Difference between revisions of "Wall Materials"
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There are many alternatives to bricks & cement for walls. Each one has its own set of properties. | There are many alternatives to bricks & cement for walls. Each one has its own set of properties. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==More popular wall types== | ==More popular wall types== | ||
| − | |||
===Concrete Blocks=== | ===Concrete Blocks=== | ||
* Dense concrete block | * Dense concrete block | ||
| Line 17: | Line 14: | ||
===Reconstituted Stone Blocks=== | ===Reconstituted Stone Blocks=== | ||
| + | * [[Stone]] dust, cement & pigment. | ||
| − | + | ===Partition Wall=== | |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | ===Partition Wall | ||
Wood or steel [[Partition Wall|frame]], plus walling sheets, any of: | Wood or steel [[Partition Wall|frame]], plus walling sheets, any of: | ||
* [[Sheet Materials|Plasterboard]], the usual choice | * [[Sheet Materials|Plasterboard]], the usual choice | ||
| Line 35: | Line 29: | ||
===Lime=== | ===Lime=== | ||
| − | |||
* [[Mortar Mixes|Lime & sand mortar]] with various building blocks | * [[Mortar Mixes|Lime & sand mortar]] with various building blocks | ||
| − | |||
* standard mortar on historic buildings | * standard mortar on historic buildings | ||
| − | |||
* Sometimes used on new builds | * Sometimes used on new builds | ||
| − | |||
* white appearance | * white appearance | ||
| − | |||
* lower embodied energy than cement | * lower embodied energy than cement | ||
| − | |||
* disposed of lime mortar becomes a normal part of the soil (chalk), thus eliminating the waste issue of cement mortars | * disposed of lime mortar becomes a normal part of the soil (chalk), thus eliminating the waste issue of cement mortars | ||
| − | |||
* lower compressive strength makes it unsuitable for high rise buildings | * lower compressive strength makes it unsuitable for high rise buildings | ||
| − | |||
* Non-hydraulic lime is very slow setting, and can be stored unset indefinitely if air is excluded | * Non-hydraulic lime is very slow setting, and can be stored unset indefinitely if air is excluded | ||
| − | + | * This slows down the build rate a fair bit, hence its unpopularity | |
* Hydraulic lime is quick to set | * Hydraulic lime is quick to set | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Gabions=== | ===Gabions=== | ||
* Steel mesh cage filled with stone | * Steel mesh cage filled with stone | ||
| − | * Useful for retaining | + | * Useful for retaining slopes that don't support a house |
* Widely used to retain river banks | * Widely used to retain river banks | ||
* Not fireproof, so not usable for habitable accommodation (it can be fireproofed, but is then subject to hidden rusting) | * Not fireproof, so not usable for habitable accommodation (it can be fireproofed, but is then subject to hidden rusting) | ||
| Line 65: | Line 49: | ||
Types of stone wall: | Types of stone wall: | ||
* Sawn (smooth faced blocks) | * Sawn (smooth faced blocks) | ||
| + | * Coursed, blocks of mixed sizes a multiple of a unit of height | ||
* Hammer dressed (rough faced blocks) | * Hammer dressed (rough faced blocks) | ||
* Rubble walls (random sized uncut stone) | * Rubble walls (random sized uncut stone) | ||
| Line 73: | Line 58: | ||
* Shuttering ply is mostly used | * Shuttering ply is mostly used | ||
* Diesel is an effective release agent | * Diesel is an effective release agent | ||
| − | * Polystyrene moulds are sometimes used, the polystyrene | + | * Polystyrene moulds are sometimes used, the polystyrene staying in place as [[insulation]] |
===Glass brick=== | ===Glass brick=== | ||
| Line 82: | Line 67: | ||
===Strawboard=== | ===Strawboard=== | ||
| − | |||
* A one piece sandwich of plaster, card, straw, card, plaster | * A one piece sandwich of plaster, card, straw, card, plaster | ||
| − | |||
* Low cost | * Low cost | ||
| − | + | * Good [[sound]] insulation | |
| − | * Good sound insulation | ||
| − | |||
* Very poor strength, which can make fixing things to the wall problematic | * Very poor strength, which can make fixing things to the wall problematic | ||
| − | |||
* Poor strength makes it possible to fall through one of these walls | * Poor strength makes it possible to fall through one of these walls | ||
| − | |||
* Used between bedrooms in some cut price modern builds | * Used between bedrooms in some cut price modern builds | ||
| − | |||
