A number of myths related to the choice of materials for construction are still common in the suburban real estate market. For example, that brick houses are the most expensive. This is wrong. A brick cottage can cost less than aerated concrete.

In order to correctly calculate the cost of building a brick house, you must first decide which brick to use. Today on the market is ceramic brick(red) and silicate (white). The first is made from clay and fired in a kiln. The second is done in an autoclave, under pressure and at high temperatures. Material for production sand-lime brick Sand and lime are used.

TALK ABOUT THE EMPTINITY

Sand-lime brick, as a rule, is made solid, without voids inside. And ceramic can be either solid or hollow.

Solid, without voids, bricks are very durable. But at the same time, they are too heavy, expensive and, importantly, have high thermal conductivity - a house made of solid brick retains heat worse and cools down quickly.

Therefore, in the construction of cottages today, hollow bricks are more often used. Internal confined voids provide a number of advantages. The thermal conductivity of the material is reduced by almost half: a house made of hollow bricks stores heat better. In addition, the weight of the building is reduced, and this will possibly make the foundation simpler and lighter (although a lot depends on the characteristics of the soil). Hollow brick provides more high level soundproofing.

And the main advantage of ceramics with voids is a lower price. Let's do the math. Standard bricks have dimensions of 250x120x65 mm. Solid silicate brick of the highest strength grade, M200, costs from 14 rubles. per piece. Solid ceramic of similar strength - 28 rubles. You can save by choosing the M150 brand - then the price is reduced to 15 rubles. per piece.

At the same time, since solid bricks do not help save heat in the house, you will have to either make thicker walls (the budget increases!), or provide good system additional insulation– let’s say, mineral wool.

It is no coincidence that many customers today prefer to build houses from “energy efficient” hollow ceramic bricks, which, with the same strength grade M150, will cost only 9-10 rubles. per piece.

It is also convenient to use ceramic porous blocks, which are distinguished by their impressive dimensions, in the construction of houses. One block replaces 10 to 14 regular bricks. With a block price of 80-100 rubles. per piece there is some savings on material. It becomes even more obvious during construction work, since much less mortar and masonry operations will be needed.

DEMANDING BRICK

Choosing the material hollow brick, you need to understand that the requirements for the qualifications of designers and builders are increasing.

First of all, it will be necessary to calculate bearing capacity walls - perhaps some parts of the house that bear increased load should be built from solid brick, and the rest from hollow brick. In some cases, the lower part of the building (ground floor) is built from a more durable one, and the upper part from a “hollow” one. Sometimes solid and hollow bricks are combined inside one wall, for example, when laying two bricks.

If you plan to use solid brick when building the foundation, plinth and outer walls of the basement, then it is better to choose ceramic. The fact is that the silicate binder (hydrosilicate and calcium carbonate) included in the composition can be destroyed by acids from groundwater.

Working with hollow bricks and blocks at a construction site, although it saves time, is also more technically complex.

In particular, such ceramics cannot be cut into pieces and chipped off like ordinary bricks. You have to use special additional elements, which are not always available for sale.

Special requirements apply to the movement and storage of material. If you drop a hollow brick or, especially, a large block, you will probably not be able to use it in the future.

Another limitation is related to the interior finishing stage. A wall made of hollow bricks is difficult to tap for laying engineering communications, part of the wall may simply collapse. You will have to use special fasteners to hang shelves on the wall, etc. Therefore, it is better if all the grooves and holes are made by a professional at the stage of handing over the house to the customer.

PRICE ARGUMENTS

In general, if you correctly calculate how much and what type of brick is needed to build a house, you can save a lot of money. Thus, in the construction market of the Leningrad region there are a number of companies that are ready to build brick house 14-18 thousand rubles each. per sq. m, including works and materials. In each specific case, you need to find out what kind of “package” is offered for the specified amount - how savings are achieved, etc. Obviously, with minimum prices, certain compromises in terms of quality are inevitable.

