Arbolit - reviews. Arbolite: composition, manufacture. House of Arbolit

About many modern materials that appeared on the market very recently, there are quite positive reviews. Arbolite, belonging to the group of lightweight concrete, is included in their number. It is used mainly for the erection of walls and partitions. Although arbolite is considered a new material, houses were built from it back in the 60s. However, then he was not very popular. The fact is that private housing construction in the USSR was not developed very well. For large-scale construction, completely different materials were used. The arbolite was developed not in our country, but in the Netherlands, in the 30s. The first blocks were called dyurisol.

Of what do arbolite

The composition of the arbolite includes such components as cement, water, chemical additives and organic filler. As the last, wood chips, sawdust, rice straw, rush of reeds, etc. can be used. In the production of blocks and the erection of monolithic arbolite walls, portland cement of high grades is used. As chemical additives, nitrate and calcium chloride or liquid glass are used.

Most often the filler in the mixture is wood shavings. Therefore, arbolite is also sometimes called wood concrete. Sometimes, instead of chips, sawdust is taken. In this case, the sawdust is obtained. Such blocks have slightly worse performance than arbolite, manufactured using chips. First, they are denser and heavier, and secondly, they are more prone to deformations. However, there are also quite positive comments about them. Arbolitis of this variety, moreover, is somewhat cheaper.

Classification and characteristics of arbolit

At the moment there are only two main types of this material: heat-insulating (having a density of 400-500 kg / m3) and structural (500-850 kg / m3). Characteristics of arbolite made with the use of chips are as follows:

1. Flexural strength is 1 mPa.
2. The compression is 1Mpa.
3. The average density is 600-650kg / m3.
4. The degree of water absorption is 40% -85%.
5. Frost resistance - 50 cycles.
6. The thermal conductivity is 0.07-0.17 W / (m · K).
7. Shrinkage - 0,4% -0,5%.
8. Sound absorption - 126-2000 Hz.

Thus, the blocks from the arbolite simply perfectly absorb all the sounds coming from the street, keep the heat well and are strong enough both for compression and for bending. According to its performance characteristics, this material is close to foam concrete and is characterized by much lower weight and degree of thermal conductivity than the bulk of lightweight concrete.

Other names of arbolit

In our country, this material is not so long ago, but quite rightly deserved positive feedback. Arbolit abroad has been very popular for a long time. Blocks and panels of cement mixed with chips, sawdust and other types of organic filler are produced in many countries of Europe and America. Only they are called there in a slightly different way. So, in the Czech Republic it is pilateton, in Germany - duripanel, in Japan - chenter-boad, in Austria - bicycle, in the USA and Canada - woodstone.

Where to use

Arbolit found its application mainly in private low-rise construction. Blocks are made from it. Arbolite is also used for casting panels. Their sizes can be very different. Abroad, arbolite blocks and slabs are sometimes used for the construction of high-rise buildings, as well as various types of industrial facilities. Although it is not recommended to build a foundation of this material, it is sometimes used for this purpose. But not for residential buildings, but for garages and outbuildings.

Arbolitic mixture, among other things, is sometimes used as a heat insulator in frame houses. In addition, it is poured into the walls in the performance of the sludge masonry.

Advantages of the material and reviews about it

Judging by the reviews about the arbolite, its main advantage is considered to be excellent thermal insulation qualities. In addition, this material "breathes". Walls made of arbolite are able to absorb moisture from the air at its excess and give away at a disadvantage. That is, according to its main characteristics, this material resembles a tree. At the same time, it is absolutely devoid of such disadvantages as susceptibility to putrefaction and cracking. Unlike wood, this material does not lend itself to burning. Above all else, mold does not appear on the arbolite walls. Constructs of this material are produced quickly enough, because it is very easy to process. If necessary, the blocks can be drilled, sawed, clogged with nails and screwed with self-tapping screws. Since this material weighs very little, there is no need to erect a too powerful foundation.

Important for many owners of suburban areas is the fact that when transporting the arbolitic blocks or slabs do not need to worry about their safety. This material is highly resistant to shock loads. The undoubted advantage of the arbolite is its ecological purity. This material is completely safe for health.

