Facing the facade of the house with ceramic bricks. Facade cladding brick

Brick-faced houses are encountered with enviable regularity. Such structures are not only aesthetically pleasing appearance, but also reliability and durability. Many owners independently trim their homes with high-quality and wear-resistant bricks, saving cash on the services of professionals. Of course, you can really do it yourself, but it is important to take into account the characteristics of the specified building material and read the instructions.

Material features

Brick is rightfully recognized as the most popular building material, which is very common. Brick houses and brick-faced buildings can be found on every street. Many consumers opt for this particular product. The distinctive characteristics of modern facing bricks can be safely attributed to its attractive appearance, coupled with wear resistance.

In addition, this raw material is not afraid of negative external influences, bad weather conditions and mechanical damage. It is not so easy to break or break a high-quality brick, therefore it is simply irreplaceable in the cladding of private houses and summer cottages.

According to experts and home craftsmen, today's facing bricks can be somewhat inferior to other facing materials in terms of their external characteristics. However, in Lately this trend is no longer relevant. In different retail outlets, people may come across different options bricks. It can be not only red and smooth elements. There is an opportunity to pick up textured options for other colors that look very interesting.

Using a reliable facing brick, it is possible to form an additional protective layer for the walls. Thus, it will be possible to protect these bases from the penetration of destructive dampness and moisture. In addition, heat loss from masonry is usually significantly reduced, as noted by many owners.

In most situations, in the desire to decorate a house with brickwork, people rely on their "Wishlist". At the same time, quite a lot is missed important points, having a direct impact on the brick itself and the facade from it. Experts say that the material for decorating the front of the house must be thought out even at the project stage. Leaving this business "for later" is not worth it.

If you do not pay attention to this rule, then after making the box, a lot of problems may appear. It may turn out that the width of the foundation base is not enough to support the facing brick, because during the construction, the owner decided to additionally insulate the wall structures.

So, the facade of facing brick has a more significant bearing capacity, which is capable of exceeding these indicators of the foundation, which, as a result, will lead to cracking of the masonry. It is quite possible to clad the house with brickwork with your own hands. Of course, this process cannot be called very simple and easy. In fact, this is a laborious job, but it is possible to cope with it. The main thing is to observe all the nuances of the cladding and act in stages, observing the technology.

Advantages and disadvantages

Today, many users choose brick as a facing material. For this reason, facades from it are most common. Such popularity brickwork explained by the many positive qualities that are inherent in it.

Let's get acquainted with their list.

First of all, you should pay attention to the attractive appearance of the brick cladding. Thanks to this design, the house can become much more aesthetically pleasing.
Brickwork is capable of providing good protection to the main wall material(for example, from a foam block or a bar). Being behind the bricks, the base will not be subject to the destructive effects of precipitation and other external factors that can cause serious damage.
There are many different materials, with the help of which it is possible to effectively design a residential building, however, brickwork is recognized as one of the most reliable and durable solutions. For example, the same facade plaster is more susceptible to mechanical damage.

Brick is not afraid of exposure to aggressive ultraviolet rays. Upon contact with them, the masonry does not lose its color and presentation, which cannot be said about the popular today vinyl siding or painted profiled sheet.
Decorating the facade of a house with brickwork allows you to additionally insulate a residential building, as many experts say. Of course, the thermal insulation properties of bricks are not highly effective, but the combination of hollow building material and insulation allows a good effect to be achieved.
Another significant advantage of brick cladding is that it makes the house even more fireproof. Brick itself is a non-flammable building material, and it does not support combustion itself. If there is a wooden base under it, then it simply needs to be closed, since it is prone to fire.

Brick-faced facades boast durability and wear resistance. They are not afraid of external influences or harsh weather conditions.
Brick is characterized by minimal moisture absorption, therefore, over the years it does not crack and does not lose its positive qualities, even if it is located in a region with frequent rains.
A brick-faced facade does not require complex and regular maintenance, unlike the same wooden one.

It does not need to be treated with antiseptic compounds and other protective agents. Brickwork is protection itself.

