A step-by-step guide to laying cinder block yourself. Rules for constructing walls from cinder blocks Laying corners from cinder blocks

Cinder blocks are one of the current building materials. They are popular because affordable price, ease of laying and good technical characteristics. You can build walls from it yourself without the help of professional craftsmen. But before that, you definitely need to study masonry technology and learn about its pitfalls.

Features of choosing cinder blocks and building walls

Cinder blocks are made from cement, sand, water and fillers: blast furnace slag, perlite, expanded clay chips, etc. The strength, frost resistance, and porosity of the material depend on the composition and quantity of the latter. Before purchasing, you need to check the availability of a quality certificate to exclude the presence of dangerous concentrations of toxic substances. It is risky to purchase products created in artisanal conditions, although they cost a little less than factory ones. But without professional equipment and knowledge the right technology production, it is impossible to create a product that meets the technical characteristics of GOST.

Algorithm for laying cinder blocks

In addition to its positive properties, cinder block has some negative features. First of all, you need to remember about its high hygroscopicity (ability to absorb moisture) and protect it from dampness. In addition, the blocks will not be able to withstand very heavy loads with reinforced concrete floors; in this case, a monolithic reinforced belt is required. But laying them with your own hands without outside help or hired workers is quite possible.

After applying a leveling cement layer to the foundation, it must be well protected from water using waterproofing material, for example, roofing felt. Its ends are connected with an overlap of no less than 150 mm.

The construction of walls is done as follows:

The first step is laying the corners. The blocks in the first row are placed on a cement mortar with a plasticizing additive 10-15 mm thick. It is applied to the entire surface of the product. If it is vertical, then the upward movement of the trowel should be done without leaving the block. The level of the product is controlled using a level, and the position is controlled using a building level. The weight of a cinder block, depending on its size and structure (monolithic, hollow), ranges from 10 to 28 kg.
A cord is pulled between the corner blocks and the construction of walls begins. If the distance between them exceeds 10 m in the center of the row, you need to place an additional block and fasten the cord to it so that it does not sag.
After laying the first row, you need to wait 1-2 hours and only then begin further work. The next rows of outer corners are laid with mandatory bandaging (depth of at least 10 cm). It is also used for load-bearing bundles interior walls from the outside. There is no need to fill the cavity of the product with a solution when laying cinder blocks; this will only worsen the thermal insulation properties of the material.
After every 3-4 rows, reinforcement must be carried out. For this purpose, iron rods and mesh are used. All stages of masonry can be done with your own hands.
In places where there will be a partition, a flexible steel anchor is inserted into the seam. One end is mounted in load-bearing wall, and the second - into the seam of the septum. They need to be fixed on every second row of the load-bearing wall.

Many people, at the stage of choosing building materials for their home, doubt which is better: foam blocks or cinder blocks? Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, they have different prices, and different technical characteristics. You need to focus on the type and purpose of the room, the requirements for it, and the design of the walls.

The inner surface of the walls must be properly waterproofed with vapor-proof plaster, insulated (with foil, expanded polystyrene), and then installed drywall, wallpaper, paint, etc. For exterior finishing fits facing brick, plaster followed by painting, siding. Air gap must be filled with insulation: polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, mineral wool.

The strength of do-it-yourself masonry depends not only on compliance with its technology, but also on the technical characteristics of the cinder block and the quality of the solution. If you follow all the rules, a cinder block house will serve the owner for many years.

Laying cinder blocks: how to lay a cinder block correctly (video)

Laying cinder blocks can be done with your own hands without the help of craftsmen. Compliance with technology, correct finishing will create strong walls and retain heat in the room

How to lay cinder blocks yourself - step by step instructions

Cinder block as a building material is gaining increasing popularity. This is due to several factors. First of all, it is cheap, which can be further reduced by making the blocks yourself. The second reason for its popularity is that cinder block laying can be done with your own hands.

Cinder block is an artificial stone based on compressed cemented slag concrete. Slag, granite crushed stone, granite screenings, gravel, broken glass, sand, and dried pieces of cement are used as filler. Cinder block dimensions according to standards: 400x200x200 or 390x190x190. In the second case, 10 mm is left for the mortar joint.

There are two types of cinder block:

solid is used for laying the foundation, ground floor, load-bearing structures;
hollow acts as building material, which can be used to line walls and partitions.

Its properties also depend on the type of block. The higher the hollowness, the lower the thermal conductivity, which means that the heat of the rooms will be retained. However, the strength of the material decreases as a result. The masonry scheme remains virtually unchanged.

What should you consider before starting work?

