DIY brick making

One of the most common and oldest building materials is brick. In fact, a brick is an artificial stone that has a rectangular shape. This form is much more convenient for construction than the form of natural stone from which they built in the past. The widespread use of bricks in construction was facilitated by the widespread distribution of the main raw material - clay and its high consumer properties, that is: high mechanical strength, durability, resistance to water, fire, atmosphere, and solar radiation. The easiest way is to buy a brick. The variety of manufactured bricks is now very large. But brick prices will NOT pleasantly surprise you. Therefore, if you want to save money, then at home.

Consider all the technology for making bricks at home in order.

Preparation of raw materials for the manufacture of bricks

Bricks are made from pure clays or from clays with the addition of non-plastic materials and burnable additives (sand, fireclay, sawdust, peat, husks, finely chopped straw, etc.). Non-plastic clays, such as silt, can be used as additives.
The greater the plasticity, the easier it is to make a brick. The easiest way to achieve the plasticity of clay is to keep it wet. A good way to increase the plasticity of clay is to freeze it in winter.
To prepare clay for the production of bricks, the harvested and crushed raw materials are placed in a container (like a trough) and soaked with water, adding it gradually in 2-3 doses, with occasional stirring, until the clay is completely soaked.

Do not allow clay with inclusions of pebbles and small pebbles, cleared of the plant layer of soil, into the process, and also do not allow clay with white inclusions (carbonates) in the form of large particles larger than 1 mm into the production.
After soaking, the clay is left to age for at least 3 days, and a longer time is possible by covering the trough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.

After aging, the clay is checked for quality and suitability for molding, drying and firing. At a normal working consistency, clay dough exhibits plastic and molding properties, retains the given shape without deformation and does not stick to hands and metal. As an example of an approximate determination of the quality of clay, the following can be given: clay is rolled as thick as a finger and wound onto a bottle. At the same time, it should not break and have cracks, and also not be smeared over the bottle. According to the destruction or notches on the samples, the need for additives is determined. These additives serve as a reinforcing "reinforcement". So, up to 30% additives can be added to fatty clays.

For the production of bricks it is better to take low-fat clay. As available additives can be used; river sand, sawdust, husks from cereals, peat chips, etc. Sand is used mainly to reduce the fat content of clay. The amount of added sand should not exceed 3 or 5%. Other fillers for brick bonding - no more than 20%. In this case, the particle size of additives is not more than 3-5 mm. The amount of additives is determined mainly by trial batches and drying of raw samples.

It is advisable to test the fat content of the clay. This can be done in various ways, here is the easiest of them.

To check the clay for fat content, 0.5 liters of extracted raw materials will be required. Water must be poured into this clay and mixed until the clay absorbs all the water and sticks to the hands. From this mass, mold a small ball, about 4-5 cm in diameter, and a cake with a diameter of about 10 cm. All this must be dried in the shade for 2-3 days.
After that, the cake and the ball are tested for strength. If they have cracks, then the clay is too oily and requires the addition of sand to work with it. If there are no cracks, you need to throw a ball from a meter height. If it remains unharmed, this means that the clay is of normal fat content.
Too thin types of clay do not crack, but the strength leaves much to be desired, and therefore clay of a higher fat content must be added to them. You need to mix clay or sand in small portions, in several stages, checking the quality of the composition after each mixing, so as not to make a mistake and find the necessary proportions.

Previously, a detailed description of the manufacture of cinder blocks at home was given - for those who are interested in this topic.

After the optimal proportions of the mortar are determined, it can be used to make bricks.

molding

Brick molding is done manually by laying clay in wooden or metal molds and then tamping.

Forms can be collapsible and not collapsible. The inner surface of the mold must have a smooth surface. A sketch of an exemplary form is shown in fig. 1-a, 1-b. Before molding, the mold must be lubricated with oil, or whitewash (water with chalk), or simply moistened with water to prevent clay from sticking to the molds.

Metal mold for 1 brick

Wooden mold for 3 bricks

It must also be remembered that clay products decrease in size during drying and firing. This phenomenon is called air shrinkage - during drying and fire shrinkage - during firing. So, for the formation of an ordinary brick (250x120x65 mm), a form of 260x130x75 mm is required.
You can make forms for several bricks at once in the form of a plate and then cut the plate into bricks of the desired size with a stretched string or metal tape moistened with water. The form can be with a bottom and without a bottom. Forms are established on a pure plain surface. Sawdust or a small amount of sand is poured into the bottom of the mold. The prepared clay is placed in molds with a shovel, then rammed. As the mold shrinks, clay mass is added to fill the edges of the mold. Excess clay from the mold is cut off with a flat wooden or metal lath.
Next, the cut surface is smoothed and the molds are removed. If the plate is molded, then it is cut into bricks. Then let the raw brick “wither” and send it to dry. Withering lasts one hour or 2 hours and is determined by the absence of indentations from the fingers when it is lifted. Marriage from molding should be re-introduced into production.

