Features of monolithic housing construction. Low-rise suburban construction from a monolith

There are many ways to build houses - both multi-storey and low-rise. But in modern suburban housing construction, the most common are:

• brickwork - good old brick, which is laid in several layers.
• monolithic construction - concrete mixture poured into special forms - formwork. It is held by its own strength and a metal frame inside.

In terms of popularity, the brick is great bypasses the monolith, and in this article we will analyze - is it deserved?

But before comparing these materials, one question needs to be clarified: you cannot build a low-rise house exclusively from a monolith, and only from a brick - it is undesirable.

In any building I will always have both monolithic and "structural" movable elements. Only by combining them can you ensure both the reliability and flexibility of your structure. Now let's get down to business.

The price of the issue

... should only worry you if you are choosing an apartment in a multi-storey building. In low-rise buildings, both because of the greater technical complexity of a monolithic building, and because of the need to mix types, the difference is not so great. The only area where you will definitely feel the difference in price is the quality of the materials.

Time is money

But at this point, monolithic construction is ahead of brick, and significantly. The secret is in the way of laying: if the brick requires thoughtful and concentrated laying in several layers, the monolithic walls are simply poured into the "mold" of the formwork. Thus, in this "nomination" the monolith wins, but ...

You guessed that it is not so simple? As soon as it comes not to typical, but to individual housing construction, standardized formwork becomes useless. For every interesting idea, for every unusual corner, you will need its own "mold".

The warmth of your home

Thermal insulation and wall thickness are important factors. But here, too, a monolith is preferable. "Why?" - you ask? Its final heat-conducting properties are several times better than that of bricks. This is largely facilitated not only by the use of aerated concrete and porous insulation, but also by the absence of seams.

This means, with the same thermal insulation, the thickness of the walls in the brick version of the house will be much greater. And who would like to give precious square meters?

Honey spoon: the use of ceramic hollow bricks slightly reduces this gap in thermal insulation, but very little.

The weight

The weight of the house determines both the massiveness of the foundation and the overall complexity of the building. And again, due to the variety of light impurities, the monolith will come out 15% -20% lighter than its brick "brother". What does this mean for you as the future owner of the house? Saving time and reliability - the monolithic house will be less affected by groundwater or excessive flooding.

Earthquake resistance

And again, the monolith is in the forefront. Earthquakes in Russia are rare. But no one is immune from minor troubles, therefore, it is worth taking into account the ability of the house to resist the elements: both earthquakes and hurricanes. The monolith, with its more flexible structure, will bend and settle down, while the brick is more likely to crack.

Shaping

What if you have a crazy or insanely interesting idea and you want to "package" your home in unimaginable forms?

Well, in this case, monolithic buildings are your choice. They easily "flow" into any formwork, although it is important not to overdo it: despite all the strength, every unevenness will reduce the stability of the structure. Brick, of course, is also capable of folding into completely futuristic shapes, but it does it with great difficulty.

To represent this spatial functionality of a monolith and a brick, compare curing rubber and a Lego constructor.

Finishing

Would you like a similar robe, but with mother-of-pearl buttons? Well, both brick and concrete give you complete freedom of action - you can make the facade to your taste and discretion. But in this category, brick wins and loses at the same time: after all, unlike a concrete monoblock, a brick wall is a beautiful facade in itself.

The house decided to start a new life

It also happens: the layout did not fit, the living room should be made bigger, and the extension should be integrated, but this wall needs to be ...

Uncommon hosts monolithic houses decide on such major changes in their home - and it's not so much the cost, but the time and hassle of this occupation. And sometimes in impossibility! After all, a brick is much more "mobile" than a monolith: it is easier to pull out and restore a separate piece from it. Moreover, making internal partitions from concrete monoblocks is a truly ... strange decision. They will restrict you like handcuffs.

Unexpected wiring in an unexpected location

As for engineering communications - wiring, sewerage, heating - brick, in view of its collapsible structure, furnishes monolithic walls in no time. And although the concrete monoblock will not fall apart from the fact that you drill a couple of holes in it, you will have to abandon large-scale changes.

Beauty is a terrible force

If we take "bare" brick and monolith, then the first will leave the dull grayness of monoblocks far behind. The only catch is that monolithic houses are covered with a special finish, or even completely "wrapped" in their current competitor: brick. It only fits in one layer.