* Brand name [http://www.stramit-int.com/ Stramit] | * Brand name [http://www.stramit-int.com/ Stramit] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
==Less popular wall types== | ==Less popular wall types== | ||
| − | |||
===Dry Block Walls=== | ===Dry Block Walls=== | ||
| − | |||
* [[Making Concrete Blocks|Concrete blocks]] are stacked with no [[Mortar Mixes|mortar]] | * [[Making Concrete Blocks|Concrete blocks]] are stacked with no [[Mortar Mixes|mortar]] | ||
| − | + | * Wall is then covered with glass fibre reinforced render (fibreglass must be ASR resistant) | |
| − | * Wall is then covered with glass fibre reinforced render | ||
| − | |||
* The render is a structural element | * The render is a structural element | ||
| − | |||
* Quicker & weaker than a [[Mortar Mixes|mortar]] laid [[Making Concrete Blocks|block]] wall | * Quicker & weaker than a [[Mortar Mixes|mortar]] laid [[Making Concrete Blocks|block]] wall | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Adobe=== | ===Adobe=== | ||
| − | |||
* Clay suboil, sand, straw or dung etc | * Clay suboil, sand, straw or dung etc | ||
| − | |||
* Blocks | * Blocks | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Cob=== | ===Cob=== | ||
| − | |||
* Subsoil, sand, straw, lime | * Subsoil, sand, straw, lime | ||
| − | |||
* Continuous construction, no blocks involved. | * Continuous construction, no blocks involved. | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Cast Earth=== | ===Cast Earth=== | ||
| − | |||
* Subsoil & gypsum | * Subsoil & gypsum | ||
| − | |||
* [http://www.castearth.com/ More info] | * [http://www.castearth.com/ More info] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Sprayed Concrete=== | ===Sprayed Concrete=== | ||
| − | |||
* Concrete is sprayed onto a form | * Concrete is sprayed onto a form | ||
| − | + | * Tyrolean sprayer usually used, though it can be done by hand | |
| − | * | ||
* Very fast construction method, used for emergency housing after natural disasters | * Very fast construction method, used for emergency housing after natural disasters | ||
| − | |||
* Curvy artistic shapes are readily achieved with sprayed concrete | * Curvy artistic shapes are readily achieved with sprayed concrete | ||
| − | + | * Wet cellulose [[insulation]] can be similarly sprayed | |
| − | |||
===Papercrete=== | ===Papercrete=== | ||
* Mixture of pulped paper, cement, sand, subsoil, plus assorted optional additives | * Mixture of pulped paper, cement, sand, subsoil, plus assorted optional additives | ||
| − | * Many mix variations, some | + | * Many mix variations, some optimised for [[insulation]], some for strength, some for minimal cost |
| − | * A wide range of waste materials can be incorporated into [[Papercrete|papercrete]] | + | * A wide range of [[waste]] materials can be incorporated into [[Papercrete|papercrete]] |
* [[Papercrete|Main article]] | * [[Papercrete|Main article]] | ||
| Line 162: | Line 114: | ||
===Earthcrete=== | ===Earthcrete=== | ||
| − | |||
* Subsoil & cement | * Subsoil & cement | ||
| − | |||
* Good for paths | * Good for paths | ||
| − | |||
* Good under gravel drives to prevent muddy sinks | * Good under gravel drives to prevent muddy sinks | ||
| − | |||
===Superadobe=== | ===Superadobe=== | ||
| − | |||
* Bags filled with stabilised earth used as building blocks | * Bags filled with stabilised earth used as building blocks | ||
| − | |||
* Barbed wire included in wall joints for earthquake resistance. | * Barbed wire included in wall joints for earthquake resistance. | ||
| − | |||
* http://www.calearth.org/ | * http://www.calearth.org/ | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Rammed Earth=== | ===Rammed Earth=== | ||
| − | |||
* Aka pise de terre | * Aka pise de terre | ||
| − | |||
* Earth, sand, gravel, clay | * Earth, sand, gravel, clay | ||
| − | |||
* A stabiliser is also needed in our wet climate, such as cement, lime or animal blood. | * A stabiliser is also needed in our wet climate, such as cement, lime or animal blood. | ||
| − | |||
* Continous build, no blocks | * Continous build, no blocks | ||
| − | |||
* Poor strength requires thick walls | * Poor strength requires thick walls | ||
| − | |||
===Roman concrete=== | ===Roman concrete=== | ||
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* Lime, pozzolan, sand & stone. | * Lime, pozzolan, sand & stone. | ||
| − | + | * Cooked rice has also been found in exceptionally long lasting mortars of this type | |
| − | |||
===Sod=== | ===Sod=== | ||
| − | |||
* Turf strips are stacked. | * Turf strips are stacked. | ||
