Concrete wall: nuances of construction, methods of processing and decorative finishing

Concrete wall construction is a basic component of contemporary building design. Because of their exceptional strength, resilience, and adaptability, concrete walls are a preferred material for a wide range of constructions, including both residential and commercial buildings. To ensure the durability and functionality of concrete walls, it is crucial to comprehend the subtleties involved in their construction.

Choosing the appropriate materials is one of the most important aspects of building concrete walls. The strength and longevity of the wall are largely determined by the quality of the aggregates, cement, and mix proportion. In order to resist tensile forces and avoid cracks, proper reinforcement with steel bars is also essential. To guarantee that the concrete reaches its maximum strength potential, the curing process also needs to be carefully controlled.

In order to achieve the desired functionality and finish, different methods must be used when processing concrete walls. Pouring, formwork, and casting are examples of techniques that call for accuracy and knowledge. Surface treatments like grinding, polishing, and sealing can improve the wall’s longevity and appearance after the concrete has set. In addition to increasing the aesthetic appeal, these treatments offer more defense against environmental elements and moisture.

Concrete walls with decorative finishing provide a plethora of design options. Concrete walls can be given a variety of looks, from textured patterns to smooth, polished surfaces. Staining, stamping, and painting are some of the techniques that can turn an ordinary concrete wall into an amazing architectural element. Selecting a decorative finish will rely on the desired style, be it a natural, rustic vibe or a sleek, modern appearance.

Concrete walls that are constructed and finished with these subtleties in mind are guaranteed to be both aesthetically pleasing and structurally solid. Concrete walls can become a defining feature of any building project by paying close attention to the details, from material selection to decorative finishing.

Aspect	Description
Construction Nuances	Building a concrete wall requires a solid foundation, proper formwork, and the right mix of concrete. Ensuring the wall is level and the concrete is poured evenly is crucial.
Processing Methods	Once the concrete is set, it can be smoothed with trowels or grinders. Cutting and drilling are done with diamond tools for precision and minimal damage.
Decorative Finishing	Concrete walls can be finished with paint, stains, or overlays to enhance appearance. Textured finishes and decorative molds can add unique designs.

What types of concrete walls are there

The characteristics used to classify concrete are in excess of twelve. However, only one of them—the structure—has the biggest influence on how well enclosing structures constructed of them function.

The type of concrete matters

Concrete’s structure can be:

1. Dense (heavy). It contains both large and small aggregate, the space between which is filled with a binder that has hardened during hydration. Air pores in such concrete are usually formed due to additives. Density is at least 2000 kg/m3.
2. Porous. Its aggregate is only large but light (expanded clay, vermiculite, polystyrene foam), the binder is also porous. Its density is a maximum of 1400 kg/m3 (minimum 700).
3. Cellular. This category includes aerated and foam concrete that does not have a filler and is saturated with air due to the use of pore-forming substances. The most dense are products made of cellular concrete, manufactured by the autoclave hardening method, which are now actively used in private housing construction. The maximum density of autoclaved concrete is 1200 kg/m3.
4. Large-porous. This concrete contains only lightweight artificial filler and porous binder. Can be quite dense – up to 1800 kg/m3.

Note: To improve the thermal insulation qualities of large-format panels, primarily used in large-panel housing construction, porous and large-porous concretes are poured. Simultaneously, an apartment’s concrete wall offers superior sound insulation.

The walls get warmer as the concrete density decreases. On the other hand, this raises the water absorption coefficient while decreasing strength. As a result, every variety of concrete has a unique use, limitations on how it can be applied, and operational requirements, such as waterproofing and external finishing.

Since they must support the weight of ground-level structures, the densest concretes and products made from them are utilized for building foundations and basement walls.

What should be the thickness of the walls

The strength of the building overall, and its comfortable operation in particular, are highly dependent on the thickness of the concrete walls. The design considers various factors such as the building’s number of stories, the type and density of concrete, climate, and the purpose of the enclosing structure.

A variation on the intended external finishing is also crucial because certain techniques (such as installing ventilated facades and well-built masonry) allow for the production of extra insulation. As a result, the overall cost of construction is decreased and the thickness of the concrete wall is decreased.

The following brief explanation will cover the most popular varieties of concrete walls used in residential construction:

Wall structure	Thickness
Large-panel in frameless buildings

• One layer of lightweight concrete, textured from the outside.
• In two-layer panels, there is a finishing layer on the inside, which, like the main one, is also a load-bearing one.
• In a three-layer panel, there is insulation between the main and inner layers. Usually, this is either semi-rigid slab mineral wool or heat-insulating concrete.

• In them, the main loads are supported by a cast or precast reinforced concrete frame, and the walls are designed from lightweight concrete shell panels used as permanent formwork for pouring a layer of heavy concrete.
• The thickness of a reinforced concrete wall in buildings up to 16 storeys high is 300-500 mm. Including a monolithic layer of at least 120 mm.
• For internal walls (inter-apartment), the thickness is up to 200 mm, for partitions – 80-100 mm.

• In this case, various types of lightweight concrete are used for pouring – cellular, or with a lightweight filler in the form of sawdust or polystyrene chips.
• If the formwork is permanent, it takes on part of the load. Concrete for such walls is used heat-insulating, with a low density.
• In this case, the thickness of the load-bearing walls made of reinforced concrete will be a maximum of 220-375 mm, which is quite a bit.

