Building material "brick" is known since ancient times. Information about dried bricks from clay materials is in Chinese and Roman sources. Natural, natural stone, although it was available, required a large pretreatment. Positive shifts in the construction industry with changes in clay processing methods are obvious. The brick was used not only for construction, but also for facing buildings made of stone, cinder block, wood and other materials.
Brick cladding by one's own hands
Facing bricks: background
The facing brick is different from the usual one. Smooth, smooth and neat surface, which has high decorative characteristics, ensures the fulfillment of two tasks at once: create a wall and decorate it. The aesthetics of brick structures for cladding do not exclude reliable protection of the building from atmospheric precipitation. Industry today gives builders every opportunity to implement any projects using decorative bricks.
The very first stone used for cladding, as now, did not just create the shape of the structure, but also decorated the surface. There is a legend that the inhabitants of Ancient Babylon, burning bricks, glazed them in blue and used for finishing the Tower of Babel. The legend also explains the long break in the use of bricks: the firing technology was lost, and the dried bricks were not strong enough and decorative.
Russia with bricks met late, because the construction was mostly wooden. Bricks began to be produced in large quantities only from the time of Peter I.
Types and properties of the facing brick
The colors of this building material depend only on the technological processes of the factory that produces them. The same applies to the texture of facing bricks and their shape. The decoration of facades, the decoration of walls, socles, the arrangement of park and garden fences, the erection of columns and pillars, balcony bay windows, the construction of verandas, seasonal kitchens and arches are all options for the use of facing bricks. The two sides of the facade or facial stone are decorated in a decorative manner so that it is convenient to use it.
The dimensions of the brick, the standards of its parameters, are specified by the building documentation. Unified characteristics allow you to easily combine different types of materials, without the risk of not getting into dimensional characteristics.
Facade bricks are divided into types, depending on their functionality:
- hollow( improves the thermal properties of the overlap);
- solid.
Brick photo
Hollow versions weigh less and reduce the total load on the base of the structure.
The brick is divided and, based on the production features:
A sample of the ceramic facing brick
- is glazed;
- ceramic;
- clinker;
- hyperpressed.
Facing Glazuliroanniy brick
The main property of "facing" - high aesthetics. But the facial surfaces may look different. Be smooth or rough, imitating stone or plastic, etc. Ceramic facial brick is subjected to special volumetric staining, color compounds are applied to the outer surfaces( this process is called engobing), glazes the parts of the stone with brilliant compositions. When you need to create a mosaic picture or a panel, you can not do without glazed bricks. They look good as facing the stoves or fireplaces.
There are also facing composite materials combining texture and color at the same time, they are often required in private constructions, they are used in external and internal decoration of buildings. Sometimes, classifying the cladding, a separate category of ceramic hand-made bricks. Despite the roughness, and the imperfection of form, this building material is in demand by the market. Hand-made bricks are used in restoration work, exclusive projects, design and historical construction. In the mass production of such a brick, of course, no.
Different colors of bricks
Clinker brick is similar to ordinary brick, but due to the fact that it is manufactured using special technologies and certain types of clay, it has good wear-resistant and strength characteristics. Use this material can be where the load is particularly intense. Facing the basement, finishing doorways, paving yards, laying paths, framing windows - just such areas. The density of the structure of the brick, the minimum absorbent characteristics, increased thermal conductivity, allow it to be used in external and internal decoration.
Under pressure, hyperpressed bricks are manufactured. That is, the firing is not used here, the mass is simply condensed. The composition of the hyperpressing also differs: there is no sand and clay, but only crushed limestone, a pigment and a cement mixture, as a bundle. This brick has a picturesque torn chip, which allows using it in design projects, because it looks like a natural stone, but it is easy to process, preserving its properties. Building requirements for wear and frost resistance, ideal geometry, in this case, too, are met. However, there are also disadvantages: a relatively small thermal efficiency of the surface. But this complexity is easily eliminated with the help of a heater pad.
Why is there no ordinary silicate brick in the cladding list? The answer is simple: this material is no longer relevant for use as a cladding. Of course, it is cheap and quite suitable for the lining and similar works, but the aesthetics of the surface raises doubts. Of course, in the post-war time, when every penny was on the account, and the appearance of buildings, the builders did not think much, this brick was used everywhere. But modern construction considers the use of silicate brick unacceptable.
There are the basic running sizes of a brick:
* single - 250х120х65;
* one-and-a-half - 250х120х88;
* double size - 250x120x138.
