A ventilated facade made of porcelain stoneware allows you to successfully solve a whole range of problems that arise when cladding the walls of buildings:
- Protects against dampness - the ventilation gap makes it possible to create air circulation under the cladding, remove accumulated moisture, and prevent the occurrence of fungus;
- gives the building a respectable appearance;
- allows you to effectively insulate a building - timely removal of moisture does not allow the insulation to become damp and freeze.
In this article I want to look at the features and nuances of constructing a porcelain stoneware façade.
Design features of the ventilation façade
Ventilated facades made of porcelain stoneware consist of four components:
- Frame, which is installed directly on the facade wall of the building;
- Insulation and waterproofing;
- Porcelain stoneware cladding;
- Additional nodes and elements.
Frame
The frame is intended for fastening porcelain stoneware slabs to the walls of a building. It consists of a system of guide profiles and fasteners, installation is carried out on load-bearing wall using dowel nails or anchor bolts.
The profile for porcelain tiles is made of stainless steel or aluminum alloys, and comes in two types - horizontal and vertical.
Wall-mounted fasteners are a system of brackets, the installation of which is carried out by fastening to the wall and supporting frame. The special design of the brackets makes it possible to adjust the size of the gap between the wall and the porcelain stoneware. Thanks to this, on the one hand, it is possible to ventilate more efficiently inner space, and on the other hand, to level out unevenness of wall surfaces.
Insulation and waterproofing
The technology for installing a ventilated facade made of porcelain stoneware involves the creation of thermal insulation and waterproofing layers. The following materials are most often used for external insulation of a building:
- Expanded polystyrene sheets;
- Mineral wool slabs;
- Polyurethane foam.
The table below provides comparative characteristics of the thermal conductivity of various thermal insulation and structural building materials.
Installation of the ventilated facade cake is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Internal vapor-waterproofing layer located between the concrete or brick surface and thermal insulation;
- Insulation layer;
- The outer layer of waterproofing laid on top of the insulation;
- An air gap used to ventilate the space under the facade;
- Porcelain stoneware cladding.
Decorative porcelain tiles
Porcelain tiles are composite material, made from a mixture of clay, quartz, feldspar and, if necessary, various pigments. All components are thoroughly mixed, pressed and fired in high-temperature ovens.
Table 1. Comparative characteristics porcelain stoneware and ceramic tiles.
There are several types of porcelain tiles on sale:
Facades are most often installed using glazed tiles, due to their high aesthetic qualities; matte satin porcelain tiles are less commonly used.
The main difference between tiles for a ventilated facade and tiles for interior works consists of the requirements placed on it. She must:
The linear dimensions and shape of the slabs can vary significantly. Facade porcelain tiles 600x600 mm are the most common option. It has an acceptable weight, and the equal length of the sides simplifies the marking and installation of frame guides.
Table 2. Requirements for the quality of porcelain stoneware for ventilated facades.
Additional nodes and elements
Additional components include various sealing materials and additional elements: gaskets made of paronite or rubber for installation under fasteners, decorative inserts for sealing joints between tiles. Inserts can be made of aluminum or polymers - polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, etc.
Installation techniques
There are two technologies for installing ventilated porcelain stoneware facades:
- Hidden fastening method;
- Installation using clamps.
Hidden fastening of porcelain tiles
Hidden mount façade onto the frame subsystem is carried out using anchor elements. The hidden mounting option allows you to get visual effect solid wall, without visible joints and seams.
Several installation technologies can be used depending on the frame subsystem used. One option is to use agraph:
Another option is to cut slots on the end part of the tile (either pointwise or along the entire end surface), and then use them to fasten the porcelain stoneware to the profile (see photo below):
This facade fastening scheme makes it possible to obtain a surface with high decorative qualities and ventilate the interior space. At the same time, hidden fastening of porcelain tiles is very labor-intensive - installation time and the total cost of work increase.
Fastening using clasps
Clasps are plates made of stainless steel or duralumin, equipped with curved “legs” into which they are inserted facing tiles. The clamps are secured to the frame using self-tapping screws or bolts.
Because This technology is the most common (due to its relative simplicity compared to the “hidden” method). Let’s consider this particular method of finishing buildings with porcelain tiles.
