From the author: Hello my dear readers. This time I want to tell you how to make a clay brick with your own hands. Many of you know that red brick is a high-quality building material, but it is not at all cheap. I’ll tell you a secret: you can quite simply make it yourself, without incurring any special costs.
Pottery production has long been considered a craft. The people who owned it provided the inhabitants with vessels for storing food, jugs for liquid and dry solids. Over time, artisans learned to produce various items from clay: tiles, dishes, etc. These items also included refractory bricks, a product that is used as a building material.
White brick is made from sand and lime, and red brick is made from clay. Brick made from clay has a number of advantages, such as environmental friendliness and resistance to various climatic conditions. It also has high strength/density, excellent wear resistance, etc. .
It is clear that a building material with such consumer properties, it's not cheap . We’ll talk about how you can save money by making your own clay bricks.
In order to make a brick, you will need fatty and non-oily clay (clean), a small amount of burnable additives (sawdust, chopped straw), plywood, form boards, water and cement.
The tools you need are an ordinary shovel, a hacksaw, a construction sieve, a hammer, a mixing container and an iron strip (as an option - a construction trowel). Nothing fancy is required.
Preparation of raw materials
Prepare clean clay. Remember: the greater the plasticity of the clay, the easier it is to form a brick. There are many options for increasing the plasticity of clay. The simplest of them is to keep it wet.
To do this, take a container, fill it with crushed raw materials, previously cleared of small stones and lumps of grass. While stirring, add water little by little until the clay is completely soaked. Then leave the composition to age, covering the container with polyethylene, for 3-5 days.
After aging, check the resulting clay solution for suitability. further processing. It should come off easily from your hands and not change its given shape. Try rolling a piece finished material with a rope as thick as a pencil and wrap it around a thick stick. The mass should not blur or smear, tear or crumble. With this simple test you can determine whether you need supplements. If the clay crumbles, add water; if it spreads, add dry additives.
It is advisable to use low-fat clay, however, if there is no choice, you can reduce its fat content by adding sand, peat chips, sawdust or grain husks. The amount of additives varies from 3 to 15%, depending on the filler, and for maximum precise definition it is necessary to do trial batches.
How to test clay for fat content yourself? There are many different ways, here is one of them:
Take 0.5 kg of clay and add water little by little, stirring occasionally. When the composition is sufficiently saturated with water, it will begin to stick to your hands. From the resulting material, make a cake the size of a small saucer and a ball the size of Walnut. Leave them to dry for several days.
Then extend your arm in front of you and throw the ball. As a result of the normal fat content of the clay, the ball will remain unharmed.
There are also too thin types of clay, characterized by poor quality and strength. To obtain a high-quality composition from these types of material, you need to mix clay with a higher fat content to them, periodically adding it in small portions. To achieve the desired result, check the properties of the solution after each addition of clay.
Once you have determined the required proportions of the composition, you can begin molding the brick.
Brick molding
It is important that the inside of the molds used is smooth, without roughness or damage. Treat them before use inner surface water so that you can easily remove the finished material in the future.
The molding of the workpiece is carried out by placing the clay mass into molds and then compacting it.
It's nice to have a house outside the city! But what if there is a plot of land, but there is no money for building materials? So, you need to build from what you have!
Materials for making bricks and blocks
Today everyone is accustomed to buying ready-made building materials. And our ancestors did everything with their own hands. And their houses were strong, warm, cozy.
Today's craftsmen also began to make bricks with their own hands for the construction of country houses. A variety of materials are used for this.
You can make the following building materials at home:
- concrete cinder blocks;
- adobe bricks;
- terrablocks.
With diligence, labor and patience, all the work can be done without any purchased mechanisms. And the financial investment on the material can be kept to a minimum.
Brick and block molds
Of course you can buy them. But since you decide to do everything yourself, then you should build the molds for filling yourself. Moreover, ready-made bricks will be useful not only for building a house, but also for building a poultry house, garage and other utility rooms.
If possible, you can make metal molds. But the easiest option is to put them together from plywood or wooden planks.
They make either single molds, double molds, or multi-piece molds. First, the walls of the box are knocked together. It is best to make the bottom of the mold retractable. But the covers are not attached in any way, but are simply placed on top. It is recommended to fill them with cone-shaped cones to create voids in bricks and blocks.
