Ventzazor ceramic block and facing brick. Wall insulation made of ceramic blocks

Porous hollow ceramic blocks are materials that contribute to the preservation and accumulation of heat in the house. But despite this, in some cases, walls made of this material also require insulation.

Heat loss in a house occurs through walls, windows, doors, roofs and even basements. No more than 20% of heat is lost through the walls of low-rise buildings, since the areas of the roof and walls are almost equivalent. Significant heat losses (up to 40%) are due to air exchange, and the rest - to the roof. In the first climatic zone, building codes (GSN) for energy saving provide for the heat transfer coefficient of enclosing structures (walls) - 2.8 (was 2.2), and for the roof - 4.95 (was 2.8). For the transitional period that we are in today, this coefficient for roofs can be 3.3.

Is it necessary to insulate walls made of blocks 38, 44 and 50 cm wide?

When building a house from hollow porous ceramic blocks, the walls can be of two types: single-layer, that is, made from only one block, or multilayer. The latter, in turn, are divided into two-layer, consisting of a block and insulation, and three-layer - which includes a block, insulation and face brick. For the construction of single-layer walls, porous blocks with a width of 38, 44 and 50 cm are used. It is not advisable to insulate such walls, since the wall material from which they are made has a sufficient heat transfer resistance coefficient. It is better to use the funds that are supposed to be spent on the insulation of such walls for exterior decoration or the installation of translucent structures of higher quality in terms of energy saving - doors and windows. However, with the introduction of new energy saving standards, even walls made of ceramic blocks 38 cm wide are subject to insulation.

Which ceramic blocks require insulation?

Sometimes walls are erected from ceramic porous hollow blocks 25 and 30 cm wide. This happens when the wall material has not yet been selected, and construction work is already underway. For example, if a foundation is made, and its width does not correspond to the width of the porous block, which can provide the required coefficient of thermal conductivity of the walls of the house. Then, when choosing a material for external walls, they are tied to the thickness of the block.

Since these blocks are originally intended for the construction of internal load-bearing walls, they do not have a sufficient coefficient of heat transfer resistance.

When insulating a wall made of porous blocks, you must not forget to put windows in the house with a heat transfer resistance coefficient of 0.5 m² - ° C / W and, accordingly, insulate the roof - only then can the house be considered fully insulated.

Insulation laying

Porous ceramic walls are best insulated with mineral wool slabs, which, unlike expanded polystyrene, have good vapor permeability. The insulation is attached to the wall with glue or with dowels so that it fits snugly against the wall surface. Further wall decoration is at the discretion of the owner of the house. As for the thickness of the insulation for ceramic porous blocks, for a block with a width of 25 cm it is 100 mm, for a block with a width of 30 cm - 60 mm.

Another important point that needs to be taken into account when insulating a house is the use of the so-called “light” (“warm”) masonry mortar when laying blocks, and not the usual cement-sand mortar. This solution also contains cement, which acts as a binder. As a filler, a heat-insulating material is used - perlite or expanded clay sand.

The area of ​​the seams with a thickness of 12 mm is only 4% on the wall of ceramic porous hollow blocks. If you replace the cement-sand mortar with a “light” one, then the thermal performance of the wall will improve by 17% due to the large difference in the thermal conductivity of these mortars: for cement-sand mortar it is 0.9 W / (m * ° C), and for warm solution - 0.3 W / (m * ° C). The production of such dry mixes in Ukraine has not yet been mastered, so they are imported from abroad.

A single-layer ceramic wall has significant advantages over double-layer walls. Porous ceramic blocks are a very durable material; experts estimate the service life of a wall made of such material from 100 years or more.

If directly compared with two-layer wall structures, then their overhaul will be required very soon, the forecast period is 30-35 years, and even 20 years for low-quality polystyrenes. The usual cheap insulation will fail during this period and will basically lose its unique properties.

