Facing brick: so that the façade of the house is impeccable. Which brick is best for building a house: features of choice, reviews and types At which factory hollow brick is better

The article outlines general information about finishing brick, its types, advantages, disadvantages and methods of laying.

Facing brick is a brick intended for exterior finishing of walls, foundations, fireplaces and other structures made of stone materials. It is distinguished from other types of brick by its attractive appearance and clear edges.

Pros and cons of facing bricks

Talking about advantages and disadvantages facing bricks, it should be understood that many of them are relative. Thus, economic feasibility is largely related to how far the production is from you and how far quality brick is produced there. Also, you may be experienced specialist for facade finishing vinyl siding or clapboard, but do not have any experience working with stone materials. In this case, you will have to hire finishers, and this is an additional cost.

So, dignity facing bricks:

High mechanical strength - from 100 to 300 kg per cm2;
- high resistance to negative temperatures;
- resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
- variety of textures and colors;
- durability.

Flaws facing bricks:
- heavy weight;
- high thermal conductivity;
- high price the material itself;
- high labor intensity and cost of finishing work;
- tendency to form efflorescence during operation;
- multi-colored - almost every batch of facing bricks differs in shade from other batches. This means that you will have to buy enough bricks from one batch. It's better to take it with a reserve;
- the need to create effective vapor barrier when finishing the facades of houses with wooden walls.

Types of facing bricks

Currently for finishing low-rise buildings use the following types facing brick:
- ceramic;
- clinker;
- hyper-pressed;
- silicate.

In addition, brick can have different decorative coating. So, they distinguish:

Glazed with a glassy decorative layer;
- with an engobed decorative layer;
- two-layer: the outside is covered with a layer of colored clay 3…5 mm thick.

Ceramic facing brick

Ceramic brick is made from clay.

Advantages:
- resistance to low and high temperatures;
- low moisture absorption (no more than 6% to 14%, but more often less than 9%);
- high mechanical strength (from 25 MPa);

Disadvantages of ceramic facing bricks:
- heavy weight;
- high price.

Ceramic bricks for finishing are almost always made hollow, and the shape and size of the holes can be different. I recommend, if possible, using bricks with small cross-section holes - this reduces consumption mortar.

About the water absorption of bricks

Water absorption is determined by the number and branching of the pores inside the brick. The higher this indicator, the more pores in the material that can absorb moisture. The high porosity of brick is good from the point of view of air exchange: the porous material “breathes”. On the other hand, bricks with high water absorption are destroyed faster when negative temperatures: freezing water expands and literally breaks the pore walls from the inside. This problem can be solved by hydrophobizing brick surfaces: however, in this case, the brick’s ability to gas exchange is also reduced.

Sand-lime facing brick

Sand-lime brick is made from quartz sand and lime by autoclave synthesis.

Advantages:
- attractive price;
- relatively high frost resistance;
- good noise absorption performance;
- good water absorption rates (for hollow bricks - 12.1%, which is well within the optimum);
- decent durability.

Flaws facing sand-lime brick
-low heat resistance (not critical);
- relatively low moisture resistance.

Clinker facing brick

The main feature of the production of clinker bricks is very high operating temperatures (otherwise the technology is very similar to the technology for the production of conventional clay bricks). Due to exposure to high temperatures, the clay sinteres, forming a monolithic structure without any voids or inclusions. This significantly increases the mechanical strength of the facing clinker.

Advantages:
-high mechanical strength;
-attractive appearance;
- preservation of the original color even with constant exposure to sunlight;
- durability due to relatively low water absorption.

Disadvantages of clinker finishing bricks

High density (it is about 1.5 times heavier than ordinary ceramic brick);
-high cost (the price of clinker facing bricks is approximately 30...40% higher than similar ceramics);
-the need to use hard mortars;
- the absence of pores that can remove moisture from the internal structures of the wall.

There is no consensus on which brick is better - facing or clinker. The arguments of supporters of both types of bricks are quite convincing. It probably makes sense to choose a facing brick of which you are confident.

Hyperpressed facing brick

Hyperpressed brick is made from Portland cement (binder), shell rock or limestone (aggregate), water and dyes. In the production of such bricks, firing is not used: instead, it is pressed under high pressure.

Advantages:
- high mechanical strength;
- low water absorption (about 6%);
- high frost resistance.