If you do the masonry yourself, the cost of construction can be significantly reduced. All you need to do is select high-quality cinder blocks and learn how to lay them correctly.

1. Choosing a installation method.

The laying pattern is influenced by the cinder block used, which depends on the type of material and the nature of the future construction. You can place blocks in one, one and a half, two and half stones (spoon method). It is worth considering the fact that the thicker the wall is, the warmer the building will be.

2. Preparation of mortar for masonry.

The manufacturing technology is the same, but the proportions depend on the nature of the future building. Nowadays you can buy ready-made mixtures in stores, to which you just need to add a certain amount of water. However, this will significantly increase the cost of masonry. Therefore, the solution is usually prepared independently. The standard proportions are as follows:

The amount of water is adjusted for each specific case. The result should be a viscous, non-spreadable solution. If so, then you did everything right. At the end of cooking, it is necessary to add a plasticizer, which is used to increase frost resistance and increase density. A composition that has the following parameters is considered to be of high quality:

adhesion;
plastic;
uniformity;
frost resistance;
self-sealing;
strength;
waterproof.

The main rule is that the solution must withstand the upcoming loads of the building. If the block manufacturing technology is strictly followed, then the product will ultimately be of high quality.

3. Preparation necessary tools.

If you don't know where to start laying cinder block, start by choosing the necessary tools. You will need:

A hand-held circular saw can be replaced with a hacksaw, since cinder blocks are quite easy to saw.
Respirator. You should not neglect safety measures and still use the specified device during the sawing process (it cannot be avoided). And the price should not be a reason to refuse a purchase.
Building level, laser or bubble, your choice. You must be absolutely sure of the quality, so it is recommended to check it.
Hammer or mallet.
A trowel that you can make yourself, which will further reduce the cost of construction.
Plumb. Its role is performed by any weight on a fishing line or cord.
Order. This instrument is usually made of wood and is a river with a cross-section (50x50 or 70x50 mm), length - about two meters. The goal is to mark the rows of masonry, fix the marks of the top and bottom of the openings.

After the preparatory work, you can begin to lay the cinder block directly.

Step-by-step instruction on masonry

1. The beginning of laying cinder blocks is pouring the foundation, the width of which should slightly exceed the width of the blocks. The surface must be perfectly flat, without flaws in the form of bulges and holes.

2. Setting the corners. For this purpose, rows are used that are attached to each corner. It is necessary to select a tool taking into account the thickness of the blocks, as well as the thickness of the two seams. A thread or cord is stretched between the row marks of each row, which indicates the level of the row.

3. Directly laying the cinder block. The first layer is the most important, so this process pay special attention. First, you need to spread the adhesive mixture in an even layer using a trowel, on which you want to place the cinder block. After 3 blocks have been laid, the installation must be checked by level and plumb. Then repeat this procedure as often as possible, as required by the instructions. This will avoid re-laying, which means the price for the work will be lower. The following layers are laid in a similar way with level control. It is not recommended to make the seam thickness more than 1.5 cm. The cracks are also filled with cement composition. If you are laying hollow cinder blocks, then under no circumstances should you fill the voids inside the blocks with mortar, as this will lead to a loss of thermal insulation properties.

4. Completion of the work consists of facing the wall or “joining it” (run a cut hollow pipe with an oblique cut along the cement between the blocks from the outside).

If the wall will not be covered, then you can add soot to the cement mortar. This will allow you to decorate the structure, but you need to be careful not to stain the blocks.

Other builder tips

There are little tricks that will help make your work a little easier, since laying walls with your own hands can be difficult for an inexperienced builder.

1. Specialists, as a rule, lay cinder blocks without using any additional devices. If you are doing this yourself for the first time, then you can use a template, the size of which depends on the dimensions of the blocks (you will have to make it yourself).

2. Red clay is used as a plasticizer, especially since it is affordable.

3. You also need to take care in advance of making a special platform, which will be needed so that you can lay out the top layers. A stepladder is not suitable for this purpose, because you can’t take a bucket with you, and you have to constantly move it, and it’s easy to fall.

4. It is necessary to monitor the thickness of the seam. It should be no more than 1.5 cm, otherwise heat will escape from the building to the outside.

Do-it-yourself cinder block laying: step-by-step instructions, tools, tips

How to prepare high-quality mortar for laying blocks yourself? Useful tips for inexperienced builders.

Cinder block: DIY installation

Do-it-yourself cinder block laying is gaining more and more popularity every year. The fake diamond is one of the cheapest building materials. At the same time, he has excellent technical characteristics and allows the construction of not only commercial buildings, but also full-fledged residential buildings. Installing a cinder block is not particularly difficult, so all the work can be completed without involving a construction team, which allows you to increase your professionalism and save a considerable amount.

