Compare materials for building a house. What is the best material to build a house from?

In principle, each material for building a house has its own undeniable advantages and disadvantages. The abundance of choice complicates the question of what kind of house to build for permanent residence. One thing is for sure: for heavy and light materials, the main thing is skillful hands of the developer. An error in calculations will come back to haunt you in any case and will pop up the next day or 10 years later, when it will be very difficult to correct.

What material to choose, what is better and cheaper to build a house from? Let's carry out short review, as well as materials for their construction.

What are heavy and light materials?

Heavy materials for construction include, as the name suggests, stones, various blocks, bricks, slabs. Houses made of heavy materials also require an appropriate foundation. Most often, a strip type is used, but if the ground is not the best, it can be combined with a pile-screw type.

When it comes to lightweight materials, it means wood, frames. Of course, these are just conventional names for such houses, which does not mean that the house will be really light in the end. For houses made of wood, it is better to choose the best possible one. stand for several hundred years and the foundation should not fail.

For frames you can save a little, simply choosing the pile option. The shelf life of frame wood is up to 100 years, so if the soil allows you to save money, this is quite possible.

Brick is expensive, but lasts forever

As they say, a brick can handle anything: hurricanes, frosts, unbearable heat - the natural mood is changeable.

However, this material can withstand even more.

According to statistics, the “shelf life” brick house reaches 200 years.

Due to the fact that the material has been in use by builders for a very long time, usually there are no problems with hiring craftsmen.

The range of types of bricks also suits every taste:

1. Ceramic brick It is made from clay by molding it and calcining it in special ovens. Possesses high level of strength, refers to environmentally friendly materials for construction. Of course, if it is made with high quality and production standards are met. It can be solid or hollow (up to 50% voids inside). For construction, the second subtype is a priority, since the more voids in the body of the material, the higher its heat-retaining property.
2. Sand-lime brick is made from lime and sand. He white and looks great, especially the one-piece subspecies. Lightweight sand-lime brick– looks very sloppy, but has higher thermal insulation properties.
3. Ordinary and front subtypes of bricks will also find application in construction capital house. Ordinary - in the interior masonry, front - will decorate the house outside.

Be sure to pay attention to the labeling before ordering a batch of material. It is done in order to know whether masonry made of a particular brick will withstand the weight of the structure and natural phenomena. Usually the material is marked with the letter “M” with two or three numbers. The minimum strength value per square centimeter is 75, the maximum is 200.

Important: When building a basement, the minimum strength is 150; when building a two-story house, you should purchase batches with strength from M125. The more floors, the heavier the attic, the higher the coefficient should be; accordingly, the brick will be heavier, and the cost per cubic meter of material will be higher.

For construction in Russia, especially in the outback, it is very important to take into account the fact that frosts in winter can become severe. Frost resistance is marked “F”, and the indicator varies from 15 to 100.

For cladding a house in a temperate climate, the F50 marking is used; F25 masonry can be done inside. The higher the marking indicator, the greater the number of times the brick will survive freezing without damage to the structure.

Brief summary and characteristics of the material:

• you will get an expensive house frame and foundation;
• very expensive, presentable appearance of the final work;
• phenomenal durability;
• precipitation, temperature changes don’t matter;
• excellent fire resistance;
• difficult to display the box;
• quite “dirty” construction, you need a lot of extra space around.

Conclusion: brick construction is a costly and labor-intensive process.

However, all costs, including financial ones, will be more than compensated for in the long life of the building. Properly selected bricks and competent builders extend the life of a house to 100-200 years without changing the original characteristics.

Concrete blocks

Second most popular display material load-bearing walls, in comparison with brick. Sturdy material, more profitable financially and much easier to build. In summer the house stays cool, in winter it stays warm and cozy, precipitation and other natural phenomena are not dangerous quality concrete block.

Advantages of building with concrete blocks:

1. The first thing I would like to note is the fire resistance of the material. Concrete does not burn, so, unlike building with wood, the house is safe from external fires and will withstand direct fire for several hours.
2. The material tolerates frost well.
3. For those who value good sound insulation in their home, construction from concrete blocks is suitable. Thanks to the structure of the concrete itself, no extraneous noise will be heard in the house.
4. At proper construction, the thermal insulation is quite good. In combination with an external, well-built heating circuit, you can achieve good savings on heating your home.
5. A building made from blocks, like brick, can be used for a long time. On average, without major renovations, a house will last 80-120 years.
6. Concrete blocks do not rot, do not become covered with mold and mildew.
7. The versatility of the material allows you to build residential buildings, garages, and multi-story buildings of any type.

The disadvantages include unpresentable appearance of the house without finishing. Therefore, when calculating the construction budget, the external “marathon” should also be taken into account. In addition, construction should only be done in dry weather and takes a fair amount of time, partly due to the changeable weather. Because of high level groundwater in some areas of the country, waterproofing may be necessary.

What you need to know about concrete blocks?

Concrete blocks come in several types and differ from each other:

• brand (from 50 to 100) - this is an indicator of the strength of the product;
• frost resistance - from 15 to 200.

Strength markings must comply total mass the buildings. That is, for a basement - the highest value, for a house with 2 floors - approximately M75 (depending on the size of the attic). Frost resistance, as already discussed, depends on the location of the future building.

Very important for quality construction explore the soil under the house site. To do this, it is better to play it safe and hire specialists, which will also be very expensive. But, if you choose the wrong type of foundation and the building begins to slide, the costs will be even greater. For “turbulent” lands, a monolithic type of foundation is suitable (if the house is not large), as well as pile and strip.

Conclusion: concrete blocks they are only slightly inferior to brick in terms of their qualities.

However price and ease of construction are more attractive, if you choose between these two materials. Additional costs may be required for waterproofing, as well as external insulation and finishing.

Construction from natural stones

People have been using natural stones for a very long time. Many old-timers remember the times when construction from this material cost a penny, since the stone was not very valued and was simply mined. Natural stone was especially available in areas close to the mining site.

Now the situation has changed radically and we can afford Construction from sandstones, shell rock, granite, basalt is sometimes more expensive than we would like. Things are more or less good with natural stone construction near the mountains, that is, near the mining site.

