What brand of brick is needed for the basement of the house. We choose the right brick for the construction of the basement. This clay contains

For any home, the foundation is the most important part that ensures the stability and reliability of the entire structure. The value of the plinth is also very high, because its task is to create an even strong support for walls and roofs, as well as to protect people and their property from dampness and cold. It is for this reason that it is impossible to save on the construction of the named part of the building - only the most quality material guaranteeing durability and functional suitability.

About which brick to use for the base, we will describe in detail in this article.

For bricks used for basement walls, the main qualities are described in three words:

• durability;
• strength;
• decorative.

However, if later you intend to completely plaster the structure, then the last point can be ignored. The building material, first of all, must retain its shape and integrity, despite the rather high loads and the action of external negative factors.

In general, now more and more often the base is being built from monolithic concrete, but as practice shows, bricks are not much inferior to it in terms of reliability, and often cost much less.

For Russia, there is another physical parameter that cannot be ignored - frost resistance. Equally important is low hygroscopicity - dampness, as is known, is a common thing in most regions of our country.

Bricks for the base must meet the following requirements:

• have a uniform structure (check them for cracks, deformations and chips);
• do not differ in size;
• have high technical specifications;
• be environmentally friendly;
• adhere well to the solution.

Best of all, these requirements are met by clinker or traditional red (exclusively solid) bricks.

Why are frost and moisture resistance the most important properties of a suitable plinth material? The thing is that water has an unpleasant property to seep into cracks, from which it is almost impossible to eliminate it. During the cold period, it turns into ice and expands, breaking the structure of the brick. As a result, the blocks gradually fall apart. The more freezing cycles indicated in the technical documentation, the longer the material will retain its strength.

When choosing a brick that is ideal for your regional conditions, check out the technical characteristics of its different types. Below we will consider three main types sold throughout our country:

• ceramic;
• silicate;
• red.

silicate brick

Despite the apparent strength, this variety does not tolerate long-term exposure to high humidity. The technology of its manufacture gives them a rather large porosity, and therefore, being in dampness, silicate brick:

• actively absorbs water from both the soil and the atmosphere;
• gradually loses strength;
• falling apart soon.

For this reason, the type of building material in question is suitable only for private houses built in dry and warm regions, and even then, provided that the foundation is reliably protected by waterproofing, and is also separated from the basement by a moisture-proof membrane.

Traditional red brick

The essential difference between this type of building material and the previously described one is the principle of manufacture. If silicate is produced by pressing, then red is fired after molding in special furnaces. As a result, clay significantly changes its properties, which makes it possible to use products from it for the construction of the basement of the building.

At the same time, ordinary red brick is quite hygroscopic, therefore only some of its grades are suitable for our purposes. Quite decent and relatively inexpensive option can be called M150. This construction material is able to maintain its performance properties even after 50 freezing cycles. Moreover, many modernized enterprises produce bricks under the named brand, the strength of which is higher than required by GOST. One has only to understand that the M150 is recommended to be used exclusively in dry areas, where it does not rain too often, and water does not linger in the ground for a long time.

For regions with high humidity, the M250 brand is most suitable.

ceramic brick

This material is recognized by all merit experts as the most ideal option for building plinths. Today, the domestic industry produces a lot of varieties of ceramic blocks. This category, in particular, includes the clinker bricks we mentioned at the beginning of the article.

The variety in question is made from a special grade of clay, and the molded blocks are fired at very high temperatures, turning the raw material into glass. It is not difficult to distinguish clinker bricks - when struck, it emits a high-pitched ringing.

Ceramic brick:

• not afraid of damp;
• calmly withstands severe frosts;
• not inferior in strength to concrete.

Basic requirements for the base

If the walls of the house are also made of brick, then the plinth must be built at least 51 centimeters thick. For log structures, 25 cm is enough.

The composition of the masonry mixture, as well as its consistency, is extremely important. The recipe is the following:

• cement (minimum M200) -1 part;
• sand (quarry) - up to 7;
• lime test - 0.7.

Correct ready solution well kept on the trowel with a lump. In too liquid sand quickly settles, which reduces the overall strength. For better plasticity, it is allowed to add:

• liquid soap;
• washing powder;
• special formulations.