Such building material is famous for its environmental safety. It does not harm either human health or environment... Moreover, the brick has the ability to destroy harmful substances - they are simply removed from the base. This cladding is self-cleaning when it rains.
The brick can be used for both outdoor and interior decoration buildings.
Facing brick is famous for its frost resistance. You can safely refer to it, even if you live in a northern climate. In addition, these materials are not afraid of temperature changes - under their influence, the masonry is not damaged and does not lose its positive qualities.

It is not necessary to trust professionals to work with facing bricks. It is quite possible to decorate the house yourself - you just need to adhere to the guide and use high-quality raw materials.
Brickwork has a good soundproofing effect. A house with such a facade will always be protected from annoying street noise.
Modern facing bricks are presented in a wide range. In retail outlets there are products of different textures and colors, so choose optimal models everyone can.

As you can see, there are many advantages to masonry. That is why it is so common. Many consumers do not even have a question about how to decorate the facade of the house - they immediately acquire a suitable batch of facing bricks. But we must not forget that, like any other building material, it has its own weaknesses, which you also need to familiarize yourself with.

Brick is prone to the formation of a noticeable white bloom called efflorescence. Due to such formations, the appearance of the lined building can be seriously affected.
It should be borne in mind that brick cladding is not cheap, especially when compared with other options. For example, using the same Don board will cost several times less.

There are too many low-quality building materials in stores that do not last as long as we would like, and during the operation such products bring a lot of problems. That is why professionals argue that only European bricks should be used - practically no marriage occurs in them. But such options are not so common, and their authenticity is not always possible to verify.
When choosing a facing brick, you need to make sure that all building materials are selected from the same batch. If the shades do not match, it will simply not be possible to correct the situation, and this will be very noticeable.
Despite the fact that brickwork can be built independently, it is still difficult to call such work simple and easy. Covering a house with bricks is laborious and sometimes very expensive.

Brickwork creates a serious load on the foundation. That is why experts strongly recommend that this issue be worked out even at the stage of preparing a project and a scheme for future construction.
It should be borne in mind that the use of facing bricks can lead to a noticeable decrease in ventilation. Because of this, moisture can accumulate in insulating materials, which will negatively affect their properties.
With such a finish, the shrinkage of the wall bases will be different, therefore, it will not be possible to firmly and rigidly tie the base to the cladding.
In stores, bricks are often found that do not differ in ideal geometry. Such products can be difficult to work with.

Such facing materials can be subject to shedding if you have chosen an unsuitable brand of products (which are not strong enough).
Brick is a building material that is very often damaged during transportation. Often it turns out to be chipped - the edges fall off. You cannot continue to work with these elements.
A brick is capable of collapsing if low-quality raw materials were used in its manufacture. Incorrectly processed limestone, which is always present in clay, often remains in the mass of products. Because of this, noticeable "quivers" appear in the bricks. In these places, products absorb moisture especially strongly, and then completely collapse.

You can see that facing bricks also have many disadvantages. However, you may never encounter many of them if you initially purchase high-quality products manufactured in accordance with all norms and rules.

There are several types of facing bricks. Let's consider them in more detail.

Ceramic. This type is the most common. Such products are made from clay and special mineral additives, from which a special mixture is obtained. It is passed through the spinnerets, and at the exit a formed block is obtained, which is then sent to the kiln for firing. In such conditions, the building material turns out to be very practical and then serves for a very long time. It is robust, weak in moisture absorption, robust and resistant to wear and tear.

Clinker. This type of brick is distinguished into a separate category, although it is one of the varieties of ceramic products. Clinker models are also made, and the raw materials are the same. The only difference is the harder firing mode. After this stage, the brick turns out to be almost monolithic - it acquires increased strength characteristics. Such products serve for a long time, and it is extremely difficult to damage them. However, it must be borne in mind that clinker is not the most effective sound insulator.

Hyper-pressed. Such building material is made without the use of clay. A lime-cement mixture is used with a number of specialized additives that are used to obtain a higher level of strength and different colors. During the manufacturing process, the hyper-pressed building material is not fired. Such products are also distinguished by their impressive weight. They can have a beautiful stone texture.