The use of hot water in the preparation of clay accelerates the drying of the raw material.
The raw molding process can be mechanized using the simplest manual screw press or driven by any power plant (electric motor, internal combustion engine, wind or water engine). Such a press can be made in any mechanical workshop.

Drying bricks

When drying, it is necessary to ensure that the evaporation of moisture takes place evenly both from the inside of the brick and from its surface. This is achieved by slow drying. Uneven drying causes warping and cracking of products. The correctness of drying is achieved mainly by experience. The drying time can be reduced by reducing the initial moisture content of the raw brick, as well as by more thorough processing of the mass, moistening it with hot water.
Drying of raw bricks usually takes place in drying sheds. With small volumes, if the weather permits, the raw material is dried in open areas. The period of natural drying of raw brick varies, depending on climatic conditions, from 5 to 20 days.

The molded raw brick is placed in bags in 6-8 rows in height, with sand or sawdust pouring over each row. This brick is aged in a barn until it is set with raw bricks of sufficient strength. As they dry, the packages are built up with freshly molded raw material with a similar filling. The bottom row of raw bricks is often placed on a poke.
If you consider that the top rows dry somewhat faster, then the entire package will dry at about the same time. This operation will significantly increase the capacity of the drying area, with approximately the same drying time. If the brick is aged in a barn, then drying is carried out indoors for 3 days, and then in a ventilated one.
When choosing a site for drying, it is necessary to proceed from the fact that the soil is not wet. For these purposes, it is better to lay a wooden shield on the soil or, in extreme cases, fill the area with dry sand and make a drainage trench.

If drying is carried out outdoors, then it is necessary to make a canopy over the drying area from the rain. The outside temperature during drying must be at least 10°C. After drying, the raw brick is sent for firing to produce bricks.
The readiness of the raw brick for firing will be determined by the following criteria: a brick taken from the middle rows is broken in half and, in the absence of a dark spot in the middle (a sign of moisture), the raw brick is recognized as suitable for firing.

Brick firing

Brick firing is done in homemade kilns, the device of which is not difficult. The forms of furnaces, their device, laying of raw bricks for firing are described below.

The quality of the brick during firing depends on: the time of temperature rise, the final firing temperature, the duration of holding the temperature reached, the nature of the gaseous medium and the cooling rate. At temperatures up to 150 ° C, the raw brick is dried. In this case, a significant amount of water vapor is formed, which, with a rapid rise in temperature, is released so quickly that it can break the product. Therefore, it is not recommended to sharply increase the temperature.

When installing the furnace, it is necessary to provide for fire prevention measures. They should be no closer than 100 m from wooden buildings. The groundwater level at the construction site should be below 2.5 m (in order to reduce heat loss).

Brick kilns can be round or rectangular. Variants of furnace shapes are shown in the figures below.

Round stove option. The sizes are arbitrary

A variant of the device of a rectangular furnace with several fireboxes. The dimensions of the furnace are arbitrary

The furnace is constructed as follows: first, a foundation is laid 60 cm wide and 50 cm deep, then walls 50 cm thick are laid out, decreasing after 2/3 of the furnace height to 25 cm. The inner part of the wall up to 2/3 of the furnace height should be vertical, then the wall may narrow to form a chimney. The walls can be laid out both from baked bricks and from raw bricks on a lean clay mortar, so that the walls can be more easily dismantled after the ovens are no longer needed.

When laying walls, it is necessary to provide an opening for loading raw bricks, in which, after loading, a firebox is made. The furnace can be made both in front of the furnace and inside it. If the width or diameter of the furnace is more than two meters, then several furnaces can be made, depending on the size of the furnace.

The floor of the furnace, the so-called POD, is covered with dry clay chips or small gravel, with a layer thickness of 10 cm. The furnace is loaded, that is, the brick is set, as shown in fig. 4. The loading of the furnace with raw bricks begins with columns with a gap between the bricks, forming furnace channels during laying. Each channel is covered with raw brick, leaving a gap.

Charge density per 1 cubic meter of the furnace (its inner part) 220 or 240 pcs. ordinary brick size 250x120x65 mm. At the top, the cage density increases to 300 pcs. per 1 cubic meter

Cage density 220 - 240 bricks per 1 cubic meter. oven (its inner part). At the top, the density increases to 300 pcs.

Option for laying "legs" for high ovens

The first 4 rows are “cage legs”. Laying the raw material on the "legs" is carried out in a herringbone pattern. The top rows are compacted

Option for laying raw materials for firing

Lead the cage, strictly adhering to the scheme. After 1.5 m, or 2/3 of the height of the furnace, the cage of raw material is carried out simultaneously with the laying of the walls of the furnace. In this case, the masonry is led to a narrowing with a slope of about 30 ° C. The higher the oven, the more efficient its operation, since the heat of the flue gases in the upper part is used to dry the raw brick. For better draft on the stove, you can put a pipe. The oven is carefully covered with a thick layer of clay. The opening is closed under the firebox. The firebox should have a well-fitting door or lid. Firewood is used for roasting, but charcoal is more efficient. It is possible to install burners-nozzles operating on diesel fuel or fuel oil. In order to better burn solid fuels, it is desirable to install grates at a height of 20 cm, which must be strengthened.

