Do-it-yourself brick laying: types and techniques of masonry. Do-it-yourself bricklaying: step by step instructions How to lay ceramic bricks

This is a laborious and complex process, on which the strength of the entire structure depends entirely. If the technology is violated, then cracks may appear in a self-built structure, or it may completely collapse. It is also important to observe accuracy and accuracy in the process of laying the facing material, as it is the finishing coat and the face of the whole house.

You will need the following tools:

• a container for mixing the solution and a bucket;
• shovel;
• trowel (trowel);
• pick-hammer;
• cord (to define the border);
• stitching;
• building level and plumb;
• order;
• templates.

Before you start laying bricks on your own, you need to properly prepare the foundation of the building. The surface on which walls or other structures will be erected must be thoroughly cleaned of debris and dirt. The building level checks evenness, since if it has deviations, then the walls will be sloped.

Before laying the basement on a foundation or other structure, it is necessary to cover it with a waterproofing layer. The upper part is covered with two layers of roofing material. The second roll is rolled out over the first one with an overlap of at least 10-15 cm. It is glued either with a special mixture or by heating. Waterproofing will protect against moisture that can move from the foundation.

The next step is laying the first row without mortar. Walls look best if they are built entirely from solid blocks, without cut-outs (halves or quarters). First they are placed with a standard joint width of 10 mm. To make it the same everywhere, a metal template is used. If, after laying out at the edge of the row, a brick protrudes or is missing, then either increase the width of the seam or reduce it (but not more than 2 mm for both cases). Since the maximum seam width according to building codes is 12 mm. If you still need to add the cut off part, then you need to immediately decide on the place of its installation. If the laying is carried out above the plinth, then it can partially protrude above it, since the plinth will later be plastered.

After everything is laid out and the desired width of the seams is determined, marks must be made on the foundation or plinth indicating the location of the vertical seams. Start laying out the first row should be from the same material that was used for dry laying, as some of them may have an error in size.

Solution mixing technology

The most commonly used cement-sand composition. You should not make too much of the mixture, as it hardens within two to three hours. Before laying, a full-bodied red brick can be moistened with water, then it will not draw water out of the solution, and the seam will turn out to be more durable.

For cooking on your own, you will need 1 part cement and 4 parts sand, as well as liquid dishwashing detergent. It will make it more flexible. Cement and sand are poured into a mixing container and mixed thoroughly. The mixture should become homogeneous and without lumps. After that, water is added to it in such an amount that the consistency of the solution is similar to thick sour cream. At the same time, dishwashing liquid or liquid soap diluted in water is poured in.

Instructions, methods and schemes

The most common masonry methods are vprisyk and vprizhim. In the first case, the cement-sand mortar is not applied to the very edge on the outside of the brick, but an indent of 2-3 cm is left. Due to this, the mixture will not come out after pressing. When placing a spoon row, the technology is as follows: the block is held at an angle and the composition is raked in with the bonder part at a distance of 8-12 cm from the previously installed one. The layout of the bonding part is exactly the same.

A row is called a spoon if the material is placed along the foundation, a bonder if it is across. To lay a brick according to the clamping method, a cement-sand mortar is applied to the surface in such an amount that 5 bonders or 3 spoons can be installed. At a distance of 1-1.5 cm from the outer edge, it is not necessary to put the mixture according to this scheme. Then the seam will be neat and beautiful after grouting.

Clamp method:

• A trowel is applied and leveled with a cement-sand mortar.
• Part of the mixture is raked with a trowel to the end of an already installed simple or facing brick.
• The next one is installed and pressed against the trowel.
• The trowel is pulled out and the block moves up.
• Excess is removed.

The laying of facing bricks or simple ones must be started from the corners, as they will be used as landmarks. To do this, a cord is pulled between adjacent corners. It must be placed horizontally. After that, a solution is applied to the surface of the foundation. It is smoothed to a thickness of 2-2.5 cm, so that after laying it becomes 1.2 cm. The entire area should not be covered with the mixture at once, but only for two blocks placed by the spoon method, or four for the tying row.

To make the seam exactly this thickness, a special metal template for the solution is used, its diameter is 12 mm. The template is laid along the edge of the foundation from the outside. After the cement-sand mixture is smoothed, a brick is laid and lightly pressed down. The evenness of its installation is checked, and if it lies unevenly, then it is leveled by tapping with a pick-hammer.

The laid out rows must be checked for verticality, for this plumb lines are used. Ordering is used to control the horizontal level. The rail with marks is fixed with brackets. The distance between the divisions should be equal to the thickness of the block along with the seam. In order for convenience, you can make holes and stretch the cord through them. With it, it will be much easier to monitor the horizontal level of the brickwork.

Suture dressing guide

In order for the wall to be strong and the load distributed evenly over it, it is necessary to ensure the dressing of the seams. To do this, the next row is placed with an offset of half or one third from the brick. Adjacent rows (top or bottom) should not have vertical seams. To bandage parallel rows, it is necessary to start laying every 3-5 row with the poking method, and not with the spoon method. In this case, the seams should not coincide with the bottom row.

