The technology of facing the facade of a house with brick has a number of nuances, knowing which the master can cope with the work much faster and more efficiently, and the resulting result will be much better. We will tell our readers about this below.
Brick cladding gives the house a beautiful look.
External installation around already finished walls is carried out in the following cases:
- during reconstruction or major renovation buildings;
- during work on insulating the facility;
- for decorating external walls.
Let's look at each of them. The first option is used when the house is in a dilapidated condition, but rebuilding it or building a new one is impossible. In this case, the external finishing of the facade with brick will strengthen the existing wooden or stone walls.
Modern ceramic bricks are produced in a hollow design, which increases their thermal insulation properties. At the same time, the soundproofing qualities of the material have been improved. Therefore, lining the walls with bricks reduces heat loss in the house and allows for even better protection of its inhabitants from street noise.
Manufacturers have launched the production of a wide range of decorative facing materials. Thanks to this, the owners have the opportunity to make appearance the home is more attractive and its design unique. This will be helped by lining the walls with ready-made ceramic blocks. At the same time, the cladding technology is somewhat different from conventional masonry, which we will discuss below.
What brick is used for cladding?
Manufacturers have launched the production of various types of monolithic and hollow blocks, differing not only in appearance, but also in the materials from which they are made.
In addition to traditional ceramics, sand-lime brick is also used for wall cladding. However, it has more weight compared to clay, which requires additional strengthening of the foundation. And this leads to increased construction costs.
Therefore, clinker bricks are the most popular. They have excellent physical properties, which are incorporated into them during the manufacturing process. This:
- hardness;
- durability;
- UV resistance;
- frost resistance;
- immunity to dampness.
In addition, the aesthetic appeal of the material and variety color scheme make clinker one of the most popular materials for cladding houses.
Features of the foundation of walls for cladding
Even hollow ceramic bricks have a certain weight. And in total, the load on the foundation of the house after finishing the walls increases significantly.
The width of the foundation for wall cladding is taken taking into account the fact that between the main wall and its cladding there must be a technological gap necessary for ventilation of the internal space. Constant air movement will prevent the formation of dampness, which can cause mold and mildew.
When calculating the dimensions of the base, it must be taken into account that the material used for finishing should not protrude beyond the edge of the foundation by more than 1/3.
If the wall finishing is carried out for an already finished object, then the foundation should be further strengthened. To do this, a so-called substructure is created, which is created adjacent to the existing one and is additionally strengthened with compacted soil.
What is needed for facing work?
The cladding technology is reminiscent of conventional brickwork, so standard tools are also needed for the job.
To do this, the master will need:
- concrete mixer;
- shovel;
- trowel (trowel);
- bushhammer;
- construction pickaxe;
- jointing for processing seams.
In addition, you will need measuring tools such as a tape measure, level and square.
For laying bricks, use a standard mixture of cement and fine river sand in a ratio of 1:3. It should not be liquid; it is recommended to bring its consistency to the thickness of sour cream.
Brick cladding starts from the base. In this case, it is recommended to start the row from the corner, bringing up several rows taking into account the displacement of the bricks. Typically, a half-block shift is selected, which ensures reliable ligation of the row.
When laying hollow bricks, the mortar should not be applied to the entire surface, otherwise part of it will fall into the existing voids and be lost.
The seams are processed as each row is ready. Excess cement must be removed immediately so that it does not harden.
As noted above, when finishing walls, a technological gap of 20-30 mm is left between the outer and outer layers. And in the wall itself during the masonry process, holes are left - suffocation holes. There shouldn’t be many of them, just a few at the bottom near the base and at the top. They will ensure air movement and prevent it from stagnating.
The cladding of the house is completed before one row of bricks reaches the roof. This makes it possible to remove air from the technological pockets provided during construction. The internal empty space will be protected from rain and melt water by the overhang of the roof slopes.
To outer wall did not depart from the inner one; metal rods or self-tapping screws are used during the laying process. They are inserted into the finished wall so that the protruding part falls between 2 rows facing materials. Such clamps will make the structure more reliable.
To clad a house, it is better to use Portland cement M400 or M500. Impurities containing salts should not be added to the solution, otherwise a white coating will appear on the bricks over time.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmZ3W_EtFZE
Work should be carried out only at above-zero air temperatures. If it starts to rain during laying, the bricks should be covered with plastic film so that the water does not wash away the cement that has not yet completely hardened.