Silicate. Silicate facing brick is produced from silicate sand, water and lime. Such building materials are characterized by high rates of moisture absorption, therefore they are not resistant to frost. The service life also suffers from this feature. For this reason, silicate bricks are rarely bought in recent years.

Types of masonry

There are several types of brickwork. Let's get to know them better.

Spoon-type dressing. This is the simplest masonry. With her, the stones are shifted by a quarter or half their length. In the construction of houses, such options are used very rarely, but in facing work, this is a frequent decision.

Chain ligation. When building wall structures in one brick, such a ligation will be as reliable as possible. In such works, one row is a butt row, and the second is a spoon row with parallel laying of two stone elements with a gap in the seams.

Multi-row dressing. In the process of carrying out work, in extremely rare cases, every second row is made butted, and there is no need for this, because because of this, the level of strength of the wall structures will suffer minimally. For this reason, in most cases, from 2 to 5 (sometimes 6) spoonfuls are combined with one butt row.

Lightweight. As for lightweight masonry, as a rule, they resort to it in low-rise construction. This method is characterized by the presence of large voids in the wall structure. Most often they are filled with insulation.

The walls, built using lightweight technology, are two walls connected to each other using brick bandages or special metal ties.

Reinforced. This type of masonry is used if it is necessary to build high-strength and strong brick structures. Reinforced masonry is relevant if you need to tie the cladding with load-bearing wall, take care of the additional strength of the structures.

Decorative. Thanks to this method of masonry, it is possible to create a beautiful architectural image of the facade of the house. If we turn to this option, then the building can be made very effective, it will stand out among other constructions.

Bavarian. This masonry technology is considered German, but this type of design has many different buildings located in many European countries and even in Russia. With this technique, bricks of different colors are mixed - they do not alternate evenly.

Facial. With this method, only facial building materials are used, which can be found in modern retail outlets with various kinds decorative effects... There are simply countless varieties of such masonry. However, in most situations, when finishing facades, the classic technique is used - half masonry (in half a brick).

Openwork. With this option of masonry, spectacular perforated structures are obtained. They are erected using the spoon method of laying in half a brick, just between the joints of the bricks next to each other, small gaps are specially left and the seams are meticulously closed.

Required tools

As mentioned above, it is quite possible to do the facing work both inside and outside with your own hands. But before that, it is extremely important to stock up on everyone the necessary tools and fixtures.

Let's get acquainted with their list.

trowel (this is another name for such a device as a trowel);
hammer pickaxe;
grinder (with its help it will be possible to cut bricks as accurately and accurately as possible);
level and plumb line;
rule;
ordering;
jointing;
special construction lace;
square.

Please note that the number of tools used largely depends on the qualifications of the master who carries out the facing work. Thus, more experienced bricklayers with a wealth of knowledge may use very few tools. If the employee is less trained, he may need a much broader set of tools.

Preparatory stage

If you decide on your own to decorate your home with brickwork, then you should first carry out a number of preparatory work. You should not neglect them if you want to achieve a good and sustainable result. Make sure that the foundation of the house, as well as its structure in general, is designed for installation of brickwork. The foundation must be built in compliance with all building codes. It must necessarily withstand significant loads. Cheap and simple bases will not work in this case.

You should also make sure that the base of the house is made of raw materials such as monolithic concrete (and concrete blocks). The foundation itself must be of sufficient width. This requirement is especially important, because the facing brick will be based on the foundation structure. In some situations, bricks are placed on special steel corners, which are attached to the base using anchor bolts.

In addition, it is allowed to organize an additional foundation if the quality of the main one leaves much to be desired. Another base must be poured along the perimeter of the structure, stepping back about 30 cm from the first foundation.

The additional structure will need to be covered with a waterproofing material. For this, roofing material laid in two layers is ideal. You can fasten it to the previous base using anchor bolts.

