Concrete is a building material consisting of crushed stone, sand, water and cement. Concrete preparation involves thorough mixing of the ingredients and pouring it into containers, where the subsequent hardening of the concrete solution takes place. For the construction of a warm house, special fillers are added to the mixture to improve the quality of concrete. Concrete composition for building houses has many advantages, one of them is the ability to prepare the mortar and erect the structure with your own hands.

When working with a concrete house, the following advantages are distinguished:

• speed of installation;
• reliability;
• longevity;
• high strength of the structure;
• relatively small financial costs;
• in the house of a monolithic structure there are no gaps through which the cold passes;
• soundproofing of the room;
• the possibility of using any concrete material on top of concrete;
• the ability to build buildings with your own hands;
• various geometric shapes are inherent in concrete, which simplifies the installation process;
• with a smooth pouring of the solution, the formation of cracks is reduced;
• the use of light mixtures in the composition does not require deepening the foundation.

Do-it-yourself concrete houses have the following disadvantages:

• the need for additional equipment for high-altitude work;
• due to the metal reinforcement of the walls, the house will need grounding;
• when using fixed formwork, it is necessary to provide ventilation of the room so that the house breathes;
• for welding the frame will require large labor costs, which are also needed when possible;
• a warm house can only be after proper insulation;
• if the design provides for permanent formwork, polystyrene is used, and it emits toxic substances during combustion, which are harmful to human health.

Tools and materials for work

When erecting buildings and structures made of concrete, the following tools and equipment cannot be dispensed with:

• a mixer for connecting concrete components;
• do-it-yourself containers for mixing concrete mix;
• reinforcement;
• solution transfer trolley;
• building hair dryer;
• hammer drill;
• knife to cut polystyrene;
• various tools;
• nippers;
• roulette;
• wire;
• hammer;
• sand;
• fittings;
• cement;
• concrete mixer;
• crushed stone;
• formwork.

Construction methods

The construction of houses made of concrete occurs in two ways: using removable formwork and fixed. The removable method implies an individual layout of the formwork, the purpose of which is the exact repetition of the contours of the future structure. Removable formwork is made of plastic, metal or wood. This method performs the pouring of a solution of concrete with minimal heat transfer, which allows you to save heat energy in the room. The fixed method makes the walls thin, but at the same time retains all its structural properties.   Such formwork has a heat-insulating layer and built-in fittings.

With fixed formwork

The fixed formwork method has the following types of construction: angular, longitudinal, window-sill, window-sill. This method of building walls has an internal layer of thermal insulation, which allows you to save on heating. Simplifies the installation of the structure due to its lightness and creates a different configuration of the premises.

Thermal insulation of the material is especially important for buildings and structures, because its absence requires the construction of walls of large thickness. Of the shortcomings, hazard formation is observed as a result of the release of toxins into the atmosphere that appear during the fire of buildings.

Construction technology

The formwork is placed on the waterproofing layer and fastened into the grooves, this technology creates a strong concrete pouring, as a result of which there is no leakage of the mixture at the joints. When pouring the formwork, it is forbidden to use heated solutions, they are able to form condensate in large quantities, which will increase the humidity of the room. Using fixed formwork, a house with a good layer of thermal insulation is provided, which will require only covering polystyrene foam boards with facing material.

With removable

Using removable formwork, choose methods of its insulation. One option is to insulate the gap with warm plaster, the second method is a well facade. The well facade is a monolithic wall cladding with a brick, and the gap between them is closed with a heater. The well facade is the best solution for insulation, which provides the walls with breathable qualities. Thus, the house in the summer is resistant to overheating and will keep cool indoors, and in the cold season it will keep warm and resist freezing.

Construction technology

The technological process consists of filling the formwork in several stages. Begin laying the mortar no more than 50 centimeters of concrete. Leave the mixture to dry, the next layer is applied after the final solidification of the previous one. After pouring the solution, it is rammed using a deep vibrator. Then the mold is shifted up after the solution has completely hardened.