Other advantages of single layer ceramic wall

A single-layer ceramic wall is much more resistant to all kinds of damage than a two-layer one. Violations of the facade finish will not lead to the same consequences as if you break the finish over mineral wool or polystyrene foam.
Also:

• There is no risk of moisture in case of violation of construction technology or damage to the layers. Indeed, if you violate the principles of insulation in two-layer walls, then you can easily overmoisten the structure.
• a single-layer wall is generally cheaper. If the quality of the materials is comparable, then in any case, the construction in one layer will have a lower final price.
• easier, faster build. During construction, simplicity and manufacturability often dictate design features. You need to look for insulation specialists to make the second layer correctly, etc. These questions simply disappear.

What is known

Blocks of porous ceramics can be used to build a single-layer wall with satisfactory heat-saving properties for temperate and warm climates.

But in cold regions, a single-layer block wall cannot provide the necessary thermal insulation.

There it is necessary (becomes more profitable) to build two-layer walls in which the bearing layer is covered with insulation.

Heat-saving properties of ceramic blocks

The decrease in thermal conductivity in products made of porous ceramics is achieved due to the presence of many closed cavities with air. The production of ceramic blocks is in many ways similar to the production of ordinary bricks, but components are added to the material, which burn out during firing, forming pores.

Hollow blocks and bricks with large internal cavities are formed from such a mass. As a result, the thermal conductivity coefficient of the ceramic block is 0.15 - 0.17 W / mK, and for a hollow brick - 0.2 W / mK.

Humidity affects these values, but to a much lesser extent than for aerated concrete blocks, which have less porosity and more pores.

How to make the whole masonry and wall warm

Ceramic blocks of high manufacturing precision, with a size inaccuracy in height of not more than 1 mm (polished), can be laid on a thin layer of glue or on a special adhesive foam.

In these cases, the coefficient of thermal conductivity of the finished masonry from ceramic blocks does not increase significantly compared to the blocks themselves.

The masonry and the wall may lose their possible heat-saving properties if only a thick layer of ordinary heavy mortar is applied. Then the resulting large-scale cold bridges simply level out the achievements of warm ceramics.

The choice of blocks and solution for heat loss

Blocks are usually produced in lengths of 25, 38, 44 and 51 cm. They are placed across the wall, with a relief side surface to neighboring blocks. Then the thickness of the wall is equal to the length of the block.

Consider an example. For the Moscow region, the required resistance to heat transfer of the walls of the house is not less than 3.15 m2 * K / W. Approximately the same value for laying of ceramic blocks with a thickness of 51 cm, made on a heat-saving solution or on glue.

But if you use a conventional cement-lime mortar, then the heat transfer resistance of the wall will be 2.7 - 2.8 m2 * K / W.

For the construction of private houses up to 3 floors in a non-cold climate, it is more profitable to use blocks instead of bricks, the masonry of which is more expensive and much colder.

Reduce the number of additional blocks

Vertical seams between blocks with a tongue-and-groove side surface are not filled with mortar. Their filling is necessary in the case of using additional blocks with even edges or bricks.

A large number of such blocks can be in the corners, bends of walls, near openings.
If the vertical joints between the blocks are filled with mortar, the thermal conductivity of the wall will increase. The number of such places should be minimized.

Projects of houses made of ceramic blocks provide for distances that are multiples of an integer number of blocks, so the use of additional ones is minimized.
To increase heat saving, it is recommended to build a house in accordance with the project.

What size ceramic blocks to choose

A wall of ceramic blocks with unfilled vertical joints must be plastered on both sides to reduce air permeability.

Outside, only a special vapor-permeable plaster layer should be used. You can further increase the heat-saving properties of the wall if you apply warm plaster from the outside with a layer of 4 cm thick.

A popular technology is in which a wall of ceramic blocks is lined with hollow facade bricks. Masonry is carried out without leaving an air gap. The wall thickness increases by at least 12 cm. At the same time, the thermal insulation characteristics also increase slightly.

Therefore, for the southern regions and in Ukraine, ceramic blocks 38 cm long (masonry thickness 38 cm) are often used on the outside, plastered with a layer of warm plaster 4-7 cm, or lined with hollow facade bricks. Such a wall will have satisfactory heat-saving properties for regions with mild winters.

Suitable wall width

If the heat transfer resistance of the wall turns out to be lower than the recommendations of SNiP 02/23/2003, then it is possible to fill the gap and bring the total heat loss of the building in accordance with the requirements of the standards by increasing the insulation of other building structures, in accordance with design decisions.

