Hello! Tell me, what material is the best way to build a country house now? I want to build myself a small house in my summer cottage.
- Sergey, Moscow.
Hello! The choice of material for building a house is a key issue. The term of work, cost and durability of the building will depend on this. It is impossible to give an unequivocal answer, much depends on climatic conditions and on financial possibilities. To help you with the choice, we will compare the characteristics of houses made of bricks, foam blocks, wood, SIP panels and determine the advantages and disadvantages of each building material.
Brick as a building material has great architectural potential. A brick house can be of any shape, from a simple rectangular structure to a complex Gothic structure. Therefore, if you want to bring to life the most daring design projects, then a brick will do just fine.
Brick house
Like any other building material, brick has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Pros of a brick house
- Prestige - a house made of good bricks is still considered an indicator of the financial security of the owners.
- Thermal insulation - brick houses retain heat well in harsh climatic zones.
- Service life - with proper observance of the construction technology, a brick house can stand for a long time without major repairs.
- Fire safety - brick is not a highly flammable material, therefore the risk of a serious fire in the house is reduced.
American style brick house Cons of a brick house
- The weight of the material - brick is a rather heavy building material, therefore, for the construction of walls, it is necessary to make a very solid foundation, which in turn requires significant financial costs.
- Hygroscopicity - brick walls are very prone to moisture absorption. Therefore, when building a brick house, a significant part of the money and time is spent on waterproofing.
- The need for wall decoration - when using inexpensive bricks (or improper masonry), there is a need for interior and exterior wall decoration.
- Brick price - depending on the type and quality, the cost of this building material can be very high.
Brick house in the English style The table contains information for buildings made of bricks and aerated concrete blocks.
A brick house is a comfortable living and aesthetically consistent structure, which is achieved with a competent approach to construction. High technical characteristics make it possible to live in such a house at any time of the year and under various climatic conditions.
Houses made of wood
Well-to-do owners often make a choice in favor of wooden beams or logs. This is explained by the fact that such houses have a beautiful appearance and have operational advantages in comparison with other types of buildings. To find out the characteristics of a wooden house, let's look at its advantages and disadvantages.
House made of wood Advantages of a wooden house
- Construction cost - if you calculate the total estimate of wooden and brick houses, then the construction of a wooden one will be cheaper. This is due to the lack of the need for external and internal finishing. Also, walls made of timber or logs are lighter than brick walls, so there is no need for a reinforced foundation.
- Mobility - the walls of a wooden house can be disassembled and, if necessary, assembled in a new place. Construction speed - the construction of a wooden house is almost twice as fast as a brick one.
- Appearance - of course, everyone has their own preferences, but for most people, wooden houses look prettier than the rest.
- Thermal insulation - depending on the thickness of the walls, wooden houses sometimes surpass brick and frame ones in thermal insulation properties.
- Environmental safety - walls in a wooden house do not emit harmful substances hazardous to human health.
Log house Disadvantages of a wooden house
- Wall shrinkage - the final shrinkage of the structure of a wooden house occurs only after three years.
- Fire safety - although now there are many refractory liquids that are used to process wooden parts of a house, still a wooden house in terms of fire safety is inferior to a brick or stone one.
- Treatment from pests and decay - wood houses require regular treatment from insects and fungi that live on the tree.
Log house * Finishing of a house from logs can be done only 2-3 years after construction.
As you can see, the tree has its pros and cons, which should be considered when choosing a building material for a country house.
Houses from SIP panels
SIP panels are a high-quality and convenient building material for a country house, allowing you to build large structures in a short time.
Sandwich panel construction technology came to Russia from North America, where it is very popular.
SIP-panel is a plate of two sheets of rigid material (fiberboard, OSB, PVC) and a layer of insulation, which is located between them. The panels are fixed to a wooden or metal frame, and the result is a one-piece construction of the house.
The construction of houses from SIP panels has its fans and opponents. To determine which category you categorize yourself into, check out the pros and cons of sandwich panels.
House of SIP panels Pros of SIP panels
- Excellent heat and sound insulation - thanks to their construction, sandwich panels perfectly retain heat and isolate noise.
- Light weight - being lighter than brick, concrete and even wood, SIP walls do not require a strong foundation to be built.
- Short construction time - thanks to frame technology, a house made of sandwich panels is built very quickly.
- Low construction cost - SIP panels have an affordable price and, combined with quick installation, the construction of a house as a whole is not expensive.
Sandwich panel house scheme Cons of SIP panels
- Short service life - compared to other building materials, sandwich panels have a relatively short service life of 30-50 years.
- Environmental safety - materials capable of emitting harmful substances are used for the manufacture of SIP panels. This factor is especially important if you are planning a permanent residence in the house.
- Low fire safety - sandwich panels burn well and, when burned, emit a lot of harmful substances, therefore, houses built from this building material require additional measures to ensure fire safety.
- Rodents - in the space where the insulation is located, representatives of the rodent family are very fond of arranging their homes. So be sure to regularly check and treat your home for mice, rats and other pests.
- Non-prestigious real estate - houses made of SIP panels are not considered prestigious and durable housing, for this reason you can sell your real estate only at a price that is inferior to the cost of construction.
Building a house from sandwich panels Despite all the disadvantages, the availability, speed of building a house and its high thermal insulation properties make sandwich panels very popular today.
