Anyone who wants to build a house is concerned about the question of what material to choose for building walls. After all, the strength, durability and comfort of the home depend on it.
The choice of wall material directly affects the cost of building a house.
To choose wall material, what you can handle, we will turn to FORUMHOUSE specialists for clarification.
Where does the choice of wall material begin?
Aerated concrete or warm ceramics, timber, wood concrete or frame technology... Any novice developer when choosing a material for building a house under permanent place residence is faced with an abundance of conflicting information. There seem to be so many materials that choosing the right one seems like an impossible task. We have to narrow the scope of our search and select exactly what is needed!
According to a forum user with the nickname Abysmo, It is enough to understand just ten things to decide whether to build a house. Namely:
- What kind of housing do you plan to build - for permanent residence or for short-term visits;
- What requirements do you have for strength and environmental safety wall material;
- How quickly do you want to check in?
- What fuel is planned for heating;
- How much will it cost to operate?
- How much money are you willing to spend on construction?
- What building materials are available in your area;
- Is it possible to carry out independent work, or will workers be involved?
- Which construction technologies and mechanization tools are available in your region of residence;
- Are you considering the possibility of selling the building on the secondary market?
There are no universal wall materials suitable for every project. A large or small plot, the characteristics of the region of residence, climate, personal preferences require the use of their own materials.
Construction consultant's opinion Romana Nikonova:
– When choosing wall materials, it is necessary to take into account a number of technological features and protective properties material: fire resistance, durability, thermal conductivity. In addition, you should be guided by your feelings - whether you like the material or not.
In conditions middle zone Russian walls should provide good thermal protection. They must also be strong enough to withstand the weight of floors, roofing, snow and wind loads.
Snow in the conditions surrounding Moscow can give a load of up to 180 kg per 1 sq.m. roof surfaces. Don’t forget about the fire resistance of structures.
The point of view of an expert from our forum Alexey Melnikov(nickname on the forum Lyokhin ):
– If building codes and technologies are violated, even modern and expensive wall material can be damaged.
And vice versa - a competent approach and careful planning make it possible, with a very limited budget, to build a reliable, practical and not so small comfortable house for permanent residence.
For your information: the cost of constructing a box (relative to the total construction budget) usually does not exceed 20-30%.
The following example is indicative:
If the house is planned to be used in the “dacha” mode, then build stone walls not profitable for the following reasons:
- Economic component. If the stone housing has cooled down, then upon arrival it needs a long heating. It is not profitable to do this for the sake of one or two trips per week.
- Operational component. Irregular heating of a stone structure in winter negatively affects its durability.
What kind of house to build? ABOUT features of wall materials
Among the most well-known materials used in the construction of walls are the following:
- brick and warm ceramics;
- foam concrete and aerated concrete;
- tree;
- frame technologies;
- wood concrete
Let's consider their main features.
1. Brick and warm ceramics
Advantages of this material:
1. Strength – denoted by the letter “M”. The number after the letter indicates how much load the brick can withstand. This value is expressed in kg per 1 sq. cm.
2. Durability. Brick buildings are among the most durable.
3. Environmental friendliness. Brick is based on clay, sand and water. Due to its structure, brick allows air to pass through well. Therefore, a favorable microclimate is established in the room, and excess moisture is removed outside. In addition, the walls accumulate heat well and then release it into the room.
4. High frost resistance. The higher the frost resistance, the more durable the building. Frost resistance is the ability of a building material to withstand freezing and thawing in a water-saturated state. The frost resistance of the material is indicated by the letter F. The numbers after the letter indicate the number of freezing and thawing cycles that the material can withstand without losing its qualities.
5. Aesthetics. A cottage built of brick can be made in any architectural style, and the masonry technology itself has been developed for decades.
6. High degree of sound insulation. Brick walls dampen both street and interior noise well.
Despite a number of undoubted advantages, simple brick also has significant disadvantages.
Alexey Melnikov:
– Traditional ceramic brick size 250x120x65 mm does not correspond to modern thermal engineering standards.
Calculations show that the required thickness of uniform brick walls (even for the southern latitudes of our country) is at least 1 meter.
It is possible to build a house for permanent residence with such thick walls, but it is not economically feasible. Therefore, the brick received its further development - in the form of this modern solution like warm ceramics.
Roman Nikonov:
– Ceramic block, or porous ceramics, is a high-tech clay-based material.
Thanks to the smallest pores filled with air, ceramic stone is very warm and has high mechanical strength. The dimensions of a block of warm ceramics exceed the dimensions of a standard brick several times, which increases the speed of masonry. But warm ceramics are a rather fragile material. Therefore, for fastening any structures in a wall made of ceramic block you have to use special anchors.
Alexander Toporov(nickname on the forum 44alex) :
– Warm ceramics have a thin-walled structure, so it is not easy to attach any heavy objects to it, and cutting it requires an expensive special tool. After laying warm ceramics, it should either be plastered on the outside or additionally filled with vertical joints. Before purchasing ceramic stone, I recommend paying attention to the geometry of the blocks and making sure there are no cracks.