Concrete mixture is laid until the required wall height is reached. In order for the structure to be strong, a reinforcing mesh is installed in the walls. Wall decoration and installation of thermal insulation material is carried out after a month and a half after laying the concrete mortar, waiting for the final strength of the structure. Thermal insulation material can be:

• styrofoam;
• mineral wool;
• warm plaster;
• polystyrene extruded.

The removable form is made of wood, metal or plastic. When using a plywood sheet, it is cut with a file with small teeth and drilled on both sides, this method eliminates the destruction of the coating. When plywood is stored at the bottom of the formwork, it provides protection against penetration of moisture onto its surface. In order to disassemble the formwork without any difficulties, the plywood is coated with a special mixture and the fasteners are fixed on it.

Conclusion

Concrete is a unique building material, thanks to which various architectural solutions are embodied in reality. The popularity of concrete is due to its large number of positive qualities. It gives buildings and structures strength, reliability and longevity. Therefore, concrete is often used for the construction of houses and supporting structures.

An important advantage of durable building material is the possibility of hand-made preparation and use in the process of construction.

Wooden or brick houses rightfully have an army of fans. But with all the advantages, they have one very significant minus - their construction is not fast. Those who are thinking about building their own home, but who do not have enough time in stock and cannot boast of great knowledge in construction, can only choose a monolithic method of building housing. The article will focus on houses from fixed formwork.

In order to fill the foundation and walls of such a house, formwork is used. It can be removable (that is, dismantled after completion of work) or non-removable. The second option remains in place after pouring and hardening the mortar, and all external finishing work is carried out directly on top of the formwork.

  House using fixed formwork technology

• Formwork is nothing but a form. You can recall your childhood games in the sandbox or imagine a housewife pouring dough for shortcakes into special baking containers. Only in contrast to the above examples, the form will remain in place, becoming part of the walls or foundation.

Houses from fixed formwork photo

• Fixed formwork is assembled according to the principle of a child’s designer from blocks having different composition. The installation principle resembles brickwork. Structural elements have grooves or special joints of the castle type.
• If necessary, fasten the opposite blocks using screeds. Be sure to use vertical reinforcement, and in order to withstand the pressure exerted on it from the inside by the solution, pouring is carried out in series. In each of the approaches, cement is filled with a height equal to three or four rows of blocks.
• Formwork elements are made of polystyrene foam or some other materials that contribute to thermal insulation.

  The advantages of using fixed formwork

• Monolithic structures are strong on their own. Abandoned formwork creates an additional frame reinforcing the walls of the future home.
• Monolithic walls less pressure on the base, therefore, when developing projects of houses from fixed formwork, you can calculate the option with increasing the number of storeys of the house.
• Sound and heat insulation of the home.   Foamed polystyrene is an excellent material for warming residential premises, and its characteristics are complemented by the fact that it perfectly dampens sounds. The construction of fixed formwork is a kind of simultaneous work on insulation and sound insulation.
• Less time - less labor. You should save money when building your own home wisely. Rent of expensive construction equipment will be deleted from the estimate of the monolithic house. Yes, and there are not many volunteers or employees. The pouring process is fast. This means that the workers will not have to overpay for the extra time spent at the facility.

• Space saving. There is never much free space even inside private houses designed for personal projects. Monolithic walls are thinner than brick walls, but they protect their owners from the cold no worse, and they save a lot of space inside.
• Continuing the conversation about saving, I must say that fixed formwork will allow not to overpay for heating during the further operation of the house.
• Durability.   If you adhere to the technology to the smallest detail, then the walls formed by polystyrene blocks and concrete will last at least a century.
• Easy to finish. The blocks create a good even surface of the walls, which allows them to finish finishing both from the street and inside the house without effort and extra costs for leveling the bases.

  What is fixed formwork?

Polystyrene blocks for mounting non-separable formwork

• These are hollow elements with walls of various thicknesses. The outside of the material is much larger than the inside - it is she who will be responsible for maintaining heat in the house. The blocks themselves are strong enough to hold the poured mortar, non-hygroscopic and affordable.
• The assembly in the form of brickwork adds to the strength of the structure, and reinforcement will give additional rigidity to the wall. The reinforcing rods arranged vertically overlap. It is important to choose its diameter correctly, as well as the brand of concrete.