Installation of a ventilated facade
Installation of porcelain stoneware on the facade open method is regulated by the provisions of SNiP No. 3-01-85 and is carried out in several stages:
- Preparing the wall surface;
- Installation of frame fasteners;
- Installation of thermal insulation layer and waterproofing;
- Assembly of the supporting frame;
- Installation of facing tiles.
Preparing the wall
First of all, you should assess the condition of the wall surface - it should be relatively flat, without obvious bumps and depressions. Minor differences from the vertical can be leveled out using the free movement of fasteners provided for by the design. Large defects will need to be corrected with plastering work.
The next step is to mark the surface, which is applied depending on the façade design. The wall is marked for fasteners on which guide profiles will later be installed.
The first marking method can be seen in the following video:
The second marking method involves using laser levels, having both vertical and horizontal adjustment. Work begins from the very bottom of the wall: using a level, a starting line is drawn along the ground. In the same way, with a step equal to the height of the selected porcelain tile, horizontal lines The entire wall is marked.
The brackets must be positioned so that the joints of adjacent slabs fall in the middle of the profile.
Installation of brackets
The brackets should be mounted using a hammer drill and anchor bolts. Special attention when you should pay attention to the overhang of the bracket - it depends on the thickness of the insulation layer (see below). It is necessary that after installing the frame profiles and facing slabs, there should be a ventilation gap of 3-5 cm between the wall and the thermal insulation.
To compensate for heat shrinkage (cycles of compression and expansion under the influence of temperature changes), gaskets made of paronite or dense rubber are installed between the brackets and the wall.
Various options for mounting brackets manufactured by Crospan
Installation of insulation and waterproofing
After installing the fasteners, you can begin installing the vapor barrier and insulation. Isopan or other similar materials are used as a vapor barrier membrane - they allow excess moisture to be removed from the walls, while at the same time preventing it from passing through from the outside.
A layer of insulation is laid on top of the vapor barrier. The thickness of the thermal insulation depends on the thermal conductivity of the material and on the minimum winter temperatures for a given region. Calculation required thickness The heat-protective layer is produced according to the following formula:
R=δ/k, Where
- R – required resistance for a given region;
- δ – thickness of the insulation layer;
- k is the thermal conductivity coefficient of the insulation.
Indicators thermal resistance For different regions countries are given in the provisions of SNiP No. 230199 on construction climatology, and are given below.
The most often used for façade insulation are:
- Minvata;
- Expanded polystyrene;
- Polyurethane foam.
Mineral wool is supplied to the market in the form of rolls or slabs, which differ in density and thermal conductivity. It is attached to the wall using special plastic mushroom dowels with a wide head.
Using mineral insulation(glass wool, slag wool, basalt slab) it should be remembered that they are very afraid of dampness.
When mineral wool gets wet, it compacts and loses its thermal insulation qualities, which are not restored even after it dries, so the external waterproofing of the insulation should be carefully carried out.
Expanded polystyrene (foam) sheets also have high thermal protection and can be mounted both on dowels and on adhesive solutions. They are laid on a supporting base in 2-3 layers so that the joints of the upper and lower layers do not coincide. To protect against the penetration of drafts, the seams are sealed with sealants.
Polyurethane foam is applied to the wall using special foaming machines in which chemical components are mixed. The advantage of this method is the possibility of obtaining a monolithic seamless layer of thermal insulation. However, compared to mineral wool and polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam is quite expensive: the price is 1 sq.m. insulation can reach 500 - 800 rubles.
According to SNiP standards, minimum thickness thermal insulation layer for various materials should be (without taking into account the thickness of load-bearing walls):
- Mineral wool with a density of 50 kg/m 3 - for the Moscow region - 20 cm, Krasnodar - 15 cm, for Yakutsk - 35 cm;
- Expanded polystyrene with a density of 100 kg/m - for the Moscow region - at least 15 cm, for the Urals, Far East and Southern Siberia - about 20 cm, for Northern Siberia - up to 25 cm;
- Polyurethane with a density of 50 kg/m3. – for the Moscow region – about 8 cm, for the Urals and Southern Siberia – 10-12 cm, for the northern regions – 15-18 cm.
Installation of frame profiles
The installation of the frame should begin after the building is completely finished with thermal insulation. Initially, the walls are strengthened on the plane vertical racks. They can be T-shaped, U-shaped or angular. Each type of rack is used for specific purposes - internal and external joints, lining corners, window and door openings.
