The best material for building a house. What is cheaper to build houses from? Materials for building a house. Features of the use of wood concrete

There is still no clear answer to the question of what material is best to make the walls of a residential building from. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Builders and designers cannot come to the same opinion regarding the choice of the most optimal product for making walls. The thing is that in each specific case the best material must be selected based on the purpose of the building, its configuration, the climatic conditions of the area and the financial capabilities of the owner. In our article we will look at the most common wall materials, describe their properties, pros and cons, and you yourself can choose the best one based on construction conditions.

Factors influencing choice

A quarter of all construction costs go towards the construction of walls. Since incorrectly selected material for wall construction can lead to even greater expenses in the future, when choosing it, it is worth considering the following factors:

1. If you want to save on arranging the foundation by making a shallow, lightweight version, then choose a lightweight material for the walls. Additional savings in the case of using lightweight elements for the walls of the house will be during transportation and installation, because it can be done with your own hands without the use of expensive lifting equipment.
2. Choose building materials with good thermal insulation characteristics. Otherwise, cold walls in winter will cost you dearly in heating costs.

Advice: it is best to perform a thermal engineering calculation taking into account the climatic conditions of the construction region. This is the only way to be sure that you have chosen the right material and wall design. Thus, in the northern regions of our country, even walls made of materials with high thermal insulation properties require insulation.

1. If you use piece materials, for example, brick, to build the walls of a house, then a significant share of the costs will be the cost of paying masons. Even if you do all the work yourself, take into account the time and physical costs. It is much more profitable and faster to build from large-sized elements. The highest speed of wall construction is found in houses built using frame-panel and frame-panel technology.
2. When choosing building materials for walls, it is worth considering how easily they can be finished and whether they need it at all. For example, the walls of a frame house made of OSB can not be finished at all, but simply painted, while a house made of logs needs thorough finishing outside and inside.

To understand what to build your house from, you need to understand the characteristics of building materials, so next we will describe the properties of each of them, list the advantages and disadvantages.

Brick

A house built of brick can stand for a century, or even a century and a half. There are many varieties of bricks, differing in important operational and technical characteristics.

So, for the construction of walls, silicate and ceramic types of bricks are used. Consider their features:

• Ceramic brick made from fired red clay. It is durable, moisture resistant, environmentally friendly material. On sale there is a corpulent and hollow brick. The more voids in a brick, the higher its thermal insulation performance.
• silicate brick is made on the basis of lime, sand and some additives. It also happens to be full-bodied and hollow. The latter option is lightweight and has improved thermal insulation properties. Solid silicate products have good sound insulation properties, but high thermal conductivity.

Also, this wall material is divided into front and ordinary:

• It is better to build the walls of the house from ordinary brick. Products may have minor defects in the form of cracks and chips, but due to this their price is more reasonable. In addition, for interior wall masonry, the appearance of the product is not as important as for exterior masonry.
• Facing brick (front)- This is the wall material used to decorate the facade. All products must have the correct geometric shape, smooth or textured surface, and be free from flaws and defects. The price of facing brick is higher than that of its ordinary counterpart.

The strength of this wall material is directly related to its grade, which can be from M 75 to M 300. The number indicates the load that one square centimeter of the product can withstand. The higher the brand, the greater the specific gravity of the product. To build a 2- or 3-story house, grade 100-125 brick is enough. To make the foundation and plinth, products with grade 150-175 are used.

Also, when choosing a brick, it is important to take into account its frost resistance, that is, the number of freezing and thawing cycles that the product can withstand without damage and reducing strength by no more than 20%. This indicator is marked with the letter F and a number from 15 and above. For warm regions, you can use products with a frost resistance grade of 15; in colder latitudes, bricks of the F25 grade are used. For facing work, a brick with a frost resistance of at least 50 is suitable.

Advantages and disadvantages of brick

Among the advantages of this wall material, it is worth listing the following:

• Impressive service life.
• Aesthetic appeal.
• Unlimited possibilities in terms of design and implementation of complex projects.
• The material is not susceptible to corrosion, damage by fungi and microorganisms.
• The product does not burn.
• High sound and heat insulation characteristics.

The disadvantages include the following:

• Due to their small size and high specific gravity, laying brick walls takes a long time and costs a lot.
• Under brick walls, it is necessary to build a solid, buried foundation, and this entails increased costs for materials and excavation work.
• In most cases, brick walls need to be additionally insulated.

