We are building a house from expanded clay concrete blocks. House made of expanded clay concrete blocks

Expanded clay concrete has not yet been sufficiently mastered by domestic builders, but has long been popular in Europe. A house made of expanded clay concrete blocks is an economical and reliable structure that is quite possible to build yourself. Before starting work, you should study the capabilities of the material, masonry techniques, and make a preliminary calculation of the cost of construction.

Lightweight concrete is produced by adding concrete mixture expanded clay - hollow balls of foamed and fired clay. Blocks with this filler not only have a low specific gravity, they can be machined and are not destroyed when driving nails.

Good heat and sound insulation is characteristic of all types of porous concrete, but expanded clay also has other positive properties. It almost does not absorb moisture, is stronger and harder than foam and aerated concrete. The voids in the blocks are used for reinforcement or framing.

Pros and cons of houses made of expanded clay blocks

The main advantages of expanded clay block structures include:

absolute environmental Safety– due to the absence of toxic components;
resistance to fire, insects and rodents;
moisture resistance;
durability;
low thermal conductivity of walls - 1.5 times lower than that of aerated concrete;
low weight - due to this, a massive foundation is not required and overall costs are reduced;
simplicity and speed of installation - one mason lays almost 3 m 3 blocks per shift, while saving mortar is almost 60% compared to brickwork;
possibility of using dowels for installation of finishing.

Difficulties in using expanded clay blocks arise when their manufacturing technology is violated, which causes the density and geometric parameters to become unstable. To calculate the foundation you need to know exact weight structure, which can only be determined on the basis of real initial data.

To avoid negative phenomena during construction, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the negative aspects of expanded clay block buildings:

the impossibility of using a lightweight foundation - the house turns out to be lighter than a brick one, but heavier than a foam block one;
the formation of cold bridges during the masonry process - the walls need external thermal insulation;
the walls are not left without exterior finish more than 2 years - this reduces the durability of the house;
Expanded clay concrete is not used for foundation work - it is inferior to concrete in density and strength;
increased costs for transporting blocks due to their large dimensions.

Calculation and purchase of materials for construction

Before construction begins, a suitable project should be developed or purchased, developed by design bureaus in compliance with building codes and regulations. Customers choose houses in the construction of which expanded clay concrete blocks are used, taking into account the following conditions:

total area;
number of storeys;
layout, number of rooms.

The layout of the building should include the dimensions of the walls and openings. For them, structural insulating blocks with a density of 700 - 1,200 kg/m 3, the dimensions of which are 190x190x390 mm, are most often used. Partition expanded clay blocks differ only in width - it ranges from 90 to 120 mm.

To build a house from expanded clay concrete yourself, you need to determine the required volume of building materials. To do this, sum up the lengths of all walls and load-bearing partitions. The final number is multiplied by the height of the ceilings, and then by the thickness of the wall. If you need to calculate the piece quantity of expanded clay blocks, the resulting volume is divided by the volume of one element (0.014 m3). When calculating the dimensions of the openings, it is better not to subtract or purchase material with a 20% margin.

When purchasing claydite blocks, check:

Availability of certificates for products.
Production conditions (handicraft is better not to buy).
Surface quality - there should be no obvious defects and depressions.
Dimensions.
Density (weigh one element and divide the mass by the volume).

For one-story houses With wooden floors you can buy solid ones, and a three-story cottage (to reduce pressure on the foundation) is often built from multi-slotted blocks - their side faces are joined using tongues and grooves, without mortar.

Building a house from expanded clay blocks with your own hands

Foundation

If you plan to build a basement, then the foundation is built from concrete blocks; if there is no basement, it is used strip foundation- simple and durable option. To do this, first dig trenches 0.5 m deep and place a sand cushion in them. Then wooden formwork is made (it must be waterproofed), reinforcement is laid and poured concrete mortar, which is compacted every 0.2 m.

After the solution has hardened (3 days), the formwork panels are removed, and the upper and side planes of the concrete strips are waterproofed with mastic and roofing felt. The gaps between the foundation and trenches are filled with sand. Shrinkage of the structure continues for about 12 weeks, after which they begin laying the walls. It is easy to make such a basis for an expanded clay concrete structure yourself, but you should first conduct geological studies to determine the bearing capacity of the soil.

