What mortar is the brick placed on. Proper laying of bricks on the foundation. Preparation of cement slurry

Having your own house is not cheap pleasure - especially when it is built of brick. Reducing construction costs by using lower quality materials is, frankly, not the best way out.

It remains only to study the rules of brick laying, and try to build a house with your own hands. Through the video in this article, we will introduce you to the basics of masonry, wall construction, and the architectural possibilities of brickwork.

Features of masonry

Both brick and concrete blocks are called stone in construction - only artificial. Unlike natural stone, they have precisely defined geometric shapes, due to which, when building walls, you can do without formwork.

Benefits of a brick

The rectangular shape and compact dimensions of the brick make this material the most convenient to use. It is laid on a mortar bed, in the order determined by the thickness of the walls, the architectural features of the building, and the front pattern of the masonry.

It allows you to make all kinds of layouts of buildings, rounding walls, making different configurations of openings, varying the height of floors, and much more. Brickwork can be made multi-layered, which can significantly improve the thermal performance and sound insulation of walls.

Speaking about the advantages of brickwork, one cannot fail to note its decorative effect: it allows you to improve the aesthetics of the facade of not only a brick, but also any other house, and is also a full-fledged part of the interior design.

Terms and Definitions

Before we present the rules and regulations for bricklaying, let's clarify what terms and definitions builders use. This is simply necessary, since it will be impossible for a person who does not understand what and how it is called to figure out how to do brickwork correctly.

So:

Let's start with the brick itself, which has three pairs of faces. For a single product, the two widest edges, 250 mm long and 120 mm wide, are called the bed. The long and narrow side face measuring 250 * 65 mm is a spoon. Well, a short end face, 120 mm wide and 65 mm high, is called a poke.

Laying is carried out horizontally, with laying bricks on the bed. When performing some architectural elements of the facade - for example: lintels or window sill zones, the brick can also be installed on spoons, that is, on the edge. As for the rows of masonry, their name is determined by how the bricks are located in them.

When they are turned with a spoon outward, they are called spoon. If the brick is located with the end side forward, then this is a bonded row.

Depending on the thickness of the walls, the masonry section may consist of several rows. Outward-facing - that is, extreme, are called versts, which, depending on the location, are external or internal. The rows enclosed between them are called backfilling - we will talk about them in more detail later.

What is a backfill

There is such a thing as a backing brick. This is not a particular type of brick, but a rejection, or products with a lower quality of the front surface and slight deviations in geometry.

Manufacturers even specially produce backing bricks, making its edges embossed for better grip. The main thing here is that the price should be lower, since the aesthetics of the product does not play, in this case, any role.

Note! Bricks are usually sorted before work begins. Unburned bricks, as well as products that have cracks and chips, are used for backfill rows, since they are completely hidden inside the masonry. The presence of external defects on them does not affect the strength of the masonry. Given the fact that the cost of rubble bricks is lower than the usual 25-30%, in order to save money, good quality bricks are taken for laying versts, and rejection is used for filling.

masonry structure

The height of one masonry row corresponds to the height of the stone, plus the thickness of the horizontal joint, which averages 12 mm. Since, in addition to a single brick, there is also one and a half, 88 mm high, and double, 138 mm high, the height of the masonry row can vary not only because of the thickness of the mortar, but also because of the dimension of the stone.

Naturally, the number of rows in one square meter of masonry will also be different. If a single brick is used, then thirteen rows are obtained per 1 m2, ten rows from a one-and-a-half brick, and seven incomplete rows from a double brick. The thickness of the walls, which corresponds to the width of the masonry, is always a multiple of the size of half a brick.

Half a brick, or 12 cm, is the smallest thickness of the masonry, and it happens only at interior partitions and decorative facade cladding. The thickness of the wall is one brick, corresponds to the full length of the brick. In this case, the laying of the wall in width is carried out either from one bonder or from two spoon rows, which, together with the seam, give all the same 25 cm.

Masonry one and a half bricks thick, obtained from a bonder and spoon row. Since both rows form the planes of the wall, they will both be versts - there are no backfills in such walls.

Backfill rows are present only in a wall with a thickness of two bricks and above. The classic scheme of a two-brick wall is as follows: spoon rows go from inside and outside, and between them there is a backing row.

Suture dressing systems

Bandaging of seams is called systemic laying of bricks, which is one of the most important nuances of masonry. Tie up both vertically longitudinal seams and transverse ones.

In the first case, this is necessary so that the monolithic structure does not delaminate in height into two separate, thinner walls.

So:

With cross ligation, the connection of the individual masonry elements with each other is ensured, and the loads arising from the uneven settlement of the building are distributed. To do this, the bricks of the upper row are laid with the faces offset relative to the vertical seams of the lower row. The dressing of the longitudinal seams is carried out by alternating in the rows of spoons and pokes.

