STONE Stone
refers to natural rocks after their removal from
the earth crust. The
familiar stone types that used today are identified through four
categories for remodeling which are sedimentary, metamorphic, igneous
and man-made. Classification
depends on the process by which they
were produced within or on the earth's surface.
Sedimentary
rocks are produced by the weathering and erosion
of older rocks. In
the earliest geological time, these would have been the
original igneous rocks but subsequently other sedimentary and
metamorphic rocks too will have been reworked. Weathering
action by water, ice and wind breaks the rocks
down into small fragments which are then carried by rivers and sorted
into size and nature by further water action. Most
deposits are laid down in the oceans as sedimentary
beds of mud or sand, which build up in layers, becomes compressed and
eventually are cemented together by minerals.
They were bonded through millions of years of heat and pressure.
Sedimentaryrocks
For thousands of years, little pieces of our earth have been eroded, broken down and worn away by wind and water. These little bits of our earth are washed downstream where they settle to the bottom of the rivers, lakes, and oceans. Layer after layer of eroded earth is deposited on top of the other. These layers are pressed down more and more through time, until the bottom layers slowly turn into rock.
While
for the metamorphic stone, it is originates from a natural change
from one type of stone to another type through the mixture of heat,
minerals and pressure. The change may be development of a crystalline
formation, a texture change, or a colour change. Clay
is metamorphosed to slate, limestone to
marble and sandstone to quartzite.
metamorphic stone
Metamorphic
rocks are rocks that have "morphed" into another kind of
rock. These rocks were once igneous or sedimentary rocks. How do
sedimentary and igneous rocks change? The rocks are under tons and
tons of pressure, which fosters heat build up, and this causes them
to change. If you exam metamorphic rock samples closely, you'll
discover how flattened some of the grains in the rock are.
Igneous
rocks are the oldest, having been formed by the
solidification of the molten core of the earth or magma.
They
form about 95% of the earth crust which is up to 16km
thick. Igneous
stones are mainly formed through volcanic material such as magma.
Underneath the earth surface, liquid magma cooled and solidified.
Mineral gases and liquids penetrated into the stone and created new
crystalline formations with various colours. If
the magma stays underground, cools slowly and makes big crystals, it
is called intrusive igneous rock. Extrusive igneous rock is made when
magma comes to the Earth’s surface in the form of lava and then
cools and hardens. Since lava cools quicker, the crystals of
surface igneous rock are smaller.Solidification
slowly within the earth crust produces plutonic
rocks while solidification rapidly at the surface produces volcanic
rocks. Slow
cooling of plutonic rocks allowed large crystals to grow
which are characteristic of granites. Volcanic
rocks such as pumice (grey
volcanic rocks) basalt (dark volcanic rocks) are fine-grained and
individual crystals cannot be distinguished by the eye.
Igneous rocks
Igneous
rocks are called fire rocks and are formed either underground or
above ground. Underground, they are formed when the melted rock,
called magma, deep within the earth becomes trapped in small pockets.
As these pockets of magma cool slowly underground, the magma becomes
igneous rocks.
Igneous
rocks are also formed when volcanoes erupt, causing the magma to rise
above the earth's surface. When magma appears above the earth, it is
called lava. Igneous rocks are formed as the lava cools above ground.
The
last type of stone which familiar use nowadays is man-made stone.
Man-made stones are derived of unnatural mixtures such as resin or
cement with the additive of stone chips.
The
example of sedimentary stones is limestone, sandstone, and fossil
stone. Limestone mainly consists of
calcium carbonate,
either crystallised from solution as calcite or formed from
accumulations of fossilised shells deposited by various sea
organisms. There are various type of limestones
such as oolitic
limestone, organic limestone, crystallised limestone, dolomitic
limestone.
It does not show much graining or crystalline structure. It has a
smooth granular surface. Varies in hardness. Some dense limestone can
be polished. Common colours of limestone are black, gray, white,
yellow and brown. It is more likely to stain than marble. Limestone
is know to contain lime from sea water. Sandstone is a very durable
formation of quartz grains ( sand ). It usually formed in light brown
or red colours. Categorized by the most popular and stone bonding
agents such as
calcium
carbonate, silica, iron oxide and dolomite produce calcareous,
siliceous, ferruginous and dolomitic sandstones. Depending
upon the nature of the original sand
deposit, the sandstones may be fine or coarse in texture. Sandstones
are generally frost-resistant.
