Cladding the façade of a house with brick: features of the technology. Finishing the facade with facing bricks Cladding the facade of the house with ceramic bricks

Clinker brick is the best material for cladding the facade of a house

Houses lined with brick on the outside are popular among private developers. Often a layer of effective insulation is placed between the wall and the cladding. like this the wall is usually called three-layer.

With external walls made of any material, but lined with brick, the house looks solid and elegant.

Brick cladding is resistant to atmospheric and mechanical influences. Durable - retains its protective and decorative properties for a long timefunctions without replacement or update. A house with brick cladding feels safe “like behind a stone wall.”

For cladding, ordinary masonry ceramic or silicate bricks are used - this is a low-budget option.

Most often, the walls of houses are lined with special facing ceramic bricks.

But clinker bricks are especially good for cladding the walls of a house. True, the cost of cladding the walls of a house with clinker bricks is the highest.

Clinker bricks have very low water absorption (4-6%) and therefore unusually frost-resistant- withstands 150 freezing and thawing cycles. On a clinker wall There is no green moss, fungus or mold.

The resistance of clinker bricks to mechanical stress and abrasion is very high - you won't see any chips on it.

Small porosity contributes to the fact that the brick does not accumulate dirt on the surface and is easy to clean. The house will look like new for a long time.

Clinker brick cladding can be carefully disassembled brick by brick and then the brick can be reused. The clinker is easily cleaned of solution residues. This property is very useful if in ten or another year you will have to change the insulation under the cladding.

The variety of colors and surface textures of clinker bricks allows you to realize any design idea. Cladding made of clinker bricks will suit both a respectable mansion and a modest economy class house.

How clinker bricks are made

Clinker bricks are made in much the same way as ordinary ceramic bricks. Bricks formed from clay mass are fired in a kiln. The main difference is that firing is carried out at a higher temperature 1100-1300 o C.

Brick color depends on the composition of the raw materials, firing regime and additives to the clay mass.

The surface of ordinary clinker bricks is flat and smooth. But they also produce bricks with a textured surface.

Produce glazed bricks. Such bricks have water absorption close to zero.

Clinker bricks come in a variety of shapes and colors. The surface of the brick can be coated with glaze.

In addition to standard rectangular bricks, produce shaped bricks, which are used for laying window sills, cornices and decorative elements.

Bricks of non-standard sizes are available for sale. For example, narrow, 5.5 wide cm., different heights - 5 cm, 6,5 cm or 7.1 cm.

Brick-clinker facade design

Brick wall cladding is a rather expensive option for facade finishing, especially from clinker bricks. And it will be three times a shame, after significant expenses, to receive a nondescript, inexpressive facade of the house.

To have a spectacular and respectable house, you should entrust the design of the facade to a professional architect who has experience working with clinker bricks in advance, before the start of construction.

To achieve harmony with the facade of the house, the fence around the site is also often made of clinker bricks.

When designing a clinker facade, choose the color of the bricks and masonry joints, and the method (pattern) of masonry. The masonry seams can match the color of the brick, and then the facade appears smooth from a distance.

The masonry joints can be of a contrasting color to the brick. In this case, the pattern of brick binding on the wall will be visible.

The facade is decorated with clinker brick decor different shapes and colors. Most often, inserts of shaped or colored bricks are made at the corners of the facade, around window and door openings, and clinker window sills are also installed.

They make ones that sink or, on the contrary, protrude from the plane of the facade brick inserts with a textured surface in a contrasting color.

House with clinker brick cladding white color looks non-standard, fresh and neat.

It is important to maintain harmony of shape and color, not to overdo it. A house with clinker cladding should not look colorful and cheap.

Secrets of clinker wall cladding with bricks

In a house with brick walls, For structural reasons, it is convenient to also line the base with brick, and best of all clinker.

The base is most susceptible to moisture, and the high moisture and frost resistance of clinker will ensure long-term protection of the walls and foundation insulation.

In addition, the clinker cladding of the plinth will serve as a reliable support for the brickwork of the wall cladding.

Section of the interface between the base and the wall of a house with clinker brick cladding.

In the figure: 1 - thermal insulation slabs made of mineral wool with a water-windproof coating; 2 - ventilated gap; 3 - brick wall cladding, protrudes beyond the plane of the base by 2-3 cm; 4 - load-bearing wall; 5 - two layers of horizontal waterproofing of the wall; 6 - clinker cladding of the plinth; 7 - hole in the vertical seam between the bricks for water drainage and air flow into the gap; 8 - vertical waterproofing of the foundation wall;

The base and foundation are insulated with waterproof insulation- slabs of extruded polystyrene foam (EPS), and lined with clinker bricks without a ventilated gap.

The top layer of horizontal waterproofing, pos. 5, must be rolled up onto the wall to a height of at least 150 mm., to protect the load-bearing wall from water that can accumulate on the waterproofing layer in the ventilated gap.

Insulation for house walls with brick cladding

For insulation, it is convenient to use slabs specially designed for insulating facades with brick cladding. Such slabs have hydrophobic (water-repellent) impregnation and outer water-windproof layer. The density of mineral wool boards is not less than 60 kg/m 3.

If insulation boards without a protective coating are used, then on top the insulation layer must be covered with a vapor-permeable water-windproof film.

Mineral wool insulation does not prevent construction and operational moisture from escaping from the load-bearing wall.

Work on insulating the facade with mineral wool and laying the cladding can be done immediately, during construction and interior decoration, without waiting for the wall to dry.

If the walls of a house are insulated with polymer insulation (EPS), then, as required by fire safety rules, it is necessary to make fire breaks in the insulation layer - fire-resistant inserts made of mineral wool boards around window and door openings, as well as at the top of the wall, under the eaves.

Using different types of insulation to insulate one wall may not be very convenient or technologically advanced.

In addition, the polymer insulation is water and vapor proof. If you lay it on the wall right away, the construction moisture in the wall and interior decoration is preserved - the inside of the house does not dry out for a long time, the wooden parts in the walls rot, and fungus and mold appear on the interior decoration.