• Communications, including wiring, are laid through holes previously cut into the blocks. All work must be completed before filling. The output is a kind of sandwich, where the "filling" of reinforced concrete is enclosed between the insulation layers.
• Opponents of expanded polystyrene emphasize the fact that this material is not environmentally friendly. But it is rather a matter of choosing a manufacturer. Foamed polystyrene made in accordance with all standards and rules is not a health hazard. It is enough to note that the picky European commissions and examinations have allowed the use of this synthetic material in conjunction with food. Therefore, when making a purchase of material, it is worth familiarizing yourself with quality certificates and not chasing dubious financial gain.
• But with vapor permeability in polystyrene foam, things are really bad. But there will be no problem if you think through the ventilation system well.

Polystyrene concrete is a "breathing" material

• It is vapor permeable because it is based on cement. The blocks will have to be laid on special glue, tied with reinforcement and then filled. They are superior in strength to the polystyrene foam formwork.
• Cement-based blocks are also very diverse. Since there are masonry blocks for load-bearing walls, available in several sizes and modifications, it is separately possible to purchase elements for formwork of columns, vertical or load-bearing floor beams, lintels or strapping belts.

Chip cement blocks

• This is an invention by Dutch developers. They have been known since the 30s of the XX century. For their production, large coniferous wood chips are used (it makes up about 80-90% of the total material composition). The chips are treated with special additives and fastened with a mixture of gypsum, cement clinker and some other additives (Portland cement).
• Advantages, in addition to environmental friendliness, are obvious:
  • high strength against the background of low weight;
  • vapor permeability;
  • heat and sound insulating properties;
  • resistance to weathering;
  • frost resistance.
• Fire safety is achieved through special processing, and such blocks are also not afraid of rot, mold and pests. They are easy to cut and process. When constructing the formwork, the slabs are placed opposite each other and fastened with wire ties. They not only connect structural elements, but also do not allow the wall to deviate from the vertical. Standard material sizes: 2000 × 500 × 35 mm.
• They found another application: often woodchip - cement slabs are used to insulate facades or to build small panel houses in the country, designed for living in the summer.
• Reinforce the structure will have less. Strengthening will require lintels of window and doorways, columns. And the walls themselves are reinforced with a significant gap of 2.5 or 3 meters (for formwork from polystyrene foam blocks, the interval is 1 meter). In one approach, pour the mixture, moving around the perimeter, to a height of a meter (two rows). Seal the poured concrete with a bayonet method.
• Since the first version of the material for fixed formwork is much more common, then as an example it is worth considering the technology of construction from polystyrene foam blocks.

  Do-it-yourself construction of houses from fixed formwork

So, there is a foundation made in the most suitable way for a given soil. Most often it is a tape base. In any case, it is first covered with a layer of waterproofing material, and reinforcing bars are driven in.

First row masonry

• The blocks are carefully strung onto the reinforcement, fastened to each other in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations (wire ties). Start with corner elements. Between them, it is convenient to pull the cord to check with it when laying out the remaining blocks in a row. At the ends of the material there are ridges and grooves. This type of joint will hold all parts of the formwork in place. The first layer is the foundation of the future building. At this stage, the laying of branches of the internal partitions, the openings of the entrance groups occurs. All engineering communications are formed right there. The design feature of the blocks (internal voids) allows you to hide all the necessary wiring inside the walls. We must not forget about ventilation.

Second row masonry

• The second row of blocks is stacked with offset, like bricks. This dressing will provide strength and rigidity. It is important to ensure that the sides of the stacked blocks match. Be sure to check the level so as not to move the wall away from the vertical. Fixing the blocks of the first and second row is easy. The grooves on the surface of the elements are closed after light pressure.
• The laying of the third row of polystyrene foam blocks is performed similarly to the installation of the second level.

Pouring solution.