| − | |||
* Contains topsoil, grass and roots. | * Contains topsoil, grass and roots. | ||
| − | |||
* The plant fibres stabilise & reinforce the soil | * The plant fibres stabilise & reinforce the soil | ||
| − | |||
* Rendered, often with mud plaster. | * Rendered, often with mud plaster. | ||
| − | |||
* A low material cost walling option if enough grassed ground is available | * A low material cost walling option if enough grassed ground is available | ||
| − | |||
* Earth constructions require large roof overhang to keep them sufficiently dry | * Earth constructions require large roof overhang to keep them sufficiently dry | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Straw Bale=== | ===Straw Bale=== | ||
| − | |||
* Bales are stacked & the wall plastered | * Bales are stacked & the wall plastered | ||
| − | + | * Bales may be load bearing, or a separate timber frame is used with bale infill. | |
| − | * Bales may be load bearing, or a separate | ||
| − | |||
* Very low cost | * Very low cost | ||
| − | |||
* Very fast construction method | * Very fast construction method | ||
| − | |||
* Good thermal [[insulation]] | * Good thermal [[insulation]] | ||
| − | |||
* Excellent sound absorption. | * Excellent sound absorption. | ||
| − | |||
* Leaks must be repaired immediately to avoid [[Wood Rot|rot]] | * Leaks must be repaired immediately to avoid [[Wood Rot|rot]] | ||
| − | |||
* Can be built by children | * Can be built by children | ||
| − | |||
* Makes very thick walls | * Makes very thick walls | ||
| − | |||
* Render & plaster cover prevents combustion | * Render & plaster cover prevents combustion | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Rice hull bag walls=== | ===Rice hull bag walls=== | ||
| − | |||
* Steel mesh forms each side of the wall | * Steel mesh forms each side of the wall | ||
| − | |||
* Space filled with polypropylene bags of rice husks | * Space filled with polypropylene bags of rice husks | ||
| − | |||
* Barbed wire included in courses | * Barbed wire included in courses | ||
| − | |||
* Good [[insulation]] | * Good [[insulation]] | ||
| − | |||
* Quick construction | * Quick construction | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Mudbrick=== | ===Mudbrick=== | ||
| − | |||
* Unfired clay bricks | * Unfired clay bricks | ||
| − | |||
* Short life expectancy, around 30 years | * Short life expectancy, around 30 years | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Earthship=== | ===Earthship=== | ||
| − | |||
* Stacked tyres are filled with rammed earth, wall then mud rendered | * Stacked tyres are filled with rammed earth, wall then mud rendered | ||
| − | |||
* No material cost | * No material cost | ||
| − | |||
* Ugly | * Ugly | ||
| − | |||
* Bulky | * Bulky | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Drinks can walls=== | ===Drinks can walls=== | ||
| − | |||
* Interior non loadbearing wall | * Interior non loadbearing wall | ||
| − | |||
* Drink cans are stacked with wet [[Mortar Mixes|concrete]] between them, forming a [[Mortar Mixes|concrete]] lattice wall | * Drink cans are stacked with wet [[Mortar Mixes|concrete]] between them, forming a [[Mortar Mixes|concrete]] lattice wall | ||
| − | |||
* Wall is plastered, the plaster attaches to the ring pulls | * Wall is plastered, the plaster attaches to the ring pulls | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Hollow Ceramic Blocks=== | ===Hollow Ceramic Blocks=== | ||
| − | + | * Lightweight lattice-like fired clay blocks are stacked, with or without thin bed mortar | |
| − | * Lightweight lattice-like fired clay blocks are stacked | ||
| − | |||
* Wall then rendered | * Wall then rendered | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Ceramic Pots=== | ===Ceramic Pots=== | ||
| − | |||
* Plant-pot like ceramic pots are stacked | * Plant-pot like ceramic pots are stacked | ||
| − | |||
* Wall then rendered | * Wall then rendered | ||
| − | |||
* Popular in Spain | * Popular in Spain | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Half Timbered=== | ===Half Timbered=== | ||
| − | |||
* Vertical wood studs with close spacing | * Vertical wood studs with close spacing | ||
| − | |||
* Mud plaster infill | * Mud plaster infill | ||
| − | |||
* Historic construction method for external walls | * Historic construction method for external walls | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
===Wattle & Daub=== | ===Wattle & Daub=== | ||
| − | |||
* Timber stud [[Partition Wall|framework]] | * Timber stud [[Partition Wall|framework]] | ||
