Specific weight of foam blocks, their properties and weight calculations
Foam concrete is a mechanically strong lightweight building material. During production, air pores are formed in the foamed concrete mix; as they harden, they provide light weight and good heat retention. Foam concrete blocks are most often used as a base for the construction of load-bearing walls and partitions, as well as for insulating walls, roofs and floors.
Manufacturers of building materials try to achieve an ideal result, so new varieties of foam concrete continue to appear.
Properties and technical characteristics of foam blocks
Foam concrete is often used as a building material. This is largely due to its advantages:
- High insulation performance: sound and heat insulation.
- Economic efficiency.
- Fast installation of structures due to the dimensions of the material.
The main classification feature of foam blocks is density. Let us consider the types of blocks and their technical parameters.
| Type of blocks | Weight | Density | Application area |
| Porized structural block | More than 47 kg | D1300 - D1600 | Construction of any complexity |
| Structural block | 39 - 47 kg | D900 - D1200 | Construction of multi-storey buildings |
| Structural-insulating block | 23 - 35 kg | D600 - D800 | Construction of low-rise buildings |
| Insulating block | 11 - 19 kg | D300 - D500 | Material for thermal insulation |
When the density changes, foam concrete blocks also change their weight. Let us consider the specific weight of a foam block and its relation to density.
| Block density | Weight of 1 m³ of foam block (kg) |
| D400 | 436 |
| D500 | 543 |
| D600 | 652 |
| D700 | 761 |
| D800 | 887 |
| D900 | 996 |
| D1000 | 1100 |
| D1100 | 1220 |
| D1200 | 1330 |
In addition, all foam concrete blocks have the following physicochemical features.
| Physicochemical features | Foam block | Units of measurement |
| Strength indicator | 10 - 50 | kg/cm² |
| Weight of a cubic metre of foam block | 450 - 900 | kg/m³ |
| Thermal conductivity | 0.2 - 0.4 | W/(m·°C) |
| Number of freeze cycles | 25 | cycles |
| Wall hardening time | 60 | hours |
| Shrinkage degree | 0.6 - 1.2 | mm/m |
| Moisture absorption indicator | 95 | % |
| Vapour permeability indicator | 0.2 | mg/(m·h·Pa) |
| Layer of adhesive mortar during laying | 10 | mm |
Calculations of the quantity and weight of foam blocks.
At the beginning of construction, to create high-quality and durable floor structures, it is necessary to calculate the required quantity and mass of foam blocks.
| Geometric dimensions | Number of foam blocks in 1 m³ (pcs.) | Number of foam blocks placed on a pallet (pcs.) | Number of foam blocks in 1 m² (pcs.) |
| 100×300×600 mm | 55 | 80 | 16.7 |
| 120×300×600 mm | 46 | 64 | 13.8 |
| 150×300×600 mm | 37 | 48 | 11.2 |
| 200×300×600 mm | 27 | 40 | 8.4 |
| 250×300×600 mm | 22 | 32 | 6.7 |
High-quality foam concrete blocks have significant weight and the correct geometric shape. The most popular ratio of mass and size is shown in the table.
| Size of a D600 foam block | Weight of 1 block (kg) |
| 200×300×600 mm | 22 |
| 100×300×600 mm | 11 |
| 50×300×600 mm | 8.5 |
| 160×300×600 mm | 17 |
| 240×300×600 mm | 25 |
| 200×400×600 mm | 28 |
| 200×200×600 mm | 14 |
The most commonly requested value is the weight of a 200×300×600 mm foam block. As the table shows, it is 22 kg. Despite all the advantages, there are also disadvantages to using this material:
- Fragility during improper transportation.
- Cracking in areas especially exposed to ground movement.
When purchasing the material, it is necessary to carefully study the quality characteristics of the product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the density of foam block be used for precise calculations?
The density and weight values for foam block in this article are reference values. They are suitable for preliminary estimates, but design, construction, production and other critical calculations should be checked against standards, material datasheets or measurement results.
Why can the actual weight of foam block differ from the table?
The actual weight of foam block depends on composition, moisture, temperature, porosity, fraction size, material grade and measurement conditions. Because of this, real values may differ from the average table data.
How do you calculate the mass of foam block from density?
For an approximate calculation, use the formula: mass = density × volume. If the density of foam block is given in kg/m³ and the volume is in m³, the result will be in kilograms.