Every year, the construction of houses with attics from foam blocks is gaining momentum. And there is an explanation for this. The fact is that as a result of construction, you get a functional home, which also has a very attractive appearance. It also reduces construction costs. The useful area of the building increases, and the costs decrease significantly. And this is what almost all homeowners strive for.
Advantages of houses with attics
Directly at the design stage, it is necessary to consider whether an attic space will be equipped for housing.
Together with the use of foam blocks, the homeowner will receive the following benefits from this solution:
- The space will be significantly expanded, the area suitable for living will increase. Moreover, the amount of space directly depends on which designroof will be selected.
- Building an attic is much easier and cheaper than equipping a second floor - this is a clear advantage.
- You will be able to make the most of the land allocated for the construction of the house.
- Significant reduction of heat loss at home due to the installation of hydro- and thermal insulation materials.
- If the need arises, construction work in the attic can be completed after the first floor of the house has been settled.
Given that the construction period is shortening, you can understand why such projects of houses made of foam blocks with an attic are very popular.
What will the use of foam blocks in construction give
Foam concrete is very often used as a base. Based on it, modern materials are made, which have very high rates of heat saving. Technological characteristics of foam concrete have the following advantages:
- The surface is perfectly flat, so high-quality masonry and minimum thickness of the seams are obtained. Consequently, heat loss through them will also be scanty.
- The large sizes of foam concrete blocks contribute to faster assembly of the box at home.
- High energy saving performance. The material has very low thermal conductivity, so you can do wall cladding without additional insulation work.
- Even small houses made of foam blocks with an attic can keep cool in summer and not lose heat in winter. Therefore, you will be able to reduce heating costs andhome cooling.
- The material is environmentally friendly, as there are no harmful substances in its composition. It meets all safety requirements and has quality certificates.
- Foam blocks are resistant to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, non-combustible. It can also be noted that fungus or mold does not grow on the material, insects and rodents are also indifferent to it.
- Large temperature changes do not affect the material, even high humidity will not damage the foam block.
- Since the size of the blocks is large, the consumption of mortar for laying walls will significantly decrease.
These advantages are enough to choose foam concrete blocks as the main material. They will last for decades, and even a novice builder will be able to work with the material.
Technological features of the construction of cottages
Projects of houses from foam blocks with an attic have some technological features of the roof arrangement. If you follow everything, then later you will be able to operate both the attic and the whole house as comfortably as possible. The project serves as the basis for calculating the necessary materials. You need to pay attention to these points when choosing a project for construction:
- The frame must be made from dry wood of the highest quality possible. This will further prevent the deformation of the entire structure, and will also be able to ensure stability over a long service life.
- The right choiceinsulating materials is the key to successful work. Many experts choose mineral wool and bas alt insulation. It is these materials that recommend themselves on the positive side.
- The roof from the inside should be sheathed with plywood. In this case, you will get a very easy and simple installation, and most importantly, the characteristics of the attic will be very high.
- To cover the roof. You can use a metal tile, it will provide an aesthetic appearance, and most importantly - it has very good performance.
For the successful implementation of the project into reality, it is necessary to choose high-quality building materials. But the installation of all structural elements must be carried out with the highest quality, otherwise the life of the house will decrease many times over.
How to choose a project
The latest technology makes it possible to choose absolutely any project, the level of complexity does not matter much.
But you will need to take into account in advance what the result will be a one-story house with an attic of foam blocks:
- Consider the size of the plot that you are ready to allocate for construction. This is what determines what area needs to be prepared for the foundation of the house.
- Calculate what the living area will be. In the attic, the free space depends on what shape the roof will be.
- You need to correctly plan, taking into account how many people live in the house.
- The use of foam blocks allows you to build a house of any shape and size.
Try to look through as many projects as possible to choose the one that suits you best. It is worth noting that a typical project is much cheaper than an individual one.
Construction Features
The peculiarity of building a house from 8x9 foam blocks with an attic according to a standard project is that there is no complex cladding. To give the facade of the building the most aesthetic appearance, you can simply apply several layers of paint on foam concrete. If you are building on an individual project, then you can choose one of the finishes:
- decorative stone or brick;
- siding;
- tiled;
- vinyl materials.
It all depends on your abilities and wishes.
When using a typical layout, it is not always possible to cover all the needs of the people living in the house. Only drawing up an individual project can help take into account the wishes of all the people who will live in the house. But there is a drawback to this solution - an increase in the cost of building a house.
Main stages of construction
In general, the construction of a house with an attic of foam blocks can be divided into several main stages:
- Marking and leveling the construction site.
- Digging pits or wells for arranging the foundation. It all depends on what type of base will be used.
- Installation of the foundation.
- Making a plinth or grillage.
- Masonry walls at home.
- Arrangement of the attic and installation of roofing material.
- Internal finishing work.
- Exterior decoration of the building.
Which foundation can I use?
The first stage of construction is the construction of a solid foundation. Country houses with an attic of foam blocks can be placed on the following types of bases:
- Tape.
- Pile (including screw).
- Slab.
- Columnar.
However, any base can be used, since the mass of the structure is not very large. Regardless of which type of foundation you choose, you need to prepare the site. To do this, you need to completely remove the entire fertile soil layer, get rid of the roots of plants.
How to make a foundation for a house?
Next, you need to dig a pit (if you plan to make a strip foundation) or drill wells (for a pile foundation).
The procedure for making a foundation, regardless of its type, is the same:
- At the bottom of the trench or well, you compact the sand.
- Install the formwork, place a lattice of reinforcement inside the trench or well.
- Pour concrete mortar.
- Use a special vibrator or shovel to tamp the solution. It is necessary that no air bubbles remain in it - this will affect the quality of the concrete.
In the event that you have chosen a pile foundation, you must carefully calculate the number of supports. ATFirst of all, you need to install them in the corners of the building. Then you need to evenly distribute the piles along the outer walls and partitions. It should also be noted that a foundation must be made for a heating boiler, stove or fireplace, which should not come into contact with the main one.
Masonry walls
Be sure to carefully consider the features of the layout of the house with an attic of foam blocks. Contact the experts if you are not confident in your abilities - they will be able to help you with advice. There are not so many features of the construction of walls, the main thing is to maintain evenness. In order for the walls to be ideally located in a vertical plane, use plumb lines. For horizontal alignment - level. All corners must be straight (or those indicated in the individual project).
Please note that you can not immediately put a lot of rows of foam blocks. Start work from the corners - lay no more than three rows of material. It is at the corners that you need to focus on construction. Mark the location of all door and window openings so that you do not "accidentally" block the entrance to the future house.
To build a one-story house with an attic, it is allowed to use a foam block when making the walls of the attic floor. But you can make the whole attic out of timber - it all depends on the specific project.