According to experts, it is always necessary to include additional costs in the estimate, even if the cost of construction is clearly stated in the contract. For example, the purchase and installation of double-glazed windows in a cottage (it is not always specified in advance in the contract) can cost hundreds of thousands of rubles.

But even if in the end the cost of construction brick house will be 20-25 thousand rubles. per sq. m, it is still cheaper than the price of building an aerated concrete (25-30 thousand rubles per sq. m.), a cottage made of laminated veneer lumber (from 35 thousand rubles per sq. m.) and even a high-quality frame-panel house ( from 25 thousand rubles per sq. m.

From the outside, a brick house can look like anything. It can be plastered and finished with panels, for example, imitating wooden beams.

Many people like the authenticity of the stone structure. If you plan to leave brick walls as is, without finishing, then you need to choose a more aesthetic facing brick for the façade. It is more expensive than a regular general construction one. Thus, the cost of one hollow brick for the front side of a building is 20-25 rubles. Manufacturers offer facing bricks in different colors: dark brown, ivory etc. This allows you to design a cottage according to individual requests.

So, the cost of construction country house made of brick, as it turns out, is low. However, the choice of this material places increased demands on the quality of design and, in fact, construction. Therefore, it is recommended to contact a company with extensive experience in brick house construction.

Let us add that today on the country market it is difficult to buy a ready-made brick house from a development company. Most companies, if they make cottages for sale, do so from aerated concrete or wood - materials that are best known to a wide range of customers.

They usually build from brick for a specific client, from scratch. The construction time for such a house can range from three months to six months, sometimes a little more.

The ability of a structure to retain heat is determined by such a physical parameter as the thermal resistance of the structure ( R, m 2 *S/W).

Let us determine the degree-day of the heating period, °C ∙ day/year, using the formula (SNiP “Thermal protection of buildings”) for the city Tver.

GSOP = (t in - t from)z from,

Where,
t V- design temperature of the internal air of the building, °C, taken when calculating the enclosing structures of groups of buildings indicated in Table 3 (SNiP “Thermal protection of buildings”): according to pos. 1 - according to minimum values optimal temperature corresponding buildings according to GOST 30494 (in the range 20 - 22 °C);
t from - average temperature outside air, °C during the cold period, for Tver meaning -3,0 °C;
z from- duration, days/year, of the heating period, adopted according to the set of rules for a period with an average daily outside air temperature of no more than 8 °C, for the city Tver meaning 218 days.

GSOP = (20- (-3.0))*218 = 5,014.00 °C*day.

The value of the required thermal resistance for the external walls of residential buildings will be determined by the formula (SNiP "Thermal protection of buildings)

R tr 0 =a*GSOP+b

Where,
R tr 0- required thermal resistance;
a and b- coefficients, the values ​​of which should be taken according to Table No. 3 of SNiP “Thermal Protection of Buildings” for the corresponding groups of buildings, for residential buildings the value A should be taken equal to 0.00035, the value b - 1,4

R tr 0 =0.00035*5,014.00+1.4 = 3.1549 m 2 *S/W

Formula for calculating the conditional thermal resistance of the structure under consideration:

R 0 = Σ δ n /λ n + 0,158

Where,
Σ – symbol of layer summation for multilayer structures;
δ - layer thickness in meters;
λ - thermal conductivity coefficient of the layer material subject to operational humidity;
n- layer number (for multilayer structures);
0.158 is a correction factor, which, for simplicity, can be taken as a constant.

Formula for calculating the reduced thermal resistance.

R r 0 = R 0 x r

Where,
r– coefficient of thermal technical homogeneity of structures with heterogeneous sections (joints, heat-conducting inclusions, vestibules, etc.)

According to standard STO 00044807-001-2006 according to Table No. 8, the value of the coefficient of thermal uniformity r for masonry of large-format hollow porous ceramic stones should be taken equal to 0,98 .

