Starting the construction of your own home, the question invariably arises of what material to make the walls. Usually, the materials for the construction of houses were either wood or stone (brick, concrete and ceramic blocks). And when choosing, they were guided by the following - wooden houses are warmer, lighter, they breathe, but they burn too well. Stone houses are more durable, reliable, but too heavy and cold.
Foam concrete masonry scheme.
Meanwhile, the technologies of construction work do not stand still, and now there are many new building materials, new ways of constructing buildings. One of these innovations is the technology of monolithic construction of houses. It is she who has become the standard of construction in recent years, and is used in the construction of modern houses, since the speed of work is several times higher than the speed of work by usual methods.
With the correct design of a series of windows, you can decorate any of the rooms in the house (bedroom, living room, nursery, kitchen or dining room, billiard room and other rooms). There are important points to keep in mind when making a bay window. Firstly, its presence should not affect the temperature in the room in winter, therefore heat leakage must be prevented. The second point is that on the south side of the house, too much heat can penetrate through the bay window in the summer. If your bay window is located on the sunniest side, nothing will work better than these blinds - http: //xn—-7sbhaociizf7a6ap5n.xn--p1ai/zhaluzi-stavropol. Well, do not forget that after all, the most important function of these windows is room lighting. This architectural structure also has a minus - a large window requires a lot of fabric to close it. But even this disadvantage can be avoided if you are decorating the interior in Japanese style or high-tech. In this case, you can use roll or screen canvases, which will fit perfectly into the design and prevent the penetration of excess light.
The construction itself is fundamentally different from the construction of houses from timber, reinforced concrete products and bricks. Simplified construction of a building using this technology is as follows: directly on the foundation of the future house, formwork is mounted along the contour of the wall or, for example, columns, where reinforcement is installed and concrete is poured. When the concrete hardens, the formwork is dismantled, and a finished part of the wall or column is obtained.
Roughly speaking, flooded houses are houses made of concrete, covering the "skeleton" of reinforcing mesh.
There are two ways to build a house using this technology: by making the walls completely cast or by combining a monolithic frame with walls made of hollow blocks. Of course, such a structure is a complex structure, its strength and stability depend on the correct engineering calculation. When the house is completely cast, the formwork is done around the perimeter of the entire house, leaving space for the entrance and interior doors, and then (at the window level) for the window openings.
New type of construction
The scheme of a wall made of aerated concrete.
As usual, a foundation needs to be made for the building. Here we also make it, but again, depending on the soil, it must be done 20-30% wider and deeper than when building a brick house.
Now, to the reinforcement of the foundation frame at the corners and at the junctions of the walls, it is necessary to attach the following frames from the reinforcement with a knitting wire (making them above the pouring level) and fill them with concrete.
In combined construction, the columns of the required height (40x40 cm in size) are poured with concrete, at the ends of which protruding parts of the reinforcement are left for making the frame of the lintels. In this case, the jumpers (their size is also 40x40 cm) will, as it were, hang in the air, and you will get a concrete frame. The gaps can be laid with foam concrete blocks, bricks or filled with sawdust concrete (the composition for pouring the walls is prepared from a mixture of sawdust, cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 2: 6, practical builders recommend using large chips impregnated with lime mortar instead of sawdust).
If the construction of the second floor is planned, then we continue to do everything in the same way, only the lintels on window and door openings with a width of 40 cm will have a height of 20 cm. In terms of seismic resistance and bearing capacity, such a structure will comply with building codes.
Upon completion of these works, you can start installing the roof and interior decoration of the room. Concrete lintels allow the installation of floor slabs, as they are very strong. Outside, such a house requires decorative finishing.
Reasons to use
Determining the feasibility of using the technology of building a flooded house, one should compare its advantages and disadvantages.
Heat block diagram.
Like any technology, monolithic housing has its own problems. First of all, the weather conditions, which create some difficulties in the production of structural elements, especially at subzero temperatures in winter. The chemical activity of the water contained in the solution leads to the hardening of the concrete. An increase in temperature increases the activity of water, as the temperature decreases, it drops, which slows down the hardening process. During frost, water freezes and increases in volume, disrupting the structure of concrete and reducing its strength, and this, in turn, reduces the frost resistance and water resistance of the entire building. Therefore, it is wiser to build a flooded house in the summer, when the air temperature is more stable.
