Before building your own home, you will in any case have to decide what building material you will use. In this article, we will try to decide which of the two materials is better: aerated concrete or the usual foam block. Their characteristics are similar, so the choice can be difficult to make.
In many ways, these two materials are very similar, since the foam block is one of the varieties of aerated concrete. For volume, special expanders like coal ash are added to it.
Pores appear in it not due to the fact that it is pumped with air (as amateurs think), but due to the addition of special reagents to its composition that emit various gases. Due to its high porosity and low weight, the material is characterized by excellent thermal insulation properties and the ability to absorb noise. That is why the foam block, whose characteristics confirm this, is an excellent building material.
And now let's deal with aerated concrete. Its structure is very similar tothe same as the predecessor. The difference is that it is made using a completely different technology. In particular, aluminum powder is responsible for the formation of air pores, which reacts with other components of the material. Ready mix for blocks is poured into special molds in which aerated concrete is cut with strings.
After cutting, the trays are driven into autoclaves, where almost all moisture is removed from them under high pressure. Well, foam blocks, the characteristics (price, for example) of which are approximately the same, do not require such care in manufacturing, which is why they manage to create them even at home.
As a result, aerated concrete does not differ in mass from foam block, and their other characteristics are similar. However, its strength indicators are somewhat better. However, the hygroscopicity of aerated concrete is much higher. Other things being equal, in an important environment, it resembles a sponge: water is absorbed at such a speed. Of course, for a finished building, this is not a very good property. That is why the foam block, whose characteristics are much better in this regard, can even be used for the construction of baths.
As a result, we can say that these materials have a lot in common. Of these, you can successfully build houses for various purposes and characteristics. In terms of their thermal conductivity, they are comparable to natural wood, and even the same brick is many times superior. But, as we said, foam blocks (characteristics, the dimensions of whichcan be very different) absorb moisture much less, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of finishing the finished house.
If you decide to build your house from aerated concrete, then even after delivery from the factory, the material must be properly dried to remove excess moisture. Experts say that gas blocks are best kept in an open area for at least a year. During construction, you need to take care of high-quality waterproofing and vapor barrier, otherwise there may be problems later. Thus, in most cases it is more appropriate to use a simple foam block. Its characteristics are somewhat better.
