Brick is a material used in construction for a long time. Without any exaggeration, we can say that it can be used in fact in the construction of any building. Proper brickwork largely determines the quality characteristics of the housing itself. However, before working with products, you will need to familiarize yourself with the rules and masonry technology.
What is the technology for doing the job?
Doing brickwork with your own hands is not so difficult, the main thing is to follow all the rules and understand what exactly you want to get as a result. The first thing that needs to be done is to carry out preparatory work, then you need to prepare the mortar, and then proceed to the laying of the brick, having selected the desired type first.
Preparatory phase of work
The first thing to do is do the foundation work. Masonry cannot be done well if the surface is not previously leveled. At the end of this process, you can proceed with waterproofing. The simplest method is to spread a ruberoid strip in several layers around the entire perimeter. Now you can do a surface check using the hydraulic level. All irregularities are corrected by the solution. As soon as you do this, only then is it allowed to begin to build walls.
Preparing a solution
Masonry is carried out using ordinary cement-sand mortar. In this case, the standard ratio of cement and sand in kilograms is 1: 4 or 1: 6. The key task of the composition is the displacement of the bricks relative to each other. Do-it-yourself masonry is done so that the bricks experience pressure under displacement and compression, but not at break. Therefore, the solution is often made lean, and clay or lime is added for plasticity, which enhances the fluidity of the entire composition.
A quick tip: lime can be replaced with a detergent (liquid soap, washing powder).
However, there are some nuances that need to be taken into account: such a solution is not suitable for hollow bricks, because the mixture will flow into the cracks, and this significantly reduces the thermal insulation properties of the material.
The construction mix is prepared by combining all the ingredients with added water. It is not recommended to prepare too large volumes of the solution, because it will harden quickly, therefore it is better to do this in small portions. To knead the solution, you should combine the sand with cement according to the calculated proportions, then add the liquid, plasticizer and form a homogeneous mixture. Brick walls should be laid with mortar, which in consistency resembles thick honey or cottage cheese.
What tools will you need to use in your work?
To complete all the work, you will need to pre-prepare the tools. The wizard will need:
- Trowel. A tool is used to clean the squeezed mortar during the fitting of bricks. The reverse side of the handle adjusts the masonry of brick walls.
- Bulgarian. Designed for cutting stone.
- Pickaxe hammer. Needed for cracking bricks.
- Stitching, which is necessary for cutting seams.
- Gloves for work so as not to get your hands dirty.
- Building level for smooth bricking of houses.
- A plumb line to establish the vertical course of the masonry.
- The order that controls the masonry, if the work is carried out at height.
- A mooring cord that stretches between orders. A device is used to control the correct masonry.
What should be remembered during masonry?
There are different types of masonry, but many amateur masons face difficulties. Usually this is the removal of vertical right angles, the laying of the material at the same level and along the line. All attention must be paid immediately to the front row. To keep the masonry even, just use a taut cord or even rail in your work. The solution should not press on the guide, so the brick should be laid a little before it (leave a couple of millimeters of distance). Horizontal masonry is always checked by level, this process is extremely important for the front masonry to look beautiful.
Which bricks to choose?
External walls will need to be built from a material in which frost resistance is at least thirty-five cycles. Before starting work, the first row of bricks should be laid without mortar to establish the position of the vertical joints. So you will avoid unnecessary cutting of the material, save on mortar, so imitation of brickwork is a must!
If you have a brick of manual molding, then it will need to be laid with a recess up. Usually during masonry, bricks from several different pallets are used. Moreover, the material is taken diagonally from the pallet. Why such difficulties? This is done solely to even out differences in the color shades of the material. Also avoid using halves of bricks in the corners; this may affect the fortress of the building.
What are the different types of masonry?
The following types of masonry are distinguished:
- solid;
- lightweight;
- reinforced;
- decorative;
- masonry with facing.
What is the difference between each type? You will need to understand this issue.