Main view vertical profiles are T-shaped, used to create a single, flat plane on the surface of the building being coated. Vertical posts perform the main, load-bearing function. Fastening clamps are installed on them, which are used for fastening porcelain stoneware.
As additional strength elements, in some cases, vertical posts are connected to each other by horizontal jumpers, giving additional rigidity to the entire structure.
Cladding with porcelain stoneware slabs
After installing the supporting frame, you can begin installing the facing slabs. Depending on the shape of the tile, the clamps are fastened to the frame profile in such a way that each slab fits exactly into the fastener tabs. The legs of the clamps are made elastic for better fixation of the tiles.
Porcelain tiles should be attached to the wall in horizontal rows, starting from the very bottom of the wall. At corner joints and connections with door and window slopes, the slabs are cut to the required size using a grinder with a diamond wheel.
Possible mistakes
I would like to note a number of typical errors that arise during the work process:
I'll wrap it up here. I am always ready to listen to your wishes and recommendations in the comments.
A ventilated facade made of porcelain stoneware demonstrates an excellent balance between consistency and functionality, since it significantly reduces the heat loss of the building in winter period. This option for finishing facades is very common in Russia due to its availability. Porcelain stoneware is used for cladding buildings for various purposes from office and retail to residential and industrial buildings. Installation of the ventilation façade system can be carried out at almost any time of the year, even at low temperatures - at performance this does not affect the façade.
Sealed external protection of the building by attaching tiles directly to the wall saves the facade from atmospheric humidity, but this does not solve the problem of condensation of vapors that come out of the walls of the house. That is why curtain facades are the best option for insulating a building. There is a gap between decorative finishing and the wall/layers of insulation ensures free circulation of convection air flows, which allows water vapor to be drawn out of the walls naturally and removed into the atmosphere.
Exterior view of buildings with porcelain stoneware ventilated facades
The externally ventilated facade made of porcelain stoneware looks presentable and at the same time protects from the effects of weather factors, while maintaining a healthy microclimate indoors.
Performance qualities of porcelain stoneware
Separately, it is worth mentioning the finishing material, which is created artificially from natural minerals pressed at high temperatures. Tiles made in this way demonstrate a uniform structure and good performance characteristics:
- Durability;
- High impact strength;
- The façade is easy to care for—it can easily withstand wet cleaning;
- Repairable - you can replace broken tiles in a separate area;
- A wide range of natural stone imitations - the appearance is very aesthetic;
- Resistance to low temperatures, temperature changes and ultraviolet rays;
- Ecologically pure;
- Low cost.
Luxurious façade cladding with porcelain stoneware
Characteristics of porcelain stoneware as a material
When selecting cladding for ventilated facades, it is important to pay attention to its thickness. Porcelain stoneware with a thickness of at least 10-12 mm is suitable for ventilated facades. If the tile is 8 mm thick, then it is not suitable - the whole point is that at a height, significant wind loads act on the surface of the wall. Therefore, the tiles must be thick enough to support them without cracking. Moreover, the clamp legs are designed specifically for the specified standard thickness facade tiles.
As an option for fixing porcelain stoneware, you can specify a mortar, but tiles can be placed on the mortar only when facing the basement, 1st floor or entrance group- in this case, the thickness of the tile should be as small as possible - this will have a positive effect on the duration of operation.
The only exception to this rule are the latest ultra-thin panels, the thickness of which is only 3 mm, and the width of such materials can reach 3 m. Such porcelain tiles are attached with glue to horizontal flanges - this cladding option can hardly be called a curtain wall, so the so-called thin porcelain tiles belong to another type of cladding.
Advantages of façade finishing with porcelain stoneware
Finishing with porcelain stoneware involves the creation of a multi-layer structure, which provides a number of advantages:
Air circulation and ease of repair
Air gap for a ventilated facade
The gap between the wall and porcelain tiles for ventilated facades provides natural circulation air - it listens to the wall, preventing fungi and bacteria from developing. This significantly increases the service life of the building. This design is repairable - you can quickly replace porcelain tiles in whole or in part, dismantle broken tiles, while the structure of the building does not change.
