When choosing a worthy material for construction, the owner's review of a cinder block house may come in handy first. This building material was once widely used for buildings of various kinds, which is why it has become quite familiar and, by inertia, already inspiring trust.

At the moment, cinder block is perhaps the most inexpensive building material, so the idea of ​​​​building something out of it seems very tempting. Indeed, in some cases, a cinder block turns out to be 20 percent cheaper than a brick. On the other hand, more modern materials are intensively praised by manufacturers. They often compare their products to cinder blocks, emphasizing that they are superior to them in certain respects.

Construction is a capital thing, it requires substantial financial investments, which means it requires a comprehensive assessment of the prospects for the future structure. Without proper analysis and comparison, there is a risk of not fully realizing your ideas.

Owner's review of a cinder block house from this point of view, it will be valuable precisely because the owner has already lived in it and can tell how much the building meets his expectations. The so-called inside view, which will help you understand the nuances. And if hopes are not met in some way, it can suggest what additional actions should be taken, or what mistakes should be avoided during construction.

The main thing is the material

First of all, developers who have tested cinder block in action advise you to carefully and carefully consider its choice. Specifications this building material in strong degree depend on the fillers added during casting. And if the manufacturer decides to save on them, then your construction and its result will bring nothing but grief in the future.

When purchasing, carefully ask what exactly was added to the cinder block. It is desirable that the fillers are environmentally neutral (if not clean). Expanded clay, sawdust, shell rock, crushed stone, and brick chips are considered the best. Chemically active ingredients will not only endanger the health of people living in a house made of such cinder blocks, but will also make it very short-lived.

You need to check the method of making cinder blocks no less carefully. If it was produced without the participation of a vibrating machine, it will be less durable and reliable. Such the material is suitable for a garage or shed, but not for a home.

To ensure that the cinder block meets the strength characteristics for your purposes, make simple check: Take a 15mm nail and try to stick it into any block. If he enters, even with difficulty, this is not what you need.

Construction Features

When planning to use cinder block to build walls, we must not forget about its hygroscopicity - this is the main quality of the building material, which is not approved by all owners of cinder block houses. During the construction process, they advise avoiding some of the mistakes made by predecessors.

Material lying on the ground awaiting its turn absorbs water, which deteriorates the quality of the wall and prolongs the setting time of the solution. Developers who have noticed this recommend either covering the ground with construction polyethylene or placing a cinder block on wooden pallets, rising above the ground by at least 10 centimeters. Due to the instability of the material to moisture, almost immediate construction of the roof and the installation of a high (up to 70 centimeters) foundation with reinforced waterproofing are also required.

The material itself has good thermal insulation properties. However, thick seams between elements reduce its heat resistance. Optimal indicator– no more than 1 cm.

The hygroscopicity of cinder block requires preliminary consideration of external waterproofing. In addition, it must be arranged immediately after their construction is completed.

You should know that interior work will be complicated by poor adhesion of the plaster to the wall. Additional wall treatment is needed.

If you take into account all these nuances, a cinder block house will last a long time and will not cause trouble in the future.

Of the noted advantages

Despite some shortcomings and difficulties, in general, the owners of houses made of this material were satisfied with their choice. They were most pleased with the following features.

Absolute fire safety. A cinder block is not only incapable of igniting, but also does not support a flame. Moreover, after a fire the walls remain intact, except perhaps smoked. In such force majeure circumstances, brick buildings are sometimes destroyed by even 70%.

• High strength: Even hurricanes are not afraid of the house, especially if the walls are reinforced with steel rods during its construction.
• Ease of laying. Working with cinder block is many times easier than working with the same brick. Even a non-professional can handle the construction of walls.
• Excellent sound insulation. If there is a highway next to the house, even a convoy of trucks will not particularly disturb the residents, except through the double-glazed windows.
• Resistance to biological degradation. The house is not afraid of insects, fungal colonies, or rodents.

Few developers know, but many companies offer free projects for the construction of cinder block houses. If you are planning to build from this material, take an interest in such promotions in your region - this will significantly reduce upcoming costs. Moreover, the projects are designed for specific conditions, taking into account the type of soil and climatic features. And what is offered is not dull boxes, but completely modern, often original homes.

Conclusions

In general, almost every owner review of a cinder block house can be considered positive. Someone calls it necessary exterior finishing- but they do it with almost any material for building a house. Some are dissatisfied with the need for waterproofing and insulation - but, again, most buildings require such measures.

If the cinder block is of high quality (and most reputable stores check incoming batches for toxicity, strength and radioactivity), then your house can stand for a whole century and not require overhaul.