Disadvantages of hyper-pressed facing bricks:
- color change during operation - light brick turns gray, and dark brick gradually becomes lighter;
- low vapor permeability - creates difficulties for removing moisture from inner layers walls;
- heavy weight;
- smooth surface beds - reduces adhesion in masonry;
- appearance of microcracks. The formation of microcracks is associated with internal stresses, which are “pressed” inside during molding. The microcracks themselves are invisible and harmless, but the ingress of moisture followed by freezing can significantly increase their size;
- high thermal conductivity.

Smooth beds create serious difficulties when laying bricks. The use of bricks with through holes or small recesses on the beds, which will serve as a mortar lock, can simplify masonry.

A significant role in the strength of masonry made from facing hyperpressed bricks can be played by its age. The fact is that on the surface of a fresh (not older than 28 days) brick, cement that has not undergone hydration remains, which can react with the cement of the mortar to form intermolecular bonds. A month after production, almost all the free cement on the surface undergoes hydration, and one cannot count on a complete merging of the cement of the brick and the cement of the mortar.

How to choose facing brick?

Brick manufacturers are not always conscientious: therefore, when choosing and purchasing, it is strongly recommended not to trust anyone and check everything you can:

Inspect the brick beds: their surfaces should be smooth and uniform. The material should not contain lime lumps. When exposed to moisture, such lumps swell and destroy the brick;

A large number of spalls is a sign of the presence of lime inclusions in the thickness of the brick, which fell off during quality control;
- take into account the mechanical strength and frost resistance of the brick, which should be indicated in the marking. It would be wiser to take both with a reserve;
- if upon impact ceramic brick makes a dull sound, the manufacturer violated the manufacturing technology, and the clay inside was not sintered to the required state. You should not buy such a brick;
- brick with big amount voids have lower thermal conductivity and are more efficient in terms of energy saving. The total volume of voids in the material can range from 13 to 50%.

Strength of facing bricks

The strength of a brick is indicated in kilograms of load per square centimeter. Thus, a brick marked M100 can withstand a load of up to 100 kgf, and a brick marked M75 can withstand only 75 kgf. When building brick houses, M100 is most often used.

Frost resistance of facing bricks

Frost resistance is determined as follows: a brick saturated with water is first frozen to a temperature of -18+-2 °C, and then allowed to warm up to a temperature of 20±2 °C. The freeze-thaw cycle is repeated until signs of destruction appear. Frost resistance is determined by the number of cycles that the brick can withstand and is indicated in the marking with letter designation F. F15 brick can withstand 15 cycles, while F50 brick can withstand 50 cycles.

Brick can be used for construction and facing. Why should you use it for cladding? special type bricks? Because it plays an important role in construction - it gives the building a beautiful, finished look, and also additionally protects the house from weather influences, retaining heat.

Facing brick, unlike building brick, has a beautiful appearance, a wide variety of colors and textures, which allows you to give the structure unique design. The building materials market offers a wide variety of cladding materials. We invite you to get acquainted with the best options.

Ceramic brick - the best in terms of price/quality ratio

Made from high-quality clay by molding and firing in special ovens. Most often, such brick has a characteristic red-brown color, but there are other shades and textures. For example, as the name implies, it is formed by hand, due to which it acquires a unique shape and can imitate aged brick. That's why it is so valued by designers.

● environmental safety;
● good heat and sound insulation;
● wide range of strength grades - from M125 to M800;
● more affordable price, compared to, say, clinker bricks.

● lower frost resistance compared to clinker - 50 cycles. However, treatment with water repellents will significantly increase the service life of such bricks.

There are practically no downsides to this material; the main thing is to give preference to products from trusted manufacturers. This is the best option in terms of price-quality ratio.

Do you want a great façade? Choose clinker brick

Clinker is made from special refractory, carefully selected types of clay. The production technology, verified to the smallest detail, allows us to create a very durable, resistant to low temperatures, heat-resistant brick. If we compare it with sand-lime brick, which collapses under the influence of fire after just two hours, clinker will retain its strength two or even three times longer.

● excellent aesthetic characteristics;
● average strength - M350;
● high frost resistance - 150 cycles;
● low water absorption 2-5%
● environmental friendliness.

● high cost.

Ideal for cladding both residential buildings and office building. Without exaggeration, we can say that clinker brick is the most beautiful facing material. Variety of it color palette and textures are highly valued by designers. If you are not limited by your budget and you are ready to pay for the best, choose clinker brick - it will long years delight you with its unchanging beauty and durability.

Hyperpressed brick - an original and reliable facade

Reminds me of its texture fake diamond, and it is made from limestone, marble, shell rock using iron oxides and other components to give it different shades.

