The purpose of this article is to help potential developers figure out which modern building materials are attractive not only in terms of their price, but also in terms of the expediency of their use in the construction of private houses.
The growth of individual construction has led to the emergence of various materials on the market, including those that no one had heard of before. The range of building materials is so large that even specialists are often lost, not knowing which is the best to choose.
As a rule, individual developers are guided by the following indicators: price of materials (including facing); the ability to perform all operations with your own hands to the maximum; the total weight of the structure, since the type of foundation and the cost of its installation largely depend on this; the cost of finishing work; durability; the frequency of current (overhaul) repairs and operating costs (mainly for heating).
First, comprehensive information on each sample is a topic for a separate review. Second, there are no perfect materials. Each material has its pros and cons, which will be discussed. Thirdly, many of the shortcomings of materials are very relative, since the manifestation of their defects is mainly caused not by the quality of the products, but by the excessive self-confidence of the developer, elementary violations of the technology of production of construction and installation works and the technical illiteracy of builders on issues of heat and waterproofing, thermal expansion of building materials , their compatibility, etc., etc.
What kind of house do you need? It is necessary to decide
There are three main types of houses built by private developers.
To the first type a residential building for permanent residence those who live in the countryside, but his labor activity is connected with the city and for those who want to run their farm on their own land.
These are, as a rule, capital buildings with a full range of additional premises, such as a boiler room, workshop, sauna, garage. Such houses are designed for year-round living, so their walls must have thermal insulation properties in accordance with the climate of the region.
The engineering equipment of houses for permanent residence should provide a maximum of utilities, surpassing the comfort of a city apartment.
To the second type ranked as a "second home" or the so-called cottage, an employee for temporary residence in the suburban area. Buildings of this type usually take into account the possibility of year-round living, therefore their walls are treated with the same attention as in houses for permanent residence.
To the third type houses include summer cottages and garden houses - houses for seasonal living or short-term visits, where you can come to spend weekends in the warm season. Most often, such houses are operated at temperatures not lower than -5 degrees, so the thickness of the walls rarely exceeds 25 cm (in one brick), and engineering support is reduced to a stove, street toilet and a well, usually for several houses.
All of these famous wall designs have their pros and cons. Therefore, the developer needs at least a little idea not only about the total cost of building a house from this material, but also about the advantages of the material for which he makes his choice in favor of this wall design, and with what disadvantages he will therefore be forced to put up with further during the operation of the house.
Before starting the construction of a cottage, remember that the box of the house - the foundation, walls and roof - sometimes takes more than 60% of the value of the house. And in these costs, about 50% are enclosing structures or walls.
If you decide to build your own home, the first thing you will have to figure out is the amount of materials you will need to build it. The process of counting all the necessary things is quite capacious, tedious and time-consuming, but it is extremely necessary for a stable and successful construction. Therefore, let's get down to the calculations.
- Decide on the size and volume of the house. Determine the exact footage that you need for housing, distribute all premises and rooms in this footage and choose their arrangement.
- Use the services of a specialist. You can study specialized forums or sites that provide statistics on how much each type of building material is needed for a certain size of a building or room.
- If you cannot find the information you need on the network, go to the store and consult the seller. Ask him which of the available material is most suitable for you, which of the materials have the highest quality indicators, and how much of this or that product you need to fill the entire footage.
- Make the final choice between traditional and modern building materials. You evaluate not only the funds, but also the manufacturability of construction and the duration of operation. Modern technologies make it possible to obtain material with higher indicators of "survivability", and at the same time at a very reasonable price. The assembly process can be much easier, and the end result looks neater and cleaner.
- Review your notes again before going to the store. Make adjustments, count the quantity and price of all items. Remember to order building materials with at least a five percent surplus for emergencies.
The strategic issue is the type of walls. To begin with, we will consider three options for wall structures that are widely used in private housing construction.
Old and good tree
The traditional material for Russian housing construction is wood. About 33% of our houses have been built from it.
People who are thinking about what is better to build a private house from often come up with this material. After all, a wooden house is health and comfort. Its walls not only "breathe", but also make the air healing, trapping harmful substances. Wooden walls create optimal humidity in the room and smell good.
The walls of a house made of wood have good thermal insulation and keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Heating costs for a wooden house can be significantly lower compared to brick walls.
A wooden house can be built from logs (rounded or profiled) and / or from timber (simple or glued).
Manual felling
This method is the oldest, our grandfathers and great-grandfathers used it. This is a hand-made frame. The tree trunk is cut to the desired length, and then locks and grooves are made on it. Next, the logs are connected, laying out the outlines of the house. It is imperative to wait for shrinkage - this is about a year, no less. Then they caulk the cracks and sheathe the windows and doors.
Today, this method of erecting a wooden house is not used. Anyone can build a house out of a rounded log. Such a structure is assembled, like a constructor, we will talk about this further.
A house from a bar is easier and faster to build
Neat, smooth logs are processed in production conditions and marked. Ready-made parts from which the walls are assembled are supplied to the construction site. The beam can have various sizes and sections (rectangular, square, in the form of the letter D). If it is profiled, then it has projections and grooves for connection. The oblique cut helps to drain off excess water. A house from this material can be built with your own hands.
