DIY polystyrene foam house video. Low-budget construction technology: tent house made of polystyrene foam Construction of a private house from polystyrene foam

A private house made of polystyrene foam only at first glance seems like an impossible solution. In fact, the technology has been known for a long time, but it began to be used in Russia no more than 15-20 years ago. It has its pros and cons, but overall, it belongs to modern, energy-saving construction methods and is becoming increasingly popular.

A polystyrene foam house is actually being built from polystyrene foam, i.e. foam blocks. Such elements are produced with a cavity inside into which it is poured.

In essence, this is a permanent formwork that ensures the formation of reinforced concrete walls, because Before pouring, steel reinforcement is inserted into the polymer. Thus it turns out a wall that is covered with insulation on the outside and inside.

Construction foam blocks can be of different types and sizes - blocks, according to size and installation similar to cinder blocks; non-removable panels and large collapsible panels, which are assembled from 2 foam sheets, fastened with special ties.

For any type of these products, the principle of building a house is similar - a wall is assembled with an internal cavity for pouring concrete. At the final stage, wall surfaces plastered or finished with facing materials.

There is another option for foam houses. They are assembled from structural insulating (SIP) panels, which are a combination of (expanded polystyrene). Unlike the previous case, the polymer ends up inside the reinforced concrete structure, because poured into cavities at the factory.

Advantages and disadvantages

SIP panels are not much different from hollow OSB panels.

They are simple air in the cavities is displaced by foam plastic, which significantly increases the thermal insulation characteristics, even when exposed to moisture.

Their use requires lifting mechanisms, and therefore they are used in the construction of multi-apartment buildings.

When constructing a private house You can use foam hollow blocks and panels.

The following can be distinguished pros such technology:

1. Even panels measuring 2x1.5 m are lightweight, which allows them to be used without the use of lifting mechanisms, relying entirely on manual labor. All wall installation can be done with your own hands.
2. The panels have all the advantages of foam plastic as insulation. Excellent thermal insulation is provided on both sides of the wall, with good moisture resistance.
3. Sufficiently high mechanical strength is ensured by pouring concrete. In this case, there is no need to construct formwork, which significantly reduces construction time.
4. The simplicity of the technology and low cost of polystyrene foam helps to save on construction.

It should also be noted that certain flaws:

1. Foam creates a thermos effect. The walls do not breathe, do not allow steam to pass through and reliably maintain the temperature established inside the room. This circumstance requires the installation of a reliable ventilation system.
2. Expanded polystyrene does not have ideal environmental cleanliness. When heated, it releases substances hazardous to human health. Releases from fire are especially dangerous.
3. The material is considered flammable, so its use must be consistent with fire safety requirements.

note

Polystyrene foam has low compressive strength, impact strength and resistance to surface mechanical influences. A protective layer must be applied on top of it.

Necessary tool

Important. It should be noted that the profiles should be attached not to the polymer, but to the inner concrete layer. With the help of cladding it is possible to provide a ventilated façade.

Japanese domed houses in the photo

A private house made of polystyrene foam is not a fantasy, but a very real construction. For its manufacture, special blocks and panels are used. The construction technology is so simple that all the work can be done with your own hands. It is necessary to take the external decoration of foam walls very seriously to eliminate the negative properties of the material.

A modern home should not only be attractive and durable, but also economical and energy-saving. Therefore, lately, unconventional construction methods using materials that have not previously been used have become increasingly popular. One of the relative novelties in construction are the so-called thermal houses, the walls of which are erected from foam blocks filled with concrete.

Application of expanded polystyrene

Today, in order to build a warm and high-quality house, not only building materials such as brick, concrete or wood are used, but also polystyrene foam blocks filled with ordinary concrete mortar. Foam plastic, or expanded polystyrene, for a long time was not considered as a full-fledged building material, but recently such structures have begun to be used more and more often.

How to build such a house? The technology itself is not very complicated, although it does require certain skills and time to build. Foam walls are erected using the following materials:

1. Foam blocks, which have thick walls, are hollow inside. Blocks are produced only industrially.
2. A concrete solution used to fill the cavities of blocks.
3. Wooden formwork for blocks.
4. Metal reinforcing bars that act as reinforcement when pouring wall blocks.

