The best way to cut wood concrete. Construction of a house from wood concrete blocks

Building a house is one of the main duties of a man (after that, plant a tree and give birth to a child). Everyone dreams of living in their own home. But, for this you will have to make a lot of effort, spend a certain amount of money and time, especially if you carry out construction work yourself. Another problem is the choice of material for construction. At the moment, there are so many raw materials for work that you can break your head. You have to choose, analyzing the pros and cons of the material, the purpose of the building, the climate, the available funds, etc. As practice has shown, one of the best materials for the construction of a residential building is wood concrete. It is a practical, lightweight, durable, durable and environmentally friendly material based on sawdust and Portland cement. Houses made of wood concrete blocks differ in their energy intensity, because the heat conductivity of wood concrete is 0.07-0.16, depending on the density. Living in such a house is warm and comfortable.

In this article, we will look at how the construction of a house from wood concrete blocks is going on, the stages of doing the work with your own hands and some recommendations for the construction of the foundation and laying the walls. The article contains supporting videos.

Tools to get the job done

You cannot complete home construction without the right tools and materials. They must be prepared in advance and in good condition. The list is as follows:

• shovel, stone cutting saw.
• level, tape measure, plumb;
• stakes and long rope;
• reinforcement rods Ø14 mm;
• container for solution;
• trowel, notched trowel or trowel for laying blocks;
• rubber mallet;
• fishing line for aligning blocks.

Now you can start building a house from wood concrete blocks.

1st stage of construction - design

Every developer knows that the construction of any building begins with drawing up a project. However, this procedure is the first in any kind of work. Projects are needed for orientation, so that construction proceeds quickly and according to plan. Such a plan must be drawn up in advance and approved by the district administration. It should indicate the details of the entire construction of the house. You can say - this is a map by which you will know what to do.

The plan should contain drawings of the house, its size, number of storeys, material, layout, communications, etc. Projects of a house from wood concrete sides can be obtained in several ways:

1. Order a specialist designer (the most expensive option).
2. Buy a project on special sites.
3. Free download.

As for point 3, be careful, as free projects may not always be of high quality. And this, in turn, will affect the entire construction. A well-prepared plan may have in the family the approximate cost of each material, its quantity and the approximate cost of building a house.

When your project is ready, you can purchase all the necessary materials and start building!

Stage 2 of construction - foundation arrangement

The foundation of any building is the foundation. It is he who is the guarantor of the reliability and durability of the building. Due to the fact that wood concrete blocks are quite lightweight, the construction of a reinforced foundation is not required. This saves you a little money. The type of foundation can be different:

• pile;
• tiled;
• tape shallow;
• columnar.

The most common type of foundation for an arbolite house is a strip foundation that repeats the design of all walls.

Let's look at the sequence of work on its construction:

1. Site preparation and marking. The site should be freed from all unnecessary things: garbage, old things, bushes, etc. Based on the project, marking is done on the ground with rope and stakes and the top fertile soil layer is removed.
2. Digging a foundation pit. Recommended trench width - 30 - 40 cm, depth - 60 cm (depending on the soil). These dimensions must be taken into account when marking and do it correctly.
3. Leveling the walls and bottom of the trench.
4. Sand cushion device. Compacted with 5-10 soy sand and 5 cm layer of crushed stone.
5. Formwork erection. Its height can be 30 cm, but if you live in an area with a harsh climate, we recommend making a 50 cm base.
6. At this stage, communications can be laid while the concrete has not yet been poured.
7. Reinforcement cage manufacturing. In order for the foundation to be strong, you need to make a reinforcing mesh (reinforcement Ø14 mm) and place it in the pit.
8. Pouring concrete. There are 2 options for the development of events: prepare concrete yourself or order a ready-made mixture. The pit is filled with concrete. Then the finished foundation is leveled with a trowel.

Now it takes time as the concrete must dry completely. This takes about a month. The formwork can be removed for 10 days. The surface of the foundation must be protected from external factors. To prevent it from collapsing, cover it with plastic.

note! To prevent the foundation from cracking, periodically spray the surface with water, moistening it.

Your foundation is now ready. You can start building the walls of the wood concrete house. Blocks can be bought or made by yourself.

