Aerated concrete laying in winter is accompanied by some difficulties, inconveniences and additional costs. But not everything is so scary, you can cope. To begin with, it is better to start laying in the spring, when there is more daylight and there are six months of warm days in stock. But what if you still have to build from aerated concrete in the winter?
The construction site must have electricity for heating, warm water, frost-resistant glue for masonry, a good source of lighting and a film that is needed to cover and heat aerated concrete blocks. As you can imagine, due to additional measures related to the heating of materials, the construction speed slows down.
But, in the winter time, good discounts are made on building materials, moreover, many builders are out of work in the winter, which increases competition between builders, and they can also make a discount on their work.
At negative temperatures, for masonry, you need to use a special frost-resistant glue, which is suitable for working at temperatures down to -15. But all the same, we would not recommend you to keep the clutch below -10.
The cost of glue for winter masonry is only 10-20% more expensive than usual. Differences between winter masonry glue in anti-frost additives: special salt and other components that prevent water from freezing in the glue at low temperatures (down to -15).
You need to prepare the glue only in a plastic container with a lid, and you need to use heated water, with the maximum allowable temperature written in the glue instructions.
Aerated concrete blocks that are to be glued together must be thoroughly cleaned of snow and ice, and they also need to be warmed up.
Cover the aerated concrete pallet tightly with a fire-resistant film or banner, press the ends of the film so that the heat does not go away, and heat the aerated concrete with fan heaters or heat guns. The warm-up time depends on the power of the heating itself, and on the ambient temperature. We recommend that you do the warming up with good quality.
Note that insufficient heating of aerated concrete reduces the strength of the adhesive seams, which is explained by the crystallization of water in the pores of aerated concrete. Be sure to use frost-resistant glue and heat up the aerated concrete normally.
- The rows of blocks are thoroughly cleared of snow and ice.
- The masonry blocks are pre-heated.
- Use only frost-resistant glue for masonry.
- The glue is mixed only in a plastic container with a lid.
- The glue is mixed with hot water (up to 60 degrees).
- Winter adhesive mixtures should be developed as quickly as possible, within twenty minutes.
- The temperature of the finished glue should be between 10 and 20 degrees.
- To reinforce the strobes and masonry of the first row, a conventional solution with antifreeze additives is used.
In case of long-term storage of gas blocks in winter, keep them closed in their original packaging. If you are planning to lay aerated concrete in the winter in the near future, then in this case it is advisable to remove the side of the package so that the blocks dry out. Fresh factory aerated concrete comes out of the autoclave wet. The top of the blocks must always be covered from rain and snow.
If you talk briefly about conservation, then you need to close the entire upper part of the masonry, including the subwindow areas.
For more details on this issue, see the video from Gleb Green, the main Russian specialist in aerated concrete.
Aerated concrete is a very popular building material. It is not worth talking about it, it is enough to remember the statistics. Indeed, in Ukraine, more than 25% of buildings are built of aerated concrete. And this despite the fact that there are many other wall materials: brick, ceramic block, foam block, etc. And all thanks to the amazing physical and technical characteristics of this product.
Building a house from aerated concrete during the construction season (from spring to autumn inclusive) is not difficult. But what if you need to build a house in winter?
To begin with, these situations are best avoided. Despite all its many advantages, aerated concrete does not tolerate winter well on an open construction site, since it has a high hygroscopicity. Moisture absorbed into the pores of the material turns into ice at low temperatures and expands, causing the formation of cracks.
But if the situation requires it, you will have to build walls of aerated concrete in winter.
Features of masonry in winter
Ensure that there is a spacious, dry, enclosed space near the construction site, preferably heated. It is there that it is worth storing the gas block. Never leave it outside in the cold.An additional problem is the rapid freezing of mortar and glue for aerated concrete at temperatures below +5 degrees Celsius. Therefore, you only need to use frost-resistant glue.