When performing masonry, various dressing variations are used. The simplest and most accurate laying method is a single-row scheme, in which the position of the bricks in the rows alternates evenly. In this case, the vertical transverse seams should be displaced by 1/4 brick, and the longitudinal ones by 1/2 brick.
There are two types of multi-row system. In it - only every sixth row is tychkovy. With this scheme, the displacement of the seams is carried out by 1/4 of the brick in the bond row, and by 1/2 in the spoon row. As for the longitudinal seams of this scheme, from the second to the sixth row they are not bandaged at all.

Note! A multi-row option seems more complicated than a single-row one. But in fact, when using this method, labor productivity is greatly increased. The reason for this is the fact that there is no need to use halves of bricks for the arrangement of backfill rows.

In the process of erecting brick pillars, as well as narrow piers, bricks are laid with pokes through three rows, on the fourth. Speaking about how to make brickwork correctly, one cannot fail to mention the front options, the most popular of which are presented above.

Decorative effect when facing the facade, is provided not only by alternating the position of the brick in the rows, but also due to various schemes for shifting vertical joints. By shifting them all the time in one direction, or alternating the direction of the shift, as well as using bricks with different textures or colors, you can get different ornaments on the masonry. To master these techniques, you need not just instructions on the Internet, but a real master class from a professional.

To improve the aesthetics of the front masonry, the seams are beautifully decorated with embroidery, giving them the shape of a roller, a concave semicircle, or a triangle. This is done using a special tool - stitching.

If the walls are supposed to be plastered, then they try not to completely fill the seams with masonry mortar. They do this because the plaster adheres better to the relief surface.

Architectural masonry elements

A stone wall can be deaf and even, or it can have openings, bypassing which you need to be able to beautifully make. When laying such walls, a variety of elements can be performed: ledges and trimmings, belts, semi-columns with pilasters, and much more.

For example, ledges in masonry are shifts of the front planes in certain sections of the wall, inward or outward.

Edges are made in a similar way, only they have one feature: this detail is a transitional element from a larger wall thickness to a smaller one. Most often, the cutoff can be seen at the transition from the protruding basement to the wall. They are also arranged on the upper levels of multi-storey buildings, when it is necessary to reduce the thickness of the masonry of the upper floor.

What is a niche, we think everyone knows. They are more often arranged from the inside, and various built-in equipment and cabinets are placed in them. The term "pilaster" in architecture refers to elongated in height, a rectangular ledge on the wall, imitating a column. This is a very beautiful element that can frame the entrance, or beautifully highlight window openings and corners of the building.

In a similar way, but only in a different form, they arrange overlaps. In this case, a certain row of bricks protrudes above the wall plane, which extend relative to the masonry by a third of their length. The overlap of one or more rows forms a cornice, or, say, a corbel that horizontally encircles the walls between floors.

For hidden installation of communication pipes and electrical cables, grooves are arranged on the walls in the form of a strobe, which are then sealed flush with the masonry. The width and depth of the vertical furrow is a multiple of half a brick. The height of the horizontal furrow usually corresponds to a whole row of masonry.

There is also such a masonry detail as a wall, which, unlike other purely decorative elements, carries loads. The wall can be a rectangular column with smooth side faces, or have quarters on them necessary for installing window blocks.

Quarters are arranged by extending the outer spoon versts beyond the masonry surface. The size of the protrusion corresponds to ¼ of the length of the brick - hence the name. To achieve maximum masonry strength, it is recommended to lay out the pillars in a single-row dressing pattern.

But since you have to use a considerable number of three-fours (three-quarters of a brick), the craftsmen prefer to use a three-row system. In this case, only halves are added to whole bricks. This applies not only to wall pillars, but also to the laying of brick columns.

Structural nuances of brick walls

Brick walls perform not only a load-bearing function, but must also provide the building with certain thermal characteristics. The thickness, height and length of the spans of the walls are selected so that these dimensions can also ensure the stability of the structure.

In general, the strength of stone walls depends not so much on the strength characteristics of the structural material, but on the performance and quality of the masonry mortar. In buildings up to three floors high, the walls do not bear heavy loads. Therefore, their thickness is determined not from the calculation of strength, but depending on the design of the floors that will rely on them.

When it comes to residential buildings, the spans of walls enclosed between two transversely adjoining walls usually do not exceed six meters. Their maximum height is three meters. Based on stability considerations, a thickness of one brick, that is, 250 mm, is quite enough. But given the high thermal conductivity of brickwork, it can be argued that it will be cold in such a house in winter.

This problem is solved by using slotted bricks, as well as using the technology of well masonry walls. In this case, two parallel walls are erected: one and a half bricks, and the other half a brick, which are rigidly connected by transverse brick lintels. The cavities formed as a result of such installation, which are called wells, are filled with foam or loose insulation.