● frost resistance - up to 150 cycles;
● low moisture absorption;
● high strength (150-300 kg per 1 sq. cm);
● strength of masonry (outperforms ceramic brick in this indicator).

● high cost;
● heavy weight;
● high thermal conductivity.

In terms of its characteristics, this material is not much inferior to clinker, but in general it is somewhat cheaper. Therefore, if you want to create a textured facade, but at the same time save a little, choose hyper-pressed brick.

Brick House brick - beauty and amazing simplicity of masonry

It combines impeccable appearance, strength and, at the same time, ease of installation. His main feature- possibility of dry laying. This possibility is ensured by the presence of special chamfers that imitate seams.

● lightness - it is a hollow brick that can be filled with insulation;
● strength M150;
● frost resistance - 200 cycles;
● no need for additional thermal insulation.

● cost.

Brick House brick has the appearance of polished marble, giving the building a clean, sophisticated appearance. Due to the ease of laying, lay out flat wall Even a non-professional can handle such material. If you want to clad your house with your own hands, Brick House brick is the best choice.

Sand-lime brick - a simple and affordable material

Sand-lime brick is very often used in construction residential buildings and dachas in our latitudes. It has a simple appearance, most often White color, and deserved its popularity, first of all, due to its affordable price.

● environmental friendliness;
● low cost;
● good frost resistance and strength.

● heavy weight;
● fragility;
● high thermal conductivity;
● low moisture resistance.

Although sand-lime brick has more disadvantages than advantages, this material should not be discounted, especially if the budget is very limited. If you are looking for which brick is best for lining a garage, fence, outbuildings, this material will be the best for the price. In addition, even an amateur can do masonry with it.

What to look for when choosing facing bricks?

To choose the right facing brick, first of all, you need to decide on the construction budget, and then, within your budget, choose the most best option brick, given it:

1) aesthetic characteristics. The most beautiful masonry is created by clinker, hyper-pressed brick. For technical buildings, you can choose simpler and cheaper ceramic or silicate bricks;

2) strength grade. It is not always advisable to buy the most durable material- consider the features of your building. So brands M75 - M125 are well suited for the construction of private houses up to 3 floors, M150 - for foundations country houses and walls apartment buildings. Higher grades are used for the construction of foundations of apartment buildings;

3) frost resistance - for Ukrainian winters, an indicator of 50 cycles is more than enough;

4) brick filling - it can be solid or hollow. Solid bricks more durable, but also heavier and more expensive. They are best suited for building a foundation, but also require additional thermal insulation. Hollow ones have holes or chambers inside, thanks to which they provide good thermal insulation. This perfect option for cladding facades.

We hope our tips will help you make an informed choice. Let your home reliably protect you and delight you with its beautiful appearance!

Before building a house, you always want to make a good structure that will protect residents from weather phenomena or uninvited guests, and will look beautiful. This applies not only appearance at home, his geometric shape, window and door design. First of all, the conversation is about the external decoration of the facade. You can put a house box made of foam concrete or timber. The wall material is selected based on human capabilities. But the most beautiful cladding walls are made only from good brick. To understand which brick is better for cladding a block or timber house, you need to understand its properties.

Why is wall cladding important?

Wall cladding plays an important role not only in appearance at home, but also in his protective functions. Thus, a brick façade surface has a number of advantages over a rough wall of a house without finishing:

• not afraid of moisture and precipitation;
• withstands sudden changes in cold and heat. Ideally up to 50 cycles;
• it is manufactured with a higher safety margin in mind. Walls with a design load of 150 - 250 kg/m2 have high performance;
• does not fade when exposed to direct sunlight.

Of course, brick, like any other building material, there are some disadvantages:

• heavy weight of the wall structure. In some cases, it will be necessary to strengthen the foundation for the construction of a facing wall;
• high cost. Compared to other materials, brick is much more expensive.

Despite the listed disadvantages, a brick wall is one of best options cladding. In order to understand which brick is best for cladding a specific house project, it is worth understanding each type of brick.

Ceramic brick

The most common material for wall decoration. Made by firing clay. Previously, you could only find red or yellow bricks. Now you can buy products in almost any color.
Ceramics are very durable and practically do not absorb moisture. Facades from of this material They tolerate UV exposure very well. Therefore, these buildings can be found even in southern latitudes. Brick is quite heavy, while ceramics are much more expensive similar products from other materials. The disadvantages of this product include a small selection of textures and sizes of bricks. They usually offer products in a matte or glossy tone with a ribbed or smooth surface.