It is recommended to do work on insulating the facade with polymer insulation and laying brick cladding one to three years after finishing the finishing work in the house. During this time, the walls will have time to dry out from construction moisture.

It’s not comfortable to move into an uninsulated, damp and cold house, and wait three years for the walls to dry.- not many owners will agree.

Thermal insulation slabs made of aerated concrete, gas silicate, foam glass

Recently, two types of mineral insulation have been gaining popularity - slabs of low-density cellular concrete and foam glass. These are heat-insulating boards based on materials already known and used in construction - autoclaved aerated concrete, gas silicate or foam glass.

Thermal insulation slabs made of cellular concrete have a density of 100 - 200 kg/m 3 and thermal conductivity coefficient in dry condition 0.045 - 0.06 W/m o K. Mineral wool and polystyrene foam insulation have approximately the same thermal conductivity. Slabs are produced with a thickness of 60 - 200 mm. Compressive strength class B1.0 (compressive strength not less than 10 kg/m3.) Vapor permeability coefficient 0.28 mg/(m*year*Pa).

Thermal insulation slabs made of cellular concrete are a good alternative to mineral wool and expanded polystyrene insulation.

Well-known brands of thermal insulation slabs made of cellular concrete in the construction market: “Multipor”, “AEROC Energy”, “Betol”.

Insulation of house walls with foam glass slabs.

The most important advantage of insulation made from aerated concrete and foam glass compared to traditional mineral wool and foam polymers is that it is more high durability and environmental friendliness. The materials do not contain any organic matter - it is artificial stone or glass.

Ventilated gap between cladding and insulation

Water may appear at the border between the cladding and insulation.

Moisture appears as a result of condensation on the surface of a brick of water vapor, a constant flow of which tends to pass through the wall from the premises to the outside (p).

In addition, water can get inside due to the lack of tightness of the cladding when the wall is soaked by slanting rain.

Water on the inner surface of the cladding soaks the insulation, and also flows down and collects on the horizontal waterproofing of the base and lintels above the openings.

If vapor-permeable mineral wool slabs are used to insulate walls, then a ventilated gap must be left between the cladding and the insulation layer, width 3-5 cm.

The ventilated gap must be through and ventilated to the entire height of the wall.

For air circulation in the gap in the brick cladding, holes are left in the vertical joints of the masonry. Water accumulated on the horizontal waterproofing flows out through these same holes.

In brick cladding, the walls between the bricks are left with vertical seams free of mortar to allow air circulation in the gap and water drainage.

Special inserts are installed in the mortar-free vertical seams between the bricks to protect the holes from insects.

Holes in the brick cladding are made in the following places:

Above the horizontal waterproofing of the base (item 7) and lintels above the openings (item 2 in the figure), for water drainage and air flow into the gap, every second or third vertical seam is left unfilled with mortar.
At the top, under the eaves overhang, in the third or fourth row of brickwork from the top, to allow air to escape from the gap, vertical seams are left free of mortar at the rate of one or two seams for every 1 m 2 wall area.

Ventilation gap is also required when facing single-layer walls with brick (without a layer of insulation between the cladding and the wall), if the load-bearing wall is made of sand or non-sand, as well as when facing wooden and frame walls.

If the facade is insulated with slabs of polymer insulation - polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, then no ventilated gap needed. In the vertical joints of the cladding masonry, only holes are left for water drainage every 800 - 1000 mm.

Brick cladding or walls made of SIP panels made without a ventilated gap.

Brick laying of house walls

Wall cladding with ventilated gap

In the figure: 1 - laying a load-bearing wall; 2 - slabs of mineral wool insulation with a water-windproof layer; 3 — anchor (connection) made of galvanized or stainless steel with a pressure cuff; 4 - laying clinker brick cladding; 5 - ventilated gap; 6 - general wall thickness from 460 mm.

For cladding walls with a ventilated gap, clinker is used standard size brick 120 wide mm.

The cladding masonry is fastened to the load-bearing wall with anchors made of galvanized or stainless steel, pos. 3. Steel anchors are usually laid in the horizontal joints of the load-bearing wall masonry to a depth of at least 50 mm. The insulation boards are pinned onto the ends of the anchors protruding from the load-bearing wall and pressed against the wall with special plastic pressure cuffs.

When laying cladding the end of the anchor is raised slightly upward and are also placed in the horizontal joints of the cladding masonry.

This inclined position of the anchor, pos. 3, in the gap ensures that drops of water flowing down the surface of the cladding do not flow into the masonry, but move down the anchor to the pressure collar. There is a dropper on the cuff from which water drips down.

This decision prevents the appearance of difficult-to-remove efflorescence on the outer surface of the cladding.

Fastening anchors are placed in horizontal joints every 6 - 9 rows of brick cladding or every 2 - 3 rows of load-bearing wall blocks.

Wall cladding without ventilated gap

In the figure: 1 - laying a load-bearing wall; 2 — insulation boards made of extruded polystyrene foam (EPS, XPS); 3 - anchor (connection) made of fiberglass, galvanized or stainless steel; 4 - laying facing from narrow clinker bricks; 5 - general wall thickness from 360 mm.

For cladding walls without a ventilated gap, you can use a narrow clinker custom size brick 55 wide mm. or brick of standard width, but with edge laying. This type of cladding will be cheaper.

It is convenient to place fastening anchors in the horizontally coinciding joints of the wall and cladding masonry. To select matching seams, you can for cladding use bricks 5 high cm, 6,5 cm or 7.1 cm., and also slightly change the thickness of the masonry joints.

The anchors connecting the wall and the cladding, item 3, can be made of steel or plastic, and also have a different design. There are anchors on sale that are placed in masonry joints, and there are those that are screwed into a load-bearing wall.

