Aerated concrete today is one of the most inexpensive building materials. Blocks are made from it, which have an impressive size and low weight. These qualities provide ease of installation, which has made aerated concrete so popular among individual developers and professionals. If you also decide to use aerated concrete, then you should first familiarize yourself with the technology of its masonry. Only in this case you will be able to achieve high quality work.
Recommendations for masonry
Laying walls from a gas block by specialists is carried out only after the products have been further processed. For this, a special planer is used. This recommendation is due to the fact that the specifics of the production of the described material implies the presence of a tolerance in dimensions along the edges. In general, specialists use different tools for laying a gas block, you will learn about this,after reading the article.
Expert Tips
It is important to remember that aerated concrete is a porous material. Despite the fact that it is homogeneous and dense, the surface absorbs moisture well. This indicates the need for arranging cut-off waterproofing. Some inexperienced builders do not attach much importance to this issue. If this stage is bypassed, then moisture will penetrate from below, moving along the wall and rising to the level of the third floor. For this, a cheap and common material today is usually used - roofing material.
However, it is necessary to take into account the period of its operation. Even under the most favorable conditions, it is 5 years. Therefore, the best option would be a moisture-repellent film. Do-it-yourself laying of a gas block is best done using products whose sides have recesses in the form of spikes and grooves. Such blocks can be fitted tightly enough to each other, which will ensure the strength of the structure.
Preparation before masonry
After the foundation has hardened and the concrete has cured, it is necessary to perform a leveling screed on its surface. The solution for it is prepared from cement and sand. With this composition, it will be possible to eliminate the mismatch in height, which could cause uneven walls.
The horizontality of all parts of the tape should be controlled by the building level. A waterproofing material is laid on top. First, it should be cut into strips, the width of whichwill be slightly larger than the base. On each side, the material should hang 10 cm.
Installation tips
Laying the gas block is carried out with the help of special adhesives, which are offered for sale in the form of dry mixes. But some craftsmen prefer to use traditional 1:3 mortar.
In favor of purchased products, it should be said that with its use the thickness of the seam can be only 2 mm. This indicates that there will be no cold bridges in the wall. In addition, this method of fastening blocks reduces installation time. No additional space is required to dilute the glue. But for the solution it will be necessary to bring cement and sand, not to mention the formation of dirt and dust on the site.
It is necessary to start laying the gas block from the corners. As soon as the extreme blocks are installed and aligned, a rope must be stretched between them, along which the master will navigate when laying the rest of the products. In order for it not to sag, you should use a nylon cord or fishing line. For more reliable adhesion between bricks, side edges, spikes and grooves are treated with glue.
When laying the first row, it is important to control the location of the upper cut in the horizon plane. If necessary, for this, blocks can be processed using a planer. The second level is built on the same principle. However, it is important to consider that the joints in adjacent vertical rows should not coincide. First corner blockin this regard, it should be cut in half. Half of the block will be located through the level, while in the next row there will be a whole product.
Laying the gas block must be carried out at intervals of 2 hours between rows. So the adhesive will stick well. Therefore, it is necessary to breed it with the calculation of one level. Under the windows and doors you need to leave empty spaces. Before installing the blocks of the next row in terms of level, these places are additionally strengthened. Above the openings for this, jumpers made of reinforcement rods are installed. They must be in the sawn grooves. They should be brought to the wall 20 cm on each side of the opening.
Features of the laying of the first row
The accuracy of the geometry of the entire building depends on whether the first row is laid correctly. If you did everything right, then the subsequent rows will be able to build much faster. The laying of the gas block in the first row should be carried out on a cement-sand mortar. This will smooth out level differences. A water-retaining agent should be added to the solution, while the application of the composition is carried out with a trowel. The additive will prevent the rapid absorption of moisture by the material, because it is known that in order to gain strength, the solution should not quickly lose moisture.
It is necessary to start laying the first row from the highest point of the foundation. If you purchased blocks with grooves and ridges, then the products should be positioned so that the ridges are directed outward. This will make finishing work easier. As practice shows, it is mucheasier than filling them with plaster mix. As soon as the aerated concrete block can be installed, its level should be checked and corrected if necessary with a rubber mallet. Normal can not be used, as it will damage the surface.
Technology description
Align the outer corners of the first row using the building level. The position can be checked with a level. Between the installed outer corners, stretch the cord and fill the row with blocks. The mooring will make it easier to control the masonry.
After the row has been filled and the grout has set, the first row should be reinforced. There is an opinion that this stage can be bypassed, because the blocks are laid on the foundation. Some do just that, it saves money, but as a result, cracks appear on the load-bearing walls.
Features of the work
Studying the features of the laying of the first row of the gas block, you can understand that it is impossible to achieve perfect alignment of products in the corners of the building. However, it is important to ensure that the difference in height of individual corners is not higher than 3 cm.
The blocks are stacked so that they protrude slightly above the plinth. This setting should force 50mm. The zone that acts as a reference should not seem lower than the calculated one. This zone represents the perimeter of the block that is in contact with the foundation. For laying the subsequent first rows, experts recommend using glue"Ceresit ST-21". This recommendation is due to the fact that the composition contains water-retaining additives. It does not freeze for an entire hour. Such a mixture is quite expensive, but justifies the high price. During the time mentioned above, the master will have the opportunity to correct the shortcomings made during installation.
Buying cheap glue, you can not guarantee a successful outcome. When pulling the cord, it should be strengthened between the lighthouse blocks. If the distance between them is quite large, then another intermediate product should be installed in the center, which will eliminate the sagging of the cord. Not only the stability and reliability of the building, but also the consumption of the adhesive composition depend on the evenness of the first row of laying the gas block. It is important to follow the standard, which says that about 1.2 bags of dry mix should go per cubic meter of block. If a gas block with a groove and a ridge is used in the process, then one bag of glue will be needed for the mentioned volume of material. To level the resulting layer, use a grater.
Conclusion
Home craftsmen who do not have experience in carrying out the work described in the article quite often wonder how much a gas block masonry costs. You will have to pay 1,100 rubles for a cubic meter of gas block masonry with a tongue-and-groove system. minimum. The maximum price reaches 2700 rubles. If you plan to use a flat gas block in your work, then the minimum price per cubic meter of masonry will be 1200 rubles, while the maximum price will be 2800 rubles.