In the first 2 cases, the dose is no more than a tablespoon per bucket.

Before proceeding with the construction of the basement, lay waterproofing on the end of the foundation. At a minimum, two layers of roofing material glued with bitumen are suitable. More efficient use modern materials- They are more durable and reliable.

The minimum width of the plinth is four rows (30 centimeters), but experts recommend making it higher. The farther the floor of the first floor is from the ground, the more comfortable it is to live in the house.

The basement floor is designed to protect the building from the negative effects of precipitation, ground moisture, sudden temperature changes and other things. For the base, it is recommended to take a material that is resistant to such external manifestations, which will perfectly cope with other operating conditions. Today, for the manufacture of the base can be used various material, but brick remains in demand. This building material can be called universal, it is used for the construction of houses, the construction of external and internal walls, for facing of facades and construction of protections.

Brick is a traditional building material that has excellent thermal insulation properties. He is the best option for the construction of the basement of the house.

Benefits of brick for basement works

When laying bricks, the following requirements are taken into account:

Scheme of the basement of the foundation: A - a chain ligation system for corners with a thickness of 1 brick, B - C 1 1/2 bricks. 1 - Three-four, 2 - Half, 3 - Four.

1. The strength must be high, since it is on the base that there is a significant Negative influence external environment.
2. There should be no chips, cracks, or signs of deformation on the brick itself.
3. The size of each brick must be the same, you can not use materials that do not have a flat surface, the dimensions of which do not correspond to the norm.
4. The service life should be long, as it will be difficult and costly to repair or replace.
5. The brick should not crack with the onset of frost, it is best to take a material that perfectly tolerates sudden temperature changes.
6. The material must be environmentally friendly, not emit harmful and toxic substances.
7. The product must be resistant to the negative effects of moisture, not absorb water. This property is required for the reason that it is the basement that will protect the facade of the house from ground and sedimentary moisture.
8. Adhesion with mortar must be excellent.

Red ceramic, silicate, acid-resistant, clinker bricks can be used to finish the basement. All listed species have the required properties.

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Conditions for laying the plinth

For it is necessary to comply with certain conditions, in which case the design will be durable and strong. It will perfectly withstand even the most adverse operating conditions and the negative impact of the external environment.

Acid-resistant brick is characterized by low water absorption, resistance to various aggressive media and high temperatures.

• 1 part of cement brand M200;
• 6.7 parts of purified sand;
• 0.7 parts of lime dough.

With the addition of lime, the resulting mortar becomes more plastic, it is easy to install, durable and resistant to adverse conditions. If there is no lime dough, it can be easily replaced with clay, the proportion will be exactly the same. If the mortar does not contain lime, then the ratio of cement to sand will need to be different. It will be enough 1 part of cement and 4 parts of sand for the M200 brand and 8 parts of sand for the M400 cement.

The amount of water is determined during mixing, the solution should not turn out to be liquid or excessively hard. Its consistency should resemble thick sour cream; during masonry, the solution should not spread over the surface.

Various forms of the base: a - protruding, b - in the same plane with the wall, c - sinking, 1 - outer wall, 2 - waterproofing, 3 - foundation.

In some cases, when preparing a masonry mortar, its delamination is observed, i.e. sand settles, water comes out at the top. It cannot be used in this form, it is necessary to add clay or lime dough. You can put washing powder in the amount of a tablespoon in a bucket of water.

When the plinth is laid out, 390 bricks with dimensions of 250 * 120 * 65 mm are used for each cube of the structure, the solution is required in the amount of ¼ cube. When calculating, it is better to increase the quantity a little, since more bricks may be required for cutting. Brick breakage can significantly increase masonry costs. So it is best to prepare 0.3 cubic meters of mortar for masonry and 400 bricks of the selected type.

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Types of bricks for masonry

Due to its high density, thermal conductivity and moisture absorption, sand-lime brick can be used in buildings with a heavy load on load-bearing walls.