Stage 3 of construction - laying of walls

Before proceeding with the laying, it is required to ensure the waterproofing of the foundation. To do this, it is covered with bituminous mastic or 1-2 layers of roofing material are spread on the surface. So the foundation and walls will be protected from the effects of destructive moisture, and the construction will not be in vain.

Advice ! To correctly calculate the number of wood concrete blocks for the laying of a house, use a special calculator.

All that is required is to enter into the form the dimensions of the block, the thickness and height of the walls, the perimeter and thickness of the mortar when laying. Then you will find out the amount of material required.

Wall masonry is a responsible business. They must be perfectly flat and strong. It will be easier for those who have already performed brickwork or other material. It is even easier to work with wood concrete. First you need to prepare a cement mortar. Everything is simple here: achieve a 1: 3 ratio (cement, sand) and add water to bring everything to the desired consistency. Make sure to prepare as much mortar as needed for the masonry. Having made a lot of solution, you may not have time to use it while it is liquid.

Note! For masonry, you can also use a special glue for a gas block. It dries faster and is easier to work with.

It's time to lay wood concrete blocks. The order of work is as follows:

1. Laying starts from the corners of the building. Expose the corner blocks to the mortar. They should be perfectly even, because the blocks in the corner are fundamental. Use the level. If the wall is long, install an additional block in the middle.
2. Pull the line between the products. It should touch the top of the block slightly and serve as a guide for even laying.
3. Now lay the rest of the blocks, forming 1 row. Apply mortar or glue to the foundation and align the blocks. Please note that the seam between them should not exceed 10 mm. Tap the block with a rubber mallet, adjusting it to the line.
4. It is clear that the length of the wall will not always be equal to the exact number of blocks, so one of them will have to be cut. The question arises: how to cut wood concrete blocks? You can use a stone saw. Arbolite is easy to process, so it is easy to cut. When doing this, use a metal corner so that the block comes out even.
5. When the first row of masonry around the entire perimeter is completed, you can proceed to the next. The procedure is exactly the same, only now you need to make a bandage.
6. During the construction process, do not forget to make openings for windows and doors in the right places.

Watch the video, which clearly shows the laying of wood concrete blocks.

This is all technology. It remains to erect walls, make lintels over windows and doorways, overlap and arrange a roof, according to the selected technology. The construction of the building box made of wood concrete blocks has been completed. But, this is far from the end, because you still have a lot of work to do.

If this is your first time laying blocks of wood concrete, then these tips will help you do everything right.

Keep in mind that wood concrete blocks must be protected from external factors. Therefore, it is better to do the interior and exterior decoration faster.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the video, which describes in detail the construction of a house from wood concrete blocks.

The earlier a mistake is made in the construction process, the more serious its consequences. In a sense, this is the so-called "butterfly effect" from chaos theory: a small action in the past - devastating consequences in the future.

That is why small oversights in design and masonry turn into such big problems. Let's look at the example of an arbolite house, what mistakes can be made and (this interests us much more) how to avoid them. But first, a brief reference material.

Arbolit is a lightweight concrete based on softwood chips and high-strength cement. Have "Correct", GOST arbolite has all the characteristics of a good wall material.

• Does not rot, prevents mold and mildew from spreading, does not catch fire for 1.5 - 3 hours.
• It is environmentally friendly and vapor-permeable - it “breathes” like a tree and regulates the humidity in the room.
• It has excellent thermal insulation properties: only wood can boast of such.
• It fits quickly and saves mortar: one block replaces 15 to 19 bricks.
• Easy to process: it can be sawed, nails driven into it and self-tapping screws can be tightened.
• Possesses impressive bending and impact strength.

Features of construction from wood concrete blocks

The laying process, according to its principle, does not differ from that which is familiar to us from working with bricks or other wall materials: the same scheme, the same dressing. At the same time, a couple of special points are worth highlighting.

• In especially wet regions or lowlands, a special approach is required to wood concrete: raising the foundation, reinforced waterproofing, installing a basement and / or blind area - only a specialist can suggest the optimal solution.
• Arbolite can be finished with both plastering and cladding with a variety of materials. At the same time, it is important to arrange the facing so that it does not "kill" the breathing properties of wood concrete - otherwise you will face freezing of the walls and the appearance of wet spots on them.