This technology requires the involvement of professional craftsmen. And the technological processes themselves (installation of reinforcement, installation of formwork, concrete pouring) are very laborious and expensive (when compared with masonry work). In addition, the process of pouring concrete is time-consuming, it takes 28 days for its complete hardening. At the same time, brick is more expensive than concrete, especially since it is possible to reduce material costs by self-preparation of the concrete mixture. Hence the conclusion: the construction of a flooded house will cost more than the construction of a wooden frame, but cheaper than the construction of a classic brick structure.
Indisputable advantages
Using this technology, interior spaces can be planned out without focusing on load-bearing walls, since external walls are load-bearing. You can make different ceiling heights in different rooms, use wide openings or arches, form any curvilinear shapes, which allows architects to create unique images of buildings. There are practically no seams on monolithic walls, hence the absence of problems with their sealing. As a result, increased sound insulation and dustproofness. Since the supporting frame is able to withstand various loads, it is possible to erect buildings of various storeys and purposes.
Since concrete is a good conductor of heat, flooded houses take a long time to warm up. Using outdoor heaters, you can not only eliminate this problem, but also turn it into an advantage: by accumulating heat in its walls, it will cool for a long time, and keep cool in summer. Until now, only adobe buildings had this ability.
The advantages of monolithic construction technology include its durability (engineering calculations prove a 150-year operational life) and the absence of collapse risks due to the fact that the load is evenly distributed throughout the entire building frame. Among other things, concrete is non-toxic and safe for humans.
Concrete is a building material made up of crushed stone, sand, water and cement. Preparation of concrete involves thorough mixing of the ingredients and pouring it into containers, where the subsequent hardening of the concrete solution is carried out. For the construction of a warm house, special fillers are added to the mixture, which improve the quality of concrete. The concrete composition for the construction of houses has many advantages, one of them is the ability to prepare a solution and build a structure with your own hands.
Pros and cons of a concrete house
When working with a concrete house, the following advantages are distinguished:
- quick installation;
- reliability;
- longevity;
- high strength of the structure;
- relatively small financial costs;
- in a monolithic building there are no gaps through which cold passes;
- sound insulation of the room;
- the ability to use any finishing material on top of concrete;
- the ability to build buildings with your own hands;
- concrete has various geometric shapes, which simplifies the installation process;
- with even pouring of the solution, the formation of cracks is reduced;
- the use of light mixtures in the composition does not require deepening the foundation.
DIY concrete houses have the following disadvantages:
- the need for additional equipment for high-altitude work;
- due to the metal reinforcement of the walls, the house will need grounding;
- when using fixed formwork, it is necessary to provide ventilation of the room so that the house can breathe;
- welding the frame will require large labor costs, which are also needed when possible;
- a warm house can only be after proper insulation;
- if the structure provides for a permanent formwork, polystyrene is used, and when it burns, it releases toxic substances that are harmful to human health.
Tools and materials for work
When erecting buildings and structures made of concrete, you cannot do without the following tools and equipment:
- mixer for connecting concrete components;
- do-it-yourself containers for mixing concrete mixture;
- reinforcement;
- trolley for transferring the solution;
- construction hair dryer;
- puncher;
- a knife to cut styrofoam;
- various tools;
- nippers;
- roulette;
- wire;
- hammer;
- sand;
- fittings;
- cement;
- concrete mixer;
- crushed stone;
- formwork.
Construction methods
Concrete houses are erected in two ways: using removable formwork and non-removable. The removable method implies an individual layout of the formwork, the purpose of which is to accurately repeat the contours of the future structure. Removable formwork is made of plastic, metal or wood. This method carries out the pouring of a solution from concrete with a minimum transfer of heat, which allows you to save heat in the room. The non-removable method makes the walls thin, but at the same time retains all its structural properties. This formwork has an insulating layer and built-in fittings.
With fixed formwork
Fixed formwork for the foundation. The fixed formwork method has the following types of construction: angular, longitudinal, above-window, window-sills. This method of wall construction has an internal layer of thermal insulation, which saves on heating costs. It simplifies the installation of the structure due to its lightness and creates a different configuration of the premises.
Thermal insulation of the material is especially important for buildings and structures, because its absence requires the construction of walls of great thickness. Of the shortcomings, the formation of danger is observed as a result of the release of toxins into the atmosphere, which appear during a fire in buildings.
Construction technology
The formwork is placed on a waterproofing layer and fixed in grooves, this technology creates a strong concrete grout, as a result of which there is no leakage of the mixture at the joints. When pouring the formwork, it is forbidden to use heated mortars, they can form condensation in large quantities, which will increase the humidity of the room. Using permanent formwork, a house with a good thermal insulation layer is provided, which will only require covering the expanded polystyrene plates with facing material.
