Humanity has been searching for ideal materials and technologies for construction for as long as it has existed. And among them is brickwork, which occupies a special place in this area.
Despite the variety of building materials, masonry is in demand on many construction sites.
Thanks to the invention of artificial stone of the correct shape, builders received an almost unlimited opportunity to create structures of any size, embodying their architectural fantasies. Such versatility was made possible thanks to the physical properties of the material, the adjusted dimensions of the brick, and the variety of methods for constructing a brick wall.
Purpose and components of masonry: brick and mortar
Any brick structure can be built from rectangular blocks of given sizes, made by sintering special clay or other ingredients in special ovens. They are laid out in a certain order (as required by the design diagram of a building or other structure) and fastened together with building cement mortar.
The choice of brick, this extremely common mounting element in construction practice, is primarily due to its excellent functionality, ease of laying, as well as a large set of positive technological characteristics.
In particular, such obvious advantages include strength and durability, a high degree of fire resistance and resistance to aggressive chemicals, and excellent resistance to adverse weather conditions.
Depending on the purpose, installation and operation features of the structure, bricks are divided into the following main types:
- Adobe. It is made from clay soil with the addition of straw or other elements. Mainly used for the construction of walls and fences in regions with hot, dry climates. Currently not widely used.
- Ceramic. The main raw material is clay; various mineral additives are also used. Produced by exposing molded clay to high temperatures. The most popular type of brick used in the construction of most known structures.
- Silicate. Another popular type. Lime and silicate sand are used in its production. Basically, it is from this kind of brick that external (load-bearing) walls are laid. Hygroscopic, has high thermal conductivity.
- Clinker. Made from special clay and fired at a temperature of 1200°C. Acquiring special color shades and increased strength during firing, it can be used for the construction of not only houses, but also sidewalks.
- Hyper-pressed. Such a brick is obtained in a non-firing way, under the influence of high pressure, “welding” limestone with cement and water.
To make the wall correctly, quickly and as conveniently as possible, it is necessary to take into account several properties of the brick at once. For example, brickwork depends not only on the appearance of artificial stone, but also on its dimensions.
To date, the most popular in the construction industry is an ordinary single brick. It embodies the optimal dimensions - 250x120x65 mm. It is easy to grasp by hand and install on the wall being built. Another common "overall" type - a brick with sides of 250x120x88 mm - was called modular or one and a half (thickened). Using it in work, you can significantly save the solution and speed up the construction of the wall.
Mortar is used to fasten individual bricks into one solid whole. It is produced by mixing cement, sand and water in certain proportions.
At the same time, it must be borne in mind that correctly laying a brick structure means, among other things, correlating the type of stone with the properties of the cement mortar. The fact is that its plasticity depends on the proportion of cement in the mixture: the more cement, the less plastic the solution. Thus, a low-flow solution is difficult to level at the workplace. On the other hand, with an overly plastic mortar, it is difficult to properly lay a hollow brick, since the building mixture will easily flow into the technological cavities.
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In construction practice, masonry options are distinguished depending on their functional purpose and technological features, as well as on the width of the wall.
Functionally and technically, masonry is divided into the following types:
- Solid. Mostly this design has the form of a monolithic wall, the width of which is equal to half a brick. With this type of masonry, the stones are laid along the outer edge of the wall.
- Lightweight. This technology is widely used in the construction of small one- and two-story buildings. It consists of two parallel-built walls half a brick wide. This type of masonry is made using exclusively whole bricks. Thermal insulation is installed in the space between the brick walls. Every meter in a wall built with lightweight masonry, bonded rows are made along the height.
- Reinforced. It is used when installing structures that have to withstand heavy loads. Metal reinforcement is placed horizontally and vertically, embedded in the seams. For this reason, reinforcing seams must be made 4-5 mm larger than the thickness of the rod. In addition to reinforcing bars, to strengthen the wall, laying a metal mesh is used every 4-5 rows of brick.
- Decorative. Differs in the correct and therefore externally attractive geometry of seams. It is widely used in the cladding of residential buildings. When decorative masonry, silicate and ceramic facing bricks are often alternated, as well as other types of decorative stones. The decorative type involves many technological and visual options.
- With cladding. This is the name of masonry, in which the installation of the load-bearing wall is carried out in parallel with the facing of its outer side using decorative bricks. Both layers are tied up at the level of the butt rows.
The thickness of the masonry depends on the number of stones that are laid out inside the transverse boundaries of the wall. This parameter distinguishes the following types:
- laying in one brick - 250 mm (the length of a standard brick);
- half brick laying - 120 mm;
- masonry of one and a half bricks - 380 mm;
- masonry with two bricks - 510 mm;
- masonry of two and a half bricks - 640 mm.
The given dimensions take into account the length of a standard brick together with a seam, which should not be more than 10-12 mm in thickness.
Brickwork refers to methods of creating a wall using bricks. Brick is:
- An artificial stone made in the form of burnt clay bars and used for buildings.