There are also many other dressing patterns with different masonry technologies and patterns. The most common are single and multi-row. The first category includes such dressing systems as Dutch, chain, cross. Their instructions are the same, the difference is only in the tychkovy and spoon laying. For bonded rows, a whole brick is used, and for spoon rows, half. With multi-row laying, alternation occurs, for example, in a three-row laying, one bonder is placed every 3 spoons.

The nuances of laying facing bricks

The main difference between a facing block and a conventional block is its decorative characteristics. It is used as a finishing coat. Therefore, it is extremely important to immediately correctly and accurately lay it. Just as for the usual one, it is necessary to lay the first row of facing material dry and determine the places where the segments will be. For sawing, a grinder with a stone disc is used.

Management:

• From one corner to the second, one row completely lies down.
• Then they begin to form corners, laying 5-6 rows.
• To ensure that the seams are even and the cement-sand mixture does not fall on the building material, a metal template is used.
• As soon as the corners are formed, a cord is stretched between them so that the next rows are even.
• To ensure that the vertical seams are also even, use a metal template with a shorter length.
• Each next row is placed offset so that the vertical seams do not match.
• If the mixture gets on the outer decorative side, then it is immediately removed, since after drying it is much more difficult to remove the solution.
• In order for the do-it-yourself brickwork to be durable, it must be connected to the main wall. For this, metal ties are used, for example, spiral nails. There must be at least 4 pieces per 1 m2. The nails are screwed into the main wall so that they are in the seams between the bricks.

Beginner mistakes

Due to non-compliance with the requirements and rules of construction, emergency situations often occur. Cracks appear in the walls, in some places the building material begins to fall off altogether. If laying is carried out without the use of templates, plumb lines and building levels, then the likelihood that it will be uneven is extremely high. Finishing such a wall with a finish coating will be difficult and will require increased costs.

• Many novice builders lay brick without measuring the thickness of the joint, or do not use mortar for vertical joints at all. Walls laid according to this principle will not retain heat well in the house, since the vertical seams will be blown through.
• Do not lay brick at an angle. It should only lie in a horizontal position. Inexperienced builders often do not follow the location of the vertical seams, as a result, they begin to coincide, and this leads to fragility of the structure, which can cause it to collapse.
• Another common mistake is poorly filled seams. By imposing a solution, builders do not calculate its rate or save too much. A house built with your own hands in this way will have reduced thermal insulation characteristics.
• When laying the facing material, you need to carefully monitor its cleanliness, since the whole appearance of the house depends on the accuracy.

Do-it-yourself bricklaying is quite possible even for inexperienced builders. If it is necessary to strengthen the structure, then use a reinforced mesh. It is placed every 4-5 rows.

The brick is made in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped with the following dimensions:

The brick has 6 surfaces: 2 poke, 2 spoon and 2 beds.

Designation of brickwork elements

To make this article more informative for you, you need to understand the simple terms inherent in brickwork, the definition of which is presented below.

Brick laying is carried out in horizontal rows. Bricks are laid on the mortar with a wide edge - a bed (there are ways to lay on spoons).

Horizontal seam- a seam between adjacent horizontal rows.

vertical seam- a seam separating the side faces of adjoining bricks. There are transverse and longitudinal.

Inner verst- a row of brickwork that goes to the inner surface.

Front or outer verst- a row of masonry that goes to the outer (facade) side.

Zabutka- rows located between the inner and outer versts.

Spoon row- a row of bricks, which are laid with spoons to the surface of the wall, i.e. long edges.

Tychkovy row- a row of bricks, which are laid with pokes to the surface of the wall, i.e. short edges.

Suture dressing system- a certain order of alternation of spoon and tychkovy rows.

Spoon masonry- masonry, in which the brick is laid with a spoon outward in relation to the front surface of the wall.

bonded masonry- masonry, in which the brick is placed with a poke outward in relation to the front side of the wall.

The width of the brickwork must be a multiple of an odd or even number of halves (1/2) of the brick.

Thickness of brickwork

Depending on climatic conditions, the purpose of the structure and design loads, brickwork can be of the following thickness:

Masonry thickness = total thickness of bricks in masonry + mortar thickness between bricks. An example of laying in 2 bricks: 250 mm + 10mm + 250mm = 510mm

The width of the vertical joint in brickwork when planning dimensions is considered to be 10 mm, but in practice this number varies from 8 to 12 mm.

Masonry in a quarter brick (1/4) - 65 mm

Half-brick laying (1/2) - 120 mm

Masonry in one brick - 250mm

Laying in one and a half bricks (1.5) - 380mm (250 + 10 + 120mm)

Masonry in two bricks - 510 mm (250+10+250mm)

Masonry in two and a half bricks (2.5) - 640 mm (250 + 10 + 250 + 10 + 120mm)

In construction, they are most often used:

1. single (ordinary, standard) brick, which has a height of 65 mm;
2. thickened brick with a height of 88 mm.

The height of the horizontal seam in brickwork when planning the dimensions of the building is considered to be 12 mm, but in practice this number varies from 10 to 15 mm.