Although it costs about 15% more than simple glue for a gas block, thanks to its frost-resistant additives, it can be used even at temperatures of -15 degrees.
The gas block itself needs to be warmed up before laying. To do this, build a frame around the pallet and cover it with plastic wrap or tarp. Warm up the air inside the frame with any of the available devices:
- Fan heater;
- Heat gun;
The first row of the gas block is placed on a cement-sand mortar. It is mainly used for laying out the first row and filling in reinforced strobes. Do not forget to add antifreeze modifiers to the solution.
It is impossible to work with glue at temperatures below -15 degrees. Even if the adhesive hardens normally, the seams will suffer due to crystallization of chemically unbound water in the pores.
You can buy a high-quality gas block in the Trivita online store -
A foam block is made of cement, sand and water with the addition of a special foaming agent. At the same time, the material has excellent heat and sound insulation properties, refractory and frost-resistant, and also practically does not absorb moisture and does not shrink. The laying of foam blocks should be carried out at an air temperature of +5 to + 25 ° C. If the temperature is higher than the recommended one, the material must be constantly watered with water to moisturize, but in winter, when the temperature is below freezing outside, it is necessary to use glue during masonry, which includes a special anti-frost additive. It allows you to lay the foam block at temperatures down to -10 ° C.
When laying foam blocks directly on the foundation, it is necessary to additionally form waterproofing. This will protect the material from excessive moisture. Roofing material, polymer-cement solution and others can be used as waterproofing materials.
Preparatory work
To begin with, the surface on which the foam block will be laid is qualitatively leveled. This can be done with a cement-sand mortar. Particular attention must be paid to laying the first row of material, because the laying out of all subsequent rows will depend on this. The smoother the first row of the foam block is laid out, the easier it will be to lay out the next ones. It is recommended to lay the material in winter at sub-zero temperatures, adding an anti-frost additive to the solution.
Irregularities when laying out the first row of the foam block can be removed with your own hands using a planer. In this case, do not forget to clean off dust and debris from the surface. The laying of foam blocks begins with the installation of lighthouse foam blocks, which are installed in the future corners of the building. Further, a special cord is pulled between them, with the help of which it will be much easier and smoother to lay out the rows.
Laying out foam blocks
It is necessary to knead the mixture for laying the foam block in winter at sub-zero temperatures in small portions, stirring constantly. Water for it must be taken at room temperature. The second and subsequent rows of foam blocks are laid out on a solution evenly applied using a special trowel. In this case, special attention must be paid to the butt seams.
When laying, the foam block must be carefully pressed, and the butt seams must be made no more than 5 millimeters thick. Upon completion of laying out each row of material with your own hands, the resulting surface must be cleaned up with a plane.
Walls made of foam block, if they are too long, must be additionally reinforced at sub-zero temperatures. Also, surfaces, on which heavy loads will be carried out, and walls, with window and door openings, need reinforcement. For this, reinforcement with a diameter of about 8 millimeters is used, which fits into grooves specially cut in the material. To fix the reinforcement in winter at sub-zero temperatures, an anti-frost additive must be added to the glue, as well as to the laying solution. If any foam block was not installed quite correctly and evenly, it can be corrected either with a plane, if it protrudes slightly, or with a solution, if there is not enough height.