• Concrete is poured along the perimeter of the site with the erected formwork. It is important to seal the filled mixture well. A small depth of filling with the mortar allows you to use a piece of reinforcement for these purposes: they act like a bayonet - they pierce concrete intensively to get rid of voids, destroying air bubbles. The optimal length is calculated as follows: the height of the block must be multiplied by 3. But the speedy implementation of the work will be facilitated by the acquisition (or leasing) of a deep vibrator. It will cope much more effectively with the task of compacting the solution. For this, the diameter of its working part should not exceed 4 cm.
• Experts advise against cementing the top layer of blocks to the very end. If you fill half the extreme row, then the seam will be hidden inside the polystyrene foam formwork elements. This means that the wall will turn out to be stronger. For one m², it will be necessary to fill in from 0.075 to 0.125 m³ of solution.

Masonry of the fourth and subsequent rows

• The laying of blocks in subsequent rows has the same algorithm as described. After the sixth row takes its place, the concrete pouring operation is repeated. The formwork of ceilings is best done with the support of specialists. The technology is as follows. In the row of blocks where it is planned to lay the floor beams (or floor logs), a recess of the required dimensions is made. The cut-out fragment should not exceed ¼ part of the formwork element. Now the beams are installed in their places, and the fill is made.

Final stage

• Finishing a house from a fixed formwork is quite simple. Due to the high adhesion of the blocks to the plaster mixture, it will lie smoothly and easily. Roofing in monolithic houses is no different from the erection of a roof in buildings built using different technology.

House of fixed formwork video

  What can you do yourself fixed formwork for the foundation?

If the home master has the strength to be precise, accurate and consistent in his actions, then he will be able to make a fixed form for the foundation himself. You will need to choose from several options for the suitable material:

• moisture resistant plywood,
• cement chipboard,
• flat slate.

All of them are quite durable, resistant to moisture, elastic. The only indicator that these materials do not possess is heat insulation. Therefore, you also need to purchase something to provide heat (for example, mineral wool). Still need waterproofing material, fittings, components for the cement-sand mixture, a set of coupling screws and nuts for fixing structural elements to each other.

  The cost of building a house from a fixed formwork

• The cost of a monolithic house of fixed formwork is much lower than a brick or wooden housing option.
• The price of materials varies depending on the region and the manufacturer, but on average per m² of formwork from polystyrene blocks will have to pay from 800 to 1000 rubles.
• All manufacturers and sellers calculate the total cost of formwork free of charge, and on official sites there are calculators for accurate calculations.

Comments:

Monolithic houses, built with their own hands, have recently been very popular in construction. This is due to the fact that science does not stand still, every day something new appears in the world. That monolithic construction attracts a lot of attention. Most often, people order such projects from specialists. But a monolithic house can be made with your own hands.

A monolithic house has high strength, requires minimal costs and construction time, perfectly retains heat.

What are the pros and cons of monolithic construction?

This construction technology has become very famous and began to be in great demand. Is this really so? So, the monolithic construction of the house has the following advantages:

1. Since the monolithic structure is integral, then the entire building has a higher strength, not so prone to destruction (for example, during an earthquake).
2. Due to the fact that there are no seams in the box, the building will be warmer.
3. You can engage in the construction of a monolithic house at any time of the year.
4. It doesn’t take so much time.
5. Material costs are lower than conventional buildings.
6. You can build a curved building.
7. If claydite, perlite or sawdust are added to the solution, the design becomes light.
8. The exterior of a monolithic house can be different.
9. Wonderful soundproofing.
10. The same shrinkage of the cottage will not lead to cracks.

As you know, nothing can be perfect. Monolithic construction has disadvantages:

1. To start this construction you will need a concrete pump, which you will have to rent (but you can do it yourself).
2. The monolithic building with fixed formwork has good thermal insulation, because of this there will be a lot of humidity in the house. Therefore, ventilation is needed.
3. If you will use expanded polystyrene, then know that it is an environmentally friendly material, as it can release harmful substances into the air when burned.
4. When pouring a monolithic slab, you will need additional scaffolding.
5. You will need grounding, because the walls will consist of metal reinforcement.

Back to the table of contents

How to choose a building material?

