Gradually, over time, the list of building materials intended for the construction of houses is expanding significantly. Not so long ago, the PVC profile on the windows caused some distrust among many people, but now it is a standard design. The same applies to building materials used during the construction of one-story houses.
Fundamentally new structures include foam residential buildings, which appeared for the first time in Japan, which is not at all surprising. For their construction, extruded polystyrene foam with a density of thirty kg / m3 is taken. In construction, it is considered one of the most effective thermal insulation wall building materials.
1. What is it - a Japanese residential building built from polystyrene
Japan Dome House Co, a construction company from Japan, just a few years ago made a completely new proposal for the construction of one-story residential buildings. Moreover, she became the first to build such houses in a new design and design. In terms of external parameters, the structure was either a hemisphere or a dome. Its walls were made of an unusual material - polystyrene, which was given strength due to mechanical special processing. The design has received a number of technological and technical advantages, volume and style.
It is also distinctive that an innovative, unusual approach was applied to the construction.
Classical construction in this case is not observed. Rather, it is an assembly of an integral structure of modules, including window and door modules. Accordingly, costs have dropped significantly. The frame was made of polystyrene, and the assembly was somewhat reminiscent of work with a designer - connecting ready-made modules and assemblies together.
The foundation, like a strong frame, was not required for light structures of an unusual shape. The installation took place on a pre-prepared area made of OSB slabs or vulture panels.
As a result, such a house turned out to be warm, spacious enough, cozy and too inexpensive not only for the Japanese, but also for us. The price of a set of building modules with a base 8 meters in diameter, a ceiling height of 4 meters and walls, the thickness of which is ten centimeters, was announced at three and a half thousand dollars.
2. Features of the foam house
The very first thing you should pay attention to is walls with a slight thickness. Technologically, the thickness is provided taking into account the coating inside and outside in the range of 100-190 millimeters. According to the manufacturer, this is quite enough, given this shape of the building, to protect residents from the wind, whose speed is 25 meters per second, and a cover of snow of any thickness.
3. Assembly technology
The principle and technology of building a foam house by the Japanese has been worked out to the smallest detail.
All segments are manufactured on industrial presses and furnaces in the format of ready-to-install units. The place for the future building is being prepared in advance. The platform, required in size, is leveled, which is fixed with a lightweight pile foundation.
In a situation where the relief is characterized by flowing soil or there are slopes on it, experts advise making the foundation shallow, circular. But, if we take the classic model of a Japanese residential building, then it is designed for installation in absolutely any terrain conditions (swampiness, rockiness, and so on). At the same time, any modifications and improvements in the design are not required.
After the base is ready, the walls and the fixing center ring are mounted, which acts as an amplifier. In door and window openings, appropriate structures are installed, the floor is laid, the walls are painted in the desired color, all communications are connected. There are prepared channels in the walls for their wiring.
Outside, the walls are plastering without fail, and then they are painted. Japanese builders advise choosing a polyurethane resin-based coating. It has excellent protective properties against the effects of sunlight and erosion on the foam. The total area of a house with one floor and a base with a diameter of seven to eight meters can be 54-60 square meters. Architects believe that it will be enough for three to five residents to live comfortably in the house.
Optionally, you can build a boathouse variation of such a house. In this case, its shape will be elongated, which will make it possible to make a larger useful area of the structure, and at the same time it will not be necessary to increase the load on its walls. Manufacturers offer this modification not for residential buildings, but for premises used for offices and warehouses.
If desired, in the domed building, you can equip another floor, add floors, decor, and zoning the space. This will create comfort that is not inferior to apartments in the city. You can also connect several modules with transitions and get an expanded space, or even a mini settlement.
4. Pros and cons of a Styrofoam building
This type of house has a lot of positive characteristics:
- The main advantage is the high thermal insulation performance of the building material. The foam wall, which is one hundred millimeters thick, has a thermal conductivity similar to that of brickwork with a thickness of 1,900 millimeters, wood - 350 millimeters, concrete - 4,800 millimeters.
- The strength of the building material is 45 kg / m3. For a supporting building structure, this is not enough, but if the walls are two hundred millimeters thick, then in terms of strength, they will be similar to a structure made of wood, the walls of which are forty millimeters.
- Once a special protective coating is applied to the foam, the building will receive a sixty-year guarantee.
- Water absorption is too low, which allows you not to fear high humidity, intense precipitation and swampy areas.
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But there are also disadvantages to this type of building. Styrofoam, even of this kind, is too susceptible to heat. It ignites quickly, burns intensively and emits a lot of gas and harmful vapors.
The sun's rays negatively affect the properties of the material. Over time, this can lead to the fact that the foam begins to crumble and, accordingly, collapse. To prevent this phenomenon, experts recommend applying the plaster in a large layer (from five to ten millimeters thick). A different type of coating is also suitable, as long as it protects against ultraviolet radiation. The most effective coating is considered to be metallized, which is based on aluminum.
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5. Alternative building material
The technology developed in Japan quickly attracted the interest of Europeans as well. True, they decided to slightly modernize the building materials used for the construction of the structure. As an alternative, European experts suggested taking polystyrene concrete instead of extruded foam. The house has become more massive and heavy. And the work has increased, since a drainage system and a shallow foundation are needed.
The house retained its qualities and characteristics, but labor costs increased. If earlier it was possible to do everything manually and two people could easily cope with this, then in the case of a modernized version, special equipment will be needed. Accordingly, the cost of the house will be slightly higher.
Continuing the topic, read how Japanese architects have created an office for themselves, which has a rooftop park.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/210820/55740/