Features of laying shell rock with your own hands
Shell rock is a natural material consisting of the shells of sea animals. The closest place of its extraction and production for Russia is Crimea. It was in the southern regions that it gained its popularity most of all.
Shell rock is a natural material consisting of the shells of sea animals.
Shell rock is excellent for making walls of houses, barns, foundations of various buildings and many other buildings. Depending on the density of the material, its functionality is selected.
Marble and limestone are also natural materials, similar in composition to shell rock, but their density is much greater than the latter.
Shell rock is excellent for making walls of houses, barns, and foundations of various buildings.
Shell rock is formed over hundreds of years under the influence of external conditions from mollusk shells settling on the bottom. When extracting it, they find red-brown, yellow or Brown color rocks that are easily deformed when sawing. Despite the porous structure of shell rock, it is strong enough and suitable for the construction of even three-story buildings. Excellent sound insulation and thermal conductivity are attractive qualities of this material during the construction process. A house or building built from shell rock will never have an excess amount of moisture inside. This is explained by the fact that all its excess is removed through the porous walls of the shell rock.
The cost of a building built from this material is much lower than the cost of a brick one, which provides additional benefits to the owner. In addition, in private homes attic floors They are built from shell rock, since the attic should not be heavy.
Shell rock is environmentally friendly pure material.
In addition to the fact that shell rock is an environmentally friendly material, it has a number of properties useful for construction. Low thermal conductivity allows you to retain heat and save on heating during the cold season. The release of substances such as iodine and salt by the material helps maintain health and maintain favorable chemical composition in the air. The porous structure of shell rock allows moisture not to linger inside the room, but to go outside, maintaining a dry and comfortable atmosphere in the house. The low cost opens up the prospect of using this material not only in the process of laying the walls of houses, but also foundations. Since shell rock is heterogeneous in its structure, it can be used in landscape design and design decorative elements building. There are known cases of using the latter in the process of constructing fireplaces with the associated use of refractory bricks.
From positive qualities One can also note the absolute chemical inertness of the material, thanks to which the walls and foundation of the house are absolutely not susceptible to rotting and exposure to fire. In addition, shell rock allows the room to maintain sound tightness, which is especially important if neighbors live close together. This is the only material in the world that does not transmit radiation! Experts have calculated that the cost of a house made of shell rock is 35% cheaper than the cost of a house of the same size built of brick. In summer, such a room is quite cool, while in winter the heat does not leave the house. Recent construction trends are aimed at environmental friendliness, so the demand for shell rock is growing.
In order to lay shell rock with your own hands, you will need a certain set of tools. Containers for mortar and a trowel are the primary equipment for masonry. In addition, it is necessary building level, rubber mallet and plumb line. Experts are unanimous in their opinion that it is worth paying enough attention to the process of upholstering corners. It will depend on him appearance and the strength of the walls. Do-it-yourself masonry begins with the fact that we need to lay the first two bricks at an angle to each other. Then a couple more stones are placed and the second row is laid on top of the already laid ones.
If you are doing masonry with your own hands for the first time, experts recommend using a protractor or level to check the correctness of the angles. To facilitate the process, a special cord will help, which is pulled tight after the first corners have been laid. It will serve as a kind of landmark that will make the future wall even. When laying shell rock, it is necessary to decide which side will be the front side and which side will be the internal side. A more processed or polished one can claim to be a façade.
After you have done the basic work of laying shell rock with your own hands, you can begin the process of constructing an armored belt. It is made in order to avoid forced deformation of the walls and evenly distribute the load. Do-it-yourself formwork from scrap materials can help with this.
Rows of shell masonry
Before you begin the process, make sure that your hands are protected with special gloves. Preparing a solution for laying shell rock with your own hands involves choosing a consistency. It should not be too hard and not too plastic (liquid). A solution of medium plasticity prepared from the following ratio is suitable: a bucket of cement, a bucket of water, 4 buckets of sand. In order for the solution to meet all installation requirements and not be overly plastic and resistant to delamination, it is recommended to use a special additive, for example, DOMOLIT-TR. The consumption of this additive per 1 m³ of solution is 0.5 kg. It is no secret that instead of the named agent, they add liquid soap or a cleaning agent, the consumption of which is 10 ml per 1 liter of water. It must be remembered that the quality of the solution directly depends on its consistency.