Next, you should pay attention to the structure of the roof. It is very important to take a closer look at the roof. In most cases, in old houses, the cornice part does not protrude beyond the perimeter of the structure by more than 25 cm. With such a structure, the bricks will become infinitely wet and may even be destroyed. After about 5 years of such use, the brickwork will become unusable. This problem can be solved in one correct way - you will need to coat the walls of the dwelling with a special hydrophobizing compound every year, but keep in mind that such funds are quite expensive.

If you plan to close the main walls of wood with brickwork, then before starting work you will need to coat the wood bases with antiseptic compounds. If you are decorating external walls, then you need to buy the appropriate product for them. For external work, you should not purchase internal impregnations - there will be little sense from them. In addition, it will be necessary to attach the vapor barrier to the wooden walls using a construction stapler. These coverings should be laid with an overlap (minimum - 10 cm).

Brick facade decoration is one of the most popular options for the exterior of a house.

Brick as a building material is appreciated for its practicality, sustainability and environmental friendliness, and most importantly - this material has been tested by time and is familiar to everyone.

To date, the range of products is quite wide, and you can pick up more suitable option exactly for your situation at an affordable price.

Facing the facade with bricks has many nuances, which, if played correctly, can achieve an excellent result.

Pros and cons of brick building decoration

To give the building a complete look and protect its facade from various negative factors, it is necessary to carry out the exterior decoration of the house. This type of work is usually carried out as the final stage of construction.

In Russia, the most popular building material for finishing the facade of a private house is precisely decorative brick.

The popularity of this finishing material due to the fact that it has advantages and decorative properties, which have already been proven by its many years of use in the decoration of houses.

Finishing the facade of the house with bricks ensures that:

the walls of the building will be reliably protected and strengthened. For another 20 years, the likelihood of the need for repairs will be minimal, because in practice it has been verified that bricked houses serve for many years;
the risk of ignition of even wooden structures after such a finish is significantly reduced, since the brick facade has high refractory properties;
decorating the facade with bricks will increase the soundproofing characteristics of the house and will contribute to better heat retention inside the premises.

The modern building materials market offers a wide range of products used for home decoration.

The buyer has the opportunity to select the required color, shape and other quality characteristics at reasonable prices.

At the same time, other features of the building material should be taken into account, which can be perceived as disadvantages.

Brick is a fairly dense and heavy material, which is why a house tiled in this way will receive a large additional load on the foundation.

Not all walls can be covered with brickwork. Difficulties can arise when working with uneven surfaces.

Before deciding on such a finish that threatens difficulties, you need to consult a professional.

Even a simple photograph of defects in the walls of a building can help to assess the problem in absentia, although a direct analysis carried out "live" will be much more accurate.

Finishing the facade of a house with bricks requires the use of a special adhesive and special skills. It is rather difficult to carry out such work on your own, and even impossible without experience.

By itself, finishing the facade with facing bricks can take a lot of time, therefore, to save time and effort, it is better to hire specialists who will certainly be able to design and lay brickwork with high quality.

Varieties of building materials

Studying a wide range of building materials, it is important to choose the right raw materials for the job. You can assess the quality of a brick based on three main parameters.

It is important to note:

its decorative properties: color and size;
check the material for defects (there should be no cracks or chips on the brick);
quality characteristics expected from the cladding material, which should protect the walls of the house from negative impacts and to improve the thermal insulation, strength and frost-resistance characteristics of the building.

Facade cladding bricks can be of different shapes.

As a rule, there are three sizes on the building materials market:

250 x 120 x 65 mm;
250 x 60 x 65 mm;
250 x 22 x 65 mm.

Most often, it is the first option that is used for facing buildings as the cheapest and most practical. It is suitable for finishing different types surfaces, since its dimensions are quite versatile.

Bricks 250 × 22 × 65 are used only for smooth walls. Outwardly, they look more like tiles. Due to the small thickness, the corner elements of buildings are not made out with bricks 250 × 22 × 65.

The color of the product is also an important characteristic that will allow you to better assess the quality of the material.

Pink shades indicate that the product was not burned enough during the preparation process.

Cracks and glassiness of the surface may, on the contrary, indicate overexposure of the material.

