One way to solve the problem is to increase usable area building is the construction of an extension. The material for construction is selected depending on its purpose and planned service life. Using a foam concrete block, you can build any residential and utility facilities.
The specificity lies in technological process combining two or more structures into one.
1. You can only add another room to a building with a large margin of safety, after all necessary calculations, obtaining permission for redevelopment.
2. The constructed structure during subsequent operation should not have a destructive effect on the main structure or its foundation. Therefore, it is advisable to use lightweight material.
3. An extension made of foam blocks has a number of obvious advantages:
- differs in small weight;
- it does not require a strong foundation;
- compatible with virtually any material.
4. Cellular concrete> D600 can withstand long-term deformation loads as solid walls.
Any structure must be installed on a foundation. From the right choice its type depends on its durability. In this case, the foundation is required to be no deeper than the main foundation, and also have the same design as it.
There are two ways to add to an already built house:
| Docking option | Execution nuances | Restrictions |
| Rigid connection | If you plan to lay a foundation similar to the main one. It is produced using durable reinforcement, below the freezing depth, followed by concreting. | The new design should not have a destructive effect on the building. The house must have been built a long time ago for the foundation to shrink. Work is not carried out on heaving soils. |
| Expansion joint | It is carried out by forming a strip, pile or columnar foundation. The gap is filled with insulation. | The soil around the object is minimally disturbed. Strength parameters must be preserved. |
The extension at the junction points must be waterproofed. To do this, the seam is treated with bitumen mastic, covered with roofing felt or other additional insulation material so that moisture does not get into it.
Calculation of the number of foam blocks
You should know the length, thickness, height of the external and internal walls, as well as the parameters of one element. The thickness of the walls is determined depending on the climatic zone of the construction site and the purpose of the extension. According to the standards, for residential premises a masonry in two blocks is required, for the rest - in one.
1. You need to draw up a project or an exact sketch, indicating on it:
- walls;
- internal partitions;
- door and window openings.
2. Decide what the thickness of the masonry will be a multiple of: the length or width of the element. Foam concrete blocks have standard width 60 cm, and their height varies with length.
3. The extension itself consists of 3 walls. Therefore, you need to measure its perimeter and divide it by the length of the brick. The result obtained is equal to the number in one horizontal row. Then:
- find out the number in a vertical row, for which the planned height of the structure is divided by the height of the product;
- multiply the obtained data. The product is the amount of material required for the extension, but without deducting the openings;
- calculate the area of the openings, divide it by S element;
- subtract the result from the total.
4. If you plan to install partitions inside, then the quantity is calculated in exactly the same way as for an extension.
5. More difficult option when it is planned to build an object with atypical architectural forms of walls. In such a situation, all parts are measured separately, and the results are summed up.
The resulting number should be multiplied by 5%, as this is quite brittle material, there may be damage during delivery.
Nuances of construction
If the façade is to be cladding, then any building, including a wooden one, can be supplemented with a foam concrete structure. Accounting regulatory requirements allows you to make the connection technically correct and invisible.
1. At the preparatory stage, you cannot ignore the analysis of the condition of the house:
- Initially, you need to check the walls and, if necessary, replace rotten logs;
- To ensure uniform shrinkage of both parts, the laying depth, size and features of the foundation are checked.
2. In order to correctly and securely fasten the extension and a brick or wooden house, you need to follow the basic installation algorithm. Layout begins from the corners, this allows you to measure the horizontal and vertical position of each block using a building level and check the even arrangement of the rows.
3. A rigid connection between the roof of the main building and the roof due to shrinkage is not required. Done:
- adjoining the slope or gables:
- arrangement of a common rafter system;
- another independent design option.
To prevent moisture and precipitation from getting inside the structure, the roof is overlapped at different levels.
4. Wall shrinkage can be reduced by allowing the new foundation to stand for six months.
5. It is better to attach a room made of similar material to the house. Otherwise, due to the difference in properties, the decrease in their size with volume will occur unevenly and can lead to deformation of the walls at the connection points. Therefore, two docking options are used:
- Longitudinal grooves are cut into the foam concrete to ensure free-sliding movement of the walls relative to each other.