Before starting masonry with your own hands, make sure that the volume of work performed will correspond to the productivity of one person. If the volume of masonry is large, and the expected consumption of the mortar will require additional time and effort to mix it, it is worth using a concrete mixer and involving a separate person in this process, who will control the mortar and its availability. Masonry by measuring level and along the thread you stretched will allow you to maintain the evenness of the walls. The solution, the consumption of which can be calculated online on a specialized website, knowing such parameters as the brand of shell rock and cement, as well as the height and length of the walls, must be prepared in advance.
If laying shell rock is a new activity for you, you can entrust it to a professional. Many masons are able to carry out high-quality masonry in a short time.
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Shell rock is a special material, its unique properties are to regulate the microclimate in the house and saturate the air sea salt and iodine are due to its absolutely natural origin and absolute naturalness. The share of human participation in the production of shell rock is limited only to cutting the stone into pieces of the required sizes. The only effect on shell rock is hydrophobization.
The durability and reliability of shell rock does not need confirmation. In Crimea, the North Caucasus and even in the cities of Foggy Albion there are structures made of shells - undestroyed! - standing for hundreds, and even a thousand years. Material from a natural conglomerate, calcareous shells of the shells of ancient mollusks that lived in the sea millions of years ago, is surprisingly resistant and resistant to atmospheric influences, both to frost and to heat. Frost resistance of dense varieties is about 60 - 80 cycles, thermal conductivity is low, and heat resistance is high. In terms of fire, shell rock is safe and itself serves as a barrier to fire for some time. But we must remember that in the structural “pie” of the walls there will be more than one shell rock, so the insulation and Decoration Materials should choose accordingly.
For the construction of load-bearing walls, shell rock of at least grade M25 is used; outbuildings, fences, bathhouses, garages, gazebos, etc. are built from stone of lower grades; the best shell rock with a density of M35 is several times higher in price than porous varieties, and the price this one is justified. The decorative effect and beauty of the shell is most visible in small forms of landscaping, retaining walls, fountains and grottoes. Landscape design with shell rock not only amazes with its beauty and functionality, it carries a special mood and atmosphere that none of the brightest and most prestigious building materials can provide.
Shell wall blocks are used for both load-bearing and enclosing structures, and the inside of the house is faced with sawn polished tiles treated with a water-repellent compound. For tiles, only durable shell rock M35 is used, the thickness of the tiles is usually 20 - 30 mm, non-standard sizes are usually 170 * 350 mm.
One of important properties shellfish - with its own low level of background radiation (up to 12-13 microroentgens per hour), the shell has the property of reflecting radiation directed from the outside, that is, it serves as a radio barrier. Acceptable level radiation is defined as 25 micrograms/hour; in our homes it ranges mainly from 12 to 18 micrograms/hour.
The porosity of the shell determines the ability to allow air and water vapor to pass through, which has a beneficial effect on the microclimate in the house. The capillary-porous structure for building materials is considered a useful factor, and at the same time requires protective measures - not only vapors and moisture can penetrate into too large pores, microorganisms that destroy limestone can also grow there, so hydrophobization cannot be avoided.
Yes, shell is an unusually attractive building material for people who value a good microclimate, coziness and comfort in their home. But we have to remember and soberly assess the realities of our lives - there are cases when people are sold completely different blocks under the guise of shells. In addition, after cutting, the shell rock is stored in different ways and delivered the same way. At the source, the price of the shell is low, but transportation costs can be high. You need to remember the human and “economic” factor and choose the material very carefully.