Monolithic concrete houses
A concrete house is a monolithic structure that creates the shape of the house and carries all the loads. Monolithic houses are popular for their strength and durability. Also, the technology of filling allows you to give the house the most daring and unique design. A house made of reinforced concrete is especially recommended for construction in seismically active areas, as it can withstand a serious earthquake.
According to the technology of erection of a monolithic house, liquid concrete is poured into the formwork in which there is a frame made of reinforcement. After the mortar has dried, the formwork is removed and placed on the next casting area.
Monolithic houses are very popular in multi-storey construction, but in addition to large buildings, reinforced concrete houses can be found in suburban areas. If you want to use concrete pouring technology to build your own home, then first check out the pros and cons of this building material.
Monolithic private house Advantages of a monolithic house
- Integrity of the structure - a monolithic house does not need to fit the elements of the house to each other, as in conventional construction.
- Long-term operation - if high-quality concrete is used when pouring, then a monolithic house is able to stand longer than similar houses made of brick or stone.
- Fire safety - reinforced concrete houses are not subject to destruction during a fire.
- Many shapes - a monolithic house can be given any look, depending on your imagination.
- Seismic safety - a properly built house made of reinforced concrete is able to withstand an earthquake of up to 8-10 points without damaging the structure.
The process of building a monolithic house Disadvantages of a monolithic house
- Construction Cost - Building a monolithic house is the most expensive option. Significant financial costs will be required for high-quality formwork, reinforced foundations, reinforcement and delivery or production of concrete.
- The need for wall decoration - if you do not go to have a gloomy bunker instead of a house, then you will have to make an effort for external and internal wall decoration.
- Heating - concrete is concrete, and powerful heating systems will be required to maintain a comfortable temperature in winter.
Unusual design of a monolithic house If there are opportunities for the construction of a monolithic house, then this option is preferable, especially in areas of increased seismic activity.
Alternative building materials for the home
In addition to the popular construction options listed above, there are lesser-known, but also used materials for the construction of walls, consider some of them.
Adobe house - Saman - adobe houses are popular in the southern regions of Russia and Central Asia. An adobe house keeps you cool in summer and "keeps" warm in winter. Adobe walls are not very strong and are very afraid of water, because adobe is made from a mixture of clay and straw. Therefore, this building material cannot be used in harsh climatic zones. But for dry climates with little rainfall, adobe is quite suitable for building a simple dwelling.
Arbolite house - A mixture of sawdust, shavings, chemical additives and cement - such blocks are called arbolite. This material is ideal for the construction of walls with a low load, it is used for the construction of the last floors of buildings, one-story houses and household buildings. Arbolit is an inexpensive building material; it is produced in the form of blocks. In some cases, wood concrete, like concrete, is poured directly into the formwork. The main disadvantage of wood concrete is that it has weak strength and cannot be used in the manufacture of foundations and load-bearing walls.
House made of natural stone - Natural stone is a building material for those who love old traditions and have the finances to implement them. It will be very expensive to build a house made of natural stone, but your great-great-grandchildren may get the house. The natural stone used for construction can have both a natural shape and a processed block shape.
Cinder block house - Cinder block - as the name suggests, this is a block compressed from waste slag and cement. Not a very safe material from an environmental point of view, since you do not know the origin of the slag. Cinder block is a cheap alternative to bricks and is used for the construction of houses and outbuildings. The strength of the cinder block largely depends on the conscience of the manufacturer, there are times when the blocks fall apart right during the laying.
We hope that our article helped you decide on the choice of building materials for building a house!
Read the article to the end and you will find out: what materials are best used today for building walls at home, what are their advantages and disadvantages. And also: at the end of the article - interesting reader survey regarding this issue.
Let's figure out what houses are being built from now. Or rather, what materials are used to build the walls. We will present the information “without water” and in a structured manner. First, we will consider the most popular building materials, and then - those that are used less often.
Of course, each material has its own pros and cons. Therefore, we will also talk about this. So…
Popular materials for building walls at home
There are many of them. Let's start with the most tested and reliable option.
Ceramic brick (red)
It is made of clay - an environmentally friendly material. Firing gives it a red color, and also improves the strength properties.
Previously, houses were built mostly of bricks. And they showed themselves well. We can say briefly about this material: this is a classic ... Time-tested.
Pros of red brick:
- high strength;
- reliability;
- the ability to withstand heavy loads for a long time.
Cons of bricks:
- high material cost;
- complex and expensive masonry (highly skilled workers are required);
- relatively large construction time.
Red brick houses are always valuable. They are reliable, durable, warm enough (with a wall thickness of 60 cm or more). Such a house after construction and after 25 years can be sold at a good price. Because brick houses last 100 years.
Ceramic blocks (porous ceramics)
Modern material for the walls of the house. In fact, the same red brick, only with numerous voids. It is made by firing the same clay. However, this creates voids in the material, which significantly improve its thermal insulation properties. In addition, sawdust is added to the raw material during production. During firing, they burn out, due to which microscopic pores are formed.
Pros of porous ceramics:
- excellent thermal insulation properties;
- ecological cleanliness;
- large-format blocks (masonry is performed rather quickly);
- less weight (which means less load on the foundation).
Disadvantages:
- high price;
- reduced bearing capacity and strength (compared to solid ceramic bricks);
- increased fragility (especially noticeable during transportation, loading / unloading);
- easily absorbs moisture.