Although some craftsmen make do without lids at all when making bricks. Their bricks and blocks are cast, solid, without voids. In this case, more material is consumed, and the thermal conductivity of the walls is higher. That is, housing is less warm, since it is easier to share temperature with the environment.
If the mold is made for casting two or more blocks or bricks, then partitions are inserted inside. They can be made either stationary or removable. The latter option is considered more successful, since the bricks can be removed without any problems after removing the partitions.
Molds for making blocks and bricks differ only in their sizes. Moreover, everyone chooses for himself how large his building materials will be.
Concrete cinder blocks
This option is the most expensive of the three mentioned above. But, nevertheless, by making the blocks yourself, rather than purchasing them, the master significantly saves money.
For a concrete cinder block you need to take:
- 1 part cement;
- 6 parts sand;
- 10 parts filler.
The filler is expanded clay or crushed stone. But a thrifty owner can replace purchased ingredients with ordinary garbage, which is easy to collect in his yard, from his neighbors, or (forgive me, people with an aristocratic upbringing!) in a landfill.
It is important to use as a filler something that does not rot and does not shrink.
These are:
- broken glass;
- stones;
- pieces of brick;
- plastic;
- small metal parts.
When combining ingredients, it is necessary to measure the parts based not on the weight of the materials, but on their volume.
The volume of filler is calculated using a method based on Archimedes' law.
To do this, you will need a container of known volume and water. First, they put the material into it. Then fill everything with water, filling the container completely. After this, all that remains is to simply calculate how much water fits, subtract this number from the known volume of the container. What will remain is exactly the figure that will be equal to the volume of the material being measured.
Adobe bricks
To produce building materials of this kind, the following ingredients are required in equal volumes:
- clay;
- sand;
- wet manure or;
- filler.
The following are used as fillers:
- crushed insulation fibers;
- reed fines;
- shavings;
- sawdust;
- chopped straw.
You can add lime fluff or cement to the mass to increase strength.
If you have difficulty finding peat or manure, experts advise making your own stabilizer for bricks. To do this, vegetable tops, leaves, and weeds are dumped into a special pit and filled with clay solution. After three months, the rotted mass can be used as an ingredient for making adobe mortar.
Terrablocks
It is even easier to use ordinary earth as a material for bricks and blocks.
For earthen bricks you should not take upper layer soil in which plant roots are found in large numbers, and located deeper. Silted soils are not suitable for work.
Ingredients for Terrablocks:
- 1 part clay;
- 9 parts of earth;
- 5% fluff;
- 2% cement;
- filler (slag, garbage, crushed stone, expanded clay, crushed insulation).
You can mix the ingredients for the composition with your feet by placing it in a hole, a large container like a bathtub. There is an option to perform this work using special devices - soil mixers, which resemble miniature concrete mixers.
Drying bricks
Concrete bricks and cinder blocks dry with good warm weather in one or two days. But adobe and earthen building materials have to be kept under a canopy for a week or even about half a month. A canopy is necessary to protect bricks and blocks from precipitation and sun rays.
Moreover, adobe and terra bricks are first dried in a horizontal position for 2-3 days, and then turned over on their side. After a few days, they are transferred to the opposite side, then with the bottom part up.
If brick production takes place in winter period, for drying it is necessary to equip a room with walls, ceiling and heating.
It is very important to remember when building a house from adobe or earthen bricks: finishing cannot be carried out earlier than a year after the construction of the walls!
This rule follows from the fact that buildings made from this building material have a tendency to shrink strongly.
Video about how to make earthen bricks using a simple homemade machine
Brick is one of the widely used materials that became known to mankind several thousand years ago. By its nature it is a stone of correct geometric shape. The material is produced using non-firing and firing methods. Once you understand how to make a brick, you can make it yourself. You will have to work a little, but the savings will be very impressive.
Work on self-production brick is carried out in several mandatory stages. It all starts with the extraction or purchase of clay, then the dough is prepared, from which bricks of the appropriate quality can be made, molds are created and filled, after which the blanks are dried and, if necessary, fired.
Preparation of raw materials for making bricks
Before you make a brick, you will need to prepare required amount raw materials. On average, 1000 products require about 2 m³ of raw material. If you prepare raw materials yourself, you will need the following tools:
- Shovel and bayonet shovel.
- Brush cutter.
- Forks with fine teeth.
- Pickaxes.
