Brick clinker facing: dimensions

Clinker brick has excellent decorative properties and surprising durability. What are the areas of its application? What kind of assortment of sizes, types, colors and textures is available to buyers? This we will discuss in this article.

What is clinker brick?

Thanks to a unique combination of elegant appearance and excellent performance characteristics, this building material is considered elite. Its application will help the house look aesthetically pleasing, but at the same time will give the facade strength and durability. Clinker brick is much more expensive than other facing materials, but its quality justifies the costs. It was invented and began to be produced on an industrial scale in Holland in the 19th century. Its name in Dutch means "sonorous". Initially, it was used only for paving roads, but later it became one of the most popular materials for exterior and interior decoration.

Features

Clinker facing brick has unique physical and decorative properties. They are due to unusual manufacturing technology and the use of special raw materials. Brick produced only from so-called lean clay with a high content of quartz sand. Mineral dyes and volcanic basalt can be added to the refractory mixture. Under the influence of high temperature, sand turns into glass. Conditions for billet roasting are very different from standard ones. To obtain the product of the required quality, the temperature in the furnace must be exactly at 1300 ° C. For comparison, in the process of calcination of ordinary bricks, it is sufficient to have 900 ^o C. Observance of these technological conditions guarantees the minimum porosity of the material and its density. It acquires exceptional strength and very low moisture absorption.

Strength and safety

Clinker facade cladding brick does not require special care and efforts to preserve the aesthetic appearance. Dirt does not penetrate into its surface and is easily washed off with water, this is ensured by extremely low porosity of the material. This property also prevents the appearance of moss on the walls. Over time, the color of the brick does not tarnish, since mineral dyes are added directly to the clay during the stage of forming the blanks. This lining material retains its original appearance throughout its life.

In terms of strength, clinker facing brick is twice as high as usual. It has a high level of resistance to compression and resistance to mechanical damage. Architects use it to build the foundations and socles of buildings, which bear the burden of construction and must withstand heavy loads.

Moisture absorption and frost resistance

The internal structure of clinker bricks is exceptionally dense, thanks to the pre-pressing of raw materials and burning at high temperatures. The almost complete absence of microscopic pores prevents the penetration of moisture. Clinker facing brick absorbs 3-5% of water from its mass. If the product has a glazed surface, it does not absorb moisture at all. For comparison, for other materials this figure is 25%.

A low level of moisture absorption provides tangible benefits. The cladding can be used in difficult climatic conditions without taking additional efforts to protect it from precipitation. There is a relationship between moisture absorption and frost resistance. If a brick absorbs a lot of water, its structure breaks down at a low temperature. Clinker brick is devoid of this shortcoming and can withstand a minimum of 75 cycles of freezing and thawing.

Durability

On this parameter, this material confidently holds the leading position. If all technological requirements are met in the process of using it in construction and operation, the warranty period can be up to 100 years. This phenomenal durability is the result of numerous positive qualities of clinker bricks. Low moisture absorption, high frost resistance and durability reliably protect it from all destructive influences of the environment.

Safety: ecological compatibility and fire resistance

Clinker facing brick includes only natural natural components: clay, sand and various mineral additives. It does not emit any substances harmful to health. This building material can be reliably attributed to the most environmentally friendly. Clinker brick can withstand without deformation the temperature up to 1800 ^o C. This degree of refractoriness is due to the refractory mixture from which it is made. The use of this material during construction increases the fire safety of buildings.

disadvantages

With many advantages, clinker facing brick has some disadvantages. These include its low sound-insulating properties. In addition, in terms of heat savings, it is about twice as good as the usual red brick. It should be noted that this defect is partially compensated by the fact that manufacturers produce many hollow types of this product. For example, facing clinker brick for exterior decoration in most cases is found in this version. Hollowness significantly increases thermal insulation.

Applications

Types of clinker facing bricks are determined by design. The facade is used for exterior decoration, usually has a glazed surface for maximum safety and moisture resistance. Manufacturers offer a wide range of color shades and textures of this type of brick. Sidewalk is used for paving garden and driveways. It is worth noting that due to its strength, it can withstand great loads, for example, the weight of a car. The building view is used when erecting socles and foundations.

Dimensions and colors

There are strict standards, according to which clinker facing bricks are produced. Dimensions can not have deviations greater than 4 mm in length, 3 mm in width and 2 mm in thickness. Accuracy depends on the quality of the manufacturer's equipment and the qualifications of its specialists. There are three main sizes of this building material:

• Single (250 x 120 x 65 mm);
• One-and-a-half (250 x 120 x 88 mm);
• Double (250 x 120 x 140 mm);

The European standard is 250 x 85 x 65 mm. The most popular products are German manufacturers. Russian clinker facing brick occupies an insignificant share of the market. Buyers are available a wide range of colors of this material. The companies offer about a hundred shades created by adding mineral dyes to the raw materials. Decorative properties combined with durability make clinker bricks one of the most attractive materials for exterior and interior decoration.