By the way, regarding the strength characteristics, one point should be noted ... Manufacturers often claim that porous ceramic blocks (used for the construction of load-bearing walls) correspond in strength to concrete of the M100 grade. For example, you can often hear that "the strength is the same as that of a regular full-bodied red brick." However ... in practice this is not always the case. The strength of porous ceramics may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Therefore, when buying, you need to be vigilant.
Despite the shortcomings, this material is now very popular. It is used for the construction of luxury houses.
Aerated concrete
The material is a kind of aerated concrete. It is made from quartz sand, cement, special blowing agents. In addition, lime, gypsum, slag and other industrial waste are used. At the exit, a material with an open porous structure is obtained (the pore diameter is approximately equal to 1 ... 3 mm).
The advantages of aerated concrete:
- small weight;
- low thermal conductivity;
- ease of machining;
- good strength;
- relatively low price.
Disadvantages of aerated concrete:
- strongly absorbs moisture (due to open porous structure);
- increased fragility (a reliable foundation is required to exclude even small subsidence).
Now the popularity of aerated concrete is at its height. Indeed, for a relatively low price, you can get a warm and quite solid house. Due to the low thermal conductivity, it is possible to build walls that are much thinner than, for example, in the case of red brick. This further reduces the cost of masonry material. In addition, the cost of labor for workers is noticeably lower. Aerated concrete houses are built relatively easily and quickly.
Foam concrete
Also a kind of aerated concrete. Unlike aerated concrete, this material has a closed porous structure. It is made from sand, cement, foaming agent and water.
The technology for making foam concrete is quite simple. No expensive equipment is required for production. And I must say that this fact gives not only a plus, but also adds an important minus: there is a lot of foam concrete on the market made by dubious private firms (handicraft production). Accordingly, the quality of such material cannot be high.
Advantages of foam concrete:
- light weight;
- good thermal insulation properties;
- ease of processing (easily drilled, sawn);
- due to the closed porous structure (pores are closed), foam concrete does not absorb as much moisture as aerated concrete.
Disadvantages of foam concrete:
- poor vapor permeability (walls "do not breathe", a good ventilation system is required);
- almost does not work on bending;
- over time, it gives significant shrinkage (which means that cracking is possible).
Despite the significant disadvantages, foam concrete is used for the construction of residential buildings. Also, this material is used for sound and heat insulation - walls, roofs, floors, etc.
Wood
Time-tested natural material. Wooden houses have been built since ancient times. This material has not lost its popularity in our days.
Moreover, there are different technologies for the construction of wooden houses. So, they can be built from a log house (the old method) - when the trunks are cut to the required length, locks and grooves are made in them, and then laid, creating walls.
There is also a method of building from rounded beams. In this case, the logs in production are processed to a smooth surface and marked. In this case, the beams can be planed, sawn, glued.
The advantages of wood:
- relatively affordable price (compared to other expensive materials);
- ecological cleanliness;
- excellent thermal insulation characteristics;
- aesthetic and attractive appearance;
- no need to build a powerful foundation;
- rather long service life (with proper construction and maintenance) - naturally, different types of wood have different wear resistance;
- ease of machining.
Disadvantages of wood:
Despite the shortcomings, houses built of wood have always been and will always be in value. It is pleasant to be in a wooden house, it is easy to breathe. It is cozy and comfortable in it. In a word, a tree.
Shell rock
This is an absolutely environmentally friendly material, completely of natural origin. The rock of this stone is porous, carbonate. It consists of pressed shells. Hence the name - "shell rock" (also called "shell rock", "limestone").
The stone is different in density, shape, type and number of shells that form its base. Accordingly, the strength, aesthetic and other characteristics of different shell rock can be very different.
However, in general, according to the pros and cons of this stone, we can say the following.
Benefits of shell rock:
- complete environmental friendliness (even surpasses wood, since it requires impregnation with special protective substances);
- does not accumulate radiation (usually it is below the sensitivity level of measuring instruments);
- relatively low price (excluding delivery);
- high speed of construction (for example, it can be sawn into blocks measuring 490 × 240x188 mm);
- dense stone has a fairly high strength (suitable for the construction of load-bearing walls).
Disadvantages of shell rock:
- increased ability to absorb moisture (especially in porous and low-strength stone) - higher than that of ceramic bricks;
- the dimensions of the blocks are inaccurate, significant deviations are often observed (due to the fact that the blocks are not stamped, but cut out);
- in terms of thermal conductivity, it is inferior to brick, aerated concrete, wood and some other materials;
- heterogeneity in density and strength is often observed (the material is completely natural).
The attitude of people to this stone is ambiguous. In some regions, most of the houses are built from this stone. In others, they practically do not build due to existing significant shortcomings and prefer other building materials for the construction of walls. Of course, this is also due to the fact that the delivery of stone to some regions can be expensive and unprofitable.
Other building materials for wall construction
Now let's list what is used less often. Moreover, there are also advantages here.
Expanded clay concrete
It is made by pressing from a mixture of water, sand, cement and expanded clay (which is made from clay). Additionally, the blocks can be filled with voids of different volumes and shapes (for example, rectangular, cylindrical).
Laying is usually done using a reinforcing mesh (every 3-4 rows).
