ALC blocks

[Toosetinmyways]

A new standard type 2 storey house has started construction next door. I noticed they are using ALC panels. Look like 2mt x 1mt and 2mt x 1/2 mt. Started yesterday morning and by nightfall all ground floor walls completed around 10 hours. Started first floor wall construction this morning.

[johng]

A picture is worth a thousand words....ALC blocks ? ?

[tjo o tjim]

Autoclave Lightweight Concrete.

 

What are the panels attached to for lateral strength?

[eyecatcher]

A few hotels in CM have used this method.

Its basically a  thin concrete cladding panel that the West have been using for 30+yrs.

Think Slenderwall. 

Compnany here VCon use CLCcellular lightweight.

 

I have seen them hanging from concrete beams and bolted through eyelets, profiled of course so they overlap.

No render,just filled and painted.

 

Quite a typical method of system build really.

[sometimewoodworker]

19 hours ago, johng said:

A picture is worth a thousand words....ALC blocks ? ?

Wrongly named. Should be AAC panels.

[johng]

So they don't use concrete posts and beams with these blocks ?

[Toosetinmyways]

[johng]

Ahh ok.they do use concrete posts and beams.

[eyecatcher]

Great idea, notice the staircase landing built into the wall.

I would of course be paranoid about not seeing those hairline cracks typical in aac. If a full panel is cracked its an expensive job.

Panels gotta be 500-1000bt each?

[sirineou]

The product is Aerated Concrete, (CLC) this is my understanding .

There are two processes (maybe more) for making Aerated Concrete, the Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) and Aerated Concrete(CLC cellular lightweight concrete) 

the only difference in product produced under similar quality  control is the compression strength. ACC block has a much higher compressive strength than CLC and can be used for load bearing construction, where CLC is not.

The AAC process is scalable and can be used for mass production maintaining consistent quality, where the CLC process is not scalable and quality varies from batch to batch.

below is a video explaining the differences ,also I will try to find a video on how to make a foam machine and make your own CLC,

to make your own you need a foam generator, you can purchase one on Amazon,or you can make your own, search Youtube for instructional vid if interested.

the following video will give you an idea about foam generators and how to make Aerated  Concrete. If I did the only thing I would make would be a mess.

IMO much easier and safer  to go to your local home improvement store and buy AAC

block

 

Edited August 10, 2019 by sirineou

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, sirineou said:

The product is Aerated Concrete, (CLC) this is my understanding .

Unlikely 

it looks exactly like the Q-Con AAC panels.

[sirineou]

2 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Unlikely 

it looks exactly like the Q-Con AAC panels.

It does, except for the differences explained in the video.

I don't have first hand experience with CLC, so I am regurgitating information a learned when I build my house and was researching my options. I went with AAC as the safest option.

  but as explained in the video the compression rating is a lot lower, so not good for load bearing applications. but for applications where the load bearing is supported by the columns and beams it should be ok.

The other problem is inconsistency in production since the CLC process is claimed to not be scalable. And because the CLC product is not consistent it is not widely sold and easy to find. where good quality AAC is available everywhere.

Other than that , I know as much or less on the subject , that everyone else.

 

[Toosetinmyways]

If anyone is interested in doing costing on different systems all internal and external walls took 3 people 3.5 days.

[kuma]

On 8/15/2019 at 6:54 AM, Toosetinmyways said:

If anyone is interested in doing costing on different systems all internal and external walls took 3 people 3.5 days.

OP great thread. I am embarking on a house build now and have a quote from a builder who proposes AAC 75mm thick blocks - which looks to be the width of the panels I see in those photos.

Have any comments on how the place looks now, almost exactly a year later? Do you know if they used a single wall, or did they double it up? I have seen a few places this builder has done now and they look good, and the weather here I find not too extreme - not like where I am from anyway and from what I read I think 75mm might be more than up to the task, but would like to hear what others have experienced.

Cheers

[Peciacake]

Lot's of useful info - thanks to all.

We are going through the planning stage of our build and would appreciate it if anyone can provide comment on AAC floor panels for a suspended slab or earth coupled slab floor.  Is it available in Thailand for residential dwellings?  What are forum user's experiences - cost / ease of installation / termite control / thermal efficiency etc, etc.

[kuma]

On 12/12/2020 at 1:11 PM, Peciacake said:

Lot's of useful info - thanks to all.

We are going through the planning stage of our build and would appreciate it if anyone can provide comment on AAC floor panels for a suspended slab or earth coupled slab floor.  Is it available in Thailand for residential dwellings?  What are forum user's experiences - cost / ease of installation / termite control / thermal efficiency etc, etc.

Just built a place w aac material. I did not recall seeing floor panels...not sure but I suspect this is not really good for floors. I built a one metre raised floor and it is concrete, then the walls are aac.

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, kuma said:

Just built a place w aac material. I did not recall seeing floor panels...not sure but I suspect this is not really good for floors. I built a one metre raised floor and it is concrete, then the walls are aac.

They are made but nobody stocks or uses them

[unheard]

On 12/12/2020 at 1:11 PM, Peciacake said:

We are going through the planning stage of our build and would appreciate it if anyone can provide comment on AAC floor panels..