Fuel consumption per 1 thousand units. fired brick is 1.8-2.6 cubic meters or 100-140 kg of coal. Roasting goes through several stages. First, the oven is ignited and the temperature is maintained up to 150-200°C for drying raw bricks for 2 days. Fuel at the same time - low-grade firewood. Then increase the fuel supply, gradually raising the temperature to 850-1000°C, the firing time is 3-4 days. The temperature can be observed visually. 850-1000°С - light yellow-orange color.

After complete firing, the cooling stage begins. The cracks that have appeared are again smeared with clay. The firebox is laid with bricks, covered with clay, excluding air leaks. The time of such cooling is at least two days. After complete cooling, the furnace is opened, the brick is selected, sorted. A well-fired brick should ring when struck with a hammer. Unfired bricks or unburned bricks are laid back for firing or used on the foundation or internal walls in dry rooms.

When firing bricks and cooling the furnace, the following safety rules must be observed:

The firing and cooling of bricks must be under constant supervision and control;
- prevent premature opening of the furnace;
- do not allow inspection of the readiness of firing and cooling of the brick, climbing onto the furnace;
- do not allow a large mass of water to enter a hot furnace in order to avoid steam burns;
- Laying raw bricks for drying and fired bricks, when disembarking from the kiln, should be carried out only with an inclination inside the stack in order to prevent the stack from falling.

For a small amount of homemade bricks, you can use a simpler "kiln" for firing bricks.

This can be done in an ordinary barrel, with a volume of 200-250 liters. It is necessary to lay bricks in a barrel, leaving small gaps for uniform heating. You definitely need a pit under the fire, 40-50 cm deep. The bottom of the barrel is cut out and the barrel is placed on the fire on legs 20 cm high. It will be more convenient to maintain and regulate the fire, and the heating of the mass of bricks will be uniform.

Now the barrel needs to be filled with bricks. They must be laid with small gaps, one on top of the other. Then, in order to prevent cold air from entering the barrel during firing, it is required to close it with a metal sheet. A cut-out bottom can come in handy here, it will be especially convenient if handles are attached to it.

And now you need to stock up on fuel and patience. The process takes from 18 to 20 hours, all this time, while the bricks are being fired, it is necessary to keep the fire under the barrel. After that, the barrel should cool down. This should happen gradually, while the lid cannot be opened. You need to regulate the temperature in stages, reducing the fire of the fire. An artificial method of cooling is not suitable here, cooling must be only natural.

After 4-5 hours after the barrel and its contents in it have completely cooled down, you can open the lid and take out the finished fired products.

Causes of brick defects in its manufacture and measures to eliminate them

	Type of defect	Reasons for education	Solutions
		I. Forming
1	Raw has low strength and breaks without effort	Increased sand content of clay or the presence of inclusions	Adjust the composition of the mass, do not allow clay with inclusions into production
2	The raw material is easily deformed and easily sticks to hands, the timber is easily deformed	Increased mass moisture	Reduce the moisture content of the mass by introducing dry additives
3	The raw material is stratified	Insufficient compaction of the clay mass in the mold	Increase ramming force
4	"Raisins" - inclusions of unmixed lumps	Tire not well mixed, not enough water to set the clay, not enough time to soak the mud	It is better to mix clay and mixture. Add water for clay locking, increase the exposure time for mud locking and curing of the charge
5	Noticeable inclusions of grass, roots, large shavings, etc.	The clay is not free of impurities. Unsifted sawdust used	Clear the mud. Sift sawdust
6	The size of the raw material is more or less than necessary	The charge has changed, the molds have worked together, the uneven cut of the “hump” on the molds. Increased mass moisture	Adjust the composition of the charge, replace the molds, evenly cut off excess mud from the molds, reduce the moisture content of the mass
		II. Drying
1	Large amount of raw material has cracks	Incorrectly selected charge. High mass moisture	Pick up and adjust the charge. Reduce clay moisture
2	The presence of deformed bricks	High humidity of the formed mass. Raw is put with force for drying	Adjust humidity. Raw put to dry more carefully
3	Raw dries unevenly in height	A large number of bricks in height. Dense laying of bricks during drying	Reduce the number of bricks in height. "Discharge" the laying of dry bricks
		III. Burning
1	The fire goes along the top of the furnace, not burning the lower rows of the cage	The charge is too discharged, which causes the flue gas flow to be drawn to its upper part, the fuel is incorrectly distributed by volume	Compact the top rows of the cage. Distribute fuel evenly
2	Brick has many cracks	A sharp rise in temperature and its large differences	Lengthen the firing mode, thin out the upper rows of the cage
3	Brick has many cuts	Rapid cooling of products, insufficient closing of the furnaces, occurrence of cold air leaks through the furnaces	Increase the cooling time of products. Better seal the fireboxes
4	Brick has reduced strength	Condensation on raw vapors water (steaming)	Reduce the humidity of raw material entering the kiln, increase the drying time of raw material before firing, increase the drying time of bricks in the kiln
5	Burnt brick, when saturated with water, increases in volume and collapses.	The presence of inclusions in the form of "dutik" - white inclusions	Switch to another clay or grind it more thoroughly, do not allow clay with white limestone inclusions to be produced
6	Overburning or underburning of bricks in separate places according to the volume of the furnace	Irregularity in the traction system, cold air leaks	Too dense or sparse charge in the volume of the furnace, too large opening of the furnaces Monitor the uniformity of the fuel supply
7	Brick has chipped corners	Careless attitude to raw materials in all operations	Handle products with care