- One piece of such stone.
- A solid material in the form of such a stone.
Thus, brickwork is a structure made of blocks of solid material of a certain size and shape laid in a certain order and fastened together with mortar.
The strength of the masonry depends on the properties of the brick or stone from which the masonry is made, the mortar and the quality of the masonry of stone structures. The compressive strength of, for example, brickwork, made even on a very strong mortar, with conventional construction methods is no more than 40...50% from the tensile strength of the brick.
This is explained mainly by the fact that the surfaces of the brick and the masonry joint are not perfectly flat and the density and thickness of the mortar layer in the horizontal joints is not the same everywhere. As a result, the pressure in the masonry unevenly distributed over the surface of the brick and causes in it, in addition to compressive stresses, stresses bending and cut. And since stone materials have weak resistance to bending, they collapse in the masonry before the compressive stresses in them reach their compressive strength. For example, a brick has 4...6 times less strength in bending than in compression.
The main positive qualities of stone structures based on brickwork are their
- high fire resistance,
- greater chemical resistance compared to other materials,
- resistance to weathering and, as a consequence,
- great durability.
These qualities are due to the fact that stone materials have a dense structure. At the same time, their high density increases the thermal conductivity of the masonry. Therefore, it is often necessary to make the outer brick walls of buildings much thicker than required for strength and stability.
The thermal properties of stone structures are also greatly influenced by quality masonry: walls with poorly filled mortar seams are easily blown out and freeze in winter.
The type of masonry is influenced by the desired indicators - both the appearance and the size of the brick. The brick has “smart” dimensions: 250 x 120 x 65 mm. It is convenient for the builder to take it with one hand. Two bricks are laid in length, widthwise, plus a centimeter for the seam. But the thickness of the brick may vary. And then the bricks get names:
- Single (thickness 65 mm),
- Thickened, or one and a half (88 mm).
- Ceramic stone, or double brick (as sellers often call it) - 250 x 120 x 138 mm.
One-and-a-half bricks and stones significantly save mortar consumption and construction time. And don't think that builders will charge you more money for lifting weights. They themselves feel better: throw a dozen stones - and the wall is ready! In addition, fewer stones are required, and their price does not increase. For example, a double facing brick is only half as expensive as a single brick, but is twice as large in size.
The thickness of the masonry is a multiple of the size of the brick and is usually measured by the number of bricks laid across the thickness of the wall. So
- 25 cm thick masonry is considered one brick masonry,
- 38 cm - one and a half, 51 cm - two,
- 64 cm - two and a half,
- 12 cm masonry is considered half-brick masonry.
The brick is laid on a layer of mortar, which is called the bed. The gaps between the bricks are filled with mortar and are called seams, the thickness of which should not exceed 12 mm. Joints can be filled with mortar completely up to the outer edge of the wall or not completely. Seams that are completely filled are given a convex or concave shape.
Used for fastening bricks together building mixture. Usually this is a solution prepared from a mixture of cement and sand (the sand must be carefully sifted). The greater the proportion of cement in the solution, the less plastic (mobile) it is. Compared to lime or mixed cement-lime and cement-clay mortars, cement mortar is less mobile. The use of highly plastic mortar when making masonry from hollow bricks is uneconomical, since the mortar flows into the voids present in the body of the brick. At the same time, the less mobile the solution, the more difficult it is to spread and level.
There are two types of bricks - solid (solid, without cavities) and hollow (with cavities). Accordingly, the more cavities in a brick, the worse it conducts heat. Therefore, when using hollow bricks, the walls can be made thinner, and the thermal insulation will not deteriorate as a result. Hollow brick has less mass, and as a result, less load on the foundation. This is his dignity. But there is also a difficulty: when laying such bricks, the holes can become clogged with mortar, and it will become “colder”. To avoid this, you need to take bricks with voids of a smaller diameter and a more viscous mortar.
As already mentioned, brick works quite well in compression and poorly in bending, so when erecting a structure made of brick, it is necessary to ensure that it works only in compression. This is achieved by following certain rules called cutting rules.
- 1st order planes (planes parallel to the foundation) must be horizontal and perpendicular to the action of the compression force and parallel to each other.
- planes of the 2nd and 3rd order must be perpendicular to the plane of the 1st order and also mutually perpendicular to each other.
- the load from each brick should be distributed over at least two underlying ones. Compliance with the 3rd cutting rule ensures the joint work of individual stones and eliminates the presence of bending forces in individual stones.
Brickwork patterns follow from these rules.
Brickwork is made according to a special scheme, which is called dressing. This scheme requires the top row of bricks to cover the seams (gaps) between the bricks of the bottom row. Bonding makes it possible to create durable masonry with proper load distribution throughout the wall, as well as to use brick sparingly.
