How to brick the entrance to a house. Methods for facing a house with facing bricks
A brick house built by professionals does not require any special finishing. After all, the brick itself looks great against the background suburban area, but on the condition that it was put “under the roof”. As practice shows, they still try to decorate such houses somehow, using various materials. Therefore, in this article we will look at what materials and methods are used to decorate the outside of a brick house, and we will talk about the nuances of finishing operations.
Types of finishing of the facade of a brick house
The huge variety of finishing materials offered makes it possible to choose the one that meets the requirements of the home owner. Among the finishing methods, there are traditional options, for example, plaster followed by painting, facing bricks, lining, etc. There are completely new technologies that use the latest wall materials, which have recently appeared on the market. For example, thermal panels.
Let's look at each material separately and briefly talk about the methods of its application or installation.
Plaster
This is the most traditional option for finishing a brick house. Until recently, cement or lime based plaster was used for this purpose. The compositions were prepared directly on construction site, mixing the components with the addition of water. Today this is not done, because the production of so-called dry mixtures has been established, where the ingredients of the composition are combined in precise proportions, which corresponds high quality material.
Dry mixtures are simply diluted with water in the required ratios, which are indicated on the packaging of the plastering material. Therefore, it will not be possible to spoil the plaster with incorrect actions.
It should be noted that manufacturers today offer several types of plaster compositions, one of them is facade. This is what is used for finishing houses built from bricks or blocks. It confirms its name by the fact that it has special qualities:
high moisture and frost resistance;
not bad strength characteristics;
good vapor permeability, which allows the walls brick house "breathe"».
Manufacturers today offer several varieties facade plaster, which differ from each other in the ingredients included in the mixture.
Acrylic plaster. This is a cement-sand mixture to which acrylic (polymer) is added. It has excellent diffusion ability and high plasticity, which simplifies its application to walls, but this variety has a short service life, of course, in comparison with other types.
Limestone, she's the same mineral. Essentially, it is a mixture of three components: cement, sand and lime. Today it is cheapest plaster On the market.
Silicate variety. It received its name only because the solution contains liquid glass as a binding component. But the base is still the same lime.
Silicone. This is the most expensive plaster composition, but it works out its price one hundred percent. That is, the layer applied to brick walls withstands natural loads and mechanical stress well, it is a moisture-resistant material, so it can be washed to remove dust and dirt. Typically, walls plastered with silicone material are washed with water pressure. Added to the advantages is a huge variety of colors, which makes it possible not to use finishing painting.
Method of applying plaster
Actually it's not an easy process. It consists of several operations that require the presence professional approach. Here is the sequence of their implementation:
carry out primer or dampener brick wall;
install lighthouses, according to which it will be necessary level the wall surface;
apply putty in several layers, the number of which is determined plane differences brick wall;
after drying lighthouses are being dismantled, and their installation location is filled plaster mortar;
polished the surface finally using liquid solution plaster.
Facing brick
Decorating the house with bricks on the outside, meaning facing, is another traditional way change the appearance of the building facade. This material is presented in a fairly wide range on the market. But at the core they are bricks with very precise dimensions, especially on the front side, and smooth surface faces. At the same time, the facing brick on its planes does not have defects: cavities, pores, cracks and others.
Today, manufacturers offer facing bricks with cut or rounded edges, with patterns on the front surface, with cracks that imitate the antiquity of the material, and other types. As for the sizes, several options are offered here, where standard brick is still very popular.
Recommendation for choice. If you choose to finish a brick house non-standard sizes facing brick, then you need to understand that it will not coincide with the band of bricks used in the construction of the building. Therefore, during the cladding process it will be necessary to increase the thickness of the masonry seam.
As for the cladding method, first of all it is necessary to indicate that the foundation of the house will have to be increased in width, at least by the size of the thickness of the facing brick. And this must be taken care of at the stage of designing a house. That is, it turns out that facing a brick house with facing bricks is the cost of building a foundation. And, as practice shows, these costs are quite impressive.
If the task is to brick a house that is already in use, then you will have to use other more modern options for forming a base for brick cladding. One of them is the installation of brackets or planks that are attached to the wall of the building. Fasteners are usually made of durable plastic or galvanized steel.
On our website you can find contacts of construction companies that offer and also provide all basic and related services related to organizing life outside the city. You can communicate directly with representatives by visiting the “Low-Rise Country” exhibition of houses.