When scoring and drilling walls made of warm ceramics, you need to be very careful, otherwise you can split the block.
The main disadvantages of brick:
- 1. High construction costs. Brick is an expensive building material, which leads to an increase in construction costs;
- 2. The large mass of a building built of brick requires the laying of a carefully calculated, powerful and expensive foundation;
- 3. Seasonality of construction work.
Wet processes (cooking building mixtures and water-based solutions) impose restrictions or make it impossible to lay bricks in winter.
2. Foam and aerated concrete
Today, gas and foam concrete blocks are the most common materials for wall construction. This is due to a good balance in the price-quality ratio.
Alexey Melnikov:
– The advantages of such blocks are their relatively low thermal conductivity (as a result, high thermal resistance), high fire and biological resistance, ease of processing with hand and portable power tools, as well as their lightness.
It was these qualities that allowed the user of our forum with the nickname Dimastik25 independently, in one hand from aerated concrete.
– I chose aerated concrete because it makes it possible to carry out the masonry independently, without using auxiliary force.
The size of the block allows it to be laid by one person, but due to the large format of the block, the work is done quite simply, quickly and without unnecessary labor costs.
Even an untrained person can lay blocks on their own. No need to knead a large number of cement-sand mortar, the masonry is carried out quite thin layer glue. Also a significant advantage is the uniformity of the wall, a large selection of blocks and their good geometry.
Alexander Toporov:
– Gas silicate is easy to process, it is easy to saw. It is also easy to organize various armored belts, lintels, arches, etc.
One of the main advantages of aerated and foam concrete as wall materials is their good heat and sound insulation, which leads to reduced costs for heating and insulating materials.
Aerated concrete blocks are produced by large enterprises. Therefore, the quality of such materials corresponds to the declared characteristics, and geometric deviations are minimal.
But this material is not without its drawbacks.
Alexey Melnikov:
– Gas and foam concrete blocks are a very fragile material. Low bending strength requires the use of a relatively expensive and powerful foundation (usually a monolithic reinforced concrete slab), and additional elements reinforcement - armored belt.
Foam concrete, although cheaper than aerated concrete, can be produced using so-called “garage” methods. Therefore, when purchasing it, you need to carefully consider the issue of choosing a supplier and not chase the lowest price.
You can familiarize yourself with all and.
3. Wooden houses
Wood is a classic building material, but despite its widespread use, it also has a number of advantages and disadvantages.
Roman Nikonov:
– The wooden house breathes and is beautiful. It is very flexible, "homey", universal material, easy to transport and install. But it is less durable than stone.
Because When constructing a log house there are no wet processes, then such a house can be erected at any time of the year.
When starting a construction project, we think about which log is best to build a house for permanent residence from. Experts believe that it is better not to build a wooden house from logs!
Alexey Melnikov:
– Timber is more practical in terms of cost-energy efficiency ratio, but for connoisseurs of log facades, the aesthetics of a log house usually come first.
Rounded logs and profiled timber (including kiln drying) are all modern types of logs aimed at improving aesthetic properties and simplifying the construction of a house.
Well made wooden houses can last 200-300 years.
Among the disadvantages of wooden houses are:
1. The installation of “wet” rooms in a wooden one is associated with certain difficulties.
2. Based on the standard dimensions of logs (6 m), covering rooms over 5 meters in width is difficult to implement. Interfloor ceilings in wooden houses are usually wooden beams. This reduces the degree of sound insulation in the house (wood conducts sound well) under shock loads.
3. Wood is susceptible to shrinkage and cracking.
4. A wooden house must be caulked and painted regularly. Thermal protection sufficient for comfortable life in the house, provides a wall made of wood with a thickness of 200 mm.
5. Wood can rot and requires treatment with antiseptic agents to protect against mold and wood-boring beetles.
That's why next step development of wooden house-building was the development of laminated veneer lumber - a wall material devoid of the disadvantages of conventional timber.
Let's name the advantages of laminated veneer lumber:
- The material is durable and, thanks to its special profile (the toothed connection protects the wall from blowing), better retains heat in the house;
- Glued laminated timber has a clear geometry, which facilitates and speeds up the process of building a house;
- The material practically does not shrink, which allows you to begin laying communications and interior decoration immediately after the construction of the house;
- Thanks to factory fire-bioprotection, laminated veneer lumber is highly resistant to fire, mold and fungi;
- The walls of a house built from laminated veneer lumber do not require interior or exterior decoration.
The main disadvantage of this material is its high price, as well as the need to attract highly qualified specialists to build a house.
4. Frame technology
Frame houses are considered one of the most rapidly erected and warmest houses. Therefore, if you need housing urgently, and you are wondering what temporary resources and what material to build a house from, feel free to choose this option. Main advantages frame house construction economical and high - in a matter of months - speed of construction.