I haven't seen or heard (yet) from anyone using those on floors.

What did your builder tell you?

 

You can plan anything you want but in reality when you get to the point of implementation your planning choices might not be in sync with preferences/qualifications of your builder.

[unheard]

On 8/11/2020 at 2:51 AM, kuma said:

OP great thread. I am embarking on a house build now and have a quote from a builder who proposes AAC 75mm thick blocks - which looks to be the width of the panels I see in those photos.

It's up to you, but why not to ask for a little thicker block?

The price difference is not that much between 75 and 100 mm blocks but the thermal efficiency and acoustic properties are significantly better with those.

150 mm would even be better if you're willing to spend more.

It's all about priorities.

[sometimewoodworker]

20 hours ago, unheard said:

It's up to you, but why not to ask for a little thicker block?

The price difference is not that much between 75 and 100 mm blocks but the thermal efficiency and acoustic properties are significantly better with those.

150 mm would even be better if you're willing to spend more.

It's all about priorities.

It isn’t about priorities, it’s about availability, 75mm blocks are available in large quantities everywhere, for better heat and sound build double walls the voids are good for running utilities in

[unheard]

10 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

It isn’t about priorities, it’s about availability, 75mm blocks are available in large quantities everywhere, for better heat and sound build double walls the voids are good for running utilities in

I'm not aware of much availability constraints.

I'd agree that double-walling is a nice option but some builders just don't want to deal with that.

Like in the recent case of my friend who's in the process of signing a contract with a reputable builder.

That builder simply refused to go with a double-wall request and instead offered a 20cm AAC brick option.

[sometimewoodworker]

2 hours ago, unheard said:

I'm not aware of much availability constraints.

I'd agree that double-walling is a nice option but some builders just don't want to deal with that.

Like in the recent case of my friend who's in the process of signing a contract with a reputable builder.

That builder simply refused to go with a double-wall request and instead offered a 20cm AAC brick option.

You pay the money so you decide on the constitution. Clearly the builder is far less reputable than you imagine or claim. 

[Sametboy2019]

58 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

You pay the money so you decide on the constitution. Clearly the builder is far less reputable than you imagine or claim. 

Probably the case that he doesnt know how! If done wrong it opens a can of worms!

[sometimewoodworker]

3 hours ago, Sametboy2019 said:

Probably the case that he doesnt know how! If done wrong it opens a can of worms!

So as I implied, incompetent. Even I with no training can build a good AAC block wall. 

[unheard]

11 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

So as I implied, incompetent. Even I with no training can build a good AAC block wall. 

I look at their response differently.

They're actually competent and know how it needs to be done.

But the option is more labor and know-how intensive and therefore would increase the price of the build if done correctly.

They know that there are less competent builders (aplenty) that would cut corners and certainly offer a lower price.

They simply don't want to lose the customer and therefore offered a less labor intensive but "equally good" option in the form of the extra-thick single wall.

[unheard]

14 hours ago, Sametboy2019 said:

If done wrong it opens a can of worms!

.

[sometimewoodworker]

22 minutes ago, unheard said:

I look at their response differently.

They're actually competent and know how it needs to be done.

But the option is more labor and know-how intensive and therefore would increase the price of the build if done correctly.

They know that there are less competent builders (aplenty) that would cut corners and certainly offer a lower price.

They simply don't want to lose the customer and therefore offered a less labor intensive but "equally good" option in the form of the extra-thick single wall.

Since the double wall option was refused that refutes your hypothesis, if capable they could easily have offered the option of thicker (it is less good) or double wall. It’s not beyond the capabilities of even the least skilled builder to offer different prices for different choices.

[kamalabob2]

There are many challenges when building a home in Buriram Isaan Thailand. However motivated dealers of SCG home building products or Diamond Building Products do offer training seminars to local Thai home builders. I've provided transportation to a nephew and Brother in Law to the Surin HomeMart in 2009 to attend such a seminar. My first home had been built 2007 and 2008.  I had two SCG representatives drive to my building site in Satuk in 2007 and offer real training on how to build with thicker AAC blocks. The technical advisors brought brochures in Thai and used a lap top and hands on training to the home building team. In 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 I have seen technical advisors of Diamond Building products go to home building sites in Buriram and Surin to train local crews. I have also seen Thai home builders guided back on the right path with their roof building techniques.  Diamond Roofing Services would not install concrete roof tiles on a home until a home builder I nicknamed 'Rambo" had made many corrections. There is a valid reason I have employed experienced expat home builders for any expansions and repairs for the past two years on my homes in Buriram. Sure the daily rate for labor is higher, but the communication has been better and the expat home builders I have paid come with decades of real home building experience in Australia or the UK.  I would not ever build a home with less than 20cm thick AAC wall blocks. The AAC wall panels are interesting and certainly appropriate for condos or hotels. 

 

[kamalabob2]

20cm thick or 25cm thick AAC blocks are readily available and often in stock at Buriram home builders merchants who have years of experience delivering home building materials to expats who value energy efficiency. 

[unheard]

1 hour ago, kamalabob2 said:

 

Those 25cm bricks look impressive!