The construction process itself is as follows:

1. First you need to install the foundation. In this case, you can use a strip one, but since the house is being poured from concrete, it is better to immediately calculate all the loads.
2. After this, the laying of wall blocks begins, around which wooden formwork is installed. It is necessary to prevent deformation of the foam when pouring.
3. The concrete is poured carefully; it is necessary to check that the blocks do not move or become deformed during the work.

Features of the thermal house

Why does a foam house stand out so much from the rest? The fact is that blocks made of foam plastic, or polystyrene, act as insulating formwork, which reduces heat loss. But it’s not enough to just order a house made of foam plastic; you need to plan it correctly. All windows of the house should be oriented to the south; it is recommended to create so-called buffer zones at the entrance. For houses that are built from blocks poured with concrete, you cannot skimp on doors and windows.

Among the features of such foam plastic buildings, it should be noted that they require the installation of a ventilation system and heating, that is, in the winter months such a house must be warmed up, although energy consumption will be minimal.

People who have built such a warm house, but neglected the rules for installing it (not so complicated), often complain about dampness and fungus that has appeared on the walls. But this is a consequence of a violation of technology, and not a defect in the material. Walls made of foam plastic and concrete are vapor-tight, so to maintain a comfortable atmosphere inside, a forced ventilation system should be installed. The best option is air handling units with recovery.

Finish options

The construction of foam plastic houses has its own characteristics, but one of the advantages over others should be noted that the walls in this case can be covered with almost any type of finishing materials.

Exterior façade walls are usually treated with a layer of decorative plaster, which is inexpensive and attractive in appearance, but other options are also possible.

For example, you can use ventilated facade systems, which are not only attractive and give the building a modern, stylish look, but also provide an optimal microclimate in the house.

Interior walls can be finished with a variety of materials. Today, they are most often sheathed with plasterboard, which provides many design options.

There are no restrictions on roofing materials for foam houses. Due to the fact that concrete mortar is poured inside the blocks, the house turns out to be virtually monolithic, capable of withstanding even heavy loads. That is, even natural ceramic tiles, which are heavy, can be laid on the roof surface.

In order not to spoil the interior decoration of the polystyrene foam house, all engineering communications can be laid directly within the walls of the house, but this must be done during the construction stage. The only difficulty is the use of only those materials that are acceptable for indoor installation.

Cons of construction

A lot has been said about the advantages and benefits of thermal houses, but is foam plastic really that good as a frame? And is it possible to avoid some of the disadvantages of such houses made of concrete and foam plastic? Let us consider the main difficulties and disadvantages that may arise during the construction and operation of such a structure.

1. Operational problems. This disadvantage is associated with the material itself - polystyrene foam. To attach shelves or cabinets to its surface, it is necessary to install special overlays during construction, which are fixed directly to the concrete. If this is not done, then when repairing or installing new furniture, you will have to cut the foam layer down to the concrete, and then attach wooden blocks to it, on which the cabinets will be hung. As you can see, this problem is solvable, although there is a certain inconvenience here, since additional, not the most simple, work is required.
2. Heat capacity. Despite the fact that houses made of foam plastic are considered very warm, they still require good heating in winter.
3. One of the main disadvantages of using concrete and foam plastic as building materials for walls is that the walls are vapor-tight. According to reviews from the owners of such houses, the atmosphere in them is always a little humid, which creates discomfort and not the most pleasant microclimate. This problem can be solved, so it is not critical, but it requires some effort and expense. You can make the microclimate in your home more comfortable by installing a forced ventilation system. And taking into account the fact that such ventilation systems are installed today not only for foam plastic houses, but also for many other buildings, such a drawback often goes simply unnoticed.
4. Labor intensity. The construction of such a house requires certain efforts and skills. In this case, it is not just about installing blocks filled with concrete, it is necessary to install them correctly, in strict accordance with all technology requirements. But it cannot be said that installing foam blocks is more difficult than building a house, for example, from brick. In many cases, it is even easier to build such a house, although you will have to work hard when laying the first rows. The external and internal decoration of foam plastic walls requires effort and skill, as difficulties may arise during fastening. Therefore, it is necessary to use only special materials.

