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Deise Linhares and Vinicius Marafigo left Canoas and moved in October 2023 to the styrofoam house at Praia do Rosa, in Imbituba. The EPS walls are reinforced with steel mesh and concrete. A professor confirms advantages but warns of precautions, as the material can melt with concentrated heat.
A couple living at Praia do Rosa, in Imbituba, on the coast of Santa Catarina, went viral on social media by showcasing the styrofoam house they live in. According to g1 SC, Deise Linhares and Vinicius Marafigo left Canoas, in Rio Grande do Sul, to fulfill their dream of living near the sea, and started listing in a video the advantages of building a property almost entirely made with the material. The styrofoam house uses EPS, expanded polystyrene.
According to the report, the video about the five benefits of the styrofoam house already had about 250,000 views. The couple moved into the property in October 2023, even before the house had doors, and cited as advantages the realized dream, waste reduction, speed of construction, sound insulation, and thermal comfort. An architecture professor interviewed for the report confirms some of these advantages but makes reservations.
The styrofoam house that went viral at Praia do Rosa
The styrofoam house became a topic on social media due to an unusual detail, the material of the walls. According to g1 SC, Deise Linhares and Vinicius Marafigo are from Canoas, in Rio Grande do Sul, and went to Praia do Rosa in pursuit of the dream of living near the sea. The video in which they list five benefits of the property reached about 250,000 views.
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The choice for the beach has a history. According to the report, Vinicius always wanted to live by the sea and thought about Florianópolis, but a weekend at Praia do Rosa, at a friend’s house, made him decide on the region. Before opting for styrofoam, the couple researched many alternatives, such as ecological brick, block, masonry, wood, plastic brick, and container.
How a styrofoam house reinforced with steel and concrete is made
Despite the name, the styrofoam house is not made only of styrofoam. According to the couple, the system is known as monolithic: “They are styrofoam walls with steel meshes on both sides, coated with concrete” and also a layer of plaster. According to the report, all the walls are tied and fixed to each other and to the foundation, forming a unique system that makes the construction stronger. Besides the walls, EPS was also used in the slabs of the first and second floors.
The couple lists five main advantages of the styrofoam house. According to the report, they are: fulfilling the dream of living at Praia do Rosa, avoiding waste, the speed of the construction, as the walls come ready-made, the acoustic insulation, and thermal comfort, because the material retains noise and temperature. Regarding the cost, the couple states that, in their case, it was cheaper than common masonry, although this always depends on the project and the companies.
What the specialist says about styrofoam in construction
Styrofoam is not new in civil construction, according to a specialist. According to g1 SC, the professor and coordinator of the architecture and urbanism course at the University of Southern Santa Catarina, Marcelo Nogueira, states that the material has been used for many years, in Brazil more in slabs and, in other countries, commonly. He confirms advantages mentioned by the couple, such as cost, speed, and thermal and acoustic insulation.
However, there is disagreement about the resistance of the styrofoam house. According to Nogueira, “the resistance is the same as a wooden house,” and masonry is more resistant, although a well-braced house will not fly away. Rodrigo Araujo, director of the company that built the couple’s house, contested this assessment and presented higher numbers: “our walls withstand 30,000 kg per ml,” in addition to about 80 kg per fixing point, enough to hang a hammock.
The care a styrofoam house requires
The advantages do not eliminate the need for care in the styrofoam house. According to Professor Marcelo Nogueira, attention is needed with electrical and plumbing installations, to avoid overheating and damaging the styrofoam, and the construction requires specialized labor, as a company is usually hired to do the assembly. Another point is the fixing of shelves, which cannot be done freely, because the material does not have the same depth and resistance as a brick, and the screw may give way.
Excessive heat is a separate concern. According to g1 SC, the professor warns that EPS can melt, for example, when a glass reflects and concentrates radiation on the material. He also recommends attention to infiltration, because, over time, styrofoam loses properties, rots, and requires maintenance. In other words, the styrofoam house has clear attractions, but requires planning and monitoring.
Deise and Vinicius’s styrofoam house at Praia do Rosa shows why EPS has been attracting attention in construction, with speed, insulation, and the chance to fulfill the dream of living near the sea. At the same time, the story makes it clear that the material requires care, from concentrated heat to infiltration, and that resistance still divides opinions between the professor and the company. In the end, the choice depends on the project, the labor, and the monitoring over time.
And you, would you live in a styrofoam house facing the sea? Comment on what you think of this construction and exchange ideas with other readers about the advantages and care of EPS in construction.
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