Technical characteristics of cinder block

Cinder blocks got their name thanks to the filler that was previously used in their production process: slag, ash and other products of solid fuel combustion. However, such blocks were characterized by high moisture absorption and insufficient strength. Therefore, today fine crushed stone, expanded clay, broken brick, sawdust, etc. are used as filler.

All cinder blocks available on the domestic market can be divided into three types:

corpulent - high-strength building material, the weight of which is about 26-28 kg;
hollow - has low thermal conductivity and is perfect for laying walls;
semi-block - used for constructing interior partitions.

Each type has a certain voidness, the value of which determines the main characteristics of the product (strength and thermal conductivity). It is precisely the voidness that you need to focus on first when choosing blocks for building walls (Fig. 1).

When conducting construction work With their own hands, many are interested in the question: what should be the thickness of cinder block walls? Here everything depends on the purpose of the building being constructed and the climatic zone in which it is built. Standard sizes of this material are as follows: width - 390 mm, height - 188 mm, thickness - 190 mm.

Laying cinder blocks, like ordinary bricks, can be done according to the following schemes:

When considering how to properly lay a cinder block, you need to know that as the thickness of the walls increases, their thermal conductivity decreases, that is, the house becomes warmer and more comfortable. At the same time, excessive thickness leads to additional financial waste and increased load on the foundation. For construction one-story house The recommended thickness of cinder block walls is 380 mm (laying in 1 block).

Preparatory work

Before laying a cinder block with your own hands, you need to prepare the following tools and materials:

circular saw;
electric drill with a nozzle for mixing mortar;
building level;
plumb line;
trowel;
hammer;
container for masonry mixture;
cord;
cement, sand;
steel rods or reinforcing mesh.

High-quality masonry of any wall material begins with creating a reliable foundation. Its type depends on the condition of the soil at summer cottage and depths groundwater. Yes, for heaving soils the best option is a monolithic reinforced concrete foundation.

For stable soils with deep groundwater, a strip foundation is a good choice, which you can make yourself, without the use of special construction equipment and expensive equipment. Its width should be equal to or greater than the thickness of the future walls. To fill the foundation, a solution is prepared from cement, sand and crushed stone in a ratio of 1: 2: 4.

Strip base diagram

After the installation mixture has completely hardened, a waterproofing material is laid on top of the concrete base to protect the blocks from moisture. It is recommended to use roofing felt as waterproofing.

Cinder block walls are laid using cement mortar, which can be purchased at any hardware store or made with your own hands. Ready-made dry mixtures are relatively expensive, so many choose the second option. Masonry mortar is prepared from cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3. To give the mixture plasticity and increase its frost resistance, a plasticizer is added to it. The finished masonry mass should be viscous and spread slightly under the weight of the cinder block.

Laying cinder blocks with your own hands

Laying of brick, cinder block or any other building material begins from the corners of the future house. In this case, you need to be very careful, since the evenness and reliability of all walls will depend on the correct alignment of the corners. First, apply a little mortar to the corners of the foundation and level it with a trowel. Then two blocks are placed on top of it at right angles, after which another block is mounted on them, observing the ligation of the seams.

The remaining corners of the house are driven out in the same way. The masonry must be constantly checked for horizontal and vertical evenness using a building level and a plumb line.

If any element does not fit into the overall picture, it is corrected by lightly tapping it with a trowel. Nails are driven into the resulting seam between the upper and lower blocks and a cord is pulled, which will serve as a guide when laying the first row. After installing the first row along the entire perimeter of the foundation, they begin laying the second row and so on.

Installation joints in the walls are cold bridges through which heat escapes from the house, so their width should be minimal. For cinder blocks, the recommended joint width is about 10-15 mm. With smaller sizes, the masonry will have low strength.

To evenly distribute the load along the entire perimeter of the walls and increase the reliability of the masonry, it is reinforced. For this purpose, metal rods are used, which are mounted in the grooves of the blocks, or reinforcing mesh. IN mandatory The first row of blocks is reinforced, after which this procedure is performed every 3-4 rows.

Properly constructed cinder block walls will last for many years, reliably protecting residents from bad weather conditions and bringing warmth and comfort into the house.

Do-it-yourself cinder block laying: instructions

Do-it-yourself cinder block laying is gaining more and more popularity every year. This artificial stone is one of the cheapest building materials.

Master class on proper cinder block laying

The question of how to lay a cinder block is asked when building the walls of a garage, outbuilding or fence.