The production of arbolite and its use in house building exerts its positive influence on the economy of the country as a whole. In the manufacture of mixtures, waste from the woodworking industry is not simply utilized, but used to its advantage. When building buildings from arbolite there is no need to use heavy special equipment, which ultimately leads to significant savings.

Disadvantages of the material

As already mentioned, there are mainly positive reviews about this material. Arbolit, however, is not without some drawbacks. This is, first of all, rather low indicators of strength and moisture resistance. To ensure that the walls of this material last longer, they must necessarily be plastered. At the same time, cement-sand mortars are usually used from the side of the premises, and cement-sand mortars from the street side, mixed with lime. Protected from the outside, the arbolite walls can also be other types of finishes. It is not recommended to use this material for the construction of baths and saunas. In any case, the humidity in the future room should not exceed 70-75%. The base of the house, whose walls will be made of arbolite, should be raised to a height of at least 50 cm from the surface of the blind area. The outcrops of roof overhangs should also extend beyond the plane of the building for at least half a meter.

Another disadvantage of the arbolite is its instability to the action of aggressive gases. It is worth mentioning about the rather high cost of this material.

Arbolite production

The process of manufacturing blocks includes several basic steps:

1. The selected shavings are pre-crushed and then sorted. In order to obtain a filler from particles of a certain size, it is passed through special sieves.
2. Next, the chips are dedusted.
3. Then the filler prepared in this way is mixed with cement, chemical additives and water.
4. The resulting solution is poured into molds. The latter are usually made of metal, because in this way it is possible to get absolutely smooth and smooth blocks.
5. In the forms, the mixture is compacted. For this, a vibropress is used.
6. The mixture is kept in the mold until it solidifies.
7. Before shipment to the construction site, the finished blocks are dried for at least two more weeks, until they gain sufficient strength.

How to make arbolitic blocks yourself

Making arbolita at home is a process that also requires compliance with certain technologies. Forms can be knocked down independently from thick boards. They should be collapsible. To prepare 1 m ^{3 of} mixture for 250-300 kg of 500th Portland cement, you need to take the same amount of chips, 400 liters of water and 2-4% of cement mass of chemical additives. Preliminary shavings should be carefully sifted. This procedure will remove too large particles.

Pour the shavings into the concrete mixer and fill it with water with additives dissolved in it. All this is thoroughly mixed and only then cement is added. After the composition becomes completely homogeneous, it is laid in molds. The latter must first be greased with a solution of lime. The packing is done by carefully compacting the mixture. Up to the top, it should not be about 2 cm. This remaining volume is filled with plaster mortar. Keep the blocks in molds for at least 24 hours, and then dry for another two weeks under a canopy. About the material cast in this way, there are quite good reviews. Arbolite, manufactured using this technology, is perfectly suitable for both building a house and for laying partitions. For the construction of foundations this material should not be used, because it is not particularly strong and resistant to moisture.

What to look for when buying blocks

When buying arbolitic blocks, you should be very careful. In the modern market can be found as a quality material, and not very much. It is best to purchase the products of large companies. As a rule, such firms make blocks of several standard sizes.

How to build a house from arbolita

When constructing walls from such blocks, the same technologies are observed as for conventional masonry. This primarily means that the ligation of the joints must be performed. In addition, the walls are erected using a plumb and level.

If desired, you can build a house from arbolita and another technology. In this case, the blocks are not manufactured. The mixture is simply laid in a previously installed formwork, knocked down from wooden shields. In this case, the reinforcing cage must be used . Prepared in the same proportions as for the blocks, the mixture is poured into the formwork in layers of 25 cm. Each layer is carefully rammed. The formwork can be removed and rearranged one day after the mixture is poured.

Despite the fact that the arbolite does not tolerate too much humidity, at the moment it is certainly one of the best materials of all used in the construction of private houses. From such blocks it is possible to erect a building with excellent operational characteristics. But this is subject to the observance of all put technologies.