10 Best Building Blocks

Every owner wants his house to be built from durable and reliable materials. Moreover, their price may exceed the planned budget. To speed up and reduce the cost of building or repairing a structure, experts recommend using building blocks. Due to the large dimensions, the laying is carried out faster, and the price of the material is lower in comparison with the brick. The advantages also include high heat and sound insulation, less load on the foundation. Comparative tests of technical characteristics allowed us to make a rating, which contains the best building blocks for laying the foundation, erecting walls.

Content

Building blocks of which company is better to choose

The materials market offers the buyer goods from various manufacturers. Which building blocks are the best is not easy to determine, because they all have their advantages and disadvantages. It is advised to choose an option in which there are much more advantages than disadvantages. Each company produces products of a certain quality. The review presents the best firms that produce building materials:

AeroStone Is a Russian company that produces aerated concrete and gas silicate building blocks for walls. The manufacturing process complies with EU regulations. All goods are made from natural mineral components on equipment from the German company Masa-Henke. Users appreciate it for its environmental friendliness, lightness, strength and durability.
Bonolit Group - a group of companies that unites plants for the production of autoclaved aerated aerated concrete and wall blocks from it. They are equipped with HESS cutting lines, which allows the brand's products to be considered the standard of geometry and precision.
Xella - a German construction company that produces autoclaved aerated concrete blocks under the brand name Products are appreciated for innovative solutions, environmental safety, reliability and quality.
ECO - Yaroslavl plant of building materials, equipped with German technology for the production of gas silicate, a Spanish line for the production of reinforced concrete products. The company annually increases sales growth. Lightweight and durable blocks are produced by autoclaving technology, which provides high strength and resistance to shrinkage.
Aleksinsky expanded clay plant - has been producing building materials for over 25 years. The range includes FSB blocks. The advantages of the products include low price, quality, reliability, manufacturing using innovative technologies. Sedimentary rocks of clay with good swelling during firing are used as raw materials.
KZKG Is a diversified company of the Kaluga region, which includes 2 factories, a filling line, and a quarry. Kurovsky Zavod supplies quality goods at a low price for the construction of various buildings. Every year engineers improve the technology of materials production through the use of new imported equipment.
Knauf Is an international group of companies headquartered in Northern Bavaria. Produces various materials that can improve construction and decoration technologies. The enterprises are equipped with the latest equipment and use uniform production methods.The products have good technical properties and are durable in use.
Magma - a group of companies engaged in the extraction of minerals, the production of construction and finishing materials. The range includes tongue-and-groove gypsum blocks with good corrosion resistance and sound insulation. In 2024, the company entered the top five leaders of the Russian market in this area.
Volma - the enterprise was created on the basis of the Volgograd gypsum plant. Produces building and finishing materials mainly from plaster. Raw materials are extracted at our own fields. The quality of the goods complies with the standards adopted in the Russian Federation.

Building block rating

Depending on the raw materials for manufacturing, the main types of building blocks are distinguished: concrete, gas silicate, with the addition of gypsum, foam, polystyrene and expanded clay. When choosing, you need to take into account the climatic conditions of the construction region, the type of foundation, the specifics of use, as well as the technical characteristics of the material. The best building blocks were selected to the top after analyzing user reviews and comparing the following parameters:

Dimensions;
The weight;
Filler type;
Manufacturing technology;
Class and tensile strength;
Density;
Environmental friendliness;
Shrinkage;
The need for finishing work;
Water absorption coefficient;
Frost resistance.

For most, the price is an important selection criterion. The cheapest concrete building blocks are with the addition of polystyrene and expanded clay. In the top, the nominees are divided into 4 categories. Each contains a description of the goods that are made from a certain type of raw material, an analysis of their advantages and disadvantages is carried out.

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Best concrete building blocks

Gas and foam blocks belong to the class of porous composite concrete. Common elements of the composition are cement, sand. In the first case, lime, aluminum powder is used in the production, in the second - a chemical or natural solution of a foam stabilizer. The materials are highly durable, retain heat well, are practical and environmentally friendly. The disadvantages include low resistance to stress. Such materials are used in the construction of walls up to 3 floors. Comparison of building blocks made it possible to single out 2 types of goods from 5 nominees.