Many consider the disadvantages to be that the blocks are made of polystyrene foam. Not everyone prefers this material as the main material for building the walls of a house, but this is a rather controversial issue. The harm of polystyrene foam has not been proven; during operation it does not emit toxic substances, but it cannot be called natural either.

It is also necessary to note this point: today the number of houses built from foam plastic and concrete is not so large, that is, it is too early to talk about their advantages or obvious disadvantages over all others. These houses are stable and very comfortable, have an attractive price and the ability to take different forms, but a more complete analysis of their operation still requires more than one year.

Construction requirements

A foam house today is one of the options for building housing quickly and inexpensively. This design can take on any, often very unexpected, but such attractive forms, which greatly distinguishes a thermal house from a traditional brick or wooden one. But if you have chosen just such a material, that is, blocks of foam plastic poured with concrete, you need to remember some features.

Often, after purchasing large household appliances, there are many pieces of foam left behind, which most people simply throw away.

But, with a little imagination and effort, these faceless white pieces can turn into a real work of art. So, what can be made from polystyrene foam? This will be discussed in this article.

Garden decorations

At the dacha, the various figurines of animals or birds made of foam plastic that decorate the garden plot look perfect. They can be made both voluminous and flat. Anyone will be cheered up by cartoon characters or just flowers that will be installed in the garden or near the house as decoration.

If the site is equipped with an artificial pond, then water lilies or cute frogs at the water's edge will set the right tone for the entire composition.

Bird for garden decoration

To decorate trees in the garden, you can make birds from this material. To do this, you will need a flat piece of polystyrene foam, on which the outline of a bird is drawn using a stencil and cut out with a sharp stationery knife. The foam decoration blank is covered with several layers of finishing putty on all sides and thoroughly dried after each application.

After the figure has dried, all irregularities are processed with sandpaper. Next, you can begin to decorate the decoration with facade paint, which is tinted with the desired shades.

Important! The paint will protect the foam from the effects of varnish and will not peel off at the first precipitation.

The dried bird is covered with a layer of varnish. Thus, the result is a unique decoration made of foam plastic, which will delight not only the owners, but also the guests of the garden plot.

Craft “Mushrooms” for garden decoration

This type of design is very popular among summer residents. You can make foam mushrooms large and voluminous with eyes or small piles. Any type of foam decoration will look advantageous.

In any case, the foam blank is made as follows:

• The cap and stem are cut out separately.
• The parts are fixed together with glue, putty or self-tapping screws.
• The mushrooms are covered with acrylic paint of a suitable shade.
• A layer of varnish is applied to protect the foam from environmental influences.

In a similar way, you can create any figurine if you work a little and think in advance about how it will look. Ready-made decorations are installed on the ground, tree branches, stumps and anywhere the owner wishes.

Interior decoration made of foam plastic

Not only outdoor crafts can be created from foam plastic. The material is also suitable for home interior decoration. Often such details are installed in children's rooms, creating entire panels with cartoon characters or the child's favorite stories. It would also be useful to decorate the house for the holidays, for example, for the New Year, using a foam Christmas tree or Christmas figurines.

Carved lamp

It’s not difficult to make such a piece of furniture, and the decoration made from foam plastic looks amazing. It can complement both a living room and a public space. To work, you will need 4 sheets of foam plastic, a stationery knife, a ruler and a marker, silicone-based glue, a foam cutter, and a New Year's garland.

Decoration algorithm:

Wall decorations

Styrofoam makes incredibly beautiful wall panels that will look great in any room. The hall and dining room can be decorated with floral patterns, the children's room with fairy-tale characters, and the bedroom with calming carved foam figures.

It’s not difficult to do all this; you need to cut out pre-drawn parts from a piece of foam plastic, paint them as required by your imagination and basic design, and attach them to the wall in the correct sequence.

In a children's room, a panel with the baby's name is often made on the wall as a decoration. To do this, you need to cut out each letter or name completely in the format that was previously conceived and design it at your discretion.

Interior details

Ikebana made from this material and a plastic bottle looks great. There are practically no costs for such creativity, but the effect of the decoration is stunning. To create it, take a green plastic bottle and cut off the neck from it so that this part can be placed on a flat surface. The entire part of the bottle to the bottom is cut into thin straws and small pieces of foam are strung on each. It is better to take the material that consists of large grains in order to use them for this purpose. The bottom is inserted into the part that was cut off and the interior decoration is placed in the desired place.