Ceramic blocks

Ceramic block is a material made from a mixture of clay and sawdust, after which the element is fired in a kiln. This is a fairly durable product that allows you to quickly build the walls of a house. The strength of ceramic block is so high that it can be used to make a multi-story building. The inside of the material has a porous structure, and the outer surface is corrugated. For a hermetic connection, the ends of the material have grooves and ridges.

The height of the ceramic block is a multiple of the rows of brickwork, and other dimensions can be different. Thus, it is possible to build from ceramic block according to projects that are designed for brick. But the speed of construction is much higher, since one ceramic block measuring 238x248x500 mm, which weighs 25 kg, is equivalent to 15 bricks, each of which weighs 3.3 kg. In addition to increasing the speed of construction, the cost of mortar is reduced, because less of it will be needed.

Important: the width of the ceramic block can be 230, 240 and 250 mm, and the length can be in the range of 250-510 mm. Along the long side of the product there is a tongue-and-groove lock.

Walls with a thickness of 380 mm or more made of this material do not need insulation, since the thermal conductivity of the product is only 0.14-0.29 W/m²x°C. Marking of wide blocks is M 100. If you need to make thin but strong walls, you can take elements marked 150. The frost resistance of ceramic blocks is at least 50 cycles.

Pros and cons of ceramic blocks

The advantages include:

• Low specific gravity and high strength significantly expand the scope of use of this material.
• Installation of large-sized products is carried out quickly and without unnecessary labor costs.
• Saving mortar due to the size of the elements and the absence of the need to make vertical seams.
• The frost resistance of ordinary ceramic blocks is higher than that of ordinary bricks.
• Good fire resistance. The product is fire resistant for 4 hours.
• An optimal microclimate is created in a room made of ceramic blocks, since the walls can “breathe” and regulate air humidity.
• A house can last a century and a half without losing its thermal insulation characteristics.

This material also has disadvantages, among which the following are worth mentioning:

• The price of ceramic blocks is quite high.
• Since these products are relatively new on our market, it is difficult to find a good mason to do the masonry.
• This fragile material must be stored and transported very carefully.

Gas blocks

This material has excellent thermal insulation characteristics. In terms of thermal conductivity, a wall made of an aerated block with a width of 300-400 mm is not inferior to a multilayer brick structure. Walls made of aerated blocks maintain optimal temperature and humidity conditions indoors. The material is not susceptible to rot and has an impressive service life. The thermal insulation qualities of an aerated block are 3 times greater than those of a brick wall.

Aerated concrete is quite lightweight, so it is easy to transport and lay. It can be easily cut with a regular hacksaw to the desired size. The laying of elements is carried out using mortar or special glue, of which a little is required. The smooth, even surface of aerated concrete blocks is easy to finish. Aerated concrete is considered environmentally friendly and non-flammable. It has fairly high frost resistance.

Attention: density characteristics are important for aerated concrete. This figure can be in the range of 350-1200 kg/m³. For an ordinary residential building, it is enough to take elements marked 500-900.

Advantages and disadvantages of gas blocks

This wall product has many advantages:

• Laying walls from aerated blocks is 9 times faster than laying bricks.
• The low thermal conductivity of the product is a big plus in its favor.
• Aerated concrete has high fire resistance; even when burning, it does not emit harmful substances.
• The porous structure of the material contributes to high frost resistance.
• In terms of vapor permeability, aerated concrete is comparable only to wood.

Disadvantages of aerated concrete:

• Low bending strength.
• The material is susceptible to cracking.
• Hygroscopicity. After moisture is absorbed, the thermal insulation performance of aerated concrete decreases, so the facade needs a protective finish.
• Floor slabs and beams cannot be laid directly on gas blocks, so before laying them you will have to make a monolithic reinforced belt. This entails additional costs and time.

Tree

Many people who decide to build a house choose wood. This natural material is environmentally friendly. It creates a favorable microclimate in the house, maintains optimal humidity and saturates the air with healing phytoncides. A wooden house is warm in winter and not hot in summer, since wood has good thermal insulation characteristics.

A wooden house can be built from the following products:

1. The log can be natural or rounded. In the latter case, the material has the correct shape and smooth surface, but requires additional protective treatment, since the natural protective resin layer, which is located under the bark, is removed during the rounding process.
2. You can use glued (profiled) and sawn or planed timber. Better houses are made from laminated veneer lumber, which has special grooves and ridges for a tight fit of the elements. Sawn timber is more often used to make frame houses.
3. Frame-panel houses are made of OSB, chipboard, and moisture-resistant plywood, which are attached to the frame. Insulation is installed inside the wall.