At the same time, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this coefficient does not take into account the fact that

1. we recommend masonry using warm masonry mortar (this significantly levels out the heterogeneity at the joints);
2. as connections load-bearing wall and for the facing masonry we use not metal, but basalt-plastic connections, which conduct heat literally 100 times less than steel connections (this significantly levels out the inhomogeneities formed due to heat-conducting inclusions);
3. window slopes and doorways, according to our project documentation additionally insulated with extruded polystyrene foam (which eliminates heterogeneity in the areas of window and door openings, vestibules).

From which we can conclude that when following the instructions of our working documentation, the coefficient of masonry uniformity tends to unity. But in calculating the reduced thermal resistance R r 0 we will still use the table value of 0.98.

R r 0 must be greater than or equal to R 0 required.

We determine the operating mode of the building in order to understand what the thermal conductivity coefficient is λ a or λ in taken when calculating the conditional thermal resistance.

The method for determining the operating mode is described in detail in SNiP "Thermal protection of buildings" . Based on the specified normative document, let's follow the step-by-step instructions. 1st step. Let's define shumidity level of the building region - Tver using Appendix B of SNiP "Thermal protection of buildings".

According to the table the city Tver located in zone 2 (Normal climate). We accept value 2 - Normal climate. 2nd step. Using Table No. 1 of SNiP “Thermal protection of buildings” we determine the humidity conditions in the room. At the same time, I draw your attention to heating season air humidity in the room drops to 15-20%. During the heating season, air humidity must be raised to at least 35-40%. A humidity level of 40-50% is considered comfortable for humans. In order to raise the humidity level, it is necessary to ventilate the room, you can use air humidifiers, and installing an aquarium will help.

According to Table 1, the humidity regime in the room during the heating period at an air temperature of 12 to 24 degrees and relative humidity up to 50% - dry. 3rd step. Using Table No. 2 of SNiP “Thermal protection of buildings” we determine the operating conditions. To do this, we find the intersection of the line with the value of the humidity regime in the room, in our case it is dry, with humidity column for the city Tver, as was found out earlier, this value normal.

Resume. According to the SNiP methodology "Thermal protection of buildings" in the calculation of conditional thermal resistance ( R0) value should be applied under operating conditions A, i.e. thermal conductivity coefficient must be used λa. Here you can see Thermal conductivity test report for Kerakam Kaiman30 ceramic blocks Thermal conductivity value λa You can find it at the end of the document.

Let's consider the masonry external wall, using ceramic blocks Kerakam Kaiman 30 and double brick masonry with 100mm insulation, lined with ceramic hollow bricks. For the ceramic block option Kerakam Kaiman 30 total wall thickness excluding plaster layer 430mm (300mm ceramic block Kerakam Kaiman 30+ 10mm technological gap filled with cement-perlite mortar + 120mm facing masonry). 1 layer 2 layer(item 2) – 300mm wall masonry using a block Kerakam Kaiman 30(thermal conductivity coefficient of masonry in operational/moistened state A 0.094 W/m*S). 3 layer(item 4) - 10mm light cement-perlite mixture between the ceramic block masonry and the facing masonry (density 200 kg/m3, thermal conductivity coefficient at operating humidity less than 0.12 W/m*C). 4 layer(item 5) – 120mm wall masonry using slotted facing bricks (thermal conductivity coefficient of masonry in operational condition is 0.45 W/m*C. Pos. 3 - warm masonry mortar pos. 6 - colored masonry mortar.

Let's consider the masonry of an external wall, using solid ceramic bricks, with mineral wool insulation, lined with ceramic hollow bricks. For the option of using ceramic bricks, the total wall thickness excluding the plaster layer is 640mm (380mm solid ceramic brickwork + 100mm mineral wool insulation + 40mm ventilation gap + 120mm facing masonry). 1 layer(item 1) – 20mm heat-insulating cement-perlite plaster (thermal conductivity coefficient 0.18 W/m*C). 2 layer(item 2) – 380mm wall masonry using ceramic solid bricks (thermal conductivity coefficient of masonry in operational condition A 0.650 W/m*S). 3 layer(item 3) – 100mm mineral wool insulation (thermal conductivity coefficient in operational condition 0.045 W/m*C). 4 layer(item 5) – 120mm wall masonry using slotted facing bricks (thermal conductivity coefficient of masonry in operational condition is 0.45 W/m*S.) * – the layer of facing bricks is not taken into account in the calculation of the thermal resistance of the structure, because according to the technology of laying walls with insulation, the facing masonry is carried out with the device ventilation gap, and ensuring free air circulation in it. This prerequisite to ensure the standard humidity of the structure, and first of all, the insulation.