The so-called modernized masonry, which is the same brick wells, only filled not with insulation, but with lightweight concrete based on expanded clay or polystyrene, also has excellent thermal engineering properties.

The wall can also have a layered structure, in which the walls are connected to each other not by brick lintels, but by metal or flexible fiberglass ties.

Most often, this option is used when simultaneously facing the load-bearing wall with decorative bricks. In this case, the insulation is no longer loose, but slab: mineral wool, PPS boards, foam glass, vermiculite.

Only a few can lay bricks correctly, the process of building buildings from this material only seems simple. When doing work with your own hands, it is important to comply with all the requirements of the technology: from preparing the base to monitoring each placed product. The type of brick and mortar, the method of dressing, the masonry technique, the need for reinforcement and the future finish are selected in advance. The thickness of the walls is determined by the expected loads and purpose of the house.

The building material has the correct geometry and standard dimensions, based on which the calculation and design of structures is carried out. Important requirements for bricklaying technology include:

Strict adherence to proportions, the use of high quality components. When laying bricks, deviations from the manufacturer's instructions are not allowed when mixing ready-made dry mixes with water or introducing modifying impurities.
Uniform distribution of mortar between rows and adjacent products. Violation of this condition leads not only to overspending of the mixture, but also to deviations in level and ugly edges of brick walls.
Control over the linear arrangement of rows, the formation of side faces of exclusively horizontal or vertical seams parallel to each other.
The entry of bricks to those located below is at least a quarter of the size.
Checking the building level of each corner and row.

Special attention requires compliance with weather conditions. The question at what temperature it is possible to lay a brick is not an idle one: heat and frost have a strong influence on the timing and correctness of hardening. In summer, it is left for some time in containers with water to saturate the pores, or at least moisten its surface. Winter work is avoided due to the risk of freezing water in the solution and disrupting the hydration process. The erection of brickwork at temperatures below -5 ° C using conventional methods, without introducing frost-resistant impurities or warming up structures, is considered a gross deviation from the norms.

There are several ways to get around this condition. These include: heating bricks with a soldering iron with simultaneous closing of heat-insulating materials laid nearby, electric heating, installation of an insulating frame, the use of chemical additives when mixing the solution. Any of these methods in the absence of experience should not be performed by yourself. A mandatory rule for laying brick walls at sub-zero temperatures is to control the process of cement hardening. For this purpose, special holes for the thermometer are left in the walls, closed with plugs.

The nuances of laying different types

The scheme of actions when working with ordinary building bricks is approximately the same for full and hollow varieties. Products with horizontally directed slots are used in the installation of partitions, they withstand minimal loads. There are types of hollow bricks with special holes on the sides that simplify the process for beginners. In this case, the type of dressing is selected, in which the voids are hidden inside the brickwork. When working with an ordinary brick, the mortar protruding beyond the edges and smearing the surface with it is not critical.

Correctly laying out facing bricks is much more difficult. With such masonry, deviation from the width of the joints is not allowed, they must be densely filled, but neat and clean. Traces of the solution on the front surface are unacceptable due to the ability of the material to change color simultaneously with the absorption of moisture. The same applies to compounds for washing joints; grouting is not performed with such bricklaying. The best option is to control the application process using a special template. The tamping of such a brick is carried out with a perfectly clean hammer, and not with a trowel.

Types of dressings

The material is laid in rows, necessarily displaced one above the other; a cement-containing mortar is used to create a monolith. The size of the products determines the method of laying: one brick, one and a half or two bricks for load-bearing walls, a quarter ("on a spoon") - for partitions. This allows you to build solid structures with a thickness of 65 to 510 mm.

It is forbidden to lay a brick without dressing: the required strength will not be achieved without shifting the upper blocks by at least a quarter. When placed with a long edge, the masonry is called spoon, end - bonder. There are several proven single- and multi-row schemes designed for different loads:

1. Chain - with dressing of vertical seams in each subsequent row, in which you need to alternately put tychkovy and spoon rows. The advantage of this implementation is simplicity.

2. Multi-row, in which for every 5-6 spoon rows you need to put one bonder. The simplest example is laying in one brick with dressing on the 6th row with a thickness of 88 mm and every 7 when using standard products of 65 mm. The circuit is valued for its strength.

3. Three-row - a special case of multi-row with the placement of tychkovy rows every three longitudinal. This ligation allows you to lay reliable pillars and piers.

There are many schemes that allow you to effectively lay out bricks of different colors: Flemish, Dutch, offset spoon. There are more than a dozen of them, for decorative purposes it is even allowed to put ceramic and silicate products next to each other. Difficult areas include corners and overlaps; in the absence of experience, it is almost impossible to draw up a diagram on your own.

