Brick has been used by mankind in construction for many centuries. Its first varieties were bars of dried clay. Over time, technology has improved. Today, in the manufacture of bricks, new materials are used. They are most often burned at high temperatures. This allows you to give the brick high strength, resistance to adverse influences.
Burnt brick is used in the construction of various objects. This can be either a supporting structure or decoration of the facade, sidewalks, paths, etc. For each individual sphere, a specific type of brick is used. What they are, what properties they have - will be discussed later.
general characteristics
Burnt brick (photo below) is used in the construction of various objects. Depending on the processing, this material acquires special qualities. It can be used in the construction of supporting structures, partitions of buildings and structures. Also, the facade, basement are made of the presented brick. Of the brick, which was subjected to special processing, you can make chimneys, build fireplaces and stoves.
A separate field of application for bricks, which were kilned in a furnace at high temperature and pressure, is the decoration of bridges, sidewalks and paths. This masonry material must be resistant to various mechanical, weather influences. He has advanced requirements.
There are many varieties of burnt bricks. They differ in configuration, color, size and performance. When choosing a material for carrying out certain construction works, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of features of masonry blocks.
Production technology
Burnt brick today is one of the most sought-after building materials. It is made in accordance with certain technologies. The main factors that provide excellent performance are high temperature and pressure.
It should be noted that on sale non-fired brick is presented. It is made at high pressure, but relatively low temperature. These products include hyper-pressed and trim bricks.
When using high temperatures, ceramic, chamotte, clinker bricks are obtained. Submissions may include various subspecies. They differ in appearance, durability and cost. Therefore, when choosing, be sure to consider for which objects the material will be used.
Ceramic red brick
Red baked brick is a popular and relatively inexpensive material. It is characterized by good resistance to adverse conditions, durability. Depending on the processing method, it may have a certain strength class.
The presented material is prepared from clay of various grades. It is mixed in a certain proportion with water. Then the plastic mass is added to the mold. You can give the product a different configuration. Further, the billet is fired at a temperature of about 1000 º. Such a brick becomes dense, resistant to moisture.
It is customary to call such material exactly red. However, today, according to the presented technology, many products are made that have a white, mustard color. So that the bricks used to build one object do not differ in shade, it is necessary to purchase a sufficient amount of material for the construction.
Varieties of ceramic bricks
There are many varieties of ceramic bricks. They can differ not only in shade. Manufacturers make hollow and solid burnt bricks. The first has holes and voids inside. This makes it more fragile. But the insulating qualities of this material will be higher. From it build partitions indoors.
Solid brick is more durable. It can be used for the construction of foundations, roads, sidewalks, load-bearing walls. However, its thermal insulation characteristics are somewhat inferior to hollow varieties. It is laid in two rows when creating the walls.
Also, the surface of ceramic bricks may be different. It can be smooth or embossed. Also, the type of ceramic brick includes facade, glazed, shaped type. They are used for decorative decoration of facades. You can also lay out tracks from similar products in the garden, build arches, etc.
How to choose a quality ceramic brick?
On sale are many varieties of bricks. When choosing, take into account its purpose. For example, they can lay out buildings from panels with red burnt bricks to create a certain decorative effect. In this case, a special finishing look with the correct geometry is suitable.
To create sites, sidewalks, it is necessary to choose the strength class of bricks correctly. The greater the load it will be subjected to, the thicker it should be. Thin varieties are suitable for garden paths along which the owners of a country house will walk. If cars will drive along the sidewalk, it is necessary to give preference to strong, thick bricks.
The cost of ceramic bricks
The cost of the material presented is largely dependent on the manufacturer. The cheapest is Belarusian brick. Its price can be from 75 kopecks. a piece. Domestic producer supplies the brick market from 1.2 rubles. a piece. European companies offer building materials at a price of 15 rubles. a piece. The most famous companies in this industry are Keraterm, Lode, S. Annselmo, etc.
Porous brick
The production of baked bricks is constantly being improved. As a result, new varieties enter the building materials market. They feature improved performance. One such material is porous brick. It has several advantages over the previous type of materials.
The presented product is obtained using technology similar to the ceramic group. However, in addition to clay, small wood sawdust is added to its composition. Next, the workpiece is fired. Sawdust in the brick structure burns down. In the blocks in this case, small pores are obtained. The thermal insulation characteristics of such bricks far exceed other varieties.
Porous blocks are lightweight. Also, the presence of pores provides good sound insulation of the masonry. The appearance of the presented material has a smooth surface. Therefore, such blocks can be used for finishing the facade or walls indoors. They can be laid out in one row, which reduces the cost of construction work.
Fireclay brick
Burnt bricks of a block shape or other configuration can be used in the construction and decoration of stoves, fireplaces and chimneys. These are chamotte blocks. This material is made according to a certain technology. Thanks to her, the brick gets new qualities. It can withstand high temperatures.
When creating fireclay bricks, high temperature is used. Thanks to this treatment, the brick can withstand temperatures up to 1700 º. It is used not only in private, but also in industrial construction.
In the manufacture of such blocks, crushed clay is mixed with fireclay powder. In this case, the block receives a grainy texture. The manufacturer can specify a different configuration of the finished product. Brick can accumulate heat. It can give it into space for a long time. This is one of the most expensive species that are today represented in the building materials market. The cost is about 10-12 thousand rubles / m³.
Brick brick
Clinker blocks also belong to the category of burnt bricks. They are made by technology similar to the creation of ceramic varieties. However, in this case, special refractory clays are used. Firing in this case is carried out at higher temperatures.
With this treatment, various foreign inclusions and voids cannot remain. This is one of the most durable brands of bricks. Its service life is higher than that of other varieties. However, the cost can be several times higher than ordinary masonry or silicate brick. The average cost of such material is about 7.5 thousand rubles / m³. It is a frost-resistant, moisture-resistant material. Clinker blocks withstand high pressure, do not collapse under the influence of acids, salts or alkalis. It is easy to use and build. Clinker is used to make both load-bearing structures and paths, areas that will be subject to high mechanical stresses.
Facade tile
There are building materials that mimic their appearance of burnt bricks. Facade tiles in this case are made using a completely different technology. It is not burned in the oven.
The presented material is created on the basis of fiberglass canvas. It added bitumen with an improved composition. The material also complements natural basalt. Its granules of a certain size create a special texture. The presented method of creating material allows to ensure its high durability.
In operation, facade tile is not inferior in its main characteristics to brick. It is not subject to corrosion, withstands temperature extremes. The material is not subject to mechanical stress. It does not fade for a long time. It is for this reason that the material presented is in high demand in the building materials market.
Facade cladding material
Today, many manufacturers offer the consumer a huge amount of materials for facade cladding. For such purposes, a very different type of brick and tile is used.
Many owners, trying to give a noble appearance to a building or a fence, opt for facade tiles. The most famous in this area is "TECHNONICOL Hauberk". Burnt brick imitates materials that are not made from clay. They are lightweight and have improved performance. Installation in this case is much faster and cheaper. The cost of such decoration will be about 350-400 rubles / m².
If you wish, you can purchase a natural burnt brick. In this case, the work will require more professionalism from the master. Natural burnt brick is characterized by high load-bearing capacity. Therefore, it is in demand in the construction of various facilities.
Having considered the features of such a material as burnt brick, you can choose the best option for the construction or decoration of any object.