In the article, we will consider how to brick a house correctly. For some reason, many people think that facing with bricks is a very difficult task. Yes, you will need knowledge and skills. In addition, you will have to work harder and more accurately than with any other material. Among the shortcomings of brick, you can immediately highlight the main one - cost. But brickwork and even the most expensive siding can not be compared. Attractive appearance, the effect of color and monumentality of the house is created.
The most popular types of masonry
For masonry, you can use any technology. If you do not know how to brick a house out of timber, then check out our material. In fact, all houses, regardless of what material they are made of, are tiled the same way. It is recommended that before starting work, carefully study all the features of materials, algorithms for work. And if you do not have experience, it is best to find the person who has one to learn from.
The most popular types of masonry are the following:
- Spoon - refers to the traditional. He assumes that all the bricks will be stacked with a long (spoon) part. The bottom line is that each next row is shifted to a previously selected distance. As a rule, the shift is performed on ¼ or ½ the size of the brick. It is worth noting that a shift of ¼ length can be either direct or oblique.
- Dipstick is also popular. The bricks will be laid on the end and displaced by ½ length. The location will be significantly different from the previous version.
A few more types of masonry
It is worth paying attention to the fact that the frame house, lined with brick, will look very beautiful. In addition, the building will incorporate all the advantages of a frame structure and a brick one. And most importantly - the house will be very warm. Back to the brickwork. Several other types of masonry can be distinguished, which, in fact, are a symbiosis of the ones discussed above:
- Cross masonry - this species is divided into two subgroups. In fact, this is a symbiosis, since alternate masonry and spoon masonry. Parts that are located at the ends are installed so that their inner part adjoins the middle part of the brick. The outer part is at the junction. But the elements of the butt part are stacked in such a way that of the three adjacent parts the extreme ones are at the same distance from the joints.
- Chain masonry - in the same row can be used both tychkovy and spoon version. The technology is simple, the main thing is to beautifully alternate the types of masonry.
- Chaotic is the simplest masonry option. There is no sequence, so it is allowed to perform this masonry even if you do not have any experience in construction. The main thing - the joints of adjacent rows should not coincide.
Existing types of decorative masonry have a huge variety. In general, if you technically verify the offset and determine the sequence, arrangement of elements, then the masonry will look very attractive. But you must take into account the nuances, which we will talk about later. For example, reinforcement of masonry in half a brick should be done with a mesh or anchors.
Does the foundation need to be strengthened?
If you are going to clad a house that was built long ago or frame, you will have to make a quality, reliable and durable support. After all, the facing layer has a sufficiently large mass - it is not light plastic or metal. If there is no reliable base for facing masonry, then the soil will deform and sag.
To carry out the strengthening, you will have to dig a trench around the perimeter of the whole house, make reinforcement and pour the solution. In the event that you have not started building the house, but plan to brick it in the future, it is recommended that additional loads be taken into account when calculating the foundation.
A few words about the bunch
For high reliability, it is necessary to connect the cladding to the main walls. For this purpose, a masonry net of 50x50 mm or another size of metal, wire or anchors is usually used. The bottom line is that for every square meter there must be at least 4 attachment points. The grid is installed on the bearing walls and deepens into the seams of the masonry cladding. Please note that you need to dig at least 9 cm.
How to make window openings?
Window openings are structural elements that need a responsible approach. To make them, you will have to apply markup in advance, draw an arrangement. As a rule, for these reasons, often all surfaces are lined precisely with the construction of load-bearing walls. True, sometimes they are facing the building, which was built a long time ago. But how to brick a house from aerated concrete, if it was built recently?
Just like any other, just spend less time preparing. Next, we will consider step by step the manufacture of window openings.
Opening walkthroughs
In general, the laying of openings is performed according to this technology:
- First, the main part of the walls is built according to the method that needs to be selected in advance.
- You need to create openings after the optimal height of the sections of walls that are nearby is reached. The main thing is to make sure that the structure of all openings is the same.
- The laying of the opening should be carried out by the end method. To do this, you need to cut the bricks in length. The first step is to masonry the lower section of the window opening. Then proceed to the uprights.
- Be sure to consider that the upper part must be strengthened. To do this, use a corner of metal. In advance, it must be treated with an anti-corrosion compound.
- Set the corner over the window. One of the corners of a brick needs to be cut. First put all the elements without mortar to evaluate the appearance and accuracy of the masonry. Only then can you start masonry on the mortar. It is allowed that the bricks protrude beyond the main wall or be on par with it. In order for the masonry not to deform, you need to back the corner with a timber rail.
- In that case, if it is necessary to perform the facing of the window opening without removal, then you can perform masonry close to the frame. The elements are cut to the required size.
If you have little experience, then the design of the masonry will require too much effort and time. Your main task is to mount all the details clearly in terms of level. Similarly, you can make doorways. It is worth mentioning that it is necessary to protect silicate brick. The price per unit starts at 11 rubles. This is the cheapest brick you can find on the market. And for decoration you will need a large number of it. It all depends on the specific size of the building.
About the decoration of different surfaces
Using a facing brick, you can process any surface. But each approach is strictly individual. Let's look at the nuances of construction and decoration:
- In the case of brick walls. Such a foundation is good in that it is a pleasure to work with it. The parameters of the finishing and base material are very similar. It is allowed to carry out insulation, but in practice it is not always used. It all depends on which region is being built. If you use penoplex as a heater, then there is no need for a ventilation gap.