Advantages of expanded clay concrete:
- low thermal conductivity;
- good strength (higher than, for example, aerated concrete);
- relatively low price;
- ecological cleanliness (in fact, clay is the basis);
- small weight (due to the presence of a porous and lightweight material - expanded clay);
- manufacturing technology is quite simple (you can make it yourself);
- durability (time-tested);
- good vapor permeability (walls "breathe").
Cons of expanded clay concrete:
- Increased water absorption (waterproofing is needed, protection from external atmospheric influences);
- A solid foundation is required;
- The presence of cold bridges (it is problematic to make thin seams due to significant deviations in the size of the blocks);
- There is a material of "handicraft" production with low quality (due to the simplicity of the manufacturing technology).
It should also be noted that expanded clay concrete is quite versatile. Suitable both for the construction of load-bearing walls in low-rise construction, and for the construction of partitions, floors, ceilings. This material is often used simply as insulation.
Arbolit
Refers to lightweight concrete. Another name is also used - wood concrete blocks. Cement, water, organic aggregates, chemical additives are used for manufacturing. Moreover, different materials can be used as fillers (80-90% of the total volume) - wood chips (often), flax or hemp fire, cotton stalks, etc.
Chemical additives are used to eliminate the negative effect of organic matter on the cement hardening process. These can be: water glass, calcium chloride, aluminum sulfate, etc.
The advantages of wood concrete:
- environmental friendliness;
- low thermal conductivity (you can do without insulation);
- good fire resistance (does not support combustion, and when exposed to fire only charred);
- the speed of building walls (blocks of large enough sizes);
- high bending strength (has the ability to restore shape after exposure to loads - due to the presence of wood particles);
- a powerful foundation is not required (as, for example, for aerated concrete);
- you can easily screw screws into the walls, hammer in nails (they are held securely).
Disadvantages of wood concrete:
- protection from moisture is required (due to the presence of organic substances in the composition);
- material is difficult to find in some regions;
- the price can be clearly overstated by the manufacturer (therefore, making wood concrete with your own hands is popular).
In general, we can say that this is a pretty good building material for the construction of walls. Moreover, if you wish, you can make it yourself.
It is used for low-rise buildings (usually up to 3 floors). These can be both residential buildings and utility buildings.
Cinder block
This stone is produced by vibrocompression or natural shrinkage of cinder-concrete mortar is used. The binder is cement, the filler is metallurgical slags.
However, it should be immediately emphasized that at present all stones that are made by vibrocompression from concrete mortar are considered to be cinder blocks. As a filler, in addition to slag, can also be used: granite screening, broken brick, hardened cement, cullet, etc.
In this case, the resulting blocks can be both full-bodied and with voids (which, in turn, can be of different shapes and sizes).
Cinder block pluses:
- does not burn;
- not afraid of temperature changes;
- long service life (about 100 years);
- affordable price;
- good sound insulation;
- retains heat well (due to the porous structure), although it is inferior in this regard to some other materials (for example, aerated concrete);
- high strength;
- building walls is easier than, for example, laying bricks (block sizes are much larger).
Cons of cinder block:
- Hygroscopic (capable of absorbing moisture by 75%) - waterproofing is needed;
- The walls still need insulation;
- The composition may contain substances of dubious origin that can have a toxic effect on the human body (production wastes make themselves felt);
- the environmental friendliness of the blocks depends on the conscientiousness of the manufacturer;
- the high strength of the material makes it difficult to lay cables, pipes in it;
- the walls have an unpresentable appearance (therefore, finishing is required).
In general, we can say that cinder block is a good material for building walls. It is also used for laying foundations, building partitions.
However, many are stopped by the question of harmfulness. Therefore, for residential buildings, they often prefer to use other options - brick, aerated concrete, etc. And the cinder block is for outbuildings, garages, fences.
Building materials for the walls of the house: draw conclusions
As you can see, today the market offers many options for solving this issue. The house can be built the way you want - not only in appearance, but also in thermal insulation, strength and other characteristics.
Therefore, choose the best material for building walls at home and ... for work.
And now, as promised, a survey among our readers.
Survey
What is the best way to build walls at home? How do you think?
Every good owner sooner or later comes across some kind of construction. Someone is building a garage, someone is a bathhouse, and some are aiming to build a large mansion on their own. Here the question arises as to which material is better to choose for building a house.
The main stages of construction include pouring the foundation, as well as the construction of walls. It is important for any owner that the aesthetic appearance of the building is of a high level, the walls are warm, strong, and in general, the cost of building materials is not very high.
The most popular materials for building a house
The modern construction market is rich and diverse. Let's take a closer look at the top five most popular building materials for building a house.
- One-piece profiled timber.
- The log is rounded.
- Brick.
- Foam blocks.
- Thermal panels.
What to give preference to? Each owner makes this decision independently, but for this it is worth examining all the pros and cons of each of the materials.
Wood
Wooden building materials for building a house have become very popular nowadays. Wooden walls have low thermal conductivity, but stable heat capacity. Even if the house has not been heated for some time, the resulting condensation will be absorbed into the wood when the stove is in operation. After that, the already heated air draws out moisture, and a special, favorable microclimate is created into the room. Conifers are often used in construction (pine, spruce, fir, larch, cedar). In addition to the popular solid profiled timber, rounded logs, glued, ordinary timber, carriage are used.
Solid profiled timber
Specially processed material. In a profiled bar, the content of wood resin is very high, thanks to this, buildings made of it are durable, not exposed to aggressive environmental influences.