Advantages using natural stone for building a house:

• for non-remote areas this material will be inexpensive; the further away from the mining sites, the more expensive high-quality material will cost;
• the material is the cleanest in environmental terms of all heavy building materials;
• the blocks are quite large, so construction will not take longer;
• depending on the deposit, the porosity of the shell rock is different, which means the thermal conductivity changes;
• good sound insulation;
• It survives all weather changes well, does not rot, and does not become covered with bacteria if built correctly.

Like any other material, natural stones have their own flaws:

• heavy: you need a good, expensive foundation and additional costs when constructing the box;
• the different shapes of each block create additional difficulties during joining; more cement will be required;
• very serious waterproofing is required: the material absorbs moisture;
• The facade of the shell rock wall is finished using a reinforced mesh, otherwise everything will quickly fly around.

Conclusion: minor difficulties associated with construction more than pay off, due to the fact that the material is environmentally friendly, the house will last a long time.

By choosing the right stone in terms of density (all natural stones are also marked), it is possible to equip both the basement and the upper floors with it. And the cost per cube will depend on the customer’s area of ​​residence.

Construction from thermal panels

Thermal panels or panels from are a relatively new product for construction. If the material for construction is selected based on savings, first of all, then you can take a closer look at this option. Frame thermal panels declare themselves as the most heat-saving material. In addition, building a house from new material is quite fast.

The panel consists of clinker tiles and thermal insulation in the form of polystyrene foam. The main disadvantage of frame thermal panels is that they 100% synthetic material. That is, for connoisseurs of environmentally friendly buildings, the panels will not be suitable under any circumstances. The material does not absorb moisture, is not subject to destruction, withstands compression very well, pressure from all sides, does not burn, and perfectly withstands any natural changes.

Other dignity panels:

• excellent appearance;
• in tandem with thermal panels outside, heat loss is immediately reduced by 30-35%;
• very tight joining of panels, thanks to their precise cutting.

TO shortcomings It has already been said that they are not environmentally friendly. In addition, you can supplement this list with the fact that additional panels of corner shapes are needed to decorate the shape of the house. These building materials have passed all known tests and meet modern requirements.

Conclusion: the use of frame thermal panels is an economical option that provides a very solid appearance to the finished building.

The outside of the house without exterior decoration will look like brickwork. The clinker board is connected to polystyrene foam with a special high-quality construction adhesive under high pressure, which ensures high strength of the final work.

Which house is better?

Wooden houses

Most environmentally friendly clean look the buildings. Forest has long been used for construction. The best trees for building a house - pine, cedar and larch. Coniferous trees are less susceptible to fungal attack and have good resistance to weather conditions. Larch material does not rot or rot. Natural resin has bactericidal properties.

Since time immemorial, humanity has built its houses from clean, breathable natural material– wood. A huge number of surviving architectural monuments are built of wood. The durability of such buildings amounts to hundreds of years and is amazing.

Wooden houses made of larch

It’s not for nothing that this wood is called “iron”; those who have dealt with this material know that this wood very dense and heavy. It has an amazing quality for wood - increased fire resistance. Over time, larch only becomes denser, this the only tree, which doesn't rot at all.

In addition, for people with respiratory problems, doctors strongly recommend visiting the larch forest more often. It turns out that living in a house made of this material is three times better for your health. Great house for living with family, children.

Cedar houses

One of the most expensive materials for construction is oak. It is close in density to larch trees and can withstand phenomenal loads. A house built from this material can withstand an earthquake of up to magnitude 7. In addition, cedar has thermal insulation properties, more than other trees.

House made of pine timber

Most popular material in construction, due to the lower cost per cubic meter of material. This material has good thermal insulation, allows you to build a house on 2-3 floors. Right prefabricated house will last at least 150 years with timely care and replacement of the lower crowns.

Log house

This construction technology has been developed over centuries and has reached us in its most refined form. The trunk is cleared of bark and dried for a long time under natural conditions.

Professional builders know that material that is dried under a roof or a canopy on the street retains its properties much longer than those dried in the dryers of timber processing enterprises.

Log houses are unique; each house can be completely different from the others. A well-built wooden house retains heat perfectly.

In room there will always be a healthy microclimate, clean air. The disadvantages include the cost of construction and its duration.

First, timber is purchased and dried under the flooring for at least 3-4 months, then the box is assembled. The work of the craftsmen also costs a pretty penny. Then the log house (read:) must stand for a year or two, otherwise it will move and cracks will appear. After shrinking, you can do finishing, install water, connect to electricity, install windows, and the like. All this takes a lot of money and time.

How log houses are made:

1. The largest, resinous and thick logs are placed in the first rows - the crown of the log house. Waterproofing must be provided before installation. You can use roofing felt, waterproofing material, etc.
2. In each subsequent log, a longitudinal notch is made for closer contact between the rows of logs. In this way all rows are assembled.
3. After the initial shrinkage (about 3 months), the logs are marked, disassembled and reassembled, laying all longitudinal grooves with moss, tow or modern materials.
4. After complete shrinkage (1.5 years), the logs are caulked using insulation. Caulking is done only after the roof and windows are ready.
5. Sometimes after 5-7 years, when complete shrinkage occurs, you have to caulk again, as new gaps appear and the heat blows out.

Of course, these steps are described only in general outline, but this will allow us to better visualize the stages of construction of a log house.

Conclusion: building a log house is a way to show your imagination to the fullest. The design of such a house can be absolutely anything. The thickness of the walls and the lower crown make the building not only warm, but also the most durable from all other wooden buildings.

Construction from rounded logs

Construction from rounded logs is the use of even logs of equal size and diameter, which are manufactured industrially . Of course, you can use your golden hands to prepare the material, but, as practice shows, this is a long and labor-intensive task.

After the purchase, according to the construction plan, the customer receives a ready-made log impregnated with special compounds, which only needs to be assembled into a log house. The larger the house is planned, the larger the diameter of the log should be. Thanks to high-quality processing, the logs fit together well and each crown “sits” well on the previous one.

The method of building from rounded logs is similar to the chopped method. The advantages of this type of construction can be considered environmental friendliness and beautiful appearance, even without exterior decoration. By the way, it is not at all mandatory for most regions of the country.

Conclusion: ordering and purchasing a rounded log will cost more than purchasing unprocessed wood and stripping the bark, processing and grinding the log yourself. But, in any case, houses are made of such material they look very nice and respectable. The house will be warm, breathable, environmentally friendly.

Frame houses

Another subtype of construction, which is considered very new and tempting for its speed of construction.

A rigid frame is assembled from timber, between load-bearing beams base material is installed.