What brick fit better Total? Any brick can be used for the basement, but today 4 groups have proven themselves, which are most suitable for this. These materials include: clinker bricks, conventional solid ceramic, acid-resistant, silicate. All of them differ not only in appearance, but also in their properties, areas of use, composition, and manufacturing conditions.

One of the most expensive materials for the construction of the plinth is considered to be clinker brick, which is characterized by high strength and visual appeal. Such a base will have numerous advantages, including durability, high reliability, the ability to absorb moisture by 3-5% by weight of the brick. Of the defining properties of clinker bricks, a high level of reliability should be noted. It perfectly protects the structure from negative external conditions. When facing with clinker bricks, a beautiful, reliable, stable base is obtained, which perfectly resists moisture, sudden temperature changes, heat, and frost.

After completion of masonry and other construction works there is no longer any need to use complex work on insulation and cladding, since the base is obtained with exactly the properties that are required. There is an opportunity to save on other materials. Experts advise building a house from clinker bricks, as the construction will be durable. It can be used for any region, it is used for houses with any area and size, providing excellent quality of construction.

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Acid-resistant brick for plinth

Ceramic bricks are highly resistant to moisture, to sudden changes in temperature and to severe frosts.

For the construction of a basement, acid-resistant bricks can be used when the environment is aggressive, it is necessary to provide protection from high temperatures, humidity and other extremely unfavorable conditions. This material has a low level of water absorption. Acid-resistant building brick is considered durable, its service life is much longer than even conventional ceramic bricks. It withstands aggressive impacts and adverse rock conditions, under which other building material is quickly destroyed.

The brick is made from a special material, it contains high-quality clay and dunite.

The processing is carried out carefully, which ensures the highest resistance to heat and heat, aggressive effects, as evidenced by the very name of the material. For the plinth, only high-quality bricks are suitable. The problem is that if you save money and buy a material that is not of such high quality, then it will quickly begin to crack, and they will be released into the atmosphere. harmful substances. In a normal situation, he can do no harm. Acid-resistant material is used for the plinth only where a serious level of protection is required for the house. high density allows the material to withstand heavy loads, this brick can be used even if the number of storeys is large. In areas with unfavorable conditions, plinths of even multi-storey city buildings are laid out with such bricks.

11 June, 2014 - 19:12

The foundation, which is located above the surface of the soil, is called the base. Given its close proximity to the ground, it requires special attention to its construction.

In particular, to the materials used in this. Today, despite the fact that brick cannot be considered the optimal building material for arranging the basement of a building, it is for a number of reasons that it is most often used for these purposes. To protect the future home from possible risks, you need to understand which brick to choose in each specific case. Right choice will provide good thermal and waterproofing, which is what the plinth should actually do, regardless of whether you laid it out with your own hands or used the work of professionals.

So, which brick for the plinth to choose? It is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to this question. Experts and builders disagree, given the fact that the characteristics of the basement, and therefore the brick from which they decided to raise it, are influenced by a lot of factors. These are the properties of the cement mortar used, and climatic conditions operation of the future home, and even the method of laying. We will not touch on how to lay the base in this article. We only note that for most cases the optimal cement mortar M75 is considered to be the laying of a basement made of bricks of a grade not lower than M100.

Brick selection criteria

As a building material, a brick for a basement must meet certain parameters. This is, first of all, strength, moisture absorption and frost resistance. The higher the strength, the greater the load the brick can withstand before the stage of its destruction begins. However, a high moisture index, on the contrary, indicates that it is better to look for another material, especially in harsh climatic zones. The fact is that the higher the moisture absorption rate, the lower the frost resistance of the building material. The latter indicator is measured by how many times a brick can be frozen and thawed before it begins to collapse. How to produce, you will learn from the materials on the site.

Clinker brick

Undoubtedly, the plinth of a brick house of this type, with a very high external attractiveness, is also distinguished by the greatest strength. True, and its cost is higher than others. But the main advantages of clinker bricks - durability, attractiveness and reliability - are worth it. Its ability to absorb moisture is only 3-5%.

