1. Wall laying. The first step is marking the base

Good afternoon, readers of our blog. So, you are moving on to the next step, no less important than building a foundation - laying walls from blocks, or rather, laying the first row of blocks. No matter what material has been chosen for the walls of your home, much of what is presented in this section can be useful to you.

Before proceeding to laying the first row of blocks, it is necessary to mark along the axis of the base (in our case, this is) the location of the doorways and the junction (junction) of the inner walls to the outer ones.

2. Setting up lighthouse blocks and preparing the surface of the basement (base)

Before laying the first row of (however, like any

other building materials), it is necessary to carefully check the base (plinth) again. In the corners of the basement, without using a mortar, we lay one beacon block at a time and “set” them according to the level. Our blocks still have bumps, but for setting the corners we used the MOST SMOOTH blocks. The first block is installed at the highest corner of the future house, while the difference in height between the corners of the house should be no more than 3 cm. When laying subsequent rows, this difference must be eliminated due to the difference in the mortar layer.

With the help of a tape measure or a strong, non-stretching thread (you can use a silk thread), we carefully measure the length, width and be sure !! both diagonals of the base. It is clear that the measurements of length, width and diagonals must match accordingly. If some dimensions do not match, this means that not all angles are equal to 90 degrees.

What to do in this case? It is necessary to carefully, constantly rechecking all the measurements described above, try to find the optimal location that will correspond to the correct one by simultaneously “moving” the lighthouse blocks along one of the sides. In this case, the difference in measurements should not exceed 2 cm. When laying subsequent rows, this difference must be eliminated. If you did everything correctly during the construction of the foundation and the subsequent laying of the basement, you should not have any particular difficulties when placing lighthouse blocks.

If the dimensions match accordingly, then this means that the basement of the house is laid out correctly, each corner is 90 degrees and you can proceed to the first step of laying the walls - the first row.

Setting up four lighthouse blocks is a very time-consuming and responsible job. It is on the correct placement of these blocks that the correctness and evenness of the masonry walls of your future home largely depends.

In addition to the method described above for checking the correct laying of the corners of the future home, you can use a wooden corner.

Masonry of the first row of blocks is made on a waterproofing material capable of providing waterproofing of blocks. Cut-off horizontal waterproofing excludes capillary suction, or, more simply, it is necessary in order to protect the blocks from moisture coming from the ground through the base. dry mixes or. Today, retail chains offer a huge selection of such products.

We used roofing felt folded in half as a waterproofing material. The ruberoid is laid on a cleaned and leveled base. Roofing felt strips are connected to each other with an overlap of at least 15 cm. The width of the waterproofing material should be slightly larger than the width of the base.

When laying the first row, it is possible to lay a masonry mesh between the blocks and the waterproofing material. Masonry mesh is a metal mesh with a cell from 50x50 made of wire with a diameter of 3, 4 or 5 mm. Most often, masonry mesh, by definition, is used to reinforce masonry, including brickwork. In the future, we will tell from gas silicate blocks. To protect against corrosion, the masonry mesh is protected from above and below by a layer of mortar with a thickness of at least 2 mm.

3. Mortar for laying the first row of blocks

Regardless of which mortar you will use when laying block walls - when laying the most important row of your house - the first row, only cement-sand mortar is used!! We have already written.

4. The laying of walls from blocks begins with the laying of lighthouse blocks in the corners

The block must be laid on the plinth in such a way that the walls, taking into account the thickness of the facing materials for the walls and the plinth planned for further finishing, “hanging” over the plinth, or the plinth, taking into account the future use of facing materials for the plinth and walls, should not only not to protrude beyond the laid out walls, but also to be on a par with them.

It is better if the plinth is, as it were, “drowned” relative to the wall. This requirement must be observed so that rainwater, flowing down the walls, does not fall on the junction between the wall and the plinth and the plinth remains dry. The optimal protrusion of gas silicate blocks relative to the base is at least 5 cm.

Now we put four corner blocks on the solution. The thickness of the mortar joint should be up to 2 cm, while in the event of an uneven base, the thickness may change somewhat. Once again, we make sure that the blocks are level.