- Wheelbarrows for transporting material.
Select a suitable deposit, located as close as possible to the place of future brick production. The best option– a dry place, not flooded by atmospheric and groundwater.
Work on the procurement of raw materials begins with the removal of all unnecessary cover. Using hedge trimmers, the area is cleared of small trees and bushes. After this, you will need to arrange a convenient access road. To make extracting and transporting clay as convenient as possible, you need to dig a trench. Gradually, the trench will deepen to the base of the clay layer so that you can drive into and out of the quarry without unnecessary difficulties.
Frozen and dense clay is mined using a crowbar and a pick. To develop more loose layers suitable for mining, use semicircular or pointed shovels. Scoop shovels are used to load wheelbarrows with material. If the clay sticks to the tool, you can use a fork. To make it easier to transport clay to the storage site, form a flat surface from boards. It is enough to simply lay them on the ground. The material must be folded in a cone shape. The height of the cone should be no more than 1 m. It is better to make several small piles with a diameter of 1-1.5 m than one huge pile.
In the process of making bricks you will need the following:
- Shovels and clay.
- Sand and scoops for him.
- Flooring.
- Scraper or staple.
- It did.
- Tolkun (pestle).
Depending on the work performed, a list necessary tools may be supplemented or reduced, but this is the basis.
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Step-by-step instructions for preparing brick dough
First you need to prepare the extracted raw materials for work. Preparation comes down to removing stones and other foreign inclusions. The material must be checked for fat content. Take a 0.5 liter jar, fill it with clay, then move the material from the jar into a bowl, add a little water and knead the dough with your own hands.
Knowing when the dough is ready is very easy. If it has absorbed all the water and begins to stick to your hands, you can stop kneading. Roll a ball with a diameter of 4-5 cm from thick dough and at the same time make a flat cake with a diameter of about 10 cm. They will allow you to study the properties of the raw material. It takes 2-3 days to dry the cakes and balls. If the cake becomes covered with cracks, then the clay is too oily. If there are no cracks, double-check with a ball. Throw it from a height of about 1 m. If the ball does not crack or fly apart, you can use clay for work. If necessary, adjust the composition by mixing clays or adding sand until optimal working dough characteristics are obtained.
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Making molds and drying blanks
To make the molds you will need sheet plywood and wooden boards 2-2.5 cm thick. The boards need to be laid on plywood and secured so as to form cells same size. Keep in mind that during the drying process the raw material will shrink by about 15%, so the cells need to be made 15% larger than the standard brick size, which is 25x12x6.5 cm. Use long nails to secure the boards. In order for the dough to adhere better to the molds, you need to make conical protrusions in them. It is due to these protrusions that voids are formed in products. It is best to make projections in sheets of plywood used as removable covers.
Wet the inner walls of the molds with water and sprinkle with a small amount of cement. This will make it easier to remove the bricks in the future. The cells are filled with clay dough and shaken so that the material fills the corners of the cells. Remove excess material using a metal plate. Close the completed form with a lid. After some time, the molds will need to be opened, checked to see if the workpieces have hardened, and placed on racks to dry. Drying must be done in air; heaters and other similar devices cannot be used for this.
When drying, moisture from the workpieces will move to the outer layers and evaporate. Under the influence of surface forces, the outer clay layers will expand and contract the inner ones. Drying is carried out under a canopy. On the rack or leveled ground if there is no rack, you need to pour a couple of centimeters of straw and dry sand. This bedding will prevent the bricks from sticking to the surface and will facilitate their uniform drying. If necessary, you can move the workpieces, inspect them, etc.
Stock up plastic film. You will need it if it suddenly rains. Drying takes an average of 1-1.5 weeks. Up to 85% of the moisture will evaporate from the workpieces. The remaining moisture will be removed during the firing process.
After the natural drying process is completed, the so-called raw brick is removed from the molds. In this form it can already be used for interior work. Cladding with such bricks is not performed. Please also take into account the fact that such products have poor water resistance.
Walls built from raw brick must be additionally protected from moisture. This is done by tying the stitches. Window and door openings are located at a distance of about 1.5 m from the corner of the room. The roof overhang, which protects the walls from precipitation, is made from 60 cm in length.
For getting facing bricks the blanks need to be fired. For this purpose, a temporary floor oven is used. The firing technology involves several main stages. First you need to prepare the unit for work.
