There is no structure without walls. But before proceeding with their construction, it is important to decide what material will be used. Making a choice is quite difficult, since there are many options - from traditional wood to modern block products. Today we will review and compare two materials.
Which is better - brick or foam block?
Before answering this question, it is important to know what these building materials are. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the most common and well-known material - brick.
What is a brick?
This is an artificial stone, having the correct shape, made of mineral components (from fired clay or cement, sand and lime) and subject to high temperatures in furnaces. Brick is silicate and ceramic. These two types differ in water resistance, frost resistance and cost (silicate brick is cheaper). In addition, the brick is divided intocorpulent and hollow (slit). In addition, porous large-format blocks, etc. are also produced.
Brick virtues
According to experts, the popularity of this material is due more to tradition than to the presence of special unique qualities. However, some of the benefits include:
- high strength;
- good sound insulation;
- environmental safety.
Brick walls are very durable. Due to its size, this building material can be used for masonry with various decorative elements and complex configurations.
Flaws
Besides the advantages, the brick also has some disadvantages.
- Firstly, this material is able to absorb moisture well (this mainly applies to silicate brick), due to which dampness may occur.
- Secondly, its weight is quite large, so special equipment is needed to transport it. In addition, in the first years after the construction, a certain shrinkage of the foundation of the structure occurs.
- Thirdly, since the size of the brick is small, there are increased labor costs (the number of operations increases during its laying), especially when compared with blocks of aerated concrete.
- Fourthly, brick is considered one of the most expensive building materials, and if we include the cost of insulation here, then the price of brickwork will be one and a half to two timeshigher than masonry from aerated concrete blocks.
How brickwork is installed
Installation of brickwork is carried out as follows: immediately determine the level, thickness of the joints and the required number of layers of masonry. The first layer of bricks is laid out in a “dry way”. This is done in order to check the thickness of the seams. The horizontality of the laid layers of bricks and the verticality of the side elements are checked using a level and a plumb line. When laying, it is necessary to avoid excessive contamination of bricks with mortar.
What you need to lay a brick wall
When building brickwork, you will need the following tools:
- drill, puncher, hammer;
- tape measure and plumb line;
- level and rule;
- trowel;
- joining and scraping;
- sand-cement mortar and shovel.
What are foam blocks?
This is a relatively new material that is made from foam concrete (a type of cellular concrete). The latter, in turn, is made from a simple cement mortar, foaming agent, water and sand. The resulting mixture is poured into special molds, in which it solidifies.
Foam blocks have both advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of foam blocks
- This is a fairly strong and durable building material, the service life of which can reach 50 years or even more.
- The light weight of the products greatly facilitates installation work and, accordingly, affects the speed of wall construction.
- Due to its porous structure, this material has low thermal conductivity.
- High safety and environmental friendliness.
- Aerated concrete houses are well protected from outside sounds, which is very convenient if the building is being built near a railway or highway.
- Building material has a democratic cost, which is important in our time.
- Foam blocks are easy to process: grinding, cutting.
- The presence of a large number of pores allows the house to "breathe", giving a he althy microclimate inside the room.
- The walls of the foam blocks are built quickly enough. Unlike brick, the foam block has much larger dimensions.
Flaws
Like any other building material, foam blocks have their drawbacks.
- Internal and external walls made of foam concrete require cladding, as their appearance is not entirely aesthetic.
- Choose the manufacturer very carefully.
- The light weight of the building material is not only an advantage, but also a disadvantage, since its strength is lower than that of a brick. However, this does not play a role in the construction of two-story cottages.
- The thickness of the mortar increases during masonry, which significantly reduces sound insulation.
Now you can find out what is the difference between a foam block and a brick. To do this, we compare the following important characteristicsthese materials:
- thermal conductivity;
- strength;
- sustainable;
- water absorption;
- mounting features;
- price.
Brick and foam block: comparison of their properties
From year to year, foam blocks are becoming more and more popular and are considered a reliable and profitable building material for the construction of all kinds of low-rise buildings.
Which is better - a brick or foam block house? It is worth noting that, according to many characteristics, the foam block leaves the brick far behind.