- a gap is left, which is subsequently filled with mineral wool, polyurethane foam or other insulation.
The connecting seam is covered with finishing.
6. If you are planning to add a garage or bathhouse to brick house, you should consider:
- the connection to the masonry is made through 4 rows; for this, holes are drilled in advance and the ends are embedded there metal mesh, everything is filled with solution;
- if the height of the extension is equal to the level of one floor, then the connection is not made;
- the joint is plastered.
7. A house made of foam blocks has only two disadvantages:
- loss of thermal insulation qualities due to its hygroscopicity;
- unpresentable appearance of the facades.
In both cases, the issue is resolved by installing a protective layer with finishing. Light weight allows you to do without strengthening the foundation, which simplifies construction processes and helps save money.
Price of work and blocks
The cost of constructing a building is usually equal to 1/3 of the estimated cost of the entire turnkey project. To calculate the total amount you need to take into account:
- territorial location of the object;
- planned arrangement of communications;
- the total area of the extension with its number of storeys;
- cost of insulating and finishing materials.
If the installation is not carried out independently, but by a construction team, then the estimate should include payment for the workers’ services.
Over time, almost every family has a need for additional living space. Ideal option There will be an extension to the house made of aerated concrete with your own hands in compliance with the basic rules construction work. Considering all the undeniable advantages of this modern analogue of concrete, the construction of a new building will be quick, easy and will not require a lot of money.
Preparatory work
Before making an extension from aerated concrete and starting construction, you must obtain official permission from the relevant authorities. To do this, a new part of the building is first designed, preferably with the participation of specialists, to avoid significant errors at self-construction, leading to destruction during operation.
Can act as an attachment extra room, bedroom, veranda, kitchen, loggia, etc. When installing any type of extension mandatory elements there is a foundation and walls. The roof can be made in the form of:
- adjoining the slope of the roof of the house;
- adjoining the gables;
- devices of the general rafter system;
- independent design option.
Taking into account the differences in loads, it is recommended to make the foundation of a new room separately to prevent the formation of cracks during possible seasonal heaving of the soil. It is more rational to make the walls of the extension from modern analogues of concrete. It's about about aerated concrete and blocks made from this porous thermal insulation material. Aerated concrete is really very efficient material, having a high degree of thermal insulation, due to the presence of a lower density and large number internal pores.
Features of aerated concrete
The more voids there are in the material, the higher its heat-saving property. This is confirmed by construction practice using hollow bricks as an example. In aerated concrete, the pores are distributed evenly throughout the volume. A type of foam concrete is a material in the case of constructing not a whole house, but part of it in the form of an extension. An extension made of aerated concrete is an inexpensive and reasonable solution to the problem of lack of living space, especially if you do it yourself.
Tip: laying gas blocks is similar to laying a brick wall, the only difference is in size. Aerated concrete blocks have a standard size of 20x20x40 cm.
The popularity of this building material is also explained by its optimal strength, ease of use and high environmental friendliness. Walls made of aerated concrete “breathe” and do not create dampness in the room; they are erected easily, quickly and without significant investment of time and money.
The foundation is the basis of the extension
The construction of a new room in your home must be preceded by the installation of a foundation for its load-bearing and interior walls. The connection diagram of two foundations, old and new, assumes the coincidence of the horizontal lines of the buildings. Before starting to lay a new foundation, the corners of the future building are measured. The diagonals of the resulting perimeter should be equal to each other and located at the same distance from existing walls Houses. It is necessary to carry out a control measurement of the corners of the future building - they should be 90 degrees.
Selectable under aerated concrete walls standard thickness foundation. For middle zone– this is 40-50 cm. The depth of the foundation is chosen taking into account the depth of soil freezing in this climatic zone. The optimal depth is usually considered to be 50-60 cm. After marking and earthworks When constructing a trench for the foundation, it is necessary to reinforce it using metal elements to give the foundation greater strength. Ribbed steel reinforcement is best suited for this purpose.