CONSTRUCTION FROM GAS CONCRETE IN WINTER The manufacturers of this universal building material unanimously give an affirmative answer to the question "Is it possible to build from aerated concrete in winter". Laying blocks in the autumn-winter period is allowed, while the low temperature does not affect the quality of the masonry in any way. In order to start building, despite the vicissitudes of the weather, you need a special adhesive designed for use in temperatures from +5 to -15 ° C. If you decide to build a house from aerated concrete in winter, then in no case use standard glue. There are other types of glue, thanks to which a house or some other building can be built even at temperatures down to -20 ° C. Construction of aerated concrete in winter has a number of features and rules - follow them, and the quality of the masonry will not suffer. But winter construction still has drawbacks - it is a higher cost compared to summer works and a longer block laying period. From the point of view of economy, laying aerated concrete in winter is not the most profitable solution. Aerated concrete laying in the cold season Have you decided to build a house from aerated concrete in winter? Then you should familiarize yourself with the technology of stacking blocks in the cold season. Is it possible to lay aerated concrete in winter without knowing the specific features? In no case, otherwise the house will not last long. Before laying aerated concrete at temperatures below zero, it is necessary to warm up the blocks - this must be done directly during construction. The blocks must be watered with hot water at a temperature of about 40 ° C. The glue used to connect the blocks must also be diluted with hot water, otherwise it will quickly harden. Dilute the glue in a plastic container and be sure to cover it with a lid to slow down the cooling. Before laying aerated concrete in winter, be sure to warm up the blocks. The blocks must be covered with a banner made of dense material. Blocks can be heated using heating elements or similar equipment, while the banner must be pressed in such a way that hot air does not escape. It is unlikely that it will be possible to completely "seal" the internal space, however, heat losses should be minimized. Only after warming up, you can start the winter construction of an aerated concrete house! Warming up takes about an hour. A house made of aerated concrete blocks is built in winter much longer than in summer - this is a fact. How to store aerated concrete blocks in winter Do you want aerated concrete laying in winter to be of the same quality as in summer? Then you should take care of creating storage conditions that are necessary to maintain technological characteristics. In the case of long-term conservation, for example, for more than 3 weeks, it makes sense to store the blocks in their original packaging; it is not necessary to open aerated concrete in whole or in part. Storage of aerated concrete in winter is possible right on the street; it is not necessary to remove blocks indoors or under a canopy. The upper part of the original packaging completely protects the blocks from moisture. 2 weeks before the day on which the laying of aerated concrete is planned, the packaging must be removed, leaving the upper part. This time is enough for the accumulated moisture to come out of the blocks. If the winter laying of aerated concrete begins in the near future, and long-term preservation of the blocks is not planned, in this case, you can immediately remove the side of the package so that the blocks dry out. Leave only the upper part to protect the blocks from precipitation. Storage of aerated concrete in winter is possible with full preservation of the technological properties of the material. So, you can build a house from aerated concrete in winter if you do not have the opportunity to wait for the construction season - just construction will go a little slower and cost more.
Building a house from any material is troublesome and slow. Previously, in addition to technological needs, it was necessary to interrupt for the period of winter cold. Modern technologies allow us to carry out construction work all year round, but subject to simple requirements:
- calculation of materials and work sequence taking into account low temperatures;
- providing the construction team with a heated utility room;
- bringing additional lighting to the site (taking into account the short winter day).
At the heart of the foam block is cellular concrete, brought to a foamed state. Lightweight porous material, with good sound insulation and heat-saving characteristics, practically does not shrink the walls.
But foam blocks have a high moisture absorption rate. When water freezes from low temperatures, air pores relieve internal stress, which makes foam concrete frost-resistant (up to 35 freezing / thawing cycles). It remains only to make sure that the ends of the blocks are covered, and water does not get to the surface that can destroy the top layer.
In winter conditions, for foam blocks, the composition of the solution or adhesive mixture is more important. The basis of the solution is cement, which begins to lose its properties at 5 0 С, and is completely unsuitable even at -5 0 С. It is important that before such temperatures the solution has gained at least 30% strength, then it will be able to resist loads. A further set of strength will occur after thawing, and if before this time the foam block is loaded in excess of the permissible, then the solution will not withstand and will crumble. Note that "heating" additives in concrete are designed to speed up the process of recruiting exactly these 30%, and not all possible strength.
A way out of the situation can be the construction of a frame-film tent over the building and the use of special glue for the installation of foam blocks. Add-ons and additional structures increase the winter construction budget.