Uneven color and the presence of inclusions indicate possible impurities in the structure of the product.

The most wear-resistant material is considered to be "clean" material, which keeps its decorative properties longer, therefore it is recommended to use "clean" brick for the facade.

Products also differ in strength, which can be recognized by paying attention to the marking:

the least durable materials are marked with the inscription М25;
medium-strength products are marked M50;
bricks M150 and higher are capable of withstanding the highest loads.

The frost resistance characteristic of bricks is marked with the letter F, after which there should be a number describing the frost resistance of the product (35 - smallest value, and 100 is the maximum).

Thermal insulation properties are divided into:

ordinary;
normal;
conditional;
high;
elevated.

Bricks with through holes have better thermal insulation properties.

Clinker bricks for the facade, which are made by heating refractory types of clay, can be separately noted. The clinker is produced without adding impurities to it.

It is distinguished by the high purity of the material and the absence of cavities in the structure of the product. The manufacturing technology used makes clinker bricks the most durable. The clinker sizes are universal - 250/120/65 mm.

The amount of work carried out affects the consumption of materials. The size of the building is of key importance. To decorate the facades one-story houses, much less raw materials are required than for finishing two-story buildings.

Features of the facade design with bricks

Any building can be finished with bricks, but depending on the material from which the house was built, the finishing options and its technology will differ.

Most often, wooden houses need brick finishing. Brick facades give timber buildings additional stability and a solid look.

Finishing wooden house can be divided into 3 stages:

preparation of the front wall for work;
warming and strengthening the walls of the house with a brick;
directly finishing.

First, you need to make sure that the building is strong. Brick is a heavy building material, and if the structural elements are weak, then they may not support the weight of such a finish.

It is worth preparing the walls for the start of work. To do this, it is necessary to replace the weak parts and treat the walls and partitions with an antiseptic impregnation and a mixture that increases the fire-resistant characteristics of the tree.

Wooden buildings are often already warm enough by themselves, but in addition, mineral wool can be used as insulation.

It does not interfere with the ventilation of the building and has high thermal insulation properties.

For cladding wooden buildings, clay or silicate products are used. The laying technology involves the use of a building mixture, the basis of which is lime, sand and cement.

Another important feature of wood building finishes is the use of steel rods to reinforce the structure.

They are hammered into wooden wall With inside and are reinforced in the structure of the facade decoration with the help of building material.

The use of a set back and ventilated brick facade will help to avoid moisture, which is detrimental to the walls of the house.

A different approach is used for cladding stone buildings. Glass wool is used as a heater, which is attached to the wall with disc dowels.

The use of a ventilated brick facade is still relevant. For this, when finishing a stone house in the upper and lower rows of brickwork, centimeter slots are left for the air flow. The walls of the building are connected to the facing layer with fiberglass rods.

Brick buildings are the easiest to finish, as the most "picky". For the insulation of houses from facing bricks, you can use virtually any type of material.

Most often, foam is used, which is strengthened using the same disc dowels.

You can connect brickwork with a layer of thermal insulation either using a masonry mesh or by pressing.

A brick facade is practical and stylish design solution, albeit quite difficult to execute. It is better to entrust the installation to a professional.

A high-quality brick cladding of the facade of a house always looks solid and can significantly extend the life of a building.

In the modern construction market in Russia, the greatest demand is for the construction of brick houses and cottages. This is more than 70% of all objects. At the same time, brick is used not only for construction load-bearing walls, but also for facing buildings constructed from other materials. Such reliable solutions have been proven over the years. Our company offers brick finishing of the facade of the house at a cost of 950 rubles. for 1 sq. m (01.10.2014).

Brick facade of a new house

Why do our customers choose brick finishes?

We have systematized the main factors that distinguish brick walls from other materials:

High strength - on average three times higher than the strength of foam concrete blocks.
Absolute fire safety - the fire resistance of brickwork is beyond doubt.
Environmental safety - no chemicals. Brick is a whole product natural production for which clay, sand and water are used.
Unrivaled Durability - Brick objects last 100-150 years. If you also choose clinker facing material for finishing the facade, then you will not have to make repairs to the external walls.

