For many decades, ceramic solid brick has been considered one of the most popular building materials. After reading today's article, you will learn about the main advantages and disadvantages of such products.
What is this material?
It should be understood that a ceramic corpulent brick is a product in which there are no voids. It is made from refractory environmentally friendly clay. Typically, this material is widely used for the construction of external and internal walls, so it can be called universal.
Due to the excellent load-bearing abilities and unique characteristics inherent in similar products, they are successfully used for the construction of any objects, including basements, storage and industrial premises, as well as laying the foundation. But due to the fact that the number of voids in this brick does not exceed 13%, it is characterized by high thermal conductivity, therefore it is not able to provide adequate protection neither from heat, nor from frost.
Production Features
Immediately make a reservation that a brick factory is engaged in the manufacture of such products. The technology itself includes a number of rather complex processes, the observance of the sequence of which affects the quality of the final products.
It is important to properly prepare the raw materials extracted and delivered to the enterprise for subsequent molding and heat treatment. To do this, clay, previously freed from stony inclusions, must be moistened with steam so that it acquires maximum ductility.
Then she goes to further, fully automated molding of raw brick. The raw material tape is cut into blanks of a certain size. Moreover, they should be slightly larger than the final product, since the clay that has passed all the technological stages gives a slight shrinkage.
The resulting workpiece is sent for drying. This is a rather lengthy process, the acceleration of which can lead to cracking of the product. Then the product is placed in a special kiln for firing, the temperature in which reaches thousands of degrees.
In addition, a modern brick factory can apply the so-called semi-dry pressing technology. It includes such stages as wetting the raw material with subsequent grinding it into powder, molding of semi-finished products and firing.
Variety of assortment
To date, several varieties of such products are produced. Depending on the size, on sale you can find a single ceramic brick, modular, thickened and the so-called Euro version. According to the thermal characteristics, all products are divided into ordinary and effective.
In addition, there is another classification. Depending on the application, ceramic ordinary corpulent, front and special bricks are produced. The first is intended for the construction of internal elements of enclosing and supporting structures, the second - for the construction of fences and cladding of facades, the third is ideally suited for use in high temperatures.
Advantages and disadvantages of this material
Currently, ceramic corpulent brick has displaced its hollow analogue from the construction market. This is due to the fact that it has a number of undeniable advantages. The main advantages of such products can be attributed to environmental friendliness, excellent sound insulation and high strength, thanks to which it is successfully used for the construction of foundations, the construction of basement floors, masonry chimneys and chimneys.
Like any other material, ceramic bricks have disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages is the relatively high cost of such products. In addition, he is prone to efflorescence. Therefore, a single ceramic corpulent brick needs a quality solution. Otherwise, over time, the wall will not take on a very aesthetic appearance. In the process of capital construction, it is important to use the facing material from one batch, otherwise you may have problems with the shade.
Useful Tips
In the process of laying a brick wall, it is desirable to use a hard cement-sand mortar. It is important to ensure that the thickness of the seams is about eight millimeters.
It should not be overlooked that the high strength of the walls significantly complicates the process of ditching the grooves necessary for laying utilities. Therefore, you need to think about this at the stage of building construction.
In addition, the laying of full-bodied bricks implies the performance of plastering and painting work. This is due to the fact that a material in which there are no voids does not adhere well to the solution.