How to properly lay walls from ceramic blocks with a thorn-groove system

Large-format ceramic block with a tongue-and-groove system is one of the most controversial building materials. Low thermal conductivity, good strength, frost resistance, excellent sound insulation — it seems that he would build, and even build! Many people are confused by the nuances of the technology: it seems that glue is needed, but our blocks cannot be put on glue; like blocks, if necessary, can be divided into parts, but the ceramics on impact splits into small fragments; it is not clear what is there with the reinforcing mesh, the way the blocks are laid... We will tell you how to lay warm ceramics correctly.

How to prepare the foundation of a house from ceramic blocks?

Ceramic blocks are light, therefore the foundation does not require reinforcement, but due to the ability of the blocks to absorb moisture, the foundation is necessarily waterproofed. First, the foundation surface is leveled horizontally with a thin layer of waterproof mortar, then the leveled surface is smeared with good quality mastic, and a layer of roll is rolled out on top waterproofing. If you do not insulate the walls of warm ceramics from the foundation, they will inevitably get wet, and this will shorten the life of the house.

What are the ceramic blocks placed on?

The sanded ceramic blocks are placed on a special liquid glue using a special machine, and the thickness of the seam is 1–2 mm. This is an ideal way to avoid cold bridges and to maintain the thermal efficiency of a porous block wall. But now in our country, polished ceramic blocks are not produced.

Therefore, blocks are often placed on a cement-sand mortar. But its thermal insulation properties are several times worse than those of ceramic blocks, and as a result, the thermal efficiency of the wall decreases. The situation can be corrected by distributing the solution not over the entire surface of the blocks, but in strips so that the air the layer increased the thermal insulation properties of the masonry, but the effect of this is small (3-5%), and the strength of the masonry will suffer.

It is better to use a special warm masonry mixture - its thermal efficiency is equal to the thermal efficiency of the blocks, the only thing: it is not at all budgetary. Self-builders also often make a perlite-cement mixture (1: 3) themselves, adding a plasticizer to increase the plasticity of the solution.
There is such a rule: you can use ordinary masonry mortar when the wall thickness is 510 mm; if the wall thickness is 380 mm or 300 mm, this is unacceptable - in winter the seam will freeze. If the wall is already 510 mm, warm (light) mortars should be used.

What is the thickness of the vertical seam?

Due to the groove-comb end joining, the vertical connection of the blocks is carried out without the use of mortar: the blocks are joined together, forming a closed air cavity. The horizontal joint must comply with the joint venture “Stone and Reinforced Masonry Structures”: this document regulates the joint thickness of 8–12 mm.

Where to start laying?

Laying starts from the corners of the house. Corner blocks are exposed to mortar. When laying, all blocks must be moistened with water, otherwise they will actively absorb moisture from the solution, and when setting, the solution will dry out. Blocks are a fragile material, and it is forbidden to level or upset them with a mason's pick, only with a rubber mallet!

How to stack blocks?

Laying should start from the highest corner of the foundation. Blocks laid in a row must be leveled with mortar - the total surface of the row must be perfectly horizontal. You cannot dock blocks by pushing them horizontally. The block in the groove-tongue direction must slide from above. After laying each block, you will need to check its position along all axes with a level, cord or plumb line.

Should I use a grid?

The gurus of our portal do not tire of emphasizing that when using large-format high-void porous blocks, it is necessary to lay a special mesh in each row aisle. Otherwise, the solution will fall into the voids. Sometimes in individual housing construction, a conventional fiberglass covering material is used, this is wrong. Basalt mesh increases the uniformity of the wall mass and effectively retains the binder.

How to bandage rows of large-format ceramic blocks?

The laying of ceramic blocks is performed with dressing, the dressing step is calculated using the formula 0.4 * h, where h is the height of the block. Since Russian manufacturers produce blocks of standard height, 219 mm, the minimum bandaging step should be 88 mm. You cannot decrease it, but you can increase it a little.

Do I need to fill the armopoyas under the floors of hollow-core reinforced concrete slabs?

Manufacturers of ceramic blocks allow for the possibility of a simplified reinforcement of the masonry with reinforcement without filling the armored belt. But the Typical Technological Map (TTC) "Masonry of external walls from ceramic blocks" tells us: "to distribute the load from the floor is uniform, a monolithic concrete armopoyas with a height of about 10–20 cm ".

What should be the thermal insulation if the wall of ceramic blocks needs insulation?

The insulation should not have a lower vapor permeability than ceramic blocks, otherwise moisture will accumulate in the walls. Its thickness is calculated during the design of the house, depending on the region.

What is the best way to cut blocks?

If possible, it is better not to cut the blocks, but to buy special additional blocks: manufacturers offer them in the size of ½ or ¼ of the whole block. You cannot try to split the block - it will simply crumble into small smithereens. It is recommended to cut the blocks with a reciprocating saw, an ordinary two-handed saw has proven itself well (the blocks need to be dry). A grinder with a circle on stone and ceramic tiles cuts blocks like clockwork.

Do I need to additionally protect the wall made of ceramic blocks?

To prevent the wall from being blown through, it is protected with traditional brick cladding or external plaster (the thickness of the plaster layer should not be less than 30 mm). Large-format ceramic blocks are multiples of Russian facing bricks in height, and if you put the walls on a 12 mm seam, the height of three bricks will be equal to the height of one block. Thanks to this, the masonry of the load-bearing wall is tied with the masonry of the cladding.

What nuances can you add to working with warm porous ceramics? Write in the comments!

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