When laying blocks before applying, it is necessary to moisten the blocks with water in the places where the solution is applied. Since blocks of gas silicate absorb moisture very well, when applying the solution to a dry block, the solution dries quickly, which leads to a deterioration in the binding characteristics between the blocks.

Blocks must be installed on the already applied mortar as soon as possible. The installation time of the blocks on the applied solution should not exceed 10 -12 minutes.

5. Masonry of the first row of blocks

When laying the first row of blocks, special care is required, because. the first row is the base row, which will be the foundation for all subsequent rows.

To maintain accuracy when laying walls from blocks, it is necessary to use a mooring cord, which is attached to the corner blocks using ordinary nails. To eliminate the sagging of the mooring cord (in case of a large distance between the blocks), it is necessary to lay one more beacon block. Thus, the laying of each subsequent block will be controlled by a mooring line and level, and adjusted using a rubber mallet or a conventional hammer.

The length of the continuous part of the wall is often not a multiple of the length of the block. In this case, it is necessary to use the so-called "additional" (incomplete), i.e. shortened blocks. It is very easy to cut an additional block with an ordinary saw, having previously marked its two sides - horizontal and vertical.

After the first row is laid out, it is necessary to once again check its evenness in terms of level and, if necessary, remove all irregularities.

You will need

• - expanded clay concrete blocks;
• - cement;
• - sand;
• - lime;
• - wooden slats;
• - level;
• -mason's tool (trowel, pickaxe, plumb line, etc.).

Instruction

Prepare the base for laying the blocks. If it is a strip foundation, ensure that its surface is horizontal, eliminate local irregularities and lay waterproofing. If laying waterproofing is not required, limit yourself to ensuring horizontality. Local irregularities will be leveled by the solution of the first seam.

Install order rails at the corners of the walls. Their role can be played by even wooden slats, installed strictly vertically at a distance of 5-8 mm from the corners and the line of the outer wall. Mark zero points on the rails corresponding to the level of the base, and mark them with a division marker corresponding to the rows of masonry. The distance between the divisions should be equal to the sum of the height of the block and the thickness of the seam (10-12 mm). Pull the cord between the divisions of the first row - so that the distance from it to the outer surface of the wall is 5-8 mm.

Prepare masonry mortar. You can use both lime-cement and cement-sand mixture. However, the first is more “warm”, plastic and retains its working qualities longer. The ratio of components in a cement-sand mortar can be 1:4 or 1:3 (cement:sand), in a lime-cement mortar - 1:0.2:3 or 1:0.3:4 (cement:lime:sand).

Moisten with water. It is convenient to do this by dousing them with tap water from a hose in a stack. The degree of humidity should be such that no dry places remain on the surface of the blocks, and at the same time all the water is absorbed by the surface of the blocks.

Lay the solution on the base with a bed, the width of which should be a few centimeters narrower than the width of the block, the height should be about 20 mm. Apply the solution immediately under several blocks, if the wall length is small (no more than 3 m), then on the entire wall.

Lay the first block, starting at the corner of the wall. Press it into the solution, at the same time exposing its vertical edge to the position of the order rail, the horizontal one to the stretched cord. The final thickness of the seam should be 10-12 mm. Pick up the mortar squeezed out of the seam with a trowel.

When laying the second stone, apply mortar to its end surface facing the previous block and lower the stone onto the wall while pressing it against the base and the previous block. According to the same scheme, all subsequent stones of the first row are placed with their obligatory alignment along the cord.

Reinstall the cord one notch higher. Laying the second row, start from the place where the first row ended. Provide a shift of the joints (ligation of the seams) of the second row relative to the first by half a block. If the wall is laid as thick as a whole block, it is necessary to provide dressing also along the width of the wall. Those. you need to put one row with a spoon (long side along the wall), the second - with a poke (short side along the wall). In this case, the overlap of the seams in adjacent rows (in height) should be a quarter of the block. Pay special attention to dressing the seams at the corners.

The laying of the first row of aerated concrete blocks is a very important stage of construction, since the next rows and the evenness of the walls as a whole depend on it. In order not to complicate the laying, the first row should be laid as evenly as possible.