The most important thing in masonry is to correctly lay the very first row of bricks - it must be strictly parallel to the ground. In order for it to be straight, it is laid with the help of a long right And la, flat rail or stretched cord. At the same time, the brick does not reach the guide 2-3 mm, so that the mortar does not press on it. And in order to ensure the horizontal laying, each brick is checked by a level. They also check the bricks in pairs with the neighboring one. Do the same with all subsequent bricks. This is especially important for face masonry.
There are three main types of dressing. Spoon bonding ensures optimal closure of the lower seams, the bricks overlap half the length. Unlike spoon tying, chain tying provides symmetrical closure of the lower seams for 1/4 of the length of the bricks. The cross ligation also covers the bricks by 1/4 of the length, however, it is asymmetrical.
If you have ever seen the work of a professional bricklayer, you may have noticed that he lays out the corners of the wall first of all and they are always higher than the middle part of the wall. This is done in order to immediately get beacons - benchmarks, which will make it possible to pull the cord - a mooring, indicating the line of masonry and the height of the masonry. So that the mooring does not sag, it is pulled tight enough, and bricks are periodically laid - lighthouses that support it.
The easiest way to draw rectangular corners is using the so-called. orders. The order is a flat corner, usually rolled metal. Marks are sometimes placed on it, according to the level of brick laying.
The first few bricks in height at the corners are laid using a level, and then the order is fixed on them. The order is secured with a pair of staples - clamps, as shown in the figure. A strictly vertical position is established using an exact level or plumb line. According to the marks in order, the cord is pulled on the mooring.
Bonded masonry is important not only along the length of the wall, but also when creating corners, wall connections, and columns. For this purpose, special brickwork schemes are also used:
Among the types of brickwork today, not only half-brick and brick masonry are distinguished, but also the “layered” version. The technology of this type of brickwork involves the implementation of two masonry layers - an internal thermal insulation one made of cheaper bricks and an external aesthetic one, which plays a decorative role. A “backfill” or air gap is left between the two types of brickwork to improve the thermal insulation properties of the wall. Thus, the Customer saves money.
So, brickwork has a number of features and nuances that are better known to experienced builders - but which, if desired, you can learn on your own.
Based on materials and more information from http://www.domostroy.kiev.ua/az-mat-kirp.htm and http://www.delaysam.ru/dachastroy/dachastroy61.html
When building a house, the chosen type of brickwork plays an important role. The strength, thermal conductivity, and durability of the walls directly depend on it.
In the article we will talk about what types of brickwork there are, where and when they can be used. Let's talk about methods of bandaging seams, types of façade finishing with brick, and also consider the main characteristics of each type of masonry.
Basic masonry rules
A brick has several planes, and, in accordance with GOST, each has its own name. This makes it easier to describe the work in various construction documents.
- Bed- the largest side in area, it can be upper or lower relative to the masonry. The bed belongs to the first order plane.
- Spoon– a longer vertical edge, according to the installation method, it is divided into outer (facade) and inner sides. Refers to a second order plane.
- Poking- a short end edge, usually facing the end of the next brick or outward. Refers to a third order plane.
Cutting rules
An experienced bricklayer knows that when building walls or partitions, it is necessary to strictly follow some basic rules, called cutting rules.
There are only three of them:
| Cutting rule | What is it for |
| The rows of bricks in the masonry (planes of the first order) must be horizontal and parallel to each other. | Since brick works well in compression and poorly in bending, only strict adherence to this rule will ensure the perpendicularity of the compressive force. Otherwise, individual stones subjected to a bending moment may become deformed. |
| The poke and spoon (second and third order planes) must be perpendicular to the bed (first row plane), as well as to each other. | If the geometry of the brick is violated, the thickness of the seam or the horizontal and vertical rows is not maintained, then it is difficult to strictly follow this rule. And this again is fraught with cracks in the wall. |
| The load from each stone must be taken by at least two underlying ones. | This is the only way to avoid the occurrence of bending forces in individual bricks. |
In other words, if the vertical and horizontal joints of the masonry have the same thickness and are located strictly parallel to each other, then the masonry technology is not violated. It is impossible to make perfect seams without following the cutting rules. All defects will be clearly visible on the front of the walls after the work is completed.
The bad thing is that if, after all, the mason did not adhere to the basic rules, and the seams turned out to be crooked and uneven, then it will be impossible to correct the defects without completely dismantling the masonry.
Important! Strict adherence to these three basic cutting rules when constructing a building with your own hands will ensure the strength and durability of the structure.
The thickness of the walls of the building is calculated based on the multiple of the width of the brick.
She may be:
- Half a brick (120 mm).
- In brick (250 mm).
- One and a half bricks (380 mm).
- In two bricks (510 mm).
- Two and a half bricks (640 mm).
The latest masonry thickness is not used for residential buildings, since it is impractical and requires large costs both physically and financially.
In the thickness of a wall of more than one brick, the width of the longitudinal joints between adjacent stones is taken into account, so the net size is taken to be slightly larger than just the sum of the dimensions of the bricks.
Types of bricks
Types of bricks can also be different:
- Solid ceramic - used for constructing critical structures subject to heavy loads (foundation or load-bearing walls). Since the mass of such a building is quite large, it requires the construction of a solid foundation.