Stone
Natural stone is a material that can be called best options cladding of brick houses. And not only brick ones. It not only has a beautiful structure and unsurpassed appearance. This material is fire-resistant, with high strength characteristics. Easily withstands even significant shock loads.
It copes well with all natural loads. Moisture resistance – 100%. Durability is determined by centuries. Houses lined natural stone, claim to high degree aristocracy and elegance.
True, it is necessary to indicate that stone cladding- one of the most expensive. The process of finishing walls with stone requires professionalism; construction operations are very labor-intensive. In addition, a strong foundation needs to be poured under the stone. Other fastening methods are not acceptable. And one more thing - some types of stone emit radioactive waves. So you need to be careful when choosing this or that breed.
On the market, stone cladding is represented by tiles of different sizes, so-called torn stone or “crust”, chipped tiles.
Today, artificial stone, which is made on the basis of cement mixture. According to its characteristics, it is not inferior to natural stone, and appearance his is no less effective. But it costs several times less. The cladding technology is exactly the same. The requirements for the foundation are the same.
Lining
This material also applies to the old ways finishing. Brick houses are usually not covered with it. It is a rarity. But sometimes this method is used if the walls of the house are difficult to repair and bring them to the required level. normal condition. And although today there are other similar materials on the market with higher performance characteristics, lining occupies its niche.
Tile material
There are several types of tile materials that are used for finishing houses built of brick.
Facade tiles
It's clinker. It is made using the same technology as brick. That is, clay is molded and fired. But clinker tiles are a thin material intended specifically for cladding.
The advantages include:
high frost resistance;
not bad strength characteristics;
variety of colors;
material does not fade under negative action sun rays ;
moisture resistance high.
As for the disadvantages, the main one is the high price. You can add the fact that clinker tiles are afraid of impacts, under the influence of which they become unusable. But even with such nuances, this type of finish is very popular.
Ceramic tile
Today, many manufacturers offer ceramic tiles that fall into the “facade” category. This is a modern approach to solving the problem of finishing brick buildings. The advantages of this material include:
huge variety of design;
the material has small specific gravity , so that the loads from it on the walls of the house are insignificant;
If you carry out the installation correctly, you can guarantee reinforcement of walls;
material lasting, moisture resistant, fireproof, eco-friendly;
decorative application doesn't change their external qualities under the influence sun rays;
ceramics easily tolerates sudden changes humidity and temperature;
smooth low porosity structure the front side of the tiles creates conditions under which no dust, no dirt don't settle on the finished surface;
easy to clean by using ordinary water;
ceramic tile easily tolerated negative chemical and bacteriological impact.
The only negative is the complex technology of wall cladding, which requires the experience and qualifications of the work manufacturer.
Video description
The video shows everything about facade ceramic tiles:
On our website you can get acquainted with the most popular projects - from construction companies presented at the exhibition of houses "Low-Rise Country".
Porcelain tiles
Essentially, these are the same ceramic tiles only with higher strength characteristics. The thing is that porcelain stoneware is molded under high pressure. This material has increased density and, accordingly, greater weight.
It has the same advantages as ceramic tiles, but is almost twice as expensive. Today, porcelain stoneware is used not only for cladding the walls of brick houses using “wet” technology. That is, using adhesive compounds. But they install it using ventilated facade technology, for which they use special fasteners.
Video description
The video shows how the cladding is carried out brick walls using porcelain stoneware using ventilated facade technology:
Siding
This finishing material, appearing on Russian market, immediately gained particular popularity. Firstly, great variety decorative design. Secondly, installation using ventilated facade technology, which makes it possible to thermally insulate brick walls and cover them without “wet” processes. Thirdly, siding can always be dismantled and moved to any other surface.
Today, manufacturers offer several varieties of this facing material, which differ from each other in raw materials.
Metal siding
These are products made of galvanized steel sheet with a thickness of 0.4-1.0 mm, coated with paint or a polymer composition. Today on the market you can buy material stylized as wood, stone, brick, sand and other building materials. Siding is formed in the form of panels with a small width and the creation mounting strips, through which installation is carried out on the sheathing.
Like any metal material, siding can withstand natural loads well, but with one condition - the protective layers (paint and polymer) must not be damaged. This finish will last at least 25 years. Some models are guaranteed to last up to 50 years.