For construction residential buildings this material is no longer used; it has been replaced by foam and gas blocks.

The main advantages of cinder block:

the composition includes ordinary sand and cement, as well as gypsum, lime and slag;
excellent strength, exemplary resistance to moisture and mechanical stress;
lightweight and easy to use;
low cost.

The only negative is low thermal conductivity. In cold weather, a house made of cinder blocks quickly loses heat through the walls. However, the demand for this construction raw material is not falling.

This drawback helps to eliminate the huge selection of insulation materials. So, after consultation on how to lay a cinder block correctly, get down to business without any doubts.

Hire construction team It’s not worth it, there’s nothing super complicated about laying cinder blocks with your own hands.

First, prepare your tools:

hacksaw or circular saw;
building level;
cord or fishing line;
hammer;
water level;
trowel;
order.

Preliminary work

The foundation on which the masonry is performed should be slightly wider than the width of the cinder block (at least 4 cm).

The construction platform is made with waterproofing, since the components of the cinder block - lime and sand - do not tolerate contact with water.

The foundation, in order to prevent curvature of the future building, cannot be uneven.

Before starting DIY work, find scaffolding, on which you will stand. They will come in handy if the calculated height of the masonry is higher than your chest level.

Reaching the masonry in your hands with a cinder block will become a fair amount of pain, because you have to take into account how much this material weighs. It is larger and heavier than brick.

A simple stepladder will not help in this case; there is no space on it to place a bucket of solution.

The consistency of the solution is important.

The correct solution is plastic, but not spreading, thick, like sour cream.

According to the rules, the solution for laying cinder blocks is prepared from equal amounts of sand and cement and one third of red clay. The components are thoroughly mixed with the addition of water.

How much and in what proportions to mix these 4 components is described in detail in the video.

You can prepare cinder blocks with your own hands. 2 boards two meters long with cross boards are connected to each other.

The outer boards are fastened to the longitudinal ones. Using a chisel, a 14-centimeter cut is made in the longitudinal boards.

Then cells are cut out in the prepared material, which then need to be painted with oil paint. After these steps, a mixture of concrete and ash is poured into it.

Then holes are cut out in the prepared material and painted with oil paint. The cinder block must have voids to provide additional heat.

When the solution in the mold has hardened, you can tap it with a hammer and pull it out ready block. It is recommended to wait a day and only then start styling.

Corners and first row

The first blocks are laid in the corners of the building. This must be approached conscientiously and diligently: how straight the masonry is in the corners, so even it will be on the walls.

Therefore, you need to actively use the order (rectangular corner), checking each step.

An even layer of mortar is spread onto the foundation on both sides of the corner using a steel spatula (trowel), on which two cinder blocks are placed at an angle of 90 degrees. Their upper side is again covered with solution.

At this stage of masonry, the level checks the uniformity of the horizontal line, and the plumb line checks the vertical line.

If there are distortions, this can be easily corrected with a hammer, carefully tapping the blocks on the desired side. The same method must be used when laying the remaining corners.

Then a nail is driven into the joints between all the lower and upper blocks to stretch a thick fishing line over them.

Along this conditional line, they continue to lay the first row of cinder blocks, not forgetting to use the building level.

If suddenly the last element of the perimeter masonry does not fit into its place due to bigger size, then it can be reduced with a regular hacksaw. Cinder blocks can be sawed without problems.

You just need to wear a respirator and safety glasses to adjust the size of the block using a saw - a lot of dust and grains of slag fly during sawing.

Second and subsequent rows

Mortar is poured onto all masonry seams, removing excess with a spatula. Then lay the other rows. Cinder blocks are not laid according to the principle of brickwork, erecting one wall and then another.

It is placed along the perimeter of the building.

The new row also begins to be laid from the corner. Place a second cinder block on the block in the bottom row, and a third on top of it, covering the seams. The entire second row is placed with cinder blocks, following the example of the first.

At the same time, periodically check the correct installation in horizontal and vertical positions.

The trimmed parts should be located in the masonry as far as possible from each other, for example, in opposite corners.

The condition of the masonry of the two starting rows is very important. Therefore, there is no need to start construction in a hurry. Subsequently, the progress of construction will accelerate.

If you have practical experience behind you, then you can check the horizontals after 3-6 blocks, and the verticals after 4 completed rows.

The edges between the cinder blocks should be kept at the size of one or one and a half cm. If you make the seams very narrow, the masonry will be less reliable; large seams will lead to heat leakage from the house.

It is not recommended to apply the solution to the voids inside the blocks.