Less commonly, a frame is made from metal beams, they will be discussed below.

1. Frame-panel. A frame is built from beams, sheathed on the inside and outside with slabs made of large chips or others, and insulation is laid between the slab material. The main advantage is the speed of construction. Among the shortcomings - the need to use special equipment.
2. SIP panels. These panels consist of insulation (expanded polystyrene) covered on both sides with OSB boards. Walls, ceilings, and floors are built from this material. These panels are smaller than in the case of frame-panel house, so there is no need for a crane and you can build a building with your own hands. Of all the frames, this method is the easiest for novice builders.
3. Frame houses. Compared to others, such a building will cost the least. The frame is assembled from thick boards and placed on a foundation box. You can use laminated veneer lumber rather than boards (half-timbered frame-frame construction method). Ready frame filled with bricks, stones, double-glazed windows, wood.
4. Metal frame houses. The construction principle is similar to the previous ones, with the exception of the frame material. Metal bases are used, in combination with insulated slabs. Such houses are considered lightweight, with a service life of about 80 years (according to the warranty from the manufacturers of such frames, which is not possible to verify). Despite the thermal profile used, heating such a house will definitely cost more money than its wooden “brother.”

Conclusion: construction using the frame method is clean and inexpensive.

In addition, little space is needed; construction can be carried out “from the body”, without unloading panels and material, if the space on the site does not allow or is occupied by plantings. To increase the lifespan of a frame house, it is important to correctly calculate and design the frame itself, take the foundation seriously.

What is the cheapest material to build a permanent house from?

As already noted, a house that will stand for centuries is a priori expensive for its owner at the time of construction. However, for budget construction there is an innovation of recent decades - framers.

The lighter the walls, the cheaper it will cost. If you use inexpensive SIP panels, the price will become even lower. However, many are distrustful of the walls of the house, which can be pierced with a large knife using a lot of force.

Heavy materials are the cheapest for construction made of cellular concrete or thermal panels. Construction will be expensive made of bricks and ceramic blocks. For these buildings, the cost of work will be higher, since the blocks themselves are not easy to lift.

The same conditions will apply to the foundation: the more durable, stronger, the more expensive it will be both in terms of materials and labor costs. Optimal for small house put pile foundation, if there is an idea to add a 2nd floor or nice attic– it’s better to play it safe.

What to build a house from on a small plot?

To organize construction from heavy materials, you need a wide area. The site will need to be divided into zones for the foundation, for placing a warehouse with material (minimum - a shed), for mixing concrete. It is also worth thinking about the pile of garbage that will certainly accumulate.

Debris, packaging, empty boxes, defective material and similar work issues. Workers need a place to at least have lunch or take a “smoke break”.

It is worth paying attention to the construction from frame thermal panels. Despite the fact that this material is more heavy, you can build with it directly from the car. In terms of timing, finances and local costs, this is a profitable material.

As for lightweight materials, the work will require a much smaller area. Most of all - for working with timber, log, will take the least frame, especially from SIP panels. If the plot is extremely small, there are already plantings or there is only room for a house, it is better to give preference to wood and frames.

What is the final cost of construction?

When evaluating and comparing materials, the question involuntarily arises: what else, besides the main raw materials, will the money be spent on?

Not every site owner can immediately put on the table in front of the builders the amount that will be required for turnkey construction.

Usually, especially for young families, it is customary to divide the work into parts and build it in stages.

So, the total amount will be the sum of:

• complexity of the shape of the house, its number of storeys (complicating the work of the team);
• internal layout;
• insulation;
• external finishing;
• roofing costs;
• building materials;
• foundation – almost 40% of all costs;
• interior decoration;
• heaviness of the base material;
• additional accessories;
• conducting communications;
• waterproofing;
• installation of a heating system;
• other minor expenses.

The list is quite impressive. Depending on the choice of material, it can either increase or decrease. However, building your own home is a real possibility. a way to create a truly cozy dream home, which everyone has fantasized about in one way or another.

The abundance of building materials in our time is growing every year. The search for the ideal material will probably continue for hundreds of years. However, in order to build a good-quality house in which it will not be cold, scary or expensive to live in, it is worth turning to materials that have been proven over centuries.

There will always be no competition brick and wood. These are the most reliable, long-lived houses that are inexpensive to operate and are good in terms of environmental friendliness. If the issue is financial, it’s better to choose modern methods: frame houses, thermal panels.

Average houses by money investment – from sand blocks, sand cement blocks, concrete blocks etc. Block buildings retain heat well in winter, as they cool down for quite a long time, and in summer the room remains pleasantly cool.

The first and main issue to be resolved before construction begins country house- choice of material.

Not only the comfort of living, but also the level of energy saving depends on the correctness of its decision. Let’s take a closer look at what materials are offered on the market today and how each of them fits into the universal formula “price-environmental friendliness-energy saving”.

Brick house (brick, ceramic blocks)

Such a building has two advantages: strength and environmental friendliness. Indeed, in terms of its load-bearing capacity, a brick wall is not much inferior to a concrete one. At the same time, it does not contain granite crushed stone, which produces background radiation in buildings with a monolithic reinforced concrete frame and floor panels. However, in terms of energy saving, walls built entirely from solid clay or silicate bricks are seriously inferior to other materials.

In order to meet modern strict energy efficiency limits, the thickness of the brick wall must be at least 120 cm. It is clear that there is no point in building such a powerful “bunker”. Therefore, nowadays brick is losing its primacy and is most often used as decorative exterior cladding.

Attempts to improve the energy-saving qualities of brick have been going on for a long time. To do this, voids of various shapes are made in it (point or slot). This modification provides a slight increase in the energy efficiency of the wall structure, but does not fundamentally solve the issue. If we add to this the labor intensity of building walls from small-sized standard clay bricks, it becomes clear that a replacement needs to be found.

A good solution to the question of what is the best material to build a house from is to purchase products produced under various brands (Porotherm, Kerakam, Poroton, etc.)

This large-sized material (250x250x140 mm, 380x250x219mm, 510x250x219mm) replaces from 4 to 14 standard bricks (250x120x65mm). Thanks to this, the laying process becomes faster and simpler.

The thermal conductivity coefficient of such walls is 0.21 W/m °C, which is almost 3 times less than that of ordinary brick. In terms of strength, ceramic block is also not inferior to it (100 kg/cm2) and at the same time has good frost resistance (up to 50 freeze-thaw cycles) and vapor permeability.