When electrical heating of brickwork or its reinforcement, electrodes or a metal mesh are placed in horizontal seams, respectively. In this case, the size of the seam should not be less than 12 mm.

Knowing from which brick (single or thickened) the structure is planned to be erected, you can easily calculate the height of the future structure:

Number of rows of masonry	Structure height, mm
	single brick	thickened brick
1 row (height of 1 brick + height of 1 horizontal seam)	77 (65+12)	100 (88+12)
2 rows (height 2 bricks + height of 2 horizontal seams)	154 (65+12+65+12)	200 (88+12+88+12)
3 rows (height 3 bricks + height of 3 horizontal seams)	231 (65+12+65+12+65+12)	300 (88+12+88+12+88+12)
4 rows (height 4 bricks + height 4 horizontal seams)	308	400
5 rows (height 5 bricks + height 5 horizontal seams)	385	500
6 rows (height 6 bricks + height 6 horizontal seams)	462 and further through 77 mm	600 and further through 100 mm

Height of 10 rows of thickened bricks = Height of 13 rows of single bricks = 1000 mm

In order not to calculate and bring the sketch dimensions to the constructive ones each time, the designer uses the brickwork size table. www.site

dressing systems

In order to combine rows of brickwork into a single solid monolithic structure, seam dressing systems are used. For theory, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the basic rules of brickwork.

There are ligation of the following vertical seams:

• transverse,
• longitudinal.

The strength and reliability of brickwork largely depends on the quality of the dressing of vertical longitudinal and transverse seams.

Ligation of vertical longitudinal seams is carried out by laying bonded rows and helps to avoid longitudinal destruction of the masonry.

Ligation of vertical transverse seams is performed by alternating spoon and bond rows, and in adjacent rows it is necessary to shift the bricks by a quarter or half. This dressing provides: uniform distribution of the load on the nearest sections of the masonry and the longitudinal interconnection of adjacent bricks, which in turn gives the brickwork solidity and strength with uneven temperature deformations and precipitation.

Suture dressing systems

In construction, the following joint dressing systems are most often used:

• single row or chain;
• multi-row;
• three-row.

Single row system (chain)

Single-row dressing of seams is performed by successive alternation of bonder and spoon rows in compliance with the following rules:

1. The first (lower) and last (upper) rows are laid with pokes.
2. Longitudinal seams in adjacent rows are shifted by 1/2 (half a brick) relative to each other, transverse - by 1/4 (a quarter of a brick).
3. The bricks of the overlying row must necessarily overlap the vertical seams of the underlying row.

With a single-row dressing during the laying process, a large number of incomplete bricks (most often 3/4) will be needed, the cutting of which will entail not only labor costs, but also serious loss of bricks, which will ultimately lead to significant financial investments.

It must be remembered that the chain dressing system is the most labor-intensive, but despite this, it is also more durable and reliable.

Multi-row system

Multi-row ligation of seams is a brickwork laid out in spoon rows, which are tied up in height every 5-6 rows with one tying row. With this dressing system, the following rules must be observed:

1. The first one, which is the bottom row, is placed with pokes.
2. Second row - spoons.
3. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth - with spoons with dressing of seams in 1/2 (half a brick). Do this regardless of the thickness of the wall.
4. Along the width of the wall, the vertical longitudinal seams of the masonry of five rows do not need to be bandaged.
5. The pokes of the seventh row overlap the seams of the sixth spoon row by 1/4 (a quarter of a brick).

Advantages of the multi-row dressing system:

• there is no need for a large number of incomplete bricks;
• most productive;
• allows the use of brick halves for masonry;
• improves the thermal performance of the masonry (this occurs due to increased thermal resistance, located along the path of the heat flow, not bandaged longitudinal seams of five rows).

Flaws:

• the third rule for cutting brickwork is not fully observed;
• strength is less than with single-row dressing;
• cannot be used when laying brick pillars due to incomplete dressing of longitudinal seams.

Three row system

The three-row joint dressing system is used for brickwork of narrow walls and pillars, the width of which does not exceed 1 m.

The main types of suture dressing

Masonry in 1 brick (cross) - option 1

View from the facade	Ligation of sutures

Masonry in 1 brick (cross) - option 2

View from the facade	Ligation of sutures
View from the facade. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry	Inside view. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry

Masonry in 1 brick multi-row

Masonry in 1.5 bricks option 1

View from the facade	Ligation of sutures
View from the facade. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry	Inside view. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry

Masonry in 1.5 bricks. Option 2

View from the facade	Ligation of sutures
View from the facade. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry	Inside view. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry

Masonry in 2 bricks

View from the facade	Ligation of sutures
View from the facade. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry	Inside view. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry

Masonry in 2.5 bricks

View from the facade	Ligation of sutures
View from the facade. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry	Inside view. Dressing 2 and 3 rows of masonry

Masonry methods

Inner and outer versts are laid in the following ways:

1. butt,
2. end-to-end with cutting solution,
3. hold on.

Zabutka is put in a way in a semi-prisy.