There are several types of timber for building a house.
Sawed timber made of logs with a moisture content of 50 to 70%. As soon as he is cut out, he immediately goes to the construction site. Because of this, the house is subject to shrinkage (up to 10 cm). Cracks sometimes appear on the walls.
Planed timber dried under production conditions. The moisture content of the finished product is from 20 to 25%. After drying on a special machine, the products are cut. As a result, the shrinkage of the house, although it exists, is very small.
Glued timber made of several layers of lamellas (special boards dried to 6 or 10% moisture). They are glued together under pressure, while the fibers of adjacent layers are arranged perpendicular to each other. Finished products have a length of up to 12 m, and a thickness of 7.5 to 30 cm. They do not shrink, deform and do not crack. Therefore, many believe that glued laminated timber is the best material for the walls of a wooden house.
The positive aspects of wooden houses are obvious - they are environmental friendliness, frost resistance, speed of construction, seismic and wind resistance. In addition, wood does not need additional cladding, which bodes well for budget savings.
There are also disadvantages, but they are relatively few. First, wood is a moody material. For example, wooden houses tend to shrink. Shrinkage of a house is a natural process of changing the volume of walls due to the drying of the material from which they are made. The maximum shrinkage is about 10% and is observed in houses made from freshly cut logs. Such a building needs to stand without finishing for at least 8 months, and usually a year.
In the process of shrinkage, the house can go with cracks, which are coated with special compounds. The minimum shrinkage is observed in houses made of laminated veneer lumber and ordinary dried lumber. Such materials are almost immediately ready for finishing. However, it will take a lot of money to insulate a house from a bar.
Another disadvantage of wood is flammability, a fire can destroy such a structure in a matter of minutes. Therefore, wooden houses are impregnated with special compounds that increase their fire resistance.
Special formulations are needed to protect against rotting and insects. Impregnation is a necessary measure, and the special means themselves are not always environmentally friendly. In addition, a house made of wood requires constant maintenance, especially if it is intended for seasonal living, it must be heated, as damp wood begins to rot.
In general, the durability of wooden houses, built by specialists, in compliance with all technological nuances, is from 70 to 100 years.
In short - the advantages of wood materials
It is one of the most sustainable materials. Building a wooden house is not as expensive as building a brick one. In terms of thermal conductivity, wood is significantly superior to brick. A wooden house is usually very pretty. Often it does not require finishing, either inside or outside. The foundation is required lightweight and inexpensive. For example, columnar. A house made of wood, especially a hand-cut one, serves for a very long time.
In short - the disadvantages of wood materials:
The tree burns, can rot and be eaten by the fungus. To prevent this, all parts must be treated with special preparations. The shrinkage of a log house can take from 3 to 5 years. Sliced \u200b\u200btimber and log cabins can crack.
Brick is a brick
Brick is considered one of the most popular materials on the market. More than 50% of houses in Russia are built of bricks
Ceramic bricks and silicate bricks. What is the difference?
Two types of bricks are used in construction: silicate (white) and ceramic (red) bricks.
Ceramic brick is red. Such material is not afraid of frost and does not allow water to pass through. It can be full-bodied (no more than 13% of voids) and hollow (up to 49% of voids). The shape of the holes in the brick can be round, square, oval, horizontal or vertical. With an increase in their number, the thermal insulation properties improve.
For the construction of external fences, construction teams prefer ceramic bricks. Seven brands of ceramic bricks are produced: from M75 to M300. The higher the numbers, the stronger the brick. You should also pay attention to frost resistance, indicated by the letter F. The lowest quality is F15, the highest is F75.
Silicate brick consists of a mixture of quartz sand, water and air lime. It is strong enough, resistant to frost, and has good sound insulation. Sand-lime brick is white. Its main components are lime, sand and a small proportion of additives.
This type of brick is also produced both solid and with cavities inside. The latter is lighter, and the walls from it are much warmer (air is an excellent heat insulator). But solid silicate brick can interest the developer with a variety of colors. For the strength of a brick, it does not matter whether it is solid or with cavities inside.
Ordinary and front bricks and their purpose.
Both types of bricks can be used for different purposes. Ordinary brick is also called building brick - it is used for internal masonry of walls. For him, small cracks are not considered a marriage. It doesn't matter if the corners or ribs are slightly beaten off and there are notches in the corners.
The front (facing) brick must have an impeccable appearance, not have notches and flaws.
About the strength of bricks and resistance to frost
Strength determines the grade of the brick. There is a special marking for this indicator: the letter M and a number next to it (from 75 to 300). This number is the load supported by this brand per square centimeter. The higher this number, the heavier the brick. For the walls of a two-story or three-story house, brands M100 and M125 are suitable. The basement or foundation is laid with M150 or M175 bricks.
When choosing which brick to build a house from, one should also take into account frost resistance (the ability to freeze and thaw without being damaged). To designate this indicator, the letter F was chosen, next to which there is a number from 15 to 100. It means the number of freezing and defrosting cycles without damaging the material. In warmer areas, F15 is sufficient for external walls, where it is colder - F25. The cladding is usually made with F50 brick.