- Hollow ceramic - has less weight and higher heat conservation rates. It is mainly used for constructing load-bearing walls of a building.
- Solid and hollow silicate - used for load-bearing walls and internal partitions, has excellent sound insulation.
Important! The brick can have different dimensions in height and width, but the length of the bed remains the same for all types (250 mm). This is necessary in order to use different bricks at the same time in construction. For example, combine red and white to decorate a facade without the need to adjust each stone.
This method is used mainly when cladding a house. Although, if a brick with a facade side is used during construction, then additional cladding is not required.
Methods for constructing brick walls
The brick wall of a building must fully possess the basic positive technical and operational qualities:
- Durability.
- Low thermal conductivity.
- Soundproofing.
- Resilience.
- Economical.
Types of bricklaying include methods of laying it, reinforcement, and decoration.
For the construction of walls of a residential building, depending on its type and operational features, mainly two types are used:
- Lightweight masonry.
Let's look at each one separately.
Solid masonry walls
It is a single monolith without voids inside. The bricks are placed tightly together throughout the entire thickness of the wall. This type of device is good for basement walls, basements, and load-bearing structures of a multi-story building.
The masonry (as can be seen in the figure) consists of an internal and external verst and a backfill, for which either whole or half brick can be used, but within reasonable limits. The number of stacked halves should not exceed 10% of the total mass of bricks.
Of all the positive qualities of this masonry, one can absolutely note strength and stability.
In other respects, solid masonry is significantly inferior to lightweight masonry:
- Thermal conductivity is higher; the walls will have to be additionally insulated both inside and outside.
- The same goes for soundproofing.
- The consumption of materials will be 30 percent more.
- Accordingly, the price of the entire construction will increase.
- When the outside temperature in winter is -30 degrees, the wall thickness will have to be at least 640 mm.
The thermal insulation properties of solid masonry can be increased by using a ventilated air gap of 50 mm between it and the facing layer of brick.
- On the right, brick connections are shown when the facing stone laid end-to-end enters the body of the main wall and is clamped by adjacent bricks. The video in this article shows an example of the method of continuous brick laying.
- In the figure on the left, metal ties are used to connect the outer cladding to the main wall, which are installed in the mortar joints as the masonry is erected. Here it is important to keep the horizon of the seams of the wall and cladding at the same level.
- Although, flexible connections are now being produced from composite reinforcement, which are not inferior in strength to metal, but can bend. If there is still a slight difference between the seams, then you can use just such flexible connections.
- The gap can be left empty or insulation can be laid, for example, a layer of mineral slabs, jute mats, or any other slab or roll insulation with a thickness of 30–50 mm.
In addition, ties can be used to firmly fix the insulation to prevent it from shifting.
Important! Thanks to the gap with the insulation placed in it, the wall thickness can be reduced to 510 mm without losing the main positive qualities.
Lightweight masonry
Currently, whenever possible, experts try to use a lightweight type of bricklaying in order to minimize the load on the foundation and significantly reduce the cost of construction itself.
The essence of the masonry structure is that the backfill in it is not made with full-fledged bricks, but with alternative thermal insulation materials. Such masonry, unlike solid masonry, with a wall thickness of 42 cm, can easily withstand frost of -30 degrees. Remember that for solid masonry this figure was 64 cm?
This masonry is also called well masonry, since the voids in it have the appearance of a well, surrounded by so-called stiffening ribs - half-brick lintels installed every meter and connecting the outer and inner versts, located at a distance of 14–34 mm from each other.
Types of lightweight brickwork differ in the way they fill voids in the walls, for backfilling of which the following heat-insulating materials are used:
- Backfill – dry sand, fine slag, basalt wool, expanded clay, moss, cones, etc.
To reduce settlement, dry aggregates (for example, slag) are recommended to be poured with liquid cement-sand mortar every 50 cm in height and compacted.
- You can also use slab insulation, which is installed in wells in several layers with a mandatory overlap of at least 100 mm at the joints.
- In this case, the masonry stiffeners are installed at a distance equal to the width of the insulation.
- Warm concrete - a mixture of cement (1 part), sand (6 parts) and any filler that has thermal insulating properties (sawdust, shavings, slag, expanded clay and others) (12 parts) is mixed with water until the consistency of a regular solution.
- The resulting mass is placed in a well and compacted. The installation instructions require filling the voids in layers with a thickness of no more than 15 cm with careful compaction of each standing.
- The recommended height for raising the walls before laying the mixture is 1–1.2 m. Otherwise, a large amount of laid concrete may squeeze out the brick during compaction.
- For the same reason, you cannot fill the next part of the wall before the previous layer has set.
The photo above shows a cement mixture with the addition of sawdust, which serves as an excellent insulating layer for lightweight masonry.
Facing and decorating the facade with brick
To decorate the facade, the modern market offers many special types of decorative stone. Facing bricks with improved characteristics are able to withstand negative atmospheric conditions and mechanical loads for a long time.
