Hello.
I will cast together 3 lecablocks, 25 x 59 cm (~180 cm long), to place over a doorway.
I'll use a diamond cutter to hollow out 10 x 10 cm. I place the blocks upside down and insert 3 reinforcing bars. They must have a distance from the blocks, and then I add concrete.
The beam must cure for at least a week before it can be used. Remember to moisten the concrete during the first few days, leca absorbs a lot.
I will cast together 3 lecablocks, 25 x 59 cm (~180 cm long), to place over a doorway.
I'll use a diamond cutter to hollow out 10 x 10 cm. I place the blocks upside down and insert 3 reinforcing bars. They must have a distance from the blocks, and then I add concrete.
The beam must cure for at least a week before it can be used. Remember to moisten the concrete during the first few days, leca absorbs a lot.
Hmm, it was a long time since I checked this, but I seem to remember that 1.5-meter-long ones cost about 500 SEK. However, they were thinner than the normal blocks (12 cm?). I don't know if those are the ones usually used? Normal thickness 19-25 cm is likely to be considerably more expensive.
No, I also find it difficult to see any sustainable counterarguments.
Another option is to buy loose Lecakulor, build a mold, place reinforcement mesh, and mix concrete+lösleca.
This way you will probably get a decent fit as well. We bought ready-made beams, and they were the wrong dimensions in every direction compared to the usual casting blocks. Too narrow, too high, too low, and too wide, plus the sides were not perpendicular to each other. When I pointed this out to the supplier, I was told that cast lecabalkar look like that.
This way you will probably get a decent fit as well. We bought ready-made beams, and they were the wrong dimensions in every direction compared to the usual casting blocks. Too narrow, too high, too low, and too wide, plus the sides were not perpendicular to each other. When I pointed this out to the supplier, I was told that cast lecabalkar look like that.
Unfortunately, we didn't do that 
, got the tip ourselves after we were done.
The easiest way is not to cast the beam directly on the wall but to do it on the ground; the disadvantage is that you have to lift the damn thing into place afterward and it's heavy.
Remember to have most of the rebar at the bottom of the beam, where the tensile forces are greatest.
, got the tip ourselves after we were done.The easiest way is not to cast the beam directly on the wall but to do it on the ground; the disadvantage is that you have to lift the damn thing into place afterward and it's heavy.
Remember to have most of the rebar at the bottom of the beam, where the tensile forces are greatest.
It exceeds expectations to screw form plywood into Leca with long screws, such as 70 mm Spax! Attach a plank on each side of the opening, place a plank with the same thickness as the wall on top, and screw plywood to the sides; some form of bracing is needed in the form so it doesn't split apart! Reinforce in the form, especially at the bottom!
Keep in mind that it is very heavy to fill the form manually with a bucket and ladder.........
Keep in mind that it is very heavy to fill the form manually with a bucket and ladder.........
I believe that it is recommended to have at least 250 mm overlap, preferably half a block i.e. about 300 mm.
There is some information at www.optiroc.se
There is some information at www.optiroc.se
Hello.
I'll take it one more time
They hold I assure.
I'll take it one more time
I have now cast and put up the beams. They consist of 3 lecablocks 25 x 19 x 59 HOLLOWED approx. 10 x 10 cm (slightly bowl-shaped) and cast together with concrete and 3 reinforcement bars. Cost = 3 lecablocks 5 m reinforcement 1 bag of concrete 4 liters of water ~150:- per beam.
They hold I assure.
I did it in the interior wall of the garage, used regular concrete not LECA pebbles!kristofer.eklund said:
Built the wall up to the upper edge of the door opening plus one stone on each side 30 cm from the opening, formed and reinforced over the door opening to the same height as the stones on each side of the opening, i.e., ~20 cm, and poured concrete from above!
It's easier than you might think to screw the form into the LECA, if you are going to make several similar window openings, all parts of the form should be reusable!
Over the garage doors, I built a brick arch of 2.7 meters, made a similar beam over the entire brick arch!
I made brick arches over the windows too but they weren’t as wide, so I didn't cast a beam there!