The quality of the work done needs to be checked and for this a small test of self-made bricks should be made.

Sacrifice one brick and split it with a construction hammer. If it is well fired, it will have the same color and the same structure throughout the break. Now these fragments should be filled with water for several hours. After being in water, a well-fired brick should also have the same color and structure over the entire surface.

Do-it-yourself bricks are mainly made in small volumes for their own needs. Ordinary clay or refractory is used in the construction of small objects. For manufacturing, the solution is kneaded, laid out in molds and dried. To give the necessary strength, they are fired in a special furnace.

Much more often, material is required for interior decoration. In the course is decorative, facing, created using a simple technology from plaster, cement, as well as its imitation using drywall, paper.

Types of bricks and its features

All products have standard dimensions 65×120×250 mm, 88×120×250 mm or smaller, but a multiple of all parameters. Building bricks are made from fusible clay, in the finished state it has a small porosity to reduce thermal conductivity and adhesion to the mortar.

It is well fired in a kiln at 900–1100°. Under-dried, it has a scarlet color, poor characteristics: insufficient strength, low water resistance, unsatisfactorily tolerates frost. Burnt (iron ore) usually with curved shapes, high thermal conductivity. In construction, high-quality brick is used for laying walls, chimneys, furnaces, except for the furnace zone.

They use refractory, which is able to withstand high temperatures. It is made by firing clay with fireclay, but it is impossible to make at home - 1500 ° is required. If the brick is overexposed, it is covered with a shell similar to glass. Its quality is easily recognized by its appearance - sand-yellow color, grainy. On impact, it shatters into large pieces, and unburned crumbles into small ones. It is impossible to use for laying fireboxes, chimneys - it does not retain heat and can collapse.

The apartment finished with decorative bricks has an original design. Products have different parameters and surface structure, rectangular shape and slightly rounded edges, a wide variety of colors. The wizard will help you choose the most suitable options for the interior. Types differ in production technology and material:

The advantages of decorative products include long service life, light weight, resistance to abrasion, water and fire. Has some imperfections in color if poor quality materials are used. Due to the convex surface, the volume of the room visually decreases.

In a facing brick, the main advantage is its beauty. At the same time, it is durable, resistant to atmospheric phenomena, and is successfully used for internal and external works. The variety of shades is amazing - you can choose the color to your taste. The sizes vary, which allows you to realize any idea. The wall acquires a unique design.

The industry produces several types that differ in front surface and quality:

• glazed - has a special layer that gives volume;
• ceramic - with its help patterns are created;
• clinker - less aesthetic, but with increased wear resistance and strength;
• hyperpressed - consists only of limestone and cement, does not contain clay.

The production of the latter is carried out without firing, but under high pressure. Poorly retains heat, used indoors.

Making at home

The technology for the production of building material from clay has been known for centuries. You do not need machinery and equipment, the skills of a highly qualified specialist. Proven methods and new techniques are used, which makes it possible to obtain high-quality products at minimal cost.

To give the brick strength, it is fired in a kiln. If a lot is required, a capital structure is built; with small volumes, even a metal barrel can be used. Modern additives improve quality characteristics: thermal insulation properties, resistance to frost, moisture, cracking.

Raw material preparation

Not all clay is suitable for making bricks. Only high-quality is used, in which there are no pebbles, pebbles, earth, white inclusions. Strength, durability, resistance to low temperatures and water depend on this. First, it is checked for fat content. A small amount is soaked, and when the material becomes homogeneous, a ball is rolled up with an approximate diameter of 5 cm.

It is left in the shade to dry well, then they begin to test. If it bursts, the clay is oily, 5 parts of fine river sand should be added to it. But this is an approximate dosage, you will have to experiment, achieving a qualitative composition.