The only drawback of porous ceramic blocks in the recent past was their high cost (more than 4,000 rubles per 1 m3). In 2016, the average price for this material decreased and is from 3,500 rubles per cubic meter.

House made of building blocks

Large size building blocks seriously displaced standard clay brick. And the point here is not only that their installation requires less time and effort. Affordable price- this is an important factor determining the choice of a developer. Since the list of building blocks produced today is quite extensive, we will talk separately about each type.

Foam and gas blocks

These materials today enjoy well-deserved popularity in low-rise construction. The fundamental difference between foam and gas blocks lies in the manufacturing technology and internal structure.

Aerated concrete is produced by introducing a powder gas-forming agent into a mixture of cement, sand, lime and water, which creates a network of small through channels inside the material. A foaming agent is added to the raw material for foam concrete, which creates closed pores filled with air inside the block. This also significantly reduces the weight of the unit and improves its energy-saving characteristics.

Open channels serve as good conductors of moisture, so gas blocks need protection from getting wet. Foam block is more profitable in this regard because it absorbs less water. The thermal conductivity and frost resistance of these materials are almost the same.

Density ranges from 300 to 1200 kg/m3, which allows the developer to accurately select the block to suit his needs. Manufacturers produce heat-insulating (density from 300 to 500 kg/m3), structural-thermal-insulating (500-900 kg/m3) and structural (1000-1200 kg/m3) blocks in several thicknesses - 10, 15, 20 and 30 cm.

This allows you to make the wall warm without additional costs for laying insulation and protecting it. To do this, you need to lay a thinner heat-insulating block (15 cm) in the outer row of masonry, and make the inner layer from denser structural and heat-insulating blocks 30 cm thick.

Thanks to its ideal geometry, a house made from blocks with your own hands can be built quickly without the involvement of professional masons and requires minimal finishing in the form of putty or decorative plaster.

The cost of these materials starts from 3000 rubles. for 1 m3. In their reviews, owners of houses made of light cellular blocks especially highlight the low cost of construction and minimum costs for heating.

Expanded clay blocks

Without abandoning the use of solid bricks, builders in the last century invented. This composite material consists of expanded clay gravel (pellets of fired and porous clay) and a cement mortar that holds them together.

The material turned out to be quite warm (density from 500 kg/m3) and very durable (you can build houses up to 3 floors high).

For the price, the expanded clay concrete block looks attractive (from 2900 rubles/m3). The environmental friendliness of this building material also deserves attention. The absence of synthetic and polymer additives and good vapor transmission allow it to be fully used in residential construction.

Shell rock blocks

In the era of cheap freight transportation, shell rock was a serious competitor to expanded clay block. This “free” material, which only needed to be cut out of the marine sedimentary massif and loaded into wagons, has today become “biting”.

Judge for yourself, the price per cube with delivery to the central regions of Russia reaches 5,000 rubles. Coupled with the fragility and poor geometry of the stone, the developer can only rely on its excellent environmental friendliness.

Arbolite blocks

The main components of this material are wood chips and sawdust (4:1 ratio). They not only make the block warm and light, but also reinforce it, increasing strength and crack resistance.

The binder here, as in the case of expanded clay blocks, is cement mortar. Density ranges from 500 to 850 kg/m3. It is possible to build low-rise buildings from it without using a reinforced belt. This material is quite elastic, so it can withstand the load from floor slabs without cracking. The breathability of arbolite blocks is high and quite comparable to wood.

The good heat and sound insulating qualities of wood concrete are eloquently demonstrated by its low density. Impregnation with cement makes wood chips durable and resistant to rotting. Finishing walls made of wood concrete does not require the use of reinforced mesh, since the rough surface of the material holds the plaster well. The price of wood concrete blocks starts on average at 4,000 rubles per 1 m3.

Thermal Wall Blocks

The developer’s dream of a masonry material that simultaneously contains a load-bearing part, insulation and external finishing was realized in Teplosten blocks.

By its design, it is a three-layer “sandwich”. Its outer and inner layers are made of expanded clay concrete, and inside there is foam plastic. Dissimilar materials in the contact zone are protected from delamination by fiberglass rods installed inside the block.

On the outer edge of the three-layer block we see a textured pattern. Having built a new house from this material, the owner can only paint the walls in the desired color, without resorting to expensive decorative plaster.

Appearance of the Teplosten block

The main disadvantage of Teplosten blocks is obvious. This is foam plastic enclosed between layers of expanded clay concrete. It does not allow water vapor to pass through, so without forced ventilation the house will be damp. Manufacturers solve this problem by producing special blocks that have a ventilation hole with a grille.

If the owner of the future house made of Teplosten blocks does not take care of the ventilation problem in time, then the foam plastic may present him with another unpleasant surprise. Let's consider the physics of the process of diffusion of water vapor through a wall. Having encountered an insurmountable obstacle in the form of foam plastic on its way, water vapor will condense in the inner layer of expanded clay. This will lead to wet walls with all the ensuing uncomfortable consequences for living.

The cost of Teplosten blocks starts from 7,000 rubles/m3. Despite the rather hefty price, let’s not forget that such a wall does not require insulation or rough finishing.

Cinder blocks

They were produced in the 80s of the last century as an inexpensive alternative to scarce brick. Today, cinder blocks are rarely used in residential construction. Heavy weight and the high thermal conductivity of cinder block walls require insulation with slabs of mineral or ecowool (10-15 cm) and high-quality finishing.

The cost of cinder blocks offered today to private developers is low and ranges from 2,300 to 3,000 rubles per 1 m3.

Houses made of logs, timber, wooden frame

At the same time, you should know that a house warm enough for permanent residence can only be built from logs with a diameter of at least 40 centimeters. Today, the standard thickness of log walls is from 24 to 32 cm, which does not meet the requirements of thermal engineering standards. Therefore, in order not to spend significant amounts on heating, a wooden log house must be additionally insulated.

The cost of 1 m3 of rounded logs prepared for laying in 2016 ranges from 7,000 to 10,000 rubles. The cost of dry profiled timber is even higher and starts from 10,000 rubles per cubic meter.

For glued profiled timber, which gives minimal shrinkage and is practically not subject to warping, sellers ask from 22 to 26 thousand rubles. Forecasts of market specialists indicate that in 2017 a price jump for this material is not expected.