Modern construction market offers large number finishing materials. But the brick facade is still popular among private developers. According to many, a cottage lined with brick looks solid, and the facades of private houses made of brick are distinguished by increased durability and trouble-free operation.
These statements are true only if the main condition is met - the brick facade of the building is made according to all the rules and using high-quality building materials. Otherwise, instead of prestige, such a decision will turn into a real headache for its owner.
In this article we will cover:
- What nuances should you be aware of before lining a house with bricks?
- Is a ventilation gap necessary when facing walls with bricks?
- What is the best way to connect facing bricks with load-bearing wall.
- Is it possible to line a wooden house with bricks?
Finishing the facade of a house with brick: features
Most often, a developer, having decided to clad a house with brick, is guided by the banal “I want.” A lot of things that directly affect the performance characteristics and the service life of such a facade, the most important of which is the design.
Facades of brick buildings.
The material of the facade should be thought out at the design stage of the house, and not left “for later”.
If you neglect this rule, after the construction of the “box” a whole bunch of problems appear. It turns out that the width of the foundation is not enough to support the facing brick, because The owner decided to additionally insulate the walls during the construction stage. The façade of the building made of face brick (and it has a lot of weight) exceeds bearing capacity the foundation and the strength of the foundation, as a result the masonry cracks.
The workers do not know how to properly connect the brick façade to the load-bearing walls. As usual, they do it “in their own way” and “as simple as possible”, using metal or fiberglass mesh, thin strips of galvanized steel, etc. as connections.
Therefore, in order not to make adjustments and corrections during construction, which inevitably leads to additional material costs, we are guided by the following several rules:
- The brick facade should be considered in inextricable connection with the material of the load-bearing walls, the type of facade insulation (if any), the architecture of the house and its design.
- The brick facade takes up a significant wind load, which then, through special connections, must be transferred to the load-bearing walls. Those. a system arises: load-bearing wall-facade.
- The service life of this type of facade, as well as all its structural elements: connections, insulation, etc., must correspond to the service life of the load-bearing walls of the house. Those. - system elements: carrier façade wall must be balanced.
If, relatively speaking, the facade is supposed to last 50-60 years, but the connections or thermal insulation have lost their properties after 10-15 years, then this will lead to the need for major and expensive repairs. It is impossible to complete it without dismantling or partially dismantling the masonry.
There are many nuances, and a separate article can be written for each element of the brick facade system. Therefore, below we will give answers to the most common facade questions that novice developers have, using the example of aerated concrete and timber house.
Is it necessary to create a ventilation gap when facing walls with bricks?
Motorist User FORUMHOUSE
I have read more than one topic on our portal, but I still haven’t found an exact answer as to whether it is necessary to leave an air gap when building a house made of aerated concrete, the walls of which I want to line with bricks.
To answer this question, you should imagine the wall in section and remember the rule mentioned above: interior wall+ façade = unified system. From here, we set the basic conditions for solving the problem.
Kripich façade masonry.
The wall can be two-layer (load-bearing wall + brick facade) or three-layer (load-bearing wall + insulation + brick facade).
The internal wall of the cottage is made of D400 aerated concrete. This material (like wood) is vapor permeable. Therefore, water vapor from the house, due to partial pressure, moves from inside to outside. If water vapor does not encounter any obstacles on its way, it will freely escape from the enclosing structure.
A brick facade has less vapor permeability than aerated concrete/wood. As a result, the rule will be violated: the vapor permeability of layers in multilayer structures should increase from the inside out.
Those. there is a possibility that water vapor will be “locked” in the wall (especially if facade brick placed close to aerated concrete). This will lead to waterlogging of the enclosing structure. The situation may worsen in winter during the heating season, because... due to the temperature difference inside the heated warm room and on a cold street, the intensity of water vapor movement from inside to outside will increase.
The air gap and, we note, must be ventilated, allows excess water vapor to freely escape from the wall.
The wall turns out to be “healthy” and warm (because with excess moisture accumulation, the thermal conductivity coefficient of the material increases, and the wall becomes “colder”). Excess moisture in the wall can lead to the appearance of ( interior decoration) mold and mildew, because the aerated concrete will have to dry inside.
Negative Member of FORUMHOUSE, Moscow.