Even in the last century, when choosing finishing and building materials, rarely did anyone stop at a profiled bar. When erecting the walls, manual adjustments were required. Now, thanks to modern technologies, the beams are processed on machines in such a way that they simply fit perfectly, the gaps between them are minimal.
This eco-friendly material is not too expensive. The walls keep the heat inside for a long time, they can be erected in a matter of days. Smooth, machined beams allow you to assemble a house like a puzzle.
Round log
When studying building materials for building a house, pay attention to the rounded log. Like timber, this building material is made from conifers. Unlike the first, a rounded log allows you to erect buildings that are more durable, all this is due to the shape of the material. Construction from rounded logs is also carried out in a short time.
Brick
The most popular building material for the construction of walls is brick. Outwardly, brick buildings are quite acceptable, they are very strong in strength, durable, and also environmentally friendly.
Silicate brick. This building material is very common. Buildings made of such bricks can last for more than a dozen years.
Clay brick. It has always been considered a symbol of something stable, indestructible. Such a brick has increased strength, frost resistance, immunity to aggressive atmospheric influences. However, the thermal performance of such a building material does not always meet expectations.
For the construction of reliable buildings, high-quality building materials are required. Brick factories offer a rich assortment of their products, which can be divided into three categories:
- Solid bricks, these include the following types: conditionally effective, ordinary, effective.
- Hollow bricks, the proportion of voids in them reaches 40%. Facing products also fall into this category.
- as well as large-format stones-bricks. The high thermal conductivity of this category is ensured by the honeycomb-shaped structural material.
Disadvantages, advantages of bricks
During transportation, especially over long distances, a small percentage of products lose their presentation, brick materials for building walls of a house crumble. At the same time, their cost is very high.
The ability of bricks to retain heat is much less than that of wood. Walls built of conditionally effective or solid bricks always require additional insulation. This problem is solved by three options: a ventilated facade - installation of a hinged insulation system, a heat-insulating plastering system, as well as three-layer walls with a heat layer.
The brick house is comfortable to live in. This design "breathes", provides air exchange, and at the same time has active thermal inertia. When heated, brick walls keep heat for a long time and gradually release it into the room.
Foam blocks
If you need high-quality and at the same time inexpensive building materials for building a house, then pay attention to foam blocks.
Foam blocks are characterized by such qualities as heat resistance, high strength, low weight. Sudden changes in temperature do not affect the walls built from foam blocks in any way. They do not crack or expand. There are many air bubbles inside the block, which increase the thermal insulation effect. For comparison: foam concrete walls have a thermal conductivity eight times higher than conventional concrete walls. The material is good not only for the construction of main walls, but also for internal floors. Thanks to this, the entire structure retains heat perfectly. Foam concrete structures do not require additional insulation. Heating costs are significantly reduced, by about 30%.
Pros of foam concrete structures
- Due to the low weight, the pressure on the foundation is reduced.
- Savings in finishing. The usual wall putty is enough, plaster is not necessary.
- Reducing labor intensity. One 15 kg foam block replaces 20 bricks, the total weight of which is 80 kg.
- Cellular foam concrete blocks have excellent sound insulation properties.
- Brick factories produce such building materials in sufficient quantities. The popularity of foam blocks is growing every day.
- In terms of environmental friendliness, this material resembles wood. The room maintains optimal humidity, the walls breathe. Unlike wood, blocks do not rot, burn, or rust like metal.
- Foam concrete is often used as a heat insulator; it can withstand high temperatures (up to +400 degrees).
- The blocks are very easy to handle with common hand tools.
Disadvantages of foam concrete
When we choose materials for the walls of the house, we try to study not only the advantages, but also their inherent disadvantages, there are those of foam concrete. These include:
- The fragility of the material.
- The walls must be reinforced every three rows.
- Foam concrete quickly absorbs moisture, which somewhat reduces thermal conductivity.
- To avoid dampness, you need to create waterproofing, moisture-resistant protection between the foundation and the walls.
- Vapor permeability of foam concrete. A vapor barrier is required.
Frame thermal panels
If you need inexpensive building materials for building a house, then you should pay attention to frame thermal panels. The advantages of this material include low thermal conductivity, relative strength and quick assembly. The downside is the lack of naturalness.
Thermal panels today are very often used for finishing frame-panel houses. Their design consists of extruded polystyrene foam (in the role of a heat-insulating substrate) and High performance properties allow the use of thermal panels in the construction of houses using Canadian technologies. The most important characteristics of this facade material, which ensured a wide demand, undoubtedly include the absence of moisture absorption, low thermal conductivity, high compressive and impact strength, resistance to fire and any biological effects. The material is easy to install and use.
Finishing and for the construction of walls at home must meet all modern requirements, then the design will delight the owners for many years. Frame thermal panels provide an attractive, aesthetic, solid appearance to the building. It is for this reason that this material is very often used for the construction of cottages. built according to Canadian technology, the finished one looks like a smooth, impeccable brickwork.
If the building is lined with thermal panels, heat loss is immediately reduced by 30%, all this thanks to the substrate, which consists of extruded polystyrene foam. The clinker tiles are bonded to the insulation under high pressure with an extra strong adhesive. The finest cutting of expanded polystyrene sheet allows for high-quality tight joints. In order for the facade to acquire a finished look, in addition to the main panels, you can purchase various additional elements to neatly arrange the corners.