The appearance of shell rock is so diverse that it is completely unrealistic to visually distinguish the stone by brand. Brands M35 and M25 may not differ in any way in appearance, and only laboratory test. The press will give accurate figures for compressive strength. And at the point of purchase, you can use a simple method - blow. Throwing a shell block onto something solid from a height and assessing the destruction. It is very difficult, even impossible, to break a durable M35 shell without using a tool. And the M15 brand will most likely fall to pieces. But exact values can only be obtained by ordering a test in a construction laboratory, and then you can make decisions about the need for an armored belt, reinforcing the masonry, and in general about the possibility of using blocks for load-bearing walls.
There is one more feature of the shell - a huge range of qualities depending on the place of extraction. As a mineral of sedimentary origin, shell rock depends on the geological layer and horizon in which it was formed, that is, on the deposit. In Crimea, the most durable shell rock is mined at Inkerman. All variations in chemical composition, colors and shades, porosity and moisture permeability depend on the place of extraction.
Density is the main indicator; strength, weight, and durability directly depend on density. The range is from 750 to 2300 kg/m3, and depends on the location of production. The “weakest” shell rock is comparable in density to raw wood, and the strongest is comparable to heavy concrete!
Blocks are sawing standard sizes, although any are possible - on order. Standard - 380*190*188, weight from 10 to 25 kg, depending on the brand.
The lightest block M15 has a compressive strength of 15 kgf/cm2 and is used for one-story houses, garages, bathhouses and any outbuildings, and small forms of improvement. M25 is quite suitable for load-bearing walls two-story house. Brand M35 - used even for the basement parts of foundations and walls basements, with mandatory horizontal and vertical waterproofing.
The frost resistance of shell rock is no lower than that of red ceramic bricks– an average of 50 freeze-thaw cycles. And shell concrete is 1.5-2 times more frost-resistant than cellular concrete.
If you do not protect the shell from water and moisture, it will absorb water - up to 15-17% by volume. External plaster or cladding is necessary, or during the rainy season, shell rock can contribute to dampness in the house.
The temperature resistance of shell rock is low, slightly greater than that of aerated concrete, and it is not suitable for lining chimneys.
Ecology is one of the main advantages of natural stone. Being a sedimentary rock of bottom sediments, the shell does not contain harmful impurities; on the contrary, it releases beneficial iodine and salts into the room. This plus can be reduced by insulating the shell walls with polystyrene foam. Mineral and stone wools are mainly used as insulation.
The geometry of shell blocks leaves much to be desired. The actual size usually differs from the declared one by 20-30 mm, if not more. For this reason, many builders prefer blocks made of cellular concrete, ceramic blocks and brick. There are reasons - it really takes a lot of mortar to lay shell rock, and to plaster uneven walls also a big overrun.
The cost of shells is low only in the quarry after cutting, and delivery throughout Russia is very expensive, especially to the northern regions. A threefold rise in price may reduce interest in this unique building material, and this is understandable. It turns out to be more than twice as expensive as blocks made of gas silicate concrete. In addition, shell rock is fragile - especially M15 and M25, and it cannot be done without fighting in transport. Damage and chips during unloading are also not uncommon. For shell rock, they usually go to the mining site and solve all the issues there; at the same time, you can make sure of the quality of the material.
The porosity of shell rock varies greatly - from 25% to 70% (for low-grade ones). Shell walls provide excellent sound insulation and noise protection.
In terms of manufacturability, everything is excellent - you can saw, cut, drill and groove, pass communications. The weight of the blocks is from 12 to 26 kg; no mechanisms are needed during operation.
There is perhaps only one difference from the technology of masonry made from lightweight concrete blocks - it is more difficult to build a stone wall with a variation in geometric dimensions, and the variation reaches 30 mm and above. In addition to the overconsumption of mortar for the seams, the thickness of which is required to be 20-30 mm in order to align the rows, there is also the issue of the mortar itself. You need a solution with very good plasticity, but dense, so plasticizers are used in large doses. The masonry is carried out as usual - from the corners along the lighthouse cord and with horizontal and vertical alignment. The thickness of the walls is taken to be one or one and a half stones. Walls 580 mm thick do not need an additional layer of insulation; they are only plastered. For internal load-bearing partitions and walls of outbuildings, masonry on edge is sufficient - 180 mm thick.
