Traditional brick or warm ceramics, aerated concrete or wood concrete, timber or frame technology– What material is better to build a house from? Any novice developer, when choosing a building material, is faced with conflicting information. Accept optimal solution- 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 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– use of gas and foam concrete. The thermal insulation characteristics of a wall in one layer correspond to the properties of a multilayer wall 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;
• creation inside the house optimal microclimate– walls made of wood “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, an arbolite block is capable of absorbing 40-80% of moisture from the outside, which reduces its 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. The technology is quite complex: the frame of the house is built from reinforcement and gradually filled with 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 - 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.

At standard thickness walls are 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 more low level soundproofing.

When is the best time to build a 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 are only suitable for dry climates; the material cannot be used in conditions of long, rainy autumns 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. Estimated cost construction – 180 USD e./sq. m, heating and house maintenance costs are minimal.
• 2nd place. Wooden beams without insulation. approximate price buildings - 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 asking price is about 400 USD. e./sq. m. House operation in winter period 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 from compatriots speak in favor of frame buildings. In many respects they are ahead of brick, wood and concrete houses.

Video: comparison of wall materials

An individual developer is necessarily faced with the issue of choosing the optimal material for the construction of a residential property. The choice of building materials for walls takes into account climatic features, relief nuances, financial opportunities, etc. There is no single formula for this. All materials for construction have different strengths, require the use of unique construction technology, and do not have the same levels of thermal conductivity.

What determines the choice of material for a home?

The construction of walls accounts for a quarter of all costs of building a house. A careless attitude to the choice of material will entail additional subsequent expenses. Therefore, it is worth considering and considering all important criteria and factors when choosing best material for the construction of house walls:

Labor costs. For example, the cost of time and effort is reduced if you build a house from panel blocks, rather than from bricks and other small elements. Modern panel houses can be done several times faster, especially if it frame structures.

Thermal insulating properties of the material. When choosing a deliberately cold material for walls, the developer will pay a high price in winter for such a reckless step. The owner will also have to deal with insulating the outside walls of the house. When calculating this indicator, current climatic conditions are taken into account.

Price issue. If you give preference to a durable and lightweight version of the material for the walls, then you can save on the construction of a powerful foundation, which is expensive to build.

Taking into account also the subsequent costs of Finishing work. Today there are smooth materials for modern walls that do not require finishing.

A log house is one of the options for walls that do not require finishing

Types of wall materials

The building materials market offers a wide choice various options to build the walls of your home. There are several types of bricks alone: ​​silicate, clinker, ceramic, fireclay. And wood has been one of the most popular and sought-after building materials for many years. The cost of such raw materials depends on the type of wood (pine, oak, birch, cedar) and the type of material (logs, boards, beams). A very popular and more economical option are different kinds blocks: foam blocks, ceramic blocks, thermoblocks, lightweight concrete blocks, etc. In Europe, for example, houses are most often built using the frame method, which is very fast and inexpensive. About 70% of the private housing stock in Europe is occupied by frame building construction technology. Builders also note the cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency of SIP panels.

Let's consider the main types of materials:

Log houses and log houses

A log house is an object made from cut trunks of a solid tree. Work such as cutting corners, adjusting joints and grooves is always done manually.

Such houses look presentable, well built and have many advantages:

Architectural version of a log house

The disadvantages of log buildings include:

House made of timber

Glued or profiled timber is cheaper construction material for the walls of the house, which is in great demand today.

Advantages of timber:

In addition, such material is relatively inexpensive.

However, timber:

They say that similar structure can be built alone with certain knowledge and skills. But its construction scheme is more complex and ornate than, for example, a brick one.

Frame house under construction

All the benefits frame houses:

The disadvantages of frame structures include:

Resonance of walls and ceilings;

The need to have a competent construction project, which will contain all the drawings and diagrams of fasteners and components.

The disadvantages of such houses can also be attributed to the conservative mentality of our citizens, who look at frame structures with caution, considering them unreliable.

SIP panels

Canada and America have been actively using frame-panel technologies in construction for more than half a century. In our country this method is not yet so popular. A SIP panel is a three-layer building material made from two layers of OSB and internal polystyrene foam insulation.