Important points of construction
The crucial moment at this stage of construction is the mandatory connection of the new foundation and its armored belt to the old one. To do this, end cuts are made in the old foundation and the reinforcement of the new and old foundation is connected by welding or tying using strong metal wire. After this, you can proceed directly to pouring the foundation. For this, a concrete mixture of sand, gravel, cement and water is prepared. It is advisable to use high-grade cement with a short shelf life, since the strength of cement is lost during long-term storage.
To prevent shrinkage of the walls during operation, the new foundation must be given time to stand and gain strength. This takes about two weeks. The base of the new building is laid on the surface of the foundation. Typically, brick is used for this purpose because it is easy to form around the perimeter and provides good additional insulation from soil moisture. This is very important in our case, because aerated concrete has a porous structure that is prone to absorbing moisture, which can subsequently cause dampness in the corners of the house.
Attention: The finished foundation is covered with bitumen mastic and covered with roofing felt for additional waterproofing.
After following all preparatory processes You can proceed directly to the construction of an extension made of aerated concrete. In order to improve the thermal insulation properties of concrete using foaming, its structure changes, pores are formed, and the density of the original material decreases. It turns out that with an increase in the ability to conserve heat, some of the strength is lost and the ability to withstand loads decreases. Therefore, the construction of new buildings entirely from aerated concrete blocks requires special construction technologies.
Features of working with aerated concrete
The construction of an extension to a house made of aerated concrete is technologically and economically justified and has many advantages, namely:
- there is no need for insulation;
- It’s easy and quick to build walls;
- no construction skills required;
- aerated concrete has optimal strength with high heat retention.
Aerated concrete blocks are produced in autoclaves, which significantly increases and ensures fairly high strength. Walls built from 40 cm thick aerated concrete blocks have a heat retention equal to a meter thick brick wall. The ability to cut with a hacksaw allows you to simplify the installation and construction of walls made of aerated concrete. The installation of blocks for the extension is carried out using a special construction adhesive or concrete mortar.
Tip: Working with aerated concrete blocks carried out exclusively in dry weather, as it is very hygroscopic.
A special feature of working with aerated concrete is also the need to cover it with waterproofing layers. Typically, such walls are plastered from the outside and inside. The extension will be even warmer, drier and more reliable if fiberglass is glued to its surface before applying putty and plaster. After the final layer of plaster, the facades of the walls made of aerated concrete blocks are painted or subjected to a different design at the request of the developer.
As you can see, aerated concrete has a number of advantages and benefits when constructing attached premises, especially good heat retention and ease of installation. The construction of a roof for such a building is best done from flexible tiles, bitumen slate and other non-heavy roofing analogues.
Extension to a house made of foam blocks - good way increase living space or connect the utility room with the main building. This is an economically justified solution, because... one wall is already ready. They often add a garage, a terrace, winter Garden or summer kitchen. And if you approach the matter thoroughly, additionally insulate the walls, arrange heating, then you can use a full-fledged living room in the winter cold.
A well-made extension to a house made of foam blocks becomes a full-fledged part of it.
An extension is a small part of the house, but during its construction you must follow the same rules as for the main construction. Construction of foundations, roofs, wall masonry, exterior finishing that protects structures from external influences, require a responsible and competent attitude. The strength and durability of the structure directly depend on the quality of work.
What you need to know before starting construction with foam blocks
Any construction must begin with design. To do this, define:
purpose of the object;
required dimensions extensions - length, width, height;
location in relation to the house;
materials and structures from which the construction is supposed to be made.
Make up detailed drawing indicating dimensions in plan, placement of window and doorways, marking of communications. The best option– project development by a professional, because This document will be needed for subsequent registration.
Before attaching an extension made of foam blocks to the house, they find out the type of soil - heaving or not, and the depth of its freezing. It is important to determine the type of foundation of the existing building. It is recommended to lay the same foundation for the structure as a house: columnar, strip or pile.