The main advantages of wooden houses are their environmental friendliness, comfort and reasonable price. A lightweight foundation can be made for such a house. Disadvantages - fire hazard, shrinkage.

If you decide to build a house on your own summer cottage, then the first problem that will arise for you is what material to use for the work. In addition, other questions may haunt you during such a process. What can you build a house from? What will be more practical? Which material will last longer? Should you choose an ordinary brick or try modern technologies? And if you are really concerned about such questions, then from this article you can find out the answers to them.

So, now you have a huge selection of building materials than a couple of decades ago. Today you can build a house from gas silicate blocks or wood. You can also build a house on your site using frame-panel technology. But no one canceled brick either. Some entrust the construction of their house to specialists, and very soon they are happy with a beautiful brick house. As a result, it is up to you to decide what to build a country house from. We, in turn, would like to tell you about the different materials for building a house. About their properties, different costs, moisture resistance, sound insulation, all the pros and cons and much more.

Building a brick house

This article will allow you to find out what is best to build a country house from. First of all, it’s worth talking about a popular building material - brick. So, brick is the most durable material. A house made of brick structures will last you approximately 100-150 years, or maybe more.

Elderly city residents can confirm that in their cities there are many different, very old buildings that are over 100 years old, they are all intact and built of brick. But let's not advertise the brick too much. A building made from it will be durable and will last a long time only if the brick is of high quality and the finished house is well looked after. Of course, building a house from brick is not so easy, and if technical errors are made during construction, then the quality of the house will not be adequate.

In this case, the thermal insulation decreases and the weather resistance will no longer be the same. The main factor is dampness; over time it can destroy the masonry. We would like to note that in order for the finished brick building to be more resistant to dampness, it must be plastered. First you need to seal all the cracks and holes with cement, rub the seams, and only then begin plastering and insulation.

For insulation, the technology of ventilated facades is used, when pieces of insulation are attached to the surface of the wall, covered with membrane-like moisture insulation, and then decorated with siding, lining or something else. There is no other way to prevent moisture from entering the brick. But it is impossible to allow moisture to get inside the brick. If moisture penetrates through poor-quality plaster into a brick, it expands there when it freezes and forms small tears, which will subsequently lead to cracks in the building. This applies most of all to country houses in which there is no heating. Therefore, pay maximum attention to plastering a brick house.

From all that has been said, we must conclude that a brick building will last a long time, but it requires careful care, supervision, and also, such houses take a long time to build.

We use a gas silicate block for the construction of a country house

The gas silicate block is suitable for those residents who want to know the answer to the question of what to build a country house from cheaply. We would like to note that the gas silicate block is a large building material, it is about 8 times larger than brick, has a low density, approximately 2 times lower than brick. The technology for building a house from blocks and bricks is approximately the same. In general, a gas silicate block is a huge brick, only with better properties. Why is a gas silicate block better than a brick?

• First, it is large, so the house is built much faster.
• Second, the block is easier to process. It is easy to saw it in half, drill it and do other things with it. Therefore, it is much easier to lay communications in such a house. This is very convenient when you are building a building where people will live all year round. Therefore, the wiring will need to be laid inside the wall, and not outside, as happens in many country houses.
• Third, when gas silicate blocks are made, they use an unusual, porous technology. There are small air particles inside the block. This greatly reduces the likelihood that the house will freeze and increases thermal conductivity. It turns out that gas silicate blocks retain heat much better. If you want to build something huge, then purchase gas silicate blocks with a tongue-and-groove “lock” of the connection. Thus, you will reduce the number of joints, and this will increase the safety of the building from drafts.

The advantages of wood in the construction of a country house

This publication will provide you with the answer to the question of what to use to build a country house with your own hands. Above we described two building materials that can be used for this matter. Now it’s worth talking about such a material as wood.

Wood comes in three varieties:

• rounded log;
• timber (planed or profiled);
• glued wood materials.

In the Russian Federation, wood is the most common material for building a small house. This is due to the availability, good reserves and excellent performance properties of wood. In addition, wood is a fairly cheap material. More expensive, we can offer laminated veneer lumber. It is more resistant to moisture and almost does not shrink, which is why it costs several times more.

If we list the best properties of wood, we get the following:

1. Wood has good thermal insulation,
2. Wood allows air to pass through well and absorbs excess moisture,
3. Wood can “breathe”.
4. Natural wood has a pleasant aroma that you will inhale for a very long time.
5. Wood has low resistance to fungus, mold and rot.