I am a supporter of a ventilated air gap of 2.5 cm between the load-bearing wall and the brickwork.
The average air gap thickness is usually made in the range of 3 to 4 cm.
It’s decided, let’s create an air gap. To make it ventilated, vents are installed in the lower part of the masonry - ventilation holes. Air enters through them. Further, due to the traction that arises (since the gap at the top does not close, and connects to a ventilated under-roof channel) the air is discharged through the ridge of the house.
The vents also remove condensation that may appear on the inner surface of the facing brick. Accordingly: do not forget to waterproof the support unit brickwork in the lower part, when supported on a foundation or on a monolithic shelf.
The air gap optimizes the operating mode of the system: load-bearing wall - brickwork.
If the wall is three-layer, i.e. If additional insulation is planned, then the water vapor passing through the load-bearing wall and insulation (mineral wool) must be removed, because Wet thermal insulation loses its functions and its service life is significantly reduced.
For ease of understanding, when installing a brick facade of a private house, we adhere to the same recommendations as when installing a suspended ventilated facade: we protect the insulation with a moisture- and windproof membrane, which also prevents the removal of insulation particles, etc.
We can say that the removal of particles of mineral wool thermal insulation will be minimal, and the insulation will not become waterlogged to critical values, and, accordingly, there is no need to spend money on a membrane. But remember that the miser pays twice.
A brick facade is an expensive pleasure. The costs of purchasing high-quality wind and moisture protection will not lead to a significant increase in the cost of the entire structure, if general increase reliability and service life.
We remember the third rule: all elements of the system must be balanced, and replacing the insulation means dismantling the facade.
The question is also often asked about the step at which to make vents in the facing masonry.
Skintex User FORUMHOUSE
I am making a three-layer ventilated facade - a load-bearing wall, mineral wool, a gap of about 4-5 cm, facing brick. Accordingly, I plan to leave the vertical joints in the bottom row of masonry empty for ventilation. I’m thinking about how to do this correctly: through a seam or through two seams to a third, and how many voids are enough?
The following picture gives a clear answer.
Important: there is also an expert opinion that you should not leave vents in the upper part of the brickwork, because this will lead to the fact that the air flow will follow the path of least resistance (i.e. through the upper vents), and we need the air flow to come from below, ventilating the entire masonry.
To make the vents look neat and aesthetically pleasing, and not like a “home-made” one, from the voids between the bricks that are not filled with mortar, they can be made using special elements - a ventilation-draining box. The color of the box can be selected according to color scheme masonry, and the air flow will be practically unnoticeable.
The boxes are placed at a distance of 0.75 - 1 m from each other.
How to connect facing bricks to a load-bearing wall
We have already said above that the brick facade absorbs significant dynamic wind loads, which must be transferred to the load-bearing wall. The larger the facade area and the higher the number of storeys of the building, the greater these loads. Therefore, “folk” methods cannot be used as connections. Namely - “soft” - basalt or fiberglass mesh, etc. These materials, due to their relatively high flexibility and pliability, will not be able to transfer the load. Those. system: load-bearing wall - brickwork will not work.
Moreover, when asked how many connections there should be per 1 sq. m, one answer is given - this is a calculated value that depends on the load and wind strength in a particular construction region. As a guide take 5 pcs. per 1 sq. m of masonry.
Let's move on to the selection of connections, which have the following requirements:
- high strength;
- long service life, because communications work in harsh conditions, with high humidity, frequent transitions through “0”;
- high corrosion resistance.
AlexanderNF User FORUMHOUSE
I am building a house from aerated concrete. I poured the foundation, erected the walls, and purchased facing bricks for finishing the facade. I was wondering how to connect gas silicate with facing bricks.
Before answering this question, let's tell you what you should not use. We proceed from the requirements for connections listed above. A popular option among builders is thin galvanized plates (perforated, or drywall hangers designed for interior work) do not exceed their service life. Such plates, about 0.5 - 1 mm thick, can rust due to condensation forming on the inner surface of the facing brick. The zinc layer can be damaged by workers when laying plates, etc.
Such a connection may already collapse in, relatively speaking, 10-15 years. While a brick facade must last at least 50-60 years or more.
Thin plates bend easily. This advantage for builders (they are physically comfortable working with such “connections”) turns into a disadvantage for the developer.