Anchors placed in masonry joints can be made independently. As an anchor, you should use pieces of galvanized steel wire with a diameter of 4 - 6 mm. or perforated galvanized steel tape with a thickness of at least 0.8 mm., or galvanized masonry mesh. Both ends of the wire anchor are bent to secure the masonry joint in the mortar. The tape anchor is fixed in the seam by filling the perforation holes with mortar.

Expansion joints in cladding masonry

It is known that when temperature changes, all materials contract or expand. Cladding brickwork does the same thing. Moreover, different sections of the masonry change their sizes differently. For example, a section of a wall heated by the sun expands more than an adjacent one in the shade. Such changes create stress in the cladding layer and can lead to the appearance of cracks in it.

To protect the cladding from the appearance of cracks where it is not necessary, in the cladding masons deliberately create a crack where it will not be noticeable. Expansion joints are installed in the cladding masonry.

Vertical expansion joints in the masonry are made every 12 meters of the wall. On dark facades heated by the sun, this distance is recommended to be reduced to 9 meters. On the north side of the house, the distance between expansion joints is increased to 15 meters.

To make the expansion joint invisible, it is combined with the masonry seams. At the location of the expansion joint, the joints between the bricks of the masonry are not filled with masonry mortar. Empty seams are protected from the outside with sealing tape or elastic sealant.

Horizontal expansion joints in the cladding are made under the balcony slab, as well as under other structures that limit the thermal expansion of the cladding in the vertical direction.

Mortars for laying brick cladding

For laying brick cladding, you can use ordinary cement-based masonry mortar. To prepare the solution, mix 1 part of cement, grade no lower than M400, and 4 parts of washed quartz sand. Then add the required amount of water.

Lime should not be added to the masonry mortar.. A solution with lime will serve as a source of difficult-to-remove efflorescence on the surface of the masonry. But ordinary cement-sand mortar has low plasticity and is inconvenient to work with.

It is better to prepare masonry mortar from ready-made dry mixtures specially designed for laying clinker. The mixtures have additives that ensure the absence of efflorescence. In addition, dry masonry mixtures for clinker contain a specially selected filler - granulate. Seams made from such a solution are dense, with a minimum number of pores, and weakly absorb water.

The color of masonry joints with regular mortar will be gray.

If it is necessary to make masonry seams colored, then use ready-made dry mixtures with dye of the required color.

Colored solutions are usually more expensive. To reduce the amount of colored mortar for laying cladding, laying is done using regular gray mortar. The mortar is laid so that on the front side of the masonry the seams remain unfilled to a depth of approximately 1.5-2 cm.

Then the depressions in the seams are filled with a colored solution - grout (fuge) for clinker. The work is carried out 3-5 days after laying. When the grout solution begins to set, a piece of elastic hose is passed along the seams to compact the fugue and form a concave surface in the seam.

Windows and doors in a three-layer wall

The pictures below show how to correctly make openings for windows and doors in the wall of a house with clinker cladding.

Construction of an external clinker window sill:

In the figure: 1 - clinker window sill (shaped brick or tile); 2 - joint sealing; 3 - window box; 4—groove—dropper; 5 - ventilated gap.

The window sill on the outside of the window is made of specially shaped clinker bricks. A window sill is also made from bricks of a standard shape, laying it on an edge with a slope to drain water. In the latter option, a drip groove is cut on the bottom surface of the bricks so that water from the window sill does not flow onto the wall.

Instead of a brick window sill, you can install standard metal or plastic ebbs. But such a solution usually does not look very aesthetically pleasing and presentable (cheap) for a house with clinker wall cladding.

Cut above the window external wall with clinker brick lining:

In the figure: 1 - horizontal waterproofing with a turn on the wall; 2 - hole in the vertical seam between the bricks for water drainage and ventilation; 3 - reinforced concrete lintel in the cladding, covered with clinker tiles; 4 — silicone sealant or sealing tape; 5 - window, located in the thickness of the heat-insulating layer; 6 - reinforced concrete lintel in the load-bearing layer of the wall.

Reinforced concrete lintels are installed in the cladding over window and door openings, which are then covered with clinker tiles (in the figure above).

The best option is to make lintels over openings made of clinker bricks. It is convenient to lay the brick lintel in the shape of an arch. Straight lintels made of vertically installed bricks are made with reinforcement of the vertical joints of the masonry and horizontal reinforcement of the masonry above the lintel.

Horizontal waterproofing must be installed above door and window openings, pos. 1, with a turn on the wall, to a height of 150 mm., to protect the load-bearing wall from water that can accumulate on the waterproofing layer in the ventilated gap. To drain water and ventilate the gap in the brickwork above the waterproofing, holes are provided, pos. 2 in the picture

Durability, service life of insulation

In scientific articles one can find statements that the duration of effective operation of buildings, insulated with mineral wool or polystyrene boards, until the first major overhaul is 25-35 years. During this period, a complete replacement of the insulation is required.

But to replace the insulation, you will need destroy such a durable, beautiful and expensive clinker facade!

The website of a well-known manufacturer of mineral wool products states that The service life of thermal insulation materials is at least 50 years subject to compliance with the company’s recommendations on installation technology and operating conditions.

Moreover, the manufacturer does not explain what happens to the material at the end of its service life, and how to determine the moment when it needs to be replaced. It only notes the lack of an approved methodology for determining the durability of building materials. The question arises: what is the basis for the figure of 50 years?

All sources of information agree on the same opinion that the durability of insulation made from mineral wool, from various types of foamed polymers and ecowool is noticeably less than the materials from which walls are laid.

It is known that organic substances age much faster than mineral ones. During the aging process, the chemical composition and physical structure of the material changes. The material ceases to perform its functions in one or another building structure.

Mineral wool slabs contain 3-10% organic substances - binder resins. Over time, the binder gradually decomposes and ceases to hold together the mineral wool particles. The particles fall off, the cotton wool loses its spatial structure, cakes, and shrinks.

Any insulation gradually, over the years, loses its heat-saving properties.