Frame-panel houses on a summer cottage

A frame-panel house is the latest technology. The main material for building your country house will be sandwich panels. These panels are attached to a pre-installed frame. It is necessary to build a house frame from large-section timber that can withstand a lot of weight. Then sandwich panels are attached to them, which adjust the walls of the house. Sandwich panels consist of oriented strand boards with insulation between them. A house with an area of ​​about one hundred square meters made of sandwich panels is erected in 25-30 days.

Finally

So we told you about what to build a country house from. All these materials will help you build a reliable and comfortable building on your summer cottage. And remember that whatever you choose to build your house, we wish you successful construction and a lot of wonderful and bright days in your new home!

Hello! Tell me, what material is best to build a country house from now? I want to build myself a small house on my summer cottage.

- Sergey, Moscow.

Hello! The choice of material for building a house is a key issue. This will determine the duration of the work, the cost and durability of the building. It is impossible to give a definite answer; much depends on climatic conditions and financial capabilities. To help you with your choice, we will compare the characteristics of houses made of brick, foam blocks, wood, and SIP panels and determine the advantages and disadvantages of each building material.

Brick as a building material has great architectural potential. A brick house can be of any shape, from a simple rectangular structure to a complex Gothic structure. Therefore, if you want to bring to life the most daring design projects, then brick is perfect.

Brick house

Like any other building material, brick has its advantages and disadvantages.

Pros of a brick house

• Prestige - a house made of good brick is still considered an indicator of the financial security of the owners.
• Thermal insulation - brick houses retain heat well in harsh climatic zones.
• Service life - if the construction technology is followed correctly, a brick house can stand for a long time without major repairs.
• Fire safety - brick is not a flammable material, so the risk of a serious fire in the house is reduced.

Cons of a brick house

• The weight of the material - brick is a fairly heavy building material, so for the construction of walls it is necessary to make a very strong foundation, which in turn requires significant financial expenses.
• Hygroscopicity - brick walls are very prone to absorbing moisture. Therefore, when building a brick house, a significant part of the money and time is spent on waterproofing.
• The need for wall finishing - when using inexpensive bricks (or when laying it incorrectly), there is a need for internal and external wall finishing.
• Brick price - depending on the type and quality, the cost of this building material can be very high.

The table provides information for buildings made of brick and foam concrete blocks.

A brick house is a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing structure, which is achieved with a competent approach to construction. High technical characteristics make it possible to live in such a house at any time of the year and under different climatic conditions.

Wooden houses

Wealthy owners often choose wooden beams or logs. This is explained by the fact that such houses have a beautiful appearance and have operational advantages compared to other types of buildings. To find out the characteristics of a wooden house, let's look at its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of a wooden house

• Cost of construction - if you calculate the total cost of wooden and brick houses, then building a wooden one will cost less. This is due to the lack of need for external and internal finishing. Also, walls made of timber or logs are lighter than brick, so there is no need for a reinforced foundation.
• Mobility - the walls of a wooden house can be disassembled and, if necessary, assembled in a new place. Speed ​​of construction - building a wooden house is almost twice as fast as a brick one.
• Appearance - of course, everyone has their own preferences, but for most people, wooden houses look more beautiful than others.
• Thermal insulation - depending on the thickness of the walls, wooden houses are sometimes superior to brick and frame houses in thermal insulation properties.
• Environmental safety - the walls in a wooden house do not emit harmful substances hazardous to human health.

Disadvantages of a wooden house

• Wall shrinkage - the final shrinkage of a wooden house structure occurs only after three years.
• Fire safety - although now there are many fire-resistant liquids that are used to treat the wooden parts of the house, a wooden house is still inferior to a brick or stone one in terms of fire safety.
• Treatment against pests and rot - wooden houses require regular treatment against insects and fungi living on the tree.

* Finishing of a log house can only be done 2-3 years after construction.
As you can see, wood has its pros and cons, which should be taken into account when choosing building materials for a country house.

Houses made from SIP panels

SIP panels are a high-quality and convenient building material for a country house, allowing you to erect large structures in a short time.

The technology of construction using sandwich panels came to Russia from North America, where it is extremely popular.
A SIP panel is a slab made of two sheets of rigid material (fibreboard, OSB, PVC) and a layer of insulation, which is located between them. The panels are attached to a wooden or metal frame, and the result is a solid structure of the house.
The construction of houses from SIP panels has its fans and opponents. To determine which category you place yourself in, check out the advantages and disadvantages of sandwich panels.