Because frame house Because it is lightweight, there is no need to build a powerful foundation under it, which also greatly reduces construction costs. The absence of wet processes allows a frame house to be built all year round.
Denis Reznichenko(nickname on the forum silent):
– If you are going to permanently live in a frame house, keep in mind that heating costs will be noticeably lower compared to wooden or stone houses, because ability to retain heat modern insulation materials higher than traditional materials.
Advantages frame houses:
- high speed of construction;
- frame technology does not require the use of heavy construction equipment;
- the construction of such a house can be carried out independently;
- due to the absence of shrinkage, interior and exterior finishing of a frame house can be done immediately after completion of construction;
- the thickness of the walls in frame houses usually does not exceed 30 cm, which increases the usable area of the house;
- during the cold season, frame houses quickly warm up to a comfortable temperature.
The disadvantages of frame houses include:
- High demands on the quality of materials used. To build a frame house, first of all, you need well-dried and planed wood, treated with fire and bioprotective compounds that protect it from damage and rotting. When constructing a frame, it is unacceptable to use raw wood, because It warps as it dries. This leads to a change in the geometry of wooden structures;
- Construction carried out by low-skilled workers with deviations from technology entails a significant reduction in the operational characteristics of the house;
- Compared to stone houses, frame houses lower degree of sound insulation.
Alexey Melnikov:
– Also among the disadvantages is the low heat capacity (heat storage capacity) of frame walls.
A frame house with the heating turned off quickly cools down. However, there is a way out - you can use an insulated Swedish stove as a foundation.
5. Arbolit
Wood concrete is a material made from cement binder (concrete) and organic fillers obtained from wood processing waste.
Sometimes wood concrete is called wood concrete, because this wall material absorbs the advantages of both concrete and wood.
Arbolite has high thermal insulation properties.
It's environmentally friendly pure material who don't need additional insulation. It does not dry out like wood, does not rot and does not burn.
Arbolite walls “breathe” (the vapor permeability of an arbolite wall is more than 35%). This regulates the humidity level in the room. This ensures good air exchange in the room.
Alexey Melnikov:
– Arbolite is an old and, at the same time, undeservedly forgotten material. Attempts to implement it were made back in Soviet times.
However, the segment of individual low-rise housing construction was not developed in those days; mainly panels of high-rise buildings were built, and over time, wood concrete gave way to other wall materials.
However, now wood concrete is experiencing a rebirth.
After all, it is devoid of a number of disadvantages inherent in gas and foam concrete blocks, the material is relatively light, and the construction of a house does not require the construction of a powerful foundation.
Also, wood concrete has high bending strength and will not crack when the foundation moves or settles.
Arbolite, like wood, is easy to saw, drill, arbolite wall Nails are easy to hammer in, and the material itself holds heavy objects well without the use of special fasteners.
Among the disadvantages of wood concrete, two can be identified: its high cost and the insufficient number of house designs developed specifically for these blocks. Therefore, when choosing a wood concrete block (in order to avoid purchasing low-quality material with impaired geometry or strength characteristics), it is necessary to carefully consider the issue of choosing a supplier.
On our portal they will help you find out everything a novice frame builder needs to know, what kind of house, understand what is better,. We will help you choose best material for walls and how to build
Watch a video on building a house from wood concrete blocks. And after reading our next video, you will learn how to build your own in six months
If you decide to build a house on your own summer cottage, then the first problem that will arise for you is what material to use for the job. In addition, other questions may haunt you during such a process. What can you build a house from? What will be more practical? Which material will last longer? Choose a regular brick or try modern technologies? And if you are really concerned about such questions, then from this article you can find out the answers to them.
So now you have huge selection building materials than a couple of decades ago. Today you can build a house from gas silicate blocks or wood. You can also build a house on your site using frame-panel technology. But no one canceled brick either. Some people entrust the construction of their house to specialists, and very soon they are happy wonderful home made of brick. As a result, it is up to you to decide what to build a country house from. We, in turn, would like to tell you about the different materials for building a house. About their properties, different costs, moisture resistance, sound insulation, all the pros and cons and much more.
Building a brick house
This article will allow you to find out what is best to build a country house from. First of all, it’s worth talking about a popular building material - brick. So, brick is the most durable material. A house made of brick structures will last you approximately 100-150 years, or maybe more.
Elderly city residents can confirm that in their cities there are many different, very old buildings that are over 100 years old, they are all intact and built of brick. But let's not advertise the brick too much. A building made from it will be durable and will last a long time only if the brick is of high quality, and for ready home will be well looked after. Of course, building a house out of brick is not so simple, and if during construction technical errors, then the quality of the house will not be adequate.
In this case, the thermal insulation decreases and the weather resistance will no longer be the same. The main factor is dampness; over time it can destroy the masonry. We would like to note that finished building made of brick was more resistant to dampness, it must be plastered. First you need to seal all the cracks and holes with cement, rub the seams, and only then begin plastering and insulation.