So, to begin with, we will briefly describe the masonry algorithm, and in more detail about each stage, see the text below. Tools, waterproofing, mortar preparation, block alignment, reinforcement, we will talk about all this in this article.

Brief laying technology of the first aerated concrete row:

1. We level the surface of the foundation with a solution;
2. If it is already very even, then we dedust the tape;
3. We spread bituminous mastic on the tape;
4. We lay waterproofing, for example, roofing material;
5. We determine the highest angle by the hydraulic level;
6. We lay gas blocks in the corners on the solution;
7. Horizontally and vertically align the blocks according to the level;
8. We stretch the thread between the blocks;
9. We lay the remaining blocks on the solution along the thread;
10. We reinforce the first row of blocks with reinforcement.

Marking and preparatory work for masonry

Before starting construction work, you should prepare the necessary tools:

1. Building level or laser level;
2. Hydraulic level;
3. Roulette;
4. Cord plumb;
5. Special saw and grater for aerated concrete;
6. Square;
7. Trowel;
8. Rubber mallet;
9. Wall chaser.

Horizontal waterproofing under masonry

The laying of walls must necessarily be preceded by waterproofing the foundation, so that in the future the moisture of the latter could not be transferred to aerated concrete. For this procedure, modern bituminous materials are best suited, which are sold in rolls, are easily cut into pieces with a construction knife and fit well.

Brief instructions for horizontal waterproofing

1. Dedust the surface of the tape;
2. Smear the tape with bituminous mastic;
3. Cut the waterproofing rolls into strips of the required width;
4. Lay on the tape with an overlap of at least 150 mm;
5. Press down.

First you need to determine the highest corner of the foundation, where later the first aerated concrete block will be laid. It is determined using a laser level or hydro level.

Proper marking is the most important factor affecting the correct laying and the very speed of work. The use of a laser level will help to avoid mistakes, but if this is not available, a level, tape measure and proper professionalism will be enough.

The construction of an aerated concrete base requires high care and attention in terms of the horizontal plane, because the future stability and reliability of the structure depends on this.

The first row is laid only when the difference between the highest and lowest corner of the foundation does not exceed 3 cm.

For laying the initial row of aerated concrete blocks, as a rule, an ordinary cement-sand mortar is used, which is prepared according to standard technology with a 3: 1 ratio of substances. In this case, thick seams will be more of an advantage, because they will allow you to make adjustments and achieve the ideal horizontal position of aerated concrete.

Gas block laying technology

First row masonry

The first block is laid in the previously determined highest corner, after which the correct position of its position should be checked from all sides. Then three more blocks are laid in other corners. A rubber mallet is used to adjust the height on the solution. The use of metal tools is excluded, as they can easily damage porous aerated concrete.

When the laying of the corner walls is completed, a cord is pulled between them. The cord will help control the correct laying.

In the case when the length exceeds 10 m, it is necessary to fix another block in the middle of the span.

Also, in order to control the quality of the masonry, a comparison of the diagonals is performed. Equipped with a tape measure, you need to measure the distance between diagonally opposite corners. The resulting values ​​must be identical.

Each block of the first row is aligned horizontally and vertically. For leveling use a rubber mallet.

Most often, at the end of laying a row, an additional element is required, which is prepared from a whole aerated concrete block. An even mark is carefully applied to the surface of the latter, along which the excess is then cut off, or a special triangle is used.

Aerated concrete is sawn very easily with a hand saw with large teeth.

Neighboring blocks must have the same height, so to maintain it, you will need a level and a special grinding grater. All dust and small particles must be removed immediately with a soft brush.

It takes about 2-4 hours after laying the blocks (depending on temperature) for the mortar to harden well. After that, you can proceed to further construction.

Aerated concrete blocks, due to their cellular structure, are easily amenable to physical impact, therefore, in the future, due to changes in humidity and mobility of the foundation, cracks may form. To avoid such troubles, reinforcement is used - strengthening the masonry with metal reinforcement. The profile of the latter should be corrugated, the cross section of the rods should be about 8-10 mm.