The choice of a particular method depends on:

• season,
• requirements for the cleanliness of the outer surface of the masonry,
• the condition of the brick itself (wet or dry),
• plasticity of the solution.

Masonry technology

Before you start the brickwork on the basement, it is necessary to carry out insulation. To do this, a layer of roofing material or other insulating material is laid around the perimeter of the masonry under the brick.

With the help of a level, several rows of bricks are laid at the corners of the basement. Orders are attached to the corners with brackets. The distance between the divisions in the order is 77 mm (65 mm single brick height + 12 mm mortar height). According to the established orders, mooring cords are pulled, which help to maintain the straightness and horizontality of the erected rows of brickwork. It is advisable to place the cord every 5 m to prevent it from sagging (if the mooring is stretched over 10 m, then after 5 m a beacon is made in the form of bricks to tension the cord). The mooring cord for the outer wall is fastened in order, and for the inner wall with brackets.

On a brick, using a trowel, put a solution, a thickness of 30 mm and an indent from the outer part of the wall - 20 mm. The first row of brickwork is bonded. The brick is laid in the "press" or "butt" method.

Butt method

Using the “butt-on” method, the brick is laid on a plastic mortar (cone draft 12-13 cm).

The sequence of actions when laying bricks "back to back":

1. At first:
   • take a brick in hand and tilt it a little,
   • they rake with a face (with a spoon - for the poke row, with a poke - for the spoon row) onto a brick with a little spread mortar,
   • move the brick with the raked mortar to the brick that was laid earlier.
2. Then the brick is deposited on the mortar.

Clamp method

Using the “press” method, the brick is laid on a hard mortar (cone draft 7 ... 9 cm) with mandatory jointing and complete filling of the seams.

The sequence of actions when laying bricks "press":

1. To the vertical edge of the previously laid brick with a trowel, they rake up and press part of the mortar.
2. Then a new brick is laid, be sure to press it against the trowel.
3. With a sharp upward movement, the trowel is taken out.
4. Planting a brick.

Stitching

To obtain sufficient compaction of the mortar in the seams, as well as to give the brickwork a clear pattern on the outside, jointing is used. In this case, bricklaying is performed with mortar trimming. When stitching, the seams are given the following forms:

• triangular
• concave
• convex
• rectangular
• rounded.

So, for example, to obtain convex seams, concave-shaped jointing is used.

To obtain better seams and reduce labor costs, the seams of brickwork are embroidered until the mortar sets, observing the following sequence:

1. with a brush or rag, wipe the surface of the brickwork from mortar splashes adhering to it;
2. embroider vertical seams (3-4 spoons or 6-8 poke);
3. embroider horizontal seams.

If in the future you plan to plaster the walls, then the laying of bricks must be done in a waste, i.e. do not bring the mortar up to 10-15 mm to the wall surface. This method will allow the plaster to be firmly fixed on the wall surface. © www.site

Undercut	wasteland
Convex seam	concave seam
Single seam	Double seam

Masonry reinforcement

Find out which laying methods exist and what tools used in brickwork.

The most reliable and high-quality material for walls is brick. standard brick size- 250x120x65 mm. All other dimensions are derived from the standard: 250x120x88 mm, 250x120x140 mm, etc.

According to the material, brick happens ceramic(reddish) and silicate(white).

By weight, bricks are divided into corpulent And hollow. Hollow (lightweight) bricks greatly lighten the weight of brickwork, thereby reducing the load on the foundation. In addition to reducing weight, hollow bricks reduce the thermal conductivity of the wall, and, accordingly, the thickness of the wall is less.

The size of the bricks are in the form ceramic blocks, which significantly exceed the size of a standard brick (250x120x65 mm). Which in turn can significantly reduce the time of construction of brickwork.

There are many types of bricks on the market today, and which one to choose is up to you.

Masonry Tools

To build brick walls, you will need the following tools:

1. - for applying and leveling the mortar on brickwork;

2. - for splitting bricks to the desired size;

3. - for decorative processing of masonry seams;

4. - controls the thickness of the joints and the height of the masonry;

5. Strong cord (fishing line)- stretched between the corners, serves as a guide when leveling the brick;

6. - controls the verticality of the masonry;

7. Level- controls the horizontal laying;

8., or a puncher with a mixer - for mixing the solution;

9. - controls the horizontal position of the clack at large distances.

Preparatory work

So, before erecting brick walls, it is necessary to calculate in advance the necessary number of bricks and purchase them on the market with a margin, in case of defective bricks, unforeseen expenses and incorrect calculations.

To find out how many bricks you need, you need to calculate the thickness of the wall of the future house. To do this, take the help of experts in this field.

Before starting work on brickwork, it is necessary lay roofing material on top of the foundation. This roofing material will serve as a waterproofing between the foundation and the brickwork.

In order not to constantly run after new bricks, lay out the required number of bricks in the course of your progress.

Masonry mortar should be prepared with a ratio of 1:4, i.e. four parts sand and one part cement. Sand for mortar should be sifted so that no large particles or stones come across during masonry. You can pre-mix sand and cement in large quantities without adding water. Then, if necessary, you can pour water into such a mixture and knead the solution of the desired density.