A house made of foam blocks requires insulation and external cladding. For any type of insulation, it is important that during the installation process it does not collect moisture from the air. Any hinged systems (siding, porcelain stoneware) are not afraid of low temperatures. Only with the finish "wet plaster" will have to wait until the onset of heat.
As with foam block houses, the strength of the brickwork depends on the quality of the joint cement mortar. During operation, the temperature of chemically heated cement should be at least +5 0 С (heating with hot water is not allowed - cement loses its quality). Another option is the freezing method, when rubble concrete is used (heated to +2 0 С) and high rates of work. This is necessary so that, even before freezing, the seams are compacted under the weight of the bricks from the upper rows. It is important that during the laying process the bricks are free of ice and snow.
There are no peculiarities of installing the rafter system and laying roofing materials. There are only some types of soft roofing that do not withstand low temperatures at the time of installation. Such tiles are heated until bitumen softens and glued using technology.
During the winter construction holidays, the developer has more chances to find a free team of quality bricklayers who will work without undue haste looking back at the next object (even taking into account breaks for very severe frosts and snowfalls). In addition, in winter, almost all building materials are sold at great discounts, and there is much more to choose from.
If the construction site is located in an uninhabited area, then in winter, the issue of protecting imported materials is especially acute. If there is no possibility of phased delivery, then someone must always be present on the site. For the supply of materials or approach to the site, for example, a concrete mixer, a frozen winter road is much more convenient.
Features of building a house from gas blocks in the winter.
The features of aerated concrete blocks include their high ability to absorb moisture and relative fragility. If, during the thaw period, aerated concrete blocks are saturated with water, then when they freeze, they are completely covered with mini-cracks. Therefore, during the period of winter construction, during a thaw or rain, the entire building of gas blocks must be waterproofed.
If it is planned to install a concrete floor slab in a gas-block house, then it is necessary to construct a reinforced belt. In the process, a large amount of concrete is used, which means that requirements are imposed on it for the appropriate brand and the use of chemical reagents that delay solidification.
The gas block collapses over time under the influence of atmospheric precipitation, therefore, facades need to be finished. But blocks from the manufacturer most often come raw, and they need a long drying time. Then the building is covered with a roof and remains for precipitation and drying for up to a year. In addition, in the case of gas blocks, it is recommended to first carry out the interior decoration so that all moisture evaporates from the blocks before the outer cladding.
Aerated concrete is not the best material for winter construction, but if it is chosen, then blocks are needed of a high grade, and for laying it is best to use "warm" concrete.
The use of ceramic blocks in winter construction
Like any other material from the “building stones” category, ceramic blocks are very frost-resistant (up to 50 freeze / thaw cycles). But for their installation, a cement mortar is also needed with its requirements for speed and pour point. Convenience consists in the presence of a tongue-and-groove system for a tighter connection of blocks in the masonry without the use of mortar (only horizontal seams are connected with mortar). In addition, recently, special adhesive solutions for ceramic blocks have become widespread, laid on the surface of the block, not falling into its holes and not requiring a full-fledged seam.
If, nevertheless, a cement mortar is used, then it must be "warm", with fillers of pumice, sand or perlite. It will cost more, but the energy efficiency of the finished home will be higher as a result.
Ceramoblock is a very young material (it is about 30 years old), so it has not yet been tested for durability. But the thermal insulation characteristics have already been investigated. If a block 38 cm thick is used in construction, then such a wall does not require insulation. For thinner walls, plaster is sufficient, but it can only be carried out during the warmer months.
Manufacturers of ceramic blocks still do not recommend laying walls from this material if the air temperature drops below +5 0 C.
Winter wood construction
This is perhaps the only material that has a lot of advantages for the winter version of the building.
A tree harvested in winter contains less moisture, which means it is not susceptible to mold and decay, there are no active insects in it. The drying process is replaced by the process of uniform freezing and until spring (thaw) the permissible percentage of moisture (12-20%) is maintained in the tree. The wood material dried in this way is more durable and does not have cracks.