Leave shell walls bare external plaster it is not possible for autumn and winter; drainage from the roof also needs to be addressed without delay. Roof overhangs and canopies are made large - 60 - 70 cm.
Regarding the issue of armored belts, everything is decided individually and depends on many factors - the number of storeys of the house, seismicity of the construction area, soil properties and type of shell, and of course, it is linked to the width of the masonry. The need for a base reinforced belt is more a question of the foundation; if there is a slab at the base, a lower reinforced belt is not needed. But under the ceiling and the mauerlat, armored belts are often poured, since the shell is still a fragile material. M35 grade stone can withstand both the weight of two floors and the reinforced concrete version of the floor. Grade M25 also withstands reinforced concrete hollow core slabs ceilings, but still builders often decide on the need for an armored belt. As an option, reinforcement is arranged by casting columns at the corners of the house and combining them with an armored belt. This option gives the house even more architectural expressiveness.
Shell rock is considered one of the main building materials. This material was first used in the construction utility rooms: stables, barns, garages. And for Lately Having studied its features, it became indispensable for the construction or insulation of private houses. When planning to do this, you need to consider that shell rock has many such features, which distinguish it from other artificial building stones.
According to its characteristics, shell rock has a relatively low density. Because of this feature, some people consider it unreliable.
For earthquake-prone areas, when using shell rock, the following must be taken into account:
Let's start with the solution. It should be elastic, that is, not be too hard, but also not spread. For the “correct” composition you will need: 1 bucket of PC-400 cement, 4 buckets of sand and almost 1 bucket of water. But, without certain additives, this solution will turn out to be very rough. All attempts to dilute with water will lead to its separation. To prevent this from happening, it is better to use DOMOLIT-TR, an additive that will add plasticity to the solution.
If you do not have the funds or the opportunity to purchase this admixture, you can just as successfully use regular dishwashing detergent or liquid soap in a ratio of 1 liter of water: 10 ml of product.
If the volume of laying shell rock is small, cement mortar we prepare it manually; if there are 3000 or more blocks, you will need a concrete mixer.
Tools that will be needed when building a house: a rubber hammer, a nylon thread, a level, a trowel, buckets for carrying the solution and a trough or concrete mixer for mixing. We give priority to the high-quality level, because the reliability of installation will depend on it. You shouldn't skimp on buckets either. It is better to purchase steel ones that do not fall apart from the solution inside.
We drive out the walls from shell rock, starting from the corners. This is the most responsible work, because further construction and the quality of installation of the entire house depend on the correct placement of the angle. But there is one difficulty: shell rock has the wrong geometric shape. And if you are not sure that you can do it yourself, it is better to invite a mason.
We lay the blocks so that the uppermost corner is 2 mm away from the nylon thread. This is necessary so that subsequent rows are not laid in an arched manner, which is quite possible if the shell rock is pushed close and it is pressed through. If you stick correct masonry along the thread, you will avoid many mistakes.
In the case of construction with one brick, it is advisable to lay stone every fourth row. This can be done in 2 ways:
The dressing is used to bind shell rock into a load-bearing ceiling, making it stronger and more solid.
We really hope that our simple tips will be useful to you. And if you don’t want to waste your time, then you can always order from our company.
Call us, we will be glad to cooperate!
ElenaRudenkaya (Builderclub expert)Good evening.
I don’t even know where to start without immediately upsetting you. I want to say right away that we will not be able to give unambiguous answers to some questions, since we lack a roof plan and data on groundwater on the site. Perhaps you did not report the plan, and perhaps you know how much it rises in the spring groundwater, tell us this data (maybe there is a well somewhere nearby or the neighbors were doing geology).
I'll start by answering your questions in order:
1 and 2. The depth of soil freezing in Kherson and the Kherson region is 80 cm; according to standards, a foundation height of 900 mm is sufficient for you (according to standards, the foundation depth should be 10 cm lower than the freezing depth). In your drawing, the foundation is 1.05 m high. In principle, it’s normal, but for example, you don’t need to make a 10 cm concrete pad; it’s enough to pour 10 cm of compacted crushed stone into the trench and 10 cm of sand on top, which is also compacted well. The width is also normal, 500 mm for a wall made of solid shell rock plus plaster.