With removable
Using removable formwork, methods of insulation are chosen. One of the options is to insulate the gap with warm plaster, the second method is the well facade. The well facade is a monolithic brick facing, and the gap between them is sealed with insulation. The well facade is the optimal solution for insulation, which provides the walls with breathable qualities. Thus, the house in the summer is resistant to overheating and will keep the room cool, and in the cold season it will keep warm and resist freezing.
Construction technology
The technological process consists of casting the formwork in several stages. Begin laying the mortar no more than 50 centimeters of concrete. The mixture is left to dry, the next layer is applied after the final hardening of the previous one. After pouring the solution, it is tamped using a deep vibrator. Next, the shape is shifted upward after the solution has completely hardened.
The concrete mixture is laid until the required wall height is reached. To make the structure strong, a reinforcing mesh is installed in the walls. Wall decoration and installation of thermal insulation material is carried out one and a half months after laying the concrete solution, waiting for the final strength of the structure. Thermal insulation material can be:
- Styrofoam;
- mineral wool;
- warm plaster;
- extruded polystyrene.
The removable mold is made of wood, metal or plastic. When using a plywood sheet, it is cut with a fine-toothed file and drilled on both sides, this method eliminates the destruction of the coating. When storing plywood at the bottom of the formwork, they provide protection from moisture penetration onto its surface. So that the disassembly of the formwork does not cause difficulties, the plywood is covered with a special mixture and fasteners are fixed on it.
A concrete house is the right choice, because it is much more durable and stronger than brick. However, it is necessary to distinguish between the technologies for building houses from monolithic concrete and concrete blocks, since these, as they say, are two big differences. In this article, we will focus on the first case in which the structure is a single non-assembled frame, which can then be trimmed to improve its appearance.
Why is it worth building a monolithic concrete house
One-piece structures have a lot of advantages over prefabricated ones: they are both higher reliability, and a long service life, low heat transfer rates, and so on. Let's consider the advantages of monolithic houses in more detail:
- Reliability . Since a seam always has a lower strength than the material that it joins, it can be concluded that the fewer seams, the better, and the ideal option is when there are no seams at all. Such houses are very common in seismically active areas, for example, in Japan, where earthquakes occur almost every month, almost all houses, including multi-storey ones, are built using monolithic technology, so they can easily withstand even the strongest shocks. Also, in places where there are hostilities, monoliths are also quite popular, and Israel is a vivid example of this. A good one-piece concrete house there can withstand a direct hit from a missile, and although the glass will still break, at least it will not have to be rebuilt.
- Long service life . If you build a brick house, then it will undoubtedly serve for a long time. Your children will be able to live in it, and even a little grandchildren, before it will have to be overhauled. But a monolithic concrete house will give a roof over your head to your grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren, which, of course, is very pleasant. The thing is that any structure wears out over time, but the fastest thing that falls into disrepair is not the material from which it is built, but the seams connecting the blocks. For example, in a brick house, the layer between the bricks deteriorates very quickly, and after it they themselves begin to collapse. But since there are no seams in a monolithic house, the only thing that can deteriorate is the concrete itself, and as you know, it serves for a very long time.
- It's warmer in houses like this . The absence of seams avoids the presence of microcracks through which air passes, taking away heat with it. In addition, these microcracks tend to diverge over time, since air currents erode their edges. There is no such thing in monolithic houses, so they can be built even in areas where strong winds blow - there will be no draft.
- Perspective . With the development of 3-D printing technology, it became possible to literally stamp houses using a 3-D printer. This requires neither workers nor complex building structures, and the procedure itself will only take a couple of days. Imagine how a huge self-propelled printer with a dozen tanks of liquid concrete arrives at the place of your future home, and your house starts printing - fantastic! Of course, it is not yet technically feasible, but in the future, in 30-40 years, it will be built this way.
disadvantages
The main disadvantage of monolithic houses is high price... While the technology of 3-D printing of residential buildings is very poorly developed and is capable of serving, perhaps, the low-budget sector, monoliths have to be built manually. But the procedure for erecting a monolithic house is quite difficult and therefore requires highly qualified builders.
The most difficult thing here is the construction of the formwork into which the liquid concrete is poured. The fact is that if you install it incorrectly, then during filling it will simply burst, and all the concrete will spill. This problem is especially acute in areas with soft soil, as it also contributes to its loosening.