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Preparing a brick kiln
An elevated site in a place inaccessible to groundwater and sedimentary waters is best suited for installing a furnace. The site must be thoroughly cleared of all plant layers, after which you can proceed to compaction and horizontal leveling. The minimum productivity of the furnace is 1500 bricks. This design will have dimensions of 2x1.6x1.8 m. Raw brick is used to build the walls. The walls are laid out 1 brick thick.
Overlapping is performed on metal frame. It is necessary that each row of the vault be laid on 2 rods or steel strips. In the middle, the vault should be 35 cm high. The hearth or firebox in such a stove is a through corridor measuring 50x40 cm. Along the entire length of the corridor, you need to make ledges 25 cm high. They are made on both walls. After this, if coal fuel is used, grates need to be installed there. If the stove runs on wood, you can dispense with the grates.
In the firebox you need to make a door 40x40 cm. Smoke channels are installed in the vault. The channel should have a cross-section of 28x25 cm. If the stove will operate on brown coal or peat, you need to prepare holes measuring 25x15 cm. in this case they must be additionally equipped with lids through which fuel will be supplied to the stove. The chimney is made of brick. Internal section pipes – 40x40 cm, height – up to 5 m. The chimney is installed behind the stove unit and connected to the duct. The canal itself is being developed in back wall. You need to leave holes in the middle of the wall for viewing. Later you will lay them with bricks.
Back and side wall, chimney, the corners of the front wall and the vault are placed on an ordinary clay-sand mortar. The front part of the wall is laid without mortar. The part without solution will be disassembled for cutting the cage.
Naturally, the material for production DIY bricks is clay. There are many options for obtaining clay, the main thing is to find it in sufficient quantities. You can try visiting quarries in the area, or it may be right on your property. But, it is worth considering the composition and quality of the clay, not every type and type of clay is suitable - we advise you to check whether it is suitable in quality and what its fat content is.
For determining the fat content of clay There are several ways, you can find them below.
Take some clay, about half a liter. Gradually we begin to pour and mix water into the clay. We continue until the clay absorbs water and begins to stick to our hands. Next, you need to give the mass the shape of a ball (3-4 cm in diameter) and a flat cake (about 10 cm in size), and leave to dry for several days.
After two or three days, it is necessary to inspect the figures. The presence of cracks indicates that it is necessary to add sand to the clay, because... she's too fat. If there are no cracks, a strength test must be carried out. To do this, you need to throw the ball from a height of about a meter. If the ball scatters into pieces, then the clay is thin and not suitable for making bricks. Clay with a higher fat content should be added to the existing raw materials. If the Ball remains unharmed, then brick production can begin.
It should be remembered that it is necessary to mix clay or sand in small portions, and control the quality of the raw materials after each batch. This will allow you to find the optimal proportion and avoid mistakes.
DIY mold for making bricks.
Do-it-yourself raw (unfired brick) made from high-quality raw materials, in compliance with all norms and rules, practically corresponds in properties and quality to its red (burnt) counterpart, well known to everyone. Raw material can be used in the construction of small utility buildings, such as sheds and bathhouses.
Since, in this situation, there is no need to organize continuous production, there is no need to purchase or assemble a forming press yourself.
To start production you need simplest form. You can make it with your own hands, from available materials: two sheets of plywood and thin boards, 20-25 mm thick. For greater productivity and speed, it is advisable to prepare several forms. These forms can easily replace an industrial press, which will allow us to obtain high-quality bricks at the output.
The size of the form can be any, depending on desire, but it is advisable to build cells of a standard size - 250x120x65mm. Sometimes, during the production process, special voids are formed in bricks, designed to improve the adhesion of the surface of the product to the mortar. This is why the protrusions are made in the top and bottom covers. All parts of the mold are attached to each other with 50-60 mm nails, only the top cover is not fixed with nails, which allows you to remove it to fill the mold and remove the formed brick from it.
If you need to improve the quality of finished bricks, you can make a special molding press, but this is a broad topic for a separate article.
Making bricks with your own hands.
Forming adobe (brick) with your own hands proceeds as follows: moisten the mold from the inside with water, sprinkle with a little fine dust, cement, this will make it easier to remove homemade bricks from form cells. Next, fill the molds with the clay mixture and shake to better fill the corners. If there is more clay than necessary, the excess should be carefully removed with a construction trowel or a suitable metal plate. Cover with a removable lid on top and leave for some time.