Hyper-pressed material

This type of finishing material is obtained by pressing and firing the workpiece. Thus, finished products has a wider range of textures and shapes. Also, compared to ceramics, hyperpressed material is much cheaper.
The disadvantages of the material include poor adhesion of bricks to each other when choosing products with smooth walls. Also, such a brick must be treated with a water repellent, as it can become covered with small cracks after some time. This will negatively affect its performance.

Clinker brick

The most durable and expensive material for wall cladding. It is produced at very high temperatures, while the price of the entire production cycle of clinker bricks is much more expensive than similar production of ceramic products. The brick is very durable, not afraid of UV and can withstand large physical exercise. It has high hydrophobic properties and practically does not absorb water.
Due to the property of brick to repel water, it is laid using a special technology. Each row is given certain time, to brickwork"grabbed." To speed up the process of wall construction, they use special construction mixtures for laying clinker bricks. They are a little more expensive than usual cement mixture, however, the resulting wall acquires the properties of masonry.

There are a number of requirements, following which you can choose quality products. The facing brick must:

• have correct form and geometry;
• have smooth and clear edges, without chips;
• have a uniform shade, without spots;
• should not contain cracks or deep scratches on its edges;
• comply with the minimum compressive strength requirements, 20%;
• comply with water absorption requirements of at least 6%;

When selecting bricks on the market, it is best to buy the required volume of products in one batch. Because even a slight change temperature regime at the manufacturing plant will result in a color shift in the final product. It is also better to calculate the volume of bricks taking into account defects and damage. Thus, it is worth adding about 5% of the material to the calculated volume.

Facing bricks can turn any house, a new building or an existing one, but a little neglected, into an attractive and elegant structure. Moreover, it does not matter what material the house is built from - brick or timber, concrete blocks or monolithic aerated concrete.

Facing brick, which one is better?

Considering in hardware store various models facing brick, pay attention to its external parameters. Size facing stone, mostly hollow, the same as that of ordinary brick - 250x120x65 mm (85 mm). For high-quality products, all stones are the same size, and there is no curvature of the sides and edges, delamination or cracks.

Basic specifications that the best facing brick should have - high strength, low level of water absorption and frost resistance. The strength characteristics of the front element show the ability of the product to withstand variable loads arising from external temperature changes, shrinkage of the building or from microseismic influences.

The best facing brick is one that has increased density and frost resistance options, low level water absorption, and excellent texture. To finish the facade, three types of facing products are used:

• Ceramic brick
• Hyperpressed brick
• Clinker brick

Ceramic brick has excellent thermal insulation properties, a long service life and a low price. However, its tendency to increased water absorption requires hydrophobization measures to be carried out upon completion of the masonry. front surface bricks The excellent frost resistance of hyperpressed bricks is explained by high density its structure, and non-firing production technology makes it possible to obtain bricks with perfectly smooth surfaces.

Clinker brick is created from particularly refractory types of clay and is fired. Clinker stone has a wide color scheme, magnificent design and performance characteristics, and a fairly high cost.

Which facing brick is better? Reviews

Judging by customer reviews, the leading positions in the ranking of brands facing material, belong clinker brick. Decorating a house with facing bricks significantly reduces the level of heat loss in the building, gives the house architectural expressiveness and emphasizes its style features.

Enough a difficult situation arises when it is necessary to decide which brick to choose for cladding a house. The point is that such facade material includes several types that differ in composition and characteristics. That is why many factors need to be taken into account to ensure that the final result matches the desired one.

Facade brick also called facing or front, which explains the main purpose of the material - external design walls in order to give the house a more presentable appearance.

Although the decorative component is considered to be the main parameter of the product, we must not forget that it must provide reliable protection buildings from any influence. Such factors include preventing the penetration of moisture (parts must have a small percentage of moisture absorption) and protecting the structure from wind and temperature changes. The material must be strong and durable, and harmful influences must not reduce the visual appeal.

Choosing suitable option, take into account that there is also a simple one on sale building brick, façade variety differs from such products in external parameters. Facing material is often divided into two groups: shaped (with complex geometry) and textured (having a relief side).

The choice of facing blocks is now quite large

Types of facing bricks

All types of facing bricks differ from each other in production technology and components included in the composition. This is what influences the final result, determining the properties of the material and its appearance.

On construction market The following types of bricks are found:

• silicate;
• ceramic;
• clinker;
• hyper-pressed.

Thermal conductivity for any external cladding material is considered one of the main parameters

Each option has its pros and cons.

On a note! Silicate and ceramic products are divided into two categories: for the construction of houses and for cladding.