Step by step guide to action

At the preparatory stage, the state of the foundation is studied: one of the requirements of the technology is the laying of bricks exclusively on well-established and hardened structures, reliably protected from moisture. In particular, brick walls are erected on a tape or grillage completely covered with rolled waterproofing. The diagonals and the level of the foundation are checked, the allowable difference is 20 mm, if it is exceeded, leveling work is carried out.

Before starting work, components are prepared (sand is sifted in a sieve with cells of no more than 3 mm) and tools: a concrete mixer, containers for transporting mortar, a shovel, a trowel, a carpenter's corner, a building level, a cord and a marker for marking. To eliminate errors, a material placement plan is drawn up taking into account the selected dressing scheme, and the required amount is calculated (with a 10% margin at least).

When laying bricks with your own hands, it is recommended to follow the following step-by-step guide:

Marking the lines of the walls, pulling the cord.
The first row of bricks: without the use of mortar, bonded masonry from exclusively whole products.
Preparation of masonry mixture in volume, not more than 1-2 hours of work, its placement and leveling it with a trowel.
Corner laying, starting with two bricks placed at a 90° angle and tested with a building triangle. To clearly verified products, you need to lay out a few more pieces with level control for each. Thus, the wall rises at least 3 rows up, the process is repeated at all other corners. This rule - the corners above the walls by 2 bricks is relevant for all structures. For fixing, an aluminum order is used, fixed with metal brackets.
After that, brick walls can be laid: each element is brought to the right place, the alignment of the markup and the location of the ribs are checked, after installing the blocks, they are tapped with a hammer or trowel until they are in full contact with the cord. Excess mortar is removed (placed on top of the brick or in vertical joints), the level of the row is checked.
The next rows are laid with a mandatory offset (it is advisable to mark the number of completed rows in a pre-prepared plan). Regardless of the chosen method of laying the seams (in a wasteland, undercut or decorative), their thickness is controlled (the recommended limit is 6-12 mm, for defective or uneven products - 10-15).

During the laying process, all bricks are wetted; after a break in work, it is recommended to smear the lower rows with a wet brush. Reinforcement is placed in especially loaded walls: a metal bar of about 4 mm in longitudinal and transverse seams or a mesh every 4-5 rows of brickwork. The final stage is grouting and the formation of seams, when carrying out plastering work, it is lowered (it is enough to remove excess from the outside). If necessary, the solidified solution is carefully washed with water or special compounds.

At the slightest doubt, how to lay a brick, the work is entrusted to professionals. In the absence of experience, it is worth starting with simple enclosing or unloaded structures. They proceed to the next stage of construction (installation of ceilings, finishing) after 70% curing (1-1.5 weeks in the warm season), the final hardening of brick walls takes 28 days.

Man has always needed a roof over his head. At first he took what nature gave him - caves, burrows, then he began to take material from nature that was suitable for construction by force. Huts, huts, dugouts, wooden towers replaced the caves. And then one fine day, a man discovered that there is no more durable material than stone, and over time he began to produce stone himself.

Brick- an artificial stone created by man. It is not mined in quarries, but produced in factories.

It has two main properties that distinguish it from other materials, these are:

Strength. It can even serve for the construction of multi-storey buildings. Where concrete begins to crumble, it calmly withstands the load.
Frost resistance. Even in the northern part of Russia, it can withstand frost. In addition, frost resistance also affects its service life. Withstanding heavy loads and being exposed to severe frosts, it can still last for many years.

Application area

With such properties, the scope is very wide and includes:

Foundation. Due to the frost resistance of bricks and (when properly laid) its resistance to the effects of moist soil and groundwater, it is a very suitable material for building a foundation. In addition, it is able to withstand a lot of weight.
Plinth. The part of the building that lies on the foundation can also be made of brick.
Walls. Brick of certain types (just those that are used for walls), heat-resistant and able to provide good sound insulation. Thus, the interior of the building will always be warm, quiet and ideal for living.
Garage and utility rooms. It will allow such structures to stand for a long time, will keep the cold and excess noise. In addition, its peculiar unrefined design can be an original feature that will make the garage an aesthetically attractive place.
Facade. Facing with this material is a bold artistic decision that can be very successful, especially considering that there are many colors, shapes, and the mortar that holds the masonry together can be colorful and beautiful.
Fireplaces and stoves. The lining of fireplaces and stoves is decorative, but due to its resistance to high temperatures and fire, brick can also be used for their direct construction.
Columns and poles supporting buildings. For a "house on stilts" it is also perfect.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any material, brick has its pros and cons.

