Aircrete or AAC is a foam concrete building material that can be shaped at will and is not only very resistant in time but also waterproof, fireproof. Also, when built as a dome, its particular surface without joints, allows it to be completely bug proof when windows and doors are seale
These advantages, plus the fact it needs almost no maintenance and is completely thermal insulated with no need for external screening for painting or finishing, makes a perfect solution for building homes in difficult places. That, without mentioning the material is really light (5 times lighter than concrete), is eco-friendly and really economic as it can be made by anyone.
When thinking about this, it looks like a really good solution to use Autoclaved Aerated Concrete in Africa, Latin America, and every poor region in the world, to provide decent and durable low-cost homes.
Building concrete domes in Nigeria
The idea of building concrete domes in Nigeria resides in the fact that not only it can solve the problem of living places, but also the AAC industry itself can improve the lifestyle of thousands of people.
As this material can be easily made by anyone, is really simple to work with and light, using Autoclaved Aerated Concrete in Africa can be a solution for both lots of homes AND jobs. Building concrete domes in Nigeria can radically improve the lifestyle of those people living in barbeque or houses and are also eco-friendly and very original!
Besides, workers can easily learn how to make aircrete blocks from themselves so they can actually build their own houses. And how this is possible? Because AAC is a foam concrete building material that comes from literally soap foam, keep reading to find out how.
How to make Aircrette blocks and domes?
As well as concrete, it has a very specific recipe but it’s relatively easy to do although there’re some companies right now that provide tools for communities to learn and build their own domes so building concrete domes in Nigeria or any other part of the world actually can be achieved with an organization.
For making the Aircrete you need to follow this recipe (but make sure to not do this at home without professional supervision):
• Dilute foaming agent in water(may it be industrial detergent or even regular DAWN ULTRA detergent), for doing this just put water into a 5-gallon recipient, then add the foaming agent and stir making sure the foam goes to the bottom until it’s mixed
• You need a small air compression of about 2.5cfm@90psi or bigger.
• In a 55 gallons container, mix 7 gallons of water and a 94lb cement bag until they are well mixed.
• Add the foam to the mix and blend it with a power drill and a mixing paddle making sure the foam goes to the bottom, before it floats, until the foam is completely mixed.
• Next step, the Aircrete must be poured in any shape or mold, preferably a long sheet and let to dry out during the night.
• The day after it would be hard enough to be used as a clay and can be shaped into blocks by using “cookie-like” cutters and also you can use the whole sheet for making a dome.