Cracks may or may not form. Then they take the ball and release it into free fall from a meter height onto a solid surface. If you survived after the impact - the strength is high, suitable for bricks. When it breaks, the mixture is diluted with a fatty composition. It or sand is covered in small portions, each time they are checked until the desired composition is achieved.

Great plasticity facilitates manufacturing. To achieve this state, the crushed raw materials are placed in a wide box, water is added in several stages, mixing everything thoroughly. Leave in this form for at least three days, until the composition becomes homogeneous. The container is covered with a moistened cloth or film.

Product molding

The finished solution is placed in wooden or metal boxes. They are calculated on one brick or more. The inside must have a smooth surface. Before filling, lubricate with oil or use whitewash (water with chalk). Forms can be collapsible or solid, as shown in the pictures.

When filling containers with clay, it is taken into account that, when it dries out, and then during firing, it decreases in size. Therefore, each side is increased by 10 mm. For convenience, the box is made without a bottom and with removable sides. It can be made with the expectation of one solid workpiece, which is then cut into pieces with a string or a metal plate dipped in water.

Fine sifted river sand or a little sawdust is poured onto the moistened sidewalls and bottom. The prepared mass is laid, rammed. During the shrinkage process, clay is added until it is even with the edges. The excess is cut off with a rail of metal or wood, with a large spatula. The surface is smoothed and the box is removed. For 1-2 hours, the product is left to dry. Readiness is determined by pressing with your fingers - no traces should remain. Rejected copies are allowed for processing.

To make a brick with your own hands in large quantities, you should take care of the fixtures. A homemade screw press will facilitate the work, where a jack is used to drive. Accelerates the primary drying hot water for the preparation of the solution.

How to dry properly

In many ways, the quality depends on how the moisture leaves. The more uniform and longer the process lasts, the stronger the material comes out. If the temperature is unstable, overheating is allowed, then cooling, cracks and deformation appear. Usually formed blanks are placed under a canopy.

In open areas, the top and sides are covered with a cloth to protect from the sun's rays at noon, and in case of rain - with a film. Remember to take pictures when the weather is moderate and there is no precipitation. They make sure that the base is not wet - even on dry ground they spread a film or lay boards, and already raw on top.

The material laid out in one layer dries faster, but requires a lot of space. Therefore, they make vertical packages of 6-8 rows, each is sprinkled with sawdust or sand. Lay loosely, leaving a small space for air to pass through. When the bricks dry up from below, they build up freshly made ones. Given that the process is faster from above, the readiness of all products will come at about the same time. The outside air temperature must be at least 10°.

If the clay brick is simply dried without firing, it will turn out raw. It has a pale brown color. In terms of performance, it almost does not differ from red, but is more susceptible to deformation and less durable. If you use high-quality raw materials, dry well, the characteristics are practically compared.

The duration of the process depends on the weather. At normal temperatures without excessive moisture, a brick of small standard sizes dries out in 10–15 days. Readiness is determined by testing. From the middle take one raw and break it in half. If there is no dark spot, which indicates moisture, the required quality has been achieved.

Firing technology

If a person is engaged in the manufacture of building bricks for the first time, then he does not have a special furnace. If this is not planned in the future, it makes no sense to build it. A metal container of 200 liters is used, holes are made in the bottom.

Choose a site where there are no underground communications. They dig a hole of a slightly smaller diameter, 0.5 m deep. Stones 20 cm high are placed on the sides, with a barrel on top of them. Raw is placed inside - 35–40 pieces are included. Lay with gaps, close from above.

A fire is lit under the container. The firing process is long and tedious, lasting 20 hours. They start early in the morning, constantly maintain a high temperature, adding fuel. When the required time has passed, leave to burn out. It is impossible to extinguish so that the barrel cools slowly, otherwise the baked clay will crack.

Better firing is obtained if you use a homemade furnace, the design of which is shown in the figure below.

Brick properties are determined by many process factors:

• the time of temperature rise and its final indicators;
• exposure at the achieved parameters;
• cooling rate.

They begin to build a furnace with a foundation 0.5 m deep and 0.6 m wide. Then they lay out vertical walls half a meter thick. After reaching ⅔ of the height, they are gradually narrowed, forming a chimney, on which a pipe is placed to improve traction. Burnt brick or raw brick is used. To make the structure easy to disassemble when the need is gone, the masonry is performed on a lean solution. Under the stoves, they fall asleep with a 10-centimeter layer of crumbs or small gravel.

Provide an opening for loading, which then serves as a firebox. A well-fitted lid or door is installed on it. All walls outside are coated with a thick layer of clay. After laying the raw material, the fuel is set on fire. At first, only 150 ° is required, it should not be increased sharply - a lot of steam is collected, which threatens with destruction. Low grade firewood is used.

After 48 hours, the temperature is gradually raised to 1000 °, maintained for up to four days. The flame should be light orange in color. When they stop heating, close up the cracks that have appeared on the walls, leave until completely cooled. The quality of a brick is checked by breaking one of them. Well fired has a uniform color and structure. If you fill it with water for several hours, the original appearance should not change.

