How to lay foam blocks easily, quickly and correctly

The question of how to put foam blocks is of interest to many. It is relevant, because this material has long earned a well-deserved popularity in individual construction. The combination of economy, high strength and good thermal insulation properties with ease of use - these are the components of the success of foam blocks. But, as is known, even from the best material it is possible to lay down an unfit wall. Therefore, the question should be put like this: "How correctly to put foam blocks?"

In size, each such unit is able to replace eighteen single bricks or thirteen one and a half sesquilas. And this despite the fact that it weighs less than a single brick. This greatly simplifies and at the same time accelerates the process of erecting the structure from the foam blocks. And yet, one should not be deceived: having no strength and patience, the builder, even knowing how to put foam blocks, will not achieve at least close to the ideal result.

According to the manufacturing technology, these blocks are divided into cast and cut. The first is cast by filling the mold with a foam mixture; The second ones are dried in an industrial furnace, after which the resulting monolithic piece of string saw is cut into blocks. But they differ not only in this.

When cutting foam blocks, the tolerance is in the range 1-2 mm; When cast, it is somewhat larger. But these millimeters play a big role in how to put foam blocks. Molded products are cemented with cement-sand mortar, cut with the same - a special glutinous mixture, which will require significantly less than cement and sand. Glutinous mixture, like a foam block, is a heat insulator, which means that the notorious "cold bridges" are excluded. (Incidentally, in the absence of the desired composition, you can easily use the low-temperature glue that is used to lay the tile.) In addition, the forthcoming work on the exterior and interior decoration of the wall, which has excellent geometry due to the cut material, will be greatly facilitated.

However, the use of cement-sand mortar is uncontested when laying the very first row of foam blocks on the foundation. Here it is really indispensable. Its first layer on the foundation is covered with waterproofing material. Then again put the solution, and already on it - blocks.

If you look at how to put foam blocks, you can notice another unshakable rule: no voids in the seams! In order to avoid them, the blocks of the upper row are attached to the bottom by their bases until a small amount of adhesive mixture is squeezed out on the sides of the masonry. After that, it is applied to the side of the already installed block, and the newly laid out block is pressed against it. At the end of stacking, all glutinous surpluses are carefully removed.

Often, along with the question of how to put a wall of foam blocks, ask this: "Do I need to reinforce it?" Of course. This will increase the stability of the wall and additionally protect it from cracks. Since when using glue with a masonry welded mesh, it will not be possible to reinforce, from the position they exit, cutting grooves (stitches) directly into the foam blocks. For such work, a Bulgarian or a circular saw will do. The operation is simple, since ease of processing of foam blocks is well known. In the grooves the reinforcement is laid. Reinforcement is performed every 3-4 rows.

At the end of the laying of the foam blocks, a special reinforced belt with a height of 15-20 cm is poured onto its last row with concrete. Its function is the uniform distribution of loads from the overlay plate laid on top.

Having studied all of the above, you can build the wall yourself from the foam blocks, without hiring expensive specialists to carry out the work.