We calculate the conditional thermal resistance R 0 for the structures under consideration.

Kerakam Kaiman 30

R 0 Cayman30 =0.020/0.18+0.300/0.094+0.01/0.12+0.12/0.45+0.158=3.810 m 2 *S/W

The design of the external wall using ceramic solid bricks with 100mm insulation

R 0 brick with insulation =0.020/0.18+0.380/0.650+0.100/0.045+0.158=3.0759 m 2 *S/W

We consider the reduced thermal resistance R r 0 of the structures under consideration.

The design of the external wall in which the block is used Kerakam Kaiman 30

R r 0 cayman30 =3.81 m 2 *S/W * 0.98 = 3.7340 m 2 *S/W

The design of the external wall uses solid ceramic bricks with a 100mm layer of mineral wool thermal insulation.

R r 0 brick with insulation=3.0759 m 2 *S/W * 0.98 = 3,0144 m 2 *S/W

The reduced thermal resistance of structures using the thermally efficient ceramic block Cayman30 is higher than the required thermal resistance for the city of Tver; the design satisfies SNiP “Thermal protection of buildings” for the city of Nizhnekamsk.

The design of the external wall using solid ceramic bricks has a thermal resistance below the required value of SNiP "Thermal protection of buildings", the design does not meet the standards for the city of Tver.

Brick houses are very popular because this building material allows you to get a strong and durable structure. However, brick is different from brick, because there are many varieties of this material. If you decide to choose to build a house from this material, then you should not only understand the types of bricks, but also know the advantages and disadvantages of brick buildings. We hope our article and owner reviews will help you make the right choice.

Material characteristics

• To designate the brand of this material, a combination of the letter “M” and a digital designation is used. This marking indicates the load one can withstand. square meter brick surface. Depending on the compressive strength of the brick, there are grades of this product: 75, 100, 125, as well as 150, 200, and so on in increments of every 50 units.
• Frost resistance of this building material determined by the number of cycles of alternating freezing and thawing that a brick can withstand without receiving visible damage and reducing strength by no more than 20 percent. The frost resistance of bricks is indicated by the letter “F” and a number, which indicates the number of cycles.

If you decide to build a two- and three-story brick house, then you will need grade 75 or 100 brick. Products starting from grade 125 and above are used in construction multi-storey buildings. To build the foundation of a house or its base, you will need a material with a higher compressive strength, so here it is worth using products with a grade of at least 150.

Important: it is worth remembering that the strength and durability of the masonry depend not only on the characteristics of the brick used, but also on the brand of mortar, as well as the quality and correctness of the masonry work. In addition, do not forget that the grades of solid and hollow bricks are calculated on the same scale.

As for frost resistance, it largely depends on the water absorption of the material. The lower the water absorption of the brick, the higher its frost resistance. Clinker bricks have the highest frost resistance characteristics and low water absorption rates. That is why it is often used as cladding for buildings.

Tip: for central regions suitable for our country building brick with frost resistance of at least 15-25 successive cycles.

Types of bricks

When listing the pros and cons of a brick house, one cannot fail to take into account the characteristics of the material from which it is made, because there are several types of bricks that differ in technical and operational characteristics. And sometimes the owner of a brick house, dissatisfied with some qualities of the building, does not understand that the reason for this is the wrong choice of the type of brick for making wall tubs or cladding.