Laying expanded clay concrete wall blocks

1. The foundation surface is leveled with a three-centimeter layer of cement mortar (the plane is checked by level). After hardening, lay 2–3 layers of roofing material, sandwiching them with mastic.

2. Laying begins from the corner, forming a row along a stretched cord along the perimeter, and then the next row. Check the quality of installation as often as possible with a level and plumb line - this is necessary due to the small technological taper of the blocks.

3. In double-row masonry, both rows are lined up simultaneously, connecting them together. From interior wall Every second block is released into the outside (the length of the release is equal to ½ the length of the block). To avoid the formation of cold bridges, the end facing the outer row is insulated with a 40 mm thick polystyrene foam gasket. Single-row masonry with subsequent insulation is often used.

4. Use regular sandy cement mortar, which fills both vertical and horizontal joints. In this case, the seam thickness is 12 mm.

5. The strength of the walls is increased by using reinforcement with a diameter of 8 - 10 mm - it is laid on a laid out row along the perimeter every 2 - 3 rows.

The masonry of the walls of the 1st floor of the house is completed by installing a reinforcing belt made of solid brick or reinforced concrete to redistribute the load from the floor over the surface of the block. The second version of the belt is a regular solution using a mesh (diameter 4 - 5 mm, mesh 70 x 70 mm). The armored belt must be thermally insulated, since its thermal conductivity is higher than that of a hollow one.

Expanded clay concrete blocks in the construction of a 2-story house are used in such a way that the thickness of the load-bearing walls is at least 0.39 m. Some manufacturers produce blocks measuring 590x400x200 mm - they provide strength, and for thermal insulation in this case, a thin roll of insulation is sufficient.

Exterior finishing options

The role of the cladding is to prevent the destruction of walls due to temperature fluctuations. For this purpose, the following materials are preferred:

facing brick;
fake diamond;
plaster;
siding;
thermal panels are a modern, environmentally friendly and inexpensive material.

Under facing material Insulation is installed in two layers - most often basalt wool (brands Knauf, Rockwool, Izorok) up to 10 cm thick. A windproof screen and a waterproofing layer are placed between the layers of thermal insulation. Such a system will not miss home warmth outward and protect the expanded clay concrete from moisture. Aluminum foil is used as a parabarrier.

For interfloor ceilings for an expanded clay concrete house, hollow cores are usually used iron concrete plates factory-made with a length of 0.21 - 0.63 m, a thickness of 0.16 - 0.22 m, a width of 0.99 - 1.19 m with the designation PC and PNO. These panels are distinguished by good sound insulation, durability, and stable technical characteristics.

Interior decoration

Usually the first finishing layer of the wall is cement-sand or gypsum plaster. First, using dowels and self-tapping screws, a reinforcing mesh is installed - galvanized or polymer. The surface is pre-coated with concrete contact to increase adhesion or a special plaster mixture is selected that adheres well to expanded clay concrete. After plastering, the walls are covered with plasterboard, clapboard, wallpaper or ceramic tiles.

How much does construction cost

To determine how much a house built on its own from expanded clay concrete will cost, calculate the estimated cost of each material, multiplying its market price by the estimated quantity. The calculation includes:

expanded clay blocks;
reinforced concrete lintels for openings;
reinforcing mesh and round reinforcement;
lumber for formwork;
thermal insulation of walls and roofs;
parabarrier film
cladding;
masonry mortar;
foundation concrete;
roofing felt, waterproofing, mastic;
reinforced concrete floors;
wooden beams for rafters and sheathing;
roofing;
plastic windows;
nails, screws.

The calculation also includes transportation costs and services of lifting and transport equipment, the price of project documentation (about 25,000 rubles). Average cost of DIY construction one-story house(8 x 7 m) made of expanded clay concrete with siding and a metal tile roof is about 800,000.

If the walls are laid by a construction company, then just building the frame of the house will cost 80,000 rubles (with a thickness of 0.39 m). Full complex price construction work with interior decoration - 13,500 rubles / m 2. A house with a turnkey attic measuring 8x9 m at such prices costs 1,850,000.

Expanded clay concrete - inexpensive, but at the same time durable and strong construction material, which has high thermal efficiency and soundproofing abilities. The use of expanded clay concrete is widespread in all areas of low-rise construction; both residential and commercial structures with a height of 1-3 floors are erected from it.

This article examines in detail the technology of building a house made of expanded clay concrete. You will also find out what are the advantages and disadvantages of this material and how to make it at home.