A “flexible” connection of this type will not be able to completely transfer the dynamic wind load from the facade to the load-bearing wall.
The most rational materials for ties are two options - the use of stainless steel (plates or rods with a diameter of about 6 mm) or the use of flexible basalt-plastic ties.
The bonds are not placed in the gas silicate seam, but in the “body” of the block.
кodokopatel User FORUMHOUSE
I used these connections. They can only be called flexible, because... You can’t really bend them with your hands. But such connections provide some movement, allowing the “load-bearing wall-masonry” node to play relative to each other.
Unlike metal, plastic is not a “cold bridge” and is not subject to corrosion.
There are other options.
Sadovnik62 User FORUMHOUSE
I used fiberglass reinforcement with a diameter of 6 mm. The reinforcement was attached to the gas block, after drilling the hole, placing it on a chemical anchor. I simply couldn't find any other way. Thin galvanized steel will rust in the ventilation gap. I also tried placing 2 mm thick plates in the seam when laying aerated concrete with glue. I abandoned this idea. It would seem that what a plate thickness of 2 mm is, but this gives an error over the entire row with thin-seam masonry, and before laying the next one, you have to level the surface of the blocks.
Usually, when installing a brick facade, they act according to next rule: walls are erected and only after that they begin to install connections and lay face bricks. But it happens that the masonry of walls and facade is carried out almost simultaneously.
The main thing is to control workers at all stages, because check the quality of different hidden work after completion of masonry it is impossible. Builders, in order to simplify their task, can lay a smaller number of connections, place the anchor at an insufficient depth in the masonry, etc.
- The depth of the anchor in the load-bearing wall is about 100 mm.
- Add the thickness of the insulation (if any).
- Add the width of the ventilation gap.
- We place the anchor in the facing brick according to the calculation – we do not reach about 2 cm from the facing part of the masonry. The tie should not be inserted into the outer seam.
- We add about 2 cm for reserve, because... the wall may be uneven (deviation of the load-bearing wall from the vertical), and if you take the connection end-to-end, it may not be long enough to lay it to the required depth.
How to cover a wooden house with bricks
Although this solution is common among budget-conscious developers, it is controversial. There are too many nuances to consider. A timber house (depending on the region of residence) does not meet modern requirements for thermal resistance of enclosing structures. Accordingly, such a house will have to be insulated.
Use insulation based on expanded polystyrene (foam) or EPS (extruded polystyrene foam) for thermal insulation wooden house it is forbidden. Although such options do exist.
The fact is that these types of insulation do not allow water vapor to pass through. He will be locked in a wall that will begin to rot. These materials are flammable, and if a fire occurs, the fire will quickly spread in the ventilation air gap, and the house will be almost impossible to extinguish.
Expanded polystyrene building codes and the rules prohibit their use when installing suspended ventilated facades.
If you want to insulate a wooden house, then only mineral wool insulation . The question of how to cover a log house with bricks is often encountered among developers who plan to give the house a solid appearance.
sasha508 User FORUMHOUSE
I built a log house. I want to insulate it and cover it with brick. I'm thinking about how to do this.
A heated debate broke out on this issue on the portal. Users were divided into two different camps. In the first, those who believe that this is not worth doing, in the second, they express the opinion that it is possible to try, each case is individual.
Having decided to cover a wooden house with brick, we remember that wood is a “living” material, subject to seasonal fluctuations in humidity. The log house dries, shrinks and lives its own life throughout the entire period of operation of the house.
If you tie a brick facade to wooden walls rigidly - by forming a connection, driving in two long “150” nails at an angle of 45 degrees, then if the wood “shakes”, the brickwork will crack. It is also necessary to correctly calculate the number and cross-section of vents for sufficient ventilation in the gap. If you make a mistake, we will get insufficient ventilation, condensation, wood rotting, mold and mildew from inside the premises.
The rule of a balanced system is violated. It may turn out that a beautiful brick facade will last much longer than a wooden house.
But sasha508 I got to work and this is what I ended up with.
The house has changed dramatically.
Now the log house looks solid beautiful cottage, built entirely of brick.
The nuances of this construction are interesting.
The house was insulated with EPS by wrapping the timber walls outside, under the slabs, with a moisture- and wind-proof film. Note that extruded polystyrene foam is vapor-tight, and the L-joining of the edges ensures that the connection is not blown through. Therefore, wrapping the house with film under the insulation is extra work.