During the production of rounded logs and various types of timber, they are coated with impregnations that protect against fire, moisture and rodents. But after the walls have been erected, the impregnation must be repeated. In the case of a winter construction option, it is better to postpone re-processing until the onset of heat.
The shrinkage period of wooden houses is different, but for glued beams, for example, it is minimal (about 2 months), so a house built in winter must be finished in late spring - early summer. For a log cabin, it can take up to 12 months to shrink.
Carpenters prefer to erect wooden houses in winter also because in frost it is easier to cut corner locks, and when a thaw sets in, wood swells and dries up, their geometry does not change and much fewer cracks appear.
Wood is a "living" material, subject to rotting under the influence of moisture. Therefore, if the wooden material is brought to the site in frost and will lie there for a long time, then reliable protection will be required against water ingress on it in a thaw or rain.
Building a house from vulture panels in winter
Vulture houses are construction based on timber frame and particle-oriented boards. For its construction, so-called "wet" processes (cement mortars and plaster) are not required. Even the foundation for such houses can be piled, which does not require grouting. Houses are assembled at the construction site from factory blanks, corresponding to the dimensions and layout of the house, as a constructor.
In cold weather, construction is distinguished by the use of "winter" polyurethane foam and well-frozen, and therefore more durable, wood (in summer, in the heat, the frame may dry out). Even if a tree with a moisture content of up to 30% is used for the frame, during construction it will have time to give up a sufficient amount of moisture to meet the norm. In winter, there is less precipitation in the form of rain, and there are more chances to build walls and cover them with a roof without getting the structure wet.
A house made of vulture panels does not shrink, so finishing work (especially internal) can be started immediately after the completion of the main construction. In winter, workers will bring less dirt into the room. If hinged technologies (not plaster) are used for external cladding (mandatory for frame houses), then they can also be carried out before the start of the active construction season. This will significantly save on the purchase of materials.
If the foundation for the vulture panels was laid in the fall, the house was erected in the winter, then by the beginning of summer it will be possible to move into it!
Winter construction from wood concrete
Arbolit is wood concrete, so it has all the positive qualities of wood, reinforced by the positive properties of high-grade cement.
For private construction, blocks are used that have good bearing and thermal insulation properties, where a 30 cm wall without insulation replaces a brick wall, but 1 m thick. Bearing in mind that the "cold bridges" are located in the places of interblock seams, it is better to use special mixtures based on expanded perlite.
Coniferous wood chips and chemical additives included in the arbolite provide this material with good frost resistance.
The speed of erecting walls made of wood concrete is very high, but when purchasing material, it is imperative to purchase halves of blocks (wood concrete is difficult to saw). In 1-2 months the house will be ready, which in the winter version will not allow wood concrete blocks to gain excess moisture.
When decorating a house from wood concrete, it is important to "catch" such a moment when the blocks in the masonry have dried out, did not have time to be saturated with spring moisture, and external facing work can be performed. This is because for finishing you need to use plaster or decorative concrete, which has good adhesion to wood concrete. And such work is performed only in the warm season.
While talking about winter construction from various building materials, we did not touch on one important point: laying the foundation. The opinions of experts are unanimous that it is best to install it in the fall, when the soil is softer, and conditions are most favorable for the full strength of concrete. Of course, depending on the composition of the soil, for frame, foam concrete or gas-block houses, you can build a pile (with varieties) foundation, which does not require concrete mixing and certain temperatures for curing. Pile and monolithic slab foundations can also be installed on frozen ground. But the laying of a deep-buried tape requires digging a trench in frozen soil, insulating the formwork and pouring heated concrete, and this is an additional investment of labor and finance.
From our review, we can conclude that any building material can be used to construct buildings in winter. The most suitable wood and its derivatives, but ceramic blocks and gas blocks "prefer" the warm season.