Concluding this brief review of materials for the construction of wooden houses, we should say a few words about frame technology.

It’s difficult to call it high-speed, since the degree of factory readiness here is practically “zero”. At the site, builders assemble a frame from individual beams and boards, spending no less time on this than masons laying blocks. But in terms of reliability and durability, a house built according to frame technology, is not much inferior to permanent structures made of wood.

There are also no problems with energy saving in such housing. The customer can choose any thickness of insulation without spending money on external insulation and finishing work, as in the case of block or log construction.

Since no one prices the frame in cubes, we will have to compare the cost of 1 m2 frame wall with the cost of log and lumber.

The main elements of the frame - racks, boards, mineral wool, vapor barrier, wooden blockhouse or DSP board (outside), plasterboard or lining (inside) are calculated quickly and simply, amounting to a total of 1,200 rubles / m2.

At the same time, the cheapest wall made of rounded logs 32 cm thick will cost you 2,500 rubles per 1 m2. Do not forget that you will still have to insulate it, spending from 250 to 300 rubles. Thus, in terms of the price of materials, the “frame” significantly outperforms the log house.

With the same thermal insulation ability, a wooden wall of a frame house is cheaper than a block one (frame with 150 mm mineral wool versus 40 cm thick aerated concrete blocks + 5 cm mineral wool).

House made of SIP panels

This material cannot be called optimal in terms of environmental friendliness, although manufacturers of such buildings are trying to prove the opposite.

The main advantage is the high speed of construction. It is difficult to classify these designs as cheap.

The cost of 1m2 sandwich board, depending on the thickness of the insulation (10,15,20 cm) ranges from 900 to 1500 rubles. For comparison, the cost of 1 m2 of a wall made of aerated blocks 40 cm thick is about 1,200 rubles.

LSTK (light steel structures)

The reign of plasterboard technology has prompted engineers to create a more durable alternative for assembling the frame of low-rise buildings. This is how it appeared new technology. It was based on the lungs steel structures(LSTK).

The assembly of buildings from steel profiles is similar to the installation of wooden “frames”. At the same time, houses made from light steel composite materials surpass them in terms of durability, biostability and fire safety. The speed of construction of such housing is lower than when using SIP panels, but higher than that of block and log construction.

The high cost of metal is the main disadvantage of LSTK technology. The average cost of materials for the construction of 1 m2 of metal profile wall is about 2,400 rubles.

Concrete panels

Large expanded clay concrete panels are rarely used these days. main reason low demand – minimal choice of sizes and planning solutions.

Expanded clay concrete wall panel

However, they can be used to build a new house faster compared to using brick, timber or cellular blocks (the price of 1 m2 of a 34 cm thick panel does not exceed 1,300 rubles). To this price you need to add the cost of insulation (150-200 rubles per 1m2). Without it, the wall will not meet modern thermal standards.

To summarize our review, we will give brief practical recommendations.

1. The most popular budget options for low-rise construction include gas and foam blocks, expanded clay concrete blocks and wooden frames.

Ceramic blocks, which were included in the category of expensive materials, have fallen in price today in most regions of Russia. Therefore, we will also classify them as budget solutions for private construction. Excellent thermal insulation qualities, impeccable environmental friendliness, a large selection of standard sizes - all these positive qualities of ceramic blocks deserve your attention.

2. Arbolite blocks occupy a higher price level. The house they make is warm and durable. It creates a comfortable microclimate and comfortable acoustics. The disadvantages of wood concrete include the dependence of quality on the production capabilities of a particular manufacturer. Not all companies producing this material use high-quality wood chips, adding a large amount of sawdust and substandard woodworking waste to the feedstock.

3. Teplosten and LSTK blocks are attractive at first glance. Houses from them are built quickly and inexpensively. At the same time, many developers have reasonable doubts about their reliability and environmental friendliness, which does not have the best effect on the popularity of these materials.

4. Installation of a house from SIP panels can rightfully be called the fastest and most budget option. It is difficult to classify these designs into the category of popular solutions, since there are serious doubts about their environmental friendliness and reliability.

5. Logs and profiled beams, as a first approximation, look quite inexpensive. However, here you need to take into account the additional costs of insulation and regular antiseptic treatment of the walls. In addition, the quality of log houses greatly depends on the quality of the material used and the qualifications of the installers. The main advantages of rounded logs and profiled timber are environmental friendliness and aesthetics.

6. Glued laminated timber - elite construction material. Beautiful and eco-friendly houses are built from it, which cannot be classified as budget ones. The absence of shrinkage and high assembly speed please developers who choose this option.

Concluding our review, we note that when searching for the best option for building a new home, you need to:

• Find out the availability and price of the material you like in your region.
• Study reviews of owners of houses built from it.
• Get as much information as possible about suppliers, manufacturers and contractors offering construction services from the material you are going to buy.
• Visit construction exhibitions in your region, production workshops and facilities under construction. Here you will receive valuable and objective information “first-hand”.

Depending on whether bricks, blocks or wood are used for construction, a private house may differ not only in quality, but also in price. If a person with average income makes a choice in favor of a brick house, then he should keep in mind that other modern materials used for construction have higher heat retention rates. In this case there will be a clear overrun Money on .

Regardless of the material used for the walls, cement or cement blocks are used for the foundation. Only their number and amount of expenditure varies, depending on what material the house is supposed to be built from and how light it will be to determine the thickness and depth of the foundation.

The same can be said about the roof. The composition of the roof is selected depending on the requirements for heat conservation indicators.

The best material for building a house

Wood can be considered the best building material for a private house. But even this advantage will not be a key argument for people who have insufficient funds. Unfortunately, materials with high levels of environmental friendliness cannot yet be called universally available to residents of Russia.

Wood as a material has many advantages, but the main one is its high cost. For a person with an average income, building housing from such material is in most cases unaffordable.

When describing modern materials, one cannot help but remember that residents of some settlements use exclusively environmentally friendly materials for building houses (straw, clay, hay). But these options can be considered more exotic and less common in Russia.

If you use the option of block construction, then the insulation will be the same as for a brick wall - expensive, but the material itself will be cheaper, so a private house made of blocks is the most profitable in recalculating the final costs.

In addition, during block construction, a private developer will significantly save on time costs. After all, laying blocks is much easier and faster than bricks.