Acid-resistant brick

It feels equally good at both low and high temperatures, and is deservedly considered "eternal". But, when purchasing such a brick, you need to be extremely careful. The fact is that its production must comply with the most stringent state standards, the violation of which can lead to the fact that the brick during laying and operation will emit harmful substances into the environment, in the truest sense of the word, poisoning people. Therefore, the manufacturer of this brick must inspire absolute confidence.

silicate brick

High density, thermal conductivity and moisture absorption are the main advantages of this building material. However, using it in the construction of the basement, you need to take into account the fact that it will definitely require finishing - it appearance leaves much to be desired. Created from sand and lime, silicate brick has a fairly low cost, but the need decorative finishes may negate this merit.

Ceramic solid red brick

Versatile building material. It is also used when raising the base. But it must be borne in mind that in conditions of high humidity for the construction of the basement it is better to use a certain type of it. For example, well burned. It is possible - even slightly burnt.

A basement is a part of a building that is an extension of the foundation above ground level but below the floor level of the first floor.

The basement is the second most important building structure after the foundation. Like the foundation, the plinth must be made as strong and durable as possible, since, like the foundation, it bears the load from the entire building, but at the same time it must work in the most adverse conditions:

• when it rains, even if there is a cornice on the roof, a good blind area and a drainage system, the plinth, anyway, becomes wet, because the rain can be slanting or because, under any weather conditions, water splashes invariably fall on the surface of the plinth
• V winter period snowdrifts are in contact with the surface of the base. Their height depends on the territorial region. In the Urals, for example, at least 1m. Last winter it was 2m. In conditions when not only in spring, but even in winter, periodic temperature changes cause alternation of thaws and frosts. As a result, the surface of the base gets wet and immediately freezes ...
• a large load on the base from the higher structures of the building: walls, ceilings, roofs, snow on the roof, furniture and people in the house, etc.
• a huge risk of wetting the basement through the capillary rise of aggressive groundwater from the foundation ...
• freezing of the basement wall in winter, because, often, a brick basement is made where there is no basement, but there is only an unheated technical underground: the space under the house between the ground level and the ceiling of the 1st floor.

What kind of brick to make a plinth

What kind of brick to make a plinth? What do building codes and regulations say about this?

Clause 1.3 of SNiP II-22-81 * "Stone and reinforced masonry structures" says about which brick cannot be used for the base:

"1.3*. Application silicate bricks , stones and blocks; stones and blocks from cellular concrete; hollow ceramic bricks and stones, concrete blocks with voids; ceramic bricks of semi-dry pressing is allowed for the outer walls of premises with a wet regime, provided that they are applied internal surfaces vapor barrier coating. The use of these materials for the walls of rooms with a wet regime, as well as for external walls of basements and plinths is not allowed . «

The types of bricks highlighted in blue: silicate and hollow ceramic are just those bricks that many, for some reason, still use for laying the basement.

Most likely, this happens when production is established in the region only silicate brick or hollow and, therefore, the developer buys a brick that can be purchased closer and without problems.

Sand-lime brick is not recommended for plinth because it absorbs moisture very well. And, as we discussed earlier, the basement design is most susceptible to atmospheric influences both in summer and in winter, not to mention the off-season.

An exception can only be the southern regions of the country, where there is a catastrophic lack of rain, and snow in winter falls in a thin layer, like a gift, for a change.

Hollow bricks, although they meet the standards in terms of strength, but when the basement freezes in winter, frost forms on the walls of the voids, which turns into water when thawed. Water inside a brick is “not very good,” as overseas builder gurus would say in the old days. It is good if the water was absorbed by the body of the brick and later, at a positive temperature, evaporated. And if the water froze again and turned into ice, which began to burst the brick voids from the inside. This threatens the brick with cracking and destruction.

“6.65. Foundations, basement walls and plinths should preferably be designed as prefabricated from large concrete blocks. It is also allowed to use small concrete blocks and stones, natural stones of regular and irregular shape, monolithic concrete and rubble concrete, well fired plastic molding ceramic brick .»

If you follow the letter of the law, then according to building codes, it turns out that in many regions only well-fired plastic-pressed ceramic bricks are universally suitable for the basement - this is, in other words, an ordinary solid red brick.