Experienced construction workers have their own secrets of how to harden formwork, and this is why such workers are very expensive. It is far from the best idea to build a monolithic house on your own, which is why there are relatively few such structures in our country.
The need to create high formwork... As already mentioned, the construction of solid concrete houses requires reliable scaffolding that will not fall apart at the most crucial moment. Only an experienced team, which has already been involved in such buildings more than once, can design and build such floors. And of course, scaffolding takes time.
Difficulty installing concrete floors... The fact that concrete can break through the formwork is only part of the problem. In fact, quite often, when it is built by unskilled workers, it breaks under its own weight.
High quality concrete required... Finding good concrete is no longer an easy task, but this is the main thing in the construction of an all-concrete house. After all, the service life of good and bad material can differ significantly (3-4 times). There is a well-known case when the Moscow concrete store "Voentorg", built of concrete in 1912, became emergency only 80 years later, although it had to stand at least 250.
These 4 problems are the main obstacles to the popularization of concrete houses in our country, and it is because of them that only people with high income can afford the construction of monoliths. Therefore, if the budget does not allow it, it is better to build with bricks, as it will last longer than a poor-quality concrete house built by cheap workers.
A monolithic house is superior in strength to all other types of buildings. Previously, only industrial facilities and high-rise buildings were built in a monolithic way, today this technology is also used by individuals for the construction of cottages and houses.
System for calculating the mass of a monolithic concrete slab.
The house, built using monolithic technology, allows you to bring the most incredible design ideas to life.
And more and more often, future homeowners are thinking about how to build a monolithic house with their own hands. Such construction is becoming more and more popular also because a house made with your own hands using this technology is surprisingly durable. It can withstand a small earthquake, does not require large labor costs and expensive materials, is durable and reliable in operation. A monolithic house can be finished with anything, and the walls can be erected immediately equipped with additional insulation. The technology, which uses non-removable, allows it.
Reinforcement scheme for a concrete floor.
This technology, like any other, has its advantages and disadvantages. And the advantages are very significant:
- Integral solidity of the structure greatly increases the mechanical strength of buildings. They are resistant to damage caused by gullies, earthquakes and ground movements.
- There are no so-called cold bridges, which are found in conventional buildings from structures with seams. This makes the rooms warmer.
- Monolithic construction can be carried out at any time and on any soil.
- Fairly fast construction.
- Low financial costs.
- Monolithic building designs can be curved.
- If perlite, sawdust, slag, expanded clay and similar substances are used in concrete solutions, then the structure will be light enough not to make a heavy foundation under it.
- Additional insulation will not be needed for non-removable construction. And at the same time, the total wall thickness will be less than usual;
- Monolithic walls have exceptional sound insulation.
- Interfloor floors can be made of any material.
- This technology eliminates the appearance of cracks in the walls due to the uniform shrinkage of the building.
And about the disadvantages of monolithic construction - there are much fewer of them:
- on the upper floors of the structures being built, one cannot do without a mortar pump or a concrete pump;
- monolithic floor slabs will require multiple labor costs, since special scaffolding is needed;
- with non-removable formwork, home improvement is required with supply and exhaust ventilation, otherwise moisture and the consequences from it cannot be avoided;
- obligatory plastering in order to avoid possible negative consequences from its combustion - the release of toxic substances;
- compulsory grounding of the entire building, since it is reinforced concrete.
Construction technology
Diagram of a monolithic-concrete strip foundation with reinforcement
As already clear from the above, the technology of erection in a monolithic way can be produced with different formwork: removable and non-removable. Both types of construction have their own nuances and features, both in the construction itself and during operation.
Removable is individual for each project. Its task is to accurately repeat all the features and bends of the future structure. The most commonly used plywood, wood, iron or plastic.
The distance between the walls is the width of the future wall. And it is calculated taking into account the region of construction and the thermal conductivity of the concrete mixture used. Shields are fastened with nuts, studs, washers. To facilitate removal after pouring, corrugated tubes are put on the threaded rods to protect them from contact with the concrete mixture.
This technology allows you to pour into the formwork with your own hands not only ordinary concrete, but also mixtures with lower thermal conductivity: perlite concrete, expanded clay concrete, slag concrete, sawdust concrete, aerated concrete, foam concrete, arbolite and others. Such walls will be more vapor-permeable and warm, but the loads can withstand less.
A very important point in monolithic construction is reinforcement. For it, steel or plastic reinforcing nets are used, and for even greater strength, a reinforcing cage is made.
