In modern construction, the border between the areas of application of different groups of materials is reduced rapidly. In many respects, the introduction of new technologies in production processes contributes to this. Traditional brick is usually associated with masonry walls and partitions. The function of facing components is assigned to tiled products, siding and wood. At the same time, the hyper-pressed facing brick is capable of fulfilling the tasks of decorative finishing and ensuring the strength of the formed walls. The methods of its manufacture have a number of significant differences from the production of ordinary brick, which determined the unique qualities of this material.
Manufacturing Technology and Equipment
Production is carried out using hyperpressing technology. In special molds under a pressure of more than 20 MPa, the cement-mineral mixture is compacted for brick. In the production, special equipment for hyper-pressed brick is used, due to which a conveyor line is formed. The standard list of such units includes the following:
- main installation for the implementation of the process of hyperpression (press);
- concrete mixer;
- conveyor line;
- installation for cutting bricks;
- molding equipment for a brick with a facet.
A feature of this manufacturing method is the high load on the raw material mass, from which later high-strength hyper-pressed brick is obtained. The technology virtually eliminates the preservation of voids, which affects the hardness and durability of the material. In part, the efficiency of the process is enhanced by the separation of crushing and mixing processes.
Composition of hyper pressed brick
Most of the raw materials for the manufacture of bricks by hyperpressing are slag and waste. In particular, products from the processing of metallurgical plants, asbestos cement plants, power plants and mining and processing enterprises are used. About 10% of the composition is formed by finely ground limestone rocks with the inclusion of water and cement. The rest of the hyperpressed brick consists of marbles, dolomites, shells, travertines and other elements. The composition can be traced to the differences in this technology. Thus, in comparison with the production of ceramic bricks, molded products do not undergo firing and are not dried. If we make a comparison with the manufacture of silicate bricks, then we can note the absence of sand in the composition.
Material characteristics
Of course, consumers for the most part do not go into the intricacies of technological processes and immediately pay attention to what characteristics hyper-pressed brick for facing has. So, among the technical indicators it is worth noting the following:
- strength indicators range from 100 to 400 kg / cm 2 ;
- the average weight is 2000 kg / m 3 ;
- water absorption capacity - 3-7%;
- frost resistance - 300 cycles;
- fire resistance corresponds to a group of non-combustible materials;
- low thermal conductivity, the indicators of which correspond to special heat insulators.
Varieties
Despite certain difficulties in the manufacturing process, production allows the production of various models of bricks. In terms of operational properties, the material itself remains the same, however, the structural and textural qualities are quite different. On the construction market, you can find hyper-pressed facing brick in the following assortment:
- Chipped. It has a specific texture that imitates chips.
- Figured. It can take the form of various geometric shapes, which increases the aesthetic advantages of the cladding.
- Corpulent. It has high strength and is suitable for traditional masonry.
- Hollow. It is usually used for decorative exterior decoration with the function of heat insulator.
It is also worth noting that hyper-pressed brick is available in different colors, which significantly expands the possibilities of aesthetic design of buildings. Standard for such a brick are yellow, red and green shades.
Reviews
Owners of houses built with such bricks generally praise the purchase. With regard to strength, durability and reliability, the material does not cause criticism. Moreover, many complain that the products are not amenable to manual processing. On the one hand, this indicates the quality of the material, but on the other hand, the use of special equipment is required, which will allow cutting hyper-pressed bricks. Reviews also note the heaviness of the material. Nevertheless, the high density of the products and, as a consequence, the increase in mass are affected. By the way, the weight of one brick reaches 4 kg. As a result, transportation and handling of material at the construction site is difficult, especially when it comes to large batches.
There are also complaints about color burnout, although this factor depends on the conscientiousness of the manufacturer, which produces hyper-pressed brick. Reviews note that the even sides of the elements especially burn out in the sun. Therefore, if the textural qualities are fundamental, then it is recommended to purchase a "torn" brick - such a texture is least prone to fading.
How much does a hyper-pressed brick cost?
The high cost can be attributed to another drawback of such bricks, but the operational advantages pay for them. On average, prices range from 17 to 22 rubles. a piece. This is the cost of corpulent material. But it is important to understand that hyper-pressed brick, the price of which does not exceed 20 rubles, in most cases has a minimum level of density relative to technological standards. If you need to get high-quality and durable walls, then it is advisable to purchase a material more expensive and with a maximum level of density.
Conclusion
Considering the option of acquiring hyper-pressed products, many are faced with the question of how this material differs from ordinary bricks. By and large, he wins in two qualities. These are durability and esthetic properties. It is obvious that hyper-pressed brick with its density will provide the building with high reliability. This is indicated not only by manufacturers, but also by builders who used this material.
Decorative, a variety of textures and textures is also an important advantage. After all, it is not without reason that such a brick is used not only by private homeowners, but also by developers of large shopping centers. A respectable appearance can be obtained using other materials, but not every one of them is able to provide similar indicators of strength and reliability.