Examples of brick facades

But this finish also has some disadvantages caused by the high strength and reliability of brick materials:

The high weight of the structure requires the construction of a massive foundation or reinforcement of the existing one.
Finishing work on brick facades cannot be performed year-round.
High price brick construction when compared to paneling or plastering.

Finishing technology

We use two methods of building brick facades: when building a house and when cladding finished objects. If the houses are built of wood, then we pre-impregnate such walls with antiseptics.

In each case, the masters firmly attach brick wall cladding to the base of the building. To do this, use the special links tab. Their length is selected by the craftsman, taking into account the thickness of the bearing walls and brick cladding, as well as the required ventilated gap and the thickness of the insulation.

Fastening a wall of facing bricks to a load-bearing base through insulation

Important! An air gap of at least 3 cm must be left between the facing and the bearing wall. Also, to ensure ventilation of the brick facade, we leave special slots in the bottom and last row.

The brick finishing of the facades is carried out by the master from the bottom up, checking the evenness of the laying with the help of a level. According to SNiP, vertical seams of brick cladding should be 12 mm, and horizontal seams - 10 mm.

Execution of works

Important! To avoid the appearance of efflorescence on the brick facade, our craftsmen use mortars from special building mixtures for masonry.

The advantages of our company

The best finishing materials. We use clinker bricks for projects, which are characterized by the highest strength and frost resistance. These parameters are 3-4 times higher than those of ordinary brick of the M100 brand.
Modern technologies for finishing facades with bricks. Our craftsmen comply with all norms and rules for performing these works. We guarantee that cracks and efflorescence will not appear on the walls of the house. The warranty is 5 years.
Original architectural solutions. We carry out finishing of brick facades according to individual projects.

The video shows examples of finishing the facades of houses with bricks.

Summary

Turning to us, you will be sure of the quality of the brick finish, which will increase the durability of the facade, increase its thermal insulation and create a presentable appearance of the house. Call us, we will clarify the prices for the work and answer all your questions!

The most popular material for decorating the facade of a house is brick. due to its properties, it is suitable for almost all outdoor work. It has low thermal conductivity, frost and moisture resistance. Unlike usual, facing has sharper edges, uniform color and aesthetic appearance. There are different types of masonry for the facade of the house: straight, artistic and decorative. With direct laying, the brick can be laid in any way of the bundle, alternating the uniform distribution of the joints. In Gothic masonry, they are bonded and alternate. Decorative cladding performed using multi-colored bricks and seam patterns. Artistic decoration, in addition to colors and patterns, is distinguished by the presence of relief of various elements: protrusions, slopes, ladders.

Facing brick is one of the most popular facing materials.

Finishing materials

Before revetting a house, you should take care of the presence of a sufficient amount of the brick itself and mortar for laying it, and also prepare all the necessary tools for this:

trowels (for the formation of seams);
Master OK;
level;
clamps or basalt rods;
gloves;
brush for cleaning the facade.

To give strength to the facing masonry, clamps are used in the rows.

Brick cladding is performed using cement, cement-clay, cement-lime and lime mortars. A mortar of cement and sand is prepared in a ratio of 1 to 4. The mixture must be prepared in small quantities and used immediately.

The parameters of the seams and the uniformity of the distribution of the solution are strictly standardized. The strength of the seam and its density depend on this. The thickness of the horizontal seam should be within 10-12 mm, and the vertical seam - 8-10 mm. Also, the seam should not deviate much from the front surface of the brick, so that rainwater can flow down the wall of the house.

Building cladding is not an easy task. This applies not only to the work itself, but also to the choice of material that will be used for finishing. Most customers prefer pre-fabricated panels. They can be installed simultaneously with the insulation, which speeds up the process and makes it cheaper. But if there is a desire to create a unique and inimitable design, then you definitely cannot do without facing bricks. Why is it called that and what types are available for purchase? This will be discussed in the article.

