ᐅ What type of masonry construction do you recommend for exterior walls?
Created on: 9 May 2025 21:42
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Buddy90
Hello everyone!
Today was the notary appointment, and the plot of land is mine!
Great!
At the moment, I’m working on the rough plans for what my future house should look like, how it should be built, and so on.
The fact is, I want to do a lot myself (hence planning to be DIY-friendly…). Of course, I will still have professional support for the critical tasks.
One major point for me (so the planning can actually start…) is which masonry structure do you recommend for the exterior walls?
I don’t want a brick veneer!
The required energy standard in the building area is KFW55. Isn’t this basically the same as the ENEV regulation and doesn’t require an energy consultant, or does it?
Central controlled residential ventilation, air-to-water heat pump, maximum photovoltaic (PV) system, and triple glazing are set from my side. That should provide enough energy credits, right?
Which wall construction can be done cost-effectively and well by a DIYer? I would have the plastering done professionally to ensure a clean finish.
1 - Poroton (clay block) unfilled + exterior insulation system (EIFS) + plaster
2 - Poroton filled + plaster
3 - Aerated concrete + plaster
4 - ?
For the interior walls, I am considering limestone sand-lime blocks for sound insulation. Or are there good alternatives nowadays?
It would be great if you could help me understand the pros and cons, proven masonry types, insulation and plaster thicknesses, and also rough price ranges.
Of course, an architect will supervise the entire process in the future! I just want to prepare well. It would also be interesting to know the most cost-effective wall construction while still meeting the KFW55 standard.
Thanks a lot!
Today was the notary appointment, and the plot of land is mine!
Great!
At the moment, I’m working on the rough plans for what my future house should look like, how it should be built, and so on.
The fact is, I want to do a lot myself (hence planning to be DIY-friendly…). Of course, I will still have professional support for the critical tasks.
One major point for me (so the planning can actually start…) is which masonry structure do you recommend for the exterior walls?
I don’t want a brick veneer!
The required energy standard in the building area is KFW55. Isn’t this basically the same as the ENEV regulation and doesn’t require an energy consultant, or does it?
Central controlled residential ventilation, air-to-water heat pump, maximum photovoltaic (PV) system, and triple glazing are set from my side. That should provide enough energy credits, right?
Which wall construction can be done cost-effectively and well by a DIYer? I would have the plastering done professionally to ensure a clean finish.
1 - Poroton (clay block) unfilled + exterior insulation system (EIFS) + plaster
2 - Poroton filled + plaster
3 - Aerated concrete + plaster
4 - ?
For the interior walls, I am considering limestone sand-lime blocks for sound insulation. Or are there good alternatives nowadays?
It would be great if you could help me understand the pros and cons, proven masonry types, insulation and plaster thicknesses, and also rough price ranges.
Of course, an architect will supervise the entire process in the future! I just want to prepare well. It would also be interesting to know the most cost-effective wall construction while still meeting the KFW55 standard.
Thanks a lot!
W
wiltshire10 May 2025 23:24MachsSelbst schrieb:
The nonsense continues here.So, what’s got you so upset? The skill level of the OP or their helper is unknown, and no one has claimed that anything is “foolproof” so far. MachsSelbst schrieb:
If you take about an hour to read and don’t have two left feet, good grief. Aligning aerated concrete blocks along a string line and level, then bonding them row by row, is not rocket science.That gets you closest to the claim of “foolproof” among all posts—right after your criticism of an oversimplified explanation.Thank you for your responses.
At no point did I mean to imply that I am better than a mason or a construction professional, or anyone else for that matter.
However, I have been skilled in craftsmanship for almost 20 years. I have completed many projects, and due to my profession, I am something of a perfectionist down to the millimeter. That’s why I said that I will PROBABLY take more care when laying the bricks than a mason who does this all day long. YES, I know that might be an exaggeration on my part, but I think you understand the point I was trying to make.
And again… I have professional help in the background who supports me on call, providing instructions, guidance, and training.
For the “self-build” project, it’s also about the physical work. I wouldn’t want to lay the first row of blocks myself, nor would I want to build formwork for an intermediate ceiling, ground slab, etc. But I can lay the insulation foam for the ground slab myself, just as an example.
I believe that using aerated concrete blocks 365mm (14 inches) thick with an external plaster finish applied by a specialist company is likely the way to go.
At no point did I mean to imply that I am better than a mason or a construction professional, or anyone else for that matter.
However, I have been skilled in craftsmanship for almost 20 years. I have completed many projects, and due to my profession, I am something of a perfectionist down to the millimeter. That’s why I said that I will PROBABLY take more care when laying the bricks than a mason who does this all day long. YES, I know that might be an exaggeration on my part, but I think you understand the point I was trying to make.
And again… I have professional help in the background who supports me on call, providing instructions, guidance, and training.
For the “self-build” project, it’s also about the physical work. I wouldn’t want to lay the first row of blocks myself, nor would I want to build formwork for an intermediate ceiling, ground slab, etc. But I can lay the insulation foam for the ground slab myself, just as an example.
I believe that using aerated concrete blocks 365mm (14 inches) thick with an external plaster finish applied by a specialist company is likely the way to go.
N
nordanney11 May 2025 15:11Buddy90 schrieb:
I think aerated concrete 365mm (14 inches) with a professional exterior plaster finish will be the way to go... That said, plastering is not a complicated trade if you work carefully and the preparatory work (window sealing, window sill, etc.) is done properly.
nordanney schrieb:
Plastering is actually not a difficult trade if you work carefully and the preparatory work (sealing around windows, window sills, etc.) is done well. I can definitely understand that someone (especially a keen DIYer) might still want to let trained craftsmen earn a bit of their living and, with the money saved, treat themselves at the end so that the house’s finish doesn’t look like it was done by a dog groomer.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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MachsSelbst11 May 2025 17:07Buddy90 schrieb:
(...)
But I have almost 20 years of solid hands-on experience... I have completed many projects, and due to my profession, I’m somewhat of a millimeter fanatic... That’s why I said that when placing the bricks I PROBABLY put in more effort than a mason who does nothing else all day... (...)No mason builds crooked, and masonry really doesn’t need to be precise down to the millimeter.
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