It should be borne in mind that a wide wall imposes increased requirements for strength and dimensions on the foundation.

A wall made of porous ceramic blocks can be no more than 20% wider than the plinth, and up to 30% if confirmed by the strength calculation in the project.

It is not economically profitable to build a ceramic wall wider than 63 cm (51 + 12), since a significant amount of expensive durable material (porous ceramics) will be spent on insulation, which is not needed according to strength requirements.

Actually, this is the condition for the transition to the construction of two-layer walls with a narrow bearing layer in the northern regions.

The construction of wall insulation made of ceramic blocks, thermal insulation measures in various places of masonry

Reinforced concrete and metal structural elements are built into the wall of ceramic blocks, which have a much higher thermal conductivity than the wall itself, so they are necessarily protected from the side of the street with an additional layer of insulation.

• Crossbars are installed above window or door openings - reinforced concrete beams-lintels. These are standard elements specially designed for openings in wide walls. From the outside, they are protected by at least 10 cm of mineral wool and a thin layer of ceramics.
• Ceilings on floors and Mauerlat timber for roofing should rest on a reinforced concrete frame, made as a solid structure above all load-bearing walls at floor level, and evenly distributing loads on the walls. This reinforced concrete frame (concrete belt) is fenced from the side of the street with at least 10 cm of moderately hard mineral wool insulation and additional ceramic blocks.
• Internal load-bearing walls are tied with masonry with external walls. Blocks of internal walls from the side of the street are protected in a similar way.
• The reinforced concrete plinth, on which the load-bearing walls rest (masonry of ceramic blocks can only rest on a monolithic strip foundation of sufficient rigidity according to the project), extruded polystyrene foam (usually at least 8 cm thick according to the calculation) or foam glass with a thickness of 12 cm.

How to insulate block walls in cold climates

In cold climates, porous ceramic walls of reasonable thickness cannot meet the heat saving requirements, so they must be insulated with an additional (second) layer of insulation.

At the same time, the bearing layer of porous ceramics is made relatively narrow, usually the width of the masonry is from 25 cm. As a heater for blocks, more vapor-permeable layers of insulation made of mineral wool or low-density aerated concrete are used.

The use of vapor barrier materials - polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, foam glass, creates the risk of wetting the load-bearing wall itself.

What heaters to use

To insulate walls made of ceramic blocks, the following heaters are used.

• Rigid slabs of mineral wool with a density of 125 kg / m3 and more. They are glued to the masonry, plastered on top with a thin layer of vapor-transparent plaster.
• Flexible mineral wool boards with a density of 45 - 80 kg / m 3 They are placed under the crate of the facade finish, covered with a vapor-diffusion membrane, and additionally fastened with dowels.
• Rigid slabs of gas concrete with a density of 100 - 200 kg / m 3

Recently, they have learned how to make low-density autoclaved aerated concrete with a thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.05 - 0.06 W / mK and sufficient structural strength, class B1.0 (compressive strength from 10 kg / m3, vapor permeability coefficient 0.28 mg / (m *year*Pa).

How to make insulation

The slabs are laid with masonry on the foundation (starting bar) and glued to the carrier layer, plastered with vapor-transparent plaster with fiberglass mesh.

These heaters can be lined with ceramic bricks, leaving a ventilation gap, while the wall will already be three-layered, since the brick layer will be self-supporting, based on the foundation.

A ventilation gap is left between the insulation and the brick cladding and an upward movement of air is provided by analogy with a ventilated facade.

When choosing insulation for walls made of ceramic blocks, the main factor is the durability of the material.

For rigid mineral wool boards from well-known manufacturers, a service life of 35 years is set. But for aerated concrete blocks, this figure is higher. Therefore, in recent years, aerated concrete has become a significant alternative to mineral wool.