For the most part, all the nuances of working with wood concrete only play into the hands of the developer - they either facilitate the work or save money. But again, the approach must be skillful.

What to do if you've never worked with other materials

If you and your team have never had to deal with wood concrete, but you have experience with other materials, you can try to cope on your own (although here the supervision of a specialist will not hurt). And if you don't have a lot of experience in the construction business, but you want everything to be completely under control, you will need a technologist at the facility.

A good option is to contact a construction company. Even better - to the one that specializes in arbolite: it produces equipment for the release of blocks and the blocks themselves.

What if we tell you that technologist departure service does the Russian Arbolit company provide it for free? In this case, there will be not one exit, but two:

• at the beginning of construction the specialist will give recommendations on the choice of mortar, laying the block and mesh for reinforcement, and also answer all your questions;
• after the construction of the first floor box the technologist will check the correctness of the masonry, show how to lay the armored belt and lintels / floor beams, advise on the best way to finish the house in these climatic conditions.

The service is free of charge for everyone who orders a batch of blocks from Russkiy Arbolit, sufficient to build a house. At the same time, the specialist travels in any direction, to any region and settlement. Moreover, if the object is located at a distance from settlements, the technologist will come there too.

"Russian Arbolit" for good work: good blocks and good styling.

The pros and cons of wood concrete is an important issue when considering this material for building a house. Arbolit successfully passes the test of time. Houses built from wood concrete have retained their quality and durability for over 50 years. But this material is still not used en masse, despite the pros and cons of wood concrete, as well as its unique properties, which make it possible to build houses in the southern and northern regions.

Arbolit is a lightweight concrete based on natural organic filler, it belongs to wall materials and is produced in the form of blocks, slabs and panels. It is possible to use wood concrete and in the form of a solution, this allows you to create a monolithic surface. Not so long ago, wood concrete appeared, which has a colorful textured facing surface.

Types of wood concrete blocks

Arbolite blocks are produced in two main types

• hollow, used for thermal insulation of non-bearing partitions and internal walls
• corpulent, for load-bearing walls

Wood concrete composition

Arbolit consists of:

• astringent. Portland cement M400 and M500, sulfate-resistant cement is also used, which increases the chemical resistance of blocks
• filler - this is crushed, purified and processed by a special method of woodworking waste. Chips, veneer, tree bark, sawdust, flaxseed fire, cotton stalks, rice straw in the amount of up to 90% of the finished product give arbolite many valuable and unique qualities, one of the main ones is its high heat-shielding properties.
• additives. Plasticizers and hardening accelerators. Antiseptics and herbicides. Lime is a bactericidal agent. Aluminum sulphate and sodium silicate - to break down sugars in wood and reduce hydrophilicity. Potassium and sodium liquid glass - for strengthening and preventing fermentation reactions. Corrosion inhibitors if metal reinforcement is expected. And that is not all.

A lot of chemicals and various additives are introduced into the wood concrete mixture, in different combinations. And there are also a lot of recipes, for creating blocks with a certain compressive strength, the selection of a composition with an exact amount of cement is calculated.

And with certain nuances - first of all, they neutralize the sugars contained in the wood, and then add additives that close the pores so that the wood does not absorb water.

It is necessary to neutralize sugar, this is required by the chemistry of concrete. The binder does not react well to hydration, adhesion is slowed down, the cement stone is formed too slowly and not strong enough if the processes take place in the presence of "sweet" molecules. Sugar is present only in fresh wood chips, if you keep it for up to six months in the open air, this sugar will decompose spontaneously, but waiting for six months ... is not always possible.

Pros of wood concrete

The advantages of wood concrete are as follows:

• - high heat-insulating properties, as a result - an increase in the energy efficiency of the building
• - excellent sound insulation
• - strength, excellent work in compression and bending, high crack resistance. Arbolite does not chip in all directions, the material is completely isotropic
• - very light, the building does not require a strong foundation. This is with significant compressive strength and flexibility of wood concrete. For single-storey lightweight structures, masonry of walls made of wood concrete is performed without inter-row reinforcement.
• - ease of processing. Blocks can be drilled, sawed, cut and channeled. And also make holes for utility lines without any problems
• - resistant to erosion, corrosion, do not rot, do not form mold and plaque on the surface, especially when pretreating wood aggregates
• - high speed of masonry, in comparison with brick. Installation work is simplified due to its light weight, which saves labor and construction time
• - durability. They have been in operation for over 50 years.
• - fireproof
• - environmentally friendly. The wood concrete house "breathes", it has a good microclimate, and the production of blocks does not harm the environment. Chemical additives introduced into the batch are safe.