The opinion that this will add strength is erroneous. Rather, this will disrupt the thermal insulation properties of the wall and increase the consumption of solution components.

Laying technologies

Laying cinder blocks is usually done in one of two ways.

Method No. 1 is spoon, that is, half a stone. It occurs most often.

Method No. 2 - bonded, otherwise, in one stone. The technology of laying 2 or one and a half stones is possible only when constructing houses for permanent residence, where the walls are 75-80 centimeters thick.

This construction technology coincides with the brick laying method.

There is no point in covering cinder block walls with plaster; it will not stick, since the material has poor adhesion.

It is strongly recommended to decorate each wall of a cinder block building with decorative stone.

If you are planning to build a structure using cinder block, do not lose sight of the fact that cinder block may contain harmful volatile compounds.

Therefore, you can leave it in an open place or in a ventilated building for a while.

If the laying of the cinder block is carried out according to all the rules, then taking into account the special nuances, then you will build an impeccable cinder block room with your own hands.

Excess cinder block is usually left for the porch or foundation.

It is appropriate to make a porch from cinder block if there is a significant difference between the level of the yard and the house.

A cinder block foundation is placed only where the soil is dry, for a house with a light load.

Groundwater must pass below the layer of frozen soil.

You also need to consider how many floors the building will have. If there is more than one, it is better to change the solution and build concrete base.

Don’t ignore the fact that cinder block has pores, which is why it needs to be well insulated and lined.

The question of how to lay a cinder block is asked when building the walls of a garage, outbuilding or fence. This material is no longer used for residential buildings.

Cinder blocks are an excellent building material that has a number of advantages, which has gained popularity among summer residents and owners country houses. Let’s start with the fact that it’s easy to make this lightweight stone with your own hands, which I’ll tell you about, and it’s no less easy to lay cinder blocks yourself. You won't need a team of builders, and if you want to build a garage, country house or a more serious construction, then you can handle it yourself. Let's get started and figure out the cinder block and what tools we need for this.

So, the list of tools:

hand-held circular saw or hacksaw (cinder block is easy to saw);
respirator (required when sawing);
building level;
water (hydraulic level);
hammer or mallet;
trowel;
plumb line (cord or fishing line);
order.

Procedure for laying cinder block

As when starting work with brickwork, adjust the corners, trying to achieve the correct rectangle. Of course, it is assumed that your foundation is already ready and you have carried out preparatory work, including it. We place four cinder blocks at the tops of the corners, level them using a level and stretch the cord or fishing line along which the masonry will be made. Next, we apply the mortar to the foundation and lay the first rows of cinder blocks.

Important! The first and subsequent 2-3 rows of masonry are the most important, and it is recommended to check the correctness of the masonry more often with a level and plumb line in order to obtain smooth walls— redoing a finished wall is much more difficult than checking your work on time.

There are several ways to lay cinder blocks:

half a stone (can be sawed off with a hacksaw or circular saw without any problems), or the spoon method;
tychkovy - in one stone;
one and a half stones;
two stones.

During the laying process, the mortar is applied 1-1.5 cm thick. The fact is that a thicker layer of mortar will significantly worsen the thermal insulation properties finished wall, since the advantage of a cinder block is precisely that it has voids, the air cushion of which has excellent heat retention properties. For the same reason, you should not fill the voids in the blocks with mortar - in addition to the completely unnecessary additional consumption of cement, you will only worsen the thermal insulation properties of the wall.

How to lay cinder blocks - take the stone by the middle with your left hand and bring it to the wall at an angle of 45 degrees, then turn the block parallel to the wall, press it tightly against the previous stone and tap it with a hammer or the handle of a trowel - for the pros. Excess mortar must be removed with a trowel and used for laying the next blocks. After laying, the finished material is covered with fine slag, followed by compaction.

Before starting work, think in advance about a platform or scaffolding from which it will be convenient to lay the top layers of blocks. A stepladder is not suitable for this - you will have nowhere to put a bucket of solution, it is unstable and you will have to constantly move it.

Colored chalk works great for marking blocks.

For better viscosity of the solution, you can add red clay to it in the following proportion - 4 buckets sand-cement mortar 1/3 bucket of clay. Another solution option is a mixture in a similar proportion, only ash is used instead of clay.

If you have any questions, watch the video:

There are two types of cinder block:

solid is used for laying the foundation, basement, load-bearing structures;
hollow acts as a building material that can be used to line walls and partitions.

What should you consider before starting work?

If you do the masonry yourself, the cost of construction can be significantly reduced. All you need to do is select high-quality cinder blocks and learn how to lay them correctly.