For insulation, the technology of ventilated facades is used, when pieces of insulation are attached to the surface of the wall, covered with membrane-like moisture insulation, and then decorated with siding, lining or something else. There is no other way to prevent moisture from entering the brick. But it is impossible to allow moisture to get inside the brick. If moisture penetrates through best quality plaster into a brick, then it expands when it freezes and forms small gaps, which will subsequently lead to cracks in the building. Most of all, this applies to country houses in which there is no heating. Therefore the plaster brick house give maximum of your attention.
From all that has been said, we must conclude that a brick building will last a long time, but it requires careful care, supervision, and also, such houses take a long time to build.
We use a gas silicate block for the construction of a country house
The gas silicate block is suitable for those residents who want to know the answer to the question of what to build a country house from cheaply. We would like to note that the gas silicate block is a large building material, it is about 8 times larger than brick, has a low density, approximately 2 times lower than brick. The technology for building a house from blocks and bricks is approximately the same. In general, a gas silicate block is a huge brick, only with better properties. Why is a gas silicate block better than a brick?
- First, it is large, so the house is built much faster.
- Second, the block is easier to process. It is easy to saw it in half, drill it and do other things with it. Therefore, it is much easier to lay communications in such a house. This is very convenient when you are building a building where people will live all year round. Therefore, the wiring will need to be laid inside the wall, and not outside, as happens in many country houses.
- Third, when they make gas silicate blocks, use unusual, porous technology. There are small air particles inside the block. This greatly reduces the likelihood that the house will freeze and increases thermal conductivity. It turns out that gas silicate blocks retain heat much better. If you want to build something huge, then purchase gas silicate blocks with a tongue-and-groove “lock” of the connection. Thus, you will reduce the number of joints, and this will increase the safety of the building from drafts.
The advantages of wood in the construction of a country house
This publication will provide you with the answer to the question of what to use to build a country house with your own hands. Above we described two building materials that can be used for this matter. Now it’s worth talking about such a material as wood.
Wood comes in three varieties:
- rounded log;
- timber (planed or profiled);
- glued wood materials.
In the Russian Federation, wood is the most common material for construction small house. This is due to the availability, good reserves and excellent performance properties of wood. In addition, the wood is sufficient cheap material. More expensive, we can offer laminated veneer lumber. It is more resistant to moisture and almost does not shrink, which is why it costs several times more.
If we list the best properties of wood, we get the following:
- Wood has good thermal insulation,
- Wood allows air to pass through well and absorbs excess moisture,
- Wood can “breathe”.
- Natural wood has pleasant aroma, which you will inhale for a very long time.
- Wood has low resistance to fungus, mold and rot.
Frame-panel houses on a summer cottage
A frame-panel house is the latest technology. The main material for building your country house will be sandwich panels. These panels are attached to a pre-installed frame. It is necessary to build a house frame from large-section timber that can withstand a lot of weight. Then sandwich panels are attached to them, which adjust the walls of the house. Sandwich panels consist of oriented strand boards with insulation between them. A house with an area of about one hundred square meters made of sandwich panels is erected in 25-30 days.
Finally
So we told you about what to build a country house from. All these materials will help you build a reliable and comfortable building on your summer cottage. And remember that whatever you choose to build your house, we wish you successful construction and a huge number of beautiful and bright days in a new home!
Let's try to roughly compare how much the same building will cost us if it is built from different materials, and also evaluate the pros and cons of each option.
Let's count
Let's imagine, for example, that we are going to build a standard one-story country house without a basement, with a residential attic, measuring 8 by 10 meters along the outer walls. The construction will be carried out by a construction company, and our site is accessible to transport and located near a large settlement. The price includes: monolithic (slab) reinforced concrete foundation With internal partitions, wooden interfloor ceilings, metal-plastic windows, doors, metal roofing with gutters, engineering systems, external finishing of the facade with siding (if necessary) and complete internal fine finishing economy class. The price does not include: preparatory earthworks, installation of drainage and water disposal, equipping the house with a water supply and heating system, insulating the soil, building a bathhouse (sauna), terraces and verandas, installing local treatment facilities, purchasing furniture. This increases the real costs of building a house by 300,000-1,500,000 rubles. Some types of homes have other additional costs (see infographic).
Click to enlarge. Infographics: Ekaterina Kuznetsova
What to save on
Remember that it is better to quickly build a small house, but High Quality from durable materials, with full finishing and necessary equipment, rather than living for years waiting for the completion of the “palace” construction. Rational: build a house of modest size and number of storeys, without architectural frills, excessive technical equipment and unnecessary country life elements (garages, basements, etc.). In addition, some of the work can be done in stages. It is unreasonable: to save on the project, carry out construction on your own or with the involvement of unqualified builders. Errors can entail significant costs to correct them or even lead to the inability to operate the home.