It is advisable to equip the foundation the same as that of the house
You need to take the design of a major refurbishment seriously. It’s easier to do this before construction starts, otherwise it will take a long time to get the documents approved through the court.
Which houses can be attached to?
An extension made of foam or polystyrene concrete blocks can be attached to a wooden, brick, block or frame house. There are no restrictions on the composition of the material.
The main requirement is existing building it should not be dilapidated, and its foundation should be strong enough. The attached structure creates additional load on the ground, this can cause unwanted settlement of the foundation of the old house and lead to its destruction.
The extension is carried out in two ways:
On an independent basis. In heaving soils with high water levels, it is advisable to erect the building as a separate structure. This will help avoid cracks and deformations due to seasonal soil movements. The connecting seam between two structures is a small gap filled with waterproofing material.
On a foundation rigidly connected to the base of the house with reinforcement. The structure is a monolithic mass on which the building with an extension rests. This option is suitable for slightly heaving soils with a water depth of at least 2-2.5 m.
On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects of houses made of foam blocks from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses “Low-Rise Country”.
Advantages and disadvantages of concrete blocks
Foam concrete blocks produced from foamed concrete by molding from a semi-liquid solution or by cutting a hardened foam concrete mass. In addition to traditional cement, water and sand, the composition includes a foaming agent. Thanks to it, the structure of the material acquires porosity and lightness.
Foam concrete blocks are used in private construction for the construction of walls, partitions, and insulation of load-bearing structures.
The material has the following characteristics:
Density from 300 to 1200 kg/m³. Most porous concrete used for thermal insulation, the densest - for the construction of load-bearing structures.
Small weight. Foam concrete is twice as light as brickwork.
Low thermal conductivity. According to this indicator, it is close to wood.
Dimensions standard blocks 200x200x600 mm or 200x300x600 mm, weight 11-22 kg. With such dimensions and weight, the laying of elements is carried out without the use of additional construction equipment and much faster than with brick.
Disadvantages include:
Foam concrete is enough hydrophobic, i.e. absorbs moisture from environment. This reduces its thermal insulation properties. Therefore, external walls must be protected with finishing.
A house extension is a good reason to update the finishes throughout the entire house.
Not very tall frost resistance material – F15-F75. This means that it can withstand 15-75 freeze-thaw cycles without changing strength or destruction. For comparison, highly frost-resistant concrete is graded F300-F1000.
Varieties have been created based on foam concrete - gas silicate, polystyrene concrete, expanded clay concrete, wood concrete (chip concrete), fiber foam concrete. They have a porous structure, high thermal insulation properties, and sufficient mechanical strength. Rooms made from these materials have a favorable microclimate due to vapor permeability and environmental friendliness. They are easy to process with tools - sawing, drilling, attaching brackets.
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer house extension services. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Preparation and planning
IN preparatory stage included work on cleaning and leveling the site. The soil layer is cut off and transferred for use for gardening needs. A place is allocated for storing building materials and transport access. Communications should not interfere with construction, so they are temporarily turned off or moved to a safe area. There must be permissions from the relevant organizations.
Based on a pre-drawn drawing, they calculate the need for basic building materials, products. They are purchased and stored in a designated area.
Even a small extension requires accurate calculation of materials
Before construction begins, the foundation is marked on the prepared site using pegs, a cord and cast-offs. The geometry is checked with a tape measure or special instruments - laser level or a theodolite. The diagonals must be equal.
How to make an extension to a house: main steps
The main stages of construction include:
Excavation. Dig a trench, holes or drill wells for the foundation according to the chosen constructive solution. It is desirable that the house and the extension have the same type of foundation, material and the same depth.
Each turnkey construction of a house extension begins with excavation work
Foundationunder the walls It is enough to deepen extensions to a house made of lightweight foam blocks by 60-70 cm. A cushion of sand and crushed stone is poured onto the bottom of the pit and compacted. Reinforcement cages are installed and concrete is poured. Pile foundations are installed by a specialized organization using professional equipment. Columnar ones are laid out from bricks, blocks, or pipes are immersed in the ground with further concreting. The top of the structure is waterproofed with rubemast, bicrost or roofing felt.