- Facade– having one side imitating the texture of natural stone.
- Clinker– painted in various colors and shades, also imitating the textures of different building materials.
- Shaped– having the shape of various configurations and allowing you to create three-dimensional compositions on the facade.
The use of special decorative bricks in the construction of a house makes it possible to avoid the need for additional finishing. Strengthened and improved facing brickwork will not only decorate the building, but will also reliably protect the walls from rain, snow, seasonal changes, etc.
By the way, if the outside of the house is finished with brick, then you need to know that not all the walls will look most advantageous and impressive, but rather some parts of the facade, highlighted with contrasting decor. The photo below shows which elements are recommended to be decorated with facing bricks to achieve maximum results.
Now let's talk about how to choose the best type of brickwork.
Laying bricks with bandaging seams
In order to turn a brick wall into a single monolithic structure and prevent individual stones from shifting or falling out under the influence of load, ligation of seams is used. Its essence lies in the fact that the brick of the next row overlaps the seam of the underlying one by at least a quarter of its length.
There are many ways to beautifully and securely tie masonry seams, but not all of them are used. Some due to complexity, others due to design features.
Basically, especially spectacular ones are used in the process of cladding a building with bricks of contrasting colors in order to highlight the beauty of the design and give the facade an aesthetic and original look.
In the construction of main walls, the most common are only three types of masonry:
- Chain (single-row) - obtained by alternating spoon and butt rows.
- Three-row – one splice row is laid through three spoon rows.
- Multi-row - from 4 to 7 spoons are placed on one splice row.
Chain masonry is considered the simplest and most durable, but three- and multi-level dressings look more interesting and neat.
Any type of dressing of brickwork always starts with a tying row, a spoon is placed in the second row, and then follows the pattern.
Conclusion
We talked about various methods of building brick walls, bandaging seams, and decorating a house. If you have not yet decided which brick laying you prefer, video lessons on any construction site will help you make a choice.
Brick has been around for many centuries. Houses were built from it in different countries and even parts of the world, coming up with many different methods and types of brickwork. And although there are many secrets and features in the technology itself, you can figure it all out. First, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic provisions and terminology, without which it will be impossible to understand what we are talking about. Then, choose a masonry technique and type of dressing, and then begin the practical development of skills. Do-it-yourself brickwork can be done at least as well as that of professionals. The only thing in which an amateur will definitely be inferior is speed. All other parameters, subject to technology, will certainly be no worse.
Basic terms
Let's start with general concepts. Everyone knows exactly what a brick looks like, and that it is ceramic and silicate, too. But not many are aware of how the edges of this material are correctly called. And in the description of masonry technology, they are very common.
The largest edge is called pastel", middle - side - " spoons", and the smallest - " poke«.
The dimensions of the brick are, in principle, standardized (250 * 125 * 66 mm - single and 250 * 125 * 88 mm - one and a half), but the technology of its production is such that they can differ significantly from different manufacturers: by 2-3 mm in each edges, and this is quite a significant difference, considering the number of pieces in one row. Therefore, before ordering a batch, it is advisable to measure samples from several firings in order to determine how accurately the technology is maintained.
It is also important to pay attention to the geometry: the edges must be positioned strictly at 90°. Otherwise, bursting loads will occur and the wall may crumble.
Types of masonry
Brick walls can play a different role. In some cases it is only finishing, in some it is partitions, and sometimes it is load-bearing walls. Based on the purpose, as well as the required thermal conductivity of the walls, the type of brickwork is selected:
- Half a brick. Most often, this is how cladding is done. The thickness of such a wall is 125 mm. To save money, you can put the material on a spoon, then you will get a wall the size of a quarter of a brick. When installing these (in 1/2 or 1/4), a reinforcing mesh is laid in every 4-5 rows. It is necessary to increase the rigidity of the wall and create additional connections that increase the strength of the masonry.
- Into the brick. It can already be partitions or two load-bearing walls of small buildings. Wall thickness - 250 mm.
- One and a half, two and two and a half bricks are already load-bearing walls.
Dressing and row names
Although a brick wall is made up of many small elements, it should work as a monolith. To provide increased strength, the seams, which are the weak point in this system, are made offset. Experts call this technique "dressing". It seems to connect different elements into a single whole, allowing the load to be redistributed over large surfaces.
To ensure the necessary displacement of the seams, the bricks are arranged in different ways:
- if they are turned to the front side by the smallest part - a poke, such a row is called tychkovy;
- if turned with the long side - spoon - a row is called spoon.
Moreover, the first one in the masonry - on the foundation - is the bonded one, which is also used to finish the masonry. And for him it is necessary to use solid bricks.
Single row dressing
Alternate alternation of such rows gives a very good result. This type of ligation is called single-row or chain ligation. It is practiced on walls that are not planned to be finished: it looks neat. Using this system, both external and load-bearing walls can be built.
