ᐅ Lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA): Advantages and Disadvantages, Thickness, Suppliers
Created on: 17 Jan 2023 10:29
M
Mar_Mar
Good morning everyone!
My husband and I (both rather paper people) are planning to build a fairly large semi-detached house and are navigating through the jungle of options. We want a solid construction and have spoken with various suppliers. The available options regarding blocks are aerated concrete, Poroton, and expanded clay (prefabricated), all 36.5cm (14.4 inches) thick and built as monolithic walls. Of course, each consultant believes their own material is the best, so I would be interested in your opinions and experiences.
“Actually,” we would rather not build with aerated concrete/Ytong because our naive assumption about moisture absorption (sponge effect) during construction and later when drying out the house seems negative. However, I can understand the argument for its easy workability.
Poroton would be our “favorite,” but I get the impression that many companies really resist using it because of a lot of waste, losses during transport, and comments like “you don’t notice a difference,” etc. Then there is also the split between filled and unfilled blocks.
And then there is expanded clay. Our “new favorite with a question mark.” It seems very interesting because it somehow combines the best of both worlds: dry straight from the factory, quick, even cheaper. BUT if it’s so good, why don’t more people build with it and why are there relatively few suppliers? That makes us skeptical. I’ve read and researched a lot that it often cracks and that its insulation properties are not the best compared to Poroton. We were told that an unfilled 36.5cm (14.4 inches) Poroton block is comparable in properties to a 42cm (16.5 inches) expanded clay block.
We are lost in this jungle of U-values, lambda, etc. Can you support us?
By the way: insulation is more important to us than soundproofing.
Thanks so much!
My husband and I (both rather paper people) are planning to build a fairly large semi-detached house and are navigating through the jungle of options. We want a solid construction and have spoken with various suppliers. The available options regarding blocks are aerated concrete, Poroton, and expanded clay (prefabricated), all 36.5cm (14.4 inches) thick and built as monolithic walls. Of course, each consultant believes their own material is the best, so I would be interested in your opinions and experiences.
“Actually,” we would rather not build with aerated concrete/Ytong because our naive assumption about moisture absorption (sponge effect) during construction and later when drying out the house seems negative. However, I can understand the argument for its easy workability.
Poroton would be our “favorite,” but I get the impression that many companies really resist using it because of a lot of waste, losses during transport, and comments like “you don’t notice a difference,” etc. Then there is also the split between filled and unfilled blocks.
And then there is expanded clay. Our “new favorite with a question mark.” It seems very interesting because it somehow combines the best of both worlds: dry straight from the factory, quick, even cheaper. BUT if it’s so good, why don’t more people build with it and why are there relatively few suppliers? That makes us skeptical. I’ve read and researched a lot that it often cracks and that its insulation properties are not the best compared to Poroton. We were told that an unfilled 36.5cm (14.4 inches) Poroton block is comparable in properties to a 42cm (16.5 inches) expanded clay block.
We are lost in this jungle of U-values, lambda, etc. Can you support us?
By the way: insulation is more important to us than soundproofing.
Thanks so much!
Nida35a schrieb:
Ask your general contractor,
our general contractor told us that he achieves KfW55 with the 36 cm (14 inch) block, without additional insulation in front. So you’re working on this right now as well?
Bobby007 schrieb:
So I don’t need to add extra insulation to the masonry to reach KFW55?With pumice stone (or expanded clay) sized 365 mm (14 inches), you will achieve the standard Building Energy Act / EH55 monolithically. There are also various optimized versions available (thermolith, KLB, Bisotherm, and others).https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
Bobby007 schrieb:
So you're in the process too?We have been finished and living in the house for 4 years. 125 sqm (1350 sq ft) of living space, 2500 kWh of heat pump electricity per year, without controlled mechanical ventilation, without KNX, without mold.
Simply built with expanded clay/pumice stones, you were interested in experiences after all.
Nida35a schrieb:
We have been finished and living in the house for 4 years.
125 sqm (1350 sq ft) of living space, 2500 kWh heat pump electricity per year, without mechanical ventilation, without KNX, without mold.
Simply built with expanded clay/ pumice stones, you wanted experiences after all. Yes, exactly. Thanks a lot for the information. And regarding sound insulation, have you had no negative experiences?
Bobby007 schrieb:
And regarding soundproofingAbove us was the flight path to Berlin Tegel, in the old house (expanded clay) and in the new house (expanded clay),
no sound issues,
very little noise comes through the windows and the roof
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