Why is the brick called facing

The brick got its name due to the purpose for which it is used. It is also called facade. After building a house from of various kinds blocks, its appearance can hardly be called presentable. To improve the appearance of the facade, this type of brick is used. By its structure, it remains quite durable and can act as an independent building material, but it is also used to solve the following tasks:

additional protection against mechanical stress;
decrease in moisture level;
additional insulation.

The construction of buildings from foam blocks has become popular. They are quite fragile, so they can be easily damaged by physical impact. Facing bricks reduce the likelihood of such interference and extend the life of the building blocks. Due to their porous structure, foam blocks and other concrete materials are hygroscopic, that is, they are able to absorb and release moisture. Continuous exposure to rainfall can cause construction material will crumble and fall into disrepair. Cladding brick creates an additional protective wall that prevents moisture from entering the walls. Facing bricks soften the effects of temperature extremes.

In addition, insulation can be placed in the space between the wall and the facing brick, which will reduce heating costs in the cold season. With all this, facing or facade bricks do not lose their visual appeal. The dyes that are used in its manufacture are resistant to ultraviolet radiation.

Is it always possible to use facing brick

When buying facing bricks, the seller will surely assure that they can be finished in any case. But there are several factors that limit the use of bricks for cladding. One of them is the quality of the foundation. The maximum weight of cladding bricks can be up to 4.2 kg. This means that if 620 bricks are needed per 10 m2, then the weight of such a wall will be 2.6 additional tons more. If the wall is larger and there are at least 4 of them, then the load on the base can increase significantly. Therefore, if the foundation is piled or columnar, then you will have to choose a different type of cladding.

If it is difficult to say whether the finished strip foundation will withstand the weight of the facing brick, then you can hedge yourself by building another small foundation around the building, which will be used only for facing. In the case when it is known for sure that the foundation will withstand, but a special protrusion for facing bricks was not provided, then you can use the solution from Jordahl. Its engineers have developed a unique metal carcass, consisting of separate elements, which is designed to solve this problem. It is worth remembering that it is not possible to mount such a cladding system on ordinary houses made of foam concrete or other stone. A monolithic reinforced concrete base is required.

The method of building walls can also serve as a limitation on the use of facing bricks. If mistakes were made or if poor quality material, then the facing brick can exert a negative horizontal load. The effect will take place, since the dressing of the main and facing walls is mandatory. In some cases, the use of movable clamps is allowed, which will compensate for the load. The width of the foundation can also be a limitation in the case when the plans include wall insulation between the cladding and the main masonry. You will need to increase the gap to 10 centimeters or more. Sometimes in this case it is better to use ready-made panels.

Advice! Clinker tiles or ready-made panels with it can serve as a substitute for cladding stone. It is not inferior in appearance, but it has less weight and will come out cheaper.

Roofing can be another limitation on the use of facing bricks. When installing it, the fact of the presence of an additional facing wall must be taken into account. If this is not done, then the overhang will not be enough to protect the space between the planes from moisture ingress. If dismantling and modernization of the roof is required for the installation of the cladding, then it makes sense to think about choosing more rational method... Avoid using facing bricks on a building that is about to be demolished. This can only aggravate the situation, since only decorative adjustments will be made, which will not increase the strength of the load-bearing walls.

Note! Some craftsmen are used to making a small overhang above the plinth when finishing with facade bricks. It is worth remembering that its size should not exceed 1/3 of the total width of the brick. Otherwise, collapse may occur. You should also follow the special technique of laying the first few rows, which will serve as a support.

Which brick to choose for cladding

A wide choice of stone for cladding appeared not so long ago. Several decades ago, the decoration was carried out with silicate or ceramic stone. In some cases, it could only be laid on one side, since a rough coating remained on the rest of the facets. Today manufacturers are trying to surpass one another and offer the most exclusive solution. The following subspecies of facing stone are available on the market:

ceramic;
silicate;
clinker;
dry pressed;
with a unique texture.

Each of them requires separate consideration in order to choose the best one.

