ᐅ Wall Construction in Solid Building Methods – Experiences?

Johannes1982 schrieb:

Does this mean that the exterior wall can be built entirely without insulation, or do you still use something like mineral wool, stone wool, or insulating plaster?

Windows, doors, etc., would then have to meet higher standards to achieve an overall KfW 40 rating, right? So this option might actually be more expensive than 24cm + ETICS (external thermal insulation composite system)?!

No, there’s no difference. In new construction, windows are generally installed to meet standards from KfW 40 up to passive house levels. That’s already the norm.
Why? Because professional home builders and investors now consider KfW 55 outdated. You basically can’t market a product at that level anymore among experts—they’re all looking ahead.

familie_s schrieb:

- Costs: No idea, we haven’t compared. Everyone who has worked with them so far has complained that they break more easily when cutting, resulting in a lot of waste.
- Workmanship: Even if the masons handle the bricks with great care, the electrician, plumber, or whoever comes along later will cut or drill into the wall, causing further damage. We visited several construction sites, and it looked bad.
- Moisture: No, you can’t finish too quickly with these. Every vertical edge must be immediately protected against moisture. Window openings need to be plastered up right away, drill holes sealed, and the edges protected when pouring the floor slabs, etc. It’s all doable but sensitive. If the construction site is nearby and can be checked regularly, you can probably keep it under control.

Even the brick manufacturer advised against the current “trendy” insulated bricks for single-family homes at an information event.

You really got a hard time with the topic of insulated bricks.
I don’t understand the logic that they break more quickly and create more waste. The insulation filling has nothing to do with that. The waste from our house fit into a small trailer.
The issue with chasing (making channels for wiring) is purely a planning matter. We also avoided unnecessary connections. Where it wasn’t possible, we used Tiroplan chase plaster, which has very good insulating properties.
Aside from windows and the front door, there are no other vertical edges — those have to be smoothed anyway because of the compressible foam tape around the windows. We had that done immediately as well.
A bitumen strip was applied on the top brick course before the precast concrete slabs were installed and poured on top, so no mystery there either.

If bricks filled with stone wool get thoroughly wet, I agree that it becomes problematic, but bricks filled with perlite dry out completely within a few days because perlite is very porous and releases moisture extremely quickly.

The real problem is that hardly anyone puts in proper effort on the construction site anymore. Building materials are mostly developed for “even more work in even less time,” and the shortage of skilled workers doesn’t help either.

It doesn’t make much sense, especially since filled bricks are generally more stable. Their webs are thicker and fewer in number. Unfilled bricks need more individual air chambers to provide the same insulation, which is why their webs are thinner and the brick crumbles more easily.
Perlite tends to crumble easily; it seems the builder was probably too lazy to sweep it up...
Mineral wool isn’t ideal when it gets wet.

Hello everyone,

I have two specific wall construction options and would like to ask for your expert opinion:

1) Gypsum plaster (20mm), Porit PPW2 (42.5 cm / 16.7 inches), base plaster (15mm), and silicone resin plaster (3mm) from inside to outside, U-value 0.18 W/m²K
2) Gypsum plaster (20mm), Poroton T14 (24 cm / 9.4 inches), NeoWall 032 (18 cm / 7.1 inches), silicone resin plaster (3mm), U-value 0.13 W/m²K

Which construction would you choose and why? How would you assess their properties regarding thermal insulation, indoor climate, and sound insulation?
What do you think about the U-value in relation to KfW40 standards?

Thank you!

Johannes1982 schrieb:

Which construction method would you choose and why? How would you evaluate the properties regarding thermal insulation, indoor climate, and soundproofing?

Option 2 due to better thermal insulation. But just so you know – the exterior render is about 10mm (0.4 inches). Reinforcement render followed by the final plaster coat. Definitely avoid silicone resin; I would recommend staying completely mineral-based (with silicate paint).
The indoor climate is the same for both options, and probably the soundproofing as well.
It’s basically a standard thermal insulation composite system (ETICS / external wall insulation).

Thank you @nordanney
Are there any alternatives to standard external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS)? Which types of plaster are mineral-based?

Ideally, I would prefer a 42 or 50 cm (16 or 20 inches) brick – but that is probably not feasible cost-wise.