The main advantages of bricks are strength, fire resistance, a wide variety and choice on the market, as well as an affordable price. A small brick house can sometimes be cheaper than a wooden cottage. Brick keeps the temperature well and, in this sense, is ideal for houses where year-round living is planned. But at the same time, in terms of heat transfer, brick is seriously inferior to wood.
Brick also has enough disadvantages. To build a brick house, it is sometimes necessary to spend one and a half times more time than building a wooden house. Brick is a heavy material that complicates logistics and storage. A brick building needs a strong and powerful foundation, and this is an additional cost.
A brick house can last 100 - 150 years. He will perfectly survive the rains with hurricanes and hail, and severe frosts, and drying heat. Brick walls have been laid since ancient times, so the technology of their construction has been worked out to the smallest detail. But a good master is not easy to find.
In short - the advantages of bricks: Attractive look. Durability. The ability to bring to life any complex project. Resistant to corrosion, mold and mildew. Non-flammability. Noise protection. Decent heat retention.
In short - brick disadvantages: Great weight. High demands on professionalism in styling. The need for a solid foundation. The need to use a heat insulator
Inexpensive frame house
And from what cheaper build a house? For some, the answer to this question is most important. In this case, take a closer look at wireframe technology. In addition to the cheapness of such a home, the assembly speed is also impressive. Just a few weeks - and you can move into a home that will be warm and comfortable.
The basis of such buildings is a frame made of wood or metal. It includes rafters, posts, trusses and other elements. Then a heater is put in, and on top, all this is sheathed with dense sheets of chipboard or OSB. The wall of such a house weighs 15 times less than a brick wall.
There is not much expensive wood for the frame - 5 or 10 times less than for a felling. Insulation is the main expense. However, even he, even the best, gives the cost of a wall 1.5 times cheaper than from a bar, and in comparison with a brick - 2.7 times.
Frame houses can be of two types:
Frame-panel house- assembled from ready-made shields. First, they are connected, then partitions are made between the rooms. The final stage is the construction of the roof.
Frame-frame house- made on the basis of a "frame" - a frame made of beams and logs, resting on the foundation. Next, they put the rafters and make the crate. After the manufacture of the roof, the frame is sheathed with insulation (mineral wool or PPS). At the end, the outer skin is made.
Since the main material in the construction of a frame house is insulation, when making correct calculations of the required amount, the structure turns out to be warm enough, which will allow you to significantly save on heating.
In short - the advantages of a frame house: Extremely low price and quick installation. Good heat saving (when the heating is turned off in frost at minus 10 ° C, the temperature will decrease by 2 ° C per day). No interior decoration needed, which reduces costs. Communications can be hidden inside the walls, which saves space. No special skills are required to build a frame house cheaply and quickly. With a timber frame, the most incredible designs are possible. A real flight of fantasy is possible. A small, shallow foundation is enough for a frame house.
In short - the disadvantages of a frame house: a frame house is considered not very environmentally friendly due to the large amount of insulation. Another problem with these houses is various insects and rodents. Like all wooden houses, they are flammable and not resistant to natural disasters. Another problem of frame houses is that it is stuffy in them, therefore, supply and exhaust ventilation is required. A house on a frame will last less than a brick or wooden house
Instead of a conclusion
What you need to know when choosing a material for the walls of the house?
Wall materials and the production of work on the construction of enclosing structures is one third of all costs for building a house. And if you, like the piglets Nif-Nif and Nuf-Nufu, carelessly take this serious choice, you will inevitably incur serious expenses in the future.
Therefore, we will consider the most important criteria and factors that must be taken into account when choosing a material for building walls at home.
A) Price issue. Costs can be reduced by using lightweight material for the walls. Then you don't have to build a powerful and expensive foundation.
B) Thermal insulation. Cold walls are too expensive in winter. Therefore, before choosing a material, you need to do all the calculations, focusing on local climatic conditions. To achieve the required degree of thermal insulation, you can resort to using heaters. If we take a material with good heat-insulating properties, then the walls need not be insulated, but it all depends on the region of construction.
C) Labor costs. Time and effort can be reduced if walls are made of large blocks rather than small-sized materials. Such walls are erected 3-4 times faster and easier. The fastest speed is when erecting frame panel walls.
D) Subsequent finishing costs. Modern, smooth and aesthetic materials do not require additional wall decoration - this allows you to save money.
To determine what is better to build the walls of the house from, it is necessary to consider the main types of suitable building materials, to determine and compare their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.
