How to make an extension from foam blocks to a house?

To improve the appearance of the house and expand its usable area, many make extensions from foam blocks. This solution is considered popular, since the structure is insulated, comfortable and durable. In addition, foam blocks outwardly resemble brickwork and fit perfectly into any exterior. The material is inexpensive and has high performance, but in order to lay it out correctly, you need to know a certain technology.

The foam block is a building material that is made from liquid, sand, cement and special additives. The composition of the material can include both organic and synthetic foaming agents, while the former are environmentally friendly components. They are made from natural products and are classified as non-hazardous materials. As for synthetic elements, they are characterized not only by low price, but also by quality. Such blocks are not recommended for the construction of residential premises, as they belong to the fourth hazard class.

Foam blocks are characterized by a cellular structure, the bubbles inside them are obtained using chemical reactions that occur when the cement mixture is mixed with the finished foam. Blocks are obtained either by pouring into molds, or by cutting the total mass. Unlike other types of building material, foam blocks have a solid and even surface, are resistant to decay processes and provide good thermal insulation to the extension. They are subdivided into structural-construction, construction-insulating and heat-insulating types.

Foam blocks have several main advantages.

• Frost resistance and durability. Due to the fact that the construction product has a high resistance to low temperatures, its service life is five times higher than the strength of aerated concrete.
• Heat loss protection. Significant savings in heating costs are observed in the constructed buildings. The blocks are not afraid of moisture, therefore, they allow avoiding a sharp heating of the premises in the summer and cooling in the winter. Thus, a favorable microclimate is created in the annexes, which is similar to a log house.
• Affordable price. Compared to brick, it is much cheaper to build walls from a foam block.
• Versatility. The finishing of the material can be done in any decorative way, from plaster, tiles and finishing with clapboard.
• Fast construction. The light weight and density of the material simplifies the work, especially for the installation of electrical wiring, water supply and sewerage. In addition, block laying is easy, as the linear tolerance can be up to 3 mm.
• Good soundproofing. The blocks have acoustics that absorb sounds from the walls and do not reflect them.
• Convenient size. Products are produced with high precision of geometric shapes, so they can be laid not only on concrete, but also on glue. This makes it possible to avoid the appearance of cold bridges, which are usually present in concrete or brick walls.
• Fire safety. This material is completely safe in the fire field, and also perfectly protects buildings from the spread of fire.In the event of a fire, the foam block heats up, but does not explode or collapse, which is possible due to its internal fittings, which are resistant to high heat.

As for the shortcomings, there are few of them.

• The material needs a protective lining. If it is not done, the walls will quickly absorb moisture and, over time, cracks will appear on them.
• Sometimes during production, errors in geometric dimensions are encountered, which complicate construction work.

The foam block is a unique product that is often used to increase the area of ​​buildings built from any kind of materials. Such extensions to the house are especially well suited, regardless of whether it is brick or wooden.

Before starting construction work, it is important to think over and design everything, taking into account such nuances as:

• an additional room can only be completed to a solid structure, and if the house is old, then it is best to refuse such an undertaking; experts allow extensions to buildings that are no more than 15 years old, but you should definitely make the necessary calculations and determine their strength;
• since the expansion of the house provides for its redevelopment, it is necessary to obtain an appropriate permit for such work;
• Do-it-yourself completion of foam blocks to add weight to the main building, so everything should be carefully calculated so that during operation the house does not crack and "float away" under the influence of the mass of blocks.

In addition, it is necessary to choose the right type of foundation, laying technology and method of connecting the extension to the main building. For foam block buildings, a solid foundation is required, for which, depending on the type of soil, the depth is selected. The width of the foundation, as a rule, is made 10 cm larger than the thickness of the walls.

Design is considered an important point in construction. If the extension will be done by hand, then it is advisable to use the services of architects who will correctly create the design, since the appearance of the additional structure must correspond to the main structure.

When completing a project, you must also do the following:

• accurately calculate the load of a new building on the ground, because the type and strength of the foundation will depend on this;
• determine possible lighting options, for example, if it is a veranda, then it should provide for the required number of windows and a doorway;
• solve the issue of entering the extension, because most often in such cases only one door is designed, which later serves as a connection element for the additional and main structure; if you wish, you can also make two separate entrances: one to the street, and the second to the house;
• think over how electricity, sewerage and water supply will be carried out; if the structure is being completed as a living space, then it will be necessary to lay heat and sound insulation.

Anyone can make an extension from foam blocks with their own hands, the only thing is that before building an additional structure, it is necessary to obtain permits and agree on the redevelopment with the relevant authorities. The process of erecting a new structure from blocks is characterized by a special technology, which provides for the implementation of several stages in strict order.