Before you begin the construction of a monolithic house, you should decide what material you will build it from. There are several of them: concrete, reinforced concrete, expanded clay concrete, slag concrete, sawdust concrete, wood concrete, foam concrete. Now often began to use wood concrete, i.e. wood concrete.And they called him for a reason. It consists of wood chips (80%), cement (giving strength) and a chemical additive. Arbolit belongs to the group of lightweight concrete. It has many advantages, due to which it is considered very popular among other materials.

What are the advantages of wood concrete? Before you build a house from wood concrete with your own hands, familiarize yourself with its advantages:

1. This material has great strength. Wood concrete blocks can withstand heavy loads, so such buildings can consist of two or three floors.
2. Arbolite is long in operation, it does not support the process of decay. Fungi do not form in its structure.
3. It holds warm air well, so a house made of wood concrete will have high thermal insulation.
4. Good sound insulation due to the porous structure.
5. Great refractory performance.
6. Maintains stable air humidity, as the structure of wood concrete allows air to pass through perfectly.
7. The low weight of the block allows you to build houses without a powerful foundation.
8. Excellent adhesion allows you to combine wood concrete with other building components.

Back to the table of contents

How to build a monolithic house from wood concrete?

Do-it-yourself house made of wood concrete begins with laying the foundation. The big plus of this material is that it can be laid on any kind of foundation, because the arbolite wall does not crack, even if it sags. This can be explained by the fact that blocks made of wood concrete differ from others in strength. But there is a minus: there is a low moisture resistance of this building material. Therefore, to protect the blocks from moisture, you need waterproofing the foundation, which can be done in different ways: raise the foundation itself about 50 cm from the ground or make a half-meter brick substrate.

Scheme of aluminum formwork for a monolithic house.

Choose your preferred method. Build the formwork from the boards. Pour sand onto the bottom of the pit (200 mm), flatten it, lay waterproofing. Insert reinforcement into the pit and pour concrete. Then seal the foundation ground with a rammer.

Next, lay out the blocks on a solution of lime, in which you need to add a little cement. To correctly lay the walls, pay attention to these tips. A house made of wood concrete will maintain heat only if there is no cold in the structure of the bridges. To avoid them, you can use the method of breaking the seam from the solution using wooden planks. Also, wood concrete absorbs moisture well, that is, it quickly absorbs water in a cement solution. To prevent this from happening, use slightly dried blocks, moisten them well before laying, or make a very liquid solution.

Remember to apply a protective finishing coat to the outside of the wall.

Monolithic technology means the construction directly at the facility by pouring concrete into the formwork. This technology, like any other, has its advantages and disadvantages.

So, the advantages of monolithic construction of houses:

• monolithic construction implies the integrity and unity of the whole structure, which increases the strength characteristics of the house as a whole;
• the absence of seams makes the house much warmer;
• monolithic houses can be built at any time of the year on various types of soil;
• savings; high speed of construction of structures;
• the possibility of erecting structures of any shape; the walls can be finished with various materials; the shrinkage of the building will be uniform, and this will eliminate the appearance of cracks.

There are also disadvantages that accompany monolithic construction:

cement pouring requires a concrete pump, which is quite expensive; mandatory grounding of the entire house is required, since the walls are made of reinforced concrete with conductive fittings.

Thus, we can say that monolithic construction is generally a great option for any person who decides to build a house with their own hands. This is worth talking in more detail.

DIY monolithic house construction

However, nothing is impossible, therefore, a monolithic house can be built personally. The project of a monolithic house can be completed independently, or can be downloaded from the Internet or ordered at a special design bureau. In any case, it will be necessary to calculate the strength of the bearing walls and the load on them, as well as the required thickness of the mortar and the amount of insulation.

After the project is completely ready, you can begin to work with the foundation. If you plan to build a basement, then the foundation can be made tape. Most often, a pile-tape foundation is erected and waterproofed. Next will be described the construction of a monolithic house with their own hands with removable formwork, since this option is today considered the best. You can build houses with fixed formwork.

The formwork itself is made of boards that have a size of 30 to 50 millimeters. If the temperature in the region where the construction is carried out is below -30 degrees, then the thickness of the boards is better to choose more.