Only those who live in a very humid climate and in flooded areas will have to refuse to use this material. Not too much cinder block is also recommended for close proximity groundwater- under such circumstances high humidity is certainly observed, and waterproofing on all sides eliminates the low cost of building materials.

Cinder block has been used in construction since the last century. It gets its name from the fact that it consists of the slag remaining after burning coal. Recently, the composition of the material has changed: expanded clay, brick chips, and granite began to be added to it. Only the main binder composition has not changed - cement M-500.

It is easier and faster to build a house out of it than, for example, out of brick. The material is much larger in size and it is much easier to install.

How to build a house

Before you start building a cinder block house, you need to decide:

1. With the construction site, prepare it in advance, remove excess debris and, if possible, level the ground.
2. Decide on the type of foundation. Basically, the device is used strip foundation.

Foundation installation

To install a tape type, you need to perform a number of procedures.

• Dig a trench according to the selected dimensions, the depth of which should be about one meter.
• Place crushed stone in the hole and compact it well.
• Place a cushion of sand on top of the crushed stone.
• After such actions, it is installed wooden formwork, which should be about half a meter above ground level.
• Lay a frame consisting of metal fittings. It will give additional strength to the future building.
• Lay down waterproofing material to prevent moisture ingress.
• Fill the prepared structure with the solution. The prepared mass, in its consistency, should not be thick or too liquid.

It is necessary to fill immediately, then pierce the solution to release excess air. The poured mixture dries up to six weeks. When drying, you need to monitor this process: do not let it dry out and protect it from rain.

You need to be very careful when laying out the walls, because the condition of the entire house depends on how the work is done.

1. Before starting work, place it on the foundation waterproofing layer.
2. You need to start laying blocks from the corners of the future building.
3. Pull the rope to make the first row even.
4. After every two rows, adjust the reinforcement.
5. The blocks must be laid in a checkerboard pattern. This is done for the strength of the building.
6. Decide in advance where the windows and doors will be. For this purpose, lay out an opening in the wall and lay a channel on top.
7. Having laid out the masonry to the required height, you need to lay reinforcement in the penultimate row to secure the beams of the future floor.

Having built the block box, proceed to the next work. Fill the floor surface cement mortar. Further, at your discretion, finishing is done with laminate, linoleum or plank material. Attic space need to be insulated with expanded clay. At your discretion and financial capabilities, carry out interior and exterior decoration of the building.

Advantages of cinder blocks

Blocks containing slag have many advantages:

• Affordable, their cost is much lower than other materials common in construction.
• The service life of the erected structure can reach up to 100 years.
• The process of laying out blocks is accessible even to a non-professional.
• Due to its size, work time is reduced significantly compared to other materials.
• The thickness of the walls can be adjusted independently: from half to two bricks.
• A built cinder block house will withstand any natural disaster: from a hurricane to an earthquake.
• The main advantage of this material is fire safety. This advantage is of great importance for your own home.
• It retains heat well indoors and is resistant to changes in outside temperatures.
• There are a huge number of projects for building such houses.

Disadvantages of cinder blocks

In addition to the listed positive qualities of the material, it also has negative ones and during construction they must be taken into account:

• This block stone complicates the work on conducting communications and electrical networks. When working, it is better to immediately take this point into account, because cinder block is very difficult to finish.
• It transmits heat very strongly, you need to immediately take care of internal and external insulation.

In order not to make a mistake in choosing materials and performing work, you must follow some instructions

1. When purchasing blocks, you need to clarify the composition; it is best if it includes expanded clay or crushed stone. This is the most environmentally friendly material.
2. It is worth paying attention to the integrity and evenness of the blocks. The best option There will be a comparison with different pallets.
3. When purchasing a product, immediately clarify all the characteristics: strength, thermal conductivity, density. The best way inspections - take certificates confirming the quality of products.
4. You can check the density of the blocks yourself by trying to stick a nail into it. If it pierces, it is better to refuse the purchase.
5. The thickness of the walls must be calculated from climatic conditions terrain.
6. An increased layer of mortar (more than one and a half centimeters) reduces the thermal conductivity of the walls.
7. In order for the masonry to be of high quality, scaffolding must be installed, even if the wall is of small height.
8. Calculation of the number of blocks for work must be done without taking into account the sizes of windows and doors. These dimensions may be due to the natural loss of materials in construction.

Two types of cinder blocks are most often used in work: Heavy– characterized by durability and resistance to atmospheric and impact influences. The disadvantage is high thermal conductivity, requiring additional insulation.

Easy— the peculiarity is that the blocks, in addition to the main fillers, include sawdust and pine needles, which are light in weight.