For front finishing we recommend to choose a facing brick. Between layer brickwork and the surface of the insulation must be left with a ventilation gap 1 cm thick. The interior finishing is done in several layers - the first is gypsum plaster, and plasterboard is attached on top of it or wallpaper is glued.

2.1 Cost of the house, reviews

If you decide to build a house with your own hands, then the amount of costs for building materials, project documentation, transportation costs and rental of crane equipment will vary between 500-800 thousand rubles for the project of a one-story building with an area of 70-80 square meters. The project of a similar house ordered from a construction company is estimated at around 1.5 million. The price includes all work - you receive a completely finished building with interior decoration.

Check out the reviews of expanded clay concrete houses from the owners of such housing.

S. V. Nikiforov, 29 years old:

The house of expanded clay concrete blocks was built together with my father in 3 months. Everything was done with our own hands, we spent 600 thousand for a 7*8 m building. We are happy with the result - the housing turned out to be good-quality, warm and cozy. Among lightweight concretes, in my opinion, expanded clay concrete is best choice for low-rise construction.

D. V. Baryshkin, 38 years old:

I have lived in an expanded clay concrete house for more than 10 years. Recently, the building was insulated with mineral wool, as a result, heating costs decreased by almost 30% - they started turning on the boiler much less often, so the house now keeps heat well. I have heard more than once that heavy objects cannot be mounted on expanded clay block walls - I have a 150 liter boiler hanging, there are no problems.

Since the time when expanded clay appeared, no significant changes in the technology of its production have occurred. Porous blocks made using this material are also highly environmentally friendly and are relatively cheap. In buildings constructed from these products, it is easy to “breathe”; and a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks, which in terms of thermal insulation characteristics is not inferior to a structure made of gas or foam concrete, can be built even by a novice builder.

Main types of expanded clay concrete blocks

Expanded clay concrete blocks (according to GOST, they are regulated like stones) are produced in different grades with an indication of compressive strength. Depending on the volume of expanded clay, the density of the blocks varies from 350 to 1800 kg / m³. The less expanded clay in the product, the denser, heavier and its thermal conductivity coefficient is higher, that is, the material is durable, but not very “warm”. The high content of porous expanded clay significantly reduces the density of the material and its strength, but gives it good thermal insulation characteristics. Therefore, only after understanding the purpose of the stones and their scope, you will be able to understand what products you will need to build a building from expanded clay concrete blocks with your own hands. Based on the density, all expanded clay concrete blocks are divided into the following types:

Thermal insulation products with a density of 350 to 700 kg/m³: used for laying the thermal insulation layer.

Important! Thermal insulation blocks cannot be used for the construction of load-bearing walls.

Mixed-use blocks with a density of 700 to 1400 kg / m³: used for construction wall panels And interior partitions that are not subject to heavy loads.
Structural blocks made of expanded clay concrete, the density of which varies from 1400 to 1800 kg / m³ (they are quite heavy). Used for the construction of load-bearing structures.

Advice! The structure of products of this type turns out to be durable, but “cold”, so plan: how to insulate a house built from expanded clay concrete blocks.

Conclusion: a material with a low density has a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, but its strength leaves much to be desired; High-density material has good compressive strength, but when using it when building a house, it is necessary to provide insulation.

In the construction market, expanded clay concrete products are presented in two varieties: hollow and solid. Solid ones are highly durable and are used for the construction of load-bearing walls and structures that can withstand heavy loads. Hollow blocks are not very strong, but have good heat-saving characteristics. They are used for the construction internal partitions, and sometimes as an additional heat-insulating or sound-proofing layer.

To facilitate the construction of a building such as a house made of expanded clay concrete, reduce the amount of mortar and prevent the formation of cold bridges, products with a tongue-and-groove system are often used.

Calculation of the required number of blocks

How to calculate required amount blocks for building a house from expanded clay concrete with your own hands? Very simple. The calculation is made without taking into account the thickness of the masonry joint. Initial data: width of the front wall - 6 m, length of the side wall - 9 m, height at the corner - 3 m, height at the ridge - 7 m, we lay the wall in half a block.

We calculate the total area of the walls: S(total) = 6×3×2 + 9×3×2 + 4×3×2 = 36 + 54 + 24 = 114 m².