Pros of SIP panels

• Excellent heat and sound insulation - thanks to their design, sandwich panels perfectly retain heat and insulate noise.
• Light weight - being lighter in weight compared to brick, concrete and even wood, walls made of SIP panels do not require the construction of a powerful foundation.
• Short construction period - thanks to frame technology, a house made of sandwich panels can be built very quickly.
• Low construction cost - SIP panels have an affordable price and, combined with quick installation, building a house as a whole will not cost much.

Disadvantages of SIP panels

• Short service life - compared to other building materials, sandwich panels have a relatively short service life of 30-50 years.
• Environmental safety - for the manufacture of SIP panels, materials that can emit harmful substances are used. This factor is especially important if you plan to live in the house permanently.
• Low fire safety - sandwich panels burn well and, when burned, emit a lot of harmful substances, so houses built from this building material require additional measures to ensure fire safety.
• Rodents - representatives of the rodent family love to make homes for themselves in the space where the insulation is located. So be sure to regularly check and treat your home for mice, rats and other pests.
• Not prestigious real estate - houses made from SIP panels are not considered prestigious and durable housing, for this reason you can sell your property only at a price lower than the cost of construction.

Despite all the shortcomings, availability, speed of building a house and its high thermal insulation properties make sandwich panels very popular today.

Monolithic concrete houses

A concrete house is a monolithic structure that creates the shape of the house and carries all the loads. Monolithic houses are popular due to their strength and durability. Also, the pouring technology allows you to give your home the most daring and unique design. A house made of reinforced concrete is especially recommended for construction in seismically active zones, as it can withstand a serious earthquake.
According to the technology for constructing a monolithic house, liquid concrete is poured into the formwork, which contains a frame made of reinforcement. After the solution has dried, the formwork is removed and placed on the next pouring area.
Monolithic houses are very popular in multi-storey construction, but in addition to large buildings, reinforced concrete houses can be found in suburban areas. If you want to use concrete pouring technology to build your own home, then first familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of this building material.

Advantages of a monolithic house

• Structural integrity - a monolithic house does not require adjustment of house elements to each other, as in conventional construction.
• Long-term operation - if high-quality concrete is used when pouring, then a monolithic house can last longer than similar houses made of brick or stone.
• Fire safety - houses made of reinforced concrete are not subject to destruction during a fire.
• Many shapes - a monolithic house can be given any look, depending on your imagination.
• Seismic safety - a properly built house made of reinforced concrete can withstand an earthquake of up to 8-10 points without damaging the structure.

Disadvantages of a monolithic house

• Construction cost - building a monolithic house is the most expensive option. Significant financial costs will be required for high-quality formwork, reinforced foundations, reinforcement and delivery or production of concrete.
• The need to decorate the walls - if you don’t want to have a gloomy bunker instead of a house, then you will have to make efforts to decorate the external and internal walls.
• Heating - Concrete is concrete and will require powerful heating systems to maintain comfortable temperatures in the winter.

If it is possible to build a monolithic house, then this option is preferable, especially in areas of high seismic activity.

Alternative building materials for the home

In addition to the popular construction options listed above, there are less well-known materials that are also used for the construction of walls; let’s look at some of them.

• • Adobe - adobe houses are popular in the southern regions of Russia and Central Asia. A house made of adobe keeps you cool in the summer and keeps you warm in the winter. Walls made of adobe are not very strong and are very susceptible to water, because adobe is made from a mixture of clay and straw. Therefore, this building material cannot be used in harsh climatic zones. But for dry climates with little rain, adobe is quite suitable for building a simple dwelling.

• • A mixture of sawdust, shavings, chemical additives and cement - such blocks are called wood concrete. This material is ideal for the construction of walls with low load; it is used for the construction of the top floors of buildings, one-story houses and outbuildings. Wood concrete is an inexpensive building material; it is produced in the form of blocks. In some cases, wood concrete, like concrete, is poured directly into the formwork. The main disadvantage of wood concrete is that it has weak strength and cannot be used in the manufacture of foundations and load-bearing walls.

• • Natural stone is a building material for those who love old traditions and have the finances to implement them. Building a house from natural stone will be very expensive, but the house will probably go to your great-great-grandchildren. Natural stone used for construction can be in either a natural form or in the form of processed blocks.

• Cinder Block - As the name suggests, it is a block pressed from waste slag and cement. Not a very safe material from an environmental point of view, since you do not know the origin of the slag. Cinder block is a cheap alternative to brick and is used to build houses and outbuildings. The strength of a cinder block largely depends on the conscience of the manufacturer; there are cases when blocks fall apart right during laying.

We hope that our article helped you decide on the choice of building materials for building a house!

