DIY foam block house

We make a house from foam block with our own hands

The modern world is full of a variety of construction and finishing materials. But for a long period of time, many builders, both private and commercial, have given their preference to such construction material as foam block. This is not surprising, because the foam block has a lot of qualities that ensure the reliability and durability of the building.
If you decide to build a house and use foam blocks as the main material, the first and most important thing is to choose this particular material.

The fact is that inexperienced builders are faced with a seemingly simple, but quite common problem - a foam block is easily confused with a gas block. To avoid this, you need to remember three simple rules:

1. Foam block has a higher level of moisture resistance than gas block.
2. The structure of the foam block is softer.
3. The cost of a foam block is lower than that of a gas block.

These rules are followed when choosing foam blocks for building a house.

If you have no idea what a foam block is, perhaps you simply did not previously know that this “brick” has that name. The size of the foam block is relatively small and is 30x40 centimeters. For its production, concrete is used, which is pre-foamed. The entire production of building materials is quite simple and consists of combining, in the correct proportions, components such as cement, special foam, water, sand. Taking into account the production technology and the main materials for its manufacture, the output is a material that has a grayish tint, is medium in weight, but it absolutely does not sink in water.

The price category of the building material is very affordable, given this fact, a house built from foam blocks will have lower financial costs than a similar structure made from other materials. The cost is also influenced by the fact by whose hands the house will be built. Specialized teams will ask for a considerable amount of money for their services, while a house built with your own hands from foam blocks will only cost you the cost of material and your precious time. It is also worth noting that a house made of such material will have characteristics similar to a brick or wooden house, but will cost less.

However, the main advantage of this building material is undoubtedly its environmental friendliness. Foam blocks do not contain any chemicals or impurities that can harm humans or the environment.

Have you ever noticed that most sanatoriums and health centers are made of foam block; it was given preference precisely for its high level of environmental friendliness. It is worth mentioning such an important detail as sufficient insulation of sounds coming from outside. So the foam block has a high level of sound insulation, which undoubtedly gives it another advantage in favor of choice.

People with a very wild imagination and lovers of creative solutions also prefer foam block due to the fact that its softness allows you to create structures of any shape, and the material itself does not require complex processing.

The porous texture promotes excellent air exchange indoors. Only buildings made of wood have a similar property. Thanks to this, an ideal microclimate is created in the room, and the humidity is normal, and all this is achieved with a low level of thermal conductivity.

The correct shape of the building material and its large size ensure high speed of masonry and construction of the building. The distance between blocks should not exceed three centimeters.
Foam concrete can be laid without resorting to cement mortar, but using special glue; the erected walls will require a minimum layer of exterior finishing in the form of plaster.

A refractory material that can not only withstand high temperatures, but also retain its shape, without splitting or crumbling due to their impact.

The only disadvantage of the foam block– its low level of strength. This should be taken into account when building a house. The load should be correctly distributed across all walls.

If you are planning to build a house from foam blocks, then at the initial level you, like any normal person, will be interested in the amount of costs that are necessary to build such a house. Of course, it’s very difficult to give an exact estimate, it all depends on the size of the house and the cost of the material, but you can give an approximate amount, and then you can start from it whether such construction is suitable for you or not.
The calculation is based on a house 8 meters wide and 10 meters long. The height of the house is 3 meters. It is also necessary to say that the calculation will only be for the main and external walls.

To calculate everything else, you can use any calculator that is easy to find on the Internet.

1. Calculation of length around the perimeter: 10+10+7.40+7.4= 34.80
For convenience and margin, the result is rounded up. The figure 7.40 appeared when the width of the foam block was subtracted from the connection of the sides. So, as a result, we have a perimeter length of 35 meters.

2. The following calculation is aimed at the area of ​​the walls: 35x3=105 meters.
Everything here is quite simple: 3 meters is the height of the wall, and 35 meters is the length along the perimeter. The next thing is to subtract the area of ​​doors and windows from the total volume. This is calculated on an individual basis, of course. For greater convenience and clarity, we will take as a basis the area of ​​window and door openings equal to 10 meters. As a result, we have a total area minus doors and windows of 95 square meters (105-10=95).

3. Using the next calculation, we will determine the number of foam blocks that will be used for one square meter of wall.
Before calculating the total quantity, you need to determine the area of ​​one foam block. To find out, you need to multiply its length by its width: 0.6x0.2=0.12 square meters.
As a result, we know that to build one square meter of wall we will need: 1/0.12=8.3 foam blocks. Thus, to build the external walls of a house, you should: 95x8.3 = 788.5 foam blocks.

4. Calculation of a main wall with a length of 9.4 meters and a height of 3 meters.
The area of ​​the main wall will be equal to: 9.4x3=28.2 square meters. If we take as a basis the area of ​​doorways equal to 5 meters squared, then we will have the following result: 28.2-5 = 23.2 meters squared. The number of foam blocks is: 23.2x8.3 = 192.5 foam blocks.

5. In conclusion, you need to add everything together: 788.5 + 192.5 = 981 foam blocks.

Thus, we learned that the number of our blocks required to build the house taken as a basis will be equal to 981 pieces.

If we take the average cost of a foam block as 3 thousand rubles per cubic meter, and also knowing that there are 27.7 foam blocks in a cube, using simple calculations we understand that we need 35 cubic meters.
And finally, we multiply 35 cubes by the cost of our blocks per cube, equal to thousands of rubles, and we get 105,000 rubles, which will be needed for the construction of foam block walls.

The process of building a house from foam block with your own hands

Every builder knows and understands that any construction begins with calculating the required amount of materials. Foam block is no exception. The first thing you need to do is determine the required number of foam blocks. Calculations for buildings made of aerated concrete can be taken as a basis.
Foam blocks can be purchased in cubes; based on this, you need to multiply the area of ​​your walls by the thickness of the block. As a result, you will receive the number of foam block cubes that are needed for construction.

After calculating the materials, the foundation should be poured. Like any other building, foam blocks are laid on it. It is worth considering here that the foam block weighs less than brick, which means that the thickness of the foundation may also be less. A foundation of less power does not mean at all that you can save a lot here. This only means that costs will be slightly reduced. And in general, you cannot save on the foundation, due to the fact that this is the basis that will ensure the safety of the structure and its stability.

To save money, you can pour a strip-type foundation. This is both more economical and less complicated. In addition, you can reduce the cost of crushed stone by using it in smaller quantities, reinforcement by using a smaller thickness, and also reduce cement.

Strip foundation for a foam block house

At the next stage, you need to wait until the foundation acquires the necessary strength, after which you can begin laying foam blocks. It is also worth preventing the ingress of moisture, and this can be done by laying waterproofing between the masonry itself and the base.