Cons of wood concrete

We list the main disadvantages of wood concrete:

• when buying, it is difficult to check and select quality blocks. The market is flooded with handicrafts. Some manufacturers do not focus on quality, but on PR and marketing gimmicks, unfortunately, this is our reality. And the wood concrete block is very difficult to assess purely visually, without laboratory tests. It is necessary to check certificates from suppliers, personally measure the geometry of the blocks, and avoid forgeries. The popularity, ease and profit of production, as well as the rare qualities of wood concrete ... give such a minus.

• arbolite in its natural form does not look very presentable ... it looks like an adobe hut. And it needs a beautiful cladding. In addition, wood concrete needs protection from the environment - rain and moisture. Not so long ago, blocks with a spectacular and colorful finish appeared, but their cost is still high.

• the cost of wood concrete is still higher than that of other lightweight concrete - gas and foam concrete. Although wood concrete filler is natural and inexpensive, its processing requires investment of time and money.

Arbolite masonry technology

Some simple nuances and tricks of wood concrete masonry technology:

• external and load-bearing walls are laid out in one or one and a half blocks. The block sizes allow it. Self-supporting walls and partitions are usually made of blocks of 20 * 25 * 50 cm, and the outer walls are 25 * 30 * 50 cm. The mortar is ordinary cement-sand, as for brickwork, lime may be added. The thickness of the seams should not be more than 15 mm.
• dressing and fitting is carried out according to the type of brickwork, with an offset of the rows, in order to avoid a decrease in strength and the appearance of cracks in the masonry. Also, as with any masonry, it is mandatory to check the horizon using a building level or a laser level.
• they begin to lay the walls from the corners, the mortar is applied both to the horizontal surface and to the end of the block. Water protection under the first row is required.

• wood concrete material is light, so you have to take breaks to dry the masonry. After about 3-4 rows, erected in one shift. This, of course, is the loss of working time. The time problem is partially solved by adding a hardening accelerator to the solution. You need to know that not all setting accelerators have a beneficial effect on the strength of the mortar.

• about the reinforcement of masonry. Small lightweight buildings do not reinforce at all, since the compressive and bending strength of wood concrete is sufficient with a margin. But if the house is two floors, then it is necessary to reinforce the masonry with longitudinal rods, at least in every fourth row. The diameter of the bars and the row are determined by calculation.

• the device of armored belts under the Mauerlat, as well as interfloor and basement (if the foundation is not a slab, which is unrealistic) for wood concrete masonry is a severe necessity. The same as for all lightweight concrete. Although the strength of wood concrete makes it possible to arrange a roof of any kind and type of coating, without restrictions. You only need an armored belt to compensate for point stresses from the rafter system.

• cladding and protection from rain and direct sun is necessary for a long service life of wood concrete without reducing its qualities. In addition, the roof overhang should be at least 35-50 cm.
• cut-off from capillary moisture, or in other words, horizontal waterproofing of the foundation surface for the first arbolite row is strictly required. Bitumen and bituminous mastics are used.
• wood concrete has a very low thermal conductivity, and thermal breaks from the joints are partially compensated, but the seams still give cold "bridges". Inserting dried wood slats or expanded polystyrene strips into the inner wasteland will prevent heat loss.
• and another plus. Arbolite practically does not shrink, experts call the figure 0.4% of linear shrinkage, which is very little. It is possible to carry out interior and exterior finishing with cladding immediately after the end of the masonry.

All building materials have drawbacks, and arbolite is no exception, and it is still far from the final test of time for the safety of operation. And this material is not so cheap and easy to work with. But its special, unique properties have already attracted the attention of builders to it, and the massive use of building materials based on natural raw materials is only a matter of time.