We have presented the most common building materials on the market today. How and what material to choose for building a house, to give preference to price, naturalness, aesthetic qualities or technical characteristics, you decide for yourself.
Who does not dream of their own cozy home outside the city. Many people move from desires to actions and start planning construction. What prevents others from doing this? First of all, the high cost of building a house scares. After all, I want to build a capital building that will serve without problems for many years, and will still remain for grandchildren.
The peculiarities of the climate in our country also require capital construction. And if we take into account the cost of the land plot, the supply of all communications, then we simply lose heart. But there is a way out!
You can build a house cheaply. At the same time, it will look very presentable and modern. In reality, it is enough to spend no more than half a million rubles to get a spacious turnkey house.
You just need to take into account what factors affect the cost of construction:
- House layout. You can save up to 20 percent on a project.
- The choice of house design and materials of execution. Choosing the right materials will cut costs by up to 40 percent.
- House building works. Some work can be easily done by yourself. That will also allow you to save well on the services of specialists.
Choosing modern materials reduces construction costs as they are easier to work with. Many manipulations can be done by hand. Moreover, they have high quality characteristics.
The construction time of a house can also be shortened by using the latest developments in the field of building materials. As a result, the construction will take up to 3 months.
Material for the walls of the house - what to build a residential building from?
There are a number of building materials that meet the requirements for the quality of the building and can satisfy almost any customer request.
The most commonly used materials for the construction of private houses are as follows:
- Profiled and sawn timber;
- Rounded log;
- Gas silicate blocks;
- Brick.
First of all, you need to decide how the house will be operated:
- Seasonal operation. Such buildings are designed for living in them during the summer season. A frame house made of a thin beam or a rounded log with a small diameter is enough.
- Permanent residence. These houses must be heated in winter, the walls can withstand temperatures down to -30 degrees. Walls should be made of logs or stone.
Basic building materials and their cost
A house made of wood is preferred by people for whom the ecological component is important. Wood, as a natural material, allows you to relax, promotes good rest. It maintains a comfortable atmosphere in the house at any time of the year.
1. Choosing a stone house is more practical. The main reasons for this choice are as follows:
- Low operating costs;
- Small heat loss;
- Long service life.
2. You can stay at a combined house when two kinds of materials are used. It combines the practicality of stone and the comfort of wood. As a rule, the first floor is built of stone, and the second is made of wood.
3. The cost of building a wooden house can be reduced by choosing a lighter foundation. In addition, there is an opportunity in a log house not to carry out interior decoration, which will also reduce costs. This is despite the fact that this material is quite expensive.
The cost of erecting wooden houses depends on the choice of wall material, on the planned use, the size of the building and varies from 300,000 to 1,000,000 rubles.
4. The cost of warm ceramic houses is very high... These are complex structures with thick walls - up to 50 centimeters. This material has very high quality characteristics, but it is possible to build a house from warm ceramics only in the warm season.
5. A monolithic house in a fixed formwork will cost less. Construction time is short, a heavy foundation is not needed for it, wall materials are inexpensive, but with good thermal conductivity.
6. Monolithic walls made of expanded polystyrene are durable and reliable, resistant to destruction. But they require expensive interior and exterior decoration. You can build a monolithic private house in the middle price category.
7. A house made of gas silicate blocks has good frost resistance, vapor permeability, lasts a long time... The cost of the material is low, but the work is expensive. It requires the construction of a complex foundation. In addition, work can only be carried out in warm weather.
How to choose a material for the walls: a brick house?
It should be noted that the cost of building a brick house is compared to wooden buildings. In addition, it makes no sense to build such a house for temporary residence. This is due to the fact that it needs to be constantly heated.
The cost of building a brick house increases due to the need for a capital foundation. You should make the right choice of the design of a brick cottage so that it looks appropriate and aesthetically pleasing.
The brick house has a number of attractive features.
- Durability and strength of the building. This is a great option for a country house in which permanent residence is planned.
- High fire resistance. At the same time, reliable communications and engineering networks should be created, as well as properly operated.
- A wide range of architectural solutions. It is possible to build a house in any style, from avant-garde to classical Gothic.
- Many options for both interior and exterior finishes. By the way, you don't need to make an exterior finish at all.
Walls from foam blocks: pros and cons
According to consumer reviews, there are much more positive characteristics of foam block houses.
The advantages of this material include the following:
- The blocks are pretty light, the maximum weight is up to 25 kilograms. The construction will turn out to be easy, which allows you not to make an expensive foundation.
- Installation is simple... You can make it yourself very quickly.
- Environmental friendliness. Impurities in foam blocks are contained in minimal quantities. Thermal insulation performance is high.
The disadvantages of foam blocks include:
- Unattractive appearance... The house does not look very nice, but you can choose different types of finishes to refine it.
- Blocks are fragile may be damaged in transit.
- During the shrinkage of the house, cracks may appear in the walls.... It depends on the quality of production.
- The service life of a foam block house reaches 80 years with proper operation. This may seem like a short time to someone.
Everyone makes the choice of material himself. In order to determine the choice, you can ask around your friends who have houses of the materials of interest. There is an opportunity to read reviews on construction forums.
Are expanded clay concrete walls used in private construction
Expanded clay is a durable material that keeps heat better than its counterparts. For example, cinder-concrete walls will need to be made thicker.