Possibility of insulation
Thermal insulation for ventilated facades
In the space between the building and facing coating you can lay heat, sound and vapor barrier materials by changing technological properties building. The fastening design of the tiles protects the facade from precipitation, wind and other negative impacts. Layers of air around the perimeter of the entire building provide a healthy microclimate inside the building - since the cladding works like a thermos, it is much easier to maintain the required temperature in the house.
Beautiful appearance and the ability to do everything yourself
Original facade made of porcelain stoneware
Porcelain tiles for ventilated facades are very aesthetically pleasing, wide choice The color options of the tiles can be used to realize any exterior. What about the smoothness of the tiles, the facade looks neat - dust does not linger on it, and it tolerates wet cleaning well.
Concerning self-installation, then the design is not complicated - the curtained façade can really be made with your own hands without special construction education.
Creation project And marking
Creating a project is the first stage in creating a ventilation facade - it is necessary to indicate the features of all structural elements in the profile, fasteners and so on.
After this, the walls are marked in accordance with the developed project. It is necessary to install the profiles and mount the brackets: the vertical step between the brackets does not exceed 80 cm, the horizontal step determines the width of the slab and the size of the installation seam.
Choosing porcelain tiles
When choosing porcelain tiles, you should consider characteristics such as size, thickness and density
It is necessary to choose the right tile for a ventilated facade. The size of the tile must be a multiple of the wall parameter, and the dimensions are set taking into account the seams between the tiles and seams to compensate for temperature fluctuations.
Don’t try to choose the tiles yourself small size, because a building finished with porcelain stoneware with a square length of 300 mm looks unpresentable. It is better to give preference to large tiles with dimensions of 600x600, 800x800, 600x1200 mm and so on.
DIY tools
For installation work You must have the following tools available:
- Horizontal and vertical profile;
- Anchor fastening;
- Hydro- and heat-insulating materials;
- Windproof membrane;
- Clamps;
- Periodontal pad.
Installation of a ventilated facade frame under porcelain stoneware
To install a ventilated façade made of porcelain stoneware, it is necessary to perform sequential technological steps. Most often, a combined fastening method is used, which involves the use of guide profiles that are placed on fasteners horizontally and vertically. Initially, vertical guide profiles are installed, and secondly, horizontal ones.
Preparing the wall
There is no need to level the surface of the wall when installing a ventilated facade - just clean the surface of dirt and plaster it again. However, after finishing it will not be visible, so special care is not required when plastering.
Subsystem for ventilation façade made of porcelain stoneware
We mark the area of the wall for attaching the frame - at this stage it is necessary to take into account the size of the tiles; it is under this size that the vertical and horizontal guides will be mounted. The mounting step of the bracket directly depends on the size of the plates.
Installation of the ventilation façade frame
Installation of porcelain stoneware on the facade
Installation of the ventilation facade is carried out by fixing the tiles to brackets, which, in turn, are secured in the wall with anchors. When choosing fasteners, you should think about the occurrence of corrosion, so after installation, the heads of all fasteners should be coated with paint.
Installation of brackets
To align the brackets, we use a plumb line, and it is necessary to control the distance between the points where the profiles are attached. The fastening itself is carried out using metal screws with a special press washer.
Insulation and waterproofing
Insulation is important, but not mandatory element ventilation façade structures. But if you put insulation boards under the sheathing, you can significantly save on heating. Layers of thermal and waterproofing are attached to the wall using special fasteners. It is important that the insulation fits tightly to the facade without gaps. If the insulation is laid in several layers, then the seams in the layers should not match - this will provoke the formation of cold bridges, which will reduce the effectiveness of the thermal insulation of the walls. Such layers are fastened with dowels; alternatively, you can use screws with a wide head. All these layers must be covered windproof membrane, which is necessary as a barrier against blowing.
Ventilated facade system made of porcelain stoneware
The distance between the layers of thermal and waterproofing and the porcelain stoneware coating is 50 mm.
Additional nodes and elements
The final stage of finishing is the installation of pipe or electrical cable outlets in porcelain tiles. To do this, it is enough to make technological holes.
Visible and hidden method of fastening porcelain tiles
Fastening the tiles to the sheathing is done using clamps - this is the so-called visible method. You can also use hidden methods - these are German Keil bolts and clamps in the side cuts of the slabs.
What clamps should I use for porcelain tiles?