You can pour concrete no more than half a meter at a time. And it is allowed to continue pouring only after it has set. The concrete must be rammed with vibrators, with special attention paid to the corners. After the concrete has hardened, the removed formwork is placed higher, and the work continues in this way until the moment when the entire structure is poured up to the roof.
Decorating and insulating walls can be done by hand no earlier than 4-5 weeks, after the maximum set of strength. Insulation is done with mineral wool, expanded polystyrene, warm plaster or extruded polystyrene foam.
Sometimes do-it-yourself insulation is made using a well facade. At the same time, an indent is made from the concrete wall and a wall of bricks or tiles is laid out, and the indent is covered with ecowool, expanded clay or other insulation material.
Non-removable advantages
Diagram of the device of a partition made of foam blocks.
The shape can be different. There are longitudinal, angular, window sills, above windows and others. At its core, the arrangement resembles the collection of structures from a children's play set.
Permanent formwork is more popular because it is also an insulating layer, while the overall labor costs are reduced and there is no need to spend money on insulation for the walls.
After the foundation is equipped with a waterproofing layer, a polystyrene foam formwork is installed on it, fastened with special profiles in the form of a “thorn-groove” fastening, which allows pouring concrete without leakage and without sagging at the bonding points.
Reinforcement scheme for floor slabs.
The width of the polystyrene foam can be different. And with a large number of them, they can be made at the factory to order. The standard width of the block is 150 mm, with polypenoxy walls 5-7.5 cm.
This fully meets the requirements that the heating will have to be turned on only when it is below +5 degrees outside.
To fill the permanent formwork, you cannot use warm mixtures - only ordinary concrete. The thing is that the vapor permeability of warm mixtures is sensitively higher than the vapor permeability of expanded polystyrene, such a neighborhood will lead to condensation and the house will become overgrown with fungi and mold.
After the construction of walls with fixed formwork, they do not need to be insulated; it will be enough to apply decorative plaster or siding.
Views
During the installation of the frame, boards are used. The foundation should be at least 20 cm wider than the future walls.
Several types are distinguished in application: formwork for foundations, floors, ring walls with the possibility of changing the radius, tunnel formwork. Thus, any element of the building structure can be manufactured.
It is impossible to construct different elements in the same way. For example, foundation formwork is installed on horizontal supports and mows, walls are made using construction locks, brackets and racks. And for ceilings, the formwork is laid on a structure made of retaining volumetric racks or telescopic racks.
Removable can be built from steel, plastic and wood. If we are building plywood formwork, then it must be cut with a saw with fine teeth, so as not to damage the lamination and veneer. Holes are drilled on both sides for the same reason. Store plywood formwork in a dry place. In order for the removable formwork to be conveniently removed, not only special fasteners are made for it, but also treated with a solution specially designed for this.
Tools and technology
To build a house with your own hands using monolithic technology, you will need the following:
- concrete mixer, mixer;
- for manual preparation of concrete mix, you will need dishes for kneading it, shovels, volumetric dishes;
- a stretcher for transferring concrete mix or a wheelbarrow;
- gas cutter, construction hair dryer;
- reinforcement mesh;
- net cutting scissors, pliers or other similar devices;
- a knife for cutting polystyrene foam;
- hammer, nails;
- tape measure, water building level;
- a machine for giving the mesh a special shape;
- metal and wooden supports;
- reinforcing hook for tying wire;
- puncher;
- individual protection means.
The monolithic technology of building a house with your own hands allows you to completely do without additional building materials, except for those required for the manufacture of a mixture for pouring into the formwork.
When asked which house is the most durable, the answer is obvious - monolithic. And if earlier the technology of monolithic construction was used only for the construction of high-rise buildings or industrial facilities, today more and more often you can find a monolithic cottage or a private house. Such technologies are able to bring even the most amazing design ideas to life, without being limited to straight-line designs. In addition to the amazing strength, which is enough to withstand a light earthquake, such cottages are popular also because they are quick and easy to build, do not require expensive materials and labor costs, and are also reliable and durable. The walls of monolithic cottages can be finished with any materials without restrictions, and the technology of fixed formwork allows you not to equip additional wall insulation.
Monolithic construction of cottages: advantages and disadvantages
Monolithic construction is carried out entirely at the construction site by pouring concrete into the formwork. Due to this feature, this technology has its advantages and disadvantages.