Types of brickwork

According to the ligation system, the following types of brickwork are distinguished:

1. Single row- when tychkovy and spoon rows alternate one after another;

2. Multi-row- this is when one tychkovy row alternates with five or six spoon rows. In this case, the first row should be tychkovy, and the next six rows should be spoon. The spoon row is tied next next to the half-brick offset;

3. Three-row- This is a kind of multi-row dressing of seams, when three spoon rows go in a row, and then one tychkovy. Spoon rows should go with bandaging of seams in half a brick.

By filling brickwork happens:

1. Solid- a brick is used to fill the backfill;

2. Lightweight- a heater is used to fill the backfill.

The thickness of the wall brickwork is:

1. Half a brick- 120 mm;

2. Brick- 250 mm;

3. One and a half bricks- 380 mm;

4. two bricks- 510 mm;

5. Two and a half bricks- 640 mm.

Wall brickwork technology

The construction of brick walls begins with the construction of the corners of future walls.

First you need to mark the outer border of the walls and draw all the corners. To do this, you can make U-shaped structures at each corner of the foundation (two pegs driven into the ground with a horizontal bar). Such designs have already been described in the article " Do-it-yourself strip foundation".

A strong cord is pulled between the U-shaped structures, which will mark the outer border of the outer verst of the masonry. The most important thing here is to bring all the diagonals to the same size so that the corners are absolutely straight.

Lay out along the stretched cords outer verst angle, raising it by 4-5 bricks. The most important thing here is to lay out bricks with the same thickness of the horizontal seam of 12 mm. Ordering will help you with this matter.

It is a wooden block with divisions marked with a marker, indicating the thickness of the seam and the thickness of the brick. If you use an ordinary brick with a thickness of 65 mm, then, accordingly, the divisions are applied through 77 mm (65 + 12 = 77 mm). If you use a thickened brick with a thickness of 88 mm, then the divisions are applied every 100 mm. The ordering is fixed with 6x60 dowels driven into the seams of the brickwork. In addition to a wooden bar, you can use a metal profile.

A layer of mortar 20 mm thick is laid out and leveled with a trowel on a layer of roofing material. The first brick is laid on an even layer of mortar and, using a level and a hammer, the brick is leveled until a horizontal level is reached. Before laying the next brick, mortar is applied to the side of the previous brick, and then the next brick is already laid. The width of the seam between the bricks should be 10 mm. The mortar that has come out of the horizontal and vertical joints is removed with a trowel and the side face of the laid brick is applied.

All vertical seams are covered with overlying bricks, thus achieving the strength of the brickwork.

Every 5-6 rows, brickwork must be reinforce. To do this, a reinforcing mesh with a rod diameter of 5-8 mm is laid along the entire row, a layer of mortar is lined and the next row of bricks is laid.

After laying out the first corner, you need to lay out the remaining corners so that they are all at the same height. The hydraulic level will help you with this.

It consists of two flasks connected by a flexible tube. Water is poured into the hydraulic level so that its level is visible in two flasks at the same time. The tube at the hydraulic level can be of any length, thanks to which it is possible to control the horizontal level at a distance of up to 20 m.

Having laid out all the corners of the outer verst, you can start laying bricks around the perimeter. To do this, you need to stretch the line between two corners at the level of the top of the first row of bricks, pressing the line with a brick (as shown in the picture).

Having laid out 1-2 rows of masonry of the outer verst, you need to lay out in the same way inner verst. Then the space between versts is filled with bricks or insulation. This space is called backfill.

Don't forget after each row embroider horizontal and vertical seams. If you are going to plaster a wall, then you do not need to embroider the seams, it is enough just not to fill the seams by 1 cm for better adhesion of the plaster to the brick.

The second option, if you are going to leave the brickwork as a decorative component of your home, then you need to process all the seams embroidery. The seam can be made convex or concave, it can be made in the form of a trapezoid, it all depends on your desire. But in this case, the brickwork should be done almost perfectly. All seams must be even and equal in width, bricks must not have chips, cracks or other defects. And for such masonry, a facing brick is required. I would not recommend doing facing masonry without experience in simple brickwork.

And the third option, if you are going to decorate the walls on the outside, for example, with siding, and inside with drywall, then the seams are aligned flush with the brickwork in order to save time when erecting the brickwork.

Do not forget that in addition to the outer walls there are also internal partitions, which are made half a brick thick (120 mm). For a strong connection of partitions with the main wall, it is necessary to produce bricks from the outer wall by 120 mm every 4-5 rows.

Installed over door and window openings reinforced concrete lintel. It can be ordered from the factory, but in this case, a crane is required to install it. If you do not have a crane, then the jumper is poured directly above the opening, while you need to make formwork and lay the reinforcing cage.

When laying window and door openings, be sure to do quarters top and sides. The quarters from the sides represent an outer verst of masonry extended by 120 mm into the opening. A quarter from the top of the opening is made by stepwise pouring of a reinforced concrete lintel, or ready-made factory lintels located at different levels.