Of course, nothing gets in the way and brick walls buy some unusual decor, but admit that brick is beautiful, presentable, cozy. And you usually don't want to cover it up with something else.

And still a brick

However, in today's market, it is brick that is preferred c. Causes?

No one has conducted qualitative research, but we assume that the role is played by:

• prestige brick house;
• aesthetic appearance and its visual completeness without additional efforts;
• the opinion that monolithic construction is characteristic of multi-storey buildings and is poorly correlated with individual housing construction

But ultimately, brick is a reliable, time-tested and beautiful material. And although its physical characteristics are inferior to a monoblock of concrete, the difference is not so significant, and the material itself is associated with comfort and warmth.

Monolithic cons? Of course have!

In fairness, it is also worth mentioning the disadvantages of monolithic housing construction. Here are a couple of fly in the ointment:

• Metal structures that hold the concrete mix require careful installation.
• For the winter, the construction of monolithic houses is suspended or requires the addition of antifreeze substances to the mixture.

In general, cast concrete is more susceptible to environmental influences than brick during curing. Accordingly, you will have to take into account heat, frost, and rain, which requires both good materials and professionalism on the part of the construction company.

What is it all the same to build from?

Of everything! External and load-bearing walls they will feel great if they are made of monolithic concrete: both the house will withstand, and the heat will be preserved, and the sound insulation is excellent, and the facade can be decorated as you please.

However, internal partitions will feel much better in brick design, especially if you want to change something.

And if the brick is not to your liking?

Sometimes it happens. However, the internal partitions do not bear as much weight as the external walls, which means that you can use any material that is close to you: panels, wood, rubble stone. Even drywall! Although we would still not recommend using the latter actively.

And in order not to get into a mess and calculate everything exactly, while not studying the strength of materials, it is best to turn to. This will save you from complicated calculations, guarantee reliability and help to realize your wishes and ideas.

By the way, we have excellent specialists at TopDom.

Many people imagine a country house as brick or wooden. This creates a constant demand for such houses. But modern construction technologies are much more diverse. And there are significant advantages in construction using other technologies. Monolithic construction technology more common for urban dwellings. But now more and more people want to build or purchase a country house from a monolith.

Application of technology of monolithic construction

Monolithic construction Until the last 10 years, due to the lack of high-quality formwork and technological problems associated with the hardening of concrete in cold weather, almost did not develop in the private sector. Today, there are many high-quality formworks for construction (foreign and domestic), special additives accelerate the hardening of concrete.

Purely monolithic low-rise buildings on the suburban real estate market are quite rare: buildings with no removable formwork make up no more than 5% of the market for low-rise buildings. Houses of combined technology (from a monolith, faced with bricks, blocks, tiles ...) on the market are 60-70 percent, and in townhouses or duplexes - in general, the majority. In most cases, in suburban construction, the monolith is used for foundations or floors, sometimes developers use this technology for load-bearing walls. Such settlements are considered to be built of a monolith (brick or decorative tiles are used for their exterior decoration).

Monolithic construction technology is simple: the principle of creating the frame of a house is created similar to the bay of its foundation. The construction of low-rise buildings using monolithic technology is carried out by the method of removable or non-removable formwork. At removable formwork the iron frame is enclosed with formwork, concrete solution is poured into the formed niches. When it hardens and dries, the formwork is removed, the resulting concrete walls are faced with bricks or other materials.

Sometimes the formwork is not removed and it will remain part of the structure. These materials include expanded polystyrene, the use of which when building a house in the form permanent formwork significantly reduces the construction period and lightens its construction, which reduces the cost of the foundation. After the space inside the formwork is reinforced with reinforcement and concrete is fed into it, it is compacted with vibration tools and, if necessary, leveled. The concrete then gains strength and the formwork is removed (if removable). If it is additionally necessary to mount the insulation, after dismantling the removable formwork, it is attached to the walls. When using fixed formwork, the insulation itself is, as a rule, the formwork itself. Then you can perform cladding and other finishing work. This technology makes it possible to carry out construction with a minimum of losses for the adjoining landscape.