How to make decorative brick

A very popular material noticeably pressed the traditional wallpaper. Many are stopped by its cost, but you can do it yourself using available raw materials. You will need gypsum or Portland cement, there are options from drywall or even paper.

Forms are needed, which are commercially available, but they are expensive. At home, they can be made from thick cardboard. The box is glued according to standard dimensions 250 × 65 mm 0.5–3 cm high. To prevent the walls from spreading, they are wrapped with wire mesh. Something embossed is laid on the bottom, otherwise the front surface will come out flat. A good matrix is ​​obtained from liquid polyurethane, with the help of which it is possible to establish production in large volumes.

Three options - gypsum, cement with foam, papier-mâché

Quality is almost 100% dependent on raw materials. The best result is obtained with the use of G-16 grade gypsum. You can use G-5 or G-10, but plasticizers, fiber should be added to it.

The mold is sprayed with soapy water and allowed to dry so that the products fly out of it. Meanwhile, a solution is prepared: 600 ml of water are added to 750 ml of gypsum and mixed thoroughly. If there is no mixer, use a rubber-gloved hand to knead all the lumps. This is done quickly so that the composition does not seize. Then it is poured into matrices, smoothed with a spatula.

After half an hour, they take it out, fold it. Natural drying takes a long time, especially if the temperature is low and the humidity is high. An ordinary oven, which is set to 50 °, will help out. After a few hours, the surface will turn white, which indicates the complete readiness of the product.

The second original and simple way:

• foam balls are poured into the container;
• in another bowl, white cement and fine sand are mixed in a ratio of 3: 1;
• water is added little by little to make the mixture creamy;
• balls are poured with it, mixed, poured into molds.

If they are with a flat bottom, they do not wait for complete drying, but are removed and processed with wood carving tools. Should be within one day. With this method, each product acquires an original look, because the same is practically not obtained with manual finishing.

A simple instruction will help you make decorative paper bricks:

1. 1. Cardboard is torn and poured with boiling water, periodically adding it, since water is strongly absorbed. The cooled mass is crushed with a mixer, excess moisture is squeezed out through the mesh. Lumps are sorted out, removing too small ones, otherwise a flat surface will turn out.
2. 2. A paste is boiled from starch, which is poured into paper pebbles. Take a little just to wet. Bustilat is added, everything is mixed and the dough for bricks is obtained.
3. 3. The mass is sent to forms pre-lined with polyethylene, so that it is convenient to take it out after drying. The recommended thickness is about one centimeter.

It remains to give the desired color. For this, acrylic dyes are used, highly diluted with water. They cover the front surface 2-3 times. Finally, after complete drying, a colorless varnish is applied.

imitation brickwork

Sometimes there is no desire to mess around with solutions and forms, but you really want to give the room an original design. The production of a false wall will help out, for which drywall is used. Cells of the desired size are applied to the sheet, cut along the lines, then the individual parts are processed.

GKL does not have the necessary texture. To give it the appearance of a decorative brick, any plaster with good adhesion is used, such as isogypsum. The mixture is diluted with water to the desired consistency until it becomes plastic. Then put with a spatula on the blanks and give the desired relief. A day or two is dried, then the edges are processed. Painted and after a few hours glued to the wall.

If the finish is done under the imitation of facing bricks, the second layer is not applied. Instead, acrylic paints are used, which are carefully applied with a spray gun several times. Care must be taken to ensure that the paper does not peel off - a waterproof material is recommended. At the end, a transparent varnish is applied, which will add shine.

Imitation cardboard is a very economical option. They take boxes, disassemble and cut rectangles. The wall is marked, a blank is glued to each cell. When it dries, start applying the relief. Use paper napkins, knead them well with your hands. Then they are combined with fake bricks on glue for heavy wallpaper. Immediately apply the same composition on top, form many folds and leave to dry.

Acrylic paints are used for decoration. The first layer is undiluted, then tinted with highly diluted water. Fix with matte varnish.

This is not all brick manufacturing technologies. Other materials can be used, such as plastic panels. It is permissible to combine various methods, choosing the most suitable one at each stage.

Naturally, the material for production DIY bricks is clay. There are many options to get clay, the main thing is to find it in sufficient quantities. You can try to visit a quarry in the area, or it may be right on your site. But, it is worth considering the composition and quality of clay, not every type and type of clay is suitable - we advise you to check whether it is suitable in quality and what is its fat content.

For determining the fat content of clay There are several ways, which can be found below.

We take a little clay, about half a liter. Gradually, we begin to pour and mix water into the clay. Continue until the clay absorbs water and starts to stick to your hands. Next, you need to give the mass the shape of a ball (3-4 cm in diameter) and cakes (about 10 cm in size), leave to dry for several days.