The insulation for a frame house is mineral wool or monolithic foam concrete. This is a good budget option for a person with limited financial resources. More expensive option insulation can be “Ecowool”. In some cases, polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam is used. On the outside, the insulation is covered with cement-bonded particle board (CSP), particle-cement board (CCP), plywood or OSB.

Facade plaster or siding is needed for cladding or cladding at the last stage of construction. Considering the lightweight construction of the house frame, we can conclude that economical use cement for building the foundation. Therefore for budget option When constructing a private house, it is most profitable to choose frame technology.

Traditional brick or warm ceramics, aerated concrete or wood concrete, timber or frame technology - which material is better to build a house from? Any novice developer, when choosing a building material, is faced with conflicting information. Making the optimal decision is not an easy task. We will try to narrow the scope of the search by selecting the most practical and cost-effective options.

What to consider when choosing a material

The importance of choosing building materials for external walls is difficult to overestimate. To understand what kind of house to build, experts recommend deciding on the following points:

• type of housing – short-term visits or permanent residence;
• requirements for the strength and environmental friendliness of wall material;
• expected date of occupancy;
• heating method;
• construction budget and labor intensity of the process;
• availability of building materials in the region;
• Is it possible that the house will be sold in the future?

There is no universal answer to the question of which material is best for building a private house. It all depends on the project, climate, characteristics of the region of residence and personal preferences of the owner of the site.

Basic requirements for technological properties of materials:

• good thermal protection - heating a house with cold walls will be very expensive;
• fire safety;
• durability;
• soundproofing qualities.

An important factor in the choice is the final strength of the structural elements. The walls must withstand the weight of the roof, ceilings, wind and snow loads.

Comparison of materials for building a house: qualitative assessment

To understand in what situation one or another solution would be preferable, let’s compare the technical and operational qualities of modern materials for the construction of a private house.

Brick - reliability and high cost

Despite the development of innovative technologies, brick houses retain their leadership position. The main arguments in favor of traditional material:

• excellent noise insulation performance;
• fire and environmental safety;
• prestige, aesthetics and wide architectural possibilities;
• ensuring a healthy microclimate in the room.

Brick is the most durable material for building a house. The service life of the building reaches up to 100 years.

If everything is so good, then why experiment and develop new technologies? Brick also has disadvantages:

• the need to build a solid foundation due to the weight of brick walls;
• high cost and duration of construction;
• high labor intensity and seasonality of construction work.

Ceramic brick has a fairly high thermal conductivity. To achieve effective thermal insulation, it is necessary to resort to additional insulation.

Deprived of the last drawback ceramic block– porous ceramics. Due to the smallest air pores, the material retains heat well. An additional advantage is the increased dimensions and accelerated process masonry The downside of warm ceramics is fragility. When chipping a wall, you can split the block.

Characteristics of foam and aerated concrete blocks

One of the options for how to build a warm and economical house is the use of gas and foam concrete. The thermal insulation characteristics of a wall in one layer correspond to the properties of multi-layer brickwork. The thermal efficiency of blocks is three times higher than that of bricks.

Both materials have similar characteristics, their main difference is in the internal structure. Aerated blocks are made from a homogeneous sand-cement mixture. When a blowing agent is added, small through channels are formed inside the block.

In foam blocks, on the contrary, closed pores are formed inside the material. This technology gives foam blocks some advantages over gas blocks:

• improved energy efficiency properties;
• reduced weight;
• not susceptible to moisture.

Weighty arguments in favor of both building materials: relative availability, fire and biological resistance, lightness, ease of processing.

Disadvantages of block technology:

• fragility of walls;
• the need for external finishing;
• presence of chemical elements in the composition.

Pros and cons of a wooden house

Followers natural materials give preference to wood, focusing on the following advantages:

• environmental friendliness - the walls do not emit toxic substances hazardous to health and the environment;
• attractiveness – wooden buildings have a special charm;
• low thermal conductivity of wood;
• creating an optimal microclimate inside the house - wooden walls “breathe” and absorb excess moisture;
• strength - breaking through a wall made of logs or timber is not easy;
• the possibility of arranging a simple foundation is suitable.

A relative advantage is the cost of construction. In general, the construction of a wooden house will cost less than a brick house due to the absence of the need to finish the walls and strengthen the foundation.

However, wood cannot be called the cheapest material for building a house. The price largely depends on the region. For residents near forest plantations, it is more cost-effective to use wood; for others, the feasibility of construction is questionable. Main arguments against wood:

• the duration of wall shrinkage is about 3 years;
• fire hazard - fire-resistant liquids partially help reduce the flammability of the material, but do not completely solve the problem;
• the likelihood of cracks;
• the need for regular protective treatment wooden walls from rotting and insect attacks.

Many wood critics speak negatively about the thermal efficiency of homes. The presence of cracks negates the thermal conductivity of wood. The building needs sealing and additional insulation.

Features of the use of wood concrete

The second name of wood concrete is woodconcrete. The material is made from cement binder and organic fillers - wood processing waste. This symbiosis has awarded wood concrete blocks a number of technical advantages:

• low thermal conductivity (up to 0.18 W/m) and good sound suppression properties;
• bending strength – wood concrete does not crack;
• the material is difficult to ignite and slightly flammable, smoke formation is low;
• ease of processing - the slabs can be sawn;
• breathability, rot resistance;
• low weight - the weight ratio of wood concrete and brick is 1:3, the requirements for the foundation are reduced.

When thinking about what to choose - wood concrete or another material, you need to take into account the climate of the region. The key to the durability of wood concrete is ensuring dryness. The basement of the house needs additional waterproofing.

In conditions of constant humidity wood concrete block capable of absorbing 40-80% of moisture from the outside, which reduces it thermal insulation properties.

Additional disadvantages of wood concrete: imperfect block geometry and high cost quality material. Due to the ease of manufacture, the market is overflowing with privately produced products, the quality of which does not always meet the standards.

Monolith and concrete blocks

Concrete is considered stronger and more durable than brick. There are two technologies for building a house:

• one-piece structure made of monolithic concrete;
• prefabricated structure made from prefabricated reinforced concrete panels.

Cast concrete. Quite a complex technology: the frame of the house is built from reinforcement and gradually poured liquid concrete. As the solution dries, the formwork is removed and moved to another pouring area.