Vinyl
This is a polymer version of the previous material, so it is very cheap in comparison. Vinyl siding on the market is represented by a huge variety of panels with different decorative designs, plus a wide range model line in terms of size.
But it should be noted that there are products on the market made from recycled materials with low performance characteristics. Therefore, it is important to require a quality certificate from sellers.
Modern vinyl siding is 100% environmentally friendly; it has excellent resistance to sunlight, under the influence of which the vinyl cladding does not lose its original color. This is a long service life.
Ceramic
Like any other ceramic products, siding is made from clay, which is molded and fired at high temperatures. The result is a building material that meets all the parameters of ceramic products. Its properties are not inferior to ceramic tiles, so this type of siding differs from others in that any pattern, any relief can be formed on its surface. For example, the photo below shows ceramic panels that imitate brick and stonework.
Fiber cement
These are panels in the form of boards made of cement mortar with the addition of fiber (polymer-type fibers), which in the mass of the product acts as a reinforcing frame. Hence the high strength of the material. It should be noted that the technical characteristics of this material are almost exactly the same as those of artificial stone. Simply fiber cement siding is panels of small thickness, stylized to resemble different building materials.
Rules for finishing walls with siding
It is necessary to indicate that all types of siding are mounted on the sheathing, forming a ventilated facade. But they all have their own fastening technology. Therefore, each type of installation must be approached from a position of knowledge and experience in carrying out the work.
Video description
For example, the video shows how to properly install vinyl siding on the wall of a house:
Thermal panels
This is a completely new finishing material that is used for covering brick walls. These panels consist of finishing material and insulation, which are connected to each other with an adhesive composition. A prominent representative of this category is panels consisting of polystyrene foam boards on which clinker tiles are glued.
With the help of this material, it became possible to “kill two birds with one stone”, namely, to carry out thermal insulation measures and decorate the facade of the building. Installation of thermal panels on walls are several technologies that use different ways fastenings:
by using adhesive composition directly on the wall;
by using self-tapping screws directly on the wall;
ventilated facade.
It should be noted that thermal panels have a large number of advantages:
low price products compared to other finishing materials;
flawless cladding;
efficient wall insulation;
material eco-friendly;
widest range decorative design;
this is one hundred percent protection from natural loads;
small specific gravity, which indicates small and walls buildings;
possibility of installation In any weather;
rapidity installation process;
long-term operation without repair – 50-100 years.
Video description
In the video, a specialist talks about thermal panels, their advantages and disadvantages:
Conclusion on the topic
So, in this article we talked about all the options for finishing the walls of brick houses used today. As you can see, the list is quite impressive, so there is plenty to choose from. But when choosing, take into account all the nuances and subtle points that we tried to draw your attention to. Of course, you will have to choose taking into account the cost of materials, and it varies greatly throughout the category.
Brick cladding is a fairly common option for finishing the facade of a private house. Brickwork can protect a house, especially a wooden one, from adverse influences and decorate it with its originality. Before making a choice in favor of bricks for exterior decoration, you need to get acquainted with the types of materials for its creation.
Advantages of finishing a house with brick
Finishing a house like this will be more economical on a budget than erecting a full-fledged structure from this material or decorating it with stone. So, the house itself can be made of wood, aerated concrete blocks or something else, and its design will be brick. Moreover, the masonry will not be distinguishable from a full brick wall, which will create the impression that the house is brick.
This design has many advantages, including:
Materials for brick cladding of facades
At the moment, you can not limit yourself to only the classic brown version of this material. There are many analogues, among which it is not difficult to choose the one that suits all parameters. As a rule, finishing of private houses is carried out decorative bricks, which in its own way technical specifications not inferior to conventional masonry. This material is made from clay with the addition of special components that improve its properties and dyes, with which you can even achieve a white color.
Important! It is very convenient that decorative variety The material is lighter in weight, so it does not give the same load as the classic version.
Ceramic brick
This material can be represented by different surface designs: rough or smooth, wavy or smooth. To the benefits ceramic bricks can be attributed to its strength, durability, resistance to high humidity, temperature changes and exposure to direct sunlight, attractive appearance and minimal care during operation. This material can be classic brown, as well as yellow, white or another color depending on the dye added.
The disadvantage of this design can be considered mandatory hydrophobic treatment surface of bricks to create a layer that protects against freezing. In this case, it is imperative to pay attention only to those compositions that are not capable of forming a film on the surface of the brickwork, which will prevent the removal of moisture from the facade.