It is optimal to use A-III rods for reinforcement. For aerated concrete blocks with a width of more than 250 mm, a pair of rods is required, while for partition walls with a similar indicator of 150-200 mm, one metal rod is sufficient.

The fittings fit into the recesses made in advance by the wall chaser, while all dust and sand particles must be removed with a brush. The size of the grooves must be greater than the diameter of the rods with a cross section, so that they lie inside without resistance.

The gates are made at a distance of 60 mm from the edges of the block, and a special glue for aerated concrete is poured inside, which will fix the metal rods and protect them from corrosion.

Due to the fact that it is extremely difficult to make an even strip of strobes along the entire length of the first row of blocks, a template is used, which can serve as a fixed board of the desired width.

At the corners, it is necessary to make grooves with rounding, a similar bend is preliminarily attached to metal bars. The reinforcement is connected with an overlap with a length of about 30 cm.

Strobes with laid reinforcement are once again filled with glue and leveled with a spatula flush with the plane of the gas block. The laying of the first row is completed.

Many home builders want to save on everything, including reinforcement, but such savings can lead to even more costs in the future.

Subsequently, ignoring this process can come out sideways in the form of cracks on the walls and a violation of the integrity of the structure, so we advise you to resort to reinforcement without fail, and indeed, to do all the steps according to the technology. Then your aerated concrete house will stand for a hundred years.

On the use of fiberglass (composite) reinforcement

Let's also say a little about fiberglass reinforcement, the use of which rather doubtful not always justified in our opinion.

Reinforcement is used to make structures more rigid. This rigidity is provided due to the fact that the reinforcement works in tension, and such a parameter as the modulus of elasticity is responsible for this.

In other words, if you begin to stretch the reinforcement, then it will begin to lengthen, this is essentially the modulus of elasticity (MU). And the lower the stretch percentage, the better.

For example, for fiberglass reinforcement, the MU is 45,000 MPa, for metal reinforcement of the same section, 200,000 MPa.

This means that fiberglass reinforcement is stretched 4 times stronger. What conclusions can be drawn from this? Steel reinforcement makes the structure more rigid and stronger several times.

Posted By: 03.03.2017

In a previous article, we told how we found . It is from him that the construction of the first row of walls from aerated concrete blocks will begin. This is done due to the fact that by changing the thickness of the sand-cement mixture, we can later easily level the first row of blocks, which will become the basis of the entire masonry.

By the way, we checked our measurements with the help of a water level. To do this, they poured water into it, installed it on corner blocks, and then checked the values. We will definitely devote one of the future articles to this measuring tool and its use. Now let's just summarize that our measurements by the water level and are completely identical.

Now we will tell you step by step about the installation and laying of aerated concrete blocks, and to be precise, about how we did it and what nuances we encountered.

How to lay the first row of aerated concrete blocks.

• Installation of corner blocks on the foundation. First of all, we put up 4 corner blocks. I would like to note that at first we performed all the manipulations by eye, then we took measurements. We have blocks with removal outside the foundation. Thus, when installing the blocks, we checked the dimensions of the offsets several times in different parts of the block. To calm the conscience with the help of a water level, we checked the indicators of the laser level. Then we had to check the distances between the blocks, they should correspond to the design of the house. And it would be nice to check the diagonals, they, like when marking a house, should be equal. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to check the diagonals, since the foundation was filled with flights with blocks, but everything converged in terms of the dimensions of the future walls.
• Guide when laying blocks. We pull the pier. Now we need to stretch the guide, which will later be a guideline when installing the first row of aerated concrete blocks on the foundation of the house. To do this, we used the most common rope (construction cord) of bright yellow color. It is better to choose a color brighter so that it can be clearly seen. We have tried 2 options. The first consisted in stretching the rope between the remnants of reinforcement driven into the ground. The second is in attaching metal corners to the blocks, and then similarly stretching the lace. In both cases, the rope must pass through the corners of the blocks. With its help, you not only set the masonry guide, but also double-check whether the corner blocks are set correctly. If the lace clearly runs along the border of the blocks, then you did everything right, and you can start full-fledged masonry. By the way, we liked the second option with the placement of the mooring more.