Block masonry carried out with ligation of seams similar to brick. Used as a binder cement-sand mortar with plasticizers, frost-resistant tiles or special adhesive for foam concrete. A reinforced concrete belt is prepared along the top of the wall, which holds the structure together and gives the necessary strength and stability. The joint between the main wall and the extension is strengthened with embedded parts, staples for rigid coupling, and to create expansion joint filled with polystyrene foam, elastic tapes, bitumen, silicone or acrylic compounds.
The construction of the “box” of the extension is being completed
Jumpers are installed over the openings. Use:
ready-made factory-reinforced reinforced concrete or aerated concrete beams;
U-shaped elements made of foam concrete with a recess for reinforcement and concrete;
monolithic lintels manufactured on the construction site in formwork;
steel corner.
The maximum opening width is limited to 175 cm, the minimum support depth is 25 cm.
Construction of floors and roofs, façade decoration
After the concrete reinforcing belt has gained strength, the ceiling of the extension is installed. Use ready-made panels from lightweight concrete or make a structure from timber and boards. You can pour a monolithic slab or make a system of beams and flooring with improved thermal insulation characteristics.
The roof of extensions is usually pitched. Consists of a rafter system (mauerlat, rafter legs, sheathing, flooring) and roofing “pie”. The same or similar material, as the covering of the main structure.
When installing the roof, make sure that there are no leaks at the junction with the roof of the house. For fastening, sliding elements are used - “sleds” or sliders. They help maintain the mobility of the roofing sheet during sedimentary deformations.
The roof of the extension is being done using standard methods
Special attention need to be given exterior decoration, because this will protect the foam concrete from premature destruction and give the house and its extension a finished look.
Use various types of facade cladding:
-
decorative panels under stone or brick;
natural materials – wood, stone;
slabs and panels for exterior finishing.
plaster;
Simultaneously with the installation of finishing materials, you can additionally insulate the walls. For this purpose they use such materials:
polystyrene foam;
penoplex;
foamed polyethylene;
glass wool
Insulation boards are placed between the frame guides, protected if necessary with steam and waterproofing. Finishing elements are installed outside.
Video description
To see how to attach a foam block extension to your house, watch the video:
Turnkey house extension price
It is impossible to immediately say the exact cost of installing an extension to a house, since many factors must be taken into account, including the type of foundation, the condition of the soil and the house.
Before making an extension to a house, it is impossible to calculate the turnkey price
If we start only from the cost of materials, then the dependence of price on size will be approximately as follows:
| Extension size, m. | Price, rub. from… |
|---|---|
| 2 x 4 | 100 000 |
| 6 x 2 | 170 000 |
| 6 x 3 | 250 000 |
| 7 x 3 | 275 000 |
| 4 x 6 | 315 000 |
| 7 x 4 | 365 000 |
Conclusion
The price of building an extension from foam blocks to a wooden or brick house is quite affordable, and in return you get additional square meters housing, garage, bathhouse, veranda - increase the comfort and convenience of a previously built house. The main thing is to contact a competent construction company. Then you will have a guarantee of the quality of the work performed.
The need to add additional space often arises. A garage, a boiler room, a utility block - it is most convenient to have all these premises nearby, at hand. In addition, the size of the plot does not always allow the construction of the desired building in the distance. The simplest solution to the problem is to build an aerated concrete extension to the house.
Expert opinion
Sergey Yurievich
Ask a question to an expertThe main issues that arise during the design are the type of foundation and the method of connecting the extension to the wall of the house. The durability and stability of the new structure depends on the quality of solutions to these problems.
Foundation type
Most often, the foundation is built separately from the general foundation of the house. This is due to two reasons:
- Lack of a common foundation area on which to build additional area. No questions arise here - when building a house, it is very rare that the foundation for a future extension is immediately poured.