In places where slabs, edged walls, cornices are supported, rows of brickwork are laid poke.

Unfinished brickwork follows cover with foil for rain protection. In the event that raindrops fall on the brickwork, the formation of efflorescence on it in the future is very large.

Subject to the above brick wall technology, you can build a country house or cottage for yourself.

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Brick houses are still popular due to their reliability and durability. And, although often the construction and laying of walls is entrusted to specialists, it is not difficult on your own.

Varieties of brickwork

Brickwork is not only distinguished by its strength and quality. Through this material, you can create a large number of drawings.

However, the complexity of the pattern suggests greater skill in doing the work. Consider the most common masonry options:

Do-it-yourself chain laying of bricks involves a constant series of bonder and spoon rows. Mandatory condition: the joints must match vertically.

The cross is distinguished by the dressing of the spoon masonry with horizontal seams.

Dutch masonry includes a combination of bonded and combined rows. The last of them is formed by horizontal alternation of bricks, set in a bond and spoon method.

Gothic masonry is based on mixing the basic principles of masonry.

To obtain masonry in the English style, one brick must be laid with dressing in two. Another condition is the alternation of tychkovy and two spoon rows.

Well masonry is considered the simplest and most rational. It is formed by erecting two walls in half brick and connecting them with a bridge vertically or horizontally.

For the result to be appropriate, it is worth choosing a brick laying template and following it.

How to determine the correct laying of bricks

For beginner bricklayers, laying bricks in a line at a uniform level and getting right angles are common difficulties. For the process to proceed correctly, the following must be observed:

• The first row requires special attention. They are placed at a distance of three mm. The evenness of the row is checked using a special tool.
• It is necessary to lay a brick exactly both horizontally and vertically.

Equipment

Each master has and uses the following devices for laying bricks:

• To align the products, a pickaxe hammer and a grinder are used.
• To check the evenness of the wall, the master uses a plumb line, level and tape measure.
• Trowels are used not only for applying mortar, but also for pre-fitting bricks.
• When making a corner in brickwork, rowing is necessary.
• Safety is ensured by special measures in the form of glasses.
• Since the work will require a solution, you need a container.

Solution preparation

Mixing the solution is an important part of the job. It consists of sand, cement and water. For greater plasticity, laundry powder or clay is added to it.

The laying of hollow bricks using this mortar is prohibited, because in this way their hermetic properties are violated.

To work in a small team, it will be useful to purchase a concrete mixer and buy 300 or 400 grades of cement.

Corner stacking

When choosing where to start laying bricks, pay attention to the corners. Experienced craftsmen usually bring out the corners above half the wall before working on the flat sections of the wall. This is not surprising, since half of the correctness of the design depends on the evenness of the corners.

Note!

The perimeter of the future house is determined using a tightly stretched cord. For the evenness of the angle, novice masons use ordering. It helps to fix and correctly lay the first bricks.

Experienced craftsmen can do without this tool, relying on experience. To regulate the vertical, a plumb line or level is used.

Making seams

Since each row of brickwork is interspersed with mortar, you need to know the basic principles of working with it:

When choosing an empty space, the solution should not only not be outside the wall, but also leave gaps, which will then be plastered.

Convex seams are classified as decorative. They are performed using a special tool. From improvised materials, you can use a pipe cut along.

Note!

A concave seam is not considered difficult to perform. It requires a stick or a tube.

Smooth seams are considered the most optimal, since after them it is not necessary to further level the surface. They are often used in the manufacture of chimneys and fireplaces.

Main masonry

Immediately after the removed corners, you can start laying the wall. The corners will rise with the erection of the walls. But it is important that the cord does not sag. The brick is laid tightly to the corner on the mortar applied earlier with a gap of 3 mm.

If there is a need to cut bricks, it makes sense to use a grinder. In the absence of this tool, this work can be done with a pickaxe.

To ensure the density of the masonry mortar, they take a little more than necessary, and each brick is carefully pressed down. What came out must be assembled with a trowel. Don't be discouraged if you don't get what you want right away. Sometimes it takes practice to get the job done right.

Note!

To make sure that the result obtained is correct, pay attention to the photo of the brickwork.

Strengthening masonry

Such work is necessary for those who wish to extend the life of an old house instead of building a new one. Whatever the do-it-yourself bricklaying scheme, before starting this work, it is necessary to check the reliability of the foundation. If there are cracks
or breaks, your structure will not last long.

After you are convinced of the reliability of the base, it makes sense to strengthen the wall with reinforcement and wire plaster. Other tools necessary for this work include a chain-link mesh, a special solution for plastering walls, trowels, nails and wire.

wall reinforcement technology

The first stage of work is to clean the wall. Then it is necessary to clean the seams and hammer nails with a distance of no more than 100 mm so that the height of the cap is 20 mm higher than the wall level.

Now you need to put the chain-link mesh on the prepared nails as firmly as possible. Instead of such a mesh, you can use ordinary wire. Only when forming cells should you pay special attention to the corners, avoiding holes in these places.

