Polystyrene concrete: disadvantages. Houses made of polystyrene concrete: reviews

Modern building technologies have long been advanced thanks to the use of polymer materials. They not only facilitate the construction process, but also reduce the weight of the structure. In addition, the heating costs and construction costs are reduced. One such polymer material is polystyrene. It can be found in sheets and in granules. The latter are used for the production of polystyrene concrete. Let's consider the main properties of this building material, highlight its negative aspects and in general get acquainted with the comments of those who have already built a house from it.

What is called polystyrene concrete?

Polystyrene concrete is a composite material that consists of concrete and polystyrene beads. This material is one of the most effective among all existing in our time. It can be used both as separate elements in the form of blocks, and in monolithic construction. Another very big advantage of polystyrene concrete is the possibility of its preparation directly on the construction site.

The production of polystyrene concrete is the gradual addition of polystyrene to the mixture of granules. The latter can be both crushed and whole, in the form of balls with a diameter of not more than 3 mm. As a binder, Portland cement, Portland cement or gypsum may be used. Cellular concrete, which are manufactured using autoclave hardening, quite different from polystyrene concrete due to the fact that the latter is gaining strength with time. This ensures a much longer service life. But polystyrene concrete deficiencies also have. When using it to create monolithic elements of the house, you must wait at least 28 days to start the following works.

Use of polystyrene concrete

Since its inception, polystyrene concrete has become very popular in construction. Due to the possibility of preparing the mixture on their own, people began massively to build houses from this composite material. At the same time, technologies were not adhered to, and as a result, unstable material was obtained. Because of this disorderly polystyrene, the reviews got negative from people who simply did everything wrong. So, let's take a little look at this.

The main types of polystyrene concrete

Now, in self-preparation, two types of polystyrene concrete are used: D350 and D1200. The first of these is used as a heater, and the second is used as a structural material. The composition of polystyrene concrete is as follows:

• To produce polystyrene concrete of D350 brand it is required to use 300 kg of cement M400 and 1,1 cu. M polystyrene beads;
• For polystyrene concrete D1200, 300 kg of M400 cement , 1.1 cubic meters of cement are used. M polystyrene beads and 800 kg of sand.

As a result, we obtain two types of solutions, which are almost identical in strength, but the first concrete is obtained with a smaller filling of the interstices between the granules. It is for this reason that the D350 is used for insulation, and D1200 is used for wall construction.

It is also worth noting that even monolithic polystyrene concrete can not withstand heavy loads, and it can not be used to create load-bearing structures.

Disadvantages of polystyrene concrete

Among all the properties that polystyrene concrete has, the shortcomings stand out against the general background. The main problem is the granules. And although polystyrene concrete is classified as difficult to combustible substances, elevated temperatures act negatively on it. The fact is that the polystyrene pellets begin to break down, and this significantly reduces the strength.

Underestimated vapor permeability is also a minus. In comparison with the same cellular concrete, polystyrene concrete has this index 4 times lower. This property has a negative effect in the form of high humidity in the room. It is mandatory to put a mandatory hood if polystyrene concrete is used.

Still has polystyrene concrete deficiencies in the form of strong adsorption of water and low resistance to freezing. This affects the overall service life and under severe temperature drops the base is destroyed.

You can additionally say about the complaints of people for a large shrinkage of the material due to the use of granules. This feature requires the application of plaster in 15 cm of the minimum layer. Accordingly, the cost of work is increased.

Reviews about houses made of polystyrene concrete

Houses made of polystyrene concrete began to be built from the very appearance of this composite material. Popularity grew rapidly, and there appeared manufactures that not only produced it for the creation of monolithic structures, but also produced blocks. They are light, strong and inexpensive. But let's really analyze what people say.

So, most often there are reviews about the cost of blocks and mixtures. Not surprisingly, they are good, because the savings here are obvious. So, when compared with cellular concrete, polystyrene concrete allows to reduce costs up to 20% with the same energy efficiency.

As for bad reviews, most of them are related to ignorance of citizens. People think that polystyrene-concrete houses burn like dry matches. This is absolutely wrong. The fact is that the polystyrene granules are encased in a concrete shell, and they can not easily catch fire. Even if there is a fire, the material simply collapses, and as a result, the blocks become more fragile. But about any emissions and products of combustion can not even go and speeches.

Polystyrene-concrete reviews got good due to the high speed of erection of houses with its application. Blocks of this material are large, which makes it possible to quickly gain walls. Approximate period of construction of a single-storey house of 120 square meters. M is one and a half to two months (with pouring and upholding the foundation).

Faulty monolithic polystyrene concrete deficiencies are large. The first is a great shrinkage when hardening. Very often builders do not count on it. The second is the need to apply a large layer of plaster. This solution makes the construction heavier and more expensive. Third - the walls of polystyrene concrete should not be loaded.

To use or not?

Summing up, we can say that the use of polystyrene concrete leads to a general economy of finance, and at the same time the heat loss of the building is reduced. Use this material as an additional heat insulator is recommended. But due to low indicators of stability to dynamic and static loads, polystyrene concrete is not recommended for the production of critical elements of the house.