Hello!
I read this thread with interest from beginning to end. But while reading there were questions, please answer them.
Concerning filling with a solution of a technological gap between ceramics and a facing wall. Will the heat-shielding properties of ceramics deteriorate in this case? After all, the role of the facing wall is to protect ceramics from atmospheric precipitation. In the case of contact between facing bricks and ceramics (through mortar), moisture from a facing wall that has become wet in the rain will penetrate into the ceramics, worsening its heat-shielding properties, right? After all, ceramics are very hygroscopic. Based on the experience gained during the construction, do you recommend abandoning such technology?
The second question is whether a non-ventilated 2-3 mm technological gap is sufficient for the ceramic wall to "breathe", i.e. actually gave excess (at a certain point) moisture into the atmosphere? Does it lose one of its essential advantages in this case? Isn't a ventilated 5-6 mm gap the most optimal solution of all of the above?
Regarding the "warm" solution - is the game worth the candle? The given thermal resistance of the masonry will increase by 15 percent, while the total heat loss of the building will decrease, God forbid, by 5 percent, if I was not mistaken in the calculations, and you can hardly feel the difference in thermal comfort. But the cost of masonry increases, and natural skepticism tells me that it increases by more than 5%? And if we take into account the fact that it is hardly possible to check the quality of the finished "warm" mixture from the store ..? Interested in your opinion on this matter.
Good luck in your endeavors, I will definitely follow the topic.

Can I get in? I wanted to comment on the warm solution. I did it myself. I bought perlite at the factory and kneaded -3 buckets of perlite 1 sand 1 cement. It took 15 cubic meters = 15 tons for a house 10 * 14 (2 floors). R. almost the same money I would give for sand. The strength of the solution is inferior to the usual one, but enough for me. The masons worked with him for the first time, but there were no problems, on the contrary, everyone was delighted because of the low weight of the solution. Another advantage is that the solution on perlite did not fall into the block and I refused the grid (the usual one fails).
P.S. lining was done on the usual solution.

Got the windows delivered yesterday. Since the road, to put it mildly, is very "not very" .., at the exit from the asphalt, a GAZ-66 was waiting for a window GAZelle and delivered it "to the entrance" on a cable. At the same time, he dragged me another Gazelle with EPPS to insulate the basement. I plan to preserve for a cold winter. How? I plan to unsubscribe.
On Friday, window installers threaten to arrive.

Yes, I hopelessly lagged behind you, conservation is also ahead, I stocked up with polystyrene foam.

Since the base on which the first row of blocks is laid out is never even, the first row is laid on a leveling layer.
To begin with, a thin layer of waterproof mortar is applied to the surface of the base, to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe future masonry. Then a layer of rolled waterproofing is rolled out, observing the rule - flush with the surface of the future outer wall and 2-3 cm outlet inward, under the inner walls the outlet is arranged on both sides.
The next step is to apply a thicker layer of masonry mortar, which is leveled to ensure a uniform level. Before installing the blocks, a thin layer of pure cement should be applied to the surface of the leveling layer. This will prevent the slotted block from sinking into the relatively soft mortar, which would negate the preliminary work of preparing the leveling layer.
After the preparatory work, they begin to install the corner blocks, using a level and a rubber mallet. Next, the distance between the corners is measured, and the first row of blocks is fully laid out, while horizontal thrusting of the blocks is not allowed, each block along the groove-ridge direction is pushed in from above.
After laying the entire perimeter of the wall, work is stopped for 12 hours. And it starts again with the installation of corner blocks. The position of each block is checked with a level and a guide lace, the position is corrected with a rubber mallet. It is also necessary to check the verticality of the masonry with a level and a plumb line.
If necessary, you can give the blocks the required size using a reciprocating saw or an alligator saw, more about this in the article. How to cut ceramic blocks.
The ligation of the external wall with internal walls and partitions is carried out using steel perforated anchors, which are laid in the pastel seam of every second row.
So that in the future the load from the ceiling is not transferred to the partitions, it is important to follow the rule - non-load-bearing walls should be 1-2 cm below the load-bearing walls. In the future, the gap can be filled with mounting foam.
Every day at the end of work, it is necessary to cover the laying of slotted blocks with a tarpaulin or covering films, otherwise, in case of rain, the voids of the porous blocks will be filled with water.