Wall masonry schemes
Examples of a single-row brick wall of 1.5 and 2 bricks are shown in the photo below.
Single-row dressing in the wall from 1.5 and 2 kripich
In the case of laying a wall with two bricks, two more terms appear. The two outer rows of spoons are called versts - outer mile directed towards the street inner mile- into the room. For them, they use smooth, good material, especially carefully selecting those that are directed outward. The space between them is called zabutka. Since this element is closed on all sides, you can use lower-grade material, for example, used.
Please note that this type of masonry also requires sawn bricks: half and three-quarter. The three-quarters in the diagram are crossed out crosswise, the halves are crossed out with one diagonal stripe. How to connect partitions to walls made using this technique is shown in the photo below.
Corner schemes
Laying the corner in this case is very important. According to the method, the corners are first driven out, a cord is pulled between them, and then the wall is laid according to the diagram. But the corners are placed first; how evenly and correctly they are set determines how level the entire building will be. The scheme for laying a corner of 1 brick with a single-row dressing is located as follows. The laying begins with the installation of two 3/4 pieces, followed by whole ones.
See the video for the sequence of actions. Very detailed explanation with step-by-step demonstration of the procedure.
The same system, but in a wall of 1.5 bricks. In addition to whole pieces, 3/4 pieces and quarters are required. The spoon row alternates between the inner and outer miles.
See the video to see how this scheme is put into practice.
When laying a corner of 2 bricks in the first row, the same two three-quarter pieces are required, as well as another 6 quarters or, as they say, checks. In the second, one 3/4 and two checks are already required.
Multi-row dressing
With multi-row dressing, several spoon rows - 6 (for a single brick) or 5 (for a one-and-a-half brick) - are interspersed with one bonded one. The first and last ones are also placed with pokes. This method is also suitable for laying external and internal walls. Only they are usually planned for insulation or finishing.
Wall masonry schemes
To prevent such a system from creating free-standing columns, the spoon rows inside are also tied up. To ensure displacement of the seams, crushed bricks are used.
Do-it-yourself brickwork: multi-row ligation scheme of 2 and 2.5 bricks
The joining of walls with this method also occurs with bandaging. This ensures increased strength of the junction of the walls. The diagrams are in the photo below.
Schemes for laying corners
And again about how to place corners, but with multi-row dressing. If the wall is one brick, the even and odd rows (except the first) are the same.
You will see all this in the video.
If the wall is 1.5 bricks long, in the first and second rows with bonded bricks, but located either in the outer or in the inner verst. The third and fourth rows are exclusively placed on spoons.
The fifth row is placed similarly to the third, the sixth - to the fourth. Then the system is repeated. At times, not a multi-row system (with 5 spoon poisons) is required, but a three-row system. Then from the fifth row the clacking is repeated.
Mortar for brickwork
The brick is laid on a cement-sand mortar. Cement is used not lower than M400, sand is clean, gully. The proportions for the specified brand are 1:4 (for M500 - 1:5). Mixing is done manually or using a concrete mixer, but the order does not change.
First, the sand is sifted, a binder is added to it, everything is mixed in a dry state until a uniform color is achieved. Then add water. Its quantity is 0.4-0.6 parts, but it is determined by the plasticity of the solution. It is more convenient to work with plastic mortar than with rigid mortar, but when laying hollow bricks, in this case the consumption of mortar greatly increases: it fills the voids. In this case, it is more practical to make a rigid solution.
To improve plasticity and more convenient work, add lime, clay or liquid detergent to the composition (you can use hand soap, available in large flasks). The amount of additives is quite small - no more than 0.1 part, but the characteristics of the solution improve significantly: it is easier to install, it does not delaminate longer.
It’s worth warning right away: do not mix large volumes at once. The mixture must be used within two hours. And in the last half hour it can be difficult to work with it: water may begin to separate, or it may begin to set. It depends on weather conditions and the quality of cement, on the thoroughness of the batch. If laying bricks with your own hands is your first experience in this area, it will be slow. Therefore, it is better to make small portions of the solution.
Approximate consumption of solution
Often, beginners who plan to lay bricks themselves have a question: at what temperature can they work. Without special additives you can work at positive temperatures. In the best case – not lower than +7°C. This is the threshold at which cement sets normally. At lower temperatures, the hardening process practically stops; as a result, the solution may crumble and the strength of the wall will be low. To lower the bar, there are special antifreeze additives, but the cost of such a solution is already high: the price of these additives is considerable.
Before use, the solution is stirred, since heavy particles can sink down and water can rise to the top. The mixed solution is placed in buckets and transported to the masonry site, where it is distributed. Immediately lay a strip of mortar - a bed - for one row. For a bond row the bed width is 200-220 mm, for a spoon row - 80-100 mm. If the seam is filled completely, about 10-15 mm are removed from the edge, the height of the mortar is 20-25 mm, which, when laying, provides a seam of 10-12 mm. Before installing the brick, the mortar is leveled with a trowel.