The ventilation gap is about 50-60 mm. The inside of the house is vapor-insulated. This minimized the amount of water vapor that could enter the wooden wall, closed on the outside with vapor-resistant insulation (EPS). This reduces the likelihood that the timber will begin to rot and rot.
Although our portal has many options for mansion facades made of bricks of different colors and examples of successful facing brick lining of a wooden house, this option requires a lot of construction culture from workers, and any mistake can lead to a significant reduction in the service life of the load-bearing structure.
Alehandrovich User FORUMHOUSE
Although developers say that I lined a wooden house with bricks, and nothing has rotted in 10 years, I will say that 10 years is not an indicator. Eathouses that have stood for 50 years, in which you won’t see much rot, but the wood simply decays, becomes very soft, the house shrinks a lot, the walls bend “barrel”.
Summing up
Having decided to clad a house with brick, we remember that this is an expensive undertaking, and such a facade must last for decades. Unlike siding, if something happens, you cannot dismantle the structure, see what’s going on inside, take out the insulation, replace connections, choose a different color, etc. Therefore, the beautiful facade of a brick house stands on “three pillars”:
- Competent calculation.
- Use of various high-quality building materials with a long service life.
- Total control over the progress of all work performed by workers. is a ventilation gap needed or not? aerated concrete house with brick lining, and .
- At the top and lower parts masonry must leave ventilation gaps so that moisture, which is poorly permeable to the brick, comes out and does not destroy the load-bearing walls due to the steam that forms between the walls.
- Another method of dealing with moisture: every 5 vertical seam in 2 horizontal rows is left unfilled with mortar.
- If several types of brick are used, a dry test row is made for each of them.
- At temperatures below zero, even the most careful cladding work will not provide maximum aesthetics. Only positive for work!
- Before laying, the brick is immersed in water so that it does not absorb water from the mortar and the latter does not dry out prematurely.
- We use a standard solution with Portland cement and lime. For example, this: 1/1/4 (cement, lime dough, sand). The order of adding compounds to the mixture is as follows: water, then lime, cement and finally sand.
- After finishing the cladding, its appearance is brought to perfection using a 10% solution of chlorine acid: the facade is wiped with it to remove frozen splashes of the solution and dust. Attention! The composition is applied after the walls have dried, protecting structures made from other building materials.
- Brick facing wall They are also attached to steel corners, which are screwed anchor bolts to the foundation.
- The wall is usually placed on a foundation; if it is small, then it is either expanded or an additional one is poured, fastened to the main anchors.
- You can increase the reliability of a wall made of facing bricks by cutting roofing iron, which connects both walls (load-bearing) through 13 rows, horizontally - every meter.
Decorating a house with brick: what can it be?
At decorative masonry there are rules.
So, one of them is alternating spoon and butt rows. In this case, the latter appears every 6 rows in a continuous masonry of this type or alternating.
Multi-row masonry is almost always used. The bricks are placed both horizontally and vertically, on the edge and on the face, at a certain angle. Shaped masonry is made from shaped bricks with oblique and round corners and decorative chips. Relief brick patterns look very impressive. They are often used to distinguish windows and doors, cornices, and pilasters.
Finishing the cottage with facing bricks - economical solution, as it will allow you to forget about the problems of thermal insulation and decor for decades, and will keep the cottage in its original form.
Construction of a brick house: what technologies provide strength?
The properties of brick are known to everyone. First of all, its strength deserves respect. The strength of the house is enhanced monolithic floors(no cracked surfaces at the joints), which are more convenient to finish, unlike prefabricated ones.
Modern building material of this type is also frost-resistant and not susceptible to fungus and mold. Expensive brick does not efflorescence and looks great. A cottage made from this material, built according to all the rules, is a reliable fortress for the whole family. This is a full-fledged residential building with huge advantages over apartments and seasonal wooden dachas. You can live here all year round, for many years in a row.
In order to achieve this, builders insulate the facade using the same expanded clay that is used to fill the well masonry, or insulation (mineral wool): it is attached to load-bearing wall, leave an air gap of 3 cm and lay a facing wall. Besides. External insulation is possible, in which the material is covered with a ventilated facade.