Clarification
“A turnkey house on average costs about 38–40 thousand rubles per square meter. However, there is no limit to perfection. Estimates can vary greatly. Mahogany floors and stucco on the ceilings and walls, statues on the roof will of course affect the value of the house,” the CEO reminds us construction company Leonid Nesterenko.The dream of owning a home is often shattered by the financial capabilities of a person and his family, since the construction process and the cost of materials are beyond the means of many. But modern builders claim that everything is not so dire, and building your own home is a very real task. We’ll look at which house is cheaper to build in this article.
What affects the cost of a cottage?
It is important to understand for what purposes you want to acquire country house: for permanent year-round residence or to stay there only during the summer holiday period. The following factors completely depend on this:
- space-planning solution;
- type of house construction;
- materials for the construction of building elements.
Which house is cheaper to build? If it is a country house, there is no need to arrange rooms for each family member; common areas with sleeping places, a kitchen, and a bathroom are enough. If you want to build a house for permanent year-round living, it requires heating systems and walls made of more reliable and functional material that will prevent the premises from freezing in the winter.
Selecting and creating a project
In order to build a house yourself cheaply, without once again resorting to the services of professionals, it is important to correctly develop future site plans and think through how the work will be carried out.
An affordable cottage should have a compact layout. Main principle- maximum combination of general and usable area. How to achieve this?
1) Combine the hallway and vestibule, make the room insulated. This perfect solution, since they carry the same functional load.
- The length of the panels is up to 3000 (3500) mm, depending on the manufacturer’s capabilities.
- Width - 1250-1500 mm.
- Thickness - 168, 174 mm for external walls; 118 mm - for partition; 174, 224 mm - for interfloor ceilings.
- Weight standard plate 2500x1250x174 mm - about 50 kg. It turns out that a house with an area of 150 m2 will weigh about 15 tons, which in comparison with stone materials 4-5 times lighter.
The thickness of the panel is calculated taking into account all temperature influences in the middle zone and north; no additional thermal protection is required. For clarity: a 120 mm slab is equivalent in terms of heat retention to a brick structure with a cross section of 2.5 meters.
The disadvantages of the element include the inability to pass air and accumulate moisture with polystyrene foam. However, when protected with OSB boards and external cladding, this practically does not happen.
Price issue
When it comes to the question of what is cheaper to build a house from, sip panels definitely win.
average cost 1 slab 2500x1250x174 mm - about 3000 rubles. (on average - 1200-1300 rubles/m2). This is much more affordable than the most famous traditional material - wood, therefore, you can build a frame house cheaply.
We must not forget that the cost of erecting such a structure, in addition to sip panels, includes the cost of the skeleton itself, which can be made of metal or wooden beams. Obviously, using the latter is more profitable - natural raw materials are more accessible and easier to install.
You can build a frame house cheaply on a turnkey basis in many companies that provide this service. The price of a small two-story cottage with a terrace is about 1,000,000 rubles. If you neglect the services of professionals, you can save up to 30-40% of this cost. True, the timing will not be the same...
We build it ourselves
Finally, the most important point of saving is work without the participation of professionals. How to cheaply build a house with your own hands? Let's consider in order general outline using the example of a frame structure.
The first step is to decide on the materials. We looked at what to build from cheap house you can, so choose one that suits your budget. Most accessible view buildings - frame with sip panels, so determine required quantity slabs and volume of beams for the frame according to previously drawn up layout diagrams and types of structures.
Foundation
The correct choice of the type and material of the foundation is the first stage of the algorithm on how to build a house cheaply. The price of the foundation is about 20-30% of the total cost of the entire house.
There is no need to build a massive foundation for a frame house: as already mentioned, the mass of the entire structure is about 15 tons (and in the case of an economical layout, even less: 8-10 tons). The best and cheapest option is to install columnar foundation. It can be installed either independently or with the help of professionals. For concreting, it is enough to use a solution of grade M200-M250.
Walls
To build a house yourself cheaply, you will have to try and do the most intensive part of the work yourself - installing the frame.
For the bottom trim, take beams with a cross section of 150x50 mm and lay them on edge on the surface finished foundation, covered with roofing felt. In the corners they are connected with 100-120 mm screws, and they must be attached to the base itself using anchors or large self-tapping screws. Middle and outer trim boards are attached to the inner beams. You can use the method of cutting down the ends of the boards, then they are mounted end-to-end.
Then they level the surface of the resulting level, use a jigsaw to make recesses for the floor joists and install them.
TO inside The bottom trim is fixed with 50x50 mm bars - the floor boards will be attached to them.
Next, install vertical racks: on outside the strappings make recesses and secure the timber with the same screws. Along the perimeter, the step between them is from 1 to 1.2 meters - this makes it easier for an inexperienced assembler to connect all the components together and not make a mistake.
The fastening of the upper trim is similar to the lower one; installation is carried out using metal corners.
You can often see cross boards between vertical posts. They are installed to strengthen the structure over large spans or difficult decisions, for an economy house this is not so relevant, we can do without them. But the slopes at the top and base of the rack can be installed.