It has been established that the higher the density of mineral wool slabs ( kg/m 3), the slower the heat-saving properties of the insulation are lost. To increase service life It is recommended to use high-density boards, although they are more expensive. This rule is also true for other types of insulation.

When to change insulation?

The insulation should be changed when it ceases to perform its functions. How to determine this moment?

Legislation in the field of construction and housing and communal services requires upon completion of construction of the building, conduct an energy audit. During the audit process, using measurements with instruments (thermal imagers, etc.), the heat-saving parameters of walls and other enclosing structures are determined.

Based on the audit results, an energy passport is drawn up, and the building is assigned to one or another energy-saving class.

In the European Union, the procedure for obtaining an energy passport is mandatory for new private houses. The energy efficiency class of a home greatly influences the value of the property.

In the Russian Federation, energy audits of private houses are not mandatory and are usually not carried out. And probably in vain.

After 25 - 30 years, the energy audit is carried out again. The indicators of the heat-saving properties of walls and ceilings then (in a new house) and now are compared.

If, for example, the heat transfer resistance of a wall has decreased by 1/3 or more from the original, then it is recommended to carry out a major overhaul - changing the insulation and outer cladding of the wall.

After another 25 years (or earlier), the next regular audit is carried out. Thus, based on periodic measurements of the heat-saving properties of the external fences of the house, the need to replace the insulation in one or another element of the house is determined.

Since the mass use of effective insulation materials began 20-25 years ago, and energy audits are not carried out in many cases, there are no reliable statistics on the service life of insulation materials used in the Russian Federation.

For clinker cladding, it is best to do without insulation in the wall - build a house with single-layer walls made of aerated concrete or porous ceramics and line them.

To increase the service life of a facade with durable and expensive brick cladding, it is recommended use mineral insulation from aerated concrete or foam glass.

Traditional mineral wool insulation must have increased density, not less than 75 kg/m 3, and be manufactured by well-known manufacturing companies in the European Union.

When insulating a wall with polymer insulation use only extruded polystyrene foam high density.

Find a contractor and order an energy audit of your newly built home. A house with proven energy-saving parameters will increase in price. And in the future, it will be possible to control the condition of the insulation in walls, floors and ceilings.

Advantages and disadvantages of this finish

When choosing materials for decorating a facade, you should definitely study all the pros and cons of one or another option. Consult with professionals, contact home owners who have chosen the same finish and know how the material behaves. Internet forums are also suitable. It is advisable to visit third-party sites, and not the online store of any manufacturer.

As for brick cladding, the following advantages are highlighted:

High moisture repellency.
Durability and reliability.
Frost resistance of the structure.
Vapor permeability.
Fire and environmental safety.
Long service life of 50 years.
Self-cleaning - dust and dirt are washed away by rainwater.
Easy care.
Versatility of use - suitable for both outdoor and indoor decoration.
Large selection of shades and factor.

Of course, there are several disadvantages, like any other finishing material.
Let's get acquainted with them:

High price.
Low-quality products are covered with a white coating (efflorescence).
It is important to buy the right amount of bricks from one batch, otherwise the elements will differ in color. Although some people specifically buy 2-3 shades and mix the elements during the styling process. Thus, a unique pattern is created on the facade.

After evaluating the information received, everyone decides for themselves whether this option is suitable or not.

When is it possible and when not to cladding walls with brick?

But there are several points that do not allow the use of brick
masonry:

Low foundation strength. Brick is still a heavy material and requires a reliable foundation. Therefore, if at first it was planned to build a frame house with a light cladding, but during operation it was decided to make the cladding out of brick, then you will have to build an additional foundation exclusively for the finishing wall.
Affects the choice of cladding and the strength of the load-bearing wall. The vertical brick is connected to the supporting structure so that it does not fall to one side or the other. This means that the main wall must withstand additional load. A gas silicate base is suitable.
The need to remodel the roof also weighs heavily when choosing a brick facade. The finished roof will not be able to protect the new structure.

All these nuances significantly increase the price of an already expensive cladding. If the house is old and cannot withstand such loads, then it is better to use lighter options for repairs, for example, basement siding with imitation brick or ceramic tiles for the facade. A curtain façade is used.

It is better if the brick facade is included in the design of the new house. Then, when constructing a facing wall according to the drawing, unexpected costs or situations will not arise. Plus, when everything is planned and executed correctly, the structure will be much stronger.

Types of bricks for wall cladding

The modern building materials market offers types of facing bricks that differ in the composition of the original components and production method. But this does not mean that the technical characteristics are different. All values are located approximately at the same level. Only the appearance and colors differ. Therefore, we will consider several popular options.

Ceramic

The main raw material for the manufacture of such bricks is clay of different grades. Several additional substances are added to the main component, which slightly improve its quality. The material is created solid or with cavities. Strength does not depend on the presence of cavities; rather, the thermal insulation function improves.

They mainly offer a range of shades from brown to orange and yellow, which is related to the raw materials. No dye is added to this type of brick. The surface of the elements can be glossy or matte. Production features are as follows:

Thorough mixing of all components, especially if several types of clay were used.
Molding of blanks.
Firing at a temperature of 800–1000 degrees.

But even if the same type of clay is used, the shade of individual elements differs, and this is due to the following factors:

Insufficient quality batch.
Raw materials from the same quarry often differ in composition and color.
Temperature fluctuations. The higher the workpieces were heated, the darker the brick would turn out.
The duration of heat treatment is the same dependence as in the previous version. The longer it burns, the darker it gets.

The disadvantage of ceramic bricks is the frequent occurrence of efflorescence. The presence of such white spots is associated with low-quality raw materials or short firing time. The composition of the adhesive is also an influential factor. For the solution, select only high-quality components.

Clinker

This is another version of ceramic brick, but differs from its predecessor in the following manufacturing aspects:

Only refractory types of clay are selected.
Pigments are added to the mix, which allows you to make bricks of different colors.
After formation, firing is performed at higher temperatures of about 1300 degrees. The material becomes durable and can withstand significant loads.