The next step is to plaster the wall. The composition necessarily includes cement and sand in a ratio of 1:3 or 1:4, as well as polymers to increase viscosity and plasticity.

For the basement of the wall, a cement-lime mixture, which is water resistant, can be used. To avoid lumps, the components of the composition must be sieved. The layer of plaster should be such that it covers the frame.

Conclusion

If you first decided to master the profession of a bricklayer, do not rush into the process of doing the work. Prepare materials and tools carefully.

Make a plan and calculate the number of bricks. And if you have decided on the masonry method and theoretically imagined the final result, you can begin the process.

DIY brick laying photo

Brick construction has existed for more than one century, but when taking on the construction of a house for the first time, it is important to understand and know all the possibilities of laying out. Due to the availability of available video materials, even a beginner will be able to quickly master the necessary concepts, terms and understand the technological subtleties and secrets. Basic concepts, masonry technique, choice of dressing type - all this knowledge is needed if you have to lay bricks with your own hands.

Basic terms

The large side of the bar is called a pastel, the middle side is a spoon, the smallest is a poke. Dimensional gradations of bricks are standard: single 250*125*65 mm, one and a half 250*125*88 mm. As can be seen from the dimensions, the bars vary in thickness, so it is important to decide on the type of building material before starting work. At the same time, it is important to take into account that different manufacturers often offer goods with a gradation tolerance of 2-5 mm, and this is a significant difference for laying out wall panels. Therefore, before ordering a batch, it makes sense to measure several samples in order to understand what the brickwork will be like, which depends on strict adherence to product manufacturing technology.

Important! A stable geometric shape is a must: all corners of the bar should be located only at 90 degrees. Otherwise, laying the bricks will require more labor to minimize bursting loads and prevent collapse of the wall panel.

Types of masonry

Depending on the purpose, wall panels can perform a different role: finishing, load-bearing, partitions. Based on these parameters, the requirements of thermal conductivity and load capacity, schemes for laying brick structures are selected:

1. B 0.5 is a facing option with a wall thickness of 125 mm. In order to save a little material, it is allowed to supply the element on spoons to make a 1/4 wall, but a reinforcing mesh is required for every 4-5 row.
2. In 1 brick, load-bearing wall panels or partitions are made. The wall thickness is 250 mm, which is indicated for small objects, private housing construction.
3. At 1.5; 2; 2.5 bricks are load-bearing wall panels that are suitable for both private and multi-storey construction.

What is dressing, the names of the rows

Brickwork consists of separate elements, but must be a kind of monolith so that the building is used as long as possible. To increase the strength indicators, builders use seam displacement schemes - the elements are the weak point of the structure. This technique is called dressing, it provides a bunch of different rows and elements, redistributing the load on the surface of neighboring bars. Ensuring the displacement of the seam is achieved by a different arrangement of the brick:

1. If they are pushed to the front side with a poke, then the row has the name of a poke;
2. If turned to the pastel with a spoon, the row is spoon.

Important! Always 1 row on the foundation and the last row in the wall - bonder! It is made only from whole bricks.

Single-row dressing

This is one of the most practiced options. Using the alternating row technique always provides a good result. This type of ligation is called 1-row or chain ligation, and is indicated for use on walls not planned for final cladding. Masonry can be performed both on external and load-bearing types of walls. And how to do it, a single-row brick laying will show - a video from experts.

Advice! Professionals advise adopting the "principle of 5 bricks", that is, dressing with exactly 5 bars - this technology is simple, but at the same time it will significantly strengthen the wall panels.

Wall masonry schemes

If brickwork is carried out in 2 bars, then it is worth remembering two more definitions: both outer spoon rows have the name of a verst. Moreover, the outer verst looks outward, the inner - into the premises of the house. The space between the rows is called a backfill, and it can be filled with a low-quality bar or a used one, since this space is closed on all sides. To carry out the masonry, you will need to use a sawn bar: half and 3/4 of the bar are needed to fit the size range.

The angle pattern is important in this case. First, the corners are set, then the rope is pulled over them and the laying is carried out. To lay out a corner in one brick, first two bars are installed in 3/4, then whole bars. Exactly the same scheme when laying out 1.5 bricks, you will also need 2 bars of 3/4 size and bars of 1/4 size. The spoon row is performed alternately on the outer and inner mile. When arranging a wall in 2 bricks, for 1 row you will need all the same 2 pieces in 3/4 bars and 6 pieces in 1/4 bars, the second row is laid out with 1 bar in 3/4 and 2 bars in 1/4.

Multi-row dressing

There are several spoon rows here: 6 when building in 1 brick and 5 when building in 1.5 bars. They are interspersed with one butt row. The first and last rows are also placed with a poke. The option is suitable for laying out external, internal wall panels, which are planned for subsequent finishing or will be covered with insulation.