When the frame is ready, you can cover it with the panels themselves.
Thus, you can build a frame house cheaply. The prices for materials are not too high, and you will do the work yourself.
Finishing
To prevent the stingy from paying twice, it is necessary to carefully isolate external walls from environmental influences that can soak or destroy the structure of the sip panel. Plastering can be used as a budget finishing option, but the surface must first be covered with polystyrene foam. The price of 1 m 2 of such cladding is about 700-900 rubles.
It is also good to use vinyl or PVC siding. Perhaps this is the most cheap way- about 400 rub. per square meter.
Finishing with decorative slabs or artificial stone will cost 900-1200 rubles/m2. Such cladding of frame houses is rare: many believe that sip panels are not able to withstand this load, but this is a misconception.
The most expensive, but most reliable and durable type of cladding is brick.
We looked at how to cheaply build a house with your own hands. Everything is much simpler than it seemed.
To build or not to build?
We've found the cheapest way to build your own cottage. There is nothing complicated in this process, the main thing is to start. Then you are for comparatively a short time you can build a frame house cheaply. Prices per square meter of such housing can vary, on average they range from 11,000 to 15,000 rubles, which is very cheap compared to other types of real estate.
Many criticize this type of house, believing that the material is short-lived and impractical. We looked at some properties of sip panels; they are more effective than other materials in some properties. Every material has its weaknesses, and concrete can also be criticized.
Residents of America know first-hand what material is cheaper to build a house from. This type of housing is widespread on the continent in the northern regions, which clearly demonstrates its ability to withstand both temperature changes and the effects of precipitation. Hence the name - "Canadian House".
Don't limit yourself in making your dream of your home come true! There is always a solution.
The first and main issue decided before the construction of a country house begins is the choice of material.
Not only the comfort of living, but also the level of energy saving depends on the correctness of its decision. Let’s take a closer look at what materials are offered on the market today and how each of them fits into the universal formula “price-environmental friendliness-energy saving”.
Brick house (brick, ceramic blocks)
Such a building has two advantages: strength and environmental friendliness. Indeed, in its own way bearing capacity a brick wall is not much inferior to a concrete one. At the same time, it does not contain crushed granite, which produces background radiation in buildings with a monolithic reinforced concrete frame and floor panels. However, in terms of energy savings, walls built entirely from solid clay or sand-lime brick, are seriously inferior to other materials.
In order to meet today's strict energy efficiency limits, the thickness brick wall should be at least 120 cm. It is clear that there is no point in building such a powerful “bunker”. Therefore, nowadays brick is losing its primacy and is most often used as decorative exterior cladding.
Attempts to improve the energy-saving qualities of brick have been going on for a long time. To do this, they make voids in it various shapes(point or slot). This modification provides a slight increase in the energy efficiency of the wall structure, but does not fundamentally solve the issue. If we add to this the labor intensity of building walls from small-sized standard clay bricks, it becomes clear that a replacement needs to be found.
A good solution to the question of what is best to build a house from is to buy, manufactured under different trademarks(Porotherm, Kerakam, Poroton, etc.)
This large-sized material (250x250x140 mm, 380x250x219mm, 510x250x219mm) replaces from 4 to 14 standard bricks(250x120x65mm). Thanks to this, the laying process becomes faster and simpler.
The thermal conductivity coefficient of such walls is 0.21 W/m °C, which is almost 3 times less than that of ordinary brick. In terms of strength, ceramic block is also not inferior to it (100 kg/cm2) and at the same time has good frost resistance (up to 50 freeze-thaw cycles) and vapor permeability.
The only drawback of porous ceramic blocks in the recent past was their high cost (more than 4,000 rubles per 1 m3). In 2016, the average price for this material decreased and is from 3,500 rubles per cubic meter.
House made of building blocks
Large size building blocks seriously displaced standard clay brick. And the point here is not only that their installation requires less time and effort. Affordable price- this is an important factor determining the choice of a developer. Since the list of building blocks produced today is quite extensive, we will talk separately about each type.
Foam and gas blocks
These materials today enjoy well-deserved popularity in low-rise construction. The fundamental difference between foam and gas blocks lies in the manufacturing technology and internal structure.
Aerated concrete is produced by introducing a powder gas-forming agent into a mixture of cement, sand, lime and water, which creates a network of small through channels inside the material. A foaming agent is added to the raw material for foam concrete, which creates closed pores filled with air inside the block. This also significantly reduces the weight of the unit and improves its energy-saving characteristics.
Open channels serve good guides moisture, so gas blocks need protection from getting wet. Foam block is more profitable in this regard because it absorbs less water. The thermal conductivity and frost resistance of these materials are almost the same.
Density ranges from 300 to 1200 kg/m3, which allows the developer to accurately select the block to suit his needs. Manufacturers produce heat-insulating (density from 300 to 500 kg/m3), structural-thermal-insulating (500-900 kg/m3) and structural (1000-1200 kg/m3) blocks in several thicknesses - 10, 15, 20 and 30 cm.