So, there are several types of bricks:

1. Ceramic brick most often made from red clay. The product is fired in a furnace at temperatures reaching up to 1000°C. This material is used for laying load-bearing walls and interior partitions. It is used when arranging the foundation, in building cladding, interior decoration. Fireplaces and stoves are made from it, but not those parts that come into contact with the fire. This material is quite durable negative impact weather factors. Ceramic products are divided into hollow, solid, smooth and textured elements for external and internal wall cladding. The shade of this material can range from red-brown to light beige. It depends on the type and color of clay used.
2. Sand-lime brick made from a mixture of lime and sand. Its shade is most often white, but sometimes other colors are obtained by adding pigments. The material can be hollow, solid and porous. If we compare sand-lime brick, its frost resistance is lower than that of ceramic products, and its thermal conductivity is higher, so a house made of such material will be quite cold. In addition, the material absorbs water more easily, but the soundproofing characteristics of sand-lime brick are much higher than those of ceramic bricks. This type It is better to use for laying load-bearing walls under cladding and internal partitions. It is categorically not recommended to be used for laying foundations.
3. Clinker brick made from refractory clays. The product is fired at a temperature of about 1200°C. Firing at this high temperature allows you to obtain a homogeneous product without voids, which is highly durable. The grade of clinker brick cannot be lower than 400. The advantages of this material include increased frost resistance, low water absorption, and resistance to salts and alkalis. That is why clinker is successfully used for cladding facades, paving paths and platforms, arranging gutters and objects landscape design. The material is often used in the interior. Facade clinker bricks are distinguished by a wealth of colors and textures.

If you decide to build a house made of brick, the pros and cons of which we are considering, then you should know that brick can be:

• full-bodied;
• hollow;
• porous.

Solid products are characterized by high compressive strength, so the bases and plinths of buildings are often made from this material, and external load-bearing walls and columns are laid out. However, due to its dense, homogeneous structure, the material has a fairly high thermal conductivity, so solid brick walls must be additionally insulated. Masonry without insulation can keep a house warm only if the wall thickness is significant - from 640 mm to 1000 mm.

Hollow bricks have through holes that reduce the thermal conductivity of the material. The more voids filled with air, the higher the thermal insulation qualities of the product. The elements are suitable for laying external and interior walls Houses. At the same time, due to the voids, the thickness of the external walls can be small, while the thermal conductivity of external structures will be low, so you can do without additional insulation of the walls. Also thanks to the voids specific gravity one element is less, which reduces the load on the foundation.

Porous products (gas block and foam block) have the highest thermal insulation qualities, but the strength of the material decreases and its specific gravity will be less. To make such elements, special clay additives are used, which burn out after firing and leave behind isolated voids. Such products have increased dimensions, which simplifies and speeds up the process of masonry work. The end parts of the elements have grooves and ridges, which increases the thermal insulation of the walls and allows you to save mortar on making vertical seams.

Important: the outside of such a house must be protected with cladding (plaster, siding or face brick), since the porous block quickly absorbs water, which reduces its thermal insulation qualities.

Advantages of brick houses

1. Strength and Durability brick houses- their main advantage. Confirmation that brick buildings of past centuries, which still stand today and are of historical value.
2. Brick houses are not exposed to negative environmental factors. They are not afraid of heavy rains, winds, frosts, etc.
3. A high-quality and correctly built brick house can stand without overhaul more than a century.
4. Since only clay, sand and water are used to make bricks, this material is considered environmentally friendly and harmless to humans and the environment.
5. Brick walls allow the house to “breathe”, which helps create a microclimate favorable for life inside it. It is not hot in such a house in summer, and it is not cold in severe winter.
6. Walls made from these products are not susceptible to rot, damage by insects and rodents.
7. Since brick is a fire-resistant material, one of the main advantages of such houses is fire safety.
8. An equally important advantage of brick walls is a high level of sound insulation.
9. One cannot fail to mention such a plus of the material as its high aesthetic characteristics. Brick can be used to make any details of facades and bring to life even the most unusual ideas of architects.
10. Execution technology brickwork It’s quite simple, so if you want, you can master it and do the work yourself.