Clinker has decorative properties, but is also expensive. Everything is connected with a complex production process. In addition, the domestic market mainly presents goods from foreign manufacturers. Russian manufacturers still do not meet quality standards.

Hyper-pressed

This brick consists mainly of waste from various industries:

limestone;
shell rock;
waste from processing natural stones;
slags

In order to bind all the components, add a little cement. To obtain colored ones, mineral and natural pigments are used. Hyper-pressed brick is distinguished by the process of creating products:

Thoroughly knead the dry ingredients.
Moisten the mixture with a small amount of water.
Packaging in forms.
Exposure to high pressure.

The workpieces are dried until the moisture completely disappears. As you can see, the firing process is completely absent, but this does not make the brick brittle. On the contrary, thanks to the binder, the material acquires the same strength as natural stone. Hyperpressed cladding costs a little less than clinker or ceramics, since the technological process is simpler.

The dimensions of the parts are almost identical, which is difficult to achieve when creating previous versions. This means that it is easier to cover the façade with such material. The front side of the brick resembles torn stone, as it is chipped and broken. This texture only attracts buyers, because it is an imitation of natural
stone

Silicate

To make this option, clay is not used at all. Manufacturers choose the main components:

Quartz sand.
Lime.
Pigments.
Mineral supplements.

Before sending the blanks for firing at a temperature of 120–200 0 C, they are pressed. Such actions allow you to give the parts the correct shape with small errors in size (up to 0.5 mm). It is worth saying that sand-lime brick is also fired at increased pressure up to 12 atmospheres.

This material is much cheaper than the above types. But they are rarely used as facade cladding. This is related to:

High moisture absorption.
Low resistance to ultraviolet radiation.
Poor reaction to negative ambient temperatures.

If this option is chosen for finishing, care is taken to protect it from destructive factors. The facade is treated with moisture-repellent compounds and the roof overhang is increased.

What is Bavarian masonry?

As mentioned above, bricks from different batches differ significantly in color. In the 17th century, the Bavarians also faced this problem. They tried to select raw materials more carefully and constantly improved the manufacturing process, but nothing worked.

Then it occurred to me to sort the finished products by color. Unfortunately, the desired result also did not happen. There was nothing left to do but mix all the elements of 2-4 shades and distribute them evenly over the façade so that light or dark areas do not form on the surface.

Builders noticed that houses with such a pattern looked no worse than plain buildings. In addition, the masonry gave the building brightness and attractiveness, making it stand out from the crowd. Now this style of bricklaying is considered a sign of good taste, and tourists go to Bavaria to admire the ancient buildings.

Photos of beautiful brick house designs

Examples using bricks

Some people like brickwork, and the owner strives to recreate such a facade in any way - using facing bricks or materials that can imitate this cladding. Others try to escape from the standards and disguise brick walls in any known way.

There is no arguing about tastes, since everyone has their own vision of beauty. Therefore, we will consider several options for facades decorated with brick, but in different interpretations and styles.

Universal brick facade

Brick is such a versatile material that it is even used to decorate houses with columns, arches, stucco molding and other facade decor. At the same time, the building will not lose its attractiveness, but on the contrary, it will sparkle with new colors, and at the same time it will not look vulgar or tasteless.

A correctly selected shade of cladding elements, as well as texture, will only emphasize the taste and status of the owner of the house. Therefore, when turning to brickwork as a renovation of the facade, you should not worry about whether the building will be as beautiful. No, it won’t, but it will become completely new!

Painted brick, external walls of different colors

With the help of paints and varnishes they transform a brick facade that has already become boring. But be careful when choosing this method of decorating a private building. The paint penetrates deeply and unevenly into the structure of the brick, and it will be extremely difficult to get rid of it.

As you know, paint is not a material with a long service life, therefore, having painted a brick facade once, it must be maintained in an attractive form every 3-5 years, depending on the type of paint chosen. In addition, some types cover the facade with a durable film that does not allow moisture to pass through from the interior. This will negatively affect the base material.

If this option is suitable and does not frighten the owner, then there are no limits to imagination. On the construction market there are a large number of facade paints that are already tinted or white, which can be pigmented. The pigment is chosen from the same manufacturer as the paint.

No more than three shades are combined on the façade. Contrasting colors are used to highlight window and door openings, porches, etc. To select a color scheme, use advice from fashionable construction publications, their online counterparts, or professional designers.

All options have photo galleries where you can select a ready-made option or create a completely new one at the request of the client. It is quite possible to do the painting yourself, but if the building is large, two-story, then it is better to resort to the services of a professional team with the appropriate tools and equipment.

Whitewashed brick

One of the options for painting the facade is to apply whitewash to the brick. This method of decorating exterior houses will achieve an aged effect. Whitewashing of bricks was often used in English villages, so those who are interested in this style cannot do without whitewash.

For whitewashing, a mixture of lime and table salt is used. If you add a small amount of white cement, the layer will be more durable and will last longer.

Energy efficient brick

The energy efficiency of this material lies in the ability to heat up for a long time, and then release heat to the environment for a long time. Thus, we have the following:

In the summer, the facade warms up in the sun, but the heat does not penetrate into the rooms, so it remains cool there.
In winter, heated internal walls do not let heat out, but at the same time retain heat inside the rooms for a long time.

Buildings with a long service life require wall insulation. Therefore, when laying decorative bricks, a small gap is left between the main and outer (decorative) walls. Insulating material is placed in this gap, taking into account the ventilated gap.

If this is not done, moisture will accumulate in the thermal insulation material, which will lead to destruction. In addition, the walls inside the rooms will also be damp. And if you leave a gap, then there is no need to additionally ventilate the room.

Natural beauty

Synthetic materials are rarely used to make facing bricks. Therefore, such cladding remains natural and absolutely safe for human health, as well as for the environment. If dyes are added to create brightly colored finishes, they are most likely of natural mineral origin.