This allows you to make the wall warm without additional costs for laying insulation and protecting it. To do this, you need to lay a thinner layer in the outer row of masonry. thermal insulation block(15 cm), and the inner layer is made of denser structural and thermal insulating blocks 30 cm thick.
Thanks to its ideal geometry, a do-it-yourself block house without the involvement of professional masons can be built quickly and requires minimal finishing in the form of putty or decorative plaster.
The cost of these materials starts from 3000 rubles. for 1 m3. In their reviews, owners of houses made of light cellular blocks especially highlight the low cost of construction and minimum costs for heating.
Expanded clay blocks
Without abandoning the use of solid bricks, builders in the last century invented. This composite material comprises expanded clay gravel(pellets of fired and porous clay) and cement mortar holding them together.
The material turned out to be quite warm (density from 500 kg/m3) and very durable (you can build houses up to 3 floors high).
For the price, the expanded clay concrete block looks attractive (from 2900 rubles/m3). The environmental friendliness of this building material also deserves attention. The absence of synthetic and polymer additives and good vapor transmission allow it to be fully used in residential construction.
Shell rock blocks
In the era of cheap freight, shell rock was a serious competitor expanded clay block. This “free” material, which only needed to be cut out of the marine sedimentary massif and loaded into wagons, has today become “biting”.
Judge for yourself, the price per cube with delivery to the central regions of Russia reaches 5,000 rubles. Coupled with the fragility and poor geometry of the stone, the developer can only rely on its excellent environmental friendliness.
Arbolite blocks
The main components of this material are wood chips and sawdust (4:1 ratio). They not only make the block warm and light, but also reinforce it, increasing strength and crack resistance.
The binding agent, as in the case of expanded clay blocks, is cement mortar. Density ranges from 500 to 850 kg/m3. You can build low-rise buildings from it without using reinforced belt. This material is quite elastic, so it can withstand the load from floor slabs without cracking. The breathability of arbolite blocks is high and quite comparable to wood.
ABOUT good warmth and the soundproofing qualities of wood concrete are eloquently demonstrated by its low density. Impregnation with cement makes wood chips durable and resistant to rotting. Finishing walls made of wood concrete does not require the use of reinforced mesh, since the rough surface of the material holds the plaster well. The price of wood concrete blocks starts on average at 4,000 rubles per 1 m3.
Thermal Wall Blocks
The developer’s dream of a masonry material that simultaneously contains a load-bearing part, insulation and external finishing was realized in Teplosten blocks.
By its design, it is a three-layer “sandwich”. Its outer and inner layers are made of expanded clay concrete, and inside there is foam plastic. Dissimilar materials in the contact zone are protected from delamination by fiberglass rods installed inside the block.
On the outer edge of the three-layer block we see a textured pattern. Having built a new house from this material, the owner can only paint the walls in desired color without resorting to expensive decorative plaster.
Appearance of the Teplosten block
The main disadvantage of Teplosten blocks is obvious. This is foam plastic enclosed between layers of expanded clay concrete. It does not allow water vapor to pass through, so without forced ventilation the house will be damp. Manufacturers solve this problem by producing special blocks that have a ventilation hole with a grille.
If the owner of the future house made of Teplosten blocks does not take care of the ventilation problem in time, then the foam plastic may present him with another unpleasant surprise. Let's consider the physics of the process of diffusion of water vapor through a wall. Having encountered an insurmountable obstacle in the form of foam plastic on its way, water vapor will condense into inner layer expanded clay. This will lead to wet walls with all the ensuing uncomfortable consequences for living.
The cost of Teplosten blocks starts from 7,000 rubles/m3. Despite the rather hefty price, let’s not forget that such a wall does not require insulation or rough finishing.
Cinder blocks
They were produced in the 80s of the last century as an inexpensive alternative to scarce brick. Today, cinder blocks are rarely used in residential construction. The large weight and high thermal conductivity of cinder block walls require insulation with slabs of mineral or ecowool (10-15 cm) and high-quality finishing.
The cost of cinder blocks offered today to private developers is low and ranges from 2,300 to 3,000 rubles per 1 m3.
Houses made of logs, timber, wooden frame
At the same time, you should know that it is enough warm house for permanent residence, it can only be built from logs with a diameter of at least 40 centimeters. Today standard thickness The walls of the log house range from 24 to 32 cm, which does not meet the requirements of thermal engineering standards. Therefore, in order not to spend significant amounts on heating, wooden frame additional insulation is required.
The cost of 1 m3 of rounded logs prepared for laying in 2016 ranges from 7,000 to 10,000 rubles. The cost of dry profiled timber is even higher and starts from 10,000 rubles per cubic meter.
For glued profiled timber, which gives minimal shrinkage and is practically not subject to warping, sellers ask from 22 to 26 thousand rubles. Forecasts of market specialists indicate that in 2017 there will be a price jump of this material not expected.