To remove the brick, you need to remove the lid and turn the mold over.
The next stage is drying. It must be taken seriously, because this is the most important stage. Everything here is a little more complicated than it might seem at first glance. After shrinkage, the size of the brick can be about 85 percent of the initial dimensions.
It is recommended to use shelving with a canopy; in such conditions, the bricks will be protected from direct sunlight, rain, and the air circulation will not be impaired. The drying process can take approximately 6 to 15 days, depending on the temperature and humidity. The higher the temperature and drier the air, the less time it will take to dry.
As a result of this stage we get raw brick.
In cases where you still need to create a fired brick, then, if desired, you can carry out the firing yourself. Of course, this stage is very difficult to complete and requires a lot of time and effort. You should not count on a large production volume. This process makes sense only for a small number of bricks - about fifty. Making more is not at all rational.
Firing bricks with your own hands.
The kiln can be made by yourself, ideal for this purpose metal barrel, volume about 200-250 liters.
It is necessary to prepare a hole in the ground for the fire, approximately half a meter deep. We cut out the bottom of the barrel and place it on legs, 20 cm high, on the fire. This will allow you to monitor the fire and also adjust the temperature for more even heating.
The next step is to fill the barrel with bricks, leaving small gaps. To prevent cold air from entering the barrel, it is closed with a lid. We advise you to do the following: you can easily construct a lid from a cut-out bottom, attaching handles to it for greater convenience.
The firing process itself takes, on average, about 20 hours. You should prepare a sufficient amount of fuel, and it’s better to even make a reserve, because the fire will have to be maintained all this time. By the time the firing is completed, the fire of the fire is gradually reduced. Next, the barrel needs to cool down on its own; opening the lid to improve air circulation, or using any artificial cooling method is prohibited! After about 4-5 hours, the barrel and its contents will cool down sufficiently. Now you can open the lid and start removing the finished baked bricks.
To control the quality of the finished product, we suggest doing the following: split the brick with a hammer. Well-burnt brick has a uniform color and structure over the entire fracture area. If a broken brick is immersed in water, then after some time in water the color and structure of the brick should remain uniform over the entire area of the fracture.
In case the quality test handmade bricks, passed perfectly, congratulations, you were able to make a brick with your own hands!
Before you start laying bricks, you should familiarize yourself with the nuances of this process. From the photo of laying bricks with your own hands, you can see that it is quite easy. And to really make this task easier, below are the steps for laying brick yourself.
Brief terminology
Brick is one of the most popular building materials. With him appearance each person has known each other since childhood. But the names of its faces should be considered:
- long side faces called "spoons";
- short side edges - “poke”;
- the upper and lower edges are “beds”;
- the intersection of the faces is called an "edge".
The brick has standard sizes: single - 250 x 125 x 66 mm, and one-and-a-half - 250 x 125 x 88 mm.
Versta - outer rows of brickwork. It is divided into external (facade) and internal.
Zabutka are products that are laid between the front and interior versts.
A spoon row is bricks that are laid with long side edges. And the butt row is bricks laid with short side edges.
A pier is a part of the wall that appears between two openings (windows, doors, arches).
What is needed for bricklaying
Where to start laying bricks with your own hands? Naturally, with the preparation of the necessary working tools. Let's look at do-it-yourself bricklaying devices:
- A trowel (trowel) is a flat metal spatula with a triangular-shaped handle. Serves for applying and leveling the solution, as well as for removing excess mass.
- Hammer-pick - different from the classic hammer. On one side there is a blunt rectangular striker, and on the other there is a pointed part that looks like a chisel. The pointed side is intended for breaking off small pieces of brick, and the blunt side is for leveling the surface. If available, you can use a grinder with a stone disc.
- Construction level - necessary to control horizontal and vertical masonry.
- A construction square is a type of ruler. Used to control angles.
- Construction plumb line (with a fairly heavy weight). Necessary for measuring the verticality of masonry and angles.
- Mooring cord (mooring cord) - twisted cord with a diameter of 3-5 mm. Necessary to ensure horizontal and straight laying of rows.
- Joining - used at the final stage of work. Necessary for forming seams and sealing them.
- Ruler - used to check the thickness of seams.
- The rule is a wooden or aluminum ruler. Used to control the plane of laying rows.