Determine the area window openings(considering that the width of one window is 1.4 m; height - 1.2 m; quantity - 4 pieces): S (windows) = 1.4 × 1.2 × 4 = 6.72 m².

We determine the area of the doorway (taking into account that the width of the doorway is 1.2 m and the height is 2.2 m): S(doorway) = 1.2 × 2.2 = 2.64 m².

Wall area (excluding windows and doorways): S(walls) = S(total) - S(windows) - S(doorway) = 114 - 6.72 - 2.64 = 104.64 m².

Expanded clay block measuring 0.2 m × 0.2 m × 0.4 m has an area: S(block) = 0.2 × 0.4 = 0.08 m².

Number of blocks required for masonry: N = S(walls) : S(blocks) = 104.64: 0.08 = 1308 pieces (this is the number of blocks needed for our construction).

The amount of material will decrease if the thickness of the masonry joint is taken into account in the calculation (about 15 mm), but it is better not to do this (let there be a small margin). Calculation of the number of products for internal partitions is done in a similar way.

Technology of building a house from expanded clay concrete

If you are building expanded clay concrete house, stick to the recommended technology and you will succeed.

Foundation

Professionals say that a strip foundation is most suitable for building a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks (by the way, just like a monolithic house). The technology for its arrangement is simple, so you can easily make the foundation needed for your house from expanded clay concrete blocks yourself. We carry out the following work:

we dig a trench under the foundation (the width exceeds the width of the wall by 10-15 cm, and the depth is 50 cm);
Place a sand cushion on the bottom (height – 15 cm);
moisten the sand generously with water and tamp;
pour a layer of crushed stone (15 cm high);
compact the crushed stone;
we arrange a waterproofing layer (for example, roofing felt);
we install the formwork, which must be waterproofed;
We make a reinforcing frame inside the formwork;
pour concrete;
after 5 days we remove formwork, top and side surfaces We waterproof the foundation with mastic and roofing felt;
fill the cavities between the foundation and the trench with sand;
we take a break for 1-3 months so that the foundation settles;
We are starting to lay the walls.

We lay expanded clay concrete wall blocks

The masonry algorithm looks like this:

We lay roofing material on the foundation in 2-3 layers (coat each layer with mastic);
place 2 blocks on the solution from each corner;

along the entire perimeter we stretch a cord between the corner blocks, along which we align the laying of expanded clay concrete products of the first row;
we check the masonry with a level, adjust the position of each block using a rubber mallet;
we take a break for 1 day so that the row of masonry settles;
We build subsequent rows in a checkerboard pattern, starting from the corner (we lay no more than 3-4 rows per day);
Before laying the floors between the floors and the roof truss system, we install reinforcing belts.

Important! Check the quality of the masonry as often as possible using a level and plumb line.

Options for laying standard blocks depending on the desired thickness:

Insulation

To insulate houses made of expanded clay concrete blocks from the outside, different materials are used: mineral wool with a foil layer (this material provides a vapor barrier aluminium foil), glass wool, polystyrene foam, penoplex.

Important! To increase the service life of the thermal insulation layer, it is necessary to install a vapor barrier on top of it.

The most effective and available material counts mineral wool with a foil layer (available in the form of dense and durable slabs), it is ideally suited for such a “breathable” material as expanded clay concrete.

The technology for laying the thermal insulation layer is quite simple:

we clean the outer walls from dust and treat them with a primer for exterior work;
mix the glue according to the instructions indicated on the package;
apply glue along the entire perimeter of the mineral wool sheet and additionally in the middle;
glue the slabs to the wall in a checkerboard pattern, starting from the bottom of one of the corners;
after 1 day, we secure the glued mineral slabs with plastic dowels (“umbrellas”);
We install the reinforcing layer (special facade fiberglass mesh): we press it into the layer of applied plaster glue using a wide spatula;
We lay another layer of special glue on the dried reinforcing layer and cover it with some kind of facade decorative plaster;
After final drying, we paint.

In custody

If you decide to build and you are capable of building a house with your own hands, follow our recommendations and use expanded clay concrete products. As a result, you will receive housing with a favorable microclimate.

Became popular in foreign countries Expanded clay concrete blocks are increasingly being used in construction low-rise buildings in the vastness of our country. Have you been dreaming of your own private home away from the noisy city? Today is the time to make your dream come true. In this article we will tell you how to build a house from expanded clay blocks with your own hands in a short time, with minimum costs, both material and physical.