Fossil stone considered a limestone that contains natural fossil such
as sea shells and plants. It usually a cream or reddish colour.
Fossil stone is formed through the accumulation of calcite from hot
springs. It contains lots of holes that were formed from water
flowing through the stone. These holes are often filled with
synthetic resins or cement.
Marble,slate, quartzite are metamorphic stone. Marble
is metamorphosed limestone in which the calcium carbonate has
been recrystallised into a mosaic of approximately equal-sized
calcite crystals. It is a recrysrallized
limestone that formed when the limestone softened from heat and
pressure and crystallized into marble where mineral changes
occurred. Some limestones which can be polished are sold
as marble but true marble will not contain any fossilised
remains. Marble is attacked by acids. The
main consistency is calcium and dolomite. Ranges in many colours and
is usually heavily veined and shows lots of grains. The hardness rate
of marble is from 2.5 to 5 MOH scale. Marble is classified into three
categories: Dolomite ( if it has more than 40% magnesium carbonate),
Magnesian ( if it has between 5% and 40% magnesium carbonate) , and
Calcite ( if it has less than 5% magnesium carbonate ). Slate
is derived from fine-grained sand-free claysediments. Slate is
strong, acid- and frost-resistant, lasting up to 400 years as a
roofing material. Quartzite is also metamorphosed sandstone. The
grains of quartz are recrystallised into a matrix of quartz,
producing a durable and very hard wearing stone used mainly as a
flooring material.
Granite and basalt are igneous stone.
Granite primarily made of Quartz, Feldspar, and Potassium. Colours
of granite include grey, pink, black, blue, green, red, yellow,
brown and contain very little calcite. It
provides a heavy crystalline and granular appearance with mineral
grains. It is very hard material and easier to maintain than marble.
Because most of tvhe granites are hard and dense and thus
form highly durable building materials, virtually impermeable to
water, resistant to impact damage and stable within industrial
environments. Yet, it is still porous and
will stain. There are different types of granite depending on the
percentage mix quartz, mica and feldspar. Black granite is known as
an Anorthosite. It contains very little quartz and feldspar and also
has a different composition that true granite. Granite is
available for flooring and for hard landscaping including
pavings and kerbs. Polished granite is also used as a
kitchen countertop material due to its strength, durability and
high- quality finish. Basalt is a fine-grained stone nearly as
hard as granite. It can be melted at 2400o C
and cast into tile units which are deep steel grey in
colour. Annealing in a furnace produces a hard
virtually maintenance-free shiny textured surface.
Man
made stone
include Terrazzo, Agglomerate or Conglomerate and Cultured or Faux
Marble. Terrazzo is marble and granite
chips embedded in cement composition while Agglomerate or
Conglomerate is marble chips embedded in coloured resin composition.
Cultured or Faux Marble is a mix of resin that are painted or mixed
with a paint to look like marble which consider a man-made stone.
There are some main agencies which causes the deterioration of stone such as soluble salt action, atmospheric pollution, frost,corrosion of metal components, poor design or workmanship.
Soluble salt action
If moisture containing soluble salts evaporates from the surface of stonework, then the salts will be left either on the surface as white efflorescence or as crystals within the porous surface layer If the wetting and drying cycles continue, the crystalline material builds up within the pores to the point at which the pressure produced exceed the tensile strength of the stone, causing it to crumble. The more porous stones such as limestone and sandstone, are susceptible to soluble-salt action.
Atmospheric pollution
Stones based on calcium carbonate are particularly vulnerable to attack by acid atmospheric pollutants. Sulfur dioxide in the presence of water and oxygen from the air produces sulfuric acid which attacks calcium carbonate to produce calcium sulfate. Limestone and calcareous sandstones are vulnerable to attack.