Disadvantages of brick houses

1. The time spent on erecting a brick building will be much longer than on construction frame structure or a wooden house.
2. Since the brick itself has a significant specific weight, a solid, deep foundation is required under the walls of a building made of this material. Therefore, it will take more time and money to complete such a foundation. In addition, the base must be protected from the forces of frost heaving so that the structure is not subject to deformation and the walls do not crack.
3. If you are going to turn to specialists to carry out the work, then the cost of paying for their labor will also be rather large.
4. The thermal conductivity of the product is quite high, therefore, despite the fact that the material warms up quickly in winter, the house must be additionally insulated.

Also, when choosing a brick house, you should consider how long and often you plan to live in it. For example, brick is not very suitable for a summer residence for seasonal residence and weekend visits. The thing is that in winter unheated house the walls are completely cooled. When you arrive and heat the house, part of the walls will inside will heat up quickly, but moisture will begin to accumulate at the border of the cold and warm parts inside the structure (the so-called dew point).

After you leave and the walls cool down, this moisture will freeze. During your next visit and warming up the house, even more moisture may accumulate in the wall. Thus, over time, the moisture accumulated in the walls will destroy the material from the inside. That is why it is recommended to build a brick house for year-round living, and not as a summer house.

Today the most popular building material is brick. The variety of types allows you to build a house with any thermal characteristics. The construction market offers us several options for bricks from which the frame of a house is built.

In greatest demand solid brick. This brick acquired its name due to the low volumetric void content, usually less than 13%. If the voidness is greater, then the brick is called hollow.

Here you can find large number solid brick house projects .

Features of using solid bricks

The technical features of obtaining this material make it possible to obtain a brick that is fully adapted for use in harsh operating conditions. The thickness of walls that are built from solid bricks should be equal to the width, a multiple of 0.5 of the width. It is worth noting that the thickness of the house box is determined depending on several parameters. The main one is the outside air temperature during the coldest period; in this case, it is linked by region. For example, for a region with an air temperature of winter period The thickness of the walls should be 2 ½ bricks. The volumetric weight of this material is at least 1900 kg per cubic meter. The main brand of brick is M-125. The higher the grade, the greater the strength of the building material.

The main advantages of solid brick:

1. Frost resistance and strength b. The material will last in conditions low temperatures very long. This is explained by its low porosity (within 13-20%);
2. Solid brick has high thermal resistance. This allows you to reduce heat loss through the walls and reduce the cost of heating your home. Also, walls are built of smaller thickness with good thermal insulation properties of solid brick;
for bending and compression, which allows you to obtain durable structures;
3. Moisture absorption is 8%. This ensures resistance to temperature changes;
4. Thermal inertia. This property allows, with thick and voluminous walls, to obtain uniform temperature retention inside the room. That is, it takes a lot of time for the house to warm up or cool down. During the day, a house without heating will have sufficient temperature in case of any malfunction of the heating system. It is very practical and an undeniable advantage this building material. In this case, there are also disadvantages. So heated walls in summer period, can give a feeling of dampness in colder periods due to the difference in air temperatures inside and outside the building.

These characteristics make it possible to obtain strong and reliable house walls. Since solid brick has a fairly rough surface, it is either plastered or lined finishing materials. For exterior finishing red brick (this is exactly the color this material has; other nuances of red and brown colors) can be left in its original form.

Scope of application of solid bricks

The main use of bricks in practice is construction of load-bearing walls of a house. In this case, the construction of the house box is carried out in parallel with its insulation. Additional thermal insulation will avoid many problems. The strength of the structure is achieved through additional reinforcement. That is why brick walls can withstand significant loads from the structures above. This type of material is often used for the construction of small architectural forms, for example, they build vaults and columns. It is also widely used in the construction of basements, foundations and basements.

