Building a house: what is better - foam block or gas block?

When building buildings, there is almost always a question of choosing a building material. In this article we will consider two types of materials for the construction of walls: foam blocks and gas blocks, and try to figure out what to build a house from and what is better - a foam block or gas block.

Technology of production of gas blocks and foam blocks

These are two types of building materials that are produced from different components and in different ways.

Foamblocks

The foam blocks are made of foam concrete - a porous material consisting of cement, sand, water and foam. Sometimes they can add some other ingredients, such as ash. Porous structure of foam concrete, due to special chemical reagents, which are part of the solution. This foamy solution pours out into special shapes and after hardening, finished products are obtained, including foam blocks. Thanks to the porous structure, the foam blocks have lightness, low thermal conductivity and good noise insulation. This building material is very durable and durable.

Gas blocks

Now, to answer the question about what is best - foam block or gas block, we consider Properties of aerated concrete. Gasblocks also have a porous structure and the same properties that are inherent in foam blocks, but they are manufactured using a different technology. The composition of aerated concrete includes cement, lime, sand, aluminum powder and water. Pores appear when aluminum powder reacts with cement. The finished mixture is stirred and maintained for a certain time, until it acquires the desired condition. Then the formed array is cut into blocks using special strings. Further they are placed in an autoclave, where all the excess water evaporates from them, they acquire the final form and properties, they become ready for consumption. They are light and have good soundproof characteristics, as well as foam blocks. Gas blocks have high strength and low thermal conductivity. These figures are slightly higher than for foam concrete, but it is still difficult to determine what is better - the foam block or gas block, in view of the many advantages of foam concrete.

Differences of foam blocks and gas blocks

In search of an answer to the question about what is better - foam block or gas block, it must be said that these materials have only one difference - high hygroscopicity of aerated concrete. Foam concrete, on the contrary, has a small hygroscopicity.

From what it is better to build

Both materials have many similar advantages. So what is it better to build a house? Penoblock for this is as good as gas block. From both materials are obtained excellent single-story and two-story houses. They have indicators of thermal conductivity, competing with wood and in many respects superior to ceramic bricks. As there are no harmful substances in their composition, they are environmentally safe for humans. But the gas blocs have one drawback, because of which it is inferior in the cost-effectiveness of foam blocks - this is the complexity of the technology of erecting walls from this material, in view of its hygroscopicity. Gas blocks are delivered from the factory with a high level of humidity, so after the erection of the house can not immediately carry out exterior finishing. It is necessary to wait a few seasons until the walls dry completely or to equip the ventilated facade, and this leads to an increase in construction costs. So, determining what is better - a gas block or foam block, the scales bent towards the latter because of its economy.