Frost
Frost damage occurs in the parts of a building which become frozen when wet. Frost causes the separation of pieces of stone but it does not produce powder as in crystallisation attack. Generally, limestone is more vulnerable to frost damage than sandstones. Marble, slate and granite used in a building are normally unaffected by frost due to their low porosities.
Corrosion of metal components
Rainwater run-off from copper and its alloys can cause green colour staining on limestones. Iron & steel produce rust staining which is difficult to remove from porous stones. Considerable damage is caused by the expansion of iron and steel in stonework caused by corrosion. All new and replacement fixings should normally be manufactured from stainless steel or non-ferrous or non-ferrous metals.
Fire rarely causes the complete destruction of stonework. In the case of granite, marble and most sandstones, the surfaces may be blackened. Limestones are generally unaffected by fire, although the paler colours may turn permanently pink due to the oxidation of iron oxides within the stone.
Generally, large plants should be removed from old stonework. However, creeper and similar species are not considered harmful.
External granite, marble and slate claddings require regular washing with a mild detergent solution; in particular, highly polished external marble should be washed at least twice per year to prevent dulling of the surface. Limestone, which is not self-cleaned by rainwater, should be cleaned with a fine water spray and brushing, removing deposit from the surface. Sandstone is usually cleaned mechanically by abrasive blasting or chemical cleaning.
Stone is preserve by coatings such as silicone water repellents should only be applied to stonework following expert advice and testing. Silicone treatment may in certain cases cause a build-up of salt deposits behind the treated layer, eventually causing failure. Silicone treatment should not be applied to already decayed stone surfaces.
“Nothing remarkable about a brick,
is there? A brick is a brick so far as most people are concerned. Ans
it is not a very beautiful thing, is it? But what you can do with
it!'
-Frank Lloyd Wright
Brick is one of the oldest building
material in the world, the history of brick spans thousands of years.
Brick is describes as a molded, rectangular block of clay baked by
the sun or fired in a kiln until hard and used as a building and
paving material. It is easily molded and extremely durable due to
its' unique molecular quality of clay. According to BS3921, brick is
a walling unit designed to be laid in mortar not more than 337.5mm
long 225mm wide and 112.5mm high. Bricks is made by four materials:
burned or fired clay, calcium silicate, dense concrete, lightweight
concrete. The main use of bricks are as units in mortar to form walls
and piers.
Appearance
Bricks may vary in color between
batches and depends on mineral content and the presence of metallic
oxides. Integral color results directly from the characteristics of
the various clays; natural colors results of iron oxide, chalky
clays and others. Brick remain stable and color-fast and do not need
to be rendered or painted. The colour of brick also influenced by high temperature was during burning. Bricks are generally red, but an increase in temperature can change them to dark red, purple, brown or grey. Bricks containing silicate depend on the colourant used. The colour and place of manufacture is reflected in the brick names. Clay brickwork is most commonly used uncoated to display the richness and texture of the material.
Structural
Strength
Clay bricks may have strength up to
180N/mm².
The high compressive strength of clay bricks has been show from
single-storey house to massive public buildings and enormous bridges
and viaducts. Clay brickwork walls can support relatively high loads.
Clay brickwork is commonly in four-storey construction and it can act
as loadbearing wall for high rise building.
Type
Compressive strength, N/mm²
CLAY BRICKS
Clay bricks – range
Loadbearing common bricks
Engineering Class A
Engineering Class B
4-180
7-60
70.0
50.0
Approximate compressive strength ranges of bricks
Durability
Brick
is strong and long lasting. Many ancient building build by brick is
still standing such as The Great Wall of China. It will not rot,
dent, tear and no need painting, never eaten by termites and hence
have a low maintenance requirement. Other material, such as
artificial stucco, cost about the same as brick but less durable and
so it require greater maintenance and upkeep.
Thermal
Mass
A brick house can maintain a relatively
stable temperature for a long period, and remain cool in summer and
warm in the winter in a building. Thermal mass is a property that
enable heavy, dense material to absorb, store heat and then release
significant amount of heat. This delays and reduces heat transfer and
causes it energy efficient and can reduce the quantity of power
plants required.
Insulation
Clay brickwork, combined with internal
and external air films and a cavity, has moderate thermal resistance.