The use of clamps for fastening porcelain stoneware plates is the most common method, the peculiarity of which is that the legs of the fastening element hold the tiles with outside. If desired, you can paint the hardware in the color of the cladding so that it does not spoil the effect of the facade. But even without additional coloring, such elements are not visible from a long distance.
Facade fasteners for porcelain stoneware German keil bolt
This type of fastener is a trapezoidal bolt, which is attached with one end to the sheathing and the other to the tile on the back side. As a result, the fasteners are hidden behind the curtain wall and are invisible.
Hidden method for clamping in the side cuts of the slab
For this fastening option, you will need special clamps, the legs of which are inserted into the side cuts in the tiles, which also allows the hardware to remain unnoticed.
Possible mistakes
The main mistakes that inexperienced builders make when installing a ventilated facade:
- Carrying out work in very coldy. In this case, with an increase in atmospheric temperature, the fasteners may weaken, which causes a decrease in the rigidity and strength of the fastening system
- Lack of compensation spacer when installing brackets on the wall. In the future, with changing seasons and cycles of compression-tension of the material and temperature changes, the fasteners will gradually weaken
- Coincidence of seams in insulation layers. Such seams form cold bridges, which reduces the thermal insulation of the building
- The clamps are installed too close, which causes tension in the place where the plate is fastened. As the temperature increases, material rupture may occur at the point of stress concentration caused by internal distortion of the structure.
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Examples of porcelain stoneware facades
Facade made of porcelain stoneware
Alucom company designs, manufactures and supplies suspended ventilated facades for residential buildings, buildings, government agencies, industrial facilities, sports and shopping complexes, buildings of companies, offices and corporations.
Aluminum systems for facades are made under certain type facing material Therefore, for the installation of porcelain stoneware, the Alucom KG facade system for installing porcelain stoneware slabs using the open method and the Alucom SKG facade system for installing porcelain stoneware slabs using a hidden method were developed and produced.
The Alucom KG system is made of aluminum alloy A 6060 T66. Open type fastening means that the “legs” of the clamps will be visible on the plates. If necessary, they can be painted in any color according to the RAL scale.
As an alternative, there is an aluminum sub-cladding structure Alucom SKG for concealed fastening of porcelain stoneware slabs. When using this system, the “claws” of the clamps are not visible from the facade, but it becomes necessary to make cuts in the porcelain stoneware slabs.
The Alucom KG/SKG system is designed as follows: the size of the joints between its tiles is only from 4 to 6 mm, and the distance of the facade from the wall can be varied by a distance from 40 to 436 mm.
Fastening in Alucom KG and SKG is carried out using rotary clamps made of stainless steel 12Х18Н10Т.
Porcelain tiles and panels for facades have different sizes and several types of surfaces, including matte, polished, semi-polished and textured with imitation of raw stone. The colors of the material allow you to choose the necessary combination to solve specific design ideas.
Options for façade cladding with porcelain stoneware
Advantages of a façade made of porcelain stoneware
Facade slabs and panels made of porcelain stoneware are easy to install, moisture resistant, and not sensitive to sunlight and precipitation.
NVF made of porcelain stoneware has numerous advantages, among which are:
- distinctive appearance, giving buildings respectability
- high protection against moisture, condensation and temperature changes
- reliable thermal insulation and sound insulation properties
- fire resistance as a result of installation of difficult-to-combustible and non-combustible materials
- wear resistance and strength.
Facing and finishing facades with porcelain stoneware provides them with decorative function, and the building takes on a new aesthetic appearance.
Completed objects with porcelain stoneware facades
Alucom facade systems for fastening porcelain stoneware
Order a facade system for porcelain stoneware
When choosing a porcelain stoneware façade, Alucom develops a design for the KM and KMD stages, produces the NVF system and, if necessary, carries out installation supervision directly on site.
We offer our customers a façade system classic type Alucom Classic, as well as the company’s patented development - a system of facades with fastening in interfloor ceilings Alucom Longfloors (LF), used for low bearing capacity walls The Alucom LF 501 and Alucom LF 501-S systems are designed for fastening porcelain stoneware slabs into interfloor ceilings.
The company helps the customer find and select the manufacturer of the required facing material.
In order to reliably protect the building from external influences, ventilated facades made of porcelain stoneware are increasingly being used.
During the construction of buildings and structures they are used different materials and technology.