Strength monolithic structure and ease of use

Monolith advantage: short construction time; no restrictions in the configuration and use of architectural elements (bay windows, ledges, arches and special design ideas); higher seismic resistance of the structure, monolithic ceiling and floor have good sound insulation and strength. The monolith in the early years settles entirely, without cracks (like in wooden and other houses). Disadvantages of monolithic construction technology: dependence of construction on the weather and freezing temperatures. Be on time build a monolithic house best for the summer season. After all, concrete hardens in the open air and is subject to the influence of precipitation and temperature fluctuations, which then affects the strength of the structure.

A beautiful, strong and durable monolith deserves to be used for the construction of cottages no less than wood or brick. Monolithic houses are the most promising and modern technology for housing construction. In many respects, the monolith is no worse than traditional materials. If a monolithic house is built with high quality, it will serve for more than a hundred years. Its strength will increase over time. Quality finished houses depends on adherence to construction technology (quality of installation and formwork material, quality of concrete used, compliance with temperature and other conditions). However, it must be remembered that the quality of the structure as a whole will depend not only on the type of building materials used, but also on geodetic control when carrying out construction work.

The cost of building a monolithic country house

Monolithic cottages are usually lighter than brick cottages, and their walls and floors by design can be much thinner while maintaining the same characteristics as brick ones. Less construction materials and costs. Monolith houses do not need a strong foundation, which reduces their construction costs. Monolithic houses are built very quickly, which significantly saves money. The cost of construction depends on the complexity of the project and the area of ​​the building, the number of window and door openings and many other factors. A large number of interior rooms will increase the value of the house. From construction companies the cost of installing monolithic foundations up to about 13,000 rubles. per cubic meter of concrete. The construction of walls and ceilings will cost 15,000-22,000 rubles per 1 cubic meter of reinforced concrete for monolithic construction. On average, a monolithic cottage with an area of ​​up to 150 sq. m. will cost about 3.5 million rubles., and a cottage with an area of ​​300 sq. m. m - up to 5.5 million rubles. Monolithic house during construction with the use of permanent formwork up to 150 sq. m. with a roof and windows can cost about 19,000 rubles. per sq. m. If they are built from a monolith with cladding with other materials, the cost will increase to 24,000-30,000 rubles. per sq. m.

First, let's list the advantages of a monolithic building:

• The monolithic house, due to its design, has special strength
• Due to its solidity, there are no cold bridges in the walls of the house, and therefore the room will keep warm longer
• Another distinctive feature of such a house is significant sound insulation.
• When designing, you can use different geometric shapes, because concrete is poured into the frame during the construction of walls, and this frame can be made in any shape you like
• Relatively low financial costs of construction
• High build speed
• When used in the pouring of light mixtures, a strong deepening of the foundation is not required
• Due to uniform filling, the appearance of cracks in the structure comes to zero
• You can build a monolithic concrete house with your own hands at any time of the year

Now let's move on to the list of disadvantages:

• The whole house will need grounding, since the walls are made with metal reinforcement
• When erecting walls with fixed formwork, it should be borne in mind that supply and exhaust ventilation will have to be done, otherwise the house will not breathe
• For pouring at a height, a concrete pump is needed, which costs a lot of money. Therefore, when building a house with two or more floors, you need to take into account the fact that you cannot do without such a concrete pump.
• Large labor costs are spent on welding the frame for all the features of the project, and the work becomes much more laborious when a concrete floor is required for the project
• When creating a permanent formwork, expanded polystyrene is used, and when it burns, it emits a large amount of toxic substances harmful to health. This should definitely be taken into account and plaster the walls in a construction site with fixed formwork.

Monolithic house with your own hands

It is necessary to create a project for the future monolithic structure and choose between removable and non-removable formwork based on many factors. These include your region of residence, the area where the building is supposed to be, as well as your other personal preferences.

The most convenient option is with fixed formwork, since a monolithic house in this case is built according to the Lego principle. Most often, hollow polystyrene blocks are chosen as permanent formwork. The first row of blocks is laid on the foundation, reinforcement is laid in the voids for greater strength. Then the empty space is poured with concrete. After the mixture dries up, a second row of blocks is placed, which are also reinforced with reinforcement and filled with the mixture. This procedure is repeated until the desired height of the walls is erected.

As a concrete mixture, you can use expanded clay concrete, aerated concrete, arbolite, slag concrete, perlite concrete. By changing the type of concrete, it is possible to differentiate between different properties of the walls, such as vapor permeability, total weight, heat retention, etc.

