Finishing a house with facing bricks is quite popular. When choosing this material, it is necessary to qualitatively tie together the existing components of the structure. They are the load-bearing wall, insulation and facing material. To do this, it is advisable to use flexible connections.
What are these fasteners?
Flexible connections for brickwork are a special corrugated rod. It is produced in lengths from 20 to 60 cm. The flexible connection is designed to ensure effective fastening of the facing material to the load-bearing wall through the insulation material. This will create a strong and stable building cladding.
The size of the flexible connection depends on the design decisions. For structures with a height of up to 12 meters, it is recommended to use a product of 4 mm, which can withstand a load of about 900 kg. For buildings with a higher height, a 6 mm connection is required. At the same time, it should not break out of the seam when there is a load of about 1100 kg.
Design
Flexible connections forbrickwork, photos of which can be seen in the article, are rods. They have a round section and bulges at the ends, made of other materials. These elements perform the functions of an anchor in the process of fixing in the masonry seams.
Sand fasteners provide effective adhesion to mortar. In addition, additional protection of the wall from the effects of corrosion in the alkaline environment of concrete will be achieved. To create an air gap in the layers, you must use a snap-on retainer made of plastic.
Features of flexible ties
These products have such a name due to their characteristics. The internal walls of the building have a more constant temperature. This is due to the fact that they are not subject to regular external temperature fluctuations. However, the outer cladding wall is subjected to reverse influences. This layer in summer is able to heat up to +70 °C, and in winter it freezes to -40 °C. Significant temperature changes lead to the fact that the inner wall remains motionless, and the outer one changes its geometric size.
It is worth noting that flexible connections for brickwork and aerated concrete bend perfectly. Due to this, they are able to maintain the integrity of the structure. Products are not exposed to corrosion. They do not break as a result of frequent bending, and also do not create cold bridges with insufficiently good heat transfer. High strength and durability of flexible ties are more than those indicators thattraditional masonry mesh. Therefore, the building as a whole will be more reliable.
Types of products
It is advisable to use flexible connections for brickwork and gas block as a connection. However, it is worth choosing the right product. They are divided into two types depending on the material from which these fasteners are made. The first type are ties made of bas alt composite materials. An example is Galen products from a domestic manufacturer. The second type includes stainless steel products, which have a high level of corrosion resistance. In this case, it is recommended to use BEVER connections from the German manufacturer of the same name.
Structures must be load-bearing to comply with DIN 1053-1. For this, it is desirable to use anchors with a bent part, and their length should be more than 25 mm. For this purpose, flexible ties for bas alt masonry with a sand anchor with a length of 9 cm can be used. In the case of installation of stainless steel products, it is worth taking ties with a wavy end and a length of 5 cm.
Installation of flexible connections
When using flexible connections for brickwork for cladding, technology should be followed. Their number and location is determined at the first stage of work - when drawing up design estimates.
The most common use is four pieces per square meter of load-bearing wall. If the walls are insulated with mineral wool slabs, the spacing of the flexible ties should be50 cm both horizontally and vertically. Also in the process of insulation, polyurethane foam and polystyrene foam can be used. In this case, the horizontal step of the products is 25 cm, but not less than four pieces per square meter. Vertically, you should adhere to an indicator not exceeding 100 cm.
It is worth noting that flexible connections for brickwork must be additionally arranged along the perimeter of the openings. They also need to be equipped in each corner of the building with a step of 30 cm near the parapet and at expansion joints. During installation, the minimum required penetration depth into the load-bearing wall and the facing layer is observed, which is 9 cm.
It may happen that the horizontal seams of the outer and inner layers do not match. It is necessary to put ties in a vertical joint for a load-bearing wall using a cement-sand mortar to perform a thorough seal.
Observing the technology of work on the installation of flexible connections, you need to ensure that they do not loosen. Initially, a layer of thermal insulation is installed, after which a flexible connection for brickwork can be installed. To do this, it is necessary to pierce the insulation plate and mount it on it. If the insulation is attached to an old product, you should wait for the mortar to set in the seams where the connections are installed.
Cost
Products of this type have an optimal cost for a wide range of consumers. Flexible connection for brickwork is a budget option that can ensure the reliability of the cladding and the building as a whole, which will lead to significant savings. It is also worth noting that the cost depends on indicators such as quantity, characteristics, manufacturer and material of manufacture. The average price of one product is ten rubles. Significant savings will be achieved by purchasing the required number of parts.