There are three techniques for bricklaying. On hard, low-plasticity mortar, the “squeeze” technique is used. In this case, the seams are completely filled. If the solution is plastic, use the “butt” technique.
Back-to-back bricklaying technique
As already mentioned, this method of laying bricks is used with plastic mortar. It should be mobile, easy to apply and move. This is achieved by adding additives. You can spread the solution over the entire surface of the wall at once: additives allow you to extend the time before setting begins.
The bed is laid with a thickness of about 20 mm, with a gap of about 15-20 mm left from the edge. This indentation allows you to avoid squeezing out the mortar onto the front surface, but at the same time the edges of the seams often remain unfilled. This significantly reduces the strength of the wall, therefore, in regions with seismic activity, laying milestone courses (external and internal) using this method is prohibited.
When laying a spoon row, take a brick, holding it with a slight slope. Approaching what has already been laid, at a distance of 8-10 cm they begin to rake up the solution with the edge (poke). When joining, it turns out that the seam is already partially filled. The brick is pressed down a little (settled), pressing it to the bed. The excess is removed with a trowel and sent either to a bucket or to the wall.
Technique for laying bricks “back to back”
With this technique, it often turns out that the vertical seams are only partially filled. That’s why this method is also called “wasteland”. They are filled in when laying the bed for the next row. If the technique is not yet well developed, it is better to fill the seams before laying the next row: voids reduce the strength and thermal insulation characteristics.
When laying a bonded row, everything is exactly the same, only the mortar is raked with a spoon edge. The backsplash is laid, like the bonded rows, and then pressed with the palm of your hand. It is necessary to ensure that all the stones are at the same level. This is done using a building level, and the verticality of the wall is checked with a plumb line every 3-4 rows.
"Press" technique
When working with hollow bricks, hard mortars are usually used. In this case, bricks are laid using the “squeeze” technique. In this case, you also have to work with a trowel.
The bed is laid at a distance of 10 mm from the edge, the thickness is still about 20 mm. Since such a composition does not stretch well, it is raked to the edge of the laid brick with the edge of the tool. With your left hand, take the brick and press it against the trowel, while simultaneously pulling it up. At the same time, they continue to press with bricks, achieving the required seam thickness (10-12 mm).
“Butt-to-end” technique
Excess mortar is picked up with a trowel. Having laid several fragments, take a level, checking the horizontality of the row, tapping the trowel handle to straighten the position. The solution that has been squeezed out is picked up. The result is a dense masonry, but the process takes longer: more movements are required.
Butt-together with trimming
The average method in terms of productivity is butt jointing with cutting of seams. With this method, the bed is laid out close to the edge (10 mm), as when laying pressed, and the laying technique is flush: the mortar was raked with brick, placed, pressed down, and the excess was removed. If the wall is not subsequently planned to be finished with anything, after several rows it is necessary to take a jointer - a special tool and give the seams the required shape (convex, concave, flat).
As you can see, this is a kind of symbiosis. To make it more convenient to work, the solution is also made with “intermediate” plasticity. If it is too liquid, it will flow down the wall, leaving streaks, so it needs to be kneaded a little more tightly than when laying end-to-end.
DIY brickwork: tools, order and features
Now that you have an idea of how to lay bricks with your own hands, you need to talk about the procedure as well as some technical nuances.
Let's start with the tool. You will need:
- mason's trowels - apply and level the mortar onto the bricks;
- concrete mixer or container for mixing mortar;
- mortar shovel - for kneading and periodic mixing;
- two or three buckets for the solution;
- plumb line - check the verticality of walls and corners,
- building level - to check the horizontality of the row of masonry;
- cord-mooring - for beating rows;
- jointing (for molding seams);
- hammer-pick for breaking incomplete bricks (halves, 3/4 and checks - 1/4);
- The rule is a flat metal or wooden strip to check the plane of the wall.
Next we will talk about the features of the technology. First: it is advisable to soak the brick before use. This is especially true in hot, dry weather. Then it will “pull” less moisture from the solution. If there is not enough moisture, the cement will not be able to gain the required strength, which will affect the strength of the building.
Second: the corners are driven out first. First the first two. They are connected with 2-3 rows of bricks according to the chosen masonry pattern. Then the third corner is kicked out. The second and third are also connected in several full rows. Afterwards the fourth corner is placed and the perimeter is closed. This is how walls should be erected, bypassing them around the perimeter, and the walls will not be kicked out one by one. This is one of the most common mistakes.
Third: there are two row control technologies. The first is that nails are inserted into the seams of the corners, to which strings are tied. It must be stretched so that it marks the upper edge of the brick, and also limits the outer (and, if necessary, inner) surface of the wall.
The second way is to use wooden or metal orders. This is a flat bar or corner, on which marks are applied every 77 mm - risks on wood or cuts on metal. They mark the required row thickness: brick height + seam. They are installed using flat mounting brackets that are inserted into the seam. If necessary, they are then simply removed and rearranged higher.