Naturalness is always in fashion, and now, when the world around us is stuffed with synthetic substances, I want to lock myself in a country cottage or a city one-story house made from natural ingredients.

Playing with texture

Brick goes well with different materials that have an original texture. It makes no difference whether there are wooden tiles or decorative elements on the metal façade, a stone path or a plinth and corners trimmed with stone. The brick facade will emphasize the originality of the finish.

You can finish several elements with plaster and leave a clean facade, which looks good. In addition, bricks of different types and shades combine well on one house. You just need to skillfully select a separate area.

Mix tiles and bricks

If there is a large amount of green space around a house with an attic, then untreated brick is suitable as a finishing for the facade. The roof is covered with unpainted tiles. This method of decorating the facade will create coziness throughout the entire area and convey the spirit of the forest thicket.

Handmade brick

Now all bricks are made in factories and in large batches. Previously, everything was done manually without the use of sophisticated equipment. If you want to make your house stand out from the general mass of buildings, you can do everything the old fashioned way.

Mix the solution, pour into wooden molds and fire over a fire. By washing away the unevenness on the bricks with sand, they create an original velvety texture. Such blocks will aesthetically embellish the facade and convey the spirit of an ancient mansion.

Modern brick

The versatility of the brick facade allows it to be used for modern buildings in the minimalist style. Various colors and textures are suitable for creating an accent both on the facade and indoors. In addition, there is nothing wrong with completely covering the facade.

Is it worth doing the cladding yourself?

The process of laying bricks is quite complex. Without experience in this field, it is almost impossible to make a smooth wall horizontally and vertically. Moreover, there are also features of the formation of an external decorative wall. It is necessary to make flexible connections and leave ventilation gaps between the elements. It is very difficult to control everything. In addition, the work will not go quickly.

Therefore, you should not tempt fate and transfer expensive bricks and mortar, but immediately hire a professional team of masons. Finding good workers will also be difficult. Check with your friends or neighbors, maybe there are people like them in their circle. And be prepared for the fact that the cost of performing the work is also not cheap.

Finishing the facade with brick is one of the most popular options for the exterior design of a house.

Brick as a building material is valued for its practicality, sustainability and environmental friendliness, and most importantly, this material is time-tested and familiar to everyone.

Today, the range of products is quite wide, and you can choose a more suitable option specifically for your situation at an affordable price.

Facing a façade with brick has many nuances, and if you play them correctly, you can achieve an excellent result.

Pros and cons of brick finishing of a building

To give the building a complete look and protect its façade from various negative factors, it is necessary to carry out exterior finishing of the house. This type of work is usually carried out as the final stage of construction.

In Russia, the most popular building material for finishing the facade of a private house is decorative brick.

The popularity of this finishing material is explained by the fact that it has advantages and decorative properties that have been proven by its many years of use in the decoration of houses.

Finishing the façade of a house with brick ensures that:

the walls of the building will be reliably protected and strengthened. For another 20 years, the likelihood of the need for repairs will be minimal, because in practice it has been proven that houses finished with brick last for many years;
the risk of fire even for wooden structures after such finishing is significantly reduced, since the brick facade has high fire-resistant properties;
decorating the facade with brick will increase the soundproofing characteristics of the house and will contribute to better heat retention inside the premises.

The modern building materials market offers a wide range of products used for finishing houses.

The buyer has the opportunity to choose the required color, shape and other quality characteristics at reasonable prices.

At the same time, other features of the building material should be taken into account, which can be perceived as disadvantages.

Brick is a rather dense and heavy material, which is why a house lined in this way will receive a large additional load on the foundation.

Not all walls can be faced with brickwork. Difficulties may arise when working with uneven surfaces.

Before deciding on such finishing, which can be difficult, you need to consult with a professional.

Even a simple photograph of defects in the walls of a building can help to assess the problem in absentia, although a direct analysis carried out “live” will be much more accurate.

Finishing the facade of a house with brick requires the use of a special adhesive and special skills. It is quite difficult to carry out such work on your own, and even impossible without experience.

Finishing a facade with facing bricks itself can take a lot of time, so to save effort and time resources, it is better to hire specialists who will certainly be able to design and lay brickwork with high quality.

Types of building materials

When studying a wide range of building materials, it is important to choose the right raw materials for the job. The quality of a brick can be assessed based on three main parameters.

It is important to note:

its decorative properties: color and size;
check the material for defects (the brick should not have cracks or chips);
quality characteristics expected from a facing material, which should protect the walls of the house from negative influences and increase the thermal insulation, strength and frost resistance characteristics of the building.

Facade facing bricks can come in different shapes.

As a rule, there are three sizes available on the building materials market:

250×120×65 mm;
250×60×65 mm;
250×22×65 mm.

Most often, the first option is used for cladding buildings as it is the cheapest and most practical. It is suitable for finishing different types of surfaces, as its sizes are quite universal.

Bricks 250x22x65 are used only for finishing smooth walls. Externally, they look more like tiles. Due to the small thickness, the corner elements of buildings are not made with 250x22x65 bricks.

The color of the product is also an important characteristic that will allow you to better assess the quality of the material.

Pink tints indicate that the product was not sufficiently cooked during the cooking process.

Cracks and glassiness of the surface may, on the contrary, indicate overexposure of the material.

Uneven coloring and the presence of inclusions indicate possible impurities in the structure of the product.

The most wear-resistant material is considered to be “clean” material, which retains its decorative properties longer, therefore it is recommended to use “clean” brick for the facade.

The products also differ in strength, which can be recognized by paying attention to the markings:

the least strong materials are marked with M25;
Medium strength products are marked M50;
bricks M150 and higher can withstand the highest loads.

The frost resistance characteristics of bricks are marked with the letter F, after which there should be a number describing the frost resistance of the product (35 is the lowest value, and 100 is the maximum).

Thermal insulation properties are divided into:

ordinary;
normal;
conditional;
tall;
elevated.