Application of expanded clay concrete

A house made of expanded clay blocks does not need special care and different long periods operation. For the construction of summer houses or country houses Multi-slot and solid expanded clay concrete are mainly used. If you are planning to build cottage with a light wooden ceiling, it is better to raise the walls from solid blocks. For buildings with two or more floors, both types of blocks are used.

Multi-slot blocks have grooves and ridges on both sides, which allows installation along vertical seams without the use of mortar. This type of masonry is called a butt joint and is designed to improve the thermal conductivity of the wall by reducing the number of cold bridges.

The design of your future home should be ordered from a highly qualified specialist. When discussing various nuances, you should pay special attention to the fact that the house will be built from expanded clay blocks. A well-drafted project indicating all dimensions will help to avoid various unforeseen situations that worsen the quality of the structure.

Advantages of expanded clay blocks over the use of other building materials:

Ecological cleanliness.
Resistance of blocks to various external influences.
Increased technology.
Low water absorption rates.
Expanded clay concrete has excellent thermal insulation properties.
The small mass of the products does not require a powerful foundation.

Calculation of the required number of blocks

You can save construction costs if you know how to calculate expanded clay blocks for a house. To make the most accurate calculations, you need a house design. From it you can determine the dimensions of the building. The length of the external and internal load-bearing walls should be summed up. The result is the length of all the walls of the house, which must be multiplied by the height of the premises. To continue the calculation, you need to know the thickness of the designed walls and the dimensions of the blocks used for construction. The last figure obtained in the calculations is multiplied by the designed wall thickness. The result is the volume of all the walls of the house.

When purchasing expanded clay blocks, start from the volume received and be sure to add up to 5% to it for unforeseen situations. This could be a fight or a marriage of individual elements.

Construction technology

Let's consider the technology of building a house step by step.

Foundation

If the project provides basement, the foundation must be built from concrete blocks. For an ordinary house A strip foundation is laid from expanded clay blocks.

The construction site should be thoroughly cleared of debris and leveled.
Dig a pit, the depth of which depends on the type of soil and level groundwater in the construction area.
Place a cushion of coarse sand and crushed stone in layers of 30 cm at the bottom of the pit.
Install the reinforcement frame and formwork from wooden panels.
Using a concrete mixer, prepare a solution from fine crushed stone, sand, cement and water. Pour the foundation.

When laying the foundation for a house, it is necessary to immediately lay pipes for water supply and drainage. Don't forget about the device ventilation holes along the entire perimeter of the building.

The foundation should be left to harden for at least two weeks, and preferably three months. During this time, the foundation will sag under its own weight, which will improve the quality of the construction of the entire building. To prevent moisture from entering the basement and foundation, you need to install high-quality waterproofing.

For convenience, pull the cord from corner to another corner. Start laying the walls from the corner. After placing the corner block on the base, check its vertical and horizontal orientation. After completing the laying of the first row, proceed to the laying of the second. Be sure to tie between rows.

The height of the seam between the blocks should be 10 mm. There should be no empty gaps between the blocks, so it is necessary to carefully coat all seams with the solution.

If you want your home to be warm and cozy, we recommend that, along with laying expanded clay blocks, parallel laying of insulation and external decorative element. It can be facing bricks, special blocks or other materials.

When using brick for cladding a building, it is necessary to tie the inner and outer layers of the masonry with fiberglass rods or mesh. Special attention give to the laying of blocks that form window and door openings.

Check each row of masonry horizontally and vertically.

Reinforcing the walls every four rows will help give greater rigidity to the building structure. To do this, you will need reinforcement or masonry mesh. Having completed the laying of the walls, you need to install a reinforcing belt made of reinforced concrete or ordinary brick on top.

Roof construction

The better the quality of the rafter system, the more reliable the roof structure will be. Expanded clay blocks should also be used for laying gables. Do not forget about the need to carry out thermal insulation and waterproofing works before installation roofing material. Particular attention should be paid to the installation of chimneys.

A house made of expanded clay blocks can be faced with the most different materials. The cheapest way is to finish the building with sand and cement plaster. You can make a regular one or decorative plaster and paint the building any color you like.

It will look aesthetically pleasing and noble a natural stone. The most important thing is that its characteristics include excellent frost resistance.