Silicate brick

This type is often used for exterior finishing, since the price of the material is considered one of the most affordable. The production technology is that a mixture of quartz sand, lime and special components is subjected to dry pressing with a gradual increase in temperature.

The standard color for this option is white, but by adding color it is possible to obtain a more diverse decorative component.

Recently, diversity and the lineup silicate blocks have grown significantly

Advantages of the material:

1. Frost resistance. The product can withstand many cycles of freezing and defrosting.
2. Safety. The composition and manufacturing method do not affect environmental friendliness, so the products do not have any impact negative impact to your health.
3. Availability. This is the most cheap option from existing ones.
4. Acceptable strength. The resulting surface can withstand various weather influences if installed correctly.

The following disadvantages cannot be ignored:

• Considerable weight. Because of this, the load on the foundation increases, therefore, in order to cover the surface with a silicate variety, the structure must be carefully strengthened.
• Low visual content. The coating lacks texture, and even tinting does not give the desired effect.
• Thermal conductivity. This indicator for this option is high, so in difficult situations climatic conditions additional insulation is required.

Silicate finishing can be spectacular, but the brick itself is cold and heavy

On a note! Decorative silicate brick is suitable for front finishing only if the base is made of a more reliable material, otherwise it will quickly become unusable.

Ceramic brick

This option is the main competitor of the previous one, so the question very often arises which brick is better: silicate or ceramic. Of course, the production of ceramics is a more complex process; the difficulty lies in choosing the right raw materials. Only high-quality clay with minor admixtures of other substances is used for work. Since the shade of the material is often red, the final product has exactly this color, although other varieties are also found. If necessary raw material can be tinted.

Ceramic blocks have the most a wide range of curly elements

The manufacturing technology is that the mass is molded and then sent to a well-heated oven. The final quality of the product depends on the correct preparation of the composition and its firing.

The material should have a rich red color with a brownish tint, and with a slight impact a characteristic ringing sound should be heard. It is worth considering that even minimal process violations lead to defects. Such deficiencies can be identified by appearance. If parts have burnt areas, they have been kept at high temperatures for too long, they will become brittle. At low temperatures and insufficient firing time, the fragments turn out faded, have high moisture absorption, and there is no ringing sound when struck.

Classic ceramics have good thermal insulation and can maintain their original appearance for decades

This decorative brick has advantages:

1. Appearance. Ceramic material includes varieties that differ in color, size and shape. This provides scope for implementing design solutions.
2. Durability. The service life of a surface made from such products is tens of years.
3. Heat and sound insulation. The products protect the house well from heat loss, cold penetration and extraneous noise.

The only one significant drawback There may be a violation of production technology. Therefore, when purchasing products, it is necessary to pay great attention to this factor.

If facing bricks are sold too cheaply, then there is a high probability of buying a fake, which will crack and crumble after a couple of seasons.

Hyperpressed brick

This decorative brick has a surface closest to natural stone. The fraction used for production is natural materials, shell rock, cement and mineral pigments. The mixture is pressed and exposed to high temperatures.

Hyper-pressed blocks are close in their characteristics to good granite, but the material is heavy and quite expensive

For hyper-pressed façade facing bricks a large number of advantages. Strength and durability stand out among the main ones; the coating can withstand many cycles of temperature changes. But because heavy weight and high prices, products are not widespread.

Clinker type

This finishing material a bit like ceramic option, but for its production a more refractory type of clay is used, and firing occurs at very high temperatures. Due to this, the parts acquire excellent protective and decorative qualities. But this also affects final cost: She gets too high. That's why exterior decoration often done using brick-like tiles, which are much easier and cheaper to cover the surface with.

Clinker finishing belongs to the elite species and, according to most experts, is the highest quality and most durable

Which is better?

When choosing facing bricks for the facade, you should remember that the main competitors are silicate and ceramic types. Both options are quite popular, but the second one stands out the most. This is explained by its advantages:

• Technical specifications. The material has high strength and low moisture absorption. Withstands more than 130 cycles of defrosting and freezing, the lined house gains durability.
• Thermal insulation characteristics. Ceramics not only retains heat and keeps out cold, but also helps create a comfortable microclimate inside the building.
If you choose the appropriate option, it will minimize the impact on the structure.
• Highly decorative. There are many varieties available that differ in color, shape and texture.

Choosing between silicate and ceramic cladding it is better to give preference to good ceramics

Sand-lime brick has only one advantage over ceramic brick - more low price. If the budget is limited, this will The best decision. And the desired visual effect can be achieved by painting the surface.