How to lay brickwork: the basics of art

When choosing a brick, in addition to color, size and voidness, you need to take into account and water absorption, frost resistance and strength. It should also be remembered that during construction, almost 20% of the masonry volume is mortar. Therefore, he also needs to pay attention. Usually a solution is used, which is prepared by mixing cement with sand and adding water. As a rule, four parts of the second component are added to one part of the first component, since the correct ratio affects the plasticity of the mixture. And to improve this feature, it adds clay, lime and special plasticizing additives, which are necessary in the winter to ensure the hardening of binders.

Mobility

How to lay a brickwork and determine the mobility of the building mix? This procedure is carried out using a reference cone, which is lowered directly into the test solution, and then look at the depth to which it is immersed. For hollow bricks, a mixture with a draft of about 8 centimeters is suitable, and for a full-bodied brick , from 10 to 14 centimeters. If the solution is too thick, it is likely to crack through time, but too liquid will fill the voids of the brick and worsen its thermal insulation properties.

Quality

How are bricklaying laid and the quality of the masonry material evaluated? The main properties that determine the characteristics of the mortar mixture are uniformity and plasticity. For better consistency, it is better to mix it with an electric mixer or an electric drill with a nozzle. A properly prepared mortar is perfectly placed in a thin layer, and the brick adheres to it with its entire surface. The presence on the building material of clean places indicates insufficient mobility of the mixture and its inability to dissolve.

Thickness

There are several options for carrying out work on which the thickness of the brickwork depends - from 12 to 64 centimeters. However, a thick wall is economically unprofitable and difficult to erect. In this regard, to reduce the weight of the structure, load on the foundation and reduce the consumption of bricks, the outer walls are often built of hollow bricks, or, if the work is carried out with solid material, voids are left between them, which are filled with a heater.

Seams and corners

How are bricklaying laid and straight vertical corners drawn out correctly? This question is the most difficult, especially for novice builders. It is also very important to lay the building material in a straight line and on the same level. A very important point is correctly laid first row of bricks with a rack or a long cord. The angles are verified by the square, and the vertical surface by the level and plumb line. As soon as several rows are laid, the joint is sealed before the mixture is frozen. This also depends on the correct brickwork. Work on the screed is to compact the solution between the elements and give it a clear pattern. It is divided into two types: the wasteland, when the gaps remain between the bricks, and the undercut - the mortar fills the entire space between the building material and aligns with the front face. There are also decorative, concave and convex seams.

Ways of laying

How are bricklaying laid and in what ways? Let's consider some variants: in a presser, back-to-back and back-to-back with a pruning. The first method is more suitable for working with a rigid solution and consists in pressing each subsequent brick to the previous one. Variant end-to-end is applied to the moving mixture, and the seams are then formed into a padded field. And the third way - end-to-end with a pruning - combines the two previous ones. In this case, very mobile material is used, and the seams are made into a cut. Improve the quality and strength of the masonry by using the correct consistency and uniform application of the mortar.