Installation Of A Partition Made Of Aerated Concrete Blocks And The Technology Of Their Laying

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• Properties of aerated concrete blocks
• Aerated concrete as the main building material
• Choosing a binder
• What thickness is it worth to build partitions
• The technology of building a partition from aerated concrete blocks
• Foundation preparation
• Mounting blocks on a mortar
• We apply glue
• Why is it better to use glue
• Block stacking process
• We make a door or window opening
• End of installation

The partition is an excellent technical constructive tool that allows you to make many small rooms from one large room, or even simply zone a room, dividing it into certain functional parts. Depending on the location, different requirements are imposed on it:

• Strength. It must be strong and stable, the material for such partitions can be a wall gas block, brick, tongue-and-groove slabs and expanded clay concrete block.
• Must have good sound insulation properties. Here, preference should be given to porous and air-containing materials.

But when creating a partition in an apartment or house, one should take into account the strength of the base on which it will be located. On reinforced concrete ceilings, walls outside the supports are not recommended to be erected from bricks, since, due to its rather heavy weight, a violation of the integrity of the entire building may occur. Not to mention wooden floors, where even such a light and porous material such as a foam block or aerated concrete should not be laid. In such conditions, then it is better to use drywall or wood.

Properties of aerated concrete blocks

Aerated concrete partitions are the most optimal solution both in terms of cost and created load. The material from which they are built has the following properties:

• Excellent resistance to high compression loads. This property of aerated concrete is indicated by its density, which is expressed by the numbers D200, D300, D400, D500, D600. It indicates the hardness of the material and the permissible loads that it can withstand. But at the same time, with an increase in density, thermal insulation properties deteriorate. It is better to build interior aerated concrete partitions from D500 or D600, because thermal insulation is, in principle, not relevant, and the strength must be high so that furniture can still be attached to the wall.
• Keeps warm well. This property is provided due to the content of a large number of gas balls (pores). They can form in two ways. When a catalyst (foaming agent) is present, and the block is baked in the oven. And the second method is without the use of foaming agents, and the block hardens under normal conditions, but then this material, although it has a similar chemical composition, is called foam concrete. But we'll talk about it in the next article. Aerated concrete partition can become an excellent insulator of a cold room from a warm one, creating an optimal microclimate in it due to porosity.
• A wall made of aerated concrete blocks does not emit toxins, poisonous fumes and other harmful substances. In addition, aerated concrete does not burn or deform even after prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Another property follows from this - safety.

Aerated concrete as the main building material

Aerated concrete has long been used in the construction of various buildings for any purpose, because it is easily subjected to further processing. You can screw a self-tapping screw into it, hammer in a nail, plan with an ordinary chisel and even saw with a hacksaw on wood.

But over the time passed, the manufacturing technology has undergone some changes. Blocks of steel of ideal geometric dimensions, identical to each other, in the same assortment range are produced with grooves and ridges to facilitate and strengthen their installation.

If earlier the installation of aerated concrete partitions was reduced to planing the side surfaces, plastering with a layer of up to 5 cm, today the aerated concrete wall is almost ready for puttying and wallpapering after its construction.

Choosing a binder

Today there are several opinions about which solution should be used for installing blocks:

1. Some people say that it is better to use lime mortar the old way. Maybe this is so, because it is warmer than just sandy and at the same time, when completely dry and a low cement content, it has a white appearance. But it has a negative side - it is very fragile. If such a solution is used, then the reinforcement of each layer must be performed without fail. It is better suited for building thick walls than partitions.
2. Special cement-sand glue. It contains a plasticizer and a hardener, which allows it to be spread in a thin layer, providing an almost seamless connection of the blocks. That is why we will consider how to put gas blocks on glue.

But the first step is to buy it. It is sold in paper bags on which it says "Glue for gas blocks". You can also use tile adhesive, it has the same properties.

What thickness is it worth to build partitions

A partition made of aerated concrete blocks can have a very different thickness, depending on the properties expected from it. If it is to become part of the supporting structure, then it is necessary to use a block of at least 200 mm in thickness and density from D400. For a simple delimitation of space, 100 mm is enough.

In general, on sale there are all possible standard sizes that can only be useful in construction, with the help of foam blocks it is possible to build and beat various structures.

The technology of building a partition from aerated concrete blocks

Any work must be done with high quality, so we offer you this instruction on how to lay gas blocks, a photo of the process of which is in front of your eyes. Separately, we recommend that you read the article How to plaster foam blocks and gas blocks correctly.

Foundation preparation

Before considering the technology, how to properly lay gas blocks, you should prepare the base. It must be cleaned of dust and protruding elements, old mortar, primed, if necessary, a preliminary screed.

Deviations from the level of more than 3 mm may lead to inconvenience in further work.

Although the blocks are produced by machine on an automatic line, they will still have deviations from the geometry. Therefore, be sure to purchase a special grater for aerated concrete. With its help, it will be possible to easily get rid of sagging, protruding elements of the block and protruding corners.