This is what a SIP panel looks like

Advantages of SIP panels:

In addition, SIP panels are an environmentally friendly building material.

This is what a house built from SIP panels without façade finishing looks like

Its disadvantages include the following aspects (of which, by the way, there are many):

Brick walls

Brick is the most common and most affordable material for building exterior walls of a house. It is usually made from clay and is enhanced with various impurities. All the advantages of brick:

The disadvantages of building materials include:

Expanded clay blocks

Ceramic blocks are made from red clay, just like bricks. But the blocks differ from them in their larger dimensions. This option for constructing walls from ceramic blocks is very similar to the technology for constructing brick houses.

Pros of ceramic blocks:

The disadvantages of ceramic blocks include:

Let’s immediately make a reservation that in this article we will not consider exotic building materials, such as adobe brick, reed or felt. Let's talk about materials traditionally used in Russia and most other countries for building houses. There are quite a lot of them (and new ones are constantly appearing), however, they are all some variation on the theme of wood, stone or concrete.

The traditional debate about which walls are “warm” and which are not, in our opinion, has already lost relevance: on the one hand, there are now so many effective thermal insulation technologies that it is possible to make any wall “warm”; on the other hand, even the “warmest” wall, made in a “clunky way”, will produce only drafts instead of warmth. Therefore, we believe that one of the most important qualities that the best material for building a house should have is its weight. The more massive the walls of the house, the stronger they are and the greater the load they can withstand. But the foundations in such a structure must have a high load-bearing capacity, which significantly increases the cost of construction (the cost of the foundation can reach up to 30% of the cost of the entire house!)

Wooden houses

The “lightest” types of houses are frame-panel and panel. Their walls and partitions consist of wooden frame, upholstered with wooden panels, between which there is a layer thermal insulation material. The difference between them is that the walls frame house are built “on site”, and panel ones are built in the form of panels at the factory. The advantages of such houses are: speed of construction (professional teams spend about 3 weeks on assembling a frame house, a panel house can be assembled in a few days), the possibility of using easy-to-install weak-bearing foundations, and, consequently, a significant reduction in the cost of the structure. Disadvantages: weak strength and load-bearing capacity (it is allowed to build up to two floors with an attic), fragility (the guaranteed service life of such houses is approximately 20-25 years, although in reality a well-built house lasts 50-60 years without repair - there are examples). In addition, in Russia to frame-panel technologies They are still somewhat wary, although in Europe and America this is one of the most common houses, so wooden panels may well act as the best material for building a house, subject to certain design limitations.

Next in weight are wooden log houses, either from round logs (manual or mechanical cylinders) or from rectangular timber. Their advantages: ease of construction, average cost, the possibility of using inexpensive foundations, increased compared to frame houses, strength and durability (40-50 years minimum). The disadvantages are the following: log houses are subject to shrinkage, so it is impossible to build such a house within one season; As a result of shrinkage, cracks are formed, so log houses require mandatory caulking; increased fire hazard of the material, requiring the use additional measures protection; the most important thing is the direct dependence of the quality of the material on its price. Inexpensive hand-fed log houses are usually made of low quality wood, with numerous cracks, and logs and beams good quality, as a rule, roads.

Houses made of stone and concrete

Recently, houses made from various kinds concrete derivatives: foam concrete, polystyrene concrete, etc. These materials are quite light (compared to ordinary concrete), non-flammable, have good heat and sound insulation, are easy to install and also claim to be the best material for building a house. One of the disadvantages is the fragility of the material, which does not allow building higher than two floors. There are problems with interior decoration– the “softness” of the material forces us to make various kinds of additional “false walls”. In addition, buildings made from these materials require the immediate installation of insulated facades, otherwise unprotected walls begin to quickly collapse.

A brief description and description of the main pros and cons will be made between country houses from the following materials:

• bricks;
• sawn shell rock;
• foam blocks;
• gas blocks;
• reinforced concrete on fixed formwork;
• timber or rounded logs.

Suburban housing made of bricks

To build a brick house, you need a solid foundation, either a deep-seated type or a slab type. This is due to the heavy load of the entire structure. The load primarily depends on the weight of the building, and masonry bricks easy language won't dare to name it. 1 cube of brick weighs on average 1200-1800 kg. To make it more clear, 5 square meters walls 25 cm thick will weigh about 2 tons. Considering that a massive foundation is required, the financial costs of construction increase sharply.