1. At the bottom, metal ties with bolts are installed. This is done so that the shields do not open after pouring the solution. From above, all shields must be fixed with wooden plates or with the same steel screeds.
2. Further, depending on the project, a reinforcing mesh or frame is inserted into the formwork.
3. Now you can start manufacturing sawdust concrete.

• For this, 8 parts of dry sawdust, one part of cement, two parts of sand and three parts of lime are taken.
• Cement is mixed with sand.
• Separately, you need to mix lime with sawdust.
• Only then can both mixtures be thoroughly mixed together.
• In this case, it is necessary to gradually add water to the mixture. As a result, there should be enough water so that it does not flow out of the solution.

• Now the resulting solution can be poured into the formwork with a layer of 20 centimeters. The whole mixture is thoroughly mixed with a vibrator and pierced by rods to carefully ram the solution. After tamping, the solution remains for hardening for about a day.
• Then you can fill the next layer in the same way. This is done until the formwork is almost full.
• To simplify further work, it is worth leaving a distance of 10-15 centimeters from above. Above formwork can be rearranged only after about 3-5 days. The solution should solidify all this time. In this case, the formwork must be protected from the sun and rain.
• After all the walls have been erected, the concrete needs to be given about a month in order for it to completely harden. Only after this, further work is done related to the arrangement of floors and roofs. All floors must go beyond the walls by at least 20 centimeters.
• When sawdust concrete is completely dry, it is possible, if necessary, to insulate the walls from the outside. For this purpose, warm plaster is ideal, which can be applied with a layer of up to 50 millimeters. It is an excellent water insulator and heat insulator, while perfectly letting steam out.

Thus, the construction of a monolithic house with one's own hands can be considered completed. Apparently, in this process there is nothing supernatural. Many have long preferred to engage in this kind of construction without the involvement of third-party organizations and individuals.

DIY monolithic building technology

Removable formwork is always designed individually for the house or cottage. This is due to the fact that monolithic houses can be of various shapes. The formwork must exactly repeat all the outlines of the building. Most often, wood or metal is used to create the formwork. You can find options that will be made of plastic, plywood. From this, the meaning of the work does not change.

In this case, the width of the empty layer that is formed between the formwork should be equal to the width of the wall. This thickness depends on many different factors. The most important are the region of construction and the thermal conductivity of the concrete mix.

Formwork panels are fastened with various fasteners. The optimal solution is nuts, washers and studs. In order to make it easier to remove the formwork after work, special corrugated tubes must be put on the studs, which should not come into contact with concrete.

The construction of a monolithic house involves pouring not only ordinary cement mortar, but also the possibility of using other mixtures that have lower thermal conductivity. These include: expanded clay, slag concrete, sawdust and so on. All these materials are also widely used in the construction of such houses and cottages.

In the case of using one of them, walls are obtained that have good indicators of heat conservation and vapor permeability. However, there are also disadvantages in the use of such substitutes. Walls cannot withstand too much stress.

A very important point is the reinforcement of the walls. For these purposes, you can use ordinary reinforcing mesh, but it is best if it is a reinforcing frame.

At one time, you do not need to pour more than 50 centimeters of concrete. Only after the first layer has set, can pouring continue. Concrete compaction is best done using deep vibrators. Particular attention should be paid to the corners of the building.

After the concrete has hardened, the formwork must be moved higher. This is done until all the walls have been erected. In order for the concrete to fully harden, it needs to settle for about 4 to 5 weeks. This is followed by work on the insulation and decoration of the house or cottage.

Any of these materials can now be purchased without special problems in specialized construction stores. The choice of a specific depends on the desires of the person and on his financial capabilities. For those who want to save money, mineral wool is best suited, and for those who love comfort and aesthetics, expanded polystyrene.

You can also use the option of the so-called well facade. When it is used outside the concrete wall, indentation is made, then everything is covered with brick or tile. After that, all the free space is filled with insulation. In this case, ecowool or expanded clay can be used as insulation.