On New Year or Valentine's Day, you can please your loved ones with pleasant souvenirs made by yourself. To do this, the intended part is cut out of raw materials, decorated, and covered with sparkles. A hole is made in its upper part so that you can thread a golden ribbon into the decoration, which will add solemnity.

Conclusion

Polystyrene foam is such a malleable material that, if desired, can be turned into a unique decoration with different functional loads. If you set a goal, you can create something truly valuable and beautiful from unnecessary pieces of material in the shortest possible time.

Such products will add a touch of originality to the landscape of the site or the interior of the house and will retain the warmth of the hands of the craftsman who made them.

There are people to whom the expression “foam house” seems stupid and not everyone is able to take it seriously. In some way, this phrase is correct, because to build a house, it is foam plastic blocks that are used, which are later reinforced with concrete.

We are building a house from polystyrene foam

Today, one Japanese company offers consumers kits for building a foam house with their own hands. Such Japanese houses, in their opinion, have many advantages, one of which is resistance to earthquakes. This manufacturing company loudly called its Japanese houses housing of the 21st century.

The technical features of such a unique material are given in the table.

Later in the article we will talk to you in more detail about foam structures, and tell you what positive qualities such cladding can boast of. We will also reveal the secret of the technology for performing the work, after which you will be able to build a house from foam plastic with your own hands.

Advantages of a polystyrene foam house

We build a house from polystyrene foam

To tell you about buildings made of foam plastic, it is worth highlighting a number of advantages that a building made of foam blocks can boast:

• Foam blocks help build a very warm structure

Such insulation, as it were, envelops reinforced concrete profiles on each side.

• A house made of foam blocks can serve as a “thermos”

Such a building can sufficiently retain warm air not only in the cold season, but also keep it cool on hot days.

• Available formwork

Formwork is not the familiar panels that need strengthening and installation. At their core, these are blocks of foam plastic, in the middle of which there is a cavity. According to some characteristics, this material is very similar to cinder block, but externally you can’t tell them apart from each other. When constructing a building from block foam, you fill its interior with concrete mass, installing reinforcement there in advance.

• Possibility to use permanent formwork

This formwork is presented as a complete material. The installation technology is the same: install the blocks, install the reinforcement and pour the concrete solution into it. In principle, such formwork can be presented in 3 varieties: as slabs, blocks or standard panel formwork, which is fixed together with specialized jumpers. Using panel formwork is the most affordable option from a financial point of view, but working according to such a scheme is not as easy as we would like.

The most suitable solution when doing construction work yourself is to use blocks that are so reminiscent of the long-familiar cinder block.

Also, foam plastic and concrete structures have some negative aspects, the most significant of which is considered to be the “thermos” effect. It can only be overcome by installing a high-quality forced ventilation system in the house, which makes the work performed more expensive.

Another, no less unpleasant point is the environmental friendliness of the structure, which, even if tightly sealed with plaster, is out of the question. It is also worth noting the possibility of the material igniting, after which toxic substances will be released during combustion, which can even kill a person.

As you can see, not everything is as rosy as it might seem at first glance.

We build a house from polystyrene foam

DIY foam house

Basically, all buildings, no matter what material, are built using the same technology:

• the foundation is laid;
• walls are being built;
• the structure is covered with a roof.

The only difference can be noticed only during the construction of walls, which we will discuss in more detail a little further.

Well, the technology for performing work is carried out in the following order:

• The base layer of foam formwork is laid on a carefully prepared foundation, which is previously insulated from moisture.
• The fittings are immediately mounted on the foam blocks, which are not installed in every cavity. Better reinforcement will be required in the corners.
• There is no question of canceling the tying of the blocks, so you will have to act in the same way as if you were laying a brick. The foam will need to be laid with a slight shift, and every second tier will need to be laid perpendicular to the previous one. Such a bond will not have any additional strength, but the insulating features of the structure will increase significantly.
• At the top of the structure it is necessary to pour an armored belt, the height of which should be at least 200mm. For these purposes, panel permanent formwork is most often used.

That seems to be all, these are all the nuances and features that you need to know about when constructing surfaces from permanent formwork. The most important point that I would like to mention is that the cavity of the blocks must be thoroughly filled with concrete, without leaving the slightest gap.