Comparison of different materials for wall construction
| № | Materials | Advantages | disadvantages | Cost of materials and work $ / M2 | |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 | Brick (minimum thickness 380 mm) | Reliability, durability, environmental friendliness. |
The need for insulation, labor intensity, heavy walls, a strong foundation is needed | 75 | |
| 2 | Ceramic block (thickness - 380 mm) | Reliability, durability, environmental friendliness, construction speed. |
Fragility of the material a highly qualified specialist is needed. |
82 | |
| 3 | Rounded timber (diameter - 200 mm) | Environmental friendliness, rapidity erection. |
Shrinkage of walls, great dependence on the quality of the material and specialists, flammability, decay. |
44 | |
| 4 | Glued profiled timber (200/230 mm) | Environmental friendliness, speed of construction, lightweight foundation. |
Flammability, decay. | 111 | |
| 5 | Aerated concrete (thickness - 380) | The speed of construction, durability, reliability, environmental friendliness, thermal insulation. |
A solid foundation is needed; low bending strength. |
60 | |
| 6 | Wooden frame + sandwich panels with insulation. | The speed of construction, good thermal insulation, lightweight foundation |
The longevity of the home depends on technology and construction quality. |
44 | |
And more advice. When choosing a material for building a house, you should not approach the upcoming construction “on a grand scale”. A person, in fact, does not need so much space for complete happiness, especially outside the city. All the savings that you achieve by reducing the cost of materials and construction technologies can be crossed out by extra floors, rooms and spaces.
We wish you success in finding and finding the only right solution!
Text: Valery Bordyuzhenko -
In principle, every material for building a house has its own indisputable advantages and disadvantages... The abundance of choice complicates the question of which house to build for permanent residence. One thing is for sure: for heavy and light materials, the main thing is skillful hands of the developer... An error in calculations will come back to haunt in any case and emerge the next day or in 10 years, when it will be very difficult to fix it.
What material to choose, what is better and cheaper to build a house from? We will conduct a brief overview, as well as materials for their construction.
What are heavy and light materials?
Heavy materials for construction include, as the name implies, stones, various blocks, bricks, slabs... For houses made of heavy materials, an appropriate foundation is also needed. Most often, tape is used, but if the ground is not the best, it can be combined with pile-screw.
When it comes to lightweight materials, it means wood, frame... Of course, these are just conventional names for such houses, which does not mean that the house will be really easy in the end. for wooden houses, it is better to choose the best possible. stand for several hundred years and the foundation should not fail.
For frame frames, you can save a little, choosing just the pile option... The "shelf life" of the frame is up to 100 years, therefore, if the soil allows you to save, it is quite possible.
Brick is expensive, but for centuries
However, this material is able to withstand not so.
According to statistics, the "shelf life" of a brick house reaches 200 years.
Due to the fact that the material has been in use among builders for a very long time, usually there are no problems with hiring craftsmen.
The range of types of bricks is also for every taste:
- Ceramic bricks are made from clay, by molding and calcining in special ovens. Possesses high level of strength, refers to environmentally friendly materials for construction. Of course, if it is made with high quality and the production standards are met. It is solid and hollow (inside up to 50% of voids). For construction, the second subspecies is in priority, since the more voids in the body of the material, the higher its heat-retaining property.
- Silicate bricks are made from lime and sand. It is white and looks great, especially the solid subspecies. Lightweight sand-lime brick - looks very sloppy, but has higher thermal insulation property.
- Ordinary and facial brick subspecies will also find application in the construction of a capital house. Privates - in the inner masonry, front - will decorate the house from the outside.
Be sure to pay attention to the marking before ordering a batch of material. It is done in order to know whether the masonry of a particular brick will withstand the weight of the structure and natural phenomena. Usually the material is marked with the letter "M" with two or three numbers. The minimum strength per square centimeter is 75, the maximum is 200.
Important: When building a basement, the minimum strength is 150; when building a two-story house, you should purchase lots with strength from M125. The more floors, the heavier the attic, the higher the coefficient should be, respectively, the brick will be heavier, and the cost per cubic meter of material is higher.
For construction in Russia, especially in the provinces, it is very important to take into account the fact that frosts in winter can be serious. The "F" marking is responsible for frost resistance, and the indicator varies from 15 to 100.
For cladding a house in a temperate climate, the F50 marking is used, inside you can make F25 masonry. The higher the marking rate, the more times the brick survive freezing without damaging the structure.
Brief summary and characteristics of the material:
- you get an expensive house box and foundation;
- very expensive, presentable type of final work;
- phenomenal durability;
- precipitation, temperature drops do not care;
- excellent fire resistance;
- difficult to lay out a box;
- rather "dirty" construction, you need a lot of extra space around.
Output: brick construction is a costly and laborious process.
However, all costs, including financial ones, will more than be repaid for the long life of the building. Correctly selected bricks and competent builders extend the life of a house up to 100-200 years without changing the original characteristics.
Concrete blocks
The second most popular material for laying load-bearing walls, in comparison with brick. Strong material, more profitable financially and much easier to build... In summer, the house is kept cool, in winter it is warm and cozy, precipitation and other natural phenomena are not terrible high-quality concrete block.
Advantages of concrete block construction:
- The first thing to note is the fire resistance of the material. Concrete does not burn, therefore, unlike wood construction, the house is safe from external fires and can withstand direct fire for several hours.
- The material tolerates frost well.
- For those who value good sound insulation in the house, construction from concrete blocks is suitable. Due to the structure of the concrete itself, there will be no extraneous noise in the house.
- With proper construction, the thermal insulation is pretty good. In conjunction with an external, well-built heating circuit, you can achieve good savings on heating the house.