Solid masonry
This is a monolithic design, the thickness of the brickwork is exactly half the brick itself. The material is laid along the outer edges of the wall. Such rows are called versts, but the fillings between them are called zabutes.
Lightweight masonry
This type is used in the construction of small objects. Masonry is being built from a pair of parallel walls, the width of which is half a brick. In the work you will need to use exclusively solid bricks, it is forbidden to cut them. The wall between the walls will need to be filled with a heat-insulating product. It is unacceptable to practice this technology at a height, because it will be necessary to do a row of rows through the meter (this is the maximum value).
Reinforced masonry
This option is applied in practice when the structure is subjected to extreme pressure. When creating vertical and horizontal masonry, reinforcement should be placed in the joints, the joints must be made about four millimeters thicker than the diameter of the reinforced bar itself. Cross reinforcement involves the use of rectangular or zigzag metal networks that fit every three rows.
Decorative masonry and cladding
This type has a couple of performance variations. The most common: on the outside of the structure there are three spoon rows, as well as an interlocking row of rows. In this case, it is allowed to alternate ceramic facing and silicate bricks. In addition, this brickwork is used in the interior to create an original design solution.
When erecting the walls, they also produce cladding with decorative bricks from the outside. This row is bandaged with masonry walls at the level of the row of rows.
Masonry Features
The first thing to do is lay out the corners of the wall. They should be located slightly above the middle part. To do everything right, it is best to pull a mooring cord to indicate the height and line of the masonry. To avoid sagging, you will need to pull the cord very tightly and periodically lay the beacons to maintain it.
Ordering is great for angles. A product is presented in the form of a metal corner, on which it is allowed to apply special marks to indicate the level of masonry. A couple of the first bricks are fixed at the corners in height, everything is adjusted with a level, and then, thanks to the bracket, the order is fixed. A plumb line or level guarantees vertical structure. The mooring cord also needs to be pulled along the already marked marks in order. If the wall length is up to three meters, then the order can be replaced with a long light corner made of profile or aluminum. Corners will also help ensure straightness and horizontalness of the structure.
Do not forget: during masonry, remember to bind the bricks. The seams in adjacent rows should not coincide, and after five rows it is best to lay the reinforcement network.
It is required to start laying with a simple one: fold the first rows of the structure without mortar, eliminate all the shortcomings. In other words, simulate masonry. Once you do this, make sure that there are no omissions. Now you can start direct masonry with the mixture. Before starting work, it is recommended to moisten the bricks with water: just dip them in a large bowl with liquid, and then lay them down.
During operation, a mallet, a trowel handle or even your own fists to help tap a brick and level it will greatly help you. All the solution that is squeezed out is best collected with a trowel and poured into a bucket. So gradually you will customize the bricks, removing excess mortar and achieving the results you need in stages.
How to calculate materials?
To make accurate calculations on the amount of material, prepare a detailed plan. You will need to draw all the layers of brick on paper and calculate in detail their number. It is useful to know that the standard parameters of one brick block are 250 × 120 × 60 millimeters. However, the figures may vary slightly, it all depends on the manufacturer. Therefore, it is recommended to select a brick in advance, which will be used in the work, find out its dimensions, make a plan, and only then buy raw materials.
What tips can be given to avoid mistakes?
There are three main principles that you must strictly adhere to in order for the work to be done as well as possible:
- So that the bricks during masonry do not experience a load at an angle, but only compression pressure, it will be necessary to place the rows strictly parallel to each other. The highest angle can be 17 degrees.
- Transverse and longitudinal vertical seams should always be parallel, while having a solid seam between them.
- Several parallel systems should be formed in the lateral faces of the bricks, which are placed perpendicular to each other.
Independent masonry without much experience may not work out the first time. For a start, it’s worth practicing, forming small stairs or poles, and after that build walls. If you want to use brickwork in the interior, then you should not rush, otherwise everything can be ruined. Practice it. If nothing works, then you can purchase special wallpaper for brickwork. They are inexpensive and look very nice.