. It is a mixture based on gypsum with natural filler(for example, chopped straw) and special modifying additives.

After the insulation has hardened, the formwork is removed and transferred higher. All the walls of the house are displayed in the same way. floors and attic floor can also be filled with such a warming compound.

The convenience of this frame method lies in the fact that you can choose any wall thickness, depending on how much it is necessary to insulate the building.

Frame-panel structures

This method of erecting a frame house allows you to build walls on a prepared foundation literally within one day. Everything is simple - ready-made panels are installed and fastened together.

Panels for a specific project are supplied adjusted to size, already have window and door openings, and can be insulated or consist only of a frame sheathed with OSB sheets. If the structure is not insulated, then it is insulated independently by choosing one of the types of thermal insulation that can be used to fill the cavities.

All the necessary layers of hydro- and vapor barrier are provided in the finished wall structures, as well as channels for laying communications are thought out.

disadvantage this method erecting a house is a very high price for prefabricated kits. In addition, you can not do without the involvement of special equipment for lifting, transferring and installing finished panel to its designated place.

Is it difficult to build a frame house on your own?

Yes, the task is not so simple, but it is quite feasible for real male hands. A special publication of our portal will help you to see the scope of upcoming work and evaluate your capabilities.

Now, having figured out what the frame structures of houses are, it is necessary to highlight their positive and negative sides.

TO virtues correctly built frame houses include the following:

• Ability to work independently.
• The low thermal conductivity of the walls helps keep the heat inside the house.
• Relatively fast and fairly simple installation of structural elements.
• There is no need for a massive foundation, as the construction is easy.
• The design does not shrink, so you can move into the house immediately after finishing work.
• You do not have to level the surfaces of the walls and ceiling, as they are already ready for decorative finishing both outside and inside.
• Relatively low cost.

However, the frame structure also has a fairly large number shortcomings , which can bring disappointment to future residents of the house during its operation:

• Low tightness of all frame structures, except fachwerk.
• Insufficiently long service life due to low strength and reliability of the structure.
• IN frame houses the correct ventilation system must be equipped, otherwise mold may appear on the walls and underground due to insufficient air exchange.
• Poor quality of sound insulation.
• High fire hazard.

• Insulating material in the floor and walls can be chosen for housing by rodents and various insects. And it will be very difficult to get rid of such a “neighborhood”.

So which is better, timber or frame construction?

If you have to decide which form of wood is better to choose for construction - a beam or a log, or give preference to a frame structure, then it would be useful to refer to a special comparative publication. The recommended link leads to it.

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Above, we figured out what materials can be used to build houses for year-round use. Given their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, approximate prices in your region, you can decide which one is best for a particular case by combining all the evaluation criteria.

If desires and opportunities coincide, then you can stop at the best option and start designing a house project.

Complement the information reflected in the article, an interesting video on the same topic:

Video: What material is better to choose for your own residential building?

The correct choice of material for building a house affects not only its strength and durability, but also the cost of the work. Today's construction market provides a huge range of variety of materials, ideally suited not only for prefabricated buildings, but also for solid structures.

First you need to decide for what purposes the future building is intended. If the house is intended for permanent residence, then the main qualities when choosing a building material should be durability, strength, resistance to moisture, as well as high-quality heat and noise insulation.

All of the above advantages are possessed by houses made of foam concrete, brick, frame and wood.

Pros and cons of building a country house from a bar

The building, during the construction of which timber was used, will be reliable and beautiful. The material made from logs cut down in the winter is great for construction, as such a beam shrinks much faster. There are certain advantages and disadvantages that can affect the choice of this material.

Wooden house from glued laminated timber

For example, the pluses include the shallower depth of the foundation required when building a house. In addition, lumber walls have a lower thermal conductivity compared to brick walls, so you don’t have to think about external or internal wall decoration. Important point- the house can be erected at any time, even in winter, even in summer.

Despite the large number of advantages, the beam has a number of disadvantages. This material is subject to decay, so it is short-lived, like any other. wood material. Also, after the construction of housing, drying must be carried out for some time. In addition, the fire safety of the material is also not at the highest level.

For the manufacture of profiled timber, coniferous trees are used. The outer side may be flat, it may look like a log, and the inner side most often has a flat surface and is processed by planing. The remaining two sides are equipped with special spikes and grooves, which improves docking with each other. The grooves are stuffed with jute insulation.