Among the advantages:

Strength. The house will turn out to be durable, and its roof will definitely not fail over time. No corrosion, no cracks - live at least a hundred years.
Durability. The house is able to stand without repair for 100-150 years, which is a good indicator. Having built a country house, you can expect that grandchildren will also use it.
Environmental friendliness. The brick consists of sand, water and clay - it is difficult to imagine more natural components. It does not pollute the environment, easily passes air and moisture (in sufficient volume to provide the conditions necessary for a person, and not enough to make a flood), and also does not rot or mold, which compares favorably with wood.
Frost resistance. In the cold, nothing can be done to a brick house, which is an extremely useful property in the conditions of harsh Russian winters.
Versatility of application. You can build a house of any shape (even round!), which designers and architects do not get tired of using. This is a very plastic material from which you can create any whim.
Fire safety. Does not burn. If lightning suddenly strikes the house, or the owner falls asleep with a cigarette in his mouth, the furniture, curtains may burn down, but the house itself will remain standing and the fire will not spread along the walls.
Noise insulation. No noisy neighbors, no passing cars, no drumming at 3am. It filters out excess noise well, because the garage from it is a great place for a rock band to rehearse.

However, there are also disadvantages:

Small size. Building with its use is troublesome and long, precisely because you need to manually put each brick in its proper place, coat the row with mortar and continue. No unpretentious designers, as with concrete blocks 2 by 3 meters.
Cement. When working with brickwork, you will have to bring water to the site and knead the mortar. In winter, this is difficult to do - at low temperatures, the solution will simply freeze.
Big weight. Brick, for its size, weighs decently and requires considerable effort during transportation.
High price. You will have to fork out (and for KAMAZ, which will deliver the material to the house).

Sides and laying methods

Any brick is a parallelepiped with six faces:

The lower and upper faces on which it lies during the masonry process are called the bed.
Narrow side faces are called poke.
Wide side faces are called spoons.

Moreover, all these names are according to GOST.

Before talking about methods, you need to learn the basic terms:

Spoon masonry- in which a spoon is facing the outer side of the wall.
Tychkova- similarly, only a poke is turned to the outside.
Verst- the top row of laying (sometimes external and external, depending on the location relative to the facade).
Zabutka- a part of the masonry laid out between the outer and outer versts.

The methods are as follows:

Hold on. The brick is picked up, tilted and a little mortar is raked in with the edge, after which it is pressed against the brick that was laid before it and laid.
Back to back. A small amount of mortar is moved to the laid brick with a trowel and pressed, a new brick is laid, pressing it against the trowel, and the trowel is removed. The brick itself is pressed against the row.

What is dressing and stitching?

Multi-row:

dressing- a way to keep the brickwork as a whole.

It is single-row and double-row:

single row, implies laying poked and spoon rows alternately, with the lower and upper rows necessarily laid with pokes, and the components of the upper row must overlap the vertical seams of the lower row.
multi-row, implies laying spoon rows alternating with a bonder every six rows. At the same time, the lowest row is tychkovy, the second is spoon, the next four are also spoon with dressing in half a brick (that is, the vertical seam of the lower two bricks should be in the middle of the top brick), and the seventh is tychkovy, overlapping a quarter of the brick.

Jointing is a way to compact the mortar in the joints and at the same time shape it. To do this, it is pressed until a distinct shape is formed - triangular, concave, convex, rectangular or rounded.

DIY styling

The solution is kneaded manually or with the help of electric tools.

Tools:

metal container for mixing the solution;
bucket for solution;
scoop blade;
trowel;
cord;
stitching;
level;
order;
pick;
plumb;
square;
seam control template;
gloves;
mortar, you need to buy cement and mix it with sand in the proportion indicated on the package, add water, mix thoroughly, let stand and mix again so that there is no hint of lumps;

Step-by-step instruction:

Examination. To begin with, the materials are laid out dry on the foundation to estimate how much is needed, and whether halves, quarters and thirds will be needed.
Laying. When laying the first row, you need to carefully check how evenly the bricks lie, how evenly the mortar is consumed, and how even the corners are.
When the first row is completely laid, proceed to the rest. First, the mortar is laid out, a brick is laid on it (pressed or butted), excess mortar is removed with a trowel, jointing, without waiting for the mortar to dry, jointing is done along the entire row.

Important:

Don't be in a hurry at first. Accuracy, slowness and thoughtfulness. It is more important that the wall is even, otherwise what was done quickly will have to be redone.
Cement mortar is smeared on two bricks with a spoon verst and four with a bonder.
The bandage must also be vertical.– there should be no long vertical seams.
If additional wall decoration is planned- jointing is still needed, since it increases the strength of the masonry.

If you decide to do bricklaying with your own hands, then in order to extend its service life, you need to take care not only of the selection of high-quality building material, but also take into account such features as its humidity, the plasticity of the solution, the season and other characteristics.