1. Choosing a installation method.

2. Preparation of mortar for masonry.

3 parts sand;
1 hour cement;
water.

adhesion;
plastic;
uniformity;
frost resistance;
self-sealing;
strength;
waterproof.

The main rule is that the solution must withstand the upcoming loads of the building. If the block manufacturing technology is strictly followed, then the product will ultimately be of high quality.

3. Preparing the necessary tools.

If you don't know where to start laying cinder block, start by choosing the necessary tools. You will need:

A hand-held circular saw can be replaced with a hacksaw, since cinder blocks are quite easy to saw.
Respirator. You should not neglect safety measures and still use the specified device during the sawing process (it cannot be avoided). And the price should not be a reason to refuse a purchase.
Construction level, laser or bubble, your choice. You must be absolutely sure of the quality, so it is recommended to check it.
Hammer or mallet.
A trowel that you can make yourself, which will further reduce the cost of construction.
Plumb. Its role is performed by any weight on a fishing line or cord.
Order. This instrument is usually made of wood and is a river with a cross-section (50x50 or 70x50 mm), length - about two meters. The goal is to mark the rows of masonry, fix the marks of the top and bottom of the openings.

After the preparatory work, you can begin to lay the cinder block directly.

Step-by-step instructions for laying

3. Directly laying the cinder block. The most important is the first layer, so special attention is paid to this process. First, you need to spread the adhesive mixture in an even layer using a trowel, on which you want to place the cinder block. After 3 blocks have been laid, the installation must be checked by level and plumb. Then repeat this procedure as often as possible, as required by the instructions. This will avoid re-laying, which means the price for the work will be lower. The following layers are laid in a similar way with level control. It is not recommended to make the seam thickness more than 1.5 cm. The cracks are also filled with cement composition. If you are laying hollow cinder blocks, then under no circumstances should you fill the voids inside the blocks with mortar, as this will lead to a loss of thermal insulation properties.

4. Completion of the work consists of facing the wall or “joining it” (run a cut hollow pipe with an oblique cut along the cement between the blocks from the outside).

If the wall will not be covered, then you can add soot to the cement mortar. This will allow you to decorate the structure, but you need to be careful not to stain the blocks.

Other builder tips

There are little tricks that will help make your work a little easier, since laying walls with your own hands can be difficult for an inexperienced builder.

2. Red clay is used as a plasticizer, especially since it is affordable.

4. It is necessary to monitor the thickness of the seam. It should be no more than 1.5 cm, otherwise heat will escape from the building to the outside.

Cinder blocks appeared on construction market for a long time. Already at the beginning of the last century, buildings were erected from them. However, the material became widely known and in demand relatively recently. It goes to outbuildings, utility buildings or residential buildings. Let's understand the intricacies of cinder block laying in order to build a house ourselves.

All about proper laying of cinder blocks

Features of the material

This is an artificial stone made from a mixture of slag and. This circumstance determines its characteristics. Slag is formed as waste from the melting of iron and other metals. They absorb all impurities, leaving the alloy clean. As a result, they contain, among other things, toxic substances that can be dangerous to humans. For this reason, finished cinder blocks are left for some time to weather.

This is unprofitable, so manufacturers began to change the composition of their products. The mass fraction of slag is reduced; sawdust, sand, broken brick, etc. are added instead. In any case, the properties of the material are generally preserved. It is quite durable, fireproof, and not damaged by rodents or insects. Its price is low. The most important advantage is ease of installation. Large blocks of regular shape are easy to lay.

There are also a number of disadvantages. The stone is massive. The average weight of a standard part is 25-30 kg. Hollow and full-bodied varieties are available. The first ones are easier. Due to the presence of cavities with air, they retain heat better. They are chosen for the construction of partitions. Solid elements are good for supports, etc. In addition, semi-blocks and facing elements are produced.

Cinder blocks are vulnerable to moisture. Water easily penetrates deep into parts and quickly destroys them. Therefore, facades must be clad. The strength of the material is relative. There are restrictions on its use.

Step-by-step instructions for laying cinder blocks with your own hands

Before starting work, determine the type. It depends on the future structure. The thicker the wall, the warmer the building will be.

There are 4 types of installation:

in two elements
at one and a half
into one
half.

Builders call the latter method the spoon method. It is good for outbuildings, sheds, partitions, etc. Half blocks are chosen for it. For residential buildings, masonry of two or one and a half stones is used.

Masonry mortar is diluted from ready mixture purchased in a store. You can cook it yourself. The basis of the composition is a mixture of three parts sand and one part. It is diluted with water to a viscous paste. It is advisable to add a plasticizer, which will reduce porosity, increase frost resistance and density of the solution.