- Shovel - for mixing the solution and stirring it periodically.
- Concrete mixer or other container - for mixing masonry mortar.
- Buckets for carrying the solution. Usually 2-3 pieces are needed.
- Construction mixer - for uniformity of the solution. But it’s possible without it.
Usually a set of these tools is quite enough for construction.
Preparation of the solution
Not only the safety of the building, but also its strength depends on the masonry mortar. Therefore, special attention must be paid to this process of preparing mortar for laying bricks with your own hands.
Advice! For beginners, it is better to make a small amount of solution to eliminate the possibility of premature hardening.
For a high-quality solution use good cement grade M300-M500, dry sand (river or quarry), water and plasticizer. If necessary, dyes, soot or graphite are added to create a contrast with the brick.
Standard proportions of cement and sand are 1:3-1:5, depending on the brand of cement. It is worth considering that the more sand, the stronger the connection, but the lower the elasticity. The amount of water is often calculated by experiment and is approximately 0.4-0.6 parts. For plasticity, lime, clay, liquid soap or as a last resort washing powder in a proportion of no more than 0.1 parts.
First you need to sift the sand so that it does not contain impurities from stone, soil and debris. Next, combine the dry ingredients in the required proportion and mix until the color of the mixture is uniform. And only then add water. This sequence is necessary for uniform mixing.
Important! The setting of the mixture begins in approximately 45 minutes, and ends after 2 hours. The solution acquires full strength in almost a month - in 28 days.
The consistency of the finished solution should resemble thick porridge. You can check it with a trowel. You need to run it through the solution. If the trowel mark does not float and the solution does not tear, it means that the amount of water is normal. If the solution floats, there is a lot of water, and if it breaks, there is not enough.
The importance of proper brick laying with your own hands
From correct masonry brick depends primarily on the safety of the building. This process consists of several steps. Before starting masonry, a beginner should practice making individual objects - corners and pillars. Below is indicated step-by-step instruction do-it-yourself bricklaying. For convenience, it is described step by step.
Laying bricks dry
The essence of the step is to lay the brick “dry”. This is necessary for computational work and checking the correct installation.
- Preparing the necessary tools.
- Unpacking and checking the brick. You need to pay attention to both the color of the material and its size. It is better to take bricks from one batch.
- Make sure the foundation or plinth is protected from moisture. That is, waterproofing is installed. This is necessary so that the brick does not draw out moisture.
- Now you need to lay out the first row of bricks, without using mortar and scrupulous precision. It is necessary to use an object with a diameter of 8 mm (this could be a piece of reinforcement, for example). This is exactly the diameter that is needed, since it is equal to the thickness of the mortar between the bricks.
- Now you can start laying out. We carefully lay the brick around the perimeter of the base, while carefully observing the gap and evenness of the masonry. Special attention It’s worth paying attention to the corners.
- Now measurements are taken from corner to corner, and then diagonally. All data is recorded and verified with the data of the construction project.
- At the corners, it is recommended to mark the plinth with a pencil where the edges of the bricks will be placed. If desired and have time, such markings can be made along the entire perimeter of the building.
Advice! To prevent the brick from “pulling” moisture from the mortar, it is recommended to first soak it in water for a while.
First row
We can say that this stage is the most crucial. And all because the rest of the layout depends on the correctness and quality of the laid out first row.
Stages of the second step:
- The corners are laid out according to the marks made earlier. Their laying begins with two bricks placed at an angle of 90 o (checked with a triangle).
- Bricks placed on the mortar must be carefully adjusted in height using a trowel or the blunt side of a pickaxe. It is important to use a level to make sure that the blocks on the two edges of the walls are placed at the same height.
- In the same way, you need to lay bricks along the remaining corners of the building.
- Now you need to stretch the mooring cord between the corner blocks. All other blocks of the first row will be aligned with it (both vertically and horizontally). The thread can be secured either in a row or using corners. It is important that the cord does not sag.
- Then you can start laying out the remaining blocks of the crown. Using a trowel, apply the mortar, level it to a height of about 1.5 cm, lay the brick and be sure to level it both horizontally and vertically (using a mooring thread). You need to check the top with a building level. If necessary, it is possible to correct the brick by lightly tapping the blunt end of a pick-hammer or the handle of a trowel. As a result, the thickness of the seam horizontally should be about 8-10 mm, and vertically - 8 mm. Excess solution is removed with a trowel.