Wall decoration

We build the walls of a house from polystyrene foam ourselves

Building floors from foam blocks with your own hands is only half the battle. When the concrete hardens, the walls will have to be covered with plaster. The plastering technology is slightly different from the usual work and looks like this:

1. A metal plaster mesh is stretched over the surface of the walls (for which it is worth choosing durable materials), which is nailed to the concrete. This process is very labor-intensive, so for quality work with your own hands you will have to do a little work.
2. At the next stage, the mesh is glued with special glue to the foam blocks. This work is similar to the process of throwing on a fur coat. The glue is applied in drops onto the wall surface, after which the excess is removed with a spatula.
3. Then beacons are installed, which are glued vertically.
4. After the work has been done, you can use plaster made from a mixture of sand and cement. It can be applied either with your own hands or with a specialized machine.

Please note that some types of facade wall panels can be installed not on the frame, but glued directly to the surface of the walls.

In conclusion, I would also like to mention this method of constructing buildings from foam plastic, such as building a frame house. Using this principle, it is much easier to build a building with your own hands than using the above. At its core, this is a familiar building based on a durable frame, in which foam plastic takes on the role of insulating material.

That's all I wanted to talk about. On the one hand, building a house out of foam plastic with your own hands is a good solution, but as soon as you remember the “thermos” effect, you don’t really want to move into such a building.

But we all have our own opinion on this matter, and it is likely that for some such buildings will be the only and ideal solution. We will not dissuade you under any circumstances; the choice, as always, is yours.

Construction of structures from 35-density polystyrene foam or how I built a domed house with my own hands using Japanese technology....

Let's build a round house.

And we will live differently.

And the windows, the roof - everything in it,

we'll call it something else...

Everything is real, accessible and practical. Low-budget construction technology is a reality. Therefore, checking what you read in practice, stay firmly on the ground so as not to fall into the sky from surprise...

(To all the inveterate “Cubo-fundamentalists” and “occupiers” of construction forums who have not implemented a single project in practice, “buyers and sellers” who want to receive ready-made design solutions and calculations for free, “smart guys” who like to flood in the technology segment , technical characteristics, standards, scope, safety, ecology, etc., while keeping silent about the “price of the issue” when comparing, please: don’t strain yourself. [email protected])

elements on site

And so let's start in order. I will write about the construction of the dome and the house itself later (due to the fact that the foundation for the house is not ready, all communications, etc., are now being laid). I’ll start a photo report with a description with the construction of a tent element (tent type) over an autonomous basement. Size 3 m in width X 4 m in length (on the foundation), height at the ridge - 3 m, floor area - 12 m2, wall thickness - 180 mm ,material of construction is 35-density polystyrene foam.

This is what the elements of the house (dome and tent elements disassembled at the construction site) look like:

The elements are voluminous, but quite dimensional and quite light. All elements have an abbreviation indicating the serial number, name, purpose, row number, position, etc., it’s not difficult to figure out what’s what.

And so, on the prepared foundation (in my case, the foundation is the upper part of the base of the basement about the construction, technology, insulation of which I will not write - this is not related to the topic) with zero displayed, we attach a wooden beam to the foundation with anchors, measuring 50mmx60mm, and bring it under the level and sit on the mounting foam.

We will attach the elements of the first (bottom row) of the tent, that is, the vault (wall), to the beam, the beam will serve as a tenon to the groove of the element. There can be several options for assembling this structure: you can assemble the entire row at once and mount it on the foundation, you can mount the entire wall and install or two walls at once... I decided to mount an arch from all the elements and use it as a template (aligning it level with the foundation) and adjust everything to it - all subsequent elements of the rows.

All elements are glued together with polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam adhesive and fastened with staples (the foam can stick out when it expands and break the structure), the staples are made of steel wire. After 20 minutes, when all the elements are glued together and the foam has dried, remove the staples (you can immediately cut off the foam or glue on all seams) and begin installation on the foundation.

We place the structure (arch) on the timber after gluing it with glue or foam and secure it with self-tapping screws using dowels with hats (for polystyrene foam).