Specific dimensions should be specified from the manufacturer, when purchasing a batch. The table of mass and volume parameters of the material can be insignificantly different, since all
factories use their own standards and technologies in production. This especially applies to handmade specimens.
The process of working with facing brick: self-cladding
Compared with other technologies for finishing the exterior of buildings, facial bricks are the most labor-intensive material in terms of work. However, its durability, expressiveness and reliability, pay off these expenses. It is not easy to lay the front brick yourself.
Facing assumes greater accuracy than conventional brick erection. Accuracy, purity and accuracy are extremely important in this work, because the task of the facial material is not only to create a surface, but also to decorate it. Well, if there is a partner who can engage in screeding, control the cleanliness of the luggage and deliver the necessary materials to the packer.
Video - the process of laying brick bricks
The first action is horizontal leveling of the cap using a level. Then they plan the amount of material and denouement. All the rows of bricks are laid first dry, to exclude non-standard, chipped, defective bricks, to see how the stones stand in the places of door and window openings, in the corners. At this stage, dressings are planned.
Cut material using a grinder( using a disc for the stone).You can not use a circle for metal and chop excess parts of a brick with a hammer or an ax. For a bunch of bricks is well suited cement mixture: water + sand + cement, with the sand fraction should be shallow, or it must be sieved. To tint the cement under the color of the cladding, it is dyed or colored. Do not dilute many cement at once, as the mixture quickly dries up, losing its properties. It is better to make a few kneads in turn.
The mortar on the facade cladding is applied using a special template to avoid staining the decorated edges of the tile, the template allows not to bring the solution to the edge of a centimeter - one and a half. It is better to take less solution to get a narrow fixing layer, this will help to avoid dirt in the work. It is important to dilute the mixture so that it seems harsh, then a brick or tile will not "float" when stacked. The solution is made in a proportion of 1 to 4: the shaly sand of the fine fraction is mixed with a concrete mixer with cement and liquid.
In addition to the very first line of bricks on the plinth, the remaining rows are spread only after the establishment of the corners. That is, the beginning of the masonry is the corner joints( the original height is 5-6 rows).Then, between the corners, a string is stretched over each row to adjust the bricks to the level.
If the outer part of the wall is stained, it is worth wiping / washing it off immediately, since after drying it will be much more difficult. Several rows lined up? It's time to wipe the front side with a wet rag.
A ready-made clutch is expanded by rubbing the seams and using a special tool. The excess solution is removed. If the seam is ready, it should protrude beyond the surface, at most, for a couple of millimeters. The width of the vertical seams do not exceed 10mm, and their thickness should not be more than 12mm. There is a rule that will help create proper surface ventilation: every fourth vertical seam in the lower
row is left empty. It is necessary to expand the surface right during the main works, as otherwise the forests will have to be re-built.
Stability and reliability of the construction is provided by brick bandages: chain and single-row dressings are the simplest ones. The masonry grid is chosen depending on how much space is left on the lining. Usually, during work with the facade, held after the main construction, the basement should extend beyond the wall at least 12 cm. Otherwise, it will not be possible to provide a qualitative emphasis on the facade brick. If there is no abutment, the base must also be refined.
Window slopes, door openings, lay with a poke, laying a column in 1 brick. Sometimes stones of other shades are used to distinguish doors and windows.
Decor of windows made of cladding brick
Construction tools required for laying brick cladding:
- concrete mixer;
- trowel( trowels);
- buckets;
- forest;
- plumb, thread;
- hammer;
- tool for jointing.
Binding of exterior trim to the main wall of the
Without proper attachment of the finishing layer to the wall, rapid destruction of the structure, displacement of its elements, cracks is possible. There are dozens of ways to tie the pieces together. If there are no bars, plaster mesh and other elements intended for bonding, then fastening is carried out using dowels and flexible wire( knitting).The wall is clogged with a 6 mm diameter dowel, and a wire fastening is fastened to its cap, equal in length to the width of the brick. The ends of the wire are hidden inside the masonry. Quality binding is a wire fastening every four rows. On the width - every 60-70 cm.
Video - laying of the window opening from the facing brick
It is impossible to fill the space between the main wall and the lining with mortar or heaters, as natural ventilation will be disturbed, the materials will rot. The gap provides ventilation and good thermal insulation. On this all, we advise you to read how to overlay a metal oven with bricks. And how do you stack the bricks?