- The thermal insulation properties of foam concrete are almost three times higher. That is, buildings erected from this material are able to perfectly retain heat inside the room. So additional insulation may not be necessary at all. For brick buildings, such a procedure is required. Brick has a much higher thermal conductivity, in addition, it often becomes damp, which indicates the need for thermal insulation and regular heating of the premises.
- Moisture resistance of these building materials is almost the same. equivalent. Which is better - foam blocks or bricks? Both are a reliable barrier to moisture.
- In terms of environmental friendliness, foam block materials are located at a higher level and approach natural wood. In addition, the porous structure of such products allows the walls to "breathe".
- When choosing: brick or foam blocks, the last material takes precedence in many respects. The installation process is much faster, easier and more economical. ATcompared to brick, the size of the foam block is about 20 times larger, which means that it will take much less time to lay the blocks.
- Despite the fact that the foam blocks have a nondescript appearance, they lend themselves well to processing (milling, sawing, etc.), which makes it possible to implement various architectural solutions (graceful arch, multi-stage overlay on the facade, etc.). You can also build quite solid housing from bricks, since today there are many different types and colors of this building material. What to choose: foam block or brick? The first of them opens up more possibilities when decorating the exterior of the house, also because they allow any finish (for example, plastering, painting, siding).
- The heavy weight of brick buildings requires a detailed analysis of the site and determination of the bearing capacity of the soil before starting construction work. As a rule, a brick house needs a strong foundation, which significantly increases the time, financial and labor costs. The weight of a house made of foam blocks is several times less than their bricks, so there is no need to lay a powerful foundation. And this is a significant savings, especially considering that almost half of the funds allocated for the construction of the premises, as a rule, goes to the foundation. Therefore, which is better for construction - foam blocks or bricks? The answer is obvious.
- Perhaps the only indicator where foam concrete is inferior to brick is strength. That is why brick is most often used for the construction of multi-storey buildings. And after a while,opportunities, you can build a second one-story mansion nearby, a bathhouse or a garage - a foam block extension to a brick house is a great idea! If desired, you can build a house at the same time from foam blocks and bricks. (bearing walls will be brick, and the foam block will act as a heat-insulating layer). You can also use blocks as the main material for building walls, and bricks will serve as a decorative layer.
All these characteristics apply only to high-quality building materials. Despite the fact that the technology for the production of foam concrete materials is quite simple, and in order to create high-quality products with the properties listed above, ingredients with certain characteristics must be used, the technology and dosage of the components must be strictly observed.
Unfortunately, certification is not required for the manufacture of block products, so there is a high probability of acquiring a fake. That is why it is best to purchase this building material from well-known manufacturers with a high reputation.
When buying materials, you need to pay attention to their appearance. There should be no stains, cracks. In addition, the color of the products must be uniform.
Price comparison
When choosing between these two materials, it is important to know which is cheaper - brick or foam block?
To find out, we propose to make a calculation.
Brick wall. To calculate the cost of one square meter of a brick wall, let's take a double brick as an example. Hisdimensions - 260x219x510 mm. The thickness of the brick walls should be at least 50 cm (the thickness of a double brick is just that). For one square meter of masonry, 17 pieces and 22.45 liters of mortar will be needed. The minimum cost of one brick is 98 rubles, and the price of mortar - from 2300 rubles / m³
We do the calculation: (17 x 98) + (2300 x 0.02245)=1717 rubles/m².
So, the cost of 1m² of wall is 1717 rubles
Foam block walls. To calculate the cost of one square meter of a foam block wall, let's take a foam block with a size of 600x300x200 mm
To make 1m² of masonry, you will need 11 pieces of this material worth 2900 rubles. per m³ and 70 kg of solution. Since there are 27.77 pieces in 1 m³, the price of 1 block will be 104.42 rubles.
Make the calculation: (11 x 104.42) + (70 x 2.90)=1351.62 rubles/m².
So, the price of 1m² of a foam block wall is 1351.62 rubles
What is cheaper - foam block or brick? Building houses from blocks is significantly cheaper and much more convenient due to the size.
So, we compared these two building materials, and what to choose - brick or foam block - you decide.