Any extension is installed on a solid foundation.If the building is wooden, then, as a rule, a columnar foundation is chosen for completion. This is due to the fact that the base of the extension must have the same structure as the building itself, and wooden structures, as you know, are erected on a columnar foundation. The only exceptions are two-story buildings; for them, a reliable tape with concrete filling is used.

Such a foundation is laid as follows:

• first, a pit is dug around the entire perimeter, its depth should correspond to the depth of the base of the house;
• then the installation of the formwork from the boards is carried out, sand is poured into the bottom of the pit with a layer of 5–15 cm, a footing up to 5 cm thick is poured;
• the next step is to install the frame, which will serve as reinforcement for the extension, because it is assembled from rods 12 mm thick; the new structure cannot be tightly connected to the main one, otherwise it may break during operation due to shrinkage, in order to avoid this, well-tarred boards are laid between the two foundations;
• the work is completed by pouring concrete, while the proportions of the binder solution and the filler are taken in a ratio of 1: 3; it is best to use cement of a brand not lower than M400, and the solution is prepared in a concrete mixer and poured, while the base should stand for one month.

As for the columnar base, first of all, holes are dug for it, observing a step of 1.5 m. Then a formwork made of rolled roofing material is lowered into them. Crushed stone is poured to the bottom and reinforcement is mounted from four rods, connected by a clamp. Then concrete is poured so that the pillars rise to the level of the building's grillage. The rods are released at a distance of 20 cm, since the reinforcement will be tied to them. Before pouring the solution, the soil is carefully scooped up under the bottom of the future tape, and it is removed at the end of the concrete hardening.

At first glance, laying foam block walls may seem simple, but in reality it is not. The assembly of the blocks must be carried out strictly according to a special mooring cord. In addition, it is necessary to constantly check the evenness of the masonry during construction work. If it is imperfect, then under the influence of internal stress, the fragile structure will quickly crack. Despite the fact that the material is collected on a special adhesive mixture with a fit, its first row should be placed on a cement mortar.

The first row should have a thickness of no more than 1.5 cm, and the subsequent glued ones - up to 1 mm. Before applying the mixture to the blocks, they should be well moistened with water. In order to additionally provide the walls with durability and strength, they must be reinforced. To do this, with the help of a grinder, two grooves are made in every fourth row and steel rods are installed in them. If you refuse reinforcement, then during the operation of the extension, you may encounter various problems, for example, movable walls will begin to crack.

As for the masonry itself, it is carried out with bandaging the seams, making an offset of 1/2 block. The glue must be applied to both vertical and horizontal edges of the block. At the end, the finished walls are fastened with a special armored belt, which protects the structure from cracking under the pressure of the roof. In addition, if it is planned to carry out communications such as pipelines and electrical wiring in the extension, then it is important to take into account the possibility of moving the walls in the first year of operation. Therefore, the electrical wiring should be laid in special tubes or hoses.

Any construction ends with the assembly of the roof, and the construction of an extension from foam blocks is no exception.The durability of the structure will depend on the rules according to which the roof will be mounted. For structures made of foam blocks, it is not recommended to choose heavy roofing material; it is best to give preference to profiled sheets or metal tiles. Usually, single-slope structures are covered with such extensions, for which a Mauerlat is placed on the armopoyas. The uppermost beam is fixed to the upper edge of the building wall, and then the rafters are mounted. Further, the crate is installed and the roofing material is attached to it, the rafters on the upper and lower beams are fixed not to the corners, but to special fasteners. During the installation of the roof, you should make sure that its slope has an optimal angle of inclination, on which the drainage of precipitation will depend.

After the construction of the extension is completed, it is important to seal up all the cracks. They are usually filled with polyurethane foam. If the structure is completed to a wooden structure, then the slots are closed with beams. They are neatly stuffed on both sides of the walls of both the building and the extension. Since at first the connection cannot be made rigid, then after a few years it is pulled up on special brackets.

To give the additional structure of foam blocks a beautiful look and extend its service life, it is necessary to carry out finishing work. It is easy to handle foam block walls, as they have a porous structure. Most often, the cladding begins with preliminary plaster, which is applied to the reinforcing mesh. It is advisable to choose light types of plaster for finishing. Well suited for cladding and foam panels that can be painted. Artificial stone is also recommended for exterior cladding. Depending on the purpose of the building, it can be sheathed inside with drywall sheets.

For information on how to make an extension from foam blocks to a residential building, see the next video.