Types of bricks

Cost of construction from various types bricks

№	Type of brick	Unit of measurement	Price in rubles
1		m 2	From 19500
2		m 2	From 19850
3		m 2	From 20100
4		m 2	From 20400
5		m 2	From 20800

With all the wealth of choice of materials, the most pressing question is which brick is best for building a house. This is not surprising, because in terms of its performance characteristics this material is significantly superior to cellular concrete and timber. But what kind of brick should I use? After all, there are different types of it - some are used for the construction of internal partitions, others are used to build load-bearing walls, and, for example, clinker brick is used for finishing the facade. How to choose a brick and calculate the required quantity?

Most people until construction starts own home, divides brick into two categories: red and white. In fact, in order to choose the right brick, you need to focus not on color, but on the scope of purpose and structure of the material.

Ceramic bricks are used not only for the construction of load-bearing walls. This good material in order to build from it internal partitions, stoves and fireplaces (in private homes, fire-resistant materials are not needed for this, since they still do not heat up to too high temperatures). In addition, the foundations of houses are made from ceramic bricks. By the way, it is not always red. Clay is natural material, its shades can vary over a wide range. So the product can be orange, yellow or even pink.

Facing bricks cannot be used for the construction of walls at all, since they are not strong enough. Often, in order to save money, a smaller version of such products is used - up to 85 mm.

Which brick to choose for the construction of load-bearing walls, especially in basements, if there are such in the project complex shapes like arches, vaults, columns? Solid brick is best, used when strength and reliability are more important thermal insulation properties. And the most best material in order to build external walls with increased thermal insulation properties - hollow brick. Interestingly, it is more often used to reduce the thickness of walls, but at the same time it is rarely used in multi-story construction.

Types of special bricks

Although it is generally accepted that clinker is exclusively facing brick, its capabilities are somewhat wider. It is characterized not only by high strength, but also by excellent performance characteristics: low water absorption and excellent frost resistance. Therefore, clinker can often be used for paving paths and areas in the garden.

Where can fireclay bricks be found? This material is made from refractory clay, which has undergone a special firing procedure. Fireclay bricks are often used for the construction of houses, which have very high requirements for fire safety. In addition, this material is used for the construction of baths, stoves and fireplaces.

Silicate products and their properties

When considering which brick is best to build a house from, you should not forget about silicate material, which is made on the basis of sand, lime and a certain amount of additives that improve its performance characteristics.

This category is divided into hollow and solid bricks, ordinary and facing. So what kind of brick to build a house from? Lighter hollow material makes it possible to make walls of less thickness due to its thermal insulation properties, but its scope of application is limited. Therefore, it is more common to find a house built from solid brick, which has fairly good thermal insulation characteristics, although inferior to the hollow version.

Many people believe that sand-lime brick is produced only white. Actually this is not true. Solid bricks are produced in a fairly wide range color scheme, so it can be used for a wide variety of projects.

Is it possible to build a house from sand-lime brick? If we're talking about only about load-bearing walls and partitions, then the answer will be positive. Performance characteristics silicate material, of course, is slightly inferior to ceramics, so it is not suitable for constructing the same foundation or furnace. But this type of product has its advantages. For example, compared to ceramics, they have better soundproofing characteristics, which make it possible to make interior partitions.

Selection by labeling

Thus, based only on the raw materials used to produce the material, it is difficult to definitively say which products are better. For the final choice, other criteria are needed, one of which is strength. The brand of brick from which the object under construction will be built is indicated by the letter M and a digital value. It must be indicated in the design of any building. This mark is set for any material, be it sand-lime or ceramic brick. That is for different types she is completely identical. And even within the same group, solid and hollow bricks, provided they have the same strength, will also be marked the same, for example, M100. But in this case, you will have to lay out the wall not with one, but with two bricks.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCfr3HIFYmc

So, the brands M100, M125, M 200, etc. are presented in the manufacturer’s catalog or in the store. How to understand them? How to understand what should be the choice of brick for building a house? This follows from the brand name itself. So, M150 means that the selected material can withstand a load of no more than 150 kg per 1 sq. cm.

There are certain building regulations. For example, there are brands M100 and M125. From such bricks you can build only 2-3 storey houses, that is, it is often used in private construction, but only for load-bearing walls. What brands are used for foundation construction? The most common variants are M150 and M175.