It is better to buy a plasticizer. Cheap shampoo, which some professionals use for this purpose, may not give the desired effect. Mixing is best done in a concrete mixer. Manually it will not be possible to achieve the required homogeneity, which will significantly reduce the quality of the solution. In addition, you will need a lot of it. Manual kneading will increase the labor intensity of the work.

A few words about the area on which the blocks are planned to be laid. Its width should be equal to the width of the part. It is acceptable for it to exceed it a little.

Preparatory work

Do-it-yourself cinder block laying is similar to. Particular attention is paid to laying out the first row. How correctly this is done determines the durability of the building and the evenness of its walls. Therefore, they start with markings, which are carried out along the base. One block is laid at each corner of the foundation.

This must be done so that a regular quadrilateral emerges. After checking the row planes on which the marks are applied, they are securely fixed. This is a guideline for even laying. You need to stretch cords between the rows; they will be used to control the height of the elements. The cord is pulled very tightly, without sagging.

First row

Begin by preparing the solution. The batch is calculated so that it can be consumed in an hour, a maximum of one and a half. On average, a bucket of composition is required to lay four elements. This is what you should focus on. Sand and cement are poured into the concrete mixer, and the equipment is started. Water is poured in small portions until the solution reaches the desired consistency. At the end a plasticizer is added.

Step-by-step instructions for installing the first row:

We collect the solution, apply it to the foundation, and distribute it evenly over the base. Important point: according to the instructions, the seam thickness is 10-15 mm. We take this into account when applying the mixture.
We take the cinder block by the middle and bring it to the place of work. Unfold it in the desired direction and place it on.
Determine the installation height of the part. If the upper edge protrudes above the stretched cord, take a mallet and, tapping it lightly, lower the element to the desired height.
The weight of the stone will force some of the adhesive out of the seam. Carefully remove it and put it away.
Similarly we place the second, then the third part.

Second and subsequent rows

You need to start laying the second, as well as all subsequent even rows, from half of the part. This ensures the necessary shift. You will have to cut the element yourself. This can be done with a hacksaw or a hand-held circular saw. Otherwise, the installation technology does not change. First, the cord is pulled at the desired height, then, guided by it, stones are placed. After laying two or three elements, control of the planes is mandatory.

Reinforcement is used to reduce loads, strengthen and prevent cracks. It is required in the first row, as well as in every fourth. For this, steel rods, a metal mesh with 5x5 cm cells, or a reinforcement frame made of galvanized steel are used. Additional reinforcement is required for all openings for doors and windows. Working at height with heavy parts is quite difficult. Before you start laying them, you need to take care of convenience and safety. The most simple solutions in the form of a stepladder or ladder are absolutely not suitable. They are too unstable and unsafe to work on.

Devices for laying cinder blocks

What you will need:

Master OK. Looks like a small spatula. They apply and level the paste, remove its excess. By tapping the handle, the position of the part is aligned.
Special hammer. One striker is flat, the other is pointed. Use a sharp tool to chip the cinder concrete element. With a blunt they split it in half.
Joining. A tool for removing part of the mortar from a seam.

Marking devices:

Mooring lines. Control the horizontal row.
Plumb. Controls the vertical of the wall.
Building level. Used to control planes.

In addition, they use squares, rulers, and long slats. This set to an experienced master quite enough to accurately mark the walls of the building. Inexperienced people use additional devices.

The design of such a device is simple. This is a frame with stops at the bottom that secure it to the base. This way the template cannot move to the sides. Its dimensions are selected based on the dimensions of the slag concrete part. Thanks to this, a certain amount of cement-sand paste is laid, and the horizontal position of the wall being built is maintained. The device can be purchased, but it’s easier to make it yourself. We offer a video describing such templates.

We figured out how to lay cinder blocks correctly. If you wish, you can learn this and build what you need yourself, saving a lot of money. It must be remembered that the material is afraid of moisture. Therefore, it is advisable to clad the building. Not suitable for this. It does not adhere well to cinder concrete, and after a short time it begins to crack and fall off.

Every year there is an increase in the popularity of such a technique as cinder block laying. The material used belongs to the budget category, but at the same time has decent technical properties, which makes it possible to construct both ancillary facilities and residential buildings. There is no need to hire a team of workers, since the installation process is quite simple, thanks to which you can save your family budget and try your hand at construction.