When faced with the need to lay a brick wall for the first time, in addition to preparing the tool and masonry mortar, you need to imagine in what sequence the material is laid. Let's take a closer look at how to learn how to lay a brick. First of all, you need to understand that not only the appearance of the structure, but also the duration of its operation will depend on the quality of the masonry. Masonry in most cases is carried out in rows and layers, and a cement-sand mortar is used to fasten the material.

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Before laying a brick, you need to carry out preparatory work, the material should be laid out along each of the walls of the building being erected. It is also recommended to pre-moisten it with water. This is done to better bond the solution with the material. Regardless of what building material is used, the first row begins to be laid on a previously prepared surface. First, the foundation is leveled with a building mixture and waterproofing is done. Today, a lot of modern waterproofing materials are offered, but the most common is roofing material.

Preparation of the solution and preparation of instruments

You need to start laying bricks with the preparation of mortar, which should bind the material. In this case, a cement-sand mortar is required, which is prepared in a ratio of 1:5 or 1:4, depending on the brand of cement. If the solution turned out to be quite viscous, another component is added - clay, which will give fluidity. In extreme cases, you can add washing powder. It is important to remember that when laying hollow building material, such a solution should not be used, since thermal insulation will deteriorate when all voids are filled. use mortar for hollow bricks.

To prepare the working mixture, the sand is sifted through a sieve. This procedure is necessary in order to remove debris, stones, pieces of soil. First, the components are mixed together, and then water is gradually added in such an amount that the solution is of the desired consistency. If you plan to do the masonry with your own hands, you do not immediately need to knead a large amount of masonry mixture. By making the solution in small batches, you can avoid premature solidification. If the construction is planned for a long time, then it is better to get a concrete mixer, which will not only speed up the process, but also facilitate it.

Brickwork is made with a trowel, with which the mortar is applied to the material, leveled with a handle and excess masonry mixture is selected. The trowel is the main tool in the process under consideration. In order to lay the brick yourself, you will need an angle grinder (grinder) with a stone disc. If there is no such tool, you can use a hammer with a sharpened striker: having adapted, they can also crack bricks evenly. The accuracy of the masonry is checked using a level and a plumb line.

How to build corners?

The process starts from the corners. The straightness of the walls and, in general, the stability of the future building depend on how correct the bricklaying will be done in the corners. The main condition for this stage is to tie the brickwork of two adjacent walls, the connection of which is performed at right angles. Particular attention should be paid to the device of strictly vertical corners, for which a plumb line is used. Bricks are laid out one by one. If the vertical is not maintained, then the corner will turn out to be “littered” to one of the sides. In the case of large loads, there is a possibility of destruction of the wall. First, the bricks are laid in the corners, then the walls are erected. This technology is due to the fact that for the construction of even walls, the corners are first raised, then the cord or fishing line is pulled. These devices allow you to perform even laying of the corresponding row.

To start, take and lay two bricks at right angles into a corner and press them against the masonry mixture. The seam between them is filled with mortar. In each of the sides of the corner, which are already the beginning of the wall, several masonry materials are laid. Immediately, with the help of a level, they check how the laid out brick is correctly positioned horizontally. In accordance with the order, the second, third and subsequent rows are laid.

The erection of corners and the laying of bricks with your own hands is carried out in the following sequence:

Alternately erect two corners.
Lay 2-3 rows of building material.
Raise the third corner.
By means of 2-3 rows, a connection is made with the second corner.
Lay the fourth corner.
From it, building material is laid to the first and third corners. This is how the wall is built.

By arranging the corners, a step is created that allows you to tie the brickwork between the walls and corners as firmly as possible. In addition, reinforcing mesh in the corners can be used for strength. Particular attention should be paid to the presence of a right angle. Check it with a square, while the bricks should be in close contact with the tool.

How to build walls?

The first row is laid out directly on the waterproofing, and you should not worry that the laid material will not be connected to the foundation by means of a mortar. The brick structure is heavy, as a result of which the walls will stand securely on the waterproofing layer.

The horizontal laying of the walls was of high quality, they use a fishing line that is pulled between adjacent corners for a specific row. Laying in a vertical plane is controlled by a plumb line. It is necessary to make it a rule that the construction of walls is carried out with the obligatory dressing of the material. In this case, each brick is shifted by half: in the first row, the masonry material must be laid whole, and in the second, halves of two bricks are located on it. If the first row was laid out with a poke, then the next 5 rows are performed with a spoon side.

When erecting walls, it is necessary to provide openings for windows and doors. To do this, a quarter (recess) should be made in the wall, i.e. the inner part of the masonry is shifted by ¼ of the building material. Doors and windows are later inserted into the resulting recess. Close attention should be paid to the bricks above the openings: under them you need to build a reliable support. In most cases, the embedded element is a metal corner or a concrete beam (puff). How to lay a brick over the openings? Laying is carried out in the same way as the main laying of walls.

