Building small house using AAC blocks in Phuket

[Tbone999]

I'm looking to build using the cheapest AAC block I can find in Phuket. Has anyone done this? If so, can you list suppliers, also I'd need a builder/company/house designer experienced with dealing with this type of material

[worgeordie]

Is that the same kind of blocks they are having a lot of

problems with cracking and schools have had to shut down ? in the UK

 

regards worgeordie

Edited December 11, 2023 by worgeordie
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[OneMoreFarang]

Do you want to build a small house which will be usable for many years?

Or do you want to build a cheap house and don't care about any other criteria?

 

Looking first for the cheapest material and then for some builders is a recipe for disaster. 

[Tbone999]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Do you want to build a small house which will be usable for many years?

Or do you want to build a cheap house and don't care about any other criteria?

 

Looking first for the cheapest material and then for some builders is a recipe for disaster. 

Not at all, I'm looking for best insulation, and from what I've been reading, the AAC blocks are pretty much the same construct, but prices vary between the manufacturers and their comes with the complication of local builders not understanding how to deal with these particular blocks. I have zero expertise in this type of construction and looking for advise that's all. All I know is, if I go ahead and build something like this, has got to be better than using the usually useless local bricks which just makes a house so uncomfortable, it's a dread to live there. All these local designs / building materials seem to be just a look fancy, living hell, so looking into other possibilities really...

 

[Tbone999]

I could go the way of double bricking with a cavity, but want to find out if there's anything better. The house designs around here are crap for what we need, simple is enough, but insulating is a priority

 

[Tbone999]

Or, has anyone built with the idea of using a double brick idea and filling the gap with foam for the outside walls?

 

[eisfeld]

AAC blocks are very common and I've seen many construction sites all over Thailand and also Phuket using them. If a builder is not experienced with these then just avoid the builder - super red flag. Let them show some prior projects they completed (the older the better) and maybe some on-going ones. Working with AAC blocks is not rocket science. Just a few easy things to consider.

 

If you want good insulation then consider buying quite wide blocks or even better two narrow ones with cavity. Roof insulation and windows (double glas) are also very very important.

[Tbone999]

2 minutes ago, eisfeld said:

AAC blocks are very common and I've seen many construction sites all over Thailand and also Phuket using them. If a builder is not experienced with these then just avoid the builder - super red flag. Let them show some prior projects they completed (the older the better) and maybe some on-going ones. Working with AAC blocks is not rocket science. Just a few easy things to consider.

 

If you want good insulation then consider buying quite wide blocks or even better two narrow ones with cavity. Roof insulation and windows (double glas) are also very very important.

Would using a double brick (standard and cheap) with a foam fill work just as effective?

 

[Tbone999]

This is just an initial fact finding mission

[Tbone999]

5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Is that the same kind of blocks they are having a lot of

problems with cracking and schools have had to shut down ? in the UK

 

regards worgeordie

Not sure, usually AAC blocks are a mixture of components with air bubbles creating the insulation

[eisfeld]

16 minutes ago, Tbone999 said:

Would using a double brick (standard and cheap) with a foam fill work just as effective?

 

 

I don't know the insulation rates for something like that but personally I'd worry about heat retention in the evening as the outer layer has more mass to save heat and also about the long term situation with the foam with mold and whatever growing there in this hot and moist climate. The bricks are not the biggest part of the costs of building in Phuket so why not use AAC would be my thinking. If you can avoid direct sunlight on your windows (e.g. bit elongated roof) that can make also a big difference.

[Adumbration]

google the Thaiwatsadu website.  They have a big store at Thalang.  Lots of different brands of the blocks.  SCG are the most expensive then there are cheaper brands like Diamond. If you are only looking for 70mm wide blocks then they are very cheap....circa 32 baht a block last I checked.  Most decent builders are all now familiar with working with "block It Bow".

 

[OneMoreFarang]

To get an idea about material prices have a look at this site:

OneStockHome is a platform for you to source building | OneStockHome

 

As far as I remember they have many of these blocks in different sizes from different manufacturers.

 

And about your builders, especially with double walls.

Probably you assume walls should be straight and plum and have 90-degree angles. Yeah, good idea. Now try to explain that to Thai builders. Ask me why I know that. Somehow, I thought that is so basic that I don't have to mention it... 