- The need to decouple the foundations of a house and an extension made of aerated concrete due to the difference in weight. The load that an aerated concrete extension to the house will inevitably create may be unbearable for the foundation of the main building. It was not designed to accept excess weight, as a result of the appearance of additional load, there is a risk of distortions, settlement or other violations of the geometry of the foundation.
Only the right decision there will be a separate foundation constructed. Now we need to decide which type of foundation will be most correct. There are several factors to consider here:
- What is the extension to the house intended for - will it be a residential or auxiliary room, will it be heated, etc.
- Magnitude additional room.
- Hydrogeological conditions of the site, depth groundwater and soil composition.
- Are you planning to create a basement, cellar, etc.
All these factors together will allow us to determine the value bearing capacity and type of base.
Possible types of foundation
- Slab. Has a shape monolithic slab located on a sand and gravel bed. It performs well on heaving soils that have noticeable seasonal movements - the base “floats” on the surface, changing its position along with the soil. The disadvantage of this type is the high labor intensity of the work and the inability to build a basement or cellar.
- Tape. The most common type of foundation. Allows you to make a basement, and it can be built later, when the construction of the walls is completed. The costs for such a base are lower than for a slab base, and labor costs are much less.
- Pile. This foundation is used in areas with high level groundwater. Piles are driven (or screwed, poured) into the ground until they come into contact with solid layers. The support is strong and reliable, but the construction of a basement is excluded. In addition, driving piles in close proximity to a residential building is dangerous. The solution may be screw piles, which can be screwed by hand.
The choice of one type of foundation or another depends on the capabilities of the site and the owner of the house. When building extensions from aerated concrete to a brick house, the amount of additional load is in any case less than the main one. For wooden houses, especially frame ones, the situation may be the opposite.
Expert opinion
Sergey Yurievich
Construction of houses, extensions, terraces and verandas.
Ask a question to an expertFor small extensions, a strip shallow type of foundation is most often used, less often a slab type is used, for which ready-made reinforced concrete slabs are used, laid on a cushion of ASG. It should be taken into account that laying slabs requires equipment that is not always able to drive close to the house due to the presence of other buildings or other obstacles.
Work order
First of all, it is necessary to draw up a project plan for the work being prepared and obtain all the necessary permits. The procedure is quite lengthy, but the consequences of unauthorized construction can be more unpleasant.
- Then the construction of the foundation begins. The area is carefully marked, the corners are marked with pegs, between which cords are stretched. They will be used to monitor the correctness of the trench excavation under the foundation.
- A 10-15 cm thick ASG is poured into the bottom of the trench to level and create a drainage layer. It is carefully compacted.
- The formwork is being installed, inner surface lined with roofing felt (hydroprotection), a reinforcement frame is constructed.
- Concrete is poured and the tape is left to dry completely.
- The formwork is disassembled, the second stage begins - the construction of walls.
Expert opinion
Sergey Yurievich
Construction of houses, extensions, terraces and verandas.
Ask a question to an expertAerated concrete is a simple and easy-to-work material. It is relatively lightweight, laid like a brick, but the size of the blocks significantly speeds up the work.
Extension to wooden house from aerated concrete can be carried out even by an untrained person without experience, the main thing is to learn some rules. For example:
- Use familiar cement mortar not recommended, you will need special glue.
- Foam concrete is soft, it can be cut with a regular hacksaw, which allows you to very carefully adjust the blocks to size.
- The nails do not hold in the material. Anchors must be used.
The walls are rising the desired height, are tied with a mauerlat on which the rafter system is installed. Most often, the extension to a house made of foam concrete has a flat pitched roof, which greatly simplifies the installation of rafters. The slope of the roof should be directed away from the walls.
Connecting the extension to the walls of the house
A serious question is how best to attach the extension to the walls of the house. To save materials and labor costs, they often try to use the wall of the house as the fourth wall of the extension. Under no circumstances should this be done. Seasonal soil movements and natural shrinkage of an extension to a house made of aerated concrete will cause changes in the geometry of the walls, which can lead to the formation of cracks or even destruction.
It is impossible to connect the walls of the house and the extension; in fact, a separate building is needed, only built close to the house.
