Wood concrete and aerated concrete are materials that have become increasingly used in the construction of low-rise private housing, competing with traditional brick, wood, and monolithic concrete. Wood concrete and aerated concrete are similar in properties, so our experts have made a detailed comparative analysis of their properties, advantages and disadvantages in order to help you make the right choice.
Table of pros and cons of Arbolit and Aerated Concrete
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+ High thermal insulation qualities. Thermal conductivity coefficient u003d 0.07–0.19 W / (m ° C) (scatter for heat-insulating and structural wood concrete);
+ good soundproofing properties. Sound absorption coefficient in the range of 0.17 — 0.6, for comparison — this coefficient for a brick wall is 0.04;
+ low weight of products (one arbolite block weighs on average no more than 25 kg with a structural block density of up to 850 kg / m3), which makes it possible to build walls without the use of mechanisms and reduces labor costs. In addition, the mass of walls is reduced, which eliminates the need to build massive foundations and provides tangible savings;
+ ease of processing — wood concrete blocks are freely sawn with a hand tool;
+ fire safety — refers to flame-retardant materials — group G1 (low combustible) according to fire safety standards;
+ resistance to microorganisms and insects;
+ frost resistance reaching the F50 grade — that is, up to 50 freeze and thaw cycles;
+ environmentally friendly — does not contain and does not emit any harmful substances, while it has good vapor permeability, which allows the walls of wood concrete to “breathe”, maintaining a healthy microclimate inside the house.
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- Insufficient strength — the standard strength grade is within M25-M35, which is why the height of buildings with wood concrete walls is limited to 2–3 floors. Also, when constructing floors from prefabricated reinforced concrete slabs or monolithic reinforced concrete, it is necessary to build a monolithic reinforced concrete belt along the top of the walls;
- high water absorption — up to 85%, which makes it necessary to protect the walls of rooms with a high humidity regime with moisture-resistant materials;
- relatively high cost of 35$/m3 and more, which exceeds the cost of lightweight concrete blocks.
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+ lightness of aerated concrete blocks with a density of up to 1200 kg / m3, which makes it possible not to use heavy and powerful foundations in comparison, for example, with brick houses;
+ low thermal conductivity — the thermal conductivity of aerated concrete in the range of 0.08 — 0.15 W / (m ° C) (low for thermal insulation material, high for structural);
+ large-sized blocks allow you to quickly lay the masonry, that is, at the same time, the time for building houses is reduced. In addition, the blocks are laid with an adhesive mortar, which avoids the formation of “cold bridges” and saves compared to the cost of using cement mortar when laying brick walls;
+ products are easily processed with hand tools;
+ good soundproofing properties;
+ the vapor permeability of walls made of aerated concrete blocks is almost similar to the same property of walls made of wood, which makes it possible to create and maintain an optimal, healthy microclimate in the premises;
+ environmentally friendly, no components harmful to human health are used in its production;
+ frost resistance up to grade F50;
+ resistance to pathogenic microorganisms — fungus and mold, insects and rodents;
+ fire safety — walls made of aerated concrete blocks are classified as NG — non-combustible materials according to fire safety standards;
+ relatively low cost — from 25$ / m3 compared to wood concrete.
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- compressive strength — M50 for structural blocks, allows the use of aerated concrete only in low-rise construction. At the same time, before laying floors from reinforced concrete slabs or monolithic reinforced concrete, it is necessary to arrange a monolithic belt of reinforced heavy concrete along the top of the walls;
- high hygroscopicity, that is, the ability to absorb moisture, the hygroscopicity coefficient reaches 35% in relation to the total mass, which necessitates protection from the inside and outside with moisture-repellent materials;
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As can be seen from the table, aerated concrete has a few more pluses and fewer minuses.than wood concrete, however, the final choice should be made, taking into account the specific conditions of construction.
What is arbolite
The name “arbolite” has a root from the French language — “arbre”, which means “tree”, so it is also called differently — wood concrete. Wood concrete is made from raw materials, which include the following components: wood chips, cement as a binder, various additives — stabilizers that improve the performance properties of the material.
According to the State Standard, wood concrete is produced in two types — heat-insulating and structural blocks. Thermal insulation is used for its intended purpose — as a material that improves the thermal insulation properties of external walls, structural — for the construction of load-bearing walls. Blocks of heat-insulating wood concrete can also be used for the construction of partitions.
There is a State Standard — GOST 19222–84, according to which finished products from wood concrete must meet certain parameters. For example, the wood chips used should be up to 25 cm long and not more than 5 and 10 mm, respectively, in thickness and width. Do not add sawdust, shavings, straw, etc. Therefore, high-quality products can only be manufactured in an industrial enterprise, where quality control is mandatory in accordance with the standard.
Advice from professionals: Since wood concrete products can also be produced in artisanal conditions, where proper quality will not be guaranteed, you should carefully choose the products offered on the market, giving preference to materials from a trusted manufacturer.
What is aerated concrete
Aerated concrete refers to materials from cellular concrete, which is produced in the factory using a production line, including: a mixing unit, a unit for forming and cutting products, an autoclave for heat treatment of products. The feedstock for the preparation of the mixture consists of a binder — Portland cement, fine quartz sand, a foaming agent — aluminum powder, lime and water.
The raw mass is mixed with strict observance of the fractional content of each component, transferred to a large form in which a chemical reaction of swelling of the mixture occurs under the influence of a foaming agent. As a result of swelling, the raw mass increases in volume, after which it is placed in a pre-hardening chamber, where it is kept for several days. After hardening, the resulting array is cut with steel strings into blocks of the desired size, then the blocks are placed in an autoclave, where, under the influence of steam and high pressure, the products gain the necessary strength and acquire the desired performance.
Advice from professionals: You should not confuse aerated concrete and foam concrete blocks, since aerated concrete products are produced only in the factory with a quality guarantee, and foam concrete products can also be made in a handicraft workshop or in construction conditions.
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