[Thorgal]

2 hours ago, Tbone999 said:

Would using a double brick (standard and cheap) with a foam fill work just as effective?

 

 

In general for Thailand :

 

Double (AAC) brick + foam = humidity + moisture

 

Double (AAC) brick + air = ants

 

Ask your architect the thermal efficiency of AAC blocks of 20 cm thickness (maximum size available in Thailand) and if it's smart to install these only one row at the sun side (budget-wise). This question should be for free before starting your project.

 

For knowing better AAC blocks : check Ytong or Xella blocks on European sites. They provide free installation manuals for specific construction application for brick-to-concrete-column, windows, roofs, doors, reinforcements, humidity, etc.

 

https://www.xella.co.uk/en_GB/Downloads-brochures

Edited December 11, 2023 by Thorgal

[BillyBloggs]

I used 100mm blocks on a two room and man cave build, it is cool but as we dont live there yet only the inlaws do and it seems just fine, the guys who did it put in reinforcing beams at waist high, Ilooking back I maybe should have put venting bricks in the 2 rooms, I have them in the man cave as its very narrow with glass blocks as well for light its morning cool but afternoon warm will fix this in the future.

[Muhendis]

20 hours ago, Tbone999 said:

Not at all, I'm looking for best insulation, and from what I've been reading, the AAC blocks are pretty much the same construct, but prices vary between the manufacturers and their comes with the complication of local builders not understanding how to deal with these particular blocks. I have zero expertise in this type of construction and looking for advise that's all. All I know is, if I go ahead and build something like this, has got to be better than using the usually useless local bricks which just makes a house so uncomfortable, it's a dread to live there. All these local designs / building materials seem to be just a look fancy, living hell, so looking into other possibilities really...

 

AAC blocks, being much lighter, are a lot bigger than "normal" blocks. Fixing things to them like shelves requires a bit more thought and anchors designed for the purpose. I went for pillars with double skin walls and polystyrene insulation in the 50mm gap. The walls are clay bricks and really cool inside. The whole thing is marginally more expensive than AAC. 

I also built a small external room for my solar inverter and batteries using AAC blocks. That's cool too.

Builder skills are readily available for AAC blocks where I am. 

 

Double walls and ants is an old wives tail. The humidity is also a non-issue.

Edited December 12, 2023 by Muhendis

[khunPer]

20 hours ago, Tbone999 said:

Not at all, I'm looking for best insulation, and from what I've been reading, the AAC blocks are pretty much the same construct, but prices vary between the manufacturers and their comes with the complication of local builders not understanding how to deal with these particular blocks. I have zero expertise in this type of construction and looking for advise that's all. All I know is, if I go ahead and build something like this, has got to be better than using the usually useless local bricks which just makes a house so uncomfortable, it's a dread to live there. All these local designs / building materials seem to be just a look fancy, living hell, so looking into other possibilities really...

 

Best heat insulation comes for Q-con blocks – aerated concrete – but they are not cheap; it's about 3 times the cost of the cheap blocks. It's a rater old Swedish invention, and for years many Scandinavian houses used that as only insulation, up to some time in the mid 1970's, when building regulations for insulation became stricter due to the first oil-crises. The product became available in Thailand about 15 years ago – the product were new when I built my house in 2009.

 

A benefit with aerated concrete is – Q-con is a Thai brand name – that you can save a lot of aircon-power. Furthermore, they are easy to drill in – without being a thin layer with nothing behind – if you wish to hang something on the wall.

[FlorC]

I just let them build and inner wall with qcon , actually TPI blocks on the noisy and sunny side.

Nice to have a 21 cm thick wall instead of the cheap 6,5 cm concrete + rendering. And it takes care of those ugly sticking out support pillars , you see everywhere , usually every 4 meters.

TPI blocks were 29 B , the concrete ones 6 B,

Can't tell if it is much better , the house is not finished yet.

Weak point will be the single glass windows.

[NorthernRyland]

On 12/11/2023 at 2:17 PM, worgeordie said:

Is that the same kind of blocks they are having a lot of

problems with cracking and schools have had to shut down ? in the UK

 

Is this material used in Thailand often and it's supposed to have good noise and heat insulation right? I thought it was pretty good and more expensive than the normal red brick they use here.