Simplicity in construction in this way can be very alarming, but there are no "buts" here. Having built walls with permanent formwork, you save on additional wall insulation, create excellent sound insulation, and as a result, you get a solid monolithic structure.

With formwork, things are not much more complicated. To begin with, a skeleton is created based on the prepared project. For formwork, which is attached to the frame, materials such as wood, iron, plastic and plywood are most often used. The distance between the walls of the formwork should be equal to the thickness of your future monolithic wall.

When the frame is evenly assembled and welded, and the formwork is firmly and tightly sewn to it, you can start pouring. Here, in one approach, it is necessary to pour about 40 cm of a layer of concrete. And after each approach, let it freeze for about a day. Then we raise the formwork to the next level and fill it in the same way.

On a note. Particular attention should be paid to the compaction of concrete, this procedure is performed with a special construction vibrator. Most of all, concrete needs to be compacted at corners and bends in the structure in order to increase the strength of the structure.

After the walls are erected, you need to give them time to dry completely. This time is in the range of 4-5 weeks. Also, during this time, the walls sit down a little, and there is no way to rush to continue construction. If you create an additional load, for example, by erecting a roof or simply a frame for a roof, then the structure of the walls may crack or slightly slope.

On a note. In intense sun, dampen concrete walls with water. Otherwise, the concrete will quickly shrink and crack. It is best when the concrete dries slowly and gradually.

Wall insulation

When building with a permanent formwork, you may not pay much attention to this procedure. It is enough to plaster the walls and make them fire resistant. But with removable formwork, you need to decide which method would be better for you to use. You can make a simple insulation with warm plaster or glass wool, but the most successful way is a well facade.

A well facade is understood as lining with a facade brick at a short distance from the monolithic wall, after which the remaining distance between the masonry and the monolith is covered with insulation. This method will be the most optimal, since the house acquires breathable qualities, that is, it will be resistant to heating in summer and frost-resistant in winter. This means that in winter the walls will keep warm, and in summer they will keep a pleasant chill.

List of materials

Having familiarized yourself with all of the above, the question arises, what materials will be needed during construction? And to this question, the best answer will be a complete list of necessary materials, which includes:

• Components of the concrete mix (they will be different for each situation, this is selected based on territorial factors and the climate in which the construction will be carried out)
• Tanks and equipment for mixing concrete pouring
• Reinforcement for reinforcement
• Metal parts for the frame
• Bolts, nuts, studs
• Material for removable formwork (steel, aluminum, wood, plastic)
• Material for permanent formwork (expanded polystyrene hollow blocks)
• Mesh or thin reinforcement for reinforcement (reinforcement is done to increase the strength of the structure)

A relatively new technology for Russia low-rise construction provides for the construction of load-bearing structures from a concrete monolith.

Pros and cons of monolithic cottages

A common advantage for all monolithic houses is the wide possibilities in the choice of architectural solutions and external finishes: any complex shapes and a wide variety of facing materials are available.

Common cons

• the need for expensive equipment rental (a concrete pump and a deep vibrator), which increases the cost of construction and makes it irrational to erect a monolithic house with your own hands;
• the need to provide in advance for all openings and channels for communications, because "Dig" them into concrete wall, also reinforced with reinforcement - an unbearable task;
• for metal-reinforced walls, grounding is required.

As for other features, this technology has become the subject of heated discussions about its actual or imaginary cheapness, environmental friendliness and the "thermos effect". Considering the variety of materials and construction methods for monolithic houses, you should not "cut off the shoulder", hanging the label "harmful to health" or talking about "environmental friendliness". Each of the varieties of monolithic technologies has special properties, its own pros and cons, which we will now consider.

Monolithic country houses with removable formwork

The supporting structures of such a building consist of

• formwork, which is removed after the filler has solidified (made of wood, metal, plastic);
• the material of the walls itself (concrete, reinforced concrete, wood concrete, foam concrete, options for concrete with expanded clay fillers, sawdust).

The construction period is longer than using the fixed formwork method: after placing about 50 cm of concrete in the formwork, it is rammed with a deep vibrator, waiting for solidification, dismantling the formwork and assembling it to a higher level.

Depending on the soil and foundation, the wall material must be selected. Concrete and reinforced concrete are strong, but also heavy, have high thermal conductivity. In addition, reinforced concrete monolith with reinforcement from 8 to 18 mm will create "cold bridges". Such walls need good thermal insulation.

