Thin joint aircrete blockwork
Thin joint lightweight aircrete blocks provide a fast, clean and accurate method of construction that is designed to lower costs by reducing the time taken to build walls. By using Thermalite's Thin Joint Mortar and Aircrete Blocks the depth of mortar can be reduced from 10mm to 3mm or less.
The application of thin joint mortar to the blocks is quickly and accurately achieved by the use of a serrated scoop, the full benefits being realised on long runs of wall. Independent speed trials have indicated that a wall of Thermalite blocks and thin joint mortar can be laid twice as fast as that built with aggregate blocks and general use mortar. The speed of construction can be further enhanced by using Thermalite Large Format Blocks, which have a face size of two traditional concrete blocks.
Thin joint mortar sets more rapidly than traditional mortar and is typically stable after 60 minutes. This allows the amount of walling that can be built to be increased and the earlier installation of other components such as floors and roof timbers. The completion of a weather tight envelope allows brickwork to be taken off the critical path and for internal work, such as service installation, partitioning and plastering to progress.
This method of construction also reduces heat loss through mortar joints to provide improvements in U-values of up to 10%; improves the airtightness of the construction; and reduces wastage on-site by allowing for the precision cutting of blocks