[NorthernRyland]

5 hours ago, BillyBloggs said:

I used 100mm blocks on a two room and man cave build, it is cool but as we dont live there yet only the inlaws do and it seems just fine, the guys who did it put in reinforcing beams at waist high, Ilooking back I maybe should have put venting bricks in the 2 rooms, I have them in the man cave as its very narrow with glass blocks as well for light its morning cool but afternoon warm will fix this in the future.

does the room not have any windows? You can dry it out with AC but it will probably get moldy otherwise.

[MangoKorat]

If you intend employing a double wall - Western style, concrete blocks outside, autoclaved areated concrete blocks/Q Con/lightweight blocks inside - although I don't recommend them at all now.  Also, in the light of recent probems in other countries, never use AAC blocks structurally.

 

Why never use them outside?  Using Thai construction methods you might think they are OK because the house will most likley be concrete framed and from a structural point of view, that's fine.  However, one of the 'selling points' of AAC blocks is that you can cut them very easily with nothing more than a hand saw. So, if you want someone to be able to almost sliently saw their way into your house - go ahead. In a single wall construction, it would not surprise me at all if they can be 'kicked in'.

 

It is also, impossible to get a strong fix into an AAC block - they just break up without much pressure.  I've seen door frames simply pushed out because a door has been slammed ect./ect.  When I went to fix some security bars behind my French Doors, the blocks just shattered - I didn't realise that I might need to add security when I used QCon blocks. Yes, you can get what looks like a decent fix into them if you are very gentle with the drill but what you are fixing won't take much weight or offer much resistance. Try fixing something to them and then give it a tug - it will break away quite easily - plastic plugs pull out without much effort.

 

One tip to get a better fix (if you must) in AAC blocks is to use a drill bit 1 size smaller than is normally required for the plugs and don't use the hammer function on your drill. Using the correct sized drill bit usually results in a hole a little bigger than the drill size because they are so soft. There are various types of special plastic plugs that are designed for use in lightweight concrete blocks - I find the above works just as well. However, overall, the fix is only as strong as the block. The special fixings can also be hard to find in Thailand.

 

I used Q Con blocks because of their insluation properties, I won't be using them again.

Edited December 12, 2023 by MangoKorat

[Balance]

On 12/11/2023 at 7:43 PM, Tbone999 said:

Not at all, I'm looking for best insulation, and from what I've been reading, the AAC blocks are pretty much the same construct, but prices vary between the manufacturers and their comes with the complication of local builders not understanding how to deal with these particular blocks. I have zero expertise in this type of construction and looking for advise that's all. All I know is, if I go ahead and build something like this, has got to be better than using the usually useless local bricks which just makes a house so uncomfortable, it's a dread to live there. All these local designs / building materials seem to be just a look fancy, living hell, so looking into other possibilities really...

 

The Japanese have a unique DIY building block that you might want to look at.  I looked for the URL in my saved bookmarks but could not find it.  They are expanded polystyrene and about 12" thick and go together in a dome configuration.  The walls are the insulation.  Good data on the homes built in Japan and elsewhere.      https://images.app.goo.gl/iwFMrLz2V9924Jhc6    

 

Good luck

[Tbone999]

Thankyou all for your comments, at least it gives me a starting point and a few ideas to think about.

[paul1804]

On 12/11/2023 at 7:49 PM, eisfeld said:

AAC blocks are very common and I've seen many construction sites all over Thailand and also Phuket using them. If a builder is not experienced with these then just avoid the builder - super red flag. Let them show some prior projects they completed (the older the better) and maybe some on-going ones. Working with AAC blocks is not rocket science. Just a few easy things to consider.

 

If you want good insulation then consider buying quite wide blocks or even better two narrow ones with cavity. Roof insulation and windows (double glas) are also very very important.

With correct construction these blocks are awesome, I wouldn't use anything else in Thailand and have noticed over the last few years they have become very popular in areas with a better standard of buildings, ie Samui, Phuket, Krabi, Hua Hin and so on. 

[fondue zoo]

 

What is the height restriction on you own land over here?