Owners of suburban areas have an excellent opportunity to assemble inexpensive houses with very good performance characteristics. There are several ways to construct an economical and reliable building these days. In this article we will talk about what is cheaper to build houses from.

What factors influence the cost

You can save money when building a country house:

• Having drawn up the project correctly. A compact house with a well-thought-out layout will cost less than a large “chaotic” building and will be no less comfortable.
• By choosing the right material for walls, roofing, ceilings and finishing.

It is the latter factor that often plays a decisive role in terms of project cost.

Materials for how to choose

When deciding what exactly the walls of the house, its floors and roof will be built from, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

• Climatic conditions. In cold regions, it is better to use materials that are not as durable, but definitely warm. Owners of plots located in the southern regions of the country have a much wider choice. In this case, you can use absolutely any modern inexpensive materials.
• Specific properties of materials. Of course, buildings made of SIP panels or foam concrete are much cheaper than brick or log houses.
• Features of the local market. For example, wood may be cheaper in forested regions, and concrete in steppe regions.

The most economical building materials

So, now let's see what is cheaper to build houses from. A very economical and convenient building can now be erected using:

• Timber and modern insulation. This is the most inexpensive type of building at the moment. At the same time, despite their low cost, panel houses have very good performance characteristics. In this case, inexpensive materials are also used as cladding. Most often this is plywood and siding.
• SIP panels. Such a building will cost more than a panel building, but it will also be erected faster.
• Foam blocks. Buildings constructed from them are also very inexpensive and are considered somewhat more reliable than panel buildings.

All these modern materials are very suitable for building a house and can last a long time. Next, let's talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Perhaps this will help someone make the best choice.

Advantages of frame buildings

Houses made of wood of this type, in addition to being cheap, also have such advantages as:

• Ease of construction. You can build a frame-panel house yourself, without the involvement of specialists. When constructing such a building, there is no need to use any expensive equipment. The foundation for a panel house can be poured with the most inexpensive - columnar (of course, only on reliable ground).
• Excellent heat-retaining qualities. Such houses are isolated from the cold using modern inexpensive materials. Usually this is mineral wool or polystyrene foam. Even not too expensive unprofiled timber in this case is used in minimal quantities - only for the construction of the frame.
• Aesthetic If you use high-quality internal and external cladding, choosing this technology, you can actually get a very beautiful and at the same time comfortable building.
• No shrinkage. Unlike expensive cobblestone and log buildings, you can move into a house built using this technology immediately after its construction.

Disadvantages of panel buildings

Timber and modern insulation are simply an excellent answer to the question of what is cheaper to build houses from. But of course, like any other method, this building construction technology also has its drawbacks. The disadvantages of frame-panel houses include, first of all, a not very high degree of environmental safety. The fact is that mineral wool and expanded polystyrene are materials that, in certain situations, can emit. When building a house, this must be taken into account and the interior lining must be made as airtight as possible. Mineral wool emits toxic styrene and expanded polystyrene.

The disadvantages of panel structures also include a not very high degree of fire resistance. It is best to entrust the wiring in such a house to a specialist. Even though this will entail additional costs. You will also have to spend money on treating the wooden frame with antiseptic compounds that increase fire resistance, as well as insect repellents. As you know, only if these products are used, wooden houses can be quite durable.

Owners of remote summer cottages often refuse to erect such buildings due to the not very high mechanical strength of the walls. Thieves may not even need to pick the lock to break into such a home without security.

Advantages of buildings made from SIP panels

This type of building is structurally very similar to the previous one. In fact, this is just a type of panel house. The only difference is that the elements of a building of this type are assembled from panels supplied ready-made. Of course, when using such material the construction is more reliable and durable. Houses made from SIP panels are not too expensive. However, their cost, as already mentioned, is slightly higher than that of conventional panel boards.

SIP panels consist of two OSB boards, between which polystyrene foam is fixed. Despite their apparent fragility, due to their structural integrity they are able to withstand enormous loads and are actually simply ideal for buildings. You can also erect a building from this material yourself. There is no need to pour an overly thick foundation under SIP walls. The advantages of this material include a very low degree of thermal conductivity.

As in the case of a frame-panel house, the construction of such a building does not require the use of expensive equipment. The panels are processed simply - using a regular hacksaw. Therefore, houses made from SIP panels can have any layout and architecture.

Disadvantages of SIP buildings

The disadvantages of such houses are approximately the same as those of conventional frame-panel houses. That is, they are not fire safe and environmentally friendly. In addition to polystyrene foam, in this case OSB panels are also used, the safety of which is highly questionable. Some disadvantages of SIP panels include the fact that they can only be used to build houses of limited height (maximum 2 floors). Engineering communications in buildings of this type are quite difficult and expensive. This can also be attributed to the disadvantages of such buildings.