Brick is the smallest masonry material in its technological range. If, for example, you compare it with shell rock or foam block. Based on this, for masonry load-bearing walls a significant amount of binder will be required, that is, cement-sand mortar. This also entails considerable financial costs.

The cost of masonry is a very relative indicator, since everything depends on the desired result. For example, you can save money and buy grade 2 brick. Considering that the brick initially has discrepancies and slight unevenness, you can order dirty masonry from the construction team and in this case save a little. The result is load-bearing walls that require mandatory plastering. This is where the catch lies, the money saved on grade 2 brick and dirty masonry will be spent entirely on plastering work.

Brick houses have good heat and sound insulation, good strength

The second option, when purchasing a brick premium and order clean masonry from specialists for jointing. Initially, more money is spent than in the first case, but the result is load-bearing walls that do not require external façade finishing at all. Plaster is used only to finish the inner surface of the walls.

At first glance, it may seem that brick construction is a very expensive undertaking. However, a brick house has its own number of positive qualities. Not bad, but not the best better thermal insulation and sound insulation, good seismic resistance, high strength and long service life of the structure, about 100 years or more.

Attention! Considering the high strength of the main walls, absolutely any type of roof can be mounted on them, based on this, you can already try to save on roofing material.

Houses made of sawn shell rock (boiler)

Building a house from sawn shell rock (boiler) is not available in every region. The main quarries and mines where kotelets are mined are located in the southern regions. According to its structure, the cauldron is a stone with the correct rectangular shape, dimensions 39x19x20 cm. The structure of the stone is relatively porous, but the cauldron has fairly good strength and low thermal conductivity.

To build a house from a boiler, just as in the case of brick, you need a good solid foundation. Therefore, when choosing this material, we advise you to immediately calculate the costs of pouring a monolithic reinforced concrete foundation.

Considering that the cauldron is almost 3.5-4 times larger in volume than a brick, masonry from it will require much less cement-sand mortar. Here the cauldron outperforms brick, however, the walls made of sawn shell rock will have to be plastered. The option with fine classic masonry from a boiler is not very suitable for residential buildings. Clean masonry with jointing from the boiler can only be used for the construction of non-residential buildings, for example, a garage or a fence.

Load-bearing walls made from cauldrons are “warm”, have good sound insulation, below average waterproofing and excellent strength. Koteltsov walls, like brick walls, have high strength and seismic resistance, which allows them to be used for roofing of any design, type and from any materials.

Country house made of foam blocks

Load-bearing walls country house of foam blocks are the warmest when compared among masonry stones. The thermal conductivity of a foam block is only 0.2 - 0.4 W/ (m*K), and for example, for the same brick, it is about 0.8 W/ (m*K). The lower the thermal conductivity index, the less cold penetrates into the home in winter at sub-zero temperatures.

In terms of cost, a foam block is approximately 2 times cheaper than a brick and 1.5 times cheaper than a boiler, if you compare the price per 1 m / cubic meter. At the same time, even less masonry binder mortar is required for the construction of walls than when using a cauldron. This is due to the large dimensions of the foam blocks (20x30x60 cm). As a binding solution for foam blocks, not a cement-sand mortar is used, but an adhesive mass, which makes it possible to obtain a thin seam between adjacent stones with a thickness of only 5 mm.

To build permanent walls from foam blocks, it is not at all necessary to make a massive foundation. Yes, the foundation must be solid and made of reinforced concrete, but the foundation strip can be laid only 90-100 cm, that is, below the freezing point of the soil for middle zone. This is explained by the fact that the foam block is lightweight compared to brick. 1 m/cube of foam blocks weighs about 600 kg.

Any medal has back side, foam block is no exception. Although it has good thermal insulation and sound insulation, this stone has poor waterproofing. The structure of the foam block is very porous, not that it allows water to pass through, but it absorbs moisture like a sponge. Due to poor quality, the walls of a country house made of foam blocks must be plastered, after which in most cases they are puttied with waterproof embossed facade putty.

