Brick – types, properties, application
For centuries, brick has been one of the main building materials throughout the world. From the days of the first baked clay prototypes to the high-tech building materials of today, brick has undergone many changes. Thanks to it, the modern construction of country houses, city skyscrapers, industrial, commercial and many other buildings demonstrates its high performance characteristics. Quality and reliability of finished brick buildings. Brick production today is proceeding at a tremendous pace and volume. The demand for this material is constantly high, and the construction of brick houses is in demand everywhere and at any time of the year. On bricks price may be different, it all depends on the type, properties and characteristics of the material.
Contents of the article:
Types of bricks
The Russian and international brick market offers a huge variety of materials. At the same time, there are only four main types of bricks: silicate, ceramic, refractory and fused. Let’s look at each of them in more detail.
Sand-lime brick
Sand-lime brick differs from ceramic brick not only in the white color of the bars, but also in its composition, manufacturing technology and purpose. White brick is made from lime and sand using autoclave synthesis technology. To give the material additional performance properties and shades, functional additives and color pigments can be included in the composition of sand-lime brick. Unlike red brick, white brick has less water resistance, but is more effective in sound insulation. Therefore, such materials cannot be used in the construction of furnaces, pipes, foundations and other objects where durability and strength are required. However, they are ideal for constructing curtain walls and interior partitions.
Like ceramic, sand-lime brick is available in hollow and hollow versions. They can also be porous or smooth, naturally or artificially colored, custom sizes or classic, etc.
Ceramic brick
Classic red brick made of high-strength fired clay. This is the most versatile and popular type of brick on the Russian market. It is ideal for foundations and basements, load-bearing walls, creating hardscape features, and many other construction tasks. All buildings made of high-quality ceramic brick are characterized by their reliability and durability, which is why this material has been widely used in Russian suburban construction for the construction of durable cottages for centuries.
Red brick is produced by firing clay lumps moistened with plastic, or by pressing drier clay lumps. Modern companies produce ceramic brick in traditional red and orange colors, as well as virtually all other shades. Classic bricks can be solid (structural), facing, or hollow (economical). They have a textured and smooth feel. Bricks are also classified by a number of other technical characteristics, which will be discussed below. Refractory Bricks
Fire brick
Due to their high thermal conductivity and elegant appearance, refractory bricks are also in demand in civil engineering and finishing. They are used for laying stoves and lining fireplaces in cottages. Refractory bricks are made from fired fireclay (refractory clay—this is why bricks are often called refractory), to which coke or graphite is added for increased strength. Their technical properties and operational capabilities in civil and industrial construction depend on the composition and manufacturing technology of refractory clay bricks.
Refractory bricks can be divided into four types:
Alumina is the most common fireclay, resistant to extreme temperatures and contact with alkalis, but not suitable for heating above 1300 °C.
- Quartz – homogeneous solid bricks made of sandstone or quartz with the addition of clay. Its properties are similar to those of natural sandstone. They are fire resistant but not alkali or iron oxide resistant. Used in the manufacture of vaults and walls of furnaces in contact only with metal and flame.
- Carbon bricks are made from graphite powder or compressed coke, a very rare and durable material used in highly specialized industries.
- Lime-magnesium bricks are used in metallurgy.
- Facing brick
Facing brick
Decorative brick is used for finishing new buildings and restoring facades; walls, fences, architecture and even interior elements are made from this material. Durable finishing bricks are also used as paving slabs for laying colorful, neat paths. Color, texture, size and other individual parameters of the material are selected taking into account architectural styles and design solutions when decorating the facades of buildings and sites and other elements.
Technical characteristics of bricks
Technical characteristics of bricks
Density
Density
Porosity
Porosity
Durability
Strength
Thermal Conductivity
Thermal conductivity
Frost Resistance
Frost resistance
Furthermore, bricks on the modern construction market come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and other external features. This diversity of materials allows for precise customization and the realization of design solutions with a high level of quality and aesthetics.
Eco-friendly, beautiful, reliable, strong, and durable—brick is widely used in construction worldwide. Approximately 70% of all buildings in Europe are made of brick, and despite the emergence of many cheaper materials and technologies in low-rise construction, brick has remained the market leader for centuries. Whether building a bathhouse or cottage, installing supports for facade or fence cladding, constructing an industrial facility, or landscaping a garden path, this versatile material helps effectively solve construction problems.
Brick, types, properties, applications