Arbolite, foam concrete, expanded clay concrete, etc. keep warmth well, are lighter, but less durable than concrete. In order to avoid "cold bridges" for reinforcement, you can use plastic nets

Experts consider the main specific advantages of monolithic houses with removable formwork

• the ability to build a truly eco-friendly house, minimizing or completely abandoning the use of polymer materials;
• vapor permeability (especially for "light" varieties of concrete), which allows you to avoid the "thermos" effect, when the walls from the inside sweat and freeze, and therefore save on the supply and exhaust ventilation;
• varieties such as sawdust concrete are quite affordable for DIY construction without a concrete pump.

Notable disadvantages of removable formwork are

• laboriousness (the formwork is fastened with screws, processed with a special solution to make it easier to remove);
• high cost, caused by both increased labor costs and the need to make individual formwork for a specific house project.

Monolithic country houses with fixed formwork

Permanent form houses are built using

• fixed formwork (expanded polystyrene, wood concrete, facing panels, etc.);
• concrete or reinforced concrete as a wall material;
• sometimes additional layers (reinforcement, insulation, fastening of facing panels).

Arbolite formwork

Houses based on wood-concrete (wood-concrete) or chipboard slabs do not have the effect of a "thermos", are incombustible and resistant to moisture. The wood concrete frame is strong enough to accommodate wall cabinets. The house needs insulation with expanded polystyrene, but only on the outside, which ultimately does not reduce vapor permeability. This is a relatively expensive method of construction in comparison with other options for a monolith with fixed formwork.

Cladding panels

Fixed cladding panels as a frame consist of several layers: base, insulation, cladding fasteners, and the cladding slab itself. There are combined proposals on the market that combine removable and non-removable elements, in which the cladding base is removed after the concrete has set, leaving the cladding panel bolted to the wall. These houses are characterized by vapor permeability, good thermal conductivity. Choosing a project can be a problem as finishing slabs have fixed dimensions and most likely you will not be able to roam the complex shapes of the cottage.

SOTA panels

Reinforced panel wall (SOTA) consists of expanded polystyrene with reinforced steel mesh on the sides. On top of the finished panel, after installation, a special concrete is applied from a plastering station (this is called the soft tankcrete method). Experts doubt the possibility of building load-bearing walls in this way, because there is no monolithic thick layer of concrete in them - only a thin one on the surface. Expensive reinforcement and high grades of concrete for tankcreting entail high construction costs. Among the advantages are high heat and sound insulation properties and quick assembly.

Expanded polystyrene

It is without a doubt the cheapest and quick way build a monolithic country cottage. Expanded polystyrene blocks are produced in large quantities, have standard sizes, are made including corner ones, assembled by means of spikes and grooves.

Great doubts arise about the safety of this material for health, because it will be located not only on the outside, but also on the inside of the building wall.

The reason for other problems of houses on fixed polystyrene formwork is the violation of construction technology. For example, ignoring corner blocks will create gaps in the corners of a house. And these are, firstly, "cold bridges"; secondly, a path for rodents and insects to soft, warm and cozy polystyrene foam, where it is so convenient to make a nest for yourself.

The notorious "thermos effect", for which such cottages are often criticized, arises if the project did not use supply and exhaust ventilation.

The cost of a monolithic cottage

Contractor prices for the construction of 1 sq. m of a monolithic cottage in a fixed formwork vary as follows:

• 11-11.5 thousand rubles for a monolith made of concrete M 300 in a fixed formwork made of expanded polystyrene;
• about 12 thousand rubles for a monolith made of foam concrete or expanded clay concrete on metal reinforcement;
• from 12 to 15 thousand rubles for a monolith with a non-removable frame made of facing panels;
• from 16 to 18 thousand rubles for a house made of monolithic aerated concrete D-250-300 with fixed formwork made of cement particle board;

Houses with removable formwork are more expensive - from 14 thousand rubles. for a house made of concrete M 150 in wooden formwork.

Thus, we must admit that fast-to-build, warm and inexpensive monolithic houses are a very attractive option for building a country cottage. The most common and cheapest option, on a polystyrene foam frame, unfortunately, is not the best for health. However, many unpleasant features of this material can be avoided if the construction technology is followed exactly.