Clinker tiles
This decorative brick for exterior decoration has excellent sound and heat insulation parameters, is not affected by temperature changes, is waterproof, but at the same time, vapor permeable. In addition, clinker bricks have a huge range of colors, including brown and other shades.
Such material is quite expensive. During installation, each row of bricks is left for some time so that it can set with the mortar, since due to slow absorption, this process takes a long time.
Hyperpressed bricks
Such external finishing will be frost-resistant, strong and durable. Moisture to this decorative coating not scary. The construction market now offers a wide range of colors, including white, and various forms of hyper-pressed bricks at an attractive price.
But the material has color instability, which leads to rapid fading. The surface of each brick element is very smooth, which does not allow the coating to be quickly installed. Also among the disadvantages is the ability of the material to crack during operation, which is eliminated by treatment with water repellents.
Such bricks can vary in size and can be single, one-and-a-half and euro bricks. There are also solid and hollow units, but the second option is more fragile, but has high thermal insulation. Facades are finished with such bricks, and solid bricks are used for the external cladding of the plinth and foundation.
Criteria for choosing decorative bricks
When purchasing facing bricks for the facade of a house, you must be guided by the following criteria in order to make the right choice:
Brick laying options
For cladding the facade of a building, including wooden house brick, one of the currently known masonry options is used. The first option, “bed”, helps to shape the wall surface along a larger edge. The spoon type of masonry is formed along a narrow edge. To ensure that both narrow and wide edges are present on the surface, masonry using the butt method is used.
For greater decorative purposes, other types of masonry have been invented. This:
Advice! Any masonry will be ideally combined with wood in the design of the house.
Carrying out cladding work
If you have relevant experience in carrying out a process such as brick finishing, it is better to entrust it to a professional who will provide high quality and short time will do everything. But, if you still decorate a wooden or other house with your own hands, then you need to follow a certain algorithm.
To complete the masonry you will need certain tools. This is a trowel that will help apply the solution and remove its excess, a grinder with stone discs for cutting material, a brush with stiff bristles, a pick and a building level.
The work is carried out in the following sequence:
Conclusion
Cladding a house with brick is a costly task not only in terms of money, but also in time. To speed up the process of decorating the facade of a building, but maintain the quality of the surface, you can use decorative brick, of which there are now a great many varieties. After familiarizing yourself with the features of each type, you can choose exactly the material that is ideal for certain conditions.
There almost always comes a time when the owner of a private home thinks that the house needs brick cladding. In general, on modern market there are many options for external cladding, including decorative plaster, plastic frames (siding), special facing slabs or ceramic tiles. However, despite the many options, more people choose reliable material that has proven itself over the years. Modern cladding brick combines reliability and excellent appearance. Color schemes and textured prints are varied and varied. Even if you have an old, run-down home, brick cladding will give it an updated look.
For facing work, the same types of bricks are used as for other ordinary ordinary work. The only difference is the quality of the material used for cladding. front part bricks So which brick is better? Types of bricks for cladding:
Red ceramic
The cost of red brick remains acceptable at all times. It is one of the most popular options for cladding. Its main disadvantage is the high rate of absorbed moisture (from 5 to 20 percent, depending on the manufacturer and batch). This affects its frost resistance, which for red brick is within 25-75 cycles. This means that it can withstand freezing and thawing so many times without losing its strength or changing its other properties. The higher the frost resistance index, the more expensive the brick, but it is better to choose a more frost-resistant one. The indicator is designated by the Latin letter “F”. Moisture getting into the pores significantly worsens the properties of the brick. When water freezes, it expands, thereby causing cracks to appear. Facing materials are coated with a special hydrophobic layer on the front part; this is done by manufacturing plants, but this is often not enough. It is better to clad the house, all the walls in the house, with special primers, after laying it. This way you will increase the life of the wall. A brick house, ceramic brick houses look best.
White silicate
The cheapest material among all, however, it is less suitable for cladding than others. Its frost resistance reaches 50 cycles, it has good heat conductivity, but it is a much more hydrophobic material. They produce many color variations of this material; it has excellent decorative properties, but does not tolerate humid climates. It is better to veneer with white brick in warm areas, since when treated with special solutions, it can last long time. But silicate has increased strength; it is obtained by autoclave processing, so with silicate brick cladding, the house will last longer. The result is a very durable silicate material.