Description

The material was given its name by the previously used base for manufacturing - ash, slag and other combustion products. But today, fillers such as sawdust, broken brick, expanded clay, and crushed stone with a fine fraction are mainly used, due to the fact that slag-based blocks have insufficient strength and a significant degree of water absorption. Construction is also often practiced, which is made independently on a personal plot. But its use is more rational for creating outbuildings due to the fact that materials for residential buildings have established environmental safety rules, which cinder block does not comply with.

Manufacturing

Slag and cement are used to form products, followed by pressing and drying. They have become widespread precisely due to accessible technology and inexpensive materials; the end result is a cinder block, the price per piece of which becomes minimal.

The manufacturing process consists of three stages - mixing the ingredients, filling pre-prepared forms and hardening. As noted above, the basis is combustion waste, water and astringent components. To increase the performance characteristics, crushed stone, expanded clay, and gravel are added, and they can also completely replace slag.

A cinder block, the price per piece of which starts from 40 rubles, must have standard dimensions, despite the wide range of characteristics added by the fillers used.

Classification

The material is divided into several types depending on the presence or absence of voids. Blocks are monolithic one-piece design, having no internal empty spaces. They are characterized by a high degree of strength, but at the same time insufficient thermal insulation properties and heavy weight. The most popular products are those with a void ratio of within 30%. They have average strength and thermal conductivity characteristics.

With an increase in voids to 40%, there is an increase in heat capacity with a simultaneous decrease in strength, compared to other types.

Laying cinder block: advantages and disadvantages

Low price is the main advantage of the building material. It is also worth noting the possibility of independent production and installation technology that anyone can handle. Despite this, there are quite a lot of negative aspects. Blocks do not tolerate the influence of factors environment- temperature changes and precipitation, have low strength and degree of sound insulation, and insufficient resistance to frost.

As noted above, this material is not the best option for building a residential building due to its low environmental properties. Before laying is carried out, you need to decide on the type of products, depending on the required characteristics.

What to pay attention to

Many are puzzled by the question She is primarily influenced climatic conditions construction sites and purpose of future construction.

It is necessary to prepare tools in advance, among which there should be a device for mixing the solution, a circular saw, hammer, plumb line and level. The materials you will also need are mesh for reinforcement or metal rods, sand and cement.

Laying cinder blocks is similar to installing conventional bricks and is most often done in 2, 1.5 and 1 blocks. When choosing a technique, it is worth remembering that the building becomes warmer with increasing thickness of the wall structures, as this increases the thermal insulation characteristics. But at the same time, more load is placed on the foundation and additional expenses arise. Optimal thickness walls for a building with one floor is 1 block.

Foundation

Arrangement of a high-quality foundation is the first step in creating reliable masonry. As with any other construction, its choice depends on the depth of groundwater and general view soil at the selected site. A reinforced concrete monolithic base is optimally suited for heaving, complex soil.

A strip foundation made of cinder blocks is an excellent option for stable soil, provided the groundwater is low. It is distinguished by the possibility of independent arrangement, without the use of expensive tools and rental of special equipment. It must be taken into account that the width of future walls should be slightly less than the width of the base. A composition of sand, cement and crushed stone can also be used for pouring.

Protection of the material from moisture is achieved by installing a waterproofing coating mounted on a concrete base after final hardening; roofing felt can act as it.

Solution

You can make the mortar for laying cinder blocks yourself or purchase ready-made option in a specialty store. Due to the high cost of dry compounds, many prefer the first option. The basis of the masonry mass is sand and cement. By adding plasticizing compounds, it is possible to increase frost resistance and plasticity. The finished solution, when properly prepared, should have a viscous structure and a small degree of spreading during work.

Work progress

Laying cinder blocks with your own hands, as well as other building materials, starts from the corners. Special care is required here, since the reliability of wall structures directly depends on the correct alignment of all angles. First, a little mass is placed on them, which is leveled with a trowel. Next, two blocks are mounted in compliance with right angle, then another one, while you need to remember about dressing the seams.

Similar actions occur with other angles. Do not forget about systematically checking the vertical and horizontal levels using a plumb line and a special measuring device.

When selecting any part from general design, it is adjusted by lightly tapping it with a trowel. As a guide when installing the main row, there is a cord stretched on nails that are driven into the seam between the lower and upper elements. After completing the first row, the subsequent laying of the cinder block begins, observing the same conditions.

Installation seams must have a minimum width, since the room loses heat through them. Optimal size seams should not exceed 15 cm. At the same time, there is a tendency to reduce strength with a width of less than 10 cm.

Reinforcement of masonry allows you to increase its reliability and ensure uniform distribution of loads throughout the structure. For strengthening, either steel rods are used. This procedure is most important for the first row.