All adjoining areas must have elastic expansion joints that compensate for movements of the extension or main structure. The junction of the roof and the wall is also equipped with a movable elastic connection, allowing smooth movement without breaking the tightness of the seam.
Expert opinion
Sergey Yurievich
Construction of houses, extensions, terraces and verandas.
Ask a question to an expertConstruction of an extension from aerated concrete to wooden walls It's quite simple to do. The main condition is not to tie them together in a rigid manner and to ensure that rainwater drains away from the walls. All other issues are resolved in the usual way: the floors are screeded, the ceiling is most often made of wood in order to lighten the weight of the structure. The work must be carried out in the warm season, for which it will be necessary to calculate in advance the deadlines for completing all necessary operations. With a small amount of additional space, the work can be completely done alone or with an assistant during one warm season.
Video about an aerated concrete extension to a wooden house
An extension to a house made of foam blocks is simple and effective method improving the appearance of a private home and expanding its usable area. The special technical characteristics of such blocks ensure their demand among individual developers.
Foam concrete blocks - an easy-to-use building material
The process of constructing extensions from wood is characterized by low labor intensity and ease of installation. Such blocks have a number of unique characteristics. Let's highlight the main ones:
- Non-flammability (foam concrete products meet fire safety standards).
- Affordable cost (compared to wooden beams and bricks).
- Environmental Safety.
- Creating an ideal microclimate for humans in a residential building due to the ability of the material to breathe.
- Cellular structure providing low thermal conductivity of the material.
- Light weight (no need to build an overly powerful foundation, which reduces the cost of building an extension to the house) and convenient for work.
- High strength and long service life (structures made of foam concrete are built for 50–70 years).
- Compliance of the material to processing (drilling, cutting, adjusting to specified dimensions).
An extension made of foam blocks can be erected on all types of soil. They are built even on very difficult soils. The foam concrete structures we are interested in can be attached to houses made of any materials. Foam concrete almost does not shrink during use. This sets it apart from wooden buildings, the walls of which are significantly reduced in height. Another advantage of foam concrete blocks is the ability to work with them without any special construction skills. Almost any home craftsman will be able to attach a foam concrete structure to his home, spending a minimum of effort and time on such an operation.
Let us also note the disadvantages of the building material in question. There are not many of them. Firstly, foam blocks do not look very presentable in appearance. Therefore, after the construction of the extension, you will have to spend money on its high-quality finishing. Secondly, foam concrete is characterized by increased hygroscopicity. This necessitates the need for a device additional protection erected walls.
Self-design – no need for professional engineers!
A self-taught master can easily develop a project for a new building on his own. It is not at all necessary to invite specialists in the field of architecture for these purposes. Appearance extensions must match the design of the main building. When designing, it is important to do the following:
- 1. Correctly calculate the load of the new structure on the ground. The power and type of foundation required depends on its indicator.
- 2. Decide on the lighting option for the extension in order to provide required quantity window openings and install them in optimal locations.
- 3. Decide how many entrances there should be in the extension. You can design just one door that will connect the main and additional structures. And if you wish, it’s easy to make two exits (one into the house, the second into the street).
- 4. Determine the need for additional noise and heat insulation of the new building, installing water supply, electricity, and sewerage into it.
If you rationally design additional structures, taking into account everything stated above, you will be able to build a durable and easy-to-use room.
We build the foundation and erect the walls - the work of the master is afraid!
The issue of constructing the foundation of an extension should be approached truly responsibly. The reliability of the structure under construction depends on the quality of the foundation. In addition, you need to correctly pair the new foundation with the existing one under the house. Columnar, linear, and pile-screw foundations are suitable for extensions made of foam concrete blocks. The latter are the most difficult to implement. Arrange them with your own hands as usual home handyman often it is not possible. Linear bases are suitable for small and light structures, for example, a car garage, a bathhouse. An extension to a wooden house made of foam blocks is most often installed on such a foundation. In other cases, it is advisable to make the same foundation as under the main building.