There is one more drawback worth mentioning. Compared to brick or cauldron main walls, walls made of foam blocks have less strength. That is, in general, the building turns out to be earthquake-resistant and durable, but the choice of design and materials for the manufacture of the roof is limited.

Advice. Most often, on cottages, foam blocks are used to make a lightweight roof made of metal tiles or flexible bitumen tiles. You will have to forget about classic ceramic tiles forever.

Country cottage made of aerated blocks

Gas block is the same masonry stone as foam block. The thermal conductivity of an aerated block is approximately 0.2 W/ (m*K), which also does not emit this masonry material. In general, the gas block is as good in thermal insulation and sound insulation qualities as the foam block, but the gas block has greater strength and better waterproofing.

A house made of aerated blocks is stronger and more resistant to moisture than one made of foam blocks

The whole point lies in the difference in the composition of masonry materials. Foam blocks are made from cement, sand and water, and aluminum powder is used as a foaming agent, which, when reacted with water (H2O) and oxygen (O2), produces a reaction in the form of a huge number of oxygen bubbles. These bubbles form the porous structure of the foam block. Two more components were introduced into the composition of the aerated block: quartz sand, which increases the strength of the structure, and lime, which increases the strength of the connection of particles of ordinary and quartz sand in the structure.

Considering the increased strength of the material, almost any type of roof can be mounted on load-bearing walls made of aerated blocks, and external walls do not need to be plastered cement-sand mortar, and just putty with façade waterproof putty. There is only one downside to aerated blocks - their high price compared to foam blocks.

Country house made of reinforced concrete on permanent formwork

The construction technology is relatively new, no more than 15 years old. The construction technology is as follows. On the surface of the manufactured strip foundation permanent formwork is installed, consisting of two sheets of dense polystyrene foam (foam). No supports or spacers are required for the formwork. The distance of 20 cm between two parallel sheets of polystyrene foam is set by special plastic holders that are fixed to the sheets.

The height of the foam sheets is no more than 25 cm. Having thus installed the formwork around the entire perimeter, it is reinforced by passing reinforcement or reinforcing cages between the foam sheets and the entire formwork is filled with liquid concrete. After this, they begin to install the second row of formwork, etc. In one day, 2-3 rows of formwork are poured with concrete in this way.

The advantage of this technology is that the walls are the strongest, which is important for areas located in an unstable seismic zone. In addition, the construction period is record-breaking. The walls of an ordinary one-story country house are raised in 7-9 working days. Another advantage is that the process of manufacturing load-bearing walls occurs in parallel with their internal and external insulation.

Attention! The disadvantage of construction technology using permanent formwork is the high cost of expensive materials. liquid concrete and reinforcing elements.

Country houses made of timber or rounded logs

To build a house from timber, timber with a section of 100x150 mm or 150x150 mm is mainly used. And for the construction of a house from rounded logs, logs with a diameter of 15 to 25 cm are used. It must be said right away that construction wooden house Compared to housing made from any of the stones described above, it is much cheaper.

Houses made of timber require mandatory regular moisture treatment

Savings start from the very beginning, that is, from the foundation. For a wooden country house it is not at all necessary to make reinforced concrete foundation, it is quite possible to get by with the manufacture of a pile-screw or columnar type of foundation. The installation of walls itself also does not imply the use of any binder mortar or glue. The beams are fastened together in the wall structure using dowels, and walls made of rounded logs are mounted using chopped or sawn cups.

The catch with such cheap and environmentally friendly walls lies in their increased vulnerability to moisture. And if there are a huge number of ways to protect the same walls made of foam blocks from moisture, for example, plaster, putty, etc., then to protect wood from rotting there is only a small set of liquid emulsions with which it is necessary to impregnate the wood before the construction of load-bearing walls begins . Another disadvantage of wooden housing is the increased risk of fire, which will require you to fork out a lot when installing electrical wiring, which is subject to higher requirements than when building stone walls.

We do not have the right to specifically recommend or impose this or that building material or technology. Everyone chooses according to their personal preferences and based on their own financial capabilities. In this article we have tried only to give brief description various construction technologies, and you decide for yourself what is more promising for you.

What material is better to build a house from - video