Projects of houses and cottages from gas blocks and aerated concrete
It is possible to erect any type of private residential building by using aerated concrete or foam concrete blocks as the main building material. There are standard projects of gas-block houses for every taste and budget. If, in all the variety of ready-made architectural developments, there is no layout that fully meets the needs of the developer, you will have to spend money on an expensive individual project. In any case, the building material will be almost ideal in terms of performance and low cost aerated concrete, which is gaining more and more demand from year to year.
Advantages of building houses from aerated concrete blocks
It should be noted that there is no exceptional specificity in the projects of houses and cottages from any porous building material (aerated concrete, foam concrete). At the request of the customer, the project can be easily redesigned for construction with bricks or other piece building materials. Why do developers focus on aerated concrete? Everything is easily explained if we consider the characteristics and cost of porous building materials, the prices for its masonry.
First, about the differences between aerated concrete and foam concrete and their properties. Often there is confusion, aerated concrete is called foam concrete and vice versa. Although the masonry materials for country houses have much in common, they are different concepts. The main difference lies in the structure: in the production of aerated concrete blocks, closed air cells are formed, while foam concrete - open ones. This circumstance affects some of the characteristics of these building materials. Aerated concrete is considered to be of higher quality, it wins compared to foam concrete in such properties:
- better frost resistance (50 cycles versus 25);
- laying is done on glue, as a result, the seam (aka cold bridge) does not exceed 3 mm (for foam blocks, laying on mortar is provided, the seam is at least 10 mm);
- shrinkage of masonry does not exceed 0.3 mm per linear meter (for foam concrete - 1.5-3 mm / m);
- it is possible to reinforce the masonry, foam blocks are not reinforced;
- average wall thickness 40 cm versus 63 cm.
Also, the undoubted advantage of gas blocks is their almost perfect geometry, due to which the masonry with this building material is much easier, the speed is higher, and the cost of work is lower.
Having certain differences, both building materials from the category of lightweight concrete have many similar characteristics, such as:
- low coefficient of thermal conductivity (0.09-0.3 W / (m˚С));
- excellent sound insulation (slightly higher for foam blocks);
- low density (building material is easy to transport, unload and lay);
- sufficiently high compressive strength (porous blocks are provided in projects of private buildings up to 3 floors);
- the ability to pass steam (materials in this property are practically not inferior to wood);
- do not burn and do not emit toxic compounds.
The properties of lightweight porous concrete give an idea of what characteristics future buildings will have. Houses made of foam concrete (gas blocks) are warm, have a natural microclimate, and are durable. The downside of porous concrete is its ability to actively absorb moisture, but this disadvantage is eliminated by reliable waterproofing of the walls during construction (from the foundation) and during external and internal decoration, which is necessarily provided for in projects of aerated concrete cottages.
The strength of porous building blocks allows you to build any type of private buildings from them, from small one-story country cottages to elite country houses with an area of 1000 m2 or more in two and three floors. What typical projects are offered by their developers to certain categories of developers, we will consider further.
Projects of country houses
Small residential buildings are in demand among lovers of spending time in summer cottages. Such houses are one-story, designed for seasonal compact living, therefore they have a total area of 40-80 m2, and a minimum number of living rooms (1-2). Despite the compactness, the designers always provide for certain amenities, expressed in the mandatory presence of a kitchen, a pantry and more often a combined bathroom (shower and toilet together).
As a roof in small-sized buildings, simple gable roofs, ceilings based on wooden beams predominate. The facade is insulated with mineral wool (porous concrete cannot be thermally insulated with polystyrene foam and polystyrene), after which it is sheathed with siding or covered with decorative plaster. The foundation is not buried tape or columnar (pile), if the soil allows.
Projects of medium-sized cottages
Such cottages (total area 100-200 m2) are most in demand among future owners. In projects of medium-sized houses, a one-story (less often) or two-story building can be provided. There are intermediate options (one floor with an attic). Medium-sized country houses are designed for permanent residence of a family of 3-4 people, so the projects include boiler rooms and heating systems.
In two-story cottages, the following layout is usually found:
- First floor: small vestibule, entrance hall, living room, kitchen, boiler room, pantry, access to an open terrace.
- Second floor: hall, several bedrooms, bathroom, toilet, dressing room.
The floors (entrance hall and hall) are connected by a staircase, the construction and design of which are very diverse. If an attic is provided instead of the second floor, the stairs lead to it.
As a rule, in houses over 150 m2, carports attached to the main building or full-fledged closed garages are provided. In some projects, it is possible to implement a basement or basement device.
The roof in medium-sized cottages can be gable or more complex geometry. The architecture is diverse, complemented by columns, balconies, terraces. The foundation is made in the form of a monolithic reinforced concrete slab or tape recessed (if a basement is provided).
Projects of large country houses
For the construction of luxury housing, gas blocks are also successfully used. However, the construction of buildings of 2-3 floors with large dimensions requires increased structural strength. This introduces adjustments that are taken into account in the development of projects. Be sure to provide for the creation of reinforcing reinforced concrete belts for floor slabs and roofing, a reliable in-depth strip foundation is laid.
It should be noted that developers of expensive large-sized houses rarely use standard projects, preferring an exclusive layout of housing, so it is difficult to speak unambiguously about the location of living rooms and other premises.
For developers with average incomes, there is always the opportunity to find something suitable by looking at ready-made projects of foam block cottages. Moreover, experienced designers can easily adapt the documentation for aerated concrete, redoing, for example, the project of a monolithic private house.