Multi-storey residential building, country cottage or a public building must meet a set of requirements that determine whether it is comfortable to live and work in the interior.
At the same time, no less stringent requirements are imposed on the appearance of such objects. Walls must be both reliable and attractive in appearance.
Advantages of a ventilated façade
In a climate zone with sudden changes in seasons, it is very important to ensure adequate thermal insulation of the building.
In order to prevent heat loss and reduce heating costs, until recently the thickness of the walls was increased.
With this decision, the volume of capital investments in construction increases significantly. Taking these and other circumstances into account, curtain facades made of porcelain stoneware began to be used in the construction of buildings.
Elementary calculations and real experience show that such solutions bring a multiplex effect. The cost of installing a facade system pays off in 5-7 years, and its service life is extended to 30-50 years.
Aesthetic appearance
When I design a curtain wall, I can choose the cladding from a wide range of cladding materials.
Natural finish, metal panels, porcelain stoneware and other finishing materials for correct use allow you to create an exclusive façade.
Reliability and durability
Device curtain façade can be compared in cost to “wet” wall finishing.
But in terms of quality appearance and service life, curtain panels win by a significant margin.
They have high stability to exposure to any atmospheric phenomena.
High-quality sound and heat insulation
The ventilated facade subsystem reliably holds porcelain stoneware cladding panels. The subsystem also creates an air gap between them and the thermal insulation.
In this way, a “layered” structure of the building’s skin is formed, the structure of which will retain and retain heat inside and will not let in noise from the outside.
Fire resistance
The panels used for the installation of curtain facades have high fire-fighting properties.
Porcelain tiles and other materials from which these products are assembled are classified as non-flammable or non-flammable.
Preparatory stage
Long-term practice shows that suspended facades made of porcelain stoneware are installed on newly erected buildings, as well as on those that need to be repaired.
When starting work, it is necessary, first of all, to inspect the object.
It is necessary to study and develop a full-fledged project, on the basis of which materials will be selected for the installation of panels.
The procedure for developing working documentation has been worked out to the smallest detail; it consists of the following stages:
- development of drawings of building facades:
- calculation of thermal parameters;
- development of an installation scheme for frame and cladding elements;
- preparation of specifications for materials and fasteners;
- project of work production.
When making working drawings, a specific subsystem is selected that will hold the facing panels.
The simplest and most cost-effective design is assembled from wooden beams. The technology for preparing the material and installing it is well established.
However, wood is not resistant to rotting processes. Materials such as aluminum, stainless and galvanized steel do not have these disadvantages.
Fastening units made of these metals have high technical parameters and are capable of serving throughout the entire life of the building.
After a certain type of frame is selected, it is developed routing by its fastening.
This map is compiled taking into account the characteristics of all materials used in the work.
If the geometric dimensions of the heat insulator - length, width, thickness - do not correspond technical parameters specified in the material passport, the quality of protection will be lower than the calculated values.
The reason lies in the fact that during installation, gaps and air cavities will form.
In addition, the heat insulator must have a minimum specific gravity, do not absorb moisture from the air and do not lose their original shape over time.
The technological map clearly records all the basic requirements for raw materials and fasteners.
In the work project, it is necessary to provide detailed fastening points for the elements of the curtain wall.
The facade subsystem can have a vertical, horizontal or cross orientation.
Each design has its own characteristics and specifics when installing panels.
In this context, it should be noted that porcelain stoneware is considered a universal finishing material; it can be used to implement any design.
The color scheme of this finishing material allows you to create a wide variety of compositions and combinations.
Installation of a curtain facade
The technology for installing hinged ventilated facades has been worked out to the smallest detail. At the first stage, the facades of the building are marked.
Vertical beacons are placed along the line of the supporting guides, and a limit cord or string is pulled and securely fixed.
The next step is to attach the supporting brackets. It is necessary to ensure that the panel fastening points are located exactly at the designated points.
Then the insulation is attached to the wall. When laying insulation, it is important that continuous vertical seams are not formed.
The next step is to install the guide profile. At the final stage, the facing panel is attached.
Quality control
Any subsystem of a suspended facade will serve for a long time and reliably if the installation is carried out in strict accordance with current requirements.
When performing any finishing works, there is one time-tested rule - the quality of the work performed is verified after each operation.
When vertical beacons are placed on the walls, the work contractor or a specialist authorized to do so must check the accuracy of their placement.