Advantages of monolithic technology:

• reliability - the strength of the building is explained by the absence of seams, a cast house is the best option for seismically active areas;
• durability – service life more than 150 years;
• fire resistance - the walls of the house are not destroyed in a fire;
• variability of forms - by building the formwork, you can give the structure any configuration.

Disadvantages of monolithic buildings: high cost, the need to strengthen the foundation, the difficulty of creating high formwork, demands on the quality of concrete.

Prefabricated panels. This is an option for those looking for a home-like way. Ready-made concrete panels are transported to the site and a structure is formed from them.

The main advantages of the method: speed of construction, ideal geometry, affordable cost, fire safety.

In private housing construction, the method is not particularly popular for a number of reasons: the slabs are produced in standard sizes - the choice of projects is limited, concrete walls need insulation.

Frame technology - cost-effectiveness and speed of construction

For many Europeans and Americans, the question of what material is best to build a house from is not so relevant. Most people prefer frame technology.

The basis of the building is wooden frame, which is subsequently covered with thermal insulation boards. The method has a number of significant advantages:

• speed of construction and ability to perform work all year round– there are no “wet” processes;
• ease of construction - build small house you can do it yourself without using special equipment;
• ease of construction - the frame does not require a powerful foundation;
• convenience of laying communications - water pipes, ventilation ducts and electrical cables can be laid in the cavities of walls and ceilings;
• good thermal insulation - if construction standards are observed and high-quality components are used, they are energy-intensive.

With a standard wall thickness of 30 cm, the frame retains heat, just like brick house with a wall thickness of 50 cm.

An important and sometimes decisive factor in favor of frame technology is the low construction budget. Prefabricated houses are the most affordable and very economical to operate in winter due to the effective thermal insulation of the walls.

Frame houses are demanding on the quality of wood for the construction of the supporting structure. Compared to brick buildings, they have a lower level of sound insulation.

When is the best time to build? frame house? The popularity of framers among compatriots is increasing. Previously prejudiced attitudes have changed - many personal experience convinced of the practicality and heat capacity of housing. Such houses are versatile and cost-effective; their construction is justified in different climatic regions.

Alternative building materials for a private home

In some regions, in addition to the technologies described above, non-standard solutions are used:

1. Adobe. The building material is popular in Central Asia. Adobe is made from a mixture of scrap and clay. The material keeps you cool in summer and keeps you warm in winter, but is not particularly durable and is afraid of water. Adobe houses Suitable only for dry climates; the material cannot be used in conditions of prolonged rainy autumn and harsh winters.
2. Natural stone. The choice of lovers of antique style and all things natural. Building a house from stone is an expensive proposition. Such a structure will stand for more than a century.
3. cinder block. A compressed block of filler – slag and binder – cement. Cinder block is a cheap alternative to brick, a building material popular in the construction of outbuildings and country houses. The environmental safety of pressed blocks is questionable, so they are not recommended for the construction of residential buildings.

What kind of house to build: profitability scale

If we compare the cost of building houses from different materials and compare the upcoming maintenance costs, the rating will look like this:

• 1 place. Frame house. The estimated cost of construction is 180 USD. e./sq. m, heating and house maintenance costs are minimal.
• 2nd place. Wooden beam without insulation. The approximate cost of construction is 200 USD. e./sq. m, but heating costs are doubled, which means heating bills increase.
• 3 place. Aerated concrete with insulation. The cost of building a house is 320 USD. e./sq. m. Heating costs increase by a quarter compared to a frame house.
• 4th place. Brick, double masonry. The issue price is about 400 USD. e./sq. m. Operating a house in winter will cost three times more than maintaining a frame structure.

Potential developers often doubt whether it is worth building a frame house or whether it is better to resort to traditional technologies. Many years of foreign experience, profitability indicators and positive reviews compatriots speak in favor of frame buildings. In many respects they are ahead of brick, wood and concrete houses.

Video: comparison of wall materials

To make external and internal walls of the house you can use different materials. All of them differ in technical and operational characteristics. Since the choice of material for the walls determines not only the strength and durability of the home, but also the degree of its sound and heat insulation, ease of finishing and the cost of maintaining the house, it is very important to know which materials are best to build a house from. It’s worth noting right away that there is no universal material for wall mounting that can definitely be called the best. Each of them has pros and cons and they are good in certain conditions for different buildings price range and appointments. Our article will help you choose the best building material for your home.

Factors to consider

Since the cost of arranging the walls of a house takes up ¼ of all construction costs, it is very important to correctly decide where it is better to build a house. If you choose the wrong material for building a house, you may end up with serious expenses in the future. That is why, when deciding which material to choose for construction, it is worth considering the following factors:

1. Price aspect. The costs of installing walls can be reduced if you use lightweight building materials. By choosing such products, you reduce the weight of the entire house, so you can build a lightweight foundation.
2. Thermal insulation properties. Heating a building with cold walls will be too expensive. That is why, having decided to build a country house, it is worth calculating the wall structure taking into account local climatic conditions. In some cases, a good thermal insulation effect can be obtained by using insulation, but this entails additional costs. If you make a country house from a material with good thermal insulation qualities, you can do without additional insulation.
3. A house built from small wall materials (bricks) will cost more and will take longer to build. Masonry from large blocks is faster (3-4 times) and will cost less. The fastest way to build a house is using frame-panel technology.
4. When deciding what is the best way to build a house, it is worth taking into account the costs of finishing the walls. Modern materials make it possible to obtain a beautiful smooth wall surface that does not require additional finishing. You can save a lot of money on this.

Material selection

• Traditional brick most often used for home. Moreover, the entire brick can be divided into individual species: silicate, ceramic, ordinary and facing.
• In Europe they believe that best material for building a house - this is a ceramic block. This material has also appeared on our market, but they do not build from it so often.
• The warmest house made of gas blocks. This modern material appreciated by private developers.
• A house built from wood is still popular today. In many regions of our country, when deciding where to build a house, owners choose wood.

Let's consider the features, advantages and disadvantages of each material.

Brick

If you ask what material is best to build a house from, many people will answer brick. This traditional building material is divided into two types:

• Ceramic brick red, made from red baked clay. This is a very durable environmentally friendly material that is not afraid of frost and moisture. Ceramic bricks are divided into hollow and solid. The thermal insulation characteristics of hollow products are higher.
• White sand-lime brick made from a mixture of sand, lime and special additives. It can also be hollow or solid. The thermal insulation characteristics of a silicate product are lower than those of its ceramic counterpart, but its sound insulation properties are higher.