Today such vaunted praises are sung to monolithic construction that one gets the impression that there are no shortcomings at all, and nothing can be better than a monolith. Let's figure it out there are really many advantages:
- Due to the integrity of the monolithic structure, the mechanical strength of the entire building is increased, it is resistant to destruction caused by soil displacements, gullies and earthquakes.
- The absence of seams in the building box makes the cottage warmer, as there are no so-called "cold bridges".
- Work on the construction of a monolithic cottage can be carried out at any time of the year, on any soil.
- Fast construction.
- Low financial costs.
- The possibility of curvilinear construction, projects of monolithic cottages can be as intricate as you like.
- Subject to the use of insulated concrete mortars with additives: expanded clay, perlite, sawdust, slag, etc., the structure becomes light enough so that a heavy buried foundation could not be equipped.
- The walls of a monolithic cottage can be insulated and finished with various materials.
- When using permanent formwork, additional insulation is not required, and the overall wall thickness will decrease. Also, the walls will have exceptional sound insulation.
- The possibility of arranging any interfloor overlap: slab, in-situ concrete, wood.
- Uniform shrinkage of the building, which eliminates the appearance of cracks.
But it also does not do without a fly in the ointment, disadvantages of monolithic construction:
- To pour concrete at a height, a concrete pump (mortar pump) is required. This is not a problem at all if you order construction from a company, and it is expensive if you do it yourself.
- When pouring a monolithic floor slab, labor costs increase manifold, special scaffolding will be required.
- A monolithic cottage with fixed formwork, which is at the same time thermal insulation, is not able to "breathe" by the walls; supply and exhaust ventilation will be required. High humidity in the house.
- Expanded polystyrene, which is used in permanent formwork, is an environmentally friendly material that, although it has a flammability class G1, which means that it dies out within 2 minutes, but in the process of smoldering it emits extremely toxic substances, therefore, plastering the walls from the fixed formwork is a mandatory requirement.
- Time expenditures for the manufacture of formwork, taking into account the specifics of the project.
- Mandatory grounding is required for the entire cottage, since the walls are reinforced concrete with metal reinforcement.
Considering what prices are for monolithic cottages and all their advantages, many neglect the disadvantages associated with the non-environmental friendliness of expanded polystyrene. It is understandable - cheap, fast, beautiful, durable, durable, who will think about their health there? Although it should be noted that if you do not use fixed formwork, but build walls from warm concrete, and then insulate it with more environmentally friendly materials, then the cottage will turn out to be not only cheap and warm, but also quite comfortable.
Technologies for the construction of monolithic cottages
In total, there are two technologies that can be used to build monolithic cottages. They differ only in that in one case, the formwork is removed after the concrete has hardened, and in the other, the formwork is not removable. Both technologies have their own characteristics and nuances in construction and operation.
Construction of a monolithic cottage with removable formwork
Removable formwork is made individually for each cottage project, as it must exactly repeat its curves and features. The most commonly used materials are wood, plywood, plastic or iron.
The width of the empty space between the walls of the formwork should be equal to the width of the future wall, which is calculated taking into account the thermal conductivity of the concrete mixture and the region of construction. Formwork panels are fastened with washers, studs, nuts. So that after pouring the concrete, the formwork can be easily removed, corrugated tubes must be put on the threaded rods, protecting them from contact with concrete.
The technology of building a monolithic cottage with removable formwork assumes that it is possible to pour not only ordinary concrete, but also mixtures with much lower thermal conductivity, for example, expanded clay concrete, perlite concrete, slag concrete, sawdust concrete, foam concrete, aerated concrete, arbolite and others. The walls will be much warmer and more vapor-permeable, but they will not be able to withstand too much stress.
Also, an important point is the reinforcement of the concrete wall. To do this, you can use reinforcing meshes, plastic or steel, and for greater strength, a frame made of reinforcement is tied.
Important! A wall reinforced with a frame made of 8 - 18 mm reinforcement will be rather cold, since the metal parts of the frame will act as "cold bridges".
It is allowed to pour no more than 50 cm of concrete in one pass. Only after it "grabs" you can continue pouring. Compaction of concrete in the formwork is carried out using deep vibrators, special attention must be paid to the corners.
After the concrete has hardened, the formwork is removed and rearranged higher. So, until the whole cottage is flooded.
For the concrete to take its maximum strength, it must be allowed to stand for at least 4 to 5 weeks. After that, you can start insulation and decoration.
Monolithic walls can be insulated with expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam, mineral wool, "warm" plaster. At the same time, use the technology of a ventilated or wet facade.