Bricks with through holes have better thermal insulation properties.

Separately, we can note clinker bricks for the facade, which are made by heating refractory types of clay. Clinker is produced without adding impurities to it.

It is distinguished by the special purity of the material and the absence of cavities in the structure of the product. The manufacturing technology used makes clinker bricks the most durable. The clinker dimensions are universal - 250/120/65 mm.

The consumption of materials is affected by the volume of work performed. The size of the building is key. To finish the facades of one-story houses, much less raw materials are required than to finish two-story buildings.

Features of brick façade design

Any building can be finished with brick, but depending on the material from which the house was built, the finishing options and its technology will differ.

Most often, wooden houses need brick finishing. Brick facades give wooden buildings additional stability and a solid appearance.

Finishing a wooden house can be divided into 3 stages:

preparing the front wall for work;
insulation and strengthening of brick house walls;
directly finishing.

First you need to make sure the strength of the building. Brick is a heavy building material, and if the structural elements are weak, they may not support the weight of such a finish.

It is worth preparing the walls before starting work. To do this, you need to replace weak parts and treat walls and partitions with antiseptic impregnation and a mixture that increases the fire-resistant characteristics of wood.

Wooden buildings are often quite warm in themselves, but additionally mineral wool can be used as insulation.

It does not interfere with the ventilation of the building and has high thermal insulation properties.

Clay or silicate products are used for cladding wooden buildings. Laying technology involves the use of a building mixture based on lime, sand and cement.

Another important feature of finishing wooden buildings is the use of steel pins to strengthen the structure.

They are driven into a wooden wall from the inside and reinforced in the façade finishing structure using building material.

Using a exposed and ventilated brick façade will help avoid moisture, which is detrimental to the walls of the house.

A different approach is used for cladding stone buildings. Glass wool is used as insulation, which is attached to the wall with disc-shaped dowels.

The use of a ventilated brick facade is still relevant. To do this, when finishing a stone house, centimeter gaps are left in the upper and lower rows of brickwork for air flow. The walls of the building are connected to the cladding layer with fiberglass rods.

Brick buildings are the easiest to decorate, as they are the most “not picky”. To insulate houses made of facing bricks, you can use virtually any type of material.

Most often, polystyrene foam is used, which is reinforced using the same disc-shaped dowels.

You can connect the brickwork to the thermal insulation layer either using a masonry mesh or using pressing.

A brick facade is a practical and stylish design solution, although quite complex in execution. It is better to entrust installation to a professional.

High-quality brick cladding of the facade of a house always looks solid and can significantly extend the life of the building.

Among the many exterior finishing materials, brick still occupies one of the leading places in its popularity. It is preferred not only by conservatives faithful to traditions, but also by people who want to make their home durable, reliable, solid and warm. And facing buildings with bricks is perfect for this.

If the idea of such finishing of a house arises at the stage of its design, the architects immediately make all the necessary calculations, taking into account the load from the brick cladding on the foundation and other load-bearing structures, its thickness and method of laying.
If it is planned to brick an old house for its external renovation, insulation and protection from atmospheric agents, the building must be prepared for such restoration. And the cladding process itself should be carried out differently than when finishing a new house during its construction.

Preparatory work

Brick is a heavy material. The cladding of a one-story building with an area of about 100 m2 gives a load on the foundation equal to forty tons. It is clear that if the base is not designed to support such additional weight, it may not support it.
In addition, the thickness of the walls with such finishing increases by about 20 cm, which means that the width of the foundation and the offset of the eaves of the roof must correspond to the new parameters of the building. What if this is not the case?
So:

First of all, calculations are made of the bearing capacity of the existing foundation, taking into account its depth and the type of soil underneath it.

If facing a residential building with bricks does not create a maximum or exceeding the design load, it is necessary to measure the protrusion of the foundation on which the brick will rest. The protrusion of the cladding beyond its edge is allowed no more than 1/3 of its thickness.

Note! When determining the required width of the foundation protrusion, it is necessary to take into account the unevenness of the walls and the need to leave a ventilation gap of 2-5 cm between them and the masonry. And if insulation is required, then the thickness of the heat-insulating material.

If the width of the base is insufficient, it is increased with steel corners secured with anchor bolts. Or, close to the main one, an additional strip foundation made of concrete blocks or reinforced concrete is installed.
It is more difficult to lengthen the eaves overhang without reconstructing the roof, but it must be done, otherwise the masonry, which is constantly getting wet from the flow of rain and snow, will quickly collapse.

The time and labor costs for preparatory work, as well as their price, can be very high. If you think that this is not economically profitable for you, but do not want to give up your idea, you can go the other way.
Facing brick buildings with clinker tiles or thermal panels is visually completely indistinguishable from real brickwork, but it does not require reinforcement of the foundation and slightly thickens the walls.

How to do cladding

There are no fundamental differences in how monolithic, wooden or frame buildings are faced with brick. But some nuances and differences are still present. First of all, they relate to the insulation of load-bearing walls and the attachment of facing masonry to them.
But let’s start with the general processes, namely the preparation of materials and tools:

The amount of required facing brick is calculated based on the area of the walls minus the openings, but 10-15% is added to it for scraps, scraps and products with defects.
For masonry mortar you will need cement, lime and sand in proportions 1:1:4, and also clean water.
You will also need fasteners for installing insulation and connecting the cladding to load-bearing walls.
Necessary tools: trowel, building level, tape measure, fishing line, hammer, hammer drill.

For reference. The list of materials and tools may vary depending on the wall material.

The masonry is laid with an offset of half a brick. It is very important to lay out the first row evenly; the correctness of further laying depends on this. To do this, first the corners are laid out dry, a fishing line is stretched between them, and its position is checked with a level.
But before you start cladding, you need to insulate the walls yourself. The choice of thermal insulation material and the method of its fastening depends on what the house is built from.
So:

Wooden walls are first cleaned of rot and mold, soaked in an antiseptic solution, and then a lath lath is attached to them. Their thickness should be equal to the thickness of the insulation, and the distance between the slats should be equal to its width minus 1-2 cm.
Insulation (mineral wool) is placed between the battens of the sheathing, and a vapor-permeable film is stretched over it, which is attached to the sheathing with staples. Then the insulation and vapor barrier are additionally attached to the walls with dowels with a wide head.