Its positive aspects include:
- Frost resistance.
- Small water absorption.
- Durability.
- No shrinkage.
Expanded clay concrete is expensive, the weight of the blocks is large. But they are also actively used in private construction. As a rule, external walls are erected from them, but sometimes expanded clay concrete blocks are also used for internal partitions, creating ceilings, floor screeds.
Wooden walls and a cheaper alternative
A few words should be said separately about wooden housing construction. Wood is relatively inexpensive, it is only important to choose the right type of wood from which the house will be built. For a long time, preference was given to conifers - pine, larch, spruce. It is pine and spruce that are the most frequently used materials in housebuilding.
The main advantages of wooden houses are:
- Low cost.
- Environmental friendliness of the material.
- Low heat conductivity.
- Low weight.
- Allows air to pass through ("breathes").
The main reason people refuse to use this material is high fire hazard... You can secure your wooden house if you correctly install all electrical appliances, comply with all operating requirements. It should be noted that to restore a brick house after a fire at a cost is equivalent to the construction of a wooden house.
Also repelled by the fact that wood subject to destruction for various reasons: shrinkage of the house, decay, the appearance of fungi, mold, the impact of negative natural factors. But this can and should be fought. There are many products that are used to protect wooden surfaces.
The cost of building a wooden house is definitely higher than a building made of a cheaper foam block or expanded clay concrete. But the positives are obvious. Only in the middle of an environmentally friendly and natural tree can a person feel like a part of nature. A wooden house is a cozy refuge for the whole family.
Styrofoam walls: advantages and disadvantages
Walls can be built from foam blocks, which are also called polystyrene foam. They have cavities inside. A house built from this material is considered a thermal house. Expanded polystyrene has its own characteristics.
The advantages include:
- Moisture resistance. They can withstand even prolonged exposure to moisture.
- Excellent noise insulation characteristics.
- The double layer of blocks provides excellent thermal insulation.
- Good air permeability.
- Small weight of the blocks, which provides simplicity and ease of installation and processing.
But this material also has negative sides:
- Styrofoam walls are afraid of high temperatures.
- Creation of special fire safety conditions is required. In case of fire, the material emits very harmful substances that cause irreparable harm to human health.
- The blocks are not environmentally friendly.
- The material is easily damaged. Additional wall finishing is required.
The block cost is quite high. But if we compare the construction of brick walls and foam walls, the second option is more profitable. For the reason that brick walls need to be insulated and finished at least from the inside.
This material is used for the construction of houses up to 5 stories high.
Frame construction of walls
Frame construction is actively used in the private sector for the construction of country houses. At the heart of the house is a frame, which is sheathed on both sides with various materials. The walls are multi-layered.
This type of construction allows you to build modern houses quickly and efficiently.
Their advantages include the following facts:
- Wall structures allow you to build in all the necessary communications inside.
- The technology does not take time to shrink the house and dry the walls.
- Any finishing materials for frame walls can be used.
- The design turns out to be light, the foundation can be created more economical.
- You can live in a frame house all year round.
- Wood is spent on construction much less than on the construction of a house from a bar.
- Convenience of finishing. The walls come out perfectly flat with the right angles.
- Frame houses do not require constant heating. They can stand well in the winter, retaining their positive qualities.
Finishing a frame house
The frame house makes it possible to use a variety of materials for cladding.
The main options that are used most often are:
- Brick. It can be used in different ways: create a solid surface or make a pattern from bricks of different colors. Brick cladding allows you to protect and strengthen the structure, improve sound insulation and reduce heat loss.
- Decorative stone or ceramics. They give the building a serious respectable look, the house will look like a family estate that was built in the past. This type of finish works well with wood and plaster surfaces.
- Decoration with a wooden clapboard or block house... You can create the look of a log house. It is easy to mount the lining, it has a different texture, which allows you to create original wall surfaces. Also, it does not put a lot of stress on the walls.
- Decorative plaster... It can be applied over a layer of insulation.
- Siding decoration... The popularity of this facing material has greatly increased in recent years. Its service life is long, and a huge selection of textures allows you to create an original exterior of the facade.
- Thermal panels... They allow you to solve two problems at once: to insulate the walls and decorate the facade. Their installation is simple, they are fixed on pre-prepared profiles.
Houses made of wood
The materials that can be used to build a wooden house are as follows:
- Rounded log;
- Chopped log;
- Bar.
These materials are, of course, natural and safe. But they are not suitable for cheap construction.... First of all, for the reason that the construction process will take a long time. After all, a blockhouse made of wood shrinks. This will require additional investments to eliminate the consequences - cracks, holes.
Do not forget that any wood requires antiseptic treatment of the walls. This allows you to keep them in their original state for a long time, to protect them from the negative effects of the environment, decay and the appearance of beetles.
Glued laminated timber: beautiful, but expensive
Glued laminated timber is distinguished by high quality and visual appeal. But its cost is very high. Even the fact that the timber structure does not shrink and does not require additional investment in finishing does not guarantee that this can be significantly saved.
Rounded log: a house in the tradition of Russian architecture
Construction from this material requires virtually no manual work. The house is assembled as a constructor. The log has a comfortable shape, all cups and landing channels are created during production. At the same time, the logs are connected as tightly as possible. Wall decoration can be omitted.