Cinder blocks were invented almost a hundred years ago. Due to their versatility of use and affordable cost, they have firmly entered the market. They are used everywhere for the construction of residential buildings and objects for various purposes.

During production in concrete mortar add various fillers: blast furnace or volcanic slag, gravel screening, expanded clay, shell rock, ash, sawdust. After pouring, the molds are pressed in a vibrating machine and dried for a long time.

Finished blocks are lightweight and have a low heat transfer coefficient. Large dimensions make it possible to create lightweight structures and speed up the pace of construction. Slag concrete is actively used in design low-rise buildings, garages, arrangement of basements, cellars, installation of attics, laying columnar and strip foundations.

Advantages:

1. Cost-effectiveness - cheap fillers and low-cost technology require minimal consumption of the binder component (cement) without loss of product quality. Cinder block walls of a house do not require heavy, expensive foundations.

2. Fire safety - withstand prolonged exposure to open fire and are not destroyed by high temperatures.

3. Resistance to natural disasters - houses can withstand hurricanes and earthquakes, especially if the walls are reinforced with steel reinforcement.

4. Durability - the main material does not shrink and gains strength over time. For a slag concrete house, builders set a service life of up to 100 years.

5. Simple installation - it is not necessary to involve expensive specialists for masonry; you can handle the work on your own.

6. Unpretentiousness - storage and transportation of blocks do not require special conditions.

7. Affordable design - many online resources offer free detailed plans and ready-made schemes for the construction of turnkey houses.

The porous structure facilitates masonry work, increases noise absorption and improves the thermal insulation of the house.

Review of popular projects

1. House with an attic 10x15.

The total area of ​​the cinder block building is 220 m2. About a third of the first floor is occupied by a garage and technical premises. On the opposite side of the house there is access to a wide terrace. The spacious living room and kitchen are located nearby, which is very convenient for receiving a large number of guests.

In the center of the attic there is a large hall with a floor-to-ceiling window. The project also includes a bedroom, an office, 2 children's rooms and 2 bathrooms. All rooms are separate, the doors open into the hall. The office and one nursery have balconies.

2. 10x10 house plan with garage.

The location of the attic is provided only above the residential part of the 1st floor. In addition to the garage, downstairs there is a narrow hall, a toilet, small kitchen. The living room has a stove, a built-in corner staircase and access to the terrace. On the top floor there are 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.

The house is designed for a small family of 2-3 people.

3. Project of a cinder block house on 2 floors 10x10.

The total area of ​​the building is 180 sq.m. The house is divided into many living rooms. It also provides the necessary technical and auxiliary premises: boiler room, kitchen, wardrobe, 3 bathrooms (one downstairs and 2 upstairs). This is a spacious, ergonomic home for a large family.

What determines the cost of building a house?

The final price of a cinder block building is made up of many factors:

• House design taking into account engineering and communication systems. Ordering a plan from an architectural studio starts from 25,000 rubles.
• Excavation of soil under the foundation of a house to a depth of 0.7-1 m. A cube of earth costs 400-500 rubles.
• Construction of a monolithic strip foundation (reinforcement + filling). For a wall 0.4 m thick, a base width of 0.5 m is required. Material costs are about 8,000 rubles per cubic meter. If you hire a team, then the project estimate needs to be increased by 10-15%. Laying a turnkey strip foundation costs 17,000-19,000 rubles per cubic meter of concrete work.
• Filling with crushed stone and sand will cost 600-800 rubles/cube including delivery. At this stage of construction, you can include the arrangement of the basement.
• Purchase of slag concrete 390×190×190 mm. To lay walls in one block per 1 m2 you need 12.5 pieces. If walls made of double cinder blocks are specified, then 25 pcs/m2 will be required. The approximate cost of a block is 30-35 rubles plus 8-10% for battle and defects.
• Cement and sand. According to the laying plan, a cube of mortar is enough for 4.3 m3 of wall. To do this, you need to buy 6 bags of M400 cement and a cubic meter of sand, which will cost 1800-2000 rubles.

The estimate includes the costs of roofing, floors between floors, windows, and doors. The general list also includes materials for insulation, internal and exterior finishing. The most expensive part is the installation of heating, sewerage, gas, water and electricity.

Some nuances influence the final cost:

1. Cinder concrete walls cannot withstand the load concrete floor. Therefore, in a house project it is usually planned to install an armored belt made of longitudinal beams.

2. When constructing walls, it is necessary to reinforce every second row of blocks with steel bars. This increases the cost per cube of masonry by 300-350 rubles.