- It is possible to operate a building from blocks, as well as from bricks, for a long time. On average, without major repairs, the house will delight 80-120 years.
- Concrete blocks do not rot, mold and mildew.
- The versatility of the material allows you to build residential buildings, garages, and multi-storey buildings of any type.
The disadvantages include unpresentable appearance of the house without finishing. Therefore, when calculating the budget for construction, one should also take into account the external "marafet". In addition, construction should only be done in dry weather and takes a fair amount of time, partly due to variable weather. Due to the high level of groundwater in some parts of the country, waterproofing may be required.
What you need to know about concrete blocks?
There are several types of concrete blocks and differ from each other:
- brand (from 50 to 100) is an indicator of the strength of the product;
- frost resistance - from 15 to 200.
The strength marking must correspond to the total mass of the building. That is, for the basement - the highest value, for a house with 2 floors - approximately M75 (it also depends on the size of the attic). Frost resistance, as already discussed, depends on the location of the future building.
Very important for quality construction explore the soil under the home site... To do this, it is better to play it safe and hire specialists, which will also be very costly. But, if you choose the wrong type of foundation and the building starts to drive, the costs will be even greater. For “troubled” lands, a monolithic type of foundation (if the house is not large), as well as pile and tape, are suitable.
Output: concrete blocks are only slightly inferior to brick in their qualities.
but the price and ease of construction are more attractiveif you choose between these two materials. Additional costs may be required for waterproofing, as well as for external insulation and finishing.
Construction from natural stones
People have been using natural stones for a very long time. Many old-timers remember the times when the construction of this material cost a penny, since the stone was not very valuable and was simply mined. Natural stone was especially available in areas close to the place of extraction.
Now the situation has changed radically and construction from sandstone, shell rock, granite, basalt is sometimes more expensivethan we would like. More or less good is the case with the construction of natural stone is near the mountains, that is, next to the mining site.
Advantages using natural stone for building a house:
- for not remote areas, this material will be inexpensive, the farther from the mining sites, the more expensive the quality material will be;
- the material is the most environmentally friendly of all heavy building materials;
- the blocks are quite large, so construction will not be delayed;
- depending on the deposit, the porosity of the shell rock is different, which means that the thermal conductivity also changes;
- good sound insulation;
- perfectly survives all weather changes, does not rot, does not become covered with bacteria when properly built.
Like any other material, natural stones have their own limitations:
- heavy: you need a good, expensive foundation and additional costs for the construction of the box;
- different shapes of each block create additional difficulties when joining, more cement will be required;
- very serious waterproofing is required: the material absorbs moisture;
- the facade of the shell rock wall is trimmed along a reinforced mesh, otherwise everything will quickly fly around.
Output: minor difficulties associated with the construction are more than repaid, due to the fact that the material is environmentally friendly, the house will stand for a long time.
Having chosen the stone of the correct density (all natural stones are also marked), it is possible to equip both the basement and the higher floors with it. And the cost per cube will depend on the location of the customer.
Thermal panel construction
Thermal panels or panels from - a relatively new product for construction. If the material for construction is chosen based on savings, first of all, then you can take a closer look at this option. Frame thermal panels declare themselves as the most heat-saving material. In addition, the construction of a house from new material is quite fast.
The panel consists of clinker tiles and thermal insulation in the form of expanded polystyrene. The main disadvantage of frame thermal panels is that they 100% synthetic material... That is, panels will not be suitable for connoisseurs of environmentally friendly buildings under any pretext. The material does not absorb moisture, is not subject to destruction, it tolerates compression very well, pressure from all sides, does not burn, perfectly withstands any natural changes.
Others dignity panels:
- excellent appearance;
- in tandem with thermal panels outside, heat loss is immediately reduced by 30-35%;
- very tight joining of the panels, thanks to their precise cutting.
TO disadvantages have already attributed the fact that they are not environmentally friendly. In addition, you can supplement this list with the fact that additional panels of corner shapes are needed to decorate the shape of the house. These building materials have passed all known tests and meet modern requirements.
Output: the use of frame thermal panels is an economical option that provides a very solid appearance to the finished building.
The exterior of the house without exterior decoration will be similar to brickwork. The clinker board is bonded with expanded polystyrene with a special high-quality construction adhesive under high pressure, which ensures high strength of the final work.
Which house is better?
Wooden houses
The most environmentally friendly type of building. For a long time, timber has been used for construction. The best trees for building a house are pine, cedar and larch... Conifers are less susceptible to fungal attack and have good weather resistance. Larch material does not rot, does not melt. Natural resin has bactericidal properties.
Since time immemorial, mankind has built its homes from pure, breathing natural material - wood. A huge number of preserved architectural monuments are built of wood. The durability of such buildings is estimated in hundreds of years and is amazing.
Larch wooden houses
No wonder this tree is called "iron", those who dealt with this material know that this wood very dense and heavy... It has an amazing quality for wood - increased fire resistance. Over time, larch becomes only denser, it is the only tree that does not rot at all.
In addition, for people with respiratory problems, doctors strongly recommend visiting the larch forest more often. It turns out that it is three times better for health to live in a house made of this material. Great house for living with family, children.