Transferring to installation thermal insulation boards, it is necessary to check them for defects and deformations. Porcelain stoneware slabs should not have chips or cracks.
The technological map serves as the basis for monitoring the quality of all operations.
Assembly or Building company must have its own quality control management system.
This document clearly states which processes and parameters are subject to mandatory or selective control.
The circle of persons who should be responsible for carrying out this work has also been determined.
After completing the installation of thermal insulation, you need to call a representative design organization and the customer, in order to issue a certificate of completion of work.
The installation of suspended ventilated facades requires skills and qualifications from the performers.
The technological map, among other things, prescribes specific types of tools that can be used at a specific facility.
So, in hollow bricks or blocks, drilling holes for dowels with a hammer drill is not allowed.
Each technological operation must be carried out in strict accordance with the regulatory document.
Porcelain tiles are artificial material from natural mineral components (special clay, quartz sand, feldspars). One of its most popular uses is facade cladding. Facade porcelain tiles have unique resistance to temperature changes and frost resistance. According to these characteristics, ceramic granite is better than all known materials, and is not inferior in strength natural stone. The facade made of porcelain stoneware (photo from the site in Moscow) is not afraid of water, sun rays, aggressive chemical environments (for example, salty sea fog), does not fade and does not burn. Facade porcelain tiles are extremely durable and are the most popular material for cladding facades.
Ventilated facades
The technology of ceramic granite cladding consists of two operations:
- installation of a supporting metal frame;
- fastening porcelain stoneware slabs to the frame.
The result is a so-called ventilated version of the facade. This technology is used almost always when facade finishing with porcelain stoneware is needed.
Using porcelain stoneware as floor tiles, special adhesives are used for its installation. However, adhesives are used very rarely for attaching façade porcelain stoneware, since the slabs have a high specific gravity. Fastening porcelain stoneware slabs with glue is used for walls on low altitudes, but indoors.
Facade cladding with porcelain stoneware, the technology of which involves the installation of a load-bearing frame, is often used for additional insulation of the building. For this purpose between facade tiles and insulation with a waterproofing layer is laid on the wall.
This multi-layer cladding protects against cold in winter, heat in summer and moisture and condensation. all year round.
Remember! To carry out facade works, porcelain tiles must be used with pre-cut edges. This is the so-called rectified porcelain tile, or single caliber porcelain tile (monocaliber). Edge cutting is carried out with a diamond tool. If this is not done, the protruding edge of the slab may be different sizes in different batches.
Installation of supporting frame
The metal frame will support a porcelain stoneware façade; its installation technology should ensure the durability of the entire structure.
Installation is carried out in the following order:
- First, you need to mark the points on the wall for attaching the brackets. Marking is carried out along beacon lines, which are applied using plumb lines (vertical beacons) or levels (horizontal beacons). After this, the installation locations of the brackets are marked with indelible paint, taking into account the size of the facade tiles.
- Using the markings, drill holes for fasteners. Paronite gaskets are placed in the holes and the supporting brackets are secured with anchor dowels using a screwdriver.
- Professional installation of the frame involves installation of insulation and waterproofing. To do this, insulation boards and a waterproofing membrane are attached through the slots of the brackets. The insulating layer is installed from bottom to top.
- Metal guide profiles are installed on the brackets for fastening façade porcelain stoneware slabs. The profiles are secured with rivets. When two guides meet vertically, a gap is left between them to prevent deformation of the profiles due to temperature fluctuations.
The correct technology for a ventilated facade made of porcelain stoneware requires two guide profiles per tile. Facade porcelain tiles will need to be attached to the guides, the installation of which will complete the cladding of the facade.
Fastening porcelain stoneware to the frame
When the frame is ready, the porcelain tiles are installed on the façade; a video of the process demonstrates the complete process from start to finish.
Installing porcelain tiles on the facade requires the use of special fasteners - clamps. They are available in two modifications - for visible and for hidden fastening methods. Hidden fastening gives a more beautiful facade, and visible fastening gives a cheaper one.
Give designer look the facade can be done using a simple “runaway” The technology for installing porcelain tiles on a façade with a hidden method of fastening porcelain tiles requires cuts in the tiles, which can only be made with special equipment in the factory. Therefore, such installation turns out to be more expensive. But no fastening elements are visible from above, and the slabs adjoin one another with minimal clearance.