Further along the foundations under internal partitions. To be honest, they don’t make foundations for internal non-load-bearing partitions. Usually they are placed directly on the concrete floor of the first floor ( monolithic slab) and that's enough. There is no point in installing tapes like those on your plan, especially since their laying depth is 95 cm. If you are planning to complete the 2nd floor in the future, then you can pour reinforced tapes under non-load-bearing partitions with a width of 200 mm and a height of 600 mm, if not, then make either a concrete floor and rest brick floor partitions on it, or strips 200 mm wide and 300 mm high.
Reinforcement. Structurally everything is fine. But I looked in the standards that seismicity in Kherson is 6-7 points, and not 5 as indicated in the project, so I advise you to increase the reinforcement. Take longitudinal reinforcement with a diameter of 12 mm, and transverse reinforcement 8-10 mm with a pitch of 300 mm.
Based on the foundation, everything seems to be all right. The grade of concrete passes class B15. The foundation parameters may change if there is a need to make transverse load-bearing structures interior walls. Most likely you will have to do load-bearing walls inside, since the span for the main house is 12 m and 14.5 m is very much, even for a wall of one block of shell rock (not to mention half a block). Under all load-bearing walls, a foundation of the same depth is laid, but the width can be made 300 mm, and not 500 mm as for external ones. Here you also need to look at the roof plan to understand what type of roof your house has: 2-pitch or 4-pitch. The roof cannot support such large spans without auxiliary internal load-bearing partitions. Has a roof plan been developed?
3. There is no base in the project at all. If you look at the cross-section of the house, you will see the foundation going up to the ground level, and then immediately the wall. This is also incorrect. A plinth is required, at least 3-4 rows of masonry made of red clay brick, which is well suited as a material for this design. On the top of the plinth (this masonry), 2 layers of roofing material must be glued to bitumen mastic as horizontal waterproofing, to cut off sedimentary (splashes from the scaffolding) water from the wall, as well as from melting snow. That is, waterproofing is laid between the base and the beginning of the shell rock masonry. The thickness of the plinth should correspond to the thickness of the shell rock wall.
4. But the most interesting thing is the walls in your project. By regulatory documents, a wall in the shell rock floor can be made for one-story buildings for utility purposes: garage, barn, toilet, etc. Well, not a house with such wall spans and roof loads. When viewed from economic point vision and warmth, then it is more profitable and correct for you to make the walls a whole block of shell rock 380 mm + plaster. This is a durable design. According to my calculations, it turns out that for a half-brick wall you need 50 mm of insulation, and for a whole block 30 mm. Due to the heating you plan, you can neglect these 30 mm. It’s a mystery why the designer provided you with 250 mm of polystyrene foam. Apparently he did not make calculations for your region.
Your wife is absolutely right, a wall made of shell rock will not be stable or have sufficient strength. By the way, due to low bearing capacity you will have to reinforce the masonry wall every 3-4 rows of blocks. And the brand of shell rock is necessary for your home M25. This average density shell rock.
In general, there is a suspicion that this project was taken out of thin air. Since I don’t see the main parameters in it.
Ask, clarify what is unclear.
answerShell rock is a natural material consisting of the shells of sea animals. The closest place of its extraction and production for Russia is Crimea. It was in the southern regions that it gained its popularity most of all.
Shell rock is a natural material consisting of the shells of sea animals.
Shell rock is excellent for making walls of houses, barns, foundations of various buildings and many other buildings. Depending on the density of the material, its functionality is selected.
Marble and limestone are also natural materials similar in composition to shell rock, but their density is much greater than the latter.
Shell rock is excellent for making walls of houses, barns, and foundations of various buildings.