Time is the most impartial judge, and it clearly shows that the outer walls of buildings, finished with ceramic materials, are practically not destroyed and retain their original appearance for many decades. Therefore, today manufacturers offer our attention not only traditional tiles and bricks.

One of the novelties that appeared not so long ago on the building materials market is a porous ceramic block with a lining. What is this material, what are its advantages and disadvantages?

You will learn about this and much more by reading the information we have proposed, as well as by watching the video in this article.

If you try to somehow classify ceramic facing materials, then two main categories can be distinguished. The first is materials mounted on finished walls: tiles for adhesive cladding (see Cladding with ceramic tiles: a job that everyone can handle), panels for arranging ventilated facades (see Facing a house with exterior panels: choose).

The second category includes materials that are both finishing and constructive. These are various types of ceramic bricks and ceramic blocks on the cladding, which will be discussed now.

It is possible to decorate walls with such materials only during the masonry process, otherwise it would be necessary to top up the old one under them or build a new foundation. The reason for this is the significant weight and large format of the cladding elements - and this can equally be both a disadvantage and an advantage.

Benefits of Structural Ceramics

We cannot deny the merits of clay bricks, which have been used for centuries for building walls and have long been a classic in construction. But this method has one significant disadvantage - large time costs, and this cannot but affect the cost of objects.

So:

• In this regard, facing ceramic blocks have a huge advantage over bricks. A full-sized block has an average format of 380*250*219 mm, which is twice the size of a brick. Accordingly, the speed of erection of enclosing structures also doubles - and this is at least.
• It is very convenient to work with such material, especially since where the wall thickness should be 1.5 bricks, it is enough to put one block. For those who are going to build a house with their own hands, this is a great advantage: the geometry of the masonry is perfect even for those who do not have the qualifications of a bricklayer and have taken up such work for the first time.

• Ceramic blocks are called porous not only because voids are provided in the structure of products. It's about the technology of their manufacture. The raw material for the production of blocks consists not only of sand and clay, it also contains a filler in the form of small sawdust. During the firing process, the wood filler burns out, forming pores in the material itself. And the voids and corrugated sides of the finished products are obtained by passing through vacuum presses.
• The presence of closed cavities, which we see in the photo, significantly reduces the thermal conductivity of the material, and this figure for porous blocks is many times higher than that of traditional bricks. For this reason, they are also called warm ceramics. It is clear that for housing construction this is just a godsend, since the walls erected from such blocks do not require insulation.
• Moreover, the presence of pores and voids does not at all reduce the compressive strength of the material - what can we say about sound insulation! Everyone knows that the porous structure of materials provides excellent sound absorption. The undoubted advantages of warm ceramics include hundreds of freeze-thaw cycles, as well as low water absorption (within 6-12%) and high fire resistance.

The price of a ceramic block is on average 110 rubles. a piece. The cost of a brick, even an ordinary one, is at least 15 rubles, a facing brick costs 18-21 rubles. But in one cubic meter there are only 40 blocks, while there are 510 single bricks in a cube - the math is simple, and everyone can calculate what is more profitable.

Well, the instructions in the next chapter will tell about the technical side of building walls from ceramic blocks.

Features of masonry work

Due to the large format of ceramic blocks, the joints between them occupy only five percent of the wall area. Compared to brickwork, this is not much, but this may be quite enough for the wall to lose a significant part of the heat. For this reason, a conventional cement-sand mortar is not used for the installation of porous ones.

Masonry mortar

For the installation of porous blocks - and not only ceramic, but also cellular concrete, it is necessary to use mixtures that include a heat-insulating filler. These are natural raw materials: perlite and vermiculite, which have excellent thermal insulation qualities.

In addition, the composition of warm solutions contains fiber (reinforcing additive) and plasticizers that make the hardened seam impervious to moisture.

• As for reinforcing additives, their use does not allow the freshly applied mixture to settle into the cavity of the blocks, and the seams that have gained strength become more resistant to deformation. Modifying additives make the solution more plastic and significantly reduce its consumption.

