AAC can be carved, sculpted, and milled for bas-relief treatments and other designs. Extrerior surfaces are typically plastered, finished with textured coatings, or given veneers of tile or thin brick. Interiors can be given a plaster or drywall finish, covered with heavy-bodied wall coverings, or painted. In industrial building interiors, the light color of AAC may be acceptable if left unfinished. AAC is economically competitive with other building materials, is affordable to ship and handle, and installs easily without special equipment.
Prefabrication shortens construction time, reducing labor and financing costs.
Because it is considered a foreign builkding technology in the United States, there will be an adjustment period as AAC is tested and integrated into domestic construction practices. Product performance and recommended details vary and should be verified with AAC producers and applicable codes. AAC is ligher weight, more thermally efficient, more dimensionally stable, and easier to ship and handle than other types of concrete materials. Its lighter weight allows larger blocks, resulting in walls that can be erected more rapidly while reducing the risk of back injuries among masons. AAC blocks are solid units with large areas of adhesion, and joints develop sufficient strength for walls to function monolithically, without reinforcing.