Cement or Glue

[Thongkorn]

Has any one used Thermal Blocks to build, The question is would cement be ok as the walls will be skimmed after,

Thanks for your Input in advance,

[sappersrest]

No use special adhesive, Weber is a good brand, your builder may want to mix a small amount of cement with it?? Sand and cement can be used to bed the first course to get everything level if required.

[eyecatcher]

As the poster above says, and we both assume you are talking about Qcon or similar; you MUST use the adhesive designed to bond these blocks.

The surface texture of these blocks do not lend themselves to bonding with regular mortar. Becuase they are aerated concrete they simpy pull the moisture from the mortar in seconds and hold for even less.

Yes you can set up the first course at it will be bonding to concrete and the load above will stop the block moving laterally in any case.

For Qcon, use the "poon Qcon" its bag no 23 for reference. they cost circa 189bt per bag; but one bag goes a very long way. I built 100m2 of 100mm Qcon blocks and it took 3.5 bags; as its laid only 1/8 inch thick. This adhesive is premixed, you just add water........certainly dont allow anyone to add cement; thats like someone throwing your 100bt into the sewer.

The adhesive you will find even at 3 to 4mm thick becomes stronger than the block. Once stuck you have to break the block seriously.

so at 189bt a bag the "mortar" is going to cost you a massive 7bt/m2......let those numpties use bag after bag after bag of cement plus your 2 tons of sand, well you will be lucky to get change from 100bt/m2

[kamalabob2]

My homes have been built with AAC Thermal Blocks in Buriram Province. I'll 100% agree with Sappersrest and Eyecatcher. The glue between each block is modest in cost and very important. I might also add that after the conduit has been installed into the walls, including any air conditioning pipes, speaker wires, security cable, internet cable, and you render with Weber Set Light Weight Block Render or TPI M210 or similar proper thermal block render you can do a 2nd coat of cement mixed with sand for walls you might want to paint. The technical reps from Q-Con or Diamond Building products have been responsive to my questions on how my building crew could best use thermal autoclaved areated wall blocks in Buriram province. The steel reinforced Door Lintels and Window Lintels available for any width of the Q-Con or Diamond Building products Thermal wall blocks have saved me time and money when building in 2016 in Buriram Province.

[kamalabob2]

At the builders merchant store I buy most of my home building products for a village house building project in Buriram Province I am able to speak English to store staff. Many times Mr. Pichai the owner of Ruangsangthai will contact the technical advisors of a particular home building products company to advise me and the Thai crew working on my current project. In the photo is:

Mr. Moses Lopez | Mr. Pichai Ruangsuksriwong | Mr. Sirichai Getwijitr sales manager of TPI Polene Public Company Limited | Mr. Daratorn Waingkate who are discussing the TPI Polene Cement | Roof Tile | Gypsum Board | Rendering Products | Fiberboard exterior cladding dealership agreement this Tuesday inside Ruangsangthai Home Builders merchants in Buriram. The TPI M210 and TPI M310 products have proven cost effective for my recent home building project in a small village.

Edited January 21, 2016 by kamalabob2

[Thongkorn]

Thanks for all the useful information , If cement is not of any real use to bond the thermal blocks together, what about rendering the outside and inside when finished, will the cement bond with the thermal Blocks

Edited January 31, 2016 by Thongkorn

[kamalabob2]

All of the major thermal block manufacturers in Thailand will have a brochure in Thai and another brochure in English. The render is made for AAC blocks. Any good home building merchant should be able to offer you at least two brands of render for Q Con type AAC blocks. I have noted that a 2nd coat of typical cement render can be added once the AAC block render has dried. If you were doing wall tile then you would leave a rough coat of the AAC block render, such as TPI brand M210 and then a thin set up a Weber tile adhesive. The same shop that stocks Diamond Blocks, Superblock or Q-Con blocks in Thailand will most likely have pallet loads of render as well as glue for the light weight thermal wall blocks. I've been able to buy the wall render in both small towns and the provincial capital of Buriram province. The price did vary from store to store as did the delivery policy. AAC Blocks are made in Thailand and sold in Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos and the brochure is in English for export sales. There are videos on youtube showing how to build and render with Q Con and Diamond Building Products Blocks in the Thai language. Most Buriram home builders I have observed do not add a 2nd coat to Thermal blocks, but I have been inside six homes built in 2015 and tow homes under construction in 2016 that have a coat of cement render on top of the TPI Thermal Block render.

[eyecatcher]

Bag no 13 just add water....no need for sand or cement.

The finish is much smoother than the traditional sand added render mix

[Thongkorn]

Thanks again chaps , some really good information,