How to form seams?

Before laying a brick wall, you need to familiarize yourself with such an important point as the thickness of the seam. For horizontal seams, this figure should be 10-15 mm, for vertical 8-12 mm. When laying the material in the corners, it must be laid in such a way that the vertical seams do not coincide.

There are several types of seams:

"wasteland";
concave;
convex;
"undercut".

When the brick to be laid is supposed to be plastered, a “waste” is used. In this case, the solution is not brought to the outside of the building material, a small gap is formed. How to make decorative masonry? In this case, resort to concave and convex seams. To create them, use a tube or a wooden stick made of hardwood. A concave seam is obtained by passing a tube along the seam, as a result of which excess solution is squeezed out. To get a convex seam, the tube must be cut in half, installed on the mortar and removed. The scope of the “undercut” seam is the laying of a chimney or chimney. Not only the seams are filled with mortar, but also the front side of the brick is covered. From the inside we get a smooth pipe: a good option, excluding the accumulation of soot.

If this is the first time you are faced with the question of how to lay brickwork, you should not rush: carefully calculate the number of planned rows and the amount of building material in them.

Oby in the process of work as little as possible to be distracted, draw up a plan and a scheme in advance, according to which bricklaying will be carried out, also prepare tools and necessary materials. As a recommendation: try laying the brick without mortar first, it will be a kind of training. When there is an understanding of the correct masonry, you can begin the process using the solution. Although very rare, sometimes you can see when a girl lays bricks. There are women who set themselves the goal of building a house on their own, and for some it even works out. Therefore, if you are new to construction, it is never too late to learn this business, because a house built with your own hands will always be warmer and more comfortable.

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Brick has long been one of the most popular artificial building materials in our country. Many buildings and structures are made with it, so almost every self-respecting builder must know how to lay bricks. This material is in demand not only as the main one, but is also used to decorate certain elements.

Brick laying tools

At the construction site, bricks are laid in overalls and using construction tools. It is recommended to use tight clothing with long sleeves so that particles of the solution do not get on the body. They can have a negative effect on the skin. Protect your eyes with goggles, and protect your hands easily with thick rubber-based mittens/gloves.

Laying at a height of more than one and a half meters without a special platform or scaffolding will not work, so you need to take care of their construction in advance. They are made from wooden beams and boards.

It is strictly forbidden to build brickwork using a ladder or ladder!

The minimum set of devices and tools will be mandatory:

trowel / trowel triangular or quadrangular;
level, it is desirable to have one short up to half a meter and one long at least a meter;
cord no less than the length of the wall;
a device for jointing a seam;
pick for brick trimming;
plumb;
roulette;
square.

In many operations, a trowel is involved. It is convenient for applying cement mortar and for removing its excess. The back of her handle knocks out bricks in a wet mortar.

Preparation of cement slurry

Proper bricklaying is not possible without the preparation of a high-quality aqueous solution of sand and cement. It is customary to take the ratio of bulk solids from 1:4 to 1:6. If there is an inscription 400 on the cement package, then no more than 4 servings of sand are added per serving. In the "five hundredth" mark, it is customary to mix 5 servings.

With manual mixing, it will be more convenient to mix them in a dry form, and then, adding several liters of water, form a slurry from the entire mass. The result is a mixture that can be held in the form of a cake on a trowel, then it is relatively easy to plastically deform when pressed.

When working with hollow material, the penetration of the mortar into the cavity of the brick is not allowed. This can reduce the thermal insulation properties of the building. One specialist should not mix more than 40-50 liters of solution at a time, since at an average consumption a large mass can quickly dehydrate and solidify in a prepared container.

If there will be several people laying a brick wall, then a concrete mixer will help them speed up. Its volume is selected in accordance with the professional capabilities of the involved specialists.

Variety of bricklaying tools

Most often, even walls are laid out of brick with their own hands, less often it is used to form curly structures. Therefore, its most popular form is a bar of standard sizes with smooth edges and right angles. Manufacturers offer two large product groups that differ in composition:

silicate brick group (based on lime with sand);
ceramic group (they use baked clay).

Clay-based material is divided into the following types:

facing (front) brick;
ordinary (building) material;
special (heat-resistant).

It is customary to display walls in ordinary blocks, on which it is subsequently supposed to apply a finishing material, for example, a layer of plaster or decorative cladding. The cladding type is prefabricated in a uniform color with a high quality surface. The material has a higher cost and does not imply the presence of additional outer skin.

For facing bricks, a solution is prepared with the addition of color to make the wall look homogeneous

It is customary to lay chimneys, stoves or fireplaces with special blocks. Refractory properties make it possible to form a firebox into one brick, isolating it from external surfaces.