After cleaning the base, you can begin the installation of the aerated concrete partition, but before that it is necessary to apply a control marking, along which each of the rows will be laid. You can use a building tracing cord, a laser level, or attach guide rails to walls and floors. Thanks to them, the ideal geometry will be maintained along the edges of the partition, and with the help of a lace - in the middle.

When laying the first and subsequent rows, it is not recommended to cast the joint between the partition and the main wall in one piece in order to increase the soundproofing properties. It is better to seal it up with polyurethane foam later.

Mounting blocks on a mortar

Now let's talk a little about how to put blocks in the solution. There are also advantages to this method. Due to the thick first layer, it is possible to level an uneven surface already with the blocks.

But in the future, the mixture is smeared on all contacting surfaces with a thin, not more than 2 cm, layer, periodically covering the seams on both sides.

We apply glue

Now let's take a closer look at how to put gas blocks on glue. It is the same mixture of sand and cement, but contains a special plasticizer and adhesive, which allows you to apply significant loads on the walls the next day. To work with glue, you will need a special trowel with teeth and block dimensions. This will not only allow you to perform the coating work faster and better, but will help to save glue on losses.

Armed with a trowel, spatula, float and level, you can get to work. We begin to lay the blocks from the wall or from the corner of the partition. If the surface is flat, a thin layer of glue is sufficient. The laying of gas blocks should be carried out smoothly and efficiently, therefore, after installing each of them, they should be carefully measured from all sides and monitored with an approximate cord.

Why is it better to use glue

The laying of aerated concrete blocks on glue ensures greater strength and stability of the wall due to the deep penetration of the adhesive mixture, thereby forming a monolithic seam. A thin, almost absent seam solves such a problem as an island of cold, making the wall even warmer.

Block stacking process

Installation of a partition made of aerated concrete blocks is carried out as follows:

Slightly stepping back from the wall (about 5 mm), install the first block, carefully leveling it along the fixed bars and a tracing cord on an adhesive compound previously spread evenly with a thin layer.

The laying of partitions from aerated concrete blocks should be carried out efficiently, for this, the block casing is used in place. This operation can be performed using a rubber mallet or a pad on it. The block is cased on all sides with a tool and its acquired place is controlled by the level.

It is also possible to install partitions made of aerated concrete slabs with grooves and ridges. They are produced in the same standard sizes as gypsum boards, but have slightly different properties.

The laying of aerated concrete blocks is then repeated up to the opening or to the extreme wall with an indentation from it also by 5 mm in order to increase the sound insulation properties.

Each row of a 100 mm thick partition should be reinforced and tied to load-bearing walls or other partitions. This can be done using pieces of reinforcement with a diameter of 6 mm or more. To do this, a hole 1/2 the length of the reinforcement is drilled in the wall at the level of the corner of the block, even before its installation in place. It itself can be 15-20 cm. In the aerated concrete block for partitions, using a chisel or a manual chasing cutter, an appropriate groove is selected for free penetration of reinforcement into it.

When installing in place, the same mortar for laying gas blocks is applied into the hole in the wall and the groove and the bundle is walled into it. Such a reinforced connection will provide the necessary strength to the partition, regardless of its thickness. When using blocks of 150-200 mm, fastening to the walls can be done through a row. It is also necessary to take into account the binding between the blocks themselves, displacing the subsequent rows by 1/2 of the block thickness.

Also, as a bundle, you can use a perforated corner, a tire and fasten it to both surfaces with screws or nails. But this method is less durable compared to the first.

We make a door or window opening

The partition made of aerated concrete blocks is lightweight (1 monolithic block with dimensions 600x300x100 mm and weighing 10.5 kg replaces 8 bricks weighing 24 kg) due to the porosity of the masonry materials used, therefore doorways and arches up to 80 cm wide can be made without lintels. To do this, it is enough to put blocks with overlapping on the walls 20 cm each, tightly joining them together in the center of the opening. To temporarily support them, you can use a frame made of wooden blocks, screwed to the blocks with screws at the level of their laying.

The device of gas-block partitions with openings more than 80 cm wide requires the mandatory use of jumpers. They can be a reinforced concrete monolith, two corners at the edges, and even a wooden bar, pre-treated with an antiseptic composition.

When installing aerated concrete partitions, they should be installed not up to the ceiling itself. It is recommended to leave a space of 1-1.5 cm. It is better to fill it with polyurethane foam. This is done in order to exclude the cracking of the edges of the partition when vibrating the ceiling and to provide better sound insulation properties. Read more on how to plaster foam blocks.

End of installation

After erecting a partition from aerated concrete blocks, you should carefully check it for gaps in the seams and use the same glue to seal them with a spatula. After the glue has completely solidified (at least a day) and before further processing, the walls of aerated concrete blocks must be treated with an antiseptic that prevents the development of fungi and other pests in them. The wall can also be erected from gypsum blocks, for more details, see the website in the wall section.