Advantages of houses made of foam blocks

This material is slightly more expensive than SIP panels. However, the cost of the foam block is still low, and the difference in price in this case is not critical. In addition, in comparison with SIP buildings and panel buildings, houses made of this material have many advantages. These include:

• The ability of walls to “breathe”. In this regard, buildings made of foam blocks are comparable to, for example, comfortable structures such as log houses. The microclimate in buildings constructed from this material is created almost the same.
• Fire resistance of walls. Concrete, as everyone knows, does not burn.
• Durability. By definition, such a building can last much longer than a wooden structure. Concrete does not rot and is not damaged by insects.

Disadvantages of houses made of foam concrete

The disadvantages of such buildings include, first of all, the need for careful waterproofing of the foundation and the use of materials that prevent moisture from penetrating the walls. Inexpensive houses made of foam blocks should be protected as thoroughly as possible. The fact is that this porous material absorbs moisture very well. In this case, its heat-preserving qualities are lost. Moreover, wet blocks of this type crumble easily, which can even lead to the appearance of cracks in the walls.

Despite the fact that foam concrete is lightweight, the foundation for it should be sufficiently powerful and reliable. It's all about the fragility of this material. Foam concrete can crack even with small movements.

The disadvantages of this material, in comparison with SIP panels, include some difficulty in constructing houses when using them. To build, foam blocks need to be held together with special glue. In this case, the seams, unlike concrete ones, are very thin and do not allow cold to pass through. However, masonry using this method involves the use of blocks of ideal geometry. But despite existing standards, material with various types of defects is often sold on the domestic market.

From all of the above we can draw a simple conclusion. You should buy foam blocks only from large manufacturers who value their reputation and supply the market with fairly durable material with ideal geometry.

Cost of materials

For the construction of building walls, structural and thermal insulating foam blocks are usually used. Their price depends on the size, manufacturer and supplier. For a D500-D600 block, for example, you can pay from 47 to 185 rubles. The cost of a foam block with the most convenient dimensions of 20x30x60 mm is usually 135-150 rubles.

The price of SIP panels of different sizes can be found in the table below.

Thus, the price of a house made of SIP (or rather, only its walls) measuring 5x5 m with a ceiling height of 250 cm and a wall thickness of 12 mm will be 47,200 rubles, not counting the cost of consumables. Of course it's not too expensive. Foam blocks of the same size will cost about 55,000-60,000 rubles, which is also quite cheap.

What to make the floors and roof from

The use of SIP panels and foam blocks significantly reduces the cost of building houses. From various materials of a modern type, such as metal tiles, ondulin or profiled sheets, it is possible to assemble a very inexpensive roof for a country building. The floor and ceiling in a budget house are usually sheathed with simple edged boards.

As for the frame of the floors and roof, there is, of course, not too much choice. Joists, beams and rafter systems are usually made of timber. And they use fairly thick material. After all, such structures are load-bearing and must withstand serious loads. Therefore, of course, it is not worth saving on them. However, the price of ordinary non-profiled timber is not too high.

Thus, using the materials described above to build a house, you can save a lot of money and at the same time get reliable and environmentally friendly structures.

How to choose an edged board

When choosing this material, you should pay attention to two factors:

• Presence of knots. There should be as few of them as possible. Especially the dark ones. Such knots will inevitably fall out over time, and unsightly holes will form in the floor or ceiling.
• Geometry of the material. All selected boards must have the same thickness and be even in all planes.

Advantages and disadvantages of metal tiles

In addition to the low price, the advantages of this material, which is most often used to assemble inexpensive roofing, include:

• light weight,
• strength and durability,
• aesthetic appearance,
• ease of installation.

The disadvantages of metal tiles are:

• noisy when it rains,
• ability to rust and click in the sun if not installed correctly.

As you can see, the answer to the question of what is cheaper to build houses from is not too complicated. Choosing inexpensive materials for the construction of walls, floors and roofing of a building is very simple these days. Of course, when drawing up a project, everything should be carefully calculated and thought through. In this case, the house will be economical, reliable and comfortable.

The correct choice of material for building a house affects not only its strength and durability, but also the cost of the work. Today's construction market provides a huge range of different materials, ideal not only for prefabricated buildings, but also for solid structures.