Economical cladding - thermal panels made of polyurethane foam and clinker tiles. Excellent environmentally friendly material perfectly retains heat in frost and life-giving coolness in hot weather.

So we told you how to build a house from expanded clay blocks to make it warm and reliable. About how to do inner lining buildings made of expanded clay blocks, installation floor coverings, rafter system, the supply of communication systems and other works you can read in our next articles.

Video

We bring to your attention a video in which you will learn how to correctly lay the corner of a house made of expanded clay concrete.

Initially, expanded clay concrete blocks were produced as a kind of insulation for brick wall. The masonry of blocks was organized on the outside of the structure and its purpose was to retain thermal radiation inside the structure. Due to its strength characteristics, expanded clay concrete is not suitable for the organization of enclosing and load-bearing structures. However, with the development of science, the production of this type of building material has also improved.

Characteristics of expanded clay concrete structure

Today expanded clay concrete at a relatively low specific gravity(it all depends on the degree of porosity of the material and the quality of the binding solution) - up to 1.5 times less than that of brickwork, has a compressive strength of 5-25 kg/cm2. This allows it to be used for the construction of ordinary low-rise houses. The advantage remains its low thermal conductivity and high noise insulation properties.

2). M75 – under construction bearing wall, 200 mm thick.

3). Hollow blocks – perfect solution for construction country house. This is a lightweight version of the material. He has uneven surface, which will affect the cost of further processing.

4). You can use a solid block, but it weighs a lot (more than 1000 kg/cubic meter) and requires a strong foundation.

Subtleties of the construction process

Regarding the foundation, the opinions of most owners favor a monolithic structure with a reinforcing frame.

If the soil is not stable and geodetic studies confirm the proximity of groundwater, then it is better to use a pile option for the foundation of the house. Of course, the price of construction in this case will increase significantly (due to the complexity of the design and the use of special equipment), but the result will be a durable house.

The basement floor is erected if the ground difference is large, and its artificial leveling has not been carried out. For this purpose, a special plinth brick, plus reinforcing mesh in several rows. The result is in the figure.

The ceiling of the first floor is installed after the base has gained strength. To do this, concrete slabs with reinforcement inside are taken.

Direct laying of blocks:

For load-bearing and enclosing structures, a block of the M50 brand is used. For partitions in the house - partition material. The blocks are placed on cement mortar. According to the recommendations of house owners, every fifth row of masonry is reinforced. Work begins with forcing out the corners, then moves along the wall.

After organizing the window openings and the first floor for laying the floor for the next floor, an armored belt with removable formwork is organized.

After the cement stone of the arma belt has matured, the floor slabs are laid. Regarding insulation of the walls of the house and ground floor Most owners are inclined towards glued foam, a ventilated gap and facing the house with decorative bricks.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any structure, a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks has its advantages and disadvantages.

Positive aspects of the design

Positive characteristics include low thermal conductivity, large volume with low specific gravity. This allows you to save some money on the purchase of material. Knowing the mass of one structural element, it is easy to calculate its strength and thermal conductivity. In accordance with the data obtained, it is possible to determine optimal thickness and the height of the foundation.

Negative points

To organize a normal temperature regime in a house made of expanded clay concrete blocks, a wall thickness of up to 1.2 m is required. Of course, no one will build such a thing. Therefore, all developers insist on additional insulation buildings.

Polystyrene foam is not suitable in this case, since it is flammable, and under an additional facing layer on top of the insulation, it will be difficult to extinguish it in the event of a fire. However, this is a theory. Many people still resort to using this particular insulation and are satisfied.

According to building codes for insulation of building walls from expanded clay concrete block It is better to use mineral or basalt wool in slabs. Additional waterproofing is also necessary, since expanded clay concrete is a porous structure.

Duration of operation

There are also no complaints from owners of expanded clay concrete houses regarding the strength of the blocks. All the nails on the dowels hold well. The main thing is to choose the right dowel. For furniture I'll use 10 mm. For heavy structures, you need to use self-tapping screws. Expanded clay concrete does not crack when the temperature changes.

Video review: Expanded clay concrete blocks

Expanded clay concrete blocks. Features of the material

Those who have built a house from this building material note that microcracks may appear in the first 3-5 years after its construction, but only about 5% of blocks are subject to this tendency.

Houses made from blocks are strong, easy to use, and durable. They look decent. Most people who used this material did not regret their choice.