With a visible fastening method, the legs of the clamps are visible, which are coated with special paint to make them less noticeable.
Material of clamps for installation of porcelain stoneware – galvanized or stainless steel. Fastening porcelain stoneware to the facade requires different types of clamps for the first row of slabs and for all other rows. For the first (from the ground or from the window) row, starting clasps are used, for the rest - ordinary clasps.
How to make a facade from porcelain stoneware:
- On the guide profiles, mark the places where the clamps are attached and drill holes with an electric drill.
- Through drilled holes attach the clamps to the guide profiles. In this case, you need to use self-tapping screws.
- Place façade porcelain stoneware slabs into the claws of the installed row of clamps. Installation is carried out from the bottom up, and the next row of clamps is installed above the installed row of plates.
A curtain wall façade made of porcelain stoneware is very easy to install: it can be installed all year round, regardless of the weather and temperature. It is almost impossible to break façade porcelain tiles, and they do not require any maintenance.
Types of façade porcelain tiles
Dimensions
Facade porcelain tiles, the sizes of which can be different, have the shape of squares or rectangles.
Slabs are available in the following sizes (in mm):
- 300x300;
- 300x600;
- 400x400;
- 450x450;
- 600x600;
- 1000x1000;
- 1200x600;
- 1200x1200;
- 1200x1800.
Important! Dimensions of porcelain stoneware slabs in different sources are given in different units of measurement. Often they use centimeters rather than millimeters. Then the size 600x600 will look like 60x60.
The thickness of manufactured porcelain stoneware slabs ranges from 7 to 30 mm. The thickness of porcelain stoneware for facades most often lies in the range of 8-10 mm. Ceramic granite has a high specific gravity, and heavier slabs require greater frame strength, which means the slabs and installation are more expensive. But facade porcelain tiles are so durable that such a thickness of the slab is quite enough to guarantee the preservation of all operational characteristics for many years.
Color and surface types
Porcelain stoneware facade tiles delight with the variety of their colors. They range from black to white to red. In addition, the slabs differ in texture and surface treatment.
Release the following types slabs:
- Matte slabs are the most common and cheapest option, since such slabs do not pass additional processing after firing.
- Sanded slabs - after firing they undergo a grinding operation using diamond tools. The result is a matte and somewhat rough surface.
- Polished slabs undergo two additional operations: grinding and polishing. Polished slabs are produced uniformly and with a pattern applied. The drawing often imitates some natural material, such as stone or wood. Polished slabs reflect sunlight very well, so in hot climates, buildings with such cladding are cool.
- Semi-polished slabs - manufactured to very high standards interesting technology: the surface of the slab is cut off in some places (not all!), and the cut areas are polished. The result is an unusual texture.
- Specially aged (rustic) slabs are the most expensive surface treatment option. They are used in special cases when they want to give the facade the appearance of an ancient building. Such slabs perfectly imitate ancient architectural reliefs ( masonry, different types of stone, wooden surfaces).
Options for laying facade tiles
To get a beautiful facade, porcelain stoneware (you can watch the video below) can be laid in a variety of ways:
- The traditional and most commonly used method is to lay slabs of the same color and size parallel to the foundation of the building. In this case, both square and rectangular slabs can be used.
- Installing slabs with offset allows for simulation brickwork big size. For this purpose, rectangular slabs are used, which are laid not one under the other, but shifting the top row relative to the bottom. The pattern will be even more beautiful if some of the slabs are of a different color.
- Combined installation involves the use facade slabs different sizes. In this case, the different arrangement of the slabs allows the formation of a complex façade pattern. Of course, the installation of such a facade is more complicated.
- Facade facing porcelain tiles can be used to create a façade pattern reminiscent of parquet. In this case, rows of rectangular slabs are laid alternately vertically and horizontally.
Buildings made of porcelain stoneware are often diversified with the use of facing slabs different colors. With this method of decorating the facade, it is possible to endlessly a large number of options and color scheme, and in the order of color changes.
The construction of a façade made of porcelain stoneware provides enormous opportunities for creating unique buildings. Few construction technologies provide such prospects for decorating houses as decorating the facade with porcelain stoneware. Photo interesting options facades can be viewed in the catalogs of the porcelain stoneware manufacturer.