| − | |||
* Woven twig fencing panels (wattle) | * Woven twig fencing panels (wattle) | ||
| − | |||
* Plastered with mud plaster (daub) | * Plastered with mud plaster (daub) | ||
| − | |||
* Historic construction method for internal & external walls | * Historic construction method for internal & external walls | ||
| − | |||
===Dungwall=== | ===Dungwall=== | ||
| − | * Fence posts with 8"x2" T&G | + | * Fence posts infilled with 8"x2" T&G boards |
* Primarily used to retain earth | * Primarily used to retain earth | ||
* When not nailed to the posts, they require force on one side to keep them in place | * When not nailed to the posts, they require force on one side to keep them in place | ||
* Fast to build | * Fast to build | ||
| − | + | * Rot prone, unpopular in Britain | |
| − | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
| − | + | *[[Wall]]s | |
| − | * [[Mortar Mixes]] | + | *[[Insulation]] |
| − | + | *[[Plastering]] | |
| − | * [[Special:Allpages|Wiki Contents]] | + | *[[Mortar Mixes]] |
| − | + | *[[Special:Allpages|Wiki Contents]] | |
| − | * [[Special:Categories|Wiki Subject Categories]] | + | *[[Special:Categories|Wiki Subject Categories]] |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
[[Category:Mortar]] | [[Category:Mortar]] | ||
| − | |||
[[Category:Building]] | [[Category:Building]] | ||
| − | |||
[[Category:Construction]] | [[Category:Construction]] | ||
Latest revision as of 02:40, 12 September 2018
There are many alternatives to bricks & cement for walls. Each one has its own set of properties.
More popular wall types
Concrete Blocks
- Dense concrete block
- Medium density block
- Aerated or AAC block, less accurately known as breeze blocks.
- fast & easy to work with
- less sound absorption
- must be rendered when otuside to protect against frost damage
- Hollow concrete block
- Patterned & decorative blocks used for garden walls
- Making Concrete Blocks
Reconstituted Stone Blocks
- Stone dust, cement & pigment.
Partition Wall
Wood or steel frame, plus walling sheets, any of:
- Plasterboard, the usual choice
- Plywood or OSB, good for workshops. Can be plasterboard covered for fire protection
- Lath & Plaster, common in historic properties
- Clayboard
- Fibre cement sheet
See
- [[Stud wall]
- Stud wall noise reduction
Lime
- Lime & sand mortar with various building blocks
- standard mortar on historic buildings
- Sometimes used on new builds
- white appearance
- lower embodied energy than cement
- disposed of lime mortar becomes a normal part of the soil (chalk), thus eliminating the waste issue of cement mortars
- lower compressive strength makes it unsuitable for high rise buildings
- Non-hydraulic lime is very slow setting, and can be stored unset indefinitely if air is excluded
- This slows down the build rate a fair bit, hence its unpopularity
- Hydraulic lime is quick to set
Gabions
- Steel mesh cage filled with stone
- Useful for retaining slopes that don't support a house
- Widely used to retain river banks
- Not fireproof, so not usable for habitable accommodation (it can be fireproofed, but is then subject to hidden rusting)
Stone
Types of stone wall:
- Sawn (smooth faced blocks)
- Coursed, blocks of mixed sizes a multiple of a unit of height
- Hammer dressed (rough faced blocks)
- Rubble walls (random sized uncut stone)
- Dry stone walling (no mortar used)
Poured concrete
- Poured into wooden forms in situ
- Shuttering ply is mostly used
- Diesel is an effective release agent
- Polystyrene moulds are sometimes used, the polystyrene staying in place as insulation
Glass brick
- Transmits light
- Insulation not as good as double glazing
- White cement mortar usually used for joints
- Glass blocks require steel reinforcement in some of the joints, and an expansion strip round the outside
Strawboard
- A one piece sandwich of plaster, card, straw, card, plaster
- Low cost
- Good sound insulation
- Very poor strength, which can make fixing things to the wall problematic
- Poor strength makes it possible to fall through one of these walls
- Used between bedrooms in some cut price modern builds
- Brand name Stramit
Less popular wall types
Dry Block Walls
- Concrete blocks are stacked with no mortar
- Wall is then covered with glass fibre reinforced render (fibreglass must be ASR resistant)
- The render is a structural element
- Quicker & weaker than a mortar laid block wall
Adobe
- Clay suboil, sand, straw or dung etc
- Blocks
Cob
- Subsoil, sand, straw, lime
- Continuous construction, no blocks involved.
