Cavity walls

[Rascalb]

Does anybody know why the french tend to build single block walls as opposed to cavity walls as we do here in the UK. We are just about to start a project at easter and cannot decide which to go for. Cost wise single block works out cheapest of course. The wall will be 10 metres long and 2.5 metres high, joining two exiscting stone walls and is single storey with roof on top. Rear wall is existing stone. Any comment s will be helpful as Mr B is still unsure even after chat with local builder!

[Tresco]

Rascalb.

Sorry I don't know the answer to your question, but if you go to the forum section titled Finding and Owning French Property there is at least one member a doing 'Blog' about self build. 

You'll see them in the left hand column, in red under the title.

If the information isn't in any of those blogs, perhaps me bumping this topic will bring it to the attention of someone who can help.

 

[Dick Smith]

I don't know the technical answer to your question, but I know that in Normandy in winter solid walls get pretty cold, and I'd go for cavity/insulation given the chance.

[Albert the infopikey]

Rascalb wrote the following post at 24/03/2006 12:00:

"Does anybody know why the french tend to build single block walls as opposed to cavity walls as we do here in the UK?"

In the UK cavity walls became popular between the wars with the aim of preventing damp penetration from driving rain & suchlike. There are other ways of achieving the same result and I have a theory that the rise of the cavity wall was a result of switching from lime mortar to cement, but thats just my guess.

My preferred French technique for masonry walls is monomur. This uses big blocks (imagine 2 breeze blocks put together) with loads of air cavities. It's quick to build, highly insulating and fairly 'green'.

There's a manufacturers puff for a typical product here:

http://www.batiweb.com/bandeaux/lance_url.asp?dd=315748&tt=m&annuaire=produits