Many masons and craftsmen can build a house from brick. Due to the prevalence of technology, new products enhancing the properties of brick and its new types - to build a cottage from this building material now it's a matter of months, not years.
Facing
The most durable and reliable building material for a home, brick, is in demand and is not only used to build houses, but also to clad already completed, multi-year buildings.
The facing wall is extended beyond the edge of the foundation by 1/3. Its standard weight, when finishing 100 m², is 40 tons. Therefore, it is necessary to build a house from bricks solid foundation(recessed, made of reinforced concrete, blocks), and under the cladding it is often necessary to strengthen it or pour another one. The foundation will cost 1/3 of the cost of the house (without finishing - the box of the cottage itself). If the plan of the house is such that the first floor is wider than the second and its roof rests on the wall of the 2nd floor, during cladding you will have to remove the roof to give the brick support.
A very reliable technology that has resurrected more than one old house.
We bring to your attention a video on facing a house with brick.
Decorative finishing options
- façade cassettes;
- composite;
- porcelain stoneware;
- profiled flooring.
Facing brick
This type of brick is weather-resistant, frost-resistant and has a decent appearance. Finishing of a building built from facing or finishing bricks, most often consists of designing window slopes and doorways, as well as plastering or cladding the basement of the building.
Features of finishing a brick building
If simple brick was used in the construction of the house, then the facade of such a structure will definitely need exterior finishing. Not only is the appearance of such a building unattractive and unpresentable, but also the quality characteristics leave much to be desired.
Houses built using sand-lime brick require the most attention. This type of building material is absolutely not suitable for outdoor work, due to its high ability to absorb excess moisture.
The most common option for finishing a house made of building or sand-lime brick is plastering the facade followed by painting. In addition, plastering the facade of a house can be quite easily combined with other finishing options, using, for example, natural or artificial stone, as well as porcelain stoneware or other modern finishing materials.
Decorative finishing options
The brick facade is almost ideal for finishing. For facade cladding brick house You can use a variety of options:
- any types of siding;
- decorative plaster;
- corrugated sheeting;
- facing brick;
- sandwich panels.
Decorative plaster
Regardless of the type of façade surface and the type of material used to construct the walls, the technology for finishing with plaster is almost the same in all cases. However, you should remember some nuances:
- The facade of a building based on brickwork must be cleaned before finishing;
- before applying the plaster solution, it is necessary to moisten the surfaces of the walls using a spray bottle or a wide paint brush;
- all seams located between the bricks in the masonry should be cut out, maintaining a depth of one and a half centimeters, which will make the adhesion of the plaster layer to the base as reliable and high-quality as possible;
- if a thick layer of plaster is intended to be applied, then special guides in the form of beacons must be leveled;
- application decorative plaster is performed using standard technology, and the plaster layer is leveled from bottom to top using a special plaster rule;
- finishing plaster should be applied only after the main plaster layer has completely dried.
Things to remember: in order to obtain the highest quality grip plaster mixture with a wall surface, a special plaster mesh should be used. Such a mesh should be placed on top of the wall being treated and secured with dowels. 
Ventilated facades
Quite often the need to produce exterior finishing associated with construction work. Such work is usually carried out on old buildings. However, recently, owners of new buildings also often carry out external insulation of houses with subsequent finishing.
If it is intended to perform external insulation, then any version of sheet insulation should be strengthened on the wall surface. Further finishing can be done by plastering the walls using a reinforcing mesh or installing a so-called ventilated façade.
The technology of ventilated facades involves strengthening metal guides on wall surfaces, on which the finishing material is “hung”. As a rule, homeowners use porcelain stoneware or siding panels as such a finishing material. Between the layer of insulation and the layer of finishing material, a kind of air gap is formed, which contributes to high-quality ventilation of the facade.
The materials for creating ventilated facades are:
- façade cassettes;
- composite;
- porcelain stoneware;
- profiled flooring.
Insulation of the facade of a brick house (video)
Facing brick
Modern high-quality brick is not only an ideal material for capital construction, but is also widely used for finishing building facades. Stylish and bright facades based on facing bricks are characterized by beauty and durability.
Such facade finishing it is simple to install and reliable, and also has a high degree of resistance to moisture and mechanical impact. In many respects, facing bricks are superior to similar materials.
Currently, several types of facing bricks are produced, which differ not only in composition, but also in size and shape.