Cedar houses
One of the most expensive building materials is oak. Its density is close to that of larch trees and can withstand phenomenal loads. A house built from this material can withstand an earthquake of up to 7 points. Also, cedar has the property of thermal insulationlarger than other trees.
Pine timber house
Most popular material in construction, due to the lower cost per cubic meter of material. This material has good thermal insulation, allows building a house in 2-3 floors. A properly assembled house will last at least 150 years with timely maintenance and replacement of the lower crowns.
Log house
This construction technology has been perfected for centuries and has come down to us in the most refined form. The trunk is cleaned of bark and dries for a long time in natural conditions.
Professional builders know that the material that is dried under a roof or a shed outdoors retains its properties much longer than dried in dryers of wood processing enterprises.
Log houses are unique, each house may be completely different from others. A well-built wooden house retains heat perfectly.
In room there will always be a healthy microclimate, clean air... The disadvantages include the cost of construction and its duration.
First, a bar is purchased and dried under the flooring for at least 3-4 months, then the box is assembled. The work of the masters also costs a pretty penny. Then the blockhouse (read :) should stand for a year or two, otherwise it will be driven and cracks will go. After shrinkage, you can do the decoration, conduct water, connect to electricity, put up windows and the like. All this takes a lot of money and time.
How chopped houses are made:
- The largest, most resinous and thickest logs are placed in the first rows - the crown of the log house. Waterproofing must be provided before laying. You can use roofing material, waterproofing, etc.
- In each subsequent log, a longitudinal groove is made for closer contact between the rows of logs. Thus, all the rows are collected.
- After the initial shrinkage (about 3 months), the logs are marked, disassembled and assembled again, laying all longitudinal grooves with moss, tow or modern materials.
- After complete shrinkage (1.5 years), the logs are caulked using insulation. Caulking is done only after the roof and windows are ready.
- Sometimes after 5-7 years, when complete shrinkage occurs, you have to caulk again, as new gaps appear and the heat blows out.
Of course, these stages are described only in general terms, but this will allow you to better visualize the stages of building a log house.
Output: building a log house is a way to show your imagination in full. The design of such a house can be absolutely anything. The thickness of the walls, the lower crown make the building not only warm, but also the most durable from all other wooden buildings.
Construction from rounded logs
Rounded log construction is the use of even logs of the same size and diameter, which industrially manufactured... Of course, you can use your golden hands to prepare the material, but, as practice shows, this is a long and laborious task.
After the purchase, according to the construction plan, the customer receives a ready-made log impregnated with special compounds, which only needs to be assembled into a frame. The larger the house is planned, the larger the diameter of the log should be. Thanks to high-quality processing, the logs fit well with each other and each crown fits well on the previous one.
The rounded log construction method is similar to the chopped log method. The advantage of this type of construction can be considered environmental friendliness and excellent appearance, even without exterior decoration. By the way, it is not at all obligatory for most regions of the country.
Output: ordering and buying a rounded log will cost more than buying untreated timber and peeling the bark, processing and turning the log yourself. But, in any case, houses made of such material look very nice, respectable... The house will be warm, breathable and environmentally friendly.
Frame houses
Another subtype of construction, which is considered very new and tempting for its speed of construction.
A rigid frame is assembled from a bar, the base material is installed between the supporting beams.
Less often, a frame is made of metal beams; they will be discussed below.
- Frame-panel board. A frame is built from beams, sheathed from the inside and outside with slabs of coarse shavings or others, insulation is laid between the slab material. The main advantage is the speed of construction. Of the shortcomings - the need to use special equipment.
- SIP panels. These panels consist of insulation (expanded polystyrene), glued on both sides with OSB plates. Walls, ceilings, floors are built from this material. These panels are smaller than in the case of a frame-panel house, so a crane is not needed and you can build a building with your own hands... Of all the wireframes, this method is the easiest for novice builders.
- Frame houses. Compared to the rest, such a building will be the cheapest... The frame is assembled from thick boards, packed onto a foundation box. You can use glued laminated timber, and not a board (half-timbered frame method). The finished frame is filled with bricks, stones, double-glazed windows, wood.
- Metal frame houses. The construction principle is similar to the previous ones, with the exception of the frame material. Metal bases are used, in combination with panels with insulation. Such houses are classified as light, with a service life of about 80 years (according to the warranty from the manufacturers of such frames, which cannot be verified). Despite the thermoprofile used, it will definitely take more money to heat such a house than to heat a wooden "brother".
Output: frame construction is clean, inexpensive.
In addition, little space is needed, the construction can be carried out "from the body" without unloading panels and material, if the space on the site does not allow or is occupied by plantings. To increase the lifespan of a frame house, it is important to correctly calculate and design the frame itself, take the foundation seriously.
What is the cheapest way to build a capital house?
As already noted, a house that will stand for centuries is a priori costly to its owner at the time of construction. However, for budget buildings there is an innovation of the last decades - wireframes.
The lighter the walls, the cheaper it will cost. If you use inexpensive SIP panels, the price will be even lower. However, many people are suspicious of the walls of the house, which can be pierced with a large knife with great effort.