Cast Earth
- Subsoil & gypsum
- More info
Sprayed Concrete
- Concrete is sprayed onto a form
- Tyrolean sprayer usually used, though it can be done by hand
- Very fast construction method, used for emergency housing after natural disasters
- Curvy artistic shapes are readily achieved with sprayed concrete
- Wet cellulose insulation can be similarly sprayed
Papercrete
- Mixture of pulped paper, cement, sand, subsoil, plus assorted optional additives
- Many mix variations, some optimised for insulation, some for strength, some for minimal cost
- A wide range of waste materials can be incorporated into papercrete
- Main article
There are 3 main ways to build walls with it:
- Papercrete blocks stacked with papercrete mortar and papercrete render
- Papercrete poured into plywood shuttering
- Lath rendered with papercrete is another way to build papercrete walls. A tyrolean sprayer is often used
Earthcrete
- Subsoil & cement
- Good for paths
- Good under gravel drives to prevent muddy sinks
Superadobe
- Bags filled with stabilised earth used as building blocks
- Barbed wire included in wall joints for earthquake resistance.
- http://www.calearth.org/
Rammed Earth
- Aka pise de terre
- Earth, sand, gravel, clay
- A stabiliser is also needed in our wet climate, such as cement, lime or animal blood.
- Continous build, no blocks
- Poor strength requires thick walls
Roman concrete
- Lime, pozzolan, sand & stone.
- Cooked rice has also been found in exceptionally long lasting mortars of this type
Sod
- Turf strips are stacked.
- Contains topsoil, grass and roots.
- The plant fibres stabilise & reinforce the soil
- Rendered, often with mud plaster.
- A low material cost walling option if enough grassed ground is available
- Earth constructions require large roof overhang to keep them sufficiently dry
Straw Bale
- Bales are stacked & the wall plastered
- Bales may be load bearing, or a separate timber frame is used with bale infill.
- Very low cost
- Very fast construction method
- Good thermal insulation
- Excellent sound absorption.
- Leaks must be repaired immediately to avoid rot
- Can be built by children
- Makes very thick walls
- Render & plaster cover prevents combustion
Rice hull bag walls
- Steel mesh forms each side of the wall
- Space filled with polypropylene bags of rice husks
- Barbed wire included in courses
- Good insulation
- Quick construction
Mudbrick
- Unfired clay bricks
- Short life expectancy, around 30 years
Earthship
- Stacked tyres are filled with rammed earth, wall then mud rendered
- No material cost
- Ugly
- Bulky
Drinks can walls
- Interior non loadbearing wall
- Drink cans are stacked with wet concrete between them, forming a concrete lattice wall
- Wall is plastered, the plaster attaches to the ring pulls
Hollow Ceramic Blocks
- Lightweight lattice-like fired clay blocks are stacked, with or without thin bed mortar
- Wall then rendered
Ceramic Pots
- Plant-pot like ceramic pots are stacked
- Wall then rendered
- Popular in Spain
Half Timbered
- Vertical wood studs with close spacing
- Mud plaster infill
- Historic construction method for external walls
Wattle & Daub
- Timber stud framework
- Woven twig fencing panels (wattle)
- Plastered with mud plaster (daub)
- Historic construction method for internal & external walls
Dungwall
- Fence posts infilled with 8"x2" T&G boards
- Primarily used to retain earth
- When not nailed to the posts, they require force on one side to keep them in place
- Fast to build
- Rot prone, unpopular in Britain