Several types of dimensions are used. The most popular are single format (250x120x65 mm) and one and a half dimensions (250x120x88 mm). In construction, both solid and hollow blocks are used. The second type works better for thermal insulation.

For reference! How to insulate a brick chimney? For non-residential buildings, asbestos-cement sheets are used. Compared to ordinary plaster, this material has 2.5 times higher thermal insulation properties, condensation does not collect on them and the sheets do not burn. The disadvantage of this method is the release of carcinogens when heated. For residential buildings, it is recommended to use metal sheets, which also prevent fires. To increase thermal insulation, you will need a non-combustible insulation.

VIDEO: Mistakes of beginner masons in brickwork

Varieties of masonry

There are several ways to lay a brick. The thickness of the wall or room partition will depend on this.

Brickwork is a structure made of bricks laid in a certain order and fastened together with mortar.

Traditionally, several techniques are used:

a quarter of a brick - the beam is installed horizontally with an axis along the wall, relying on the smaller side, while the width of the wall or partition will be a minimum of 65 or 88 mm, depending on the type of material;
half a brick will provide a wall with a width of 120 mm, which is enough for summer buildings or as a decor for a cinder block wall;
masonry in one brick is used for external walls, it will be 250 mm;
a wall width of one and a half bricks will provide better thermal insulation, as it has 340 mm;
for a two-story building, we lay a wall with a width of at least 510 mm in two bricks.

It is necessary to lay brickwork at a temperature above 5ºС, since at a lower value the mortar may not provide a quality hitch.

Direct masonry procedure

Before laying the brick correctly, it is necessary to wait until the foundation has completely solidified. This will prevent the walls from sagging in certain areas, which can lead to the destruction of the structure. Under the first layer, waterproofing is laid out in the form of a double line of roofing material. It will create a barrier to moisture and will not allow the walls to get wet, absorbing water from the ground.

In the process of building a building, you yourself need to control the horizontal line for laying and the verticality of the corners. In the first case, a stretched cord along the entire wall and a level helps, and in the second, a plumb line is used.

The initial row laid on the foundation sets the tone for the entire wall, so it is important to approach its laying responsibly, avoiding distortions. A mortar is placed between the bricks, which should provide a gap of 5-6 mm. The rows have the same seam of 7-8 mm. It is desirable to control the first rows after each block with the help of a level. It is necessary to apply a small amount of mortar on the sides of the stacked bars.

Before making a wall, it is necessary to mark the corners, bringing them to a height of three or four levels. Vertical seams should not be through; for this, each bar is shifted along the axis relative to the previous row. You can eliminate the bulge (protrusion of the masonry section relative to the entire wall) or depression in advance by applying a level vertically to the front side of the wall.

We put the mortar in place under the laying with a trowel or trowel. It forms a “bed”, and when laying a brick on it with your own hands, there will be a gap of several millimeters. We tap the trowel handle on the upper surface until the block sits at the level measured by the height of the stretched cord. We collect the protruding solution with a trowel from all sides.

It is more convenient to gain mass from a bucket, and have a brick stock nearby. This saves time and effort. Every 4-5 rows we recommend laying a metal mesh to reinforce the layer. This approach minimizes the possibility of shrinkage cracks.

To lay brick corners after the fifth row, use a metal corner. It is fixed at the outside, and then the corner of the brick is brought from the inside until it touches. This ensures verticality.

Before working in dry weather, bricks are often soaked in water so that they are saturated with moisture.

The soaking process takes about an hour and allows you not to quickly draw moisture out of the solution. The hardening of the seam will take place under normal conditions. If there is no time to wait, then it is enough to pour the material with water from a watering can.

VIDEO: How to remove a corner from a brick

Seam selection

There are several types of seams, which are selected based on possible further work with the wall.

undercut

The mass of the solution is distributed evenly, occupying the entire space between adjacent levels. A smooth and even surface is provided throughout the area. The technique is in demand in the construction of the inner surface of stoves and fireplaces. The lack of relief on the inner surface does not allow soot to accumulate in the seams. Designers rarely use this type for decoration.

convex/concave

Used exclusively for decorative purposes. A device made using a short tube cut along the axis with a diameter of 8-12 mm helps to provide such a relief. Depending on which side to use it, we get a U-shaped seam.

Pustoshovka

The mortar is placed on the site in such a way that it does not protrude beyond the boundaries of the brick, providing a technological gap of small depth. A similar relief is necessary for the surfaces left under the plaster. Clinging to the texture, the finish will hold better.

The required number of bricks is calculated according to the table. It is desirable to harvest 10-12% more for the formation of complex corners and joints.

Before you start laying, you need to lay out the first two rows without mortar in order to determine the size. When building walls, do not use trim or leftovers for window and door openings. And the last thing to remember is that the brick must dry before the solution.

VIDEO: How to lay a brick correctly. How to make perfect seams