Of heavy materials, construction is the cheapest from aerated concrete or thermal panels... Construction will be expensive from bricks and ceramic blocks... For these buildings, the cost of work will be higher, since the blocks themselves are not easy to climb.
The same conditions will apply to the foundation: the more durable, stronger, the more expensive it will cost both in terms of materials and in terms of labor costs. Optimal for a small house to set pile foundation, if there is an idea to build on the 2nd floor or a good attic, it is better to play it safe.
What to build a house from on a small plot?
For the organization of construction from heavy materials, a scope is needed. The site will need to be divided into zones for the foundation, for placing a warehouse with material (at least a canopy), for mixing concrete. It is also worth thinking about the heap of garbage that will certainly collect.
Debris, packaging, empty boxes, material waste and similar work moments. Workers need a place to at least have lunch or have a "smoke break".
Pay attention to construction from frame thermal panels... Despite the fact that this material is more of a heavy one, you can build from it directly from the car. In terms of time, finances and costs on the ground, this is a profitable material.
As for lightweight materials, a much smaller area will be needed for work. Most of all - for working with timber, log, the least it takes frame, especially made of SIP panels... If the site is extremely small, there are already plantings or there is only space for a house, it is better to give preference to a tree, frame frames.
What constitutes the final cost of construction?
Evaluating and comparing materials, the question involuntarily arises: what, besides the main raw materials, will the money still go to?
Not every site owner can immediately lay out on the table in front of the builders the amount that will be required for turnkey development.
Usually, especially for young families, it is customary to divide work into parts and build in stages.
So, the total amount will be the sum of:
- the complexity of the shape of the house, its number of storeys (complicating the work of the team);
- internal layout;
- insulation;
- exterior decoration;
- roofing costs;
- building materials;
- foundation - almost 40% of all costs;
- interior decoration;
- the severity of the underlying material;
- additional fittings;
- conducting communications;
- waterproofing;
- installation of a heating system;
- other minor costs.
The list is pretty impressive. Depending on the choice of material, it can either grow or shrink. However, building your own home is real a way to create a truly cozy dream homethat everyone fantasized about in one way or another.
The abundance of building materials in our time is growing every year. The search for the ideal material will probably last for more than one hundred years. However, in order to build a solid house, in which it will not be cold, scary or expensive to live, it is worth turning to the materials tested over the centuries.
Out of competition there will always be brick and wood... These are the safest, longest living houses that are inexpensive to maintain and are good at sustainability. If the question is financially, it is better to choose modern methods: frame houses, thermal panels.
Average houses in terms of cash investment - from sand blocks, sand-cement blocks, concrete blocks etc. Block buildings retain heat well in winter, as they cool down for quite a long time, and in summer the room remains pleasantly cool.
An individual developer is necessarily faced with the issue of choosing the optimal material for the construction of a residential building. The choice of building materials for the walls takes place taking into account climatic features, embossed nuances, financial capabilities, etc. There is no single formula on this score. All materials for construction have different strengths, require the use of a unique construction technology, and have different levels of thermal conductivity.
What determines the choice of material for the house
Building walls accounts for a quarter of all home building costs. A careless attitude to the choice of material will entail additional subsequent expenses. Therefore, it is worth considering and considering all important criteria and factors when choosing the best material for building walls at home:
Labor costs... For example, the cost of time and effort will decrease if you build a house from panel blocks, rather than from bricks and other small elements. Modern panel houses can be made several times faster, especially if they are frame structures.
Heat insulating properties of the material... When choosing a deliberately cold material for the walls, the developer will pay a high price in winter for such a rash step. The owner will also have to deal with the insulation of the walls of the house from the outside. When calculating this indicator, the current climatic conditions are taken into account.
Price question... If you give preference to a durable and lightweight version of the material for the walls, then you can save on building a powerful foundation, which is expensive to make.
Considering also the subsequent costs of finishing work. Today there are modern smooth wall materials that do not require finishing.
Log house - one of the options for walls that do not require finishing
Types of materials for walls
The building materials market offers a wide variety of different options for building the walls of your home. There are several types of bricks alone: \u200b\u200bsilicate, clinker, ceramic, fireclay. And wood has been one of the most popular and demanded building materials for many years. The cost of such raw materials depends on the type of wood (pine, oak, birch, cedar), the type of material (logs, boards, beams). A very popular and more economical option is various types of blocks: foam blocks, ceramic blocks, thermoblocks, lightweight concrete blocks, etc. In Europe, for example, houses are most often erected using the frame method, which is very fast and inexpensive. About 70% of the private housing stock in Europe is occupied by frame technology for the construction of buildings. Builders also note the economy and energy efficiency of SIP panels.
Consider the main types of materials:
Log cabins and log houses
A log house is an object made of cut trunks of solid wood. Work such as cutting corners, adjusting joints and grooves is always done manually.
Such houses look presentable, soundly and have a lot of advantages:
Architectural version of a log house
The disadvantages of buildings from a log house are:
Log house
Glued or profiled timber is a cheaper building material for the walls of a house, which is in great demand today.
Pros of a bar:
In addition, such material is relatively inexpensive.