Bonolit

Foam blocks with dimensions of 250x600x100 mm and a fire resistance limit of REI240 withstand the effects of fire without changing the physical characteristics of the material for up to 4 hours. The composition includes environmentally friendly materials that undergo input and output quality control in our own laboratory. The autoclave method ensures homogeneous structure and high mechanical characteristics of the elements. Any finishing material is easily applied to the surface.

Bonolit

Advantages

High degree of density, strength, sound insulation;
Ease of installation;
Keeps heat well inside the room;
Shorter construction period;
Service life is about 50 years;
Light weight.

disadvantages

The need to use fittings, external and internal cladding;
High risk of severe shrinkage in the vicinity of groundwater.

Users note the ease of working with the material. Foam concrete is easy to grind, trim, drill. Various communications can be laid through the interior of the block. The presence of pores provides a good microclimate in the room, which helps to avoid the formation of mildew and mold.

Ytong

Aerated concrete U-blocks with dimensions of 300x250x500 have a high index of frost resistance, which allows them to be used for construction of structures in the northern regions. Strength class D500 indicates the ability to withstand loads up to 32 kg / cm²... Do not require additional processing when erecting an insulated structure. The Y-shape allows slabs and reinforcement to be laid in the inner cavity of the element.

Ytong

Advantages

Fast and easy laying;
It retains heat well, absorbs sounds;
Light weight;
High level of fire resistance;
Provides natural air circulation in the building.

disadvantages

High price;
Absorbs water well.

In reviews of building blocks, users rate their technical characteristics positively. At the same time, they note that when the foundation shrinks, the material quickly becomes covered with cracks, the decorative finish does not adhere well to its surface, if the reinforcing mesh is not fixed in advance. The disadvantages include the possibility of using elements in the construction of only the first two floors.

The best expanded clay building blocks

Elements of this type are used to create a variety of partitions, masonry walls in low-rise buildings, and form the foundations of wooden log cabins. In production, heavy, light or fine-grained concrete is used. By the type of construction, they are mainly referred to as hollow, which provides for the presence of air pockets. The material is lightweight, but less durable. It withstands bending loads better, and the walls do not require reinforcement, which allows faster construction. At the same time, expanded clay concrete strongly absorbs water, therefore, it needs external finishing. It is not used in the construction of a bath, partitions in the bathroom. In terms of its performance, it is much inferior to other concrete blocks. Of the 5 announced nominees, 2 types of elements have the best parameters.

FBS

The block is used for plinths and basement walls in all types of buildings. Full body design provides increased strength to support loads up to 32 kg / cm²... The content of radionuclides in the composition does not exceed the permissible norm. The sleek design and low weight greatly simplify laying and subsequent finishing.

FBS

Advantages

High level of bearing capacity, frost resistance, fire resistance;
Low price;
Good sound and heat insulation;
Compact dimensions;
Resistant to aggressive chemicals.

disadvantages

Heavy;
It absorbs water well, which contributes to the destruction of the structure.

Not all buyers are happy with the quality of the product. They confirm its high strength, frost resistance, but note some size discrepancy.

During construction, it is not recommended to leave the base for a long time without external finishing, since its absence will reduce the strength of the structure.

Kolomna

The nominee is made of expanded clay, water and cement, therefore it is considered an environmentally friendly product. The compact size allows you to increase the usable floor space. In terms of strength class, it is not inferior to the previous nominee, but the degree of frost resistance is designed only for 50 cycles. The last parameter is less important, since the blocks are used mainly for the internal partitions of the building.

Kolomna

Advantages

Low price;
Light weight;
High strength;
Resistant to frost and fire.

disadvantages

High degree of water absorption.

The appearance of the elements is unaesthetic, therefore, external finishing helps to refine the interior. It will also protect the material from excessive moisture absorption when erecting a structure near the bathroom. The advantages include strength, durability, health safety.