Finishing short review materials for the construction of wooden houses, a few words should be said about frame technology.
It’s difficult to call it high-speed, since the degree of factory readiness here is practically “zero”. At the site, builders assemble a frame from individual beams and boards, spending no less time on this than masons laying blocks. But in terms of reliability and durability, a house built according to frame technology, is not much inferior to permanent structures made of wood.
There are also no problems with energy saving in such housing. The customer can choose any thickness of insulation without spending money on work on external insulation and finishing, as in the case of block or log construction.
Since no one prices the frame in cubes, we will have to compare the cost of 1 m2 frame wall with the cost of log and lumber.
The main elements of the frame are racks, boards, mineral wool, vapor barrier, wooden blockhouse or DSP plate(outside), drywall or lining (inside) are calculated quickly and simply, amounting to a total of 1,200 rubles / m2.
At the same time, the most cheap wall made from rounded logs 32 cm thick will cost you 2,500 rubles per 1 m2. Do not forget that you will still have to insulate it, spending from 250 to 300 rubles. Thus, in terms of the price of materials, the “frame” significantly outperforms the log house.
With the same thermal insulation ability wooden wall A frame house is cheaper than a block one (frame with 150 mm mineral wool versus 40 cm thick aerated concrete blocks + 5 cm mineral wool).
House made of SIP panels
This material cannot be called optimal in terms of environmental friendliness, although manufacturers of such buildings are trying to prove the opposite.
The main advantage is the high speed of construction. It is difficult to classify these designs as cheap.
The cost of 1m2 sandwich board, depending on the thickness of the insulation (10,15,20 cm) ranges from 900 to 1500 rubles. For comparison, the cost of 1 m2 of a wall made of aerated blocks 40 cm thick is about 1,200 rubles.
LSTK (light steel structures)
Undivided Dominance plasterboard technologies prompted engineers to create a more durable analogue for assembling the frame of low-rise buildings. This is how it appeared new technology. It was based on light steel structures (LSS).
The assembly of buildings from steel profiles is similar to the installation of wooden “frames”. At the same time, houses made from light steel composite materials surpass them in terms of durability, biostability and fire safety. The speed of construction of such housing is lower than when using SIP panels, but higher than that of block and log construction.
High cost of metal - main drawback LSTK technologies. The average cost of materials for the construction of 1 m2 of metal profile wall is about 2,400 rubles.
Concrete panels
Large expanded clay concrete panels are rarely used these days. main reason low demand – minimal choice of sizes and planning solutions.
Expanded clay concrete wall panel
However, they can be used to build a new house faster compared to using brick, timber or cellular blocks (the price of 1 m2 of a 34 cm thick panel does not exceed 1,300 rubles). To this price you need to add the cost of insulation (150-200 rubles per 1m2). Without it, the wall will not meet modern thermal standards.
To summarize our review, we will give brief practical recommendations.
1. Among the most popular budget options for low-rise construction include gas and foam blocks, expanded clay concrete blocks and wooden frame.
Ceramic blocks included in the category expensive materials, today prices have fallen in most regions of Russia. Therefore, we will also classify them as budget solutions for private construction. Excellent thermal insulation qualities, impeccable environmental friendliness, a large selection of standard sizes - all these positive traits ceramic blocks deserve your attention.
2. Arbolite blocks occupy a higher price level. The house they make is warm and durable. It creates a comfortable microclimate and comfortable acoustics. The disadvantages of wood concrete include the dependence of quality on the production capabilities of a particular manufacturer. Not all companies producing this material use high-quality wood chips, adding a large amount of sawdust and substandard woodworking waste to the feedstock.
3. Teplosten and LSTK blocks are attractive at first glance. Houses from them are built quickly and inexpensively. At the same time, many developers have reasonable doubts about their reliability and environmental friendliness, which is not in the best possible way affects the popularity of these materials.
4. Installation of a house from SIP panels can rightfully be called the fastest and budget option. It is difficult to classify these designs into the category of popular solutions, since there are serious doubts about their environmental friendliness and reliability.
5. Logs and profiled beams, as a first approximation, look quite inexpensive. However, here we need to take into account additional expenses for insulation and regular antiseptic treatment of walls. In addition, the quality of log houses greatly depends on the quality of the material used and the qualifications of the installers. The main advantages of rounded logs and profiled timber are environmental friendliness and aesthetics.
6. Glued laminated timber is an elite building material. Beautiful and eco-friendly houses are built from it, which cannot be classified as budget ones. The absence of shrinkage and high assembly speed please developers who choose this option.
Concluding our review, we note that when searching for the best option for building a new home, you need to:
- Find out the availability and price of the material you like in your region.
- Study reviews of owners of houses built from it.
- Get as much information as possible about suppliers, manufacturers and contractors offering construction services from the material you are going to buy.
- Visit construction exhibitions in your region, production workshops and facilities under construction. Here you will receive valuable and objective information “first-hand”.