The advantage of this technology is that a monolithic house is obtained as environmentally friendly and breathable. Minus - fuss with the assembly and disassembly of the formwork. For those who do not want to spend extra time on this, a technology has been created for the construction of a monolithic house with fixed formwork. However, this option is not ideal. The choice in each case will depend on the preferences of the person and his experience in construction work.

Monolithic DIY house video

Building a house with the use of fixed formwork

Along with traditional construction methods, a relatively new construction system based on the use of fixed formwork. Houses using this technology are built very quickly, they are economical and have a solid structure.

The essence of fixed formwork technology   in the fact that in the construction of wall structures, slabs or hollow blocks are used, which are fixed formwork. It can be from various materials: polystyrene foam, polystyrene concrete, wood concrete. The following is common for the technology - as the concrete mix fills, the formwork forms monolithic walls of the house, and itself performs the functions of insulation and sound insulation.

Building using fixed formwork   differs in extreme simplicity. All blocks have standard base lengths, heights and thicknesses. Due to the exact geometric dimensions and the locking joints, the structural elements are installed “dry”, without the use of any binding solutions.

Foundation

Build a house using fixed formwork, it is possible on any traditional foundation, but a monolithic foundation or a precast of concrete blocks is preferred. In the latter case, it is necessary to perform a monolithic strapping belt with a height of at least 300 mm, in which steel anchors with a diameter of at least 10 mm are installed. Anchors are necessary for joining walls with reinforcement and creating a rigid spatial structure scheme.

Bearing walls

Laying concrete mass begins with the first row of wall blocks. Experts recommend not to rush: to lay and fill with concrete mix a section of the wall with a height of not more than four blocks (0.75 m). First, the corners of the building and the outer holes are filled, and then the middle part of the wall. This makes it possible to avoid disturbance of the geometry of the building as a whole. Filling the formwork with concrete mixture, check the alignment of the wall using a plumb line. As long as the concrete has not hardened, it can be adjusted.

Lungs polystyrene foam   and polystyrene concrete find application in almost all types of low-rise construction. Including construction using fixed formwork technology. Having the desire and some skills, it is quite possible to build a house from polystyrene foam blocks on your own.

Wall blocks are unusually light: weight of simprolite - block is not more than 7 kg

The popular monolithic construction system from expanded polystyrene is "Izod"from polystyrene concrete - "Simprolit". Both technologies are based on the use of wall blocks with through cavities. The enclosing structure is mounted from the blocks, filled with reinforcement and concrete. As a result, a frame of columns and lintels is formed inside the wall, the bearing capacity of which is determined by the brand of concrete and the reinforcement section.

Important: before filling the cavity of the blocks with concrete, lay communications - electric lighting and communication cables, water supply and ventilation pipes.

Overlap

For the installation of floors in the upper part of the wall, a reinforced concrete band is formed on which floor slabs or wooden beams are laid. With the device of monolithic floors, the strapping belt and the floor slab are formed as a single structure.

Thus, as a result of two technological operations (installation of wall blocks and installation of ceilings), a house is built in one and a half to two months, which is a rigid spatial frame structure framed by a heat and sound insulating sheath. After installing the roof structure, the box of such a warm house is ready for finishing work and connecting internal communications.

Filler

The most suitable material for wall concreting is concrete with a fine granite fraction and a tensile strength of 200 kg / cm². Although the project may provide for other concrete, depending on the static structural analysis. To maintain the estimated water-cement ratio and real binder saving, it is necessary to add a plasticizer to the prepared concrete.

How to build

Hollow blocks having grooves and protrusions are assembled as parts of a children's designer. The first row is installed on the prepared foundation surface, the blocks are fixed with metal elements - reinforced - and as the structure is being erected, they are filled with concrete mix. If necessary, every 3-4 rows in the grooves of the blocks fit horizontal reinforcement.

Due to the fact that both the external and internal walls of the “pie”, into which the monolithic concrete is poured, are made of material, which in itself is an excellent insulation, the walls of the house do not need additional thermal insulation.

The wall with a thickness of 290 mm in terms of its thermophysical and sound insulation indicators corresponds to one and a half meters of masonry. And at the same time it is built much faster and cheaper.