After two or three days, it is necessary to inspect the figurines. The presence of cracks indicates that it is necessary to add sand to the clay, because. she's too fat. In the absence of 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 breaks into pieces, then the clay is thin and not suitable for brick production. Clay with a higher fat content should be added to the existing raw materials. If the ball remains unharmed, then, you can start the production of bricks.

It should be remembered that it is necessary to mix clay or sand in small portions, and control the quality of the raw material after each batch. This will allow you to find the optimal proportion and avoid mistakes.

Form for making bricks with your own hands.

Raw (baked brick), made by hand from high-quality raw materials, in compliance with all norms and rules, practically corresponds in properties and quality, well known to everyone, to the red (burnt) counterpart. The raw material can be used in the construction of small utility rooms, such as sheds and baths.

Since, in this situation, there is no need to organize in-line production, it is not required to purchase or assemble a forming press on your own.

To start production, you need the simplest form. It can be made 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 get high-quality bricks at the exit.

The size of the form can be any, depending on the desire, but it is desirable to build cells of a standard size - 250x120x65mm. Sometimes, during the production process, special voids are formed in the bricks, designed to improve the adhesion of the surface of the product with the mortar. That is why the protrusions in the top and bottom cover are made. All parts of the mold are attached to each other with nails 50-60 mm, 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 want to improve the quality of finished bricks, you can make a special forming press, but this is an extensive topic for a separate article.

Forming bricks with your own hands.

Do-it-yourself raw (brick) formation passes as follows: moisten the mold from the inside with water, sprinkle with a little fine dust, cement, this will make it easier to remove home-made bricks from the mold cells. Next, fill the molds with the clay mixture and shake to fill in the corners better. If there is more clay than necessary, the excess should be carefully removed with a construction trowel or a suitable metal plate. Top with a removable lid and leave for a while.

To remove the brick, you need to remove the lid and turn the mold over.

The next step is drying. It must be taken seriously, because this is the most important stage. Here everything 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 at the same time air circulation will not be disturbed. The drying process can take approximately 6 to 15 days, depending on temperature and humidity. The higher the temperature and the drier the air, the less time it will take to dry.

As a result of this step, we will get raw brick.

In cases where you still need to create a fired brick, then if you wish, you can fire it yourself. Of course, this stage is very difficult to perform, and requires a lot of time and effort. Do not count on a large volume of production. This process makes sense only for a small number of bricks - within fifty aisles. Making more is completely unreasonable.

Burning bricks with your own hands.

The kiln for firing can be made independently, a metal barrel with a volume of about 200-250 liters is ideal for this purpose.

Under the fire, it is necessary to prepare a recess in the ground, approximately half a meter deep. We cut the bottom of the barrel and install it on legs, 20 cm high, on a fire. This will allow you to monitor the fire, as well as adjust the temperature for more even heating.

The next step is to fill the barrel with bricks, leaving small gaps. In order to prevent the penetration of cold air into the barrel, it is closed with a lid. We advise you to proceed as follows: the lid is easy to build from the cut out bottom, attaching handles to it, for greater convenience.

The firing process itself takes, on average, about 20 hours. A sufficient amount of fuel should be prepared, and it is even better to make a reserve, because the fire will have to be maintained all this time. By the end of the firing, the fire of the fire is gradually reduced. Next, the barrel needs to cool itself, open the lid to improve air circulation, or use any artificial cooling method is prohibited! After about 4-5 hours, the barrel, along with the contents, will cool down sufficiently. Now you can open the lid and start taking out the finished fired bricks.

To control the quality of the finished product, we suggest doing the following: chop the brick with a hammer. A well-fired brick has a uniform color and structure over the entire fault area. If a broken brick is immersed in water, then after a while in the water the color and structure of the brick should remain uniform over the entire area of ​​the fault.

If the quality test handmade bricks, went perfectly, congratulations, you were able to make a brick with your own hands!

Is it possible to make bricks at home? What is needed for self-production? What types of bricks can be made by hand and how to do it? Let's try to figure it out.

Why is it needed

Of course, the main goal is to save money. Gone are the days when building materials were bought for next to nothing. For example, a double silicate brick M 150 costs about 15 rubles; with a quantity of several thousand pieces, the purchase will result in a very tangible amount.

Meanwhile, the production of sand-lime bricks at home does not require excessively expensive or high-tech equipment. Raw materials - sand and lime; if under industrial conditions it is moistened in an autoclave with steam, then at home the mixture for molding can also be obtained by the so-called silo method - long-term mixing with water.

Please note: silicate brick is used in construction with certain restrictions. It is less water resistant than fired red brick and cannot be used for laying pipes and plinths. In addition, calcium hydrosilicate, which acts as a binder, is destroyed by prolonged exposure to high temperatures.

Having established the production of bricks and completed the construction, you may well start your own small business. The cost of production is more than low: only firing bricks at home will require any fixed costs. Firewood will have to be bought; but raw materials can be obtained absolutely free of charge: in most cases, they are ordinary clay.