Hyper-pressed materials
The name speaks for itself. This material is obtained by pressing without the use of heat treatment. Its main component is lime, to which special plasticizers and fillers are added. Like silicates, the color schemes of hypersanded bricks are varied. Many color pigments are used to color it. According to manufacturers, the frost resistance of such bricks can reach 150 cycles. To give decorative properties, it is often produced as a wild stone. Non-linearity of dimensions can lead to a deterioration in the hygroscopicity of the material, but its surface is treated with water-repellent compounds, like other bricks.
Clinker
Relatively new good material for cladding. It has the best strength and density, making it resistant to humid environments. This is good property, for external masonry. Combined with its strength, clinker brick cladding is reliable and durable. But such brickwork more difficult in the manufacturing process, the mason has to use a thick, non-plastic mortar. The frost resistance of such material can reach up to 150 cycles. Its strength characteristics allow manufacturers to create it in a variety of forms. It can be used to build complex façade elements. But all these advantages are greatly offset by its price. Clinker brick cladding will cost you much more. Its production is more difficult, its cost can be 100 percent higher than that of ceramic.
Dimensions
The choice of brick is not limited to its composition. It also matters linear dimensions. There are 3 main types:
- Single (250 by 120 by 65 mm.);
- One and a half (250 by 120 by 88 mm.);
- Double (130 by 176 by 206 mm.).
They make other sizes, but these are the most common. The selected single or one-and-a-half size is best suited for cladding, as the brickwork looks more beautiful.
You should also pay attention to emptiness. The facing material, like ordinary material, is produced with voids or solid. It's better to choose hollow bricks so as not to increase the weight load on the wall.
Wall cladding with hyper-pressed bricks is reliable, but you need to pay attention to the production time. The material should “rest” for about a month, only then will it gain sufficient strength.
Cladding the walls of a wooden house with bricks (timber, cladding a frame house with bricks)
Technologically, brick lining a wooden house is the most difficult. This is due to the large difference in the characteristics of the two materials. It is quite difficult to correctly combine their individual properties. The main problem is to finish it in such a way as to create ventilation between the insulation and the brick. In addition, the insulation itself must be installed on the wooden facade. Apply on top of the insulation surface vapor barrier materials. This ensures the required level of humidity in the building. Thus, the dew point is moved outside the living space and the brick-lined house “breathes.” Of course, if the thickness of the wooden walls is large, then it is not necessary to insulate them (wood itself is warm). However, wind protection and ventilation space should be left.
The ventilation space should be about 50 mm. It is installed over the entire wall area from the foundation to the roof. To allow air to circulate, special holes are left in the lower and upper parts. Air enters from the bottom and exits through the top. For every 15 meters of wall it is necessary to make 700 mm holes. Technically, they are equipped in the following ways:
- A hollow brick is placed on its side;
- The side seams in the masonry are not filled with mortar;
- Lay out the holes and install metal gratings over them.
Mineral material can be used as insulation basalt wool, polystyrene foam and high-strength polystyrene foam. But it is not advisable to choose the latter, since they do not allow air to pass through, which is why wooden walls can begin to rot. In addition, polystyrene foam is a highly flammable material, unlike cotton wool.
It is important to know what to insulate new wooden house You can't, it has to shrink. (about 2 years)
How to choose cladding for a wooden house
The wood itself looks beautiful, if it is not an old house. But the combination of brick and wood is very complex in its combination. The advantages of cladding include:
- Increasing the fire safety of the building;
- Insulation, as a result, reduction in heating costs;
- Improving the physical and mechanical properties of the wall and wear resistance.
TO negative consequences applies:
- The cladding technology is complex due to the arrangement of a ventilated façade. If the technology is not followed, the lined house will begin to rot due to a violation of the microclimate. The walls or insulation will begin to rot.
- The change in size of brick and wood in warm and cold seasons is not the same, which is why the wall must be fastened in a movable manner. Sudden temperature changes can lead to peeling of the cladding.
- Foundation safety margin. A special feature of brick is its weight. It's significantly heavier wooden structures, so the foundation must be pre-designed to accommodate the increase in weight.
It turns out that building a house made of wood, planned with cladding in advance, is not reasonable. This makes sense if you need to cover the facade of an old wooden house.