Not only houses, but also baths are erected from cylindrical construction.
The advantages of this material include the following:
- Reducing construction costs and shortening the construction time of the facility.
- Noble appearance.
- Achievement of tightness of all joints due to the technological precision of the device of the logs.
- The building looks attractive and aesthetically pleasing.
Dmitry Balandin
Modern building technologies allow building walls of a house from various materials - there are solutions for any, even the most modest, budget. Approaching the issue of building a building, you should understand one simple truth - all materials for the walls of the house have different strengths, thermal conductivity and their own unique construction technology. Whatever one may say, but these are very important features that simply cannot be discounted when starting to build your house or. Let's, together with the site, choose the best building material for the construction of a building.
How to choose material for walls: brick house
Perhaps, brick is the most common material for building walls of a house - its strength allows you to make not only the load-bearing walls of the structure, but also interior partitions that divide the living area into separate rooms.
Mankind invented a brick a long time ago, and during its existence has developed quite a few types. There is a strong brick for the construction of load-bearing walls, a looser one - for laying partitions and filling up empty space, facing bricks are used along with them and even heat-resistant bricks that can withstand high temperatures.
All these varieties of this building material allow you to build brick walls of any strength using various technologies and customize this construction to fit any budget.
The most expensive option is walls lined with several solid layers of silicate bricks - this approach allows you to build walls that are strong enough to withstand heavy loads. In this way, they even build high-rise buildings up to 9, or even higher, floors - here it's all about the thickness of the walls and the method of laying bricks. This one turns out to be quite comfortable, it is cool in summer and warm in winter.
How to choose the material for the walls of a residential building
A cheaper option for building walls is to combine various bricks and modern synthetic insulation. These building materials for the walls of the house are laid according to a special technology, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of construction and at the same time keep the characteristics of the walls at the same level.
Such combined walls are a kind of puff pastry. Outside, a facing brick is laid, from the inside it is rubble (cheaper), and the space between them is filled with either foam or mineral insulation. The house turns out to be warm, but the strength suffers a little - a tall building cannot be built in this way (maximum 2-3 floors).
Walls of a brick house photo
Walls from foam blocks: pros and cons
When deciding on the material for the walls of a residential building, one should not lose sight of aerated concrete and foam concrete - in their characteristics they differ little from each other - light, warm and comfortable during construction. Their only drawback is their low strength. They are mainly used for the construction of interior partitions.
It is possible to use foam concrete to create load-bearing walls only in combination with reinforced concrete - supporting columns and floor beams are poured out, and the space between them is laid with foam blocks. This approach to construction reduces the original cost of the home by ten percent.
Walls of the house from foam blocks
Are expanded clay concrete walls used in private construction
Blocks or even slabs of expanded clay concrete are made from cement with the addition of expanded clay granules and a reinforcing frame - this approach to their creation allows you to make the walls of the house strong and warm. Expanded clay concrete was often used in the construction of high-rise buildings in the last century, they were used as insulation, and the load-bearing walls of the house were located inside the building.
In private construction, expanded clay concrete walls are rare - they are not cheap, and working with them requires special lifting equipment.
House walls made of expanded clay concrete blocks
Wooden walls and a cheaper alternative
Wood is an environmentally friendly material, it is for this reason that it is becoming increasingly popular in modern cottage construction. The walls of a house made of wood are durable, warm, and most importantly, safe for humans. Such a house is very expensive - the walls built from processed logs are the most expensive, and not everyone can afford such an approach to construction.
To reduce the cost of erecting wooden walls, modern industry has learned to produce the so-called glued timber - it is made from waste woodworking industry by gluing individual wooden parts. In this way, you can make a bar of any length and section - in terms of strength, this material is not much inferior to a massive log, and its thermal conductivity and environmental friendliness practically does not change.
Walls of a house from a bar photo
Styrofoam walls: advantages and disadvantages
The cheapest option for building walls is to build them from polystyrene foam. This technology is quite interesting, and it is simply impossible to ignore it. A foam block, identical, is laid like a regular brick with only one difference - the cavities in the blocks are filled with concrete and reinforced.
As a result, inside the foam blocks, a kind of small columns of reinforced concrete are obtained, on which the main load from the building falls. In this way, you can build a structure up to three stories high.
The disadvantages of foam walls include problems with their lining. To obtain a high-quality facade, it is additionally necessary to plaster it using a special technology using a metal mesh, or use a ventilated facade system. The same can be said about the interior walls - mixtures for foam plaster cost a lot, this nuance nullifies the low cost of the material and work with it.
Material for the walls of the house - polystyrene
Frame construction of walls
Recently, the so-called frame construction of houses has become increasingly popular. This technology is based on the principle of a metal frame made of special profiles, which is subsequently sheathed with sheet material of the type, and the inner cavity of such walls is insulated. Frame walls are a kind of construction kit that allows you to build a house cheaply in almost a month.
The disadvantage of this method of construction is its low strength and durability - as they say, such a house cannot be built for centuries. On the other hand, you and your children will have enough (although the question remains open about the latter).
House wall options - frame construction
In general, there are a lot of options for building the walls of a house, in addition to the above, there are other materials that you will have to choose. Anything can affect the choice of material for the walls of the house: your financial condition, and the climatic zone in which you live, and other factors. The main thing to remember is that you need to build so that the house is a refuge not only for you, but also for the next generations of your family.