The scheme of its arrangement is simple:
- Dig a meter deep pit, pour sand or a small stone mixture into it (layer height - up to 20 cm).
- Place roofing felt on the made pillow. You can use other waterproofing material.
- You mount the reinforcing bars, cover them with stones, and pour the concrete solution.
The pillars, which act as the base of the extension, can be connected to each other with wooden logs. But it’s better to build basic formwork and pour it concrete mixture. As a result, you will receive a high-strength encircling foundation. Don't forget to cover it with another layer of waterproofing.
The walls of the extension always begin to be mounted from the corner. The first row of foam blocks is laid on a sand-cement building mixture.
Important! All subsequent rows are laid with a special glue (sold in construction stores), which is used to treat the side and bottom sides of the foam concrete products being installed. To reduce the risk of cold bridging, the seam should be made with a maximum thickness of 1 mm. The first row of masonry must be perfectly level. A laser level allows you to achieve this.
In every fourth row, experts advise cutting a small groove and laying reinforcement in it. This precaution will protect the walls of the foam concrete extension from the formation of cracks. Note! Rows of blocks are mounted according to the standard ligation principle. The joints of individual products in adjacent lines should not coincide. Foam blocks that protrude along the length should be trimmed using a hacksaw when the building approaches the wall surface of the house. This process is not difficult. Foam concrete is cut with minimal physical effort.
The final stages - the new building is almost ready!
Door and window openings in the constructed walls are equipped with special steel lintels or special parts in the shape of the Latin letter U. There is a slight subtlety here. U-shaped elements are installed in cases where the width of windows and doors does not exceed 170 cm. If this indicator is higher, it is necessary to install steel jumpers according to the following algorithm:
- 1. Weld the required length of the reinforcement cages.
- 2. Nail wooden support bars on the sides of the door (window) opening. Mount a formwork structure made of magpie boards on top. Be sure to install shields on the sides of the opening.
- 3. Saw foam concrete products into small-thick blocks and place them inside the formwork.
- 4. Mount the frame from reinforcement and secure it with wood spacers.
- 5. Water the foam blocks with regular water, then pour concrete around the perimeter of the walls.
- 6. The concrete mixture must be well compacted, leveled and smoothed.
U-shaped parts are much easier and faster to install. There is no need to pour formwork for them. Mount a foam block on the sides of the opening, in which you make approximately 0.25-meter support in advance. Check the horizontal position of the latter (it is recommended to use a hose level). If necessary, grind the U-product with a float and install it on the adhesive (the hole should face up). Then you place the fittings, secure them, and pour water on them. All that remains is to fill the structure with several layers of concrete, leveling and compacting each of them with a construction trowel.
To attached garage, barn, utility room had maximum reliability, it is advisable to strengthen the wall of the structure from the inside with additional reinforced belt. The work is simple. Prepare templates from wood, lay pieces of reinforcement of suitable length on them. Weld metal rods into a single skeleton. After this, fill the template with concrete and wait about 5–7 days.
Now you can start installing the floors. They will support the roof of the foam concrete building. Floors are usually made of hollow concrete slabs, aerated concrete blocks or wood. Wooden crafts must be treated with bio- and fire-retardant mixtures. The roof is erected using conventional technology. Install wooden beams across the walls, do rafter system, install the sheathing on it and lay the selected coating. Advice. Use metal tiles, profiled sheets or similar lightweight coverings.
Insulation and improvement of foam block buildings
The best option is when the extension will only be adjacent to the main structure (house made of wood, brick, stone) using an expansion joint. But it can also be rigidly fastened to it by attaching steel rods embedded in the masonry to the old reinforcing frame. The gaps between structures are filled with polyurethane foam. Important point. If an extension is being made to a wooden house, it is better not to use foam. Instead, stuff on both sides of the accessory structure. small bars. They will qualitatively close all the cracks.
The walls of the extension need to be insulated and given an attractive appearance. Decorative ones are suitable for this. foam panels, which after installation is covered with a thin layer of plaster. The outside of an extension made of foam concrete products is usually improved artificial stone or decorative plaster.