Technological process
The process itself is not complicated. To begin with, the entire surface of the wall is treated with protective primers. A lattice of boards is filled on top (impregnated with the same primers). They are needed to install insulation. The boards serve as a frame for the insulation. Its thickness should be from 50 to 150 mm, depending on the thickness of the walls and the climatic conditions of the region. The insulation is installed so that there are gaps. It should fit snugly against the wall and frame. If the technology is not followed, “cold bridges” will form in the gaps. The wall will freeze only in one place.
A vapor barrier layer is stuffed on top of the insulation with a construction stapler. Sometimes a vapor barrier layer is used that releases steam in only one direction. In this case, it needs to be directed outside the house.
The walls are lined with brick floors, usually they need to be tied. There are several ways to do this. For wooden walls, you can use a regular nail. They hammer it into the wall and bend it over. A wire is wound around it and tied between the seams in the masonry.
The second option is to use reinforcing mesh. The wall is reinforced in such a way that reinforcement bars connect every fifth row of masonry.
How to properly reinforce a wall
Reinforcement allows for more reliable connection facing material and the wall of the house. It is better not to neglect this procedure, and in some cases you cannot do without it at all. Of course, such a process increases the cost of the work, as well as the duration of its completion. For reinforcement, reinforcement with a diameter of 6 mm and a mesh with cell sizes of about 40-60 mm are used.
Brick cladding of a house made of cellular concrete
The permeability of vapor in such a material is higher than in brick, so lining foam blocks with brick leads to the same problems as with wood. In order not to disturb the microclimate in the building, it is necessary to make a gap for ventilation. If you cover it without following the technology and without making a gap, the process of destruction of the aerated block wall will begin, and condensation will begin to form between the cladding and the house, destroying both materials.
For foam concrete, the difference in brick cladding is the insulation. As a rule, it is simply not needed. And if you want to insulate, then technological process the same as with wood.
The main reason for insulating such houses is the destruction of the masonry material. Porous materials strongly absorb moisture and are not more durable. Their service life is significantly shorter than that of brick, so houses built from foam concrete (aerated concrete) are planned for cladding immediately, sometimes using three-layer insulation.
The tiled house has a beautiful aesthetic appearance. Brick is a classic option for facade cladding and never goes out of fashion. Knowing the sequence of work, you can do it yourself, saving on professional labor costs.
Video
The modern construction market offers a large number of 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?
- The better way to connect the facing brick to the 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 stage of designing 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 facade insulation(if there is one), 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 of 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 an 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: internal wall + facade = a single 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 the cold street, the intensity of the movement of water vapor 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 mold and mildew on it (interior decoration), 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 - ventilation holes - are installed in the lower part of the masonry. 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 of the brickwork in the lower part, when resting 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. it is planned additional insulation, then the water vapor that has passed 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 hinged 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, with a general increase in 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 what step 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: also exists expert opinion, that you should not leave vents in the upper part of the brickwork, because this will cause the airflow to follow the path least resistance(i.e. through the upper vents), but 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. How larger area facade and the higher the number of storeys of the house, 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 calculated value, which 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 intended for interior work) that do not last a long time. 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 connections are two options - use of stainless steel(plates or rods with a diameter of about 6 mm) or the use of flexible basalt-plastic connections.
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 the thickness of the plate is 2 mm, 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 It is impossible to check the quality of various hidden works after completion of the masonry. To simplify their task, builders can lay fewer 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 pass through modern requirements thermal resistance of enclosing structures. Accordingly, such a house will have to be insulated.
You cannot use insulation based on expanded polystyrene (foam) or EPS (extruded polystyrene foam) for thermal insulation of a wooden house. 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 constructing suspended ventilated facades.
If you insulate a wooden house, then only with 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 timber 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 like a solid, beautiful cottage, entirely built of brick.
The nuances of this construction are interesting.
The house was insulated with EPS by wrapping timber walls outside, under slabs, moisture- windproof film. Note that extruded polystyrene foam is vapor-tight, and the L-joining of the edges ensures a windproof connection. 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 a wooden wall sealed externally with vapor barrier insulation (EPS). This reduces the likelihood that the timber will begin to rot and rot.
Although on our portal there are many options for the facades of brick mansions different color 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 supporting 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”.
Summarizing
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, you cannot, if something happens, 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 quality building materials with for a long time services.
- 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 .