• The preparation of mortar from a dry mix consists of only two operations: adding water (about 10 liters per bag) and mixing with a mixer or concrete mixer. The viability of the solution lasts for about 2 hours, so it does not make sense to make a large volume at once.
• When the viscosity of the solution used increases, it is strictly forbidden to add water to it - just mix it in a container. Mixes are sold in dry form, in bags of 20 kg. From this amount, approximately 30 liters of ready-made mortar are obtained, and, given the thickness of the seam of 12 mm, it is enough for 1 m2 of masonry.

• A bag of warm masonry mix costs about 300 rubles, and this, of course, is a considerable expense. To reduce mortar consumption, as well as to reinforce horizontal rows, many manufacturers recommend laying blocks on a fiberglass mesh with a small cell.

It keeps the mixture from falling into the voids of the underlying blocks. There is another important nuance: the solution that enters the voids of the blocks displaces air from them, which reduces the resistance of the masonry to heat transfer. Therefore, the grid is needed, whatever one may say.

The feasibility of using ceramic stone

Ceramic blocks, or, as their name indicates, the standard: ceramic stones - like bricks, can be ordinary and facial. Ordinary ones are used for building walls, and facial ones, respectively, for their parallel cladding.

Such a separation does not mean at all that the strength of the front blocks is lower than that of ordinary ones - they can be used in the same way for the main masonry. Just due to the ennobled front surface, their cost is slightly higher.

So:

• In principle, both of these materials are produced according to the same standards, and the calculation of the wall thickness depends on the maximum winter temperatures in the region. For example, in the south, where the average winter temperature is -10 degrees, the wall thickness should be at least 380 mm, that is, one and a half brick lengths.
• If walls are erected from ceramic blocks, then blocks with a size of 380 * 250 * 219 mm are used and they are laid in one row. The largest size is 510 * 250 * 219 mm, it can also be mounted in one row, but already in regions with a winter temperature of -20 degrees. In this case, blocks with a front finish are used.

• But in the northern regions, where winter temperatures often exceed -40 degrees, the thickness of the brickwork should be 770 mm (three bricks + seams). There are no blocks of this size, and if necessary, the masonry is made up of ordinary blocks 510 mm long and facing blocks 250 mm long.
• If such a wall is laid out of brick, a lot of material is taken away, and the loads on the foundation are incredibly large. This leads to overspending not only of wall materials, but also of those used for the construction of the zero cycle of the building.

Note! In order to obtain at least some savings in the construction of brick walls, well masonry methods are used, laying heaters in the resulting cavities, and widen the seams. But even all these methods combined are unable to make masonry more than two bricks thick economically feasible.

• That is why brick houses for the regions of the Far North are a rarity. With the advent of ceramic porous blocks, the situation has changed radically, and now northerners can also build prefabricated and warm houses from ceramics.
• What simplifies masonry work the most is the tongue-and-groove system for connecting blocks. Such a docking limits the trajectory of the shift of the masonry elements in relation to each other, therefore, the curvature of the masonry, which distinguishes brick walls, is in principle impossible here.

• Another huge plus is that vertical seams do not need to be filled with mortar. Since it is the lateral faces that connect the comb into the groove, there are no cold bridges in the masonry, which the seams have always been.

In the struggle for the buyer, many manufacturers offer not only standard full-sized blocks, but also additional elements, corners, door and window lintels made of ceramics, as well as blocks for the construction of internal enclosing structures. All this is coordinated by standard sizes and ideally assembled into a single complex.

Such important details

Despite the fact that porous blocks have a front surface, they still, like any structural material, need to be finished. Rather, not so much in the decoration, but in protection from the effects of precipitation.

For this purpose, decorative bricks, clinker tiles or natural stone are used. In general, adhesive finishes are an excellent option for porous block masonry.

• It is not necessary to insulate such walls; in extreme cases, you can use warm plaster (see Warm plaster Knauf Grunband), which, by analogy with masonry mortar, contains perlite. But if you really want to, you can insulate, and even finish the frame method. It is only necessary to take into account one very important nuance.

For attaching a crate to a ceramic wall, as well as hanging cabinets on it, it is impossible to use the dowel-nails familiar to everyone, since thin partitions inside the block may not withstand the load. For this, there are special long expansion anchors, as well as chemical dowels that you see in the picture. Use them and you will not have any problems with fasteners!