  

• Laying corner blocks on mortar. We laid the first row of blocks on a ready-made sand-cement mixture, into which you just had to add water according to the instructions. We started with corner blocks. In order to prevent the blocks from moving from the verified location during the installation process, we circled the boundaries of the block with a white building marker in advance, not only on the foundation itself, but also on our roofing material sides, which we talked about in the article about waterproofing the foundation. Thus, by accidentally moving the aerated concrete block, we clearly understood where on the foundation it needed to be returned. Then a sand-cement mortar was applied to the foundation and then a block was laid on it, clearly understanding the boundaries beyond which it should not go. With the help of building and water levels, as well as a rubber mallet (special hammer), we achieved even masonry. Then the first 4 corner blocks were allowed to dry on a sand-cement mortar to secure the position.

  

• Laying the first row of blocks. The corners were done. Now you need to continue laying the first row. By the way, before laying the blocks, we recommend that you quickly clean them up by going over them just a couple of times with a spatula and a brush to remove possible irregularities, and then construction dust. Let's go back to the masonry. After calculating the required number of blocks per row, it became clear to us that we need additional blocks, i.e. blocks that need to be adjusted in length. It is not recommended to make an additional block less than 10 cm. If such a small gap remains, then it is better to first reduce 2 blocks in order to eliminate the need to install one. Reduced blocks are best placed not in a row, but on different sides. This will simplify the laying of aerated concrete in the future. The first row is all placed on a sand-cement mortar, the bases are lubricated with it. We lubricate the sides of the blocks with a special glue designed for aerated concrete. In the future, the glue will be used for the installation of all other rows except the first one instead of a sand-cement mortar. We use a mallet to level the blocks, remove excess mortar. At the same time, we knock out the blocks not only from above, but also from the sides, constantly checking their location and joints with a level. I would like to remind you that we started laying blocks from the top corner of the foundation, so right now it's time to pay special attention to leveling all the flaws in the foundation with a sand-cement mortar. That is, in the place where the highest corner of the foundation was located, the mortar layer will be less than in the lowest corner of the foundation. Thanks to this manipulation, we make the laying of the first row in such a way that it removes all the irregularities of the foundation and prepares a good foundation for the rest of the rows, providing us with even walls of the house in the future.

  

This step-by-step instruction for laying aerated concrete blocks is theoretically correct, but we encountered some nuances due to which our laying went downhill. We will now tell about these mistakes and tricks.

Attempt No. 1 laying the first row of aerated concrete blocks.

Everything was done according to the instructions. At the stage of laying corner blocks, it was found that the building level, when changing its position, somewhat changes its indicator. At a distance of 11 meters, this error in the calculations can give quite unpleasant results.

Conclusion: for laying aerated concrete or any other blocks, it is necessary to use the most accurate building level. In this case, the proverb "the miser pays twice" is directly related to the situation ...

Attempt No. 2 laying the first row of aerated concrete blocks.

We have acquired a new, more accurate building level. We installed the corner blocks, then installed the entire first row around the perimeter. All measurements showed excellent results. But we ran into another trouble, which can be found in the second part of the article HERE.

In the meantime, we offer you a video from our YouTube channel with a detailed step-by-step story about the installation of corner blocks on the foundation and the complete installation of the first row of aerated concrete blocks. Enjoy watching and looking forward to your feedback and comments.

Best wishes,

Yana and Zhenya Shigorev.

The process of laying blocks on the foundation is accompanied by the 2 most difficult steps - the laying of the primary row and the creation of ceiling and floor slabs. Sometimes reinforcement with a steel frame may be required.

Building block elements are a relatively new material that has managed to push brick and wood.

This building material is characterized by the following advantages: strength, heat resistance, cost-effectiveness and ease of installation.

Foundation blocks are suitable for construction in any climate and soil. You can build structures for various purposes.

The temperature limit range is very wide from +50 to -70 °C. With this installation, the result is a strong and unpretentious structure.