Profiled timber is a high-tech material that allows you to build a house in the shortest possible time.

Profiled timber

Glued timber does not have significant shortcomings and defects, because it undergoes special processing during production. The material is protected by a special impregnation of flame retardant and antiseptic, which gives the wood a high level of resistance to decay and fire resistance. , can serve you faithfully for several decades.

Glued laminated timber

In addition, they are built quite quickly, which provides comfortable conditions not only for construction, but also for further living. Currently, many different companies are able to help with the construction of houses from a bar, however, if desired, you can do the construction of a house from a bar yourself, since there are no particular difficulties in this matter.

A wooden house is always very cozy and does not require extra interior decoration.

Here you can watch a video discussing the issues of building a house, but keep in mind that it was recorded at the Forest Fair, and, of course, the author promotes the topic of building wooden houses. But at the same time, there are some very helpful tips in the video.

Foam concrete houses: pros and cons

The choice of building material, to a greater extent, is determined by such qualities as ease of installation, environmental friendliness, heat and sound insulation. Foam concrete has all of the above qualities, so it is gaining more and more popularity among builders. To date, mass housing developments are carried out using this material.

Read also

Insulation of floors of a private house

Private Vacation home foam concrete

An important quality for many consumers is that this material has a high level of environmental safety. For the manufacture of foam concrete, only natural materials are used, such as cement, water, sand. Of course, the addition of dyes with plasticizers is also possible, but their amount is usually very small. Walls made of this material perfectly pass air, which provides a favorable microclimate in the room.

Foam concrete house wall

Foam concrete has a fairly low price in relation to other materials. In addition, it is very light, which undoubtedly affects the installation speed. You can build a house in two to three months. In addition, building a house from foam concrete does not require the construction of a powerful foundation.

One of the main qualities of foam concrete is the presence of good heat and noise insulation, which leads to a reduction in the cost of heat energy and insulating materials. This material is completely fireproof and easily resists high temperatures. In addition, finishing internal walls can be done with almost any material.

But, like any building material, foam concrete has its drawbacks. One of them is insufficient strength, so the blocks may be damaged during transportation and construction. There is a possibility that cracks may appear on the walls after the building box is installed, appearing during shrinkage or under the influence of temperature differences. In order to avoid adverse consequences, you need to invest in high-quality reinforcement of the structure.

Reinforced construction

After the foam block house has been erected, do not immediately strive to finish the interior walls, it is better to wait a while. The reason is that there is a possibility of carbonization shrinkage, which can occur as a result of the formation of chalk inside the material. Such changes can occur due to a chemical reaction between cement and carbon dioxide penetrating into it.

Pros and cons of brick houses

Brick houses are among the most popular in the construction industry because they are durable, strong and comfortable. If such a house is built competently and thoroughly, then it can easily stand for more than 100 years, delighting residents with a cozy layout and warmth of its walls.

Beautiful brick country house

Brick is the most suitable material for outdoor finishing works. Brick cladding will require less funds than a full-fledged arrangement of a building made of the same material. Such cladding both decorates the structure and protects it from harmful effects. environment. The best option for the construction of a reliable and warm home is a combination of foam concrete with brick.

Brick is ideal for building a house because it is completely natural.

Construction of a brick house

A brick house will not burn down. Of course, the fire will destroy everything that was inside, but the frame of the house will remain standing, which contributes to the beginning of a new life.

If necessary, you can build on, add additional rooms. A house that has only one floor can become a comfortable cottage or a house with several floors.

Brick walls can support roller shutters or an additional attic. You can also line the walls with wood, wild stone or decorative bricks.

It won't rot or shrink. Wild grapes, loaches, ivy or climbing roses are perfect for wrapping around a wall.

Ivy-covered house

A brick cottage is a place with a special climate. In the scorching heat, the rooms will be cool, and, conversely, in the winter cold, thick walls will keep the heat inside, which will add comfort to the residents.

But, nevertheless, the brick house has its drawbacks.

One of the biggest drawbacks is the cost of construction. Construction good home can drag on for a long period, as it depends on the size of the building and on the financial capabilities of the owner.

Masonry plays an important role in building a house. In order for all the bricks to lie evenly and firmly, a professional is required, whose services cost a lot of money.