We glue all the elements thoroughly with mounting adhesive or foam, especially the middle and inner seam, the outer seam is not necessary (it will have to be cut out to be filled with acrylic sealant or any waterproof compound on an acrylic basis for external work - according to your desire and wallet).

When the tent is ready, assemble the window and door elements (they come in a set - one at a time) as well as the gables (you can make the gables yourself from brick, foam block, wood, in my case, polystyrene foam). You can install the windows and door as desired - either on the pediment, or on the sphere.

When you have decided “where and how”, cut out the openings and install the door and window elements.

I cut out the openings using a jigsaw and a narrow garden saw.

Then you install the gables. When the structure is ready, put everything in order: trim off excess foam or glue on the seams, smooth out all irregularities (differences) at the joints of elements using a foam float or abrasive mesh No. 40, No. 60 and prepare all external seams and joints for sealing with acrylic sealant (the main thing is to get in good weather, if it rains, everything will be washed away, both your time and your money, and therefore, after 12-18 hours of laying the sealant, I recommend going over the seams with ceresite SM-11).

After sealing the structure, we install doors, windows, electrical wiring and ventilation. (By the way, we mount the doors on a wooden or metal frame). Next, we prepare the structure for reinforcement with ceresite SM-11 (this is in my case, then the finishing will be artificial stone) using facade mesh (serpyanka) with a density of 145 g/m for the outside and a density of 125 g/m for finishing inside. For finishing for painting, the mesh is placed on the putty (start-finish) for exterior and interior work, there are many options.

The consumption is not high. (I have a ribbed design specifically for polyurethane foam - polyurethane foam coating, but since polyurethane foam has its drawbacks, all the ribbing was sanded. And all the elements of the sphere are smooth on both sides.)

Finishing (reinforcement) is done first inside, then outside.

I decided to make the exterior finishing (decor) with artificial stone from the Tanvald series (fortunately there are polyurethane forms left, I make the stone myself, the technology is the simplest: flour (granite dust), cement, perflix (it is light weight, glue, fiber...), liquid glass , plasticizer and iron oxide pigment (for example, yellow, brown) - all of course in proportions.

Since I decided to finish the roof with stone, support strips were installed (40x60 timber)

Elements of (external) basement ventilation:

Option for finishing gables and roof:

The roof and arches are finished with artificial stone of the "dolomite" series, the pediments are "tanwald". After laying the stones, the supporting wooden blocks are dismantled (they cannot be left, they can be pulled, since wood has a different stress under loads, both atmospheric and mechanical). You can also make the support from polystyrene foam (wall), 3 or 5 cm is enough (after cutting out a groove and gluing it with mounting glue), you can leave it as a flange (edge) of the roof, if this is necessary (as an option), you can use dozens to make a roof slope (to drain water, but in winter icicles can form), spreading it at 45 degrees...

Coating options (composite materials) may vary. In this option, “aquastop” (waterproofing) was used without tinting the coating.

For protection, I’m still deciding: either applying polyurethane foam with painting, or flexible tiles.

And also for everyone (additional waterproofing). On the external reinforcement (after drying) I apply a 1mm layer of this glue and after drying I glue the pebbles.

For waterproofing the dome for painting, there is another option, for example “AQUASTOP”, but I will write about it when processing the sphere of the house....

This is the kind of cheerful cellar I plan to get at the end.

In summary: let’s summarize the first results.

Assembling the structure, two people are involved, the work time is 6 hours;

Sealing, one person involved, work time - 3 hours;

Reinforcement inside and outside, one person involved for 6 hours.

Protective coating (roof):

And so, I settled on a protective covering made of flexible tiles. I had to abandon the stone due to the difficulty of installing it on the dome (the dome of the house, the height up to the “ridge” is 8 meters). The decision was made to cover the guest house (a nearby wooden log house standing above the water), autonomous basement and domed house using one composite material (roof texture).

Issue price: $10 per square meter.

(I do not indicate the cost of the work due to 70% of the work being done independently).

There is an option for using polyurethane foam (coating (spraying) with a polyurethane mixture).

In our region:

1cm layer - waterproofing, price: 7-9 dollars per sq.m. meter;

Layer 3cm - mechanical protection and waterproofing, price: 11-12 dollars.

per square meter;

Layer 6 cm - mechanical protection, waterproofing, thermal insulation, price: 15-18 dollars per square meter.