Block silicate: characteristics, applications and reviews

One of the oldest materials used in construction that has been used by people for many centuries is brick. Since ancient times the way of its production has not changed, but today this material is one of the most used in construction. However, with the development of new technologies, new modifications of the brick block began to be developed, of which the most used is the silicate block.

Modern material

For people ignorant of building materials, the brick is divided into two types: white and red. A red block in professional language is called ceramic, and white is a silicate block. The white block appeared on the building materials market relatively recently. In this regard, he can not boast of the same rich history as ceramic bricks. Silicate blocks, however, actively catch up with ceramic according to the statistics of application and for several decades they have proved to be a durable and durable material.

The wall silicate block is used both in high-rise and low-rise construction: when laying internal and external above-ground parts of walls, ventilation ducts (to attic), partitions in production and residential buildings, warehouses, garages, fences, garden houses. Building regulations prohibit the erection of this material socle of buildings, for this red brick is used.

To perform work with this material, it is important to know what the silicate blocks differ in. Their characteristics, depending on the structure and purpose, determine the scope of their application.

White blocks are divided into views relative to two parameters:

• Structure.
• Appointment.

Block structure

The structure of silicate brick blocks can be:

1. Full-bodied is a monolithic product in which the number of holes does not exceed 13%.
2. Hollow - the number of voids in them varies within the limits of 13-50%, but the voidness in the amount of up to 35% is considered optimal.

Hollow bricks vary in percentage, quantity and size of voids in the body. The most commonly used are the following:

• Block with three voids, holes of 52 mm in diameter, emptiness - 15%;
• Block with eleven voids, holes - 30 mm, 25%;
• Block with fourteen voids, holes - 30 mm, 30%.

Holes in the body of the block significantly increase the thermal insulation properties of the material. They also affect the consumption of the mix: the more voids in the block, the greater the amount of solution required. Walls from hollow blocks should be additionally insulated.

Purpose of the material

By design, white bricks are distinguished as follows:

1. Construction, called ordinary, - solid, with a small number of voids, silicate blocks. Characteristics provide this material with high strength, which makes it possible to mount bearing walls, columns and posts, partitions between rooms. On this material, the presence of roughness, cracks or bruising is allowed, since later the masonry will be covered with finishing.
2. Face - hollow bricks that are used for facade cladding. The main requirement for them is a uniform color and even forms without damage. They can be covered with decorative imitation.

How is it produced?

The production of gas silicate blocks is carried out according to the non-firing technology. The material is a product that has the form of a parallelepiped and is intended for laying walls. In production, a moistened lime-siliceous or lime-sand mixture is used as an astringent and aggregates. These components are processed by autoclave solidification and pressing.

The exact composition of the silicate mixture is as follows:

• Air building lime;
• Sand for the production of silicate products;
• Slime white;
• Ashes from thermal power plants;
• Slag sand;
• Ash and slag fine-grained mixture;
• Pigments resistant to alkalis (chromium oxide);
• Ordinary water.

The properties of slag and ash are such that they completely or partially replace quartz sand, which leads to a decrease in the density of the silicate block. This contributes to the improvement of strength and thermal insulation properties. Also, significantly, by 40%, the consumption of the astringent component is reduced and the time of autoclaving is reduced, which reduces the cost of producing gas silicate blocks by about 20%.

Blocks may have the original color of the raw material - gray - or be colored when a pigment is added at the stage of the preparation of the solution.

Requirements for technical characteristics of the silicate block can be found in the following regulatory acts:

• GOST 23421-79.
• GOST 379-95.
• SNIP 3.03.01-87.

Advantages of silicate blocks, user opinion

The popularity of this material, according to reviews, is due to a number of its positive properties:

1. Relatively low cost compared with the analog of ceramics.
2. Silicate blocks do not form sands, no matter how long the masonry of them has been laid. Ceramic brick can not boast such properties.
3. The silicate block has more pronounced strength characteristics than the ceramic block, on which cracks form over time and begin to crumble.
4. The material is easy to use. To make the masonry walls of white brick, no special instructions are required.
5. This brick is used for the construction of partitions in industrial industrial plants, as it has good sound insulation characteristics.
6. Since the block is made of natural materials, it is environmentally friendly and does not emit harmful substances over time.
7. The material is sufficiently durable: during 50 years of operation it does not lose its qualities.
8. The house of the silicate block has a finished attractive appearance due to the excellent design qualities of white brick.
9. Due to the non-firing technology has a lower cost compared with red brick.
10. Despite the fact that according to the frost-resistant qualities the lime-bricks lose to other products, the situation changes with time: frost resistance and strength are increased due to air carbonization of the material.
11. Hollowware significantly reduces the weight of building structures, therefore, reduces the load on the base.
12. This material has many varieties, small sizes make it possible to construct various architectural combinations.

Disadvantages of the blocks that consumers mark

Disadvantages of this building material significantly reduce the possibilities of its use.

The silicate block, in contrast to the ceramic block, has weak heat and water resistance characteristics. Therefore, according to the testimonies, its use for the erection of grounds, cellar rooms, sewerage wells and other structures with an increased level of humidity is not possible. In water, there is a rapid destruction of the material.

The first rows of masonry from these blocks should be performed above the level of falling snow - about half a meter from the ground, otherwise the masonry will collapse. Prior to these blocks, a ceramic block or other building material is laid out.

Also, users note that this material is unsuitable for making stoves and chimneys, it does not become hardened and collapses if it comes into contact with fire.

For the erection of multi-storey buildings it is still a small product - a silicate block. Its dimensions slightly increase the terms of the works.

Classification of blocks

Depending on what elements are part of the material, white brick is:

• Lime-ash - consists of 23% lime and 77% ash;
• Lime-sandy - the usual white block, which consists of 92% of quartz sand and 8% of lime;
• Calc-slag - in its composition quartz sand was replaced by a porous light slag (approximately 92%) with the addition of lime from 3 to 12%.

The content of components can vary in one or the other side by 2-3%.

Since water is added to the silicate mixture as a moisturizing component, that is to say, in a minimum amount, before the mortar reaches the molding qualities, this mixture is called tough: the moisture content of the solution is about 8%.

Size chart

Today, most manufacturers produce bricks of different sizes, including white brick - a silicate block for the building materials market. Its dimensions are as follows:

1. Single - has dimensions of 250 x 65 x 120 mm (L x H x W), the average weight - 3,6 kg. This proportion of the sides of the brick is best for alternating the transverse and longitudinal placement of blocks in the masonry.
2. One-half (modular) - has dimensions of 250 x 120 x 88 mm, weight - not more than 4.3 kg. Basically, such brick blocks are hollow with a grooved surface.
3. Double - has dimensions of 250 x 120 x 103 mm. Basically, this kind of block is hollow, so it is most often used to perform lightweight clutches.

A variation of the blocks

A kind of white brick is a silicate block. This material is a plate with a size of 500 x 70 x 250 mm with placement on the lateral edges of the pier-lock. The need to create such a structure was caused by the desire to facilitate the erection of wall partitions and to shorten the time of production of these works.

The plate consists of a mixture of water, quartz sand and quicklime lime, is fire resistant and environmentally friendly. According to reviews, thanks to good air permeability in the room creates a comfortable microclimate, the material does not rot, does not deform, it absorbs sounds well. Also, this product can be built up with a double layer for concealed installation of networks and insulation.

Conclusion

The main advantages of this material are convenience in work, strength and attractive appearance of the buildings built of it. Thanks to this, the silicate block has proved itself well among professional builders and home craftsmen.