The insulation is attached to stone, brick or concrete walls using disc-shaped dowels with pre-drilled holes for them. Or, if the surface is flat, the thermal insulation can be glued to the walls with a special adhesive solution. Before installing the insulation, all cracks and cracks should be sealed.

To prevent moisture from accumulating on the insulation and the inner surface of the cladding, the instructions require installing a ventilation gap several centimeters wide between them. As well as the installation of so-called vents in the lowest and upper (under-eaves) rows of masonry.
Vents are made in vertical joints between bricks, without filling them with mortar. To do this, every 3-4 bricks, a wooden strip about 1 cm thick (joint thickness) is temporarily inserted into the gap between them.

Next, brick cladding of buildings is carried out as usual, but it must be fastened to the main wall. To do this, use stainless steel anchor bolts for monolithic and brick walls, or long nails (pins) made of galvanized steel for wooden walls.
Anchor bolts are installed in pre-drilled holes opposite the masonry joint and driven partially so that about 8 cm of the bolt is secured in the mortar. The pins are simply hammered into wooden walls.

To make the masonry beautiful, neat and reliable, follow the following rules:

Before laying, briefly place the bricks in water to wash away dust and soak them in moisture. Dry stone draws moisture from the mortar, which reduces the quality of adhesion.
Do not carry out work during rain or at sub-zero temperatures.
When preparing the solution, sift the sand to eliminate the presence of large particles, plant debris and soil.
Apply the solution evenly, maintaining the same thickness of the joints (1-1.2 cm) and controlling the level of each row.
If the solution gets on the front side of the masonry, remove it immediately, without allowing it to harden.

Before starting this work, we also advise you to watch the video to better understand the technology of facing masonry.

Imitation brickwork

Today there are many finishing materials that very realistically imitate brickwork. With their help, you can give your home the desired look, spending much less money and time. What are these materials?
So:

Clinker tiles. It is made from the same raw materials as clinker bricks, therefore it has all its properties and characteristics.
Fake diamond . It is made from a mixture of cement with various fillers and dyes. In addition to brick, it can imitate various types of natural stone.
Thermal panels. These are panels made of polyurethane foam, which themselves are excellent insulation. Their front part is decorated with stone chips or clinker tiles.

Siding. Vinyl, metal or fiber cement - any of its varieties can imitate not only wood, but also brickwork.

Conclusion

The desire to have not only a reliable and durable, but also a beautiful home is inherent in every person. And everyone chooses the type of exterior decoration that suits their taste and wallet.
Brick cladding of reinforced concrete buildings or wooden structures is not the most budget option, but it clearly indicates the solidity and thoroughness of their owners, which is why it is very popular even despite the emergence of new technological materials.

Brick cladding of facades

from 950 rub./m2

Facade cladding with panels

from 750 rub./m2

Facade tiling

from 1250 rub./m2

We offer brick cladding of house facades at a cost of 950 rubles/m2 (11/01/2014). To implement projects, our craftsmen use clinker bricks - the most durable and durable material. Guarantee for facing work – 5 years!

Brick facades

Work process

Craftsmen firmly attach the wall made of facing bricks to the load-bearing base. To do this, they lay special connections made of metal, basalt plastic or fiberglass.

To perform the work, we use high-quality basalt-plastic ties - round rods with a diameter of 4 mm. This material is not subject to corrosion and does not create “cold bridges”.

For strong fastening, we install more than 4 ties per m2. The craftsman inserts one end of the rod into the vertical seam of the load-bearing base, and the other ends into the horizontal seam of the completed cladding.

We select the length of basalt-plastic rods taking into account the following parameters:

thickness of the supporting base;
ventilated gap;
thickness of insulation (if its use is envisaged when performing work);
thickness of facing bricks.

Our specialists lay the outer brick wall on the foundation of the building. At the same time, it is necessary to provide a gap of at least 3 cm between the facing and supporting structures. If you miss this important point in arranging ventilation, moisture will accumulate, thermal insulation will deteriorate, and mold will appear on the walls. For good ventilation of the lined brick facade, special slots are installed in its lower and last row.

To prevent efflorescence from appearing on the masonry after wall cladding, our craftsmen use a special solution made from high-quality dry mixtures. Manufacturers of these materials recommend using a masonry joint thickness of 10 mm. SNiP states that vertical seams should be made with a thickness of 12 mm, and for horizontal seams this value is 10 mm. At the same time, we always fill the seams with mortar 100%.

The craftsmen begin the brickwork from the corner of the building and work from the bottom up. At the same time, constantly check the evenness of the wall using a level.

Brick laying starts from the corner

Important! If a cottage or house is built of wood, then its walls must be treated with an antiseptic.

Fastening mineral wool and checking the evenness of the masonry

Manufacturers of facing bricks offer a large selection of different shades, textures and geometric shapes. We advise you to pay attention to the following factors:

Color of facing brick. The palettes contain shades from light to dark saturated colors. To carry out design projects, it is possible to apply drawings to the front surface of bricks.
The shape of the material is made not only in the form of classic rectangles, but is also represented by combinations of various shapes, for example: trapezoids, rounded elements, cut corners.
The texture of facing bricks can be smooth, chipped, corrugated, rough, or “antique”.

Finished work on standard brick wall cladding

The most important thing is to avoid dealing with amateurs! The video shows one of these works. This is an example of terrible masonry for cladding a new house. The construction was carried out by “specialists” of such a high level that all work was done “by eye.”

Summary

To get a beautiful, strong and durable facade, choose the services of professional organizations. Call us, we will advise on all questions, inspect the facility and carry out façade cladding of any complexity!