Wall masonry scheme

To ensure the solidity of the structure, the spoon rows are also tied up, but a crushed block of brick can be used to shift the seam. It all starts from the corners, but here if the wall is one bar, then the even and odd rows are the same, except for the first one. If the wall is 1.5 bars, then the 1-2 row goes tychkovy, alternately located in the outer and inner wall, 3-4 rows - spoon, 5 row as the third, 6 row as the fourth. You can sometimes make not a multi-row scheme of 5 bricks, but a three-row scheme, then the laying is repeated from the fifth row.

The junction of the walls is mandatory in order to increase the strength of the junction of the walls, which is achieved by the presence of a dressing. As you can see in the photo, and as the drawing shows, all the layout options are pretty clear. The main thing is not to make a mistake and lay out the first row with a poke, like the last one - this, unfortunately, is one of the common mistakes of novice masons.

Masonry mortar

The masonry mortar is made up of M400 cement, clean sand and water. The proportions of the batch are 1:4 or 1:5, if the M500 brand is taken. The kneading order does not change regardless of the use of manual or machine labor: cement is poured into the sifted sand, mixed, and only then water is added. The amount is not more than 0.6 parts, it all depends on the plasticity of the composition. It is easier to work with a softer mixture, it fills voids, but consumption increases, therefore it is more practical to work with a harder mixture, it is also indicated for the construction of walls from hollow bricks.

Advice! To improve the quality of the mixture, it is permissible to add lime, clay, soap detergent. The volume of additives should not exceed 0.1 parts.

Building brick laying technique

The mixed composition rises to the place of work, where it is distributed for one row: under the bonder width 200-220 mm, under the spoon 80-100 mm. In the case of filling the seam entirely, you need an indent from the edge of about 10-15 mm. The height of the applied solution is not more than 20-25 mm, it is necessary to level the mixture with a trowel.

There are two masonry techniques: pressing - it is used on a hard mortar, butting - if the mortar is plastic.

Back-to-back technique

The solution is laid out on the entire wall, thickness up to 20 mm, indent from the edge 20 mm. The edges of the seam may remain unfilled, so the technique is not used in earthquake-prone areas. To lay out the spoon row, the solution is raked up with a poke of a brick, when docking, the bar is pressed down a little, remove the excess mixture and send it to the bucket. The voids in the seams must be filled when laying out the mixture for the next row.

When laying out the bonded row, the composition is scooped up with a spoon edge, lay out the backfill in the same way as the bonded rows, press it with the palm of your hand and make sure that the ideal evenness of the stone laying is observed.

Technique "squeeze"

It is used in the case of a low-plastic solution. The mixture is laid out with a gap from the edge of 10 mm, the thickness of the calculation is 20 mm. The brick is pressed down to the required joint thickness of 10-12 mm. Collect excess mixture with a trowel, checking the evenness of the rows is required. The technique requires more labor, but it turns out to be more dense.

Jointing is performed after laying bricks for jointing. While the solution has not yet hardened, the seam is compacted, deepened by 2 mm or smoothed out. The procedure is carried out for wall structures that are not prepared for final finishing work or insulation cladding.

decorative masonry

Do-it-yourself facing brick laying for cornices requires the use of a full-bodied whole bar, and the protruding part should not be more than 1/3 of the total length. At the same time, you will have to think over the lining of all the decorations, in particular, if there are sandriks, then you will have to equip a common cornice and think over the angular moments. There are no special technological difficulties in laying out: all bricks are placed with their face outward so that the cladding looks aesthetically pleasing. Finishing is most often laid out for jointing, the process is described above. Applicable:

1. Cross layout in which 1 row is laid with a spoon, 2 - with a poke;
2. Brandenburg with 2 short and 1 long display edge;
3. Russian - in which spoons are alternately placed in each row - a poke;
4. Archaic with arbitrary layout.

There is also a "track", "checkerboard" and other technologies that are acceptable when working with finishing. A very good variation is obtained by laying out every 5 bricks with a poke. Not only a pattern is provided, but also a kind of dressing of rows, which implies an increase in the strength of the entire masonry.

How to lay fireclay bricks

A prerequisite is to ensure the evenness of the seams and the preliminary dry laying of refractory bricks. This will keep the rows even and fit the elements in shape. The technology is as follows: each stacked top row overlaps the gaps of the previous one. Proper jointing is required: a shallow seam will collect water and soot. Depending on the temperature regime, a joint width of 1, 2, 3, 4 mm is allowed. The higher the heat, the thinner the seam should be. Be sure to check the uniformity of the thickness of the solution and the evenness of the stacked rows.

Silicate brick masonry

The work requires the use of a low-plastic cement composition. The sticky technique is used, and the mortar must be laid with a thickness of 10 mm, leveled, removed with a trowel, and put a brick. Press the bar, it is even better to tap it with a mallet. The stitching is done immediately. The laying of silicate bricks will only be better if the bars are lowered into water for a couple of seconds before laying out, so the mixture will set faster and the mortar will dry evenly.

You can build your house out of bricks without even resorting to the services of specialists. If you look through all the diagrams, drawings and videos from professionals, all stages of work will become clear. Do not forget about the technology of 5 bricks - dressing performed by 5 bars, as well as other techniques and possibilities for erecting objects. And then a home made with your own hands will delight you with comfort and convenience.