It is also possible the option of a well facade, when an indent is made outside the concrete wall, then it is lined with facade bricks or tiles, and the free space is covered with insulation: expanded clay, ecowool, etc.
The indisputable advantage of this technology is that the house can be made as "breathing" and environmentally friendly as possible, although you will have to tinker with the assembly and disassembly of the formwork.
Construction of a monolithic cottage with fixed formwork
The use of permanent formwork is advertised with enviable consistency and tenacity. Indeed, according to this technology, the formwork is not only not removed after the concrete is poured, it is also a layer of thermal insulation. When using this technology for the monolithic construction of cottages, the price is the lowest, since labor costs are reduced as much as possible.
After the arrangement and waterproofing of the foundation, a formwork is installed on it, which is a form of expanded polystyrene, fastened with special profiles. These forms have a “tongue-and-groove” fastening system, which allows them to be connected so firmly and without gaps that concrete leakage or its overflow at the joints of the formwork forms is absolutely excluded.
The width of the foam polystyrene formwork can be different, in the case of a large order, the factory can produce blocks of any required thickness. A block is considered a standard block in which an empty space for concrete is 150 mm wide and foam polystyrene on both sides with a layer of 5 - 7.5 cm.This is enough to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer, you will have to turn on the heating only when the temperature drops below +5 ° C.
After the installation of the formwork, concrete is poured inside with a layer of 50 cm and compacted with a deep vibrator.
Important! Please note that only concrete can be used to fill the permanent formwork, and warm mixes cannot be used. This is due to the fact that the vapor permeability of expanded polystyrene is negligible and is equal to 0.05 Mg / (m * h * Pa), and the vapor permeability of warm mixtures is higher than 0.09 Mg / (m * h * Pa). If you clamp warm concrete between layers of polystyrene foam, condensation will accumulate in it, as a result, over time, mold and mildew will appear.
After the walls have been erected, they do not need to be insulated, it is enough just to plaster them with decorative plaster or sheathe them with siding.
The advantage of the fixed formwork technology is the simplicity of construction, low cost and no need for additional insulation. But at the same time, such a cottage is a thermos that is not able to "breathe".
Types of formwork for monolithic construction
According to the field of application, several types of formwork are distinguished: wall formwork, foundation, slabs, tunnel formwork, formwork of annular walls with a modified radius... Thanks to this variety, you can use a monolithic fill for any element of the building structure.
The different formwork elements are also installed in different ways. The foundation formwork is installed on struts and horizontal supports. Wall formwork - by means of racks, brackets and connecting locks. The slab formwork is laid on a structure made of telescopic or volumetric retaining struts.
Removable formwork is made of the following materials: steel, aluminum, wood, plastic... It has different properties depending on the material used. If you use plywood for formwork, then it must be cut with a saw with fine teeth, so as not to damage the veneer and lamination. It is necessary to drill holes for pipes and cables in the formwork from both sides, for the same reason. Store plywood formwork in a dry place.
Before use, the removable formwork is treated with a special solution so that it can be easily removed.
Permanent formwork, as already mentioned above, consists of expanded polystyrene, does not require additional processing. Its forms are different: angular, longitudinal, window sills, above windows and others. In fact, the arrangement of the removable formwork resembles the connection of LEGO figures.
Types of concrete solutions for monolithic construction
The indisputable advantage of monolithic construction is the ability to pour mortars with different thermal conductivity and vapor permeability into the formwork.
Concrete- the simplest option and, unfortunately, the only one allowed when casting fixed formwork. A monolithic concrete cottage will be very cold, since its thermal conductivity is 1.51 W / (m * C), and its vapor permeability is 0.03 Mg / (m * h * Pa). Concrete walls should be carefully insulated.
Reinforced concrete- even colder than concrete, since the iron reinforcement acts as "cold bridges". A cottage made of monolithic reinforced concrete requires insulation with expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene foam or mineral wool.
Expanded clay concrete has a thermal conductivity of 0.66 - 0.14 W / (m * C) and a vapor permeability of 0.09 - 0.3 Mg / (m * h * Pa). Indicators depend on the density of the mixture, the larger the porosity of expanded clay, the warmer and more vapor-permeable the wall. The wall thickness for the Moscow Region region is 50 cm.
Slag concrete- the same as expanded clay concrete, but instead of expanded clay - slag. It is less durable, so the thickness of the walls should be 55 - 60 cm.
A mixture of cement, sand, sawdust (needles) and water. The walls are warm, fire-resistant and environmentally friendly, only from the outside they must be protected with a waterproofing material.