- All other blocks of the first row are laid in the same way.
- When the last brick of the crown is laid, a check is made. The height of all bricks must be the same and there should be no protrusion in any direction relative to the foundation.
- If everything is in order, then you can begin laying out the corners of the second row, moving the mooring line and other work.
Bricklaying methods
After laying out the crown, the principle of operation does not change. But the masonry technology varies and depends on the plasticity of the solution. Let's consider two main methods:
- "Suck it." This method allows you to work faster. It is mainly used for laying walls. By external and inside rows of mooring cords are pulled. The cement-sand mixture is poured out and spread with a trowel over the previous row. The thickness of the solution should be slightly greater than planned. It is important that the solution also fills the joints of the previous row. Now take the block, tilt it a little with a poke, plunge it into the mortar and move it towards the already laid brick so that the mixture is “collected” onto the edge. This way it is possible to form both horizontal and vertical seams. The rest of the bricks are laid out in the same way. The blocks are adjusted by lightly tapping with a trowel or a pick-hammer, and the excess mortar is removed. If necessary, vertical joints are filled where there is not enough mortar.
- “Pull in.” To use it, use a hard solution. It is more labor-intensive than other methods, but it produces the strongest seams. As in the previous method, the mooring cord is pulled, the mortar is laid out and leveled. Next, you need to turn the trowel on its side and carefully move it along the surface of the mortar, raking part of it towards the vertical side of the block to which the new one will be laid. As a result, an even side seam should form. Next, holding the mortar on the vertical side with a trowel, lay the new block on Right place and press it against the poke (spoon) of the adjacent block and the bed with the solution. Then carefully remove the trowel. The following blocks are laid using the same technology. If necessary, you need to trim the rows with light blows with the handle of a trowel. Excess mortar is cut off with a trowel.
DIY brick pillars
Laying brick pillars with your own hands has certain features. For example, a brick needs to be impregnated special means, which will prevent the appearance of white spots (efflorescence). Necessary materials: brick, mortar, 4 metal rods with a diameter of 8-10 mm (15 cm longer than one side of the support), level, trowel, hammer and small stone (crushed stone can be used).
DIY brick laying steps:
- A layer of insulation needs to be laid on the foundation. Next, lay out the first row of 1.5 or 2 bricks.
- Then an offset of half a block is made. This is necessary to create a dressing.
- Pieces of rod are laid on the solution. This is necessary for the evenness of the seams. Once the block is level, the rods are pulled out.
- Excess solution is removed with a trowel. Every two or three rows, crushed stone is poured into the void of the post. It is recommended to use wire reinforcement.
- Each row must be laid carefully. If necessary, trim with a hammer and check with a level.
To give a harmonious and respectable look, facing bricks are used. Laying facing bricks with your own hands is a little more difficult than laying walls. The tool remains the same, except that a template is added for more accurate masonry. The solution consists of cement, sand and water in a ratio of 1:3:1, respectively. To ensure that the color of the cement-sand mixture does not vary greatly, coloring pigments are added. Before laying out, the material must be soaked in water.
Important! Laying of facing bricks is carried out at a temperature of +5 C o.
The first step is to lay it out without mortar. This is necessary in order to calculate how many bricks need to be cut, which blocks will be used for laying door and window openings, and also exclude marriage.
When all ceramic products selected and trimmed, you can start laying out.
Important! Under no circumstances should you use a metal disc or hammer. This may damage the material.
It must be taken into account that the size of the horizontal seam should be no more than 10 mm, and the vertical seam no more than 12 mm. The first row is laid out completely - from one side to the other. The solution must be applied with an indentation of 1.5 cm from the edge. But the laying of the next rows is different. Here, level masonry is necessary, and therefore measurements are required.
First you need to form corners to a height of 5-6 rows. Then the thread should be pulled between the blocks so that the layout is even. And now you need to do the seams. That is, using special device, perform such actions so that the seam protrudes a few millimeters from outside facing masonry. Next, the rows are laid out. A template is used for accuracy. It is important not to forget to wipe the lining every 4 rows damp cloth to remove dirt. It is best to remove it immediately if contamination appears.
Do-it-yourself bricklaying may seem difficult for an inexperienced person. But if you stick to technology, or even better invite experienced craftsman help, then everything will definitely work out.
