One of the oldest building materials used by people for many centuries is brick. Since ancient times, the method of its production has not changed much, but today this material is one of the most used in construction. However, with the development of new technologies, new modifications of the brick block began to be developed, of which the silicate block is the most used.
Modern material
For people ignorant of building materials, brick is divided into two types: white and red. The red block in the professional language is called ceramic, and the white one is a silicate block. The white block appeared on the building materials market relatively recently. In this regard, it cannot boast of the same rich history as ceramic bricks. Silicate blocks, however, are actively catching up with ceramic ones in terms of application statistics and over several decades they have showna strong and durable material.
Wall silicate block is used both in high-rise and low-rise construction: when laying internal and external elevated parts of walls, ventilation ducts (up to the attic), partitions in industrial and residential buildings, warehouses, garages, fences, garden houses. Building codes prohibit the construction of building plinths from this material; red brick is used for this.
To perform work with this material, it is important to know how silicate blocks differ. Their characteristics, depending on the structure and purpose, determine the scope of their application.
White blocks are divided into types according to two parameters:
- Structure.
- Destination.
Structure of blocks
The structure of silicate brick blocks are:
- Full-bodied - a monolithic product in which the number of holes does not exceed 13%.
- Hollow - the number of voids in them ranges from 13-50%, but voids of up to 35% are considered optimal.
Hollow bricks differ in the percentage, number and size of voids in the body. The most commonly used are:
- three-hole block, 52mm holes, 15% voids;
- block with eleven voids, holes - 30 mm, 25%;
- block with fourteen voids, holes - 30 mm, 30%.
Holes in the body of the block significantly increase the thermal insulation properties of the material. They also affect the consumption of the masonry mixture:the more voids in the block, the more mortar will be required. Hollow block walls need additional insulation.
Material purpose
By purpose, white bricks are distinguished as follows:
- Building, called ordinary, - full-bodied, with a small number of voids silicate blocks. The characteristics provide this material with high strength, which makes it possible to install load-bearing walls, columns and pillars, partitions between rooms. On this material, the presence of roughness, cracks or bruises is allowed, since subsequently the masonry will be covered with a finish.
- Face - hollow bricks that are used for facade cladding. The main requirement for them is a uniform color and even shapes without damage. They can be covered with decorative imitation.
How is it made?
The production of gas silicate blocks is carried out using non-firing technology. The material is a product that has the shape of a parallelepiped and is intended for laying walls. In production, moistened lime-silica or lime-sand mixture is used as a binder and aggregates. These components are autoclaved and pressed.
The exact composition of the silicate mixture is:
- air building lime;
- sand for making silicate products;
- belite sludge;
- fly ash from thermal power plants;
- slag sand;
- ash and slag fine-grained mixture;
- alkali-resistant pigments (chromium oxide);
- ordinary water.
The properties of slag and ash are such that they completely or partially replace quartz sand, which leads to a decrease in the density of the silicate block. This improves the strength and thermal insulation qualities. Also, at the same time, the consumption of the binder component is significantly - by 40% - reduced and the autoclave treatment time is reduced, which reduces the cost of producing gas silicate blocks by about 20%.
Blocks can have the original color of the raw material - gray - or be colored when pigment is added at the stage of preparing the solution.
Requirements for the technical characteristics of the silicate block can be found in the following regulations:
- GOST 23421-79.
- GOST 379-95.
- SNiP 3.03.01-87.
Dignity of silicate blocks, user opinion
The popularity of this material, according to reviews, is due to its many positive properties:
- Relatively low cost compared to ceramic counterparts.
- Efflorescence does not form on silicate blocks, no matter how long ago the laying of them was laid. Ceramic brick cannot boast of such properties.
- The silicate block has more pronounced strength characteristics than the ceramic block, on which cracks form over time and which begins to crumble.
- The material is easy to work with. Tomake a white brick wall, no special instructions required.
- This brick is used for the construction of partitions in manufacturing industrial enterprises, as it has good soundproofing characteristics.
- Since the block is made from natural materials, it is environmentally friendly and does not emit harmful substances over time.
- The material is quite durable: it does not lose its qualities during 50 years of operation.
- The silicate block house has a finished attractive appearance due to the excellent design qualities of white brick.
- Due to non-firing technology, it has a lower cost compared to red brick.
- Despite the fact that silicate brick loses to other products in terms of frost-resistant qualities, the situation changes over time: frost resistance and strength increase due to air carbonization of the material.
- Hollow products significantly reduce the weight of building structures, therefore, the load on the base is reduced.
- This material has many varieties, small sizes make it possible to build various architectural combinations.
Disadvantages of blocks noted by consumers
The shortcomings of this building material significantly reduce the possibility of its use.
The silicate block, unlike the ceramic block, has weak heat and water resistant characteristics. Therefore, as evidenced by the reviews, its use for the construction of foundations, premisescellars, sewer wells and other buildings with a high level of humidity is not possible. In water, the material is rapidly destroyed.
The first rows of masonry from these blocks must be done above the level of falling snow - about half a meter from the ground, otherwise the masonry will collapse. Before these blocks, a ceramic block or other building material is laid out.
Users also note that this material is not suitable for laying furnaces and building chimneys, it does not harden and collapses if it comes into contact with fire.
For the construction of multi-storey buildings, this is still a small product - a silicate block. Its dimensions slightly increase the time of work performed.
Block classification
Depending on what elements are included in the material, white brick is:
- lime-ash - consists of 23% lime and 77% ash;
- lime-sand - an ordinary white block that consists of 92% quartz sand and 8% lime;
- lime-slag - in its composition, quartz sand is replaced by porous light slag (about 92%) with the addition of lime from 3 to 12%.
The content of components may vary in one direction or another by 2-3%.
Since water is added to the silicate mixture as a moisturizing component, that is, in a minimal amount until the mortar reaches molding qualities, such a mixture is called hard: the moisture content of the solution is about 8%.
Size grid
Todaymost manufacturers on the building materials market produce bricks of various sizes, including white brick - a silicate block. Its dimensions are as follows:
- Single - has dimensions of 250 x 65 x 120 mm (L x H x W), average weight - 3.6 kg. This proportion of the sides of the brick is the best for alternating the transverse and longitudinal placement of blocks in the masonry.
- One and a half (modular) - has dimensions of 250 x 120 x 88 mm, weight - no more than 4.3 kg. Basically, such brick blocks are hollow with a corrugated surface.
- Double - has dimensions of 250 x 120 x 103 mm. Basically, this type of block is hollow, so it is most often used for lightweight masonry.
Variety of blocks
A kind of ordinary white brick is a silicate tongue-and-groove block. This material is a plate 500 x 70 x 250 mm in size with a tongue-and-groove lock placed on the side faces. The need to create such a structure was caused by the desire to facilitate the construction of wall partitions and reduce the time of production of these works.
The slab is composed of a mixture of water, quartz sand and quicklime, fire resistant and environmentally friendly. According to reviews, due to good air permeability, a comfortable microclimate is created in the room, the material does not rot, does not deform, and absorbs sounds well. Also, this product can be erected in a double layer for hidden installation of networks and insulation.
Conclusion
BasicThe advantages of this material are ease of use, strength and attractive appearance of buildings made of it. Thanks to this, the silicate block has proven itself among both professional builders and home craftsmen.