Hyperpressed facing brick
This type of brick is one of the leaders among materials for finishing brick buildings. A variety of shapes and a wide range of colors can satisfy the most demanding consumers.
Semi-dry bricks are used as raw materials in the manufacture of this type of brick. cement mixtures, as well as limestone and crushed stone rocks. When exposed to raw materials high pressure It turns out to produce a kind of “welding” of all the components.
As a result, it is formed finishing material, with high levels of strength and reliability. The smooth version of this brick has dimensions of 25 x 12 x 6.5 cm. Facing bricks with a stone texture may be slightly shorter. In addition, “American” bricks with dimensions of 25 x 6 x 6.5 cm are popular.
Ceramic facing brick
The technological process for creating bricks of this type is much more complicated and is characterized by large time and energy costs, including very precise compliance temperature conditions during the firing process. Ceramic brick has internal voids or through holes, which lighten the weight of the structure being performed and give the cladding additional heat-insulating qualities. The shapes and sizes of such voids vary.
The finishing of a brick facade can be varied: from plastering to facing with the appropriate type of brick. Its implementation is the final stage of all construction work, as well as external insulation work. Finishing provides the building with an attractive and aesthetic appearance.
Covering a brick house with siding (video)
Brick is reliable and durable. This material looks attractive and presentable. But brick walls have one significant drawback: thermal conductivity. Even relatively warm ceramic material conducts heat well and does not sufficiently protect the building from the cold. In our climate, it will be necessary to build walls 64-90 cm thick to ensure sufficient thermal resistance. A more rational option would be to make the external walls of the building from other materials with insulation and cladding. How to cover a house with facing bricks? It's not difficult if you know the technology and the nuances of the work.
The house, lined with brick, looks solid and presentable, it is protected from wind and other unpleasant weather phenomena. This finishing option is used for both lightweight concrete and wooden houses.
How to choose facing bricks for your home
Before you line your house with brick, you should carefully select the material. It is important to select cladding not only by cost, but also by technical specifications and properties.
Ceramic bricks are most often used in construction. This material has fairly good (compared to other types) thermal insulation properties. The disadvantage in this case will be high hygroscopicity. The technology involves the use of both ordinary ordinary material and special facial material.
Ceramic brick is simple, durable and easy to use
In the first case, it is strongly recommended to treat the outer surface after installation with a hydrophobic composition. Facing brick does not need such treatment. The composition for treatment is selected with sufficient vapor permeability. This is especially important when finishing a wooden house with brick. It is required that the impregnation does not form a film on the surface that prevents the permeability of the walls to air and steam. Which brick to choose for frost resistance? The brand must be no lower than F35 according to the standards, and no lower than F50 according to the recommendations of the builders.
Another popular option is silicate material. It is the cheapest, but is not durable. Facing a house with this type of brick conducts heat well and absorbs moisture. Most often, silicate is heavier than ceramic. This option is not recommended when finishing a timber house (we will also include here frame house and log).
Sand-lime brick less durable than ceramic, but for 20-30 years you won’t have to worry about the problem To decorate bricks with your own hands, you can use clinker material. It is specially designed for cladding a house, therefore it has low moisture permeability and high strength. Clinker finishing looks attractive, but this pleasure is not cheap: prices are on average 50-150% higher.
Undoubtedly, clinker bricks - best choice among all the options. You can choose almost any color and shade How to cover a wooden house with bricks
Brick and wood have too different characteristics, therefore, certain difficulties may arise during the work process. When facing a wooden house with bricks, it is imperative to provide for sufficient ventilation of the main part of the wall. Otherwise, the wood will begin to rot or become moldy.
Before covering the house with facing bricks, it is worth carefully examining the wall pie. Three-layer walls with brick cladding in this case will include:
- wooden supporting part;
- vapor barrier;
- insulation;
- waterproofing and wind protection;
- ventilation gap min. 50-60 mm;
- brick lining.
1 – ventilation layer; 2 – fastening the cladding to the wall; 3 – facing brick; 4 – additional insulation with windproof membrane; 5 – vapor barrier; 6 – finishing; 7 – thermal insulation; 9 – log wall It is important not to confuse vapor barrier and waterproofing. The latter must be permeable to steam so that it can easily escape from the insulation and brick into the ventilation gap. It is recommended to use modern vapor diffusion windproof membranes.