There is another way - a mason's corner. It has a slot on one side into which the mooring is inserted. “Sits” on the corner on the solution.
The disadvantage of this method is the same as just a nail in the seam: the height of the row must be controlled "manually" when deriving corners. If you lack experience (and where can you get it if you are doing bricklaying with your own hands for the first time), this is difficult. Having (having done it yourself) everything is easier.
Fourth: preparation of incomplete bricks. As you have seen, when laying, they use halves, three-quarter bricks and checks - 1/4 parts. To ensure that the work does not slow down, it is necessary to prepare them before starting masonry. This is done using a hammer-pick. When preparing, high precision in size is required, otherwise the dressing will go wrong. To make it easier to control the length, marks of the appropriate length are made on the handle. By placing the pen on the brick, marks are made on both sides of the spoon. Then, placing a pickaxe blade on the mark, they hit the reverse side with a hammer, making notches. Having made notches on both spoons, they break the brick with a strong blow of the pick.
Mastering any business begins with understanding what and how to do. You can't do without minimal knowledge. Do-it-yourself brickwork is not a complicated process. With a sufficient understanding of the technology, a beginner will be inferior to a professional only in speed and quality. Over time, as your skill increases, you will get better.
The first brick laying will not look photogenic and presentable, but you can try and carry out all the work accurately, proportionately, understanding the principles, techniques and types of dressing. This will take longer than a professional mason. But you will gain invaluable experience and save money.
Lay it out correctly
Schematically, a brick consists of a bed, a spoon and a poke. This is the name given to its surfaces involved in the masonry and bandaging technique. Difficulties in the absence of experience in this type of work are quite natural.
There are 2 relevant cases that raise the following questions:
- How to keep a straight line, one level, lay it flat without distortions?
- How to get verticality and straightness of corners?
To do everything right, we adhere to the following conditions:
- We lay the first row as evenly as possible. We use a long profile, strip, cord or laser level.
- When extruding, the mortar should not knock down the guide (do not lay the bricks close to it, make a small indentation of up to 5 mm).
- Use a level to check horizontality.
- We monitor the evenness of the position of adjacent bricks in all planes.
Tool, type of masonry
For construction work you will need the following equipment:
- Container for mixing mortar or dry mixture;
- Pickaxe - a hammer for giving bricks the required shape;
- Angle grinder (grinder);
- Rowing (deriving the correct angles);
- Trowel (trowel);
- Protective glasses;
- Level;
- Roulette;
- Plumb.
The structures being built perform different roles and have different thermal conductivities. Based on this, masonry is usually classified into the following types:
In 1⁄2 and 1⁄4 bricks. Basically this is cladding. We lay a reinforcing mesh on every fifth row to ensure rigidity and strength due to additional ligaments. The thickness of the structure is 125 mm.
1 brick (construction of partitions, load-bearing walls). For small buildings.
In 1.5, 2, 2.5 bricks. Directly for walls bearing increased load.
Preparing the solution
To prepare the building mixture, we use cement grade M400-M500 (not lower) and ravine sifted clean sand. We respect the proportions.
We remember that the higher the cement content, the less plastic it is. Or we buy a ready-made mixture with consistent proportions, to which you just need to add water. We mix the solution in a concrete mixer or in a suitable container manually.
During the process of laying and leveling, it is more convenient to work with a more plastic mixture. The mobility of the solution depends on the amount of water and plasticizers used. Most often, lime, clay, and household detergents are added to achieve the required characteristics.
It is inconvenient to work with rigid mortar - it does not fit well and delaminates.
On the other hand, it is uneconomical to use a mixture that is too plastic when using hollow bricks. It will fill the voids, the material consumption will be much higher.
You can learn to prepare a good solution over time.
When masonry is done for the first time, it is better not to mix in large volumes. The solution begins to set and the water separates. These processes are influenced by both the thoroughness of mixture preparation and weather conditions.
When we use a solution without frost-resistant additives, we carry out all work at above-zero temperatures.
Technological features
To ensure the strength of the structure, the brick is pre-soaked. It is important to correctly distribute the solution over the surface and achieve its optimal thickness. The applied layer is up to 20 mm, covering the entire bed of the structure.
Brick laying, depending on the plasticity of the mortar, is carried out:
- Back to back. A moving mixture is used with partial filling of the joints
- Press it in. A rigid mortar is used with full filling and jointing.
Joint jointing is not carried out when plastering of the surface or subsequent finishing laying of facing bricks is planned.
Material consumption
Many sites provide a construction calculator that is convenient in many respects, allowing you to calculate the necessary costs of bricks, cinder blocks, mixtures, additives, etc.
Thus, bricklaying is a process that requires skills, understanding of technology and operating principles. With a minimum level of knowledge, you can achieve modest success and spend a lot of time.
As skill increases, the walls being built will grow faster, look more aesthetically pleasing and will be in no way inferior in quality to structures built by professional masons.
Photo of the brick laying process