The procedure for preparing for laying

Preparatory work:

• The axes of the foundation are broken down, with their transfer to the base already prepared for its construction. The tension of the axial and the projection of the points of their intersection with the help of plumb lines is done along the cast-off to the bottom of the dug pit;
• The foundation parameters are measured from the designed points and fixed with metal stakes. The cord stretched between them is located 2-3 mm from the edge of the foundation;

• The base is a sand cushion. The bottom of the pit is leveled according to the design marks;
• With sandy soil, it is possible to mount the blocks immediately on the base, the surface of which is leveled. For other soils, an air cushion 5-10 cm thick will be required;
• The surface of the base should not be loosened with dimensions of 20-30 cm more than the foundation from all its sides;

• In the presence of a basement and the construction of a structure on dry and non-heaving soil, block elements are laid on a sand base. In this case, the foundation will be slightly deepened, not of the tape type;
• The bearing capacity of the foundation is increased by FL pillows, which will reduce the number of FBS blocks. FL expand the sole of the foundation.

Necessary materials and tools for the production of masonry:

• Sand;
• Block elements;
• Bars of wood 50 * 100;
• Concrete mixer and vibratory rammer;
• Tanks for water and solution;
• Shovel and trowel;
• Rail, building level.

masonry rules

Before laying the blocks on the base of the foundation, it is important to clean it of debris and dry it. The installation of block elements begins from the places of greatest load: at the corners of the future building and at the intersection of wall structures.

After the lighthouse block elements are installed along their edge, the mooring is tensioned to locate the intermediate blocks. During the laying process, the pier will rise.

Watch the video to get acquainted with the order of laying the elements on the foundation:

The final position of the blocks is determined by a plumb line along the axial risks on top of the structure. The plumb line is lowered from the wires stretched on the cast-off. Deviations are eliminated with a crowbar. The evenness of the upper face of the lighthouse block elements is determined by the level, and the other elements - by the mooring.

The block with a deviation is lifted by a crane. After re-leveling the base under it, the block is re-layed on a cement mortar of 2 cm. The installation height is optimally 4-5 rows.

When laying, the vertical seams are dressed with a solution. The depth of the masonry is not less than the block height. The surface of block elements must be wetted.

Some subtleties of work

When the length of wall structures is not a multiple of the length of the block elements, gaps are guaranteed to be filled with additional blocks or seals. The need for space for pipelines and communications is taken into account.

To remove excess mortar from horizontal joints, use a trowel. If there is a lack of mortar, it is added and compacted, filling all the seams of the masonry in this way and embroidering them on both sides. The difference between the width of the walls of the foundation and the walls of the structure is up to 13 cm.

Stages of work:

• Having determined the location of the corners, the blocks are laid, starting from the corner located at the minimum distance from the highest point of the foundation;
• A moisture-resistant solution of cement with sand is applied along the contour of the future foundation to level the surface. Next, the insulator is laid to protect against dampness;

• A solution is thinly applied to the insulator in place of the first block, on top of which the first block element is laid and the position of which is checked vertically and horizontally, leveling it with a mallet;
• The masonry of the wall row continues from the first block element, filling the space between the corners. The horizontality is controlled by the hydraulic level, and the outer boundaries are controlled by the intersection of the markings;

• Before laying the 2nd row, do not forget about dressing the lower vertical seams with a whole upper block element. The thickness of the fastening seams should be minimized for the heat resistance of the structure;
• Before laying the 4th row, a pause is made to arrange horizontal reinforcement. In the upper part of the 3rd row, 1-2 grooves are cut for laying metal rods with a diameter of 6-8 mm. This operation is repeated between the 7th and 8th row, the 11th and 12th row and beyond.

The problem of how to lay blocks on the foundation may be places for future doorways, ceiling and floor ceilings. The complexity of arranging these structures lies in the need for additional reinforcement at the location of future door and window structures.

The fact is that the structure of the block is fragile and is not able to withstand the entire gravity of the reinforced concrete floor above the places under the windows or doors. Equipping the frame, its constituent elements are laid out of brick.

The only difficulties arise in the process of leveling the horizontal upper edges of the reinforced concrete ceiling and the last block row. The same method solves the difficulties of arranging the ceiling between the floors of the structure.

Watch the video to get acquainted with the order of laying blocks:

On the uppermost surface of the last block row, a layer of dense building material, such as brick, is installed, and reinforced concrete slabs are laid on top.