First you need to decide for what purposes the future building is intended. If the house is intended for permanent residence, then the main qualities when choosing a building material should be durability, strength, resistance to moisture, as well as high-quality heat and noise insulation.

All of the above advantages are possessed by houses made of foam concrete, brick, frame and wood.

Pros and cons of building a country house from timber

The building, during the construction of which timber was used, will be reliable and beautiful. The material made from logs cut down in the winter is great for construction, as such a beam shrinks much faster. There are certain advantages and disadvantages that can affect the choice of this material.

Wooden house made of laminated veneer lumber

For example, the pluses include the shallower depth of the foundation required when building a house. In addition, lumber walls have a lower thermal conductivity compared to brick walls, so you don’t have to think about external or internal wall decoration. An important point is that the house can be built at any time, be it in winter or in summer.

Despite the large number of advantages, timber has a number of disadvantages. This material is subject to decay, so it is short-lived, like any other wood material. Also, after the construction of housing, drying must be carried out for some time. In addition, the fire safety of the material is also not at the highest level.

Coniferous trees are used to make profiled timber. The outer side may be flat, it may look like a log, and the inner side most often has a flat surface and is processed by planing. The remaining two sides are equipped with special tenons and grooves, which improves the fit with each other. The grooves are filled with jute insulation.

Profiled timber is a high-tech material that allows you to build a house in the shortest possible time.

Glued laminated timber does not have significant flaws and defects because it undergoes special processing during production. The material is protected by a special impregnation of fire retardant and antiseptic, which gives the wood a high level of resistance to rotting and fire resistance. , can serve you faithfully for several decades.

In addition, they are erected quite quickly, which provides comfortable conditions not only for construction, but also for further living. Currently, many different companies can help with the construction of houses made of timber, however, if you wish, you can do the construction of a house made of timber yourself, since there are no particular difficulties in this matter.

Here you can watch a video in which issues of building a house are discussed, but it is worth considering that it was recorded at the Forest Fair, and, naturally, the author is promoting the topic of building wooden houses. But at the same time, the video contains very useful tips.

Read also

Pitfalls of houses with a pitched roof

Foam concrete houses: pros and cons

The choice of building material is largely determined by such qualities as ease of installation, environmental friendliness, heat and sound insulation. Foam concrete has all of the above qualities, which is why it is gaining increasing popularity among builders. Today, mass housing developments are carried out using this material.

An important quality for many consumers is that this material has a high level of environmental safety. To make foam concrete, only natural materials are used, such as cement, water, sand. Of course, it is also possible to add dyes with plasticizers, but their quantity is usually very small. Walls made of this material allow air to pass through perfectly, which ensures a favorable microclimate in the room.

Foam concrete has a fairly low price compared to other materials. In addition, it is very light, which undoubtedly affects the speed of installation. You can build a house in two to three months. In addition, building a house from foam concrete does not require the construction of a powerful foundation.

One of the main qualities of foam concrete is the presence of good heat and noise insulation, which leads to a reduction in the cost of heat energy and insulating materials. This material is completely fireproof and easily withstands high temperatures. In addition, interior walls can be finished using almost any materials.

But, like any building material, foam concrete has its drawbacks. One of them is insufficient strength, so the blocks may be damaged during transportation and construction. There is a possibility that cracks may appear on the walls after installing the building frame, which appear during the shrinkage process or under the influence of temperature changes. In order to avoid adverse consequences, you need to spend money on high-quality reinforcement of the structure.

After it is erected, do not try to immediately finish finishing the interior walls; it is better to wait for some time. The reason is that there is a possibility of carbonation shrinkage, which can occur as a result of the formation of chalk inside the material. Such changes can occur due to a chemical reaction between the cement and the carbon dioxide that penetrates it.

Pros and cons of brick houses

Brick houses are among the most popular in the construction industry because they are durable, strong and comfortable. If such a house is built competently and thoroughly, then it can easily stand for more than 100 years, delighting residents with a cozy layout and the warmth of its walls.

Brick is the most suitable material for exterior finishing work. Brick cladding will require less money than a full-fledged building made from the same material. Such cladding both decorates the building and protects it from the harmful effects of the environment. The best option when building a reliable and warm house is to combine foam concrete with brick.

Brick is ideal for building a house because it is completely natural.

A brick house will not burn down. Of course, the fire will destroy everything that was inside, but the frame of the house will remain standing, which contributes to the beginning of a new life.

If necessary, you can build on it and add additional rooms. A house with only one floor can become a comfortable cottage or a house with several floors.

Brick walls can support roller shutters or an additional attic. You can also line the walls with wood, wild stone or decorative brick.