However cant:
They say that such a structure can be built alone, with certain knowledge and skills. But the scheme of its construction is more complex and ornate than, for example, brick.
Frame house under construction
All the advantages of frame houses:
The disadvantages of frame structures include:
The echo of walls and floors;
The need to have a competent construction project, where all the drawings and diagrams of fasteners and assemblies will be.
The disadvantages of such houses can also be attributed to the conservative mentality of our citizens, who look with apprehension at frame structures, considering them unreliable.
SIP panels
Canada and America have been actively using frame-panel technologies in construction for more than half a century. In our country, this method is not yet so popular. SIP-panel is a three-layer building material, which is made of two layers of OSB and internal insulation of expanded polystyrene.
This is how the SIP panel looks like
Advantages of SIP panels:
In addition, SIP panels are an environmentally friendly building material.
This is how a house built from SIP-Panels looks like without facade decoration
Its disadvantages include the following aspects (which, by the way, are many):
Brick walls
Brick is the most common and most affordable material for building outside walls at home. It is usually made from clay and is enhanced with various impurities. All the advantages of bricks:
The disadvantages of building materials include:
Expanded clay blocks
Ceramic blocks are made of red clay, like bricks. But the blocks differ from them in more overall dimensions. This option for the construction of walls from ceramic blocks is very similar to the technology for the construction of brick houses.
Pros of ceramic blocks:
The disadvantages of ceramic blocks include:
Foam blocks
Foam blocks are a universal type of building materials for walls. They consist of aerated concrete, which has good performance characteristics.
This article is useful for those who are looking for the cheapest materials for building a house with their own hands. With the emergence of the latest technologies on the market, the owners of summer cottages have a real opportunity to install cheap houses with very good performance characteristics suitable for permanent residence.
Nowadays, there are plenty of methods for building economical and reliable housing.
We propose to consider in more detail the inexpensive materials used for the construction of houses.
When deciding where the walls of housing, its floors and roof will be erected directly, it is necessary to focus on the corresponding features.
Place of residence. Climate. In areas with a cool climate, it is preferable to use materials in the construction of a house that retain heat well.
In the southern regions, the choice is much wider, which means that it is possible to use completely different innovative materials at an affordable price.
Features of the materials used. Of course, houses made of SIP panels either cost less than houses made of timber or bricks.
Regional market. In wooded areas, wood will serve as the most inexpensive material for a house, in steppe areas - concrete.
Material cost analysis
Take a closer look at which one for building a house. Very economical and comfortable housing can be built using materials such as those described below.
Beams
Outcome: about 2,000 rubles, for 1 sq. m, excluding work. It is important to remember that the construction of a house from gas blocks requires a lot of labor of workers, therefore we take into account the payment of specialists, and this is in the region of 1300-1600 rubles.
Tree
House from wooden beam will cost:
- timber 200x200x6000 mm - 0.8 pcs. - 1416 rubles;
- mortar for plastering walls - 70 rubles.
- insulation (vapor barrier or mineral wool) - 0.1 cubic meters m - 400 rubles;
Outcome: 1900 rubles, plus workers' wages 1700-1800 rubles.
They are good for small housing construction intended for families or friends, but not for permanent residence.
Calculation of materials for a frame house
- timber - 0.05 cubic meters m - 375 rubles;
- softboard - 230 rubles.
- insulation, vapor barrier, waterproofing - 270 rubles;
Outcome: 875 rubles, plus the salary of the construction team 1500-1700 rubles.
Conclusion
Having collected all the information about cheap materials for the house with our own hands together, we draw final conclusions based on the cost.
Timber houses are the most expensive type of housing. Frame houses can be considered the most acceptable.
But there is one BUT! It's important not to forget. Thicker walls need a well-reinforced foundation. Therefore, the total cost of houses will be approximately the same.
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 poll 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 mainly 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;
- complicated 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 25 years later 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 (in comparison with 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 grade M100. For example, you can often hear that "the strength is the same as that of an ordinary full-bodied red brick." However ... in practice this does not always work. 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 labor costs of workers are 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 (artisanal production). Accordingly, the quality of such material cannot be high.
Advantages of foam concrete:
- light weight;
- good thermal insulation properties;
- ease of processing (easy to drill, sawn);
- due to the closed porous structure (pores are closed), foam concrete does not absorb moisture as much 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 cracks may form).
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 are processed to a smooth surface in production 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;
- quite 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 construction speed (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;
- block sizes are inaccurate, significant deviations are often observed (due to the fact that 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 towards 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 carried out using a reinforcing mesh (after 3-4 rows).
Advantages of expanded clay concrete:
- low thermal conductivity;
- good strength (higher than, for example, aerated concrete);
- relatively low price;
- ecological purity (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 (thin seams are problematic to do 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 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 twist screws into the walls, hammer nails (hold 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 the natural shrinkage of the cinder-concrete mortar is used. The binder is cement, the filler is metallurgical slags.
However, it should be immediately emphasized that at present, cinder blocks are considered to be all stones that are made by vibrocompression from concrete solution. As a filler, in addition to slag, the following 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 good faith of the manufacturer;
- 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.
Interview
What is the best way to build walls at home? How do you think?