AAC House in Beaufort, SC

Gorgeous home under construction with SafeCrete autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks and panels.

AAC provides both structure and insulation for exterior and interior walls and floors of this home.

The walls will eventually be covered with finish materials.

AAC Floor Panels

Keyways between the panels make room for rebar. Concrete fills the gap. Many AAC panel floors are covered with a 2" concrete topping for smoothing and leveling. In other cases a floating floor may be constructed over the panels. Tile can be applied directly.

AAC columns

AAC blocks used to construct square columns. AAC lintels used above.

Wiring in AAC Wall

Another photo that answers the oft-asked question "How do you put the wiring in the wall?"

In this case a can of orange spray paint was used to draw the wiring before any cuts were made. Most plumbing is done the same way.

SafeCrete AAC blocks on CMU foundation

CMU is often the simplest, most cost-effective solution for the foundation. AAC is better for the walls of the actual home, because it provides insulation and a more comfortable living environment -- plus AAC makes a great substrate for stucco. But for spaces that will not be heated and cooled, like the crawlspace under a house, CMU works fine.

Guest House

This garage shot shows nice block coursing, beginning with corners. The blocks in the corner are cored (sometimes called o-blocks) to allow for vertical rebar/concrete cores that connect the foundation to the roof system.

Note the Cast-Crete lintels used as garage door headers. Smaller openings are spanned with AAC lintels.