3. To make the structure lighter and cheaper, you can use hollow cinder blocks. Since they have increased fragility, they are suitable only for the construction of 1-2 storey houses, garages or installation of an attic.

Thus, the approximate price of a turnkey house is about 20,000-25,000 rubles per 1 sq. m. meter of area.

Cinder block is considered a relatively cheap building material with sufficient strength. And also its relatively light weight and dimensions allow you to carry out the masonry yourself, without having a highly qualified mason.

Advantages

1. Does not burn, like most concrete composites.
2. There are many free cinder block house designs available.
3. Has good sound insulation properties.
4. Biologically stable (not susceptible to rotting).
5. If the production technology is followed, the service life is up to 100 years.

Flaws

1. Unresistant to atmospheric influences. Walls made of this material require mandatory finishing, because they have an unsightly aesthetic appearance, also under the influence of moisture and other atmospheric phenomena are destroyed.
2. Requires mandatory insulation (has high thermal conductivity).
3. Often environmentally unsafe because the manufacturer can use cheaper, environmentally harmful material.

Calculations

1. The standard size is 200 mm by 400 mm. But there are also half-blocks for constructing partitions (100 mm by 400 mm), the height of both is 200 mm. The manufacturer, of course, can make adjustments.
2. The thickness of the walls depends on the climate in which the house is planned to be built. For example, if the average temperature in winter is about -20ºC, the thickness outer wall should be 45 cm.
3. Next, the area of ​​the walls and partitions is calculated, from which the area of ​​the doors and window openings. After that, we divide everything by the size of the cinder block and get the quantity. Naturally, when buying you need to take a little more.

Foundation

1. Cinder block is a relatively heavy material, so it must be made to withstand the expected loads. With a wall thickness of 40-45 cm, the width of the foundation base for a two-story building should be 60 cm, the height should be at least 70 cm. The dimensions and manufacturing technology of the foundation depend on the geological characteristics of the soil on which construction is planned.
2. Once the base is poured, it needs to be allowed to sit. Ideally, you need to fill early spring when there is no longer frost, and further work continue in the fall. The minimum period for which concrete gains acceptable strength (about 70%) is two weeks.
3. The base is placed on the base of the foundation through waterproofing. The base should be made of stone that is resistant to moisture; rubble is well suited in this regard.

Walls and roof

1. Waterproofing (usually roofing felt) is placed on the base, and masonry is laid on top of the mortar. Walls made of cinder block are laid in the same way as those made of brick and other block materials, with the only difference being that filler must be poured into the voids of the cinder block, if it is hollow. It is advisable to use a material with low thermal conductivity (expanded clay, sawdust) as a filler.
2. Walls built from cinder block cannot be left uncovered for a long time, due to its low weather resistance.

Despite the fact that currently there are a lot of modern and technologically advanced building materials, many people prefer this classic product like a cinder block. This can be explained either by some personal preferences or by distrust of everything modern.

The cinder block got its name due to the fact that at the very beginning the composition of this product included slag. Currently, it can contain anything from gravel sifting to broken bricks and other waste. It all depends on who made the building material and how much the manufacturer sought to save on its production. That is why, when building a house, it is advisable to inquire about the composition of the blocks, because the performance characteristics of this material. After all, almost anyone can produce it, the main thing is to purchase it.

What to consider when building a house

The best option would be to order a house project from a professional construction company. They will make a drawing that shows the entire layout of the structure, including the location of windows and doors. The project also takes into account all the nuances that can affect the finished building.

After this, you can hire workers for construction or do it yourself. If the second option is chosen and the decision is made to build a house from cinder block, then first of all it is worth deciding on the composition of this material. The durability of the constructed home depends on the correct choice. This building material, like any other, has its own.

Foreman's advice: when choosing, you must give preference to cinder block, the filler of which is expanded clay, shell rock or crushed stone.

• Correct block geometry. The quality of the masonry depends on it. You can check using a regular measurement.
• Strength of the material. You can try driving a 15mm nail into the block. If it works, then the material is of poor quality and is not worth purchasing.
• Clarify the method of making blocks. If they are made in a vibration-free manner, then they are not suitable for building a house.
• It is necessary to pay attention to such characteristics of the building material as thermal conductivity and frost resistance.

Once the choice of materials has been made, you can begin building the house. But even during this action there are some nuances:

• It is necessary to choose the right wall thickness based on climatic conditions.
• Before plastering the wall, it is necessary to prepare it to avoid subsequent peeling.
• It is strictly not recommended to use cinder block in the foundation due to its high hygroscopicity (propensity to absorb moisture).