In addition to strength, there is another important criterion - frost resistance. The material is also marked according to this indicator. Frost resistance in this case means that the material is able to withstand a certain amount cycles of alternating freezing and thawing without any signs of destruction. That is, there are no chips, peeling or other damage left on the surface of the material after exposure to low temperatures.

In this case, the brand is designated by the letter F and some numerical value. For example, F15, F50, etc. How to choose a brick for construction according to this criterion? This largely depends on the region in which the work is being carried out. For example, in the European part of Russia, a material with frost resistance of at least F35 is required, and for the southern regions a product marked F25 is also suitable. But this only applies construction material. For facing, marking F50 is required, not lower.

One more important criterion is the water absorption of brick, that is, its ability to absorb moisture. Although according to GOST the normal indicator is 12-14%, for external walls it is better to choose bricks with more low rate water absorption, since water penetrating into cracks can freeze in winter, which negatively affects the strength of the material, since the cracks gradually deepen. The manufacturer must indicate the water absorption rate in the documentation.

How to choose good material?

How can a developer navigate the purchase of materials in practice? How to choose the right quality material?

Firstly, it should be remembered that load-bearing walls must be uniform in the material from which they are built. It should not be allowed that different sections of the walls have different technical specifications, since this causes uneven distribution of loads and cracks may form on the walls. It is unacceptable for solid bricks to be used in some places and hollow bricks in others for the construction of the same load-bearing wall. Moreover, it is not allowed to use products of the same type, but with different strength markings. In order not to find yourself in a situation where you bought a product of one brand, it was not enough, and the workers tried to replace it with a different type of material (for example, more was purchased for interior partitions than needed), it is necessary to make all the necessary calculations from the very beginning.

Secondly, you need to check the quality of the selected brick before purchasing. The product should be carefully inspected. Unfortunately, it is not possible to check the entire scope of delivery. But you can perform a spot check and find out how many damaged items are in the batch, so that you can then make a claim to the supplier.

building regulations, if used hollow blocks, then the damaged half elements should be no more than 15% (for solid material the restrictions will be even more stringent). Incomplete bricks, however, can still be used, but they should not be in the same row, and the distance between them is allowed at least 1 m. The only exception is areas under window openings. For them, a larger number of halves of bricks are allowed. But quarters cannot be used for construction at all.

Even an initially good product may arrive at construction site already with a certain percentage of combat that occurs during loading and unloading operations and transportation. Therefore, immediately after unloading, the material used for construction must be sorted out and broken elements rejected.

It is also advisable to use products from one batch during the laying process, and then move on to another, otherwise sections of the wall will be different colors. But it’s best to make sure when purchasing that the shades of the material in different batches do not differ too much from each other.

Additionally

First of all you need to check appearance products. If its surface has a less saturated shade than the core, and when struck it makes a characteristic ringing sound, then it is good brick. But this doesn't always happen. The reasons for poor quality most often lie in technology violations, when the manufacturer tries to speed up the process and reduce production costs.

For example, it happens that a manufacturer offers products with a characteristic mustard color. If at the same time they also emit a dull sound upon impact, then we are talking about underburning, that is, the brick was produced in violation of the firing technology. You cannot buy such material, since it is destroyed by moisture and has low frost resistance. Burnout may also occur. The material becomes very dark and loses its clear outline. This means that the products were fired at too high a temperature and their strength is lower than it should be. But if, when burned, the shape was not damaged, but only the core darkened, then the strength, on the contrary, increased.

It is imperative to inspect the cut product. No foreign inclusions should be visible in it. Lime inclusions are especially dangerous because they can expand over time. If we are talking about a solid product, then there should be no voids, except for individual small bubbles, and then in very small quantities.

Perhaps the most unpredictable defect is efflorescence; it is very difficult to determine them during a visual inspection during the purchase process. Basically, they appear during the operation of the building.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEBucgG-9pk