To ensure free movement of air, when clad with bricks on a wooden house, it is necessary to provide vents in the lower part and outlet openings in the upper part. It is recommended to use mineral wool as thermal insulation. It is characterized by low cost, ease of installation and good air permeability.
Before properly covering a wooden house with bricks, you must wait time for the walls to shrink. This process may take a couple of years, so the easiest way would be to old house.
Pros and cons
In construction it is very difficult to combine materials with different properties. In this case, nuances and negative aspects always appear. Finishing the facade with brick for a wooden building has three disadvantages:
- decreased ventilation, likelihood of moisture accumulation in the insulation;
- different shrinkage of parts of the wall, which does not allow rigid connection between the cladding and the main wall;
- the high mass of brick compared to wood (more than 3 times) forces the construction of more powerful and expensive foundations.
In general, we can say that it is better to decorate an old house with brick. For new construction, it is recommended to consider other more economical and efficient options.
But the technology has its advantages:
- improvement of thermal performance indicators (especially when using ceramics);
- reducing the level of fire danger;
- reliable and durable protection of wood from negative weather conditions.
Technology
Cladding the façade of a house with brick is done after treating the wood with an antiseptic. You should choose a special impregnation composition for outdoor use. It will protect the wall from mold, mildew and other dangerous microorganisms. Next, a vapor barrier is attached to the wall using a construction stapler. Installation is carried out with an overlap of at least 10 cm.
Vapor barrier located with inside walls, will prevent moisture vapor from entering the insulation Facing the facade with brick begins with the installation of the sheathing. The dimensions of the frame bars depend on the required thickness of the insulation. The thickness of the thermal insulation can be selected approximately based on the recommendations of neighbors or the Internet, but it is better to use a special calculation. Using the fairly simple Teremok program, even a non-professional can make thermal calculations. You only need to know the thickness wooden wall and its thermal conductivity, as well as the thermal conductivity of the selected insulation. The brick (and all layers after the ventilation gap) are not taken into account in the calculation.
The frame block is attached to the walls with screws or nails. Next, the house needs to be sheathed with insulation. Mineral wool is placed tightly between the sheathing. To do this, the distance between the bars should be 2-3 cm less than the width of the insulation.
Waterproofing and wind protection are fixed on top of the insulation. Fastening is carried out using a construction stapler. After such preparation, they proceed directly to lining the house with bricks.
The hydro-windproof membrane protects the insulation from wind and moisture, but does not prevent excess water vapor from escaping from the wall to the outside The thickness of a brick verst is usually 120 mm. This is not enough to ensure stability, so the wall must be connected to the main part of the external structure.
This can be done in two ways:
Fastenings are located in places where load-bearing frame The finishing installation technology is also relevant for frame buildings. The only difference is that the connections between the wall and the external materials are attached to the frame posts. In all cases, cladding must take into account the ventilation gap.
Reinforcement
To cover a building with brick, it is recommended to provide reinforcement for the finishing. To increase strength and rigidity, a wire mesh with a diameter of 3-4 mm and cells of 50x50 mm is used. The mesh is laid in the seams between the horizontal rows. The frequency depends on the brick:
- covering the building with a single brick (65 mm high) - every 5 rows;
- one and a half (88 mm high) - every 4 rows.
The dimensions of seams with and without reinforcement must be the same. To control, the mesh on one side is moved slightly beyond the masonry. This option increases reliability, but increases the cost and complexity of the work.
How to clad a house with lightweight concrete
In this case, a lined house can be built from aerated concrete, gas silicate, foam concrete, cinder blocks, and expanded clay concrete. A house made of facing bricks allows air to pass through worse than the listed materials. For this reason, just as in the previous case, it is necessary to provide a ventilation gap.
The installation method is very similar to wooden house. The only difference is that you can use rigid connections between the wall and the cladding. The minimum number of connections is 3 pcs. per 1 sq.m. Ties are not allowed to be placed in the seams of the main wall; they are nailed to the surface.
When constructing a building from fragile cinder blocks, it is recommended to build a frame that will take the load from the floors and other building structures. In this case, the walls will be self-supporting. Finishing the house with facing bricks is attached to the cinder block very carefully.
Your own brick-lined house is beautiful and reliable. But when carrying out work, you must follow certain recommendations.