Ceramic

Ceramic bricks are the most common because of their price and availability. It is made from clay. This happens by firing in ovens with temperatures up to 1000 °. In addition to the clay itself, various components are added to the stone, on which color and other characteristics may depend. The advantage of such a stone for facing is its resistance to weather conditions. It perfectly tolerates drops and has a large reserve for freeze and thaw cycles. Products can be of various shapes, so there will be no problems with framing arched openings. When purchasing this type of cladding, it is necessary to cooperate with responsible suppliers and manufacturers. Cheap options have a significant drawback - over time, efflorescence may appear on the surface from interaction with rainwater. When performing work, it is worth mixing stone from different parties, since the shade may differ slightly, which will result in spots on the facade. In the photo you can see an example of facing with such a stone.

Silicate

Sand lime brick is one of the options that has been used for quite some time, an example can be seen in the photo. Its manufacturing technology differs from the previous version. The base is not clay, but quartz sand. It is mixed with lime and additional additives, which also include pigment dye. A solution is formed which contains a small amount of water. After that, the semi-finished products are placed in ovens, where the temperature reaches 200 °, and the pressure rises to 12 atmospheres. Thanks to this approach, the dimensions of the sand-lime brick have smaller differences than the previous version. It can provide additional sound and heat insulation. Such a facing stone is worth a little cheaper than a ceramic one, since its production is cheaper. A silicate finish is more suitable for regions where the climate is moderately humid. The constant interaction of the stone with water leads to its destruction. This factor must be taken into account when finishing works use special protective compounds, as well as provide for large roof overhangs.

Clinker

Clinker brick is one of those grades that are used to give a building a special charm. By its composition, it is an improved version of ceramic bricks. The difference lies in the preparation process and the ingredients. Clay serves as the basis for facing bricks. But special varieties are used that are distinguished by increased plasticity. Mixing with additional additives, the base is placed in an oven and heated to a temperature of 1300 ° C. Under the influence of this temperature, the clay takes on a monolithic structure. This explains the high resistance to moisture and the minimum percentage of absorption, which is at the level of 4-5%. Due to the absence of pores, the brick can withstand about 1,000 freeze-thaw cycles.

Until a certain point, clinker bricks had a limited number of color options. But with the development of technology, unique dyes were used, which expanded the range. Using clinker cladding is not the cheapest finishing option. On some types of clinker finishes, efflorescence may appear over time, which require special detergents to remove them. In the photo you can see how high-quality the cladding is.

Dry pressed

Dry-pressed brick is also called hyper-pressed brick. This interesting option, which is produced according to the method from which the name derives. In the photo you can see an example of finishing the facade with such a brick. The composition contains a small amount of cement. The rest of the finishing brick is made up of various waste in the form of shell crumbs, slag, crushed stone, marble chips, etc. after the mixture is prepared, it is processed with a small amount of water. Next, the brick is placed in high pressure chambers. In this case, it is possible to obtain the most dense structure. Such bricks are similar in characteristics to clinker bricks. In order for the base not to crumble and the facing brick to keep its shape, it can be dried for a long time or steamed. This brick provides a wide range of colors. It is practically ideal in shape, since it does not deform like a ceramic brick when baked.

With texture

For the most part, facing bricks have smooth edges. These options are easier to manufacture and also less expensive. Sometimes it is supplemented with a brick, one or more of the faces of which can be formed under a natural stone... A whole wall made of such a brick will look unpresentable, but certain areas can be emphasized. There are options for facing stone with a glazed surface. It is obtained by applying molten glass or clay. The component will determine whether the surface of the cladding is glossy or matte. Such a stone is also an excellent solution in order to emphasize certain nuances of the structure.

Note! Another type of facing stone with a glazed surface is engobed. Unlike the previous one, the glaze components are applied even before the first firing. This makes the process cheaper and faster, but requires special equipment. You can watch a video about finishing the facade below.

Conclusion

As you can see, facing stone is an excellent option in order to emphasize the advantages of the structure. If you apply a design approach, then you can implement a unique idea that will delight you with its appearance every day. Some types of facing stone require some maintenance, but it is not required so often and is produced quite simply, which should not stop you from using this type of facing.

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