Lightweight polystyrene foam is a good insulation, does not decay, does not absorb moisture, however, it is vapor- and airtight. Therefore, in such a house, it is necessary to install a forced ventilation system.

Installation of simprolit blocks (polystyrene concrete)

Cement slabs

Technology for building houses based on fixed formwork from chip cement slabs   basically similar to the installation method of polystyrene blocks. Only the role of building envelopes is played by wood-cement panels.

More than 60 years ago, building materials were manufactured and patented in Europe. Durisol - hollow cement chip blocks. Each block consists of two parallel plates connected by jumpers. For load-bearing walls, blocks are used in which approximately half of the internal space is occupied by a heat insulator - expanded polystyrene. For example, for blocks 375 mm thick, the thickness of the insulation is 175 mm. For internal walls use blocks without insulation.

Cement - particle block Durisol

Mounting wood cementblocks

Under the first layer of blocks, a waterproof insulation is laid on the foundation, protecting the chip concrete walls of the blocks from soil moisture. The first row requires precise horizontal and vertical styling.   In case of slight irregularities, the blocks can be leveled with cement mortar or with wedges. After laying four rows, the blocks are poured with concrete to a height of about 100 mm below the upper edge of the walls. The outer and inner walls of concrete rods are erected simultaneously.

Dry laying with dressing 250 mm.   Bandaging of corners is carried out using replaceable corner blocks. Concrete rods should extend to the full height of the floor, especially in the pane windows. Vertical and horizontal reinforcement is performed according to the project, reinforcement of openings (windows, doors) is mandatory.

Velox plates

Another option fixed formwork are chip cement slabs (Velox technology). Such formwork is a wood-cement panel with a thickness of 35 mm and a size of 2000 x 500 mm, which are fastened together by metal ties. Outside and inner walls are formed from plates. The properties of wood in chip-cement slabs are fully preserved: they are perfectly sawn and processed.

Fixed formwork has two options. As an external panel, a plate with a glued layer of insulation made of polystyrene foam is used, the inner wall of the panel is without insulation (it can be hollow boxes or just plates).

When forming the wall structure, the plates are manually installed in pairs parallel to each other and fastened with wire ties and nails, installation is carried out along the belts to the height of the floor. Reinforcement is installed in the cavity between the plates, and each floor of the structure in 2 stages is filled with concrete. Such a “pie” is a ready-made wall: monolithic concrete serves as a supporting structural element, polystyrene foam is an excellent insulation, and wood-cement slabs are an even basis for any finish.

Block diagram of Velox fixed formwork 1. Nail-bonded floor joining 2. Double-sided joining 3. One-way joining 4. Thermally insulated Velox WS-EPS plate 5. Nails 6. Fittings over window and door openings 7. Velox WS plate 8. Velox WSD plate 9. Harness fittings 10. Slopes 11. Concrete pouring 12. Screeds for concreting the foundation

Lightweight concrete (foam, gas, expanded clay, or polystyrene concrete) is used as a filler, and to strengthen the load-bearing properties of the walls in the formwork, internal columns that are filled with heavy concrete are fenced off with a certain step. This is especially important in window and doorways.

We get: the outer formwork panel with a layer of expanded polystyrene, inside the wall - a monolithic concrete frame that provides the necessary strength of the building, and as a result - a structure that does not require additional insulation. A 32 cm thick thermal resistance wall is equivalent to a 2.3 m brick wall.

The “Technoblock” system of non-removable modular formwork does not require further finishing. Each such technoblock consists of a front and internal vibrocast concrete plates interconnected by plastic screeds. Ties are fastened to metal L-shaped hooks, which are screwed into the nuts on the concrete plates.

The texture of the facade plate can be different: smooth, imitating brick or masonry. For wall insulation, one or two seconds are installed in the block. polystyrene foam 5 mm thick. Technoblocks are laid in the same way as conventional non-removable formwork, interconnected in a row by wire ties. Metal fittings, communication pipes, embedded elements for creating openings are laid in the internal space of the blocks and poured with concrete. A finished house is assembled in just a few days by two or three people.