Other materials according to clause 6.65 of SNiP are justified where they are more common than ceramic bricks, for example natural stones in the mountainous regions of the country it is cheaper (almost free, if you take it yourself from a quarry).

What brand of brick is needed for the base

To determine what brand of brick is needed for the basement, we again turn to building codes and regulations.

Although earlier in the article on the brickwork of the basement, the brand of brick for the basement was already indicated, and, nevertheless, let's clarify the frost resistance of the brick according to clause 2.3 and table 1 according to SNiP II-22-81 *:

For exterior walls in buildings with dry and normal humidity conditions, the frost resistance of bricks is F25.

Of course, during construction, any developer "dreams" that his basement or technical underground would be dry! But it's impossible to predict various conditions and contingencies that are revealed only after the building is put into operation….

Therefore, it would be good to insure on frost resistance by 1-2 steps: suddenly the earth in the technical underground for some reason will be saturated with moisture or groundwater will break through into the basement all the time and it will turn into a room with a very humid regime. .. Then the margin in strength and frost resistance of the basement brick will allow you to gain time to find and eliminate the cause of moisture.

Since, nevertheless, we are talking about which brick is better for the basement, for the sake of justice it is worth noting that there are also other bricks that are superior in their characteristics to the red solid brick.

We are talking about clinker and fireclay bricks.

Clinker brick for plinth

The main advantages of clinker bricks for the plinth:

• water absorption no more than 5%
• strength from M250
• frost resistance value from F100
• increased wear resistance

Clinker bricks are used:

• for plinth cladding. It is possible to make the basement masonry from red brick with clinker brick lining on the outside
• for paving sidewalks, footpaths and even on the roadway.

An ideal material with high wear resistance, which allows you to keep the front surface of the brick in its original form for a long time.

According to its characteristics, it is much superior to ordinary red brick. But… its price matches its quality.

Chamotte brick for plinth

Chamotte or refractory brick. Its name speaks for itself:

• water absorption no more than 3%
• strength from M250
• frost resistance F15-50
• increased acid resistance - excellent protection against any aggressive influences
• fireproof - able to withstand very high temperature and her swings. Fire protection guaranteed!

But, do you need its acid resistance and increased fire resistance, for example, for the basement of a bath???? Not to mention the price of a brick...

So, in summary: there is nothing better for a basement than an ordinary red solid brick. If you take the brand M150-200 and frost resistance F35-50, then it will fully withstand all the loads and will serve with dignity for 100 years.

If you do not like its appearance, then there are options for lining the basement:

1. clinker brick
2. facing brick
3. natural stone cladding
4. artificial stone lining
5. cladding with plinth siding panels under the stone

And these types of work on the lining of the basement already depend on design solution your facade and site as a whole.

Once again, let's summarize which brick is better for the basement:

• unequivocally: red ordinary full-bodied
• by brand for strength - M150
• by brand for frost resistance F50

Clinker and fireclay bricks are also suitable for use in plinth masonry due to their strength and frost resistance grades, but they are much more expensive. You choose based on your capabilities.

Tagged

Recommendations on which brick is better to use in the manufacture of prefabricated tape or from small-format materials are given in SP 15.13330 of 2012. Masonry is allowed from red ordinary, facing solid ceramic bricks with a width of 51 cm or concrete blocks measuring 20 x 20 x 40 cm. With an unlimited budget, you can choose a clinker stone with the highest possible moisture resistance. For the basement part of the foundation, the requirements are much lower than for underground structures.

Despite the variety of wall materials used for masonry, only red ceramic bricks and wall concrete blocks are allowed in the foundations. Ceramics for the foundation is classified according to the following criteria:

• dimensions - normal format (NF) 6.5 x 12 x 25 cm, double (2.1 NF) 14 x 12 x 25 cm, one and a half (1.4 NF) 88 x 12 x 25 cm;
• appointment - front, ordinary;
• frost resistance - F25, F35, F50.

Moreover, manufacturers guarantee the indicated frost resistance values ​​​​only for the basement part of the foundation masonry. Structures operated underground have a minimum resource (one and a half times less than reinforced concrete). It is forbidden to use brick strip foundations at a high (less than 1 m from the sole) groundwater level (GWL) or the possibility of its seasonal rise.