The cheapest way to lay walls is to use ordinary bricks. Externally, such products do not look very good, since they may have chips, cracks and small irregularities, but this does not affect the strength of the elements. But the exterior decoration of walls is best done from facing bricks. Facial products have an impeccable appearance, correct geometric shape, and there are no defects or cracks on the surface. There is a large selection of colors and surface textures of facing bricks.

Specifications

When choosing what material to build a house from, you should take into account its strength. The strength of a brick is indicated by its grade, which can be in the range of 75-300. The brand characterizes the load that a square centimeter of a product can withstand. The higher the grade and strength of the brick, the higher its specific gravity.

Important: to build a two- or three-story residential building, it is better to use grade 100 or 125 brick. To lay the base or plinth, it is worth taking more than durable products with grade 150 or 175.

It is equally important when choosing a material to take into account its frost resistance. This is the ability of a product to withstand alternating cycles of freezing and thawing without reducing strength by no more than 20% and obtaining visible defects. The frost resistance of bricks is indicated by the letter F and can be in the range of 15-100 cycles. For the construction of houses in warm regions, you can use products with a frost resistance of 15; for cold regions, F 25 brick is suitable. For cladding, it is better to use products with a frost resistance of 50.

Advantages and disadvantages

Thanks to the following advantages, you can choose brick:

1. The material has an attractive appearance.
2. The durability of the structure is an additional plus in its favor.
3. This material is suitable for the implementation of the most complex architectural projects.
4. Brick is not susceptible to damage by mold, fungi, or insects. It is not subject to corrosion and does not burn.
5. Brick walls protect the premises well from noise from the street.

The disadvantages of brick include the following:

1. The product has a high specific weight, which makes it difficult to transport and install.
2. Brickwork is done rather slowly due to the small size of the bricks and is relatively expensive.
3. Under brick walls it is necessary to equip a capital buried foundation.
4. Brick retains heat in a room relatively well, but in most cases the walls need to be additionally insulated.

Ceramic block

The choice of material for building a house in Europe often falls on ceramic block. These products are made from a mixture of clay and sawdust and are fired in a kiln. After combustion of sawdust, isolated voids are formed, which increase the thermal insulation properties of the material. The dimensions of the ceramic block make it possible to speed up the pace of construction, and a house built from this material will last for a century and a half. In addition, blocks can be used to build multi-story houses. There are grooves and ridges on the side surface of the blocks for hermetically sealed joining of elements without mortar. Inside, each block has voids that reduce its thermal conductivity.

Specifications

The height of the ceramic block is designed so that it can easily fit with brickwork, therefore, construction from this material can be carried out according to standard project, designed for brick. The remaining sizes of ceramic blocks may be different, but in any case their weight is much less than that of brick. For example: one block measuring 500x238x248 mm weighs only 25 kg. It is equal to a masonry of 15 bricks, each weighing 3.3 kg (15x3.3 = 49.5 kg). In addition, laying one block is faster and easier, and much less mortar is needed.

Dimensions of ceramic blocks:

• long side with lock – from 250 to 510 mm;
• The width is 230 mm, 240 mm, 250 mm.

To lay load-bearing walls, a block with a long side of at least 300 mm is used. In this case, a wall with a thickness of 380 mm or more made of ceramic block does not need to be insulated. The thermal conductivity of a ceramic block can be in the range of 0.14-0.29. Thick blocks with a long side ranging from 380-500 mm have a strength grade of at least 100. If you need to perform more thin walls with high strength, then you can take a block with grade 150.

Advantages and disadvantages

If you are deciding what is the best way to build a house, then you should pay attention to the ceramic block, which has many advantages:

1. Since one element has low weight and sufficiently high strength with significant dimensions, even a multi-story building can be erected from this material in a short time.
2. Vertical seams with grooves are joined without mortar, so when making masonry, cement mortar is noticeably saved in comparison with traditional brickwork.
3. The high degree of frost resistance significantly expands the scope of use of this material.
4. Good fire resistance - the block can resist burning for 4 hours.
5. The porous structure contributes to the high heat and sound insulation characteristics of the material.
6. Walls made of ceramic blocks create a comfortable indoor microclimate for humans.
7. The thermal insulation qualities of the house do not decrease throughout its entire service life, which can reach up to 150 years.

Despite such a large list of advantages, ceramic blocks also have their disadvantages:

1. Since this material is relatively new in our country, it is quite difficult to find a specialist who can perform high-quality masonry.
2. These products themselves are quite fragile, so they must be handled very carefully during storage and transportation.

Aerated concrete

If you are looking for materials for the construction of a private house that retain heat well in the house, then aerated concrete is exactly what you need. A wall 30-40 cm thick made of aerated blocks does not need insulation. In addition, the material resists rot, humidity and temperature fluctuations in the room. It is quite durable.

The block is easily cut with a hacksaw and installed without the use of special equipment. Thanks to flat surface block walls do not need to be leveled before finishing. The significant size of the material and its lightness significantly speed up the construction process.

Specifications

• The density of aerated concrete is in the range of 350-1200 kg/m³.
• Weight of one block standard sizes(60x25x20 cm) – 18 kg.
• For the construction of walls, products of brands from D 500 to D are suitable

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of gas blocks:

1. The laying speed is 9 times higher than that of brick.
2. Smooth surface of walls that do not need leveling.
3. Good compressive strength.
4. Low thermal conductivity.
5. Fire resistance.
6. High frost resistance and good vapor permeability.

Disadvantages of aerated concrete:

1. Low bending strength.
2. The material is susceptible to cracking.
3. The products are hygroscopic, so they must be well protected from moisture.

Wood

Since ancient times, people have associated wooden houses with comfort and coziness. And this is no coincidence, because in wooden house a special microclimate that is optimal for people is created. This house is comfortable in summer and winter. You will spend less money on heating a wooden house than on a brick house.

Important: for construction wooden house you can use laminated veneer lumber or logs.

Advantages of wood:

1. Environmentally friendly material.
2. The cost of a wooden structure is lower than that of a brick building.
3. The thermal conductivity of wood walls is lower than that of brick.
4. A house made of timber does not require external or internal finishing.
5. You can build a lightweight, inexpensive foundation.
6. Impressive service life.

Flaws:

1. Susceptibility to rot, damage by insects and flammability of the material.
2. Long-term shrinkage.
3. Possibility of cracking.