A mixture of cement, water and wood chips 40x10x5 mm. Chips are pre-ventilated or processed with lime. Walls made of wood concrete are warmer and stronger than sawdust concrete.
Foam concrete- chemically foamed concrete, a warmer material than conventional concrete. Its thermal conductivity is 0.29 - 0.08 W / (m * C), and the vapor permeability is 0.11 - 0.26 Mg / (m * h * Pa).
Monolithic construction of a cottage with your own hands
Usually the construction of a monolithic cottage is ordered from a construction company. This is due to the fact that for the work you will need formwork, a concrete pump, scaffolding for the floor slab and other equipment that is in any construction organization, and buying it for one time is unprofitable.
But for those who do not like simple ways and agree to spend money on a mortar pump, and make the overlap wooden or order a floor slab and install it with a crane, the construction of a monolithic cottage with their own hands will also be within their power.
The project of a monolithic cottage can be completed independently, downloaded on the Internet or ordered from a design organization, in the latter case, all the necessary calculations will be made to you: the strength of the load-bearing walls and the load on them, the required thickness of the fill and insulation.
When the project is ready, we equip the foundation. If the house is with a basement, then the overlap of the basement can be made with a monolithic slab, and the foundation with a strip. Usually, a pile-strip foundation is built and it is carefully waterproofed.
How to build a monolithic cottage with removable formwork
We make the formwork from wooden planks with a thickness of 30 - 50 mm. If the temperature in the region drops to -30 ° C, we make the thickness of the walls 55 - 60 cm. We tightly connect them together and drive them with racks of 80x80 mm, at a distance of 1 - 1.5 m from each other. The length of such shields should be 2 - 4 m, and the height 60 - 80 cm.
At the bottom we install metal ties with bolts so that the shields do not burst when concrete is poured into them. At the top, the shields are fixed with wooden overlays or the same ties.
We insert a reinforcing mesh or frame into the formwork, depending on the project.
For the manufacture of sawdust concrete we take: 8 parts of dry sawdust, 1 part of cement M400 - M500, 3 parts of lime, 2 parts of sand.
Important! Sawdust should be weathered in the open air for at least a year.
First, we mix the cement with sand, separately lime with sawdust, then combine both mixtures and mix thoroughly, adding water a little at a time. As a result, there should be enough water so that it does not flow out of the solution.
Pour a layer of 20 cm into the formwork with the resulting solution. We seal with vibrators and pierce with rods to thoroughly tamp the solution. Then fill in the next layer. And so on until the formwork is practically filled (for convenience, we leave 5-10 cm empty on top).
It is possible to rearrange the formwork higher only after 3 - 5 days. All this time, the concrete must be sheltered from the sun and precipitation with a film or roofing material.
After completing the construction of the walls, let the concrete gain strength for a month, then equip the floor and roof. The overlap should go at least 15 - 20 cm to the walls.
After the sawdust concrete has completely dried, the walls can be insulated from the outside as needed. For this, you can use "warm" plaster, which can be applied in a layer of up to 50 mm. It is an excellent hydro-insulator, heat insulator and at the same time easily releases steam outside.
How to build a monolithic cottage with fixed formwork
The construction of a monolithic cottage with fixed formwork is an extremely simple task. First you need to stock up on formwork elements. They are wall, corner and radius. It is necessary to calculate the number of each type of elements according to the developed project.
We install the fixed formwork on the foundation, assembling it like a LEGO constructor, connecting the block joints of the blocks. For a start, the first row will be enough.
We carry out all the necessary sewerage, water supply and ventilation pipes. Then, if reinforcement is required, insert a reinforcing mesh. We prepare a concrete solution from M500 cement, sand, crushed stone and water. We build up the formwork and fill it with a 50 cm layer, compact it with deep vibrators.
For a day, you can build up to a height of no more than 50 - 70 cm.
After completing the construction of the walls, they do not need insulation, and as a finish, you can make the so-called "wet" facade - plaster it with decorative plaster on a fiberglass mesh.
The construction of a monolithic cottage with your own hands is greatly simplified if you call a couple of partners for help. Indeed, after overcoming a certain height when erecting walls for pouring concrete upward, you will need to use a concrete pump. And coordinated actions can reduce time and organize the right work.
Quite often, special equipment is used during construction. A large selection of spare parts for road construction equipment from leading manufacturers, such as spare parts for Komatsu bulldozers, are presented on the website of the Aimashineri Group of Companies.