• 12/05/2022
• Categories: Building materials

A brick is a silicate solid: the composition and characteristics

Despite the variety of building materials, when building a house the most popular remains the silicate brick. The shape and structure of this building material is very versatile, allowing to build the same type box for a living, but unique in its beauty, architectural buildings.

In the case when you want to increase the strength of the building, used silicate brick.

What is calcium silicate brick (SK) ↑

This type of construction material is an element, rectangular in shape, which is made of lime and quartz sand. SK is particularly strong, and precise geometric form. This indicator provides the density of joints, and also allows you to ensure the correct shape and contours of the facade.

In practice, SK is used recently. The technology of its production was patented relatively literally a hundred years ago, however, this time was enough to the theory of the high strength of this material was confirmed in practice.

Positive characteristics a full-bodied SK ↑

The raw materials used in the production of solid sand-lime brick, gives him the following positive characteristics:

1. High-strength indicator. Silicate brick withstands load pressures up to 30 MPa. Also solid sand-lime brick is very resistant to bending. This explains the good resistance to shrinkage of the buildings. The walls of this building material practically does not react to the movement of soil, and covered with cracks.
2. Good resistance to the appearance of fungi and mold. This is because the lime, which is part of the SK itself has a high antiseptic qualities.
3. The correct geometry of the erected walls. The clean lines of the material greatly facilitate its installation and minimizes the number of voids between the seams.
4. Absolute safety for life and health.
5. SK will not burn and will not support combustion. The only thing you need to remember that when heating temperature is over 500°C, the item will retain the shape, but totally loses its strength.
6. Affordable price of the material allows it to actively use, regardless of the size of the budget construction.

Negative aspects of use of SK ↑

Disadvantages impose a certain imprint on the exploitation of constructions made of SK, and this fact should be taken into account at the planning stage and bookmarks home:

1. The high rate of moisture absorption. Perhaps this is the main drawback of using SK. This leads to the fact that it increases the risk of damage during prolonged exposure to cold. Frozen moisture, inside a silicate corpulent brick, it is very easy bursting and destroys it. SC better not to build basements, garages or basement floors.
2. Low frost resistance. Production technology of SK involves the use of it in the southern regions and areas of the middle band.
3. Low rate of preservation of heat. Wall built of sand-lime solid brick, need good insulation. To build a wall of such material is very great thickness is economically disadvantageous.
4. Primary colors solid bricks – and-white and shades of beige. A small palette of material limits the selection of design projects for home decoration.

Consider in more detail the main parameters of the SC according to the technical norms.

The composition and size ↑

Standards specified in the public documentation says that standard size single solid sand-lime brick are: length – 25cm, width – 12 cm, thickness – 6.5 cm. weight of a single element depends on full-bodied the item or not.

Single solid sand-lime brick has a slightly greater thickness. The standard width and length the weight of a single solid sand-lime brick is of the order of 8.8 cm Double silicate brick has a thickness of 13.8 cm.

Plants for the production of IC are mainly sandy deposits. It is connected primarily with the fact that the main ingredient in SK – sand. The graininess and shape of sand, are very important parameters to shape the existing solution and ensure high strength material.

In the production of the granule size of the sand plays a key role. So, for example, connecting three sand fractions in an unequal ratio (4:2:1) to obtain a material of high porosity. If the parameters change to 162:16:1, the brick will get the most dense and durable.

Before the sand goes into production, it is carefully sieved from the various impurities and debris, which are absolutely not acceptable in the finished product.

Another important component of SK is lime. They play the role of the binder element. Used in the production, as a rule, quicklime.

Main technical characteristics of SK ↑

GOST controls the following parameters solid sand-lime brick:

1. Strength. The IC manufacturer produces many brands, from 75 M to 300 M. If SK laid out the interior walls, the brand has a certain value. But if we are talking about computation silicate solid bricks of the facade, it is better to stop your choice on the stamp M125.
2. The resistance to frost. Depending on the class of masonry products can withstand 25 to 50 cycles of freezing and thawing. This marking must be indicated by the manufacturer.
3. The thermal conductivity value is required when calculating the thickness of the walls.
4. The resistance to fire. Determined by the components that are part of the sand-lime brick.

The composition and structure ↑

For any brand silicate solid bricks initial composition of the ingredients the same. With regards to the structure of the material, it can vary, which directly affects the operational properties of the product.

Brick is a product made monolithic method. The result in item no voids, even if used in the production of raw materials with increased porosity. Full-bodied SK is very dense and durable. He is not very well absorb moisture, and has the largest weight and is characterized by the long life.

Solid bricks can only be thickened type, which is not hollow materials.

They have a very porous structure. It is more lightweight, better absorbs extraneous sounds, retains heat well. But the big drawback of hollow elements is a high rate of water absorption.

Also there are differences between construction and surfacing silicate solid bricks.

Facing SK must have accurate geometry, uniform color of surface and high strength factor. In the facing silicate corpulent brick is perfectly smooth should be at least two sides.

Construction silicate brick is mainly used for the interior walls of the house. For him reduced requirements in the surface smoothness and clarity of office item. Allowed such errors as: chips, ribs, and surface roughness. An IC can also be solid and hollow. The color of the material is mostly white.

Transportation of materials ↑

As SK refers to the material high strength, it can be transported in the back of dump truck in bulk. But still, this applies only to the construction silicate corpulent brick, whose appearance does not play a role.

Materials for cladding are placed in a special tray, fasten straps and packaged in a special film. To transport such construction material is used only long trucks that load with a crane.

Conclusion ↑

Silicate brick is an essential material for the construction of private houses, apartment houses. The only exceptions are garages, basements and basement floors.

Additionally about how to make sand-lime bricks, find out in the next video

• Silicate or ceramic brick is better
• The size and weight of white silicate brick
• Calcium silicate bricks: composition, thermal conductivity, density,