Best gypsum tongue-and-groove building blocks

By design, the nominees of the category resemble a regular parallelepiped with ridges and grooves on opposite sides. They are released hollow and full-bodied. The former are used for the construction of partitions in apartments and private houses. The weight of the latter is 25% more, they are chosen when building walls of public and work buildings. The advantages include low weight, the ability to operate in any climatic conditions, environmental friendliness, ease of installation, high strength, noise insulation and corrosion resistance. The main disadvantage is the high price. According to comparative tests, 3 types of blocks took the leading positions among 10 nominees.

Knauf

The nominee's thickness is 80 mm, and the size is 667x500 mm, so its shape resembles a rectangular parallelepiped with a tongue-and-groove joint. The block has increased moisture resistance, which allows it to be used when erecting partitions in rooms with humidity up to 60%. This is due to the addition of special additives to the molding mass, which reduce water absorption.

Knauf

Advantages

The quality of the front surface eliminates the need for plastering;
Surface suitable for painting, tiling, wallpapering;
High degree of fire resistance;
The composition contains no toxic components;
Easy to machine;
Does not conduct electricity.

disadvantages

Low strength;
High price.

Users are attracted by significant savings in internal space, ease of installation. At the same time, experts advise taking into account that such plates cannot be used for supporting structures, since gypsum is easily destroyed under the influence of linear dynamic loads. The partition must be fixed to the floor and ceiling. The disadvantages include low sound insulation.

Magma

The nominee is a monolithic slab with a tongue-and-groove joint, the dimensions of which are identical to the parameters of the previous nominee. The density of the material is 982 kg / m³, ultimate strength in compression - 7.2 MPa, and in bending - 3.7 MPa. Such indicators indicate the possibility of using the slab for curtain walls, partitions and cladding in rooms with low humidity levels.

Magma

Advantages

Keeps warm well;
Provides a good indoor climate;
Lack of toxic substances in the composition;
Does not burn;
The composition does not contain toxic substances;
Easy to process.

disadvantages

Low moisture resistance;
The need for careful fixing to the ceiling.

The smooth surface eliminates the need for plastering, therefore, after the erection of the partition, it can be immediately pasted over with wallpaper or painted. At the same time, users note that walls made of this material conduct sound well.

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Volma

The shape and dimensions of the tongue-and-groove slab are identical to the parameters of the previous nominees. Its density does not exceed 1250kg / m³, but the compressive strength is only 5 MPa, so it cannot withstand heavy loads. It is used only for the construction of interroom partitions. During manufacturing, hydrophobic additives are added, which makes it possible to reduce the water absorption coefficient of the material to 5%.

Volma

Advantages

Exact geometric dimensions;
Ease of installation;
Health safety;
Does not burn;
Light weight;
Reducing construction time.

disadvantages

High price when compared to concrete building blocks;
Risk of destruction of the partition during slab shrinkage.

Users confirm the simplicity and ease of construction. Due to special additives in the composition of the partitions, they absorb less moisture, which significantly increases their service life.

The best gas silicate building blocks

The great popularity of the material is due to its high strength, sound insulation, and the absence of toxic components in the composition. The property of preserving the body reduces heating costs, and the ability to withstand the effects of fire for up to 3 hours eliminates situations of rapid spread of flame in the room. At the same time, there are a number of disadvantages that require builders to perform cladding in order to increase the service life. The best in this category out of 10 nominees were 3 types of elements.

Aerostone

Aerated concrete block with dimensions of 600x250x100 has a good strength class, which allows structures to withstand a load of up to 40 kg / cm²... The small thickness indicates the possibility of using the material for the construction of interior walls and partitions. Frost resistance is calculated for 100 cycles.

Aerostone

Advantages

Light weight;
Withstands the influence of fire up to 3 hours;
Allows to reduce heating costs;
High degree of sound insulation;
Environmentally friendly composition;
Provides a comfortable microclimate;
Low price.

disadvantages

High degree of water absorption;
Problems with the application of finishing solutions.

Buyers are satisfied with the quality of the product. They argue that if the rules for the construction of structures are observed, there are no serious problems during operation. It is also not advised to hang heavy furniture on the walls, since screwing in the dowels can lead to a violation of the integrity of the material.