Shell rocks are formed over hundreds of years under the influence of external conditions from mollusk shells settling on the bottom. When extracting it, the rocks are found to be red-brown, yellow or brown in color, which is easily deformed when sawed out. Despite the porous structure of shell rock, it is strong enough and suitable for the construction of even three-story buildings. Excellent sound insulation and thermal conductivity are attractive qualities of this material during the construction process. A house or building built from shell rock will never have an excess amount of moisture inside. This is explained by the fact that all its excess is removed through the porous walls of the shell rock.
The cost of a building built from this material is much lower than the cost of a brick one, which provides additional benefits to the owner. In addition, in private houses, attic floors are built from shell rock, since the attic should not be heavy.
In addition to the fact that shell rock is an environmentally friendly material, it has a number of properties useful for construction. Low thermal conductivity allows you to retain heat and save on heating during the cold season. The release of substances such as iodine and salt by the material helps maintain health and maintain a favorable chemical composition in the air. The porous structure of shell rock allows moisture not to linger inside the room, but to go outside, maintaining a dry and comfortable atmosphere in the house. The low cost opens up the prospect of using this material not only in the process of laying the walls of houses, but also foundations. Since shell rock is heterogeneous in its structure, it can be used in landscape design and decorative elements of a building. There are known cases of using the latter in the process of constructing fireplaces with the associated use of refractory bricks.
Among the positive qualities, one can note the absolute chemical inertness of the material, thanks to which the walls and foundation of the house are absolutely not susceptible to rotting and exposure to fire. In addition, shell rock allows the room to maintain sound tightness, which is especially important if neighbors live close together. This is the only material in the world that does not transmit radiation! Experts have calculated that the cost of a house made of shell rock is 35% cheaper than the cost of a house of the same size built of brick. In summer, such a room is quite cool, while in winter the heat does not leave the house. Recent construction trends are aimed at environmental friendliness, so the demand for shell rock is growing.
In order to lay shell rock with your own hands, you will need a certain set of tools. Containers for mortar and a trowel are the primary equipment for masonry. In addition, you need a building level, a rubber mallet and a plumb line. Experts are unanimous in their opinion that it is worth paying enough attention to the process of upholstering corners. The appearance and strength of the walls will depend on it. It starts with the fact that we need to lay the first two bricks at an angle to each other. Then a couple more stones are placed and the second row is laid on top of the already laid ones.
If you are doing masonry with your own hands for the first time, experts recommend using a protractor or level to check the correctness of the angles. To facilitate the process, a special cord will help, which is pulled tight after the first corners have been laid. It will serve as a kind of landmark that will make the future wall even. When laying shell rock, you need to decide which side will be the front side and which side will be the internal side. A more processed or polished one can claim to be a façade.
After you have done the basic work of laying shell rock with your own hands, you can begin the process of constructing an armored belt. It is made in order to avoid forced deformation of the walls and evenly distribute the load.
Before you begin the process, make sure that your hands are protected with special gloves. Preparing a solution for laying shell rock with your own hands involves choosing a consistency. It should not be too hard and not too plastic (liquid). A solution of medium plasticity prepared from the following ratio is suitable: a bucket of cement, a bucket of water, 4 buckets of sand. In order for the solution to meet all installation requirements and not be overly plastic and resistant to delamination, it is recommended to use a special additive, for example, DOMOLIT-TR. The consumption of this additive per 1 m³ of solution is 0.5 kg. It is no secret that instead of the named product, liquid soap or a cleaning agent is added to the solution, the consumption of which is 10 ml per 1 liter of water. It must be remembered that the quality of the solution directly depends on its consistency.
Before starting masonry with your own hands, make sure that the volume of work performed will correspond to the productivity of one person. If the volume of masonry is large, and the intended one will require additional time and effort to mix it, it is worth using a concrete mixer and involving a separate person in this process, who will control the solution and its presence. Laying according to the measuring level and along the thread you stretched will allow you to maintain the evenness of the walls. The solution, the consumption of which can be calculated online on a specialized website, knowing such parameters as the brand of shell rock and cement, as well as the height and length of the walls, must be prepared in advance.
If laying shell rock is a new activity for you, you can entrust it to a professional. Many masons are able to carry out high-quality masonry in a short time.