Production Methods

So, how to make a brick at home?

raw brick

The easiest way to make the so-called raw. Method - simple molding followed by drying; raw material - clay. Approximately the same restrictions are associated with raw brick as in the case of silicate brick: it is suitable only for the construction of walls that will not be constantly moistened by groundwater or precipitation.

The list of applications is quite large:

• Masonry of internal walls and partitions.
• Construction of outbuildings, baths (with mandatory waterproofing from the inside) and terraces.
• Construction of the main walls of one-story houses with a wooden roof.
• Raw bricks can be used to lay slabs, stoves and chimneys.

The main thing is to protect the building with a roof as soon as possible. It should overlap the walls by at least half a meter to protect them from precipitation.

Raw material

How to choose the right clay for brick production? She should not be overly fat or skinny.

A simple test will help you choose the right clay.

• Blind from the found clay a couple of balls with a diameter approximately equal to the length of a matchbox, and several cakes twice as large in diameter.
• Leave them to dry in a dry, shady place for a few days.
• Carefully inspect the dried products. If they are cracked (primarily cakes) - the clay is too oily. For the production of bricks, you will need to add sand to it; ratio can be experimented with in the same way.
• Drop the ball onto a hard surface from a height of one meter. If it crashed, the clay is thin. To obtain normal raw materials, it can be mixed with oily clay.

Useful: for fired bricks, raw materials are selected in the same way.

Forming and drying

So, we stocked up on raw materials. How to make bricks at home? Let's start with making the mold.

The standard brick size is 250x125x65 millimeters. If you produce building materials for your own needs, you can make a form of approximate dimensions without chasing millimeters; but when manufacturing for sale, it is better to be accurate.

When drying, the clay shrinks - from 5 to 8 percent. Taking it into account, the shape should have dimensions of approximately 270x130x70 millimeters. As a material, it is recommended to use hardwood - birch, poplar or, best of all, oak.

The form, of course, can be not only for one brick - they are often made double or quadruple. A bar measuring approximately 150x15x30 millimeters is stuffed at the bottom. It will leave a groove in the brick, which will improve adhesion to the mortar.

Instructions for will not seem complicated to you:

• The form is wetted and sprinkled with dust or fine sand. This is necessary so that the clay separates more easily after molding.
• Clay is packed into the mold as tightly as possible, with a slight excess.
• The top of the mold is rolled several times with a regular rolling pin. If necessary, clay is added, filling all cavities.
• Then the form is turned over, and the formed brick is carefully laid out on a flat surface to dry. The place should be protected from precipitation and direct sunlight. Drying time is about two weeks.

In the photo - raw brick and molds for its manufacture.

fired brick

How to make a brick at home if it requires greater strength and resistance to moisture?

Everything is simple. High-quality building brick differs from raw brick in that it has been fired.

The temperature at which clay is sintered is about 1000 degrees. Of course, a tunnel oven for home construction will be some kind of overkill: its cost will many times exceed the construction budget. What equipment for the production of bricks at home can you make yourself?

Method 1

1. A hole is dug in the ground about half a meter deep.
2. Above it, a barrel with a cut bottom is installed on legs 20 cm high.
3. Holes are drilled in the walls through which reinforcement is threaded.
4. Molded and dried brick is laid out on it.
5. The barrel is covered with a steel sheet.
6. A fire is lit in the pit.

The temperature regime should be as follows:

• Within 6-8 hours, the remaining moisture is evaporated. Temperature - 150-200C.
• The firing itself lasts 12-16 hours and takes place at a temperature 800-1000C.
• Then, over 2-4 hours, the temperature slowly decreases. up to 500-600C. Slow cooling will prevent the brick from cracking.

The intensity of heating is regulated by the amount of firewood or coal.

Method 2

If it is required to produce red brick at home in large quantities, it is easier to fold the raw brick in the form of a kiln tapering upwards and fill it with soil or sand for thermal insulation. Then a fire is built inside. The temperature regime is the same.

Pressed brick

The pressing method can only be called artisanal in part: it requires relatively sophisticated equipment. The press for the production of bricks at home can be manual or electric. The price of a finished machine with manual pressing is from 20 thousand rubles.

The composition of the raw materials used for pressing is somewhat more complicated than in previous cases. The mixture consists of sand, clay and cement; instead of sand, screenings can be used - small gravel with a fraction size of up to 5 millimeters, a battle of shell rock or brick.

The scheme of work is as follows:

• Raw materials are poured into the bunker;
• A mechanical dispenser measures the required amount of the mixture and moves it into the mold;
• Then, an electromechanical or manual press presses the lid into the mold - and the output is a brick, which, after drying, will have sufficient strength for construction.

Useful: how to make a decorative brick at home? It's the pressing method. Products with ideal angles and edges come out of the mold; by combining shapes, they can be given an arbitrary surface, and mineral dyes will allow you to change the color.