- Aerated concrete or cinder block walls. Such a material has good vapor permeability, so ventilation must be done. Otherwise, a dew point will appear, mold will appear and wall deformation will begin.
- The basis of wood. Think about whether to brick a wooden house? It is advisable to do this only if the house is old. It is not necessary to make insulation, but a ventilation gap is needed.
Please note that for proper wall decoration it is important to consider all the features of the materials.
What tools and fixtures are needed?
In order to make the masonry not only reliable, but also beautiful, you need to prepare a minimum set of tools and devices. You will need to work:
- Hydraulic level. With it, you can set all the elements perfectly smoothly. This tool will prove to be an indispensable assistant if you have little experience.
- The cord is necessary in order to align the rows.
- Trowel and trowel - allow you to apply the solution and get rid of its excess.
- Hammer - this tool allows you to adjust the position of the bricks.
- A grinder and pickaxe allow you to crack and cut bricks.
- Rods of various sections and lengths up to 600 mm allow for smooth seams.
- The jointing rod will help shape the appearance of the joints.
Separately, you will need to purchase a mixture, mesh or wire, insulation, anchor bolts.
Preparatory work
To comply with the technology of bricklaying for cladding, the whole process must be divided into stages. Thanks to this, you can perform all the work accurately, efficiently, and most importantly - you do not have to invite outside experts.
First you need to do the preparatory work. To do this, proceed according to this algorithm:
- Check how reliable the base is. If necessary, strengthen it.
- Evaluate the general condition of the bearing walls. Particular attention should be paid to this stage when decorating old houses. All decorative cladding should be removed from the walls.
- All cracks and cracks need to be covered with putty.
- Treat the entire surface of the base with antiseptics. All elements made of metal must be coated with anti-corrosion agents.
- Dry the surface. Inside the house is not allowed to increase humidity.
- Choose the most suitable material for wall cladding. Please note that all materials have their pros and cons.
- Cover the base with a layer of waterproofing.
- If necessary, lay insulation material. Fix the sheets with anchors.
Be sure to waterproof the concrete base before starting the masonry. The easiest way is to lay at least two layers of roofing material. The purpose of the preparatory phase is to get rid of all possible defects, because they can cause unpleasant consequences.
Solution preparation
For work, you need to use a quality solution. As a rule, the mixture is formed from cement grade M500 and carefully sifted sand. The proportion is 1 to 4. First you need to mix these components dry, then gradually add the liquid. Do not use water in which there is a high content of mineral impurities. Otherwise, salt formations will appear. You need to prepare a uniform and thick solution.
Make it yourself is not difficult, but if you want to get a good result, then do not spare money and get the finished mixture. It is extremely important not to make a large amount of solution during work. Otherwise, if you do not have time to quickly develop it, lumps will appear.
How to lay a brick
It all depends on how correctly the first row is laid. First you need to put it without using a solution - so you can align all parts and, if necessary, trim them, given the width of the seams. After that, the mesh and cement mixture should be laid on the waterproofing layer. Align all elements with a level.
At this point, a clearance must be provided for ventilation. To create an even gap, you need to use a plate of a given thickness. When carrying out the masonry, simply move it so that the gap is the same everywhere.
When you finish making the first row, you can proceed with the installation of the corners. They need to be made in 3-4 bricks. When you apply the solution, on the front side you need to lay a metal rod, on top of which the cement mixture is smeared at the level. After the final fixation of the elements, the rod must be removed.
How to clad the main part of the walls
Once you have made the corners, you can pull the cord between the rows. In this case, you will be able to lay out the wall without any problems. And now about how to brick a house. The procedure for laying a row is as follows:
- Put the solution on the bottom row, take into account the thickness of the previously laid rod.
- Coat the end part of the brick with the mixture, lay it in its place and gently tap on it. So you need to fill the entire row to the end.
It is advisable to leave small areas without mortar below and above in the masonry - this will allow for ventilation of the walls.
For outdoor masonry with insulation and ventilation, you need to equip the inlets:
- Carry the cord and repeat the procedure.
- Do the snap through several rows (3-5). To do this, drive an anchor into the base or screw to it a masonry net of 50x50 mm or another size. It must be bent and laid at the junction of adjacent rows. As soon as the height is at the level of the opening, it must be bypassed, given the further decoration.
- If you plan to do the layout, then it is best to start it after the mixture has set.
You must understand how to brick a house. This is not an easy task, but if you have the patience, then you can quite cope with it even without the proper experience. But experience still does not hinder in this matter. As you know, external brick finishing can be performed on any surface, even on cinder block houses. The pros and cons of such buildings is that they are cheap and warm, but they do not have a very attractive appearance.
Some recommendations
And I would like to give some tips that will help with the decoration:
- Brick laying should be carried out in good weather - humidity should be low, the temperature is positive.
- It is recommended to moisten bricks before laying.
- At a time, you can not lay more than 6 rows. First you need to wait until the solution solidifies completely.
- To highlight window and doorways, it is recommended to use bricks of a different color.
As you can see, you can do all the work yourself, but you will have to spend a lot of effort and, of course, money. If you look at the pros and cons of cinder block houses, you can see that they have one drawback - appearance. But you can get rid of it if you finish the brick.