Solid ceramic brick is the best choice.

The characteristics of a solid concrete block are different. The strength of concrete is twice as high, frost resistance is F15 - F50, the format is much larger. Each block replaces 8 bricks, masonry is faster. The dimensions allow laying 40 or 60 cm wide without a prick. In the first case, you can save the construction budget. The second option is more often used for deep belts, in which the walls of the underground floor experience serious lateral loads.

Attention! There are bricks with a size of 6.5 x 8.5 x 25 cm (0.7 nf) made in Europe, single modules (1.3 nf) 6.5 x 13.8 x 28.8 cm, "three-piece" 18 cm , "halves" 12 cm, "quarters" 6 cm.

For underground structures

The main criteria when deciding which brick is better to use for underground masonry are:

• strength - standardized only for grades M100 - M300 (2.2 - 4.4 MPa, respectively);
• water absorption - 6 - 14%;
• roughness - relevant in the manufacture of external masonry waterproofing.

Ordinary stone is cheaper than facing stone; to reduce the construction budget, it is better to choose this option. The dimensions of the red brick only affect the rate of construction of the foundation masonry. So the format is not important.

When choosing a concrete block, the construction time of the foundation is reduced due to the large dimensions compared even with a double stone. The disadvantages of brick foundation technology are:

• the default spatial rigidity of the prefabricated structure is lower than that of the monolith;
• when waterproofing the outer edges of the tape, pillars, it is very difficult to ensure the tightness of numerous mortar joints.

Therefore, prefabricated columnar, strip foundations are often shallow or shallow. This is possible only on rocky, sandy or gravelly soils.

For plinth

With normal horizontal waterproofing of the foundation with 2 - 3 layers of rolled material, the bearing part of the basement can be laid out of porous bricks. Any materials are allowed in the facing layer, for example: silicate, hyper-pressed brick, slotted, hollow ceramics.

When deciding which brick is better to use, you need to consider:

• the plinth is an independent supporting structure;
• distributes uneven loads from the main walls.

Therefore, it is still better to use solid concrete wall blocks or solid ceramic stone. Commonly used standard sizes NF or one and a half, double brick to increase masonry productivity.

Protect concrete blocks brickwork from getting wet in the basement is much easier. Enough to coat the surface bituminous mastic, decorate the plinth with siding.

What to look for when buying

When choosing a brick for the foundation, attention should be paid to the accompanying documentation. The brand of stone must be higher than M150, frost resistance from F25, geometric dimensions must comply with GOST.

During transportation, unloading and storage, the edges often break off, which is not a significant defect. In most cases, plaster waterproofing is used for a brick foundation. Irregularities will only increase the adhesion of the protective layer.

When tapping on a ceramic metal object, a brick should have a distinct sonorous sound, and not a choked, dull sound. The ringing indicates the quality of the raw materials used, the correctness of the firing technology, the absence of microcracks and voids.

Styling nuances

To increase the reliability of a brick foundation, several conditions must be met:

• a whole brick - the masonry must be carefully tied up by shifting the vertical joints in adjacent rows, so it is necessary to choose a whole brick, carefully transport it, store it in the building spot, move it at the facility;
• reinforcement - in each 4th row, binding of spoons / poke is required, the use of wire masonry mesh with a cell of 2 x 2 - 5 x 5 cm;
• wetting - it is recommended to lower the brick into a bucket of water at the time of laying on the bed from the solution;
• additives to the solution - the penetrating mixture will ensure the moisture resistance of the seams;
• footing - unlike monolithic structures, brickwork is sensitive to irregularities in the base, the underlying layer of non-metallic materials, it is recommended to pour 5 cm screeds twice wide over size strip or column foundation.

Advice! The brick easily splits in any direction, so you can not buy ¾, halves, ¼, which are more expensive. It is wiser to use an ordinary, and not a front stone, which is not visible underground.

Thus, a brick foundation cannot compete with monolithic reinforced concrete structures in terms of service life and spatial rigidity. However, this option will save the budget and construction time. He does not need to gain strength in 28 days, the walls can be erected in a week.