Post #10006

I missed an opportunity when I was in germany... I went up inside a house that was being build and spoke to the workers but I never thought to pickup one of these blocks. Wish I had so I could know how light they are. For anyone wondering this is Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC). It’s an expanded baked concrete that is 80% air by volume is 30% the weight but retains 50% the compressive strength of concrete block. It’s typically rated at 1,200 psi. It also has a very high insulation value and fire resistance due to all the small air pockets. The foam joints is not standard foam, but a specially designed foam mortar compound which contains a high amount of silica compounds. This is not usually designed as a main structural load bearing support. Usually they are constructed with concrete, steel, or wood main load bearing support, and these make up the building shell. They are commonly finished with a masonry or stucco exterior.