How to lay foam blocks easily, quickly and correctly

The question of how to put foam blocks is of interest to many. It is relevant, because this material has long earned a well-deserved popularity in individual construction. The combination of economy, high strength and good thermal insulation properties with ease of use - these are the components of the success of foam blocks. But, as is known, even from the best material it is possible to lay down an unfit wall. Therefore, the question should be put like this: "How to put foam blocks correctly?"

By their size, each such block is capable ofreplace eighteen single bricks or thirteen one and a half. And this despite the fact that it weighs less than a single brick. This greatly simplifies and at the same time accelerates the process of erecting a structure from foam blocks. And yet, one should not be deceived: having no strength and patience, the builder, even knowing how to put foam blocks, will not achieve at least close to the ideal result.

According to the manufacturing technology, these blocks are divided intocast and cut. The first is cast by filling the molds with a foam mixture; the second ones are dried in an industrial furnace, after which the resulting monolithic piece of string saw is cut into blocks. But they differ not only in this.

When cutting foam blocks, the tolerance is in the range1-2 mm; when cast, it is somewhat larger. But these millimeters play a big role in how to put foam blocks. Molded products are cemented with cement-sand mortar, cut - the special glue mixture, which will require significantly less than cement and sand. Glutinous mixture, like the foam block, is a heat insulator, which means that the notorious "cold bridges" are excluded. (Incidentally, in the absence of the desired composition, you can easily use the low-temperature glue used for tile laying.) In addition, the forthcoming work on the exterior and interior decoration of the wall, which has excellent geometry due to the cut material, will be greatly facilitated.

However, the use of cement-sand mortarthere is no alternative for laying the very first row of foam blocks on the foundation. Here it is really indispensable. Its first layer on the foundation is covered with waterproofing material. Then again put the solution, and already on it - blocks.

If you look at how to put foam blocks,you can notice another unshakable rule: no voids in the seams! In order to avoid them, the blocks of the upper row with their bases are rubbed against the bottom until a small amount of adhesive mixture is squeezed out on the sides of the masonry. After that, it is applied to the side of the already installed block, and the newly laid out block is pressed against it. At the end of stacking, all glutinous surpluses are carefully removed.

Often, along with the question of how to put a wall out offoam blocks, and ask this: "Do I need to reinforce it?" Of course. This will increase the stability of the wall and additionally protect it from cracks. Since when using glue with a masonry welded mesh, it will not be possible to reinforce, from the position they come out, carving grooves (stitches) directly in the foam blocks. For such work, a Bulgarian or a circular saw will do.

The operation is simple, since ease of processing of foam blocks is well known. In the grooves the reinforcement is laid. Reinforcement is performed every 3-4 rows.

At the end of the laying of the foam blocks on her lastthe row is poured with concrete a special reinforced belt with a height of 15-20 cm. Its function is a uniform distribution of loads from a top slab laid on top.

Having studied all of the above, you can build the wall from the foam blocks yourself, without hiring expensive specialists to carry out the work.