3. AC Porch

AC Porch

  • E

    I live in SC on a barrier island. I want to install a porch the length of the house and had planned to do a traditional porch/deck with lumber. I'd like to avoid wood if possible due to the maintenance. Could you do an aircrete porch. The posts I think would be easy enough but I wasn't sure if AC decking would be strong enough. Thoughts?

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    E
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  • E

    @Eric What I was thinking is making a mold maybe 3"x2'x10' and use those as deck boards. I don't know much about the strength of aircrete so I don't know if 3" is thick enough without reinforcement. I saw a video online I think out of the UK where they build an AC house using panels. It was a 2 story house and the 2nd story floor was made with airecrete panels.

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    T
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  • V

    Three inch seems a little thin. Remember that cement has low tensile strength and that is what a suspended floor is subjected to. If you add reenforcement in the form of rebar or fiber it might work at that thickness but I have not tested that aspect yet. I would make a test if a few thicknesses and the same length and suspend them. The you could add weight till they break/crack. That would give you a guide as to how thick and what reinforcements you need.

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  • T
    Major Contributor

    @Eric What you saw in the UK was autoclaved aircrete. That is not the same as the aircrete used here. If insulation is not your main goal than you can add sand to your cement with the right amount of foam and make a strong aircrete for you deck boards.

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    K
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  • K

    @Talyn71 Do you know if the tensile strength will be enough to be approved as deck boards? The decking will be 7' to 20' above the ground. We live in California - strict standards for practically everything.

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