Note: The formwork material’s thermal insulation qualities, as well as the built-in insulation layer in certain situations, make it feasible to reduce the wall thickness.

Note: This option is more frequently utilized in cottage construction when a basic block is used, but the exterior of the facade is brick, either with or without an insulating layer. In this instance, the brick, block, and space between them sizes are used to determine the wall thickness. The picture depicts some potential options.

Mechanical processing of concrete walls

The aforementioned makes it evident that there is a wide range in the types of wall designs that can be created using concrete. As a result, answers to queries such as "How to make an opening or hang a picture on a concrete wall?" should be given careful thought in each unique situation. Our guidelines will make these problems easier to comprehend.

How to make an opening

In certain cases, remodeling a room with concrete walls is required. Apartment building residents choose not to do this as frequently because they must obtain permission for even basic actions like expanding or moving a doorway. And trust me, this isn’t always feasible because the partitions in some homes might end up bearing weight.

More often than not, those who purchase space in the basement must choose how to breach a concrete wall in order to set up an atelier, shop, or workshop. The only distinction between a private residence and a public one is that no permits are needed in the former case.

Since reinforced walls contain additional layers of concrete, cutting concrete stone by hand is an arduous task. Contrary to what some homeowners believe, you only need a diamond cutting tool and someone who has been specially trained to use it in this situation. Instead of a grinder and a sledgehammer.

Cellular concrete is the only exception, as it is easily processed by hand. How do you cut a regular rectangular opening in concrete or create an arch in gas or foam block masonry?

The table below provides details on this subject:

Cutting an opening appears easy when considering an aerated concrete wall as an example. Arbolite or polystyrene concrete walls will also be simple to deal with—that is, assuming there isn’t any exterior brick cladding. However, large-fill concrete, and particularly reinforced concrete, call for an entirely different strategy.

How to hang objects on the wall

There are advantages to hanging different items from a concrete wall because the concrete’s structure is important in this situation as well. Making a hole in thick concrete is difficult, and even light objects are difficult to stick to a wall composed of porous or hollow blocks. All of this needs to be considered.

Carpet, picture or cabinet

A carbide drill is required to drill holes in walls made of expanded clay concrete panels, cinder block masonry, or traditional monolithic concrete. You can use a standard drill bit to drill holes in aerated concrete walls, but you’ll need to use special fasteners instead of a dowel nail.

Let us examine the procedure in brief by using the example of hanging a carpet on the wall:

• Sew rings to the carpet;
• Mark the wall with a pencil;
• Drill holes, immediately removing dust with a vacuum cleaner;
• Drive plastic dowels or wooden dowels into the holes;
• Screw in the screws, but not all the way. A couple of millimeters of margin is required so that you can hook the metal ring.

If you need to hang something on the wall, like a wall cabinet, you should do the same thing. The only thing that will differ is the fastener’s size, which has to be planned for the higher load. As a result, the drill’s diameter will be bigger.

We fasten the cable

Dowel nails can be used to fasten the cable channel to a concrete wall in the same manner as they would be for a carpet. However, it’s unfortunate to have to drill multiple holes in a wall, particularly if you need to hang an almost weightless object and need to use a Pobedit drill.

Naturally, you can use adhesive to secure the box, but no matter how hard you try, the box may still come off due to the weight of the cable. As a result, it is preferable to create a combined fastener with dowels on at least two sides, grasping the cable channel and planting on liquid nails.

An alternative is to mount the cable directly to the wall without using a box. Dowel clamps are available for this purpose; the ends of these clamps are placed straight into the drilled hole.

Because concrete is strong and long-lasting, building a wall out of it is a wise decision for many types of construction projects. It’s critical to comprehend the various subtleties of the building process, from choosing the ideal concrete mix to making sure that the curing times are followed. A wall that is built to last will be the consequence of paying attention to these little details.

In order to guarantee that the wall’s surface is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, processing techniques like smoothing, grinding, and sealing are crucial. These methods enhance the wall’s resilience to weather and wear while priming the surface for any future decorative finishes you may wish to apply.

There are lots of ways to improve the look of a concrete wall with decorative finishing. Simple concrete surfaces can be made into eye-catching features for your house or structure by applying textures, painting, or staining. These finishes give the concrete an additional layer of protection in addition to aesthetic appeal.

All things considered, meticulous planning and execution go into building, processing, and finishing a concrete wall. With the correct knowledge and techniques, you can build a wall that is sturdy, long-lasting, and aesthetically pleasing and will function well for many years. Any building project benefits from having a well-built concrete wall, whether for structural integrity or aesthetic appeal.

Understanding important construction details, concrete processing techniques, and decorative finish options are necessary when building a concrete wall. Everything from properly mixing the concrete to making sure it cures properly is important to having a long-lasting and beautiful wall. Furthermore, different processing methods like sealing and smoothing improve the wall’s strength and appearance. Lastly, ornamental treatments like painting, staining, or stamping can turn an ordinary concrete wall into an exquisite architectural element. You can create concrete structures that are both beautiful and useful by grasping these subtleties.

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