If I was asked what the best material in the sense of price-quality ratio, I will answer without hesitation-expanded clay concrete, that is, blocks received from a mixture of expanded clay and concrete. Expanded clay is such a light material of the porous structure of the cellular structure, resembling gravel, less often – gravel. It turns out in the process of firing fused clay rocks.
Ceramzitthonous blocks
Ceramzitonic blocks are located in the niche of practical inexpensive materials for construction. For their release, expensive techniques or equipment are not used. The block is formed from concrete, in which expanded clay is used instead of granite crushed stone as a filler. According to the fortress and durability, expanded clay concrete is quite comparable to brick. This refers, of course, good expanded clay concrete, because cases of underground production of this material of very low quality often began to occur. Moreover, the simplicity of manufacture allows expanded clay concrete almost at home. Such homemade blocks differ from produced at the factory in shape and size, as well as the density of expanded clay in concrete. The optimal density for a high -quality block is approximately 1000 kg/m3. The size of the block produced at the plant is approximately 20x20x40.
If, in the sense of strength, expanded clay concrete almost corresponds to the brick, then its density is much smaller, and in the end, walls of such material are kept worse. During the construction of structures from expanded clay concrete blocks, auxiliary thermal insulation is required from the outside. Due to the presence of thermal insulation, it is not required to build thick walls – a structure made of expanded clay concrete blocks is significantly smaller than brick. But from the inside, it is better not to organize thermal insulation, for the reason that this can cause an accumulation of moisture on the surface of the walls under the heat -insulating coating. In the form of thermal insulation from the outside, usually use foam blocks or mineral wool.
And also a block of expanded clay concrete has one unique advantage, convenient at the household level (attention, women!) – with him you can hammer nails directly into the wall. And no drifts, drills, dowels, screws, etc. are not required. D. Scored cloves – hung a picture. Simple and beautiful.
In general, such material as expanded clay concrete is in some respects inferior to brick in its consumer capabilities, but clearly wins the cost of the issue. The price-quality ratio in this case is optimal.