The thermal resistance of clay brick veneer or cavity walls can be
greatly enhanced by adding foil or bulk insulation. Wall insulation
should be appropriate detailing to avoid thermal transfers by
bridging through window openings or by convection through leakage.
Sound Insulation
Bricks provide
excellent sound insulation, particularly for low frequency noise.
Brick absorbs noise which gives an acoustic advantage over other
material. Well constructed brickwork offers insulation against
airborne sound n ratio to its density and thickness although this is
seriously reduced by bricklaying which leaves small even paths for
sound through a wall.
Fire Resistance
Brick
is an excellent medium for fire resistance. It does not burn when
exposed bushfire and can help protect the more combustible items
inside a building. The primary ingredient of brick, clay is a
non-combustible material which can be fired to around 20008F. Both
National Institute of Standards and Technology and BIA conducted
seperate fire tests and conclude that:
Nothing
outperforms good old-fashioned brick – even a hollow thinner brick
attains one hour
Today's
“advanced” materials – especially vinyl, engulfed by flames
within minutes.
Design
Of Clay Brickwork For Fire
Fire resistance period (minutes)
Required material thickness for insulation (mm)
Maximum slenderness for structural adequacy (mm)
30
60
25
60
90
22.5
90
110
21
120
130
20
180
160
18
240
180
17
Water
absorption
Bricks
resist the penetration of of water but they are not completely
waterproof Some moisture may even soak through the mortar joints.
Water absorption varies from 3%-30% .
Designation
Class
Minimum average strength, N/mm²
Maximum average water absorption after 5 h boiling (% by
weight)
Engineering bricks – BS 3921
A
B
70.0
50.0
4.5
7.0
Bricks for damp-proof courses - BS3921
DPC1
DPC2
5.0
5.0
4.5
7.0
All others - BS3921
5
No requirements
Strength
and water absorption requirements for clay bricks
Vermin
resistance
Clay
brickwork consists of dense inorganic materials that do not harbour
vermin, Termite resistance may be achieved in a variety of ways,
including proprietary termite barriers developed for use with clay
brickwork.
Environmental
impacts
Clay
brick manufacture uses energy but the investment of embodied energy
is repaid by the longevity of the material. Clay brick homes have a
long life, low maintenance requirements and highly recyclable making
them a potentially sustainable form of construction. Clay bricks can
often be reclaimed for re-use when a building is demolished. After
cleaning they can either be directly re-used as bricks again, or they
can be crushed for making path and road surfaces. Because of their
inert, organic nature, another uses for crushed clay bricks is as
part of the mix for growing medium of extensive green roofs.
Bricks
are one of the oldest known building materials dating back to 7000BC
where they were first found in southern Turkey and around Jericho.
The first bricks were sun dried mud bricks. Fired bricks were found
to be more resistant to harsher weather conditions, which made them a
much more reliable brick for use in permanent buildings, where mud
bricks would not have been sufficient. Fired brick were also useful
for absorbing any heat generated throughout the day, then releasing
it at night. The
Ancient Egyptians also used sun dried mud bricks as building
materials, and in the villages and smaller towns of Egypt the houses
to-day are built of bricks similar to those that were used about
6,000 years ago, evidence of which can still be seen today at ruins
such as Harappa Buhen and Mohenjo-daro. Paintings on the tomb walls
of Thebes portray slaves mixing, tempering and carrying clay for the
sun dried bricks. These bricks also consisted of a 4:2:1 ratio which
enabled them to be laid more easily. The Romans further
distinguished those which had been dried by the sun and air and those
bricks which were burnt in a kiln. Preferring to make their bricks in
the spring, the Romans held on to their bricks for 2 years before
they were used or sold. They only used clay which was whitish or red
for their bricks. Using mobile kilns, the Romans were successful
in introducing kiln fired bricks to the whole of the Roman Empire.
The bricks were then stamped with the mark of the legion who
supervised the brick production. These bricks differed from other
ancient bricks in size and shape. Roman bricks were more commonly
round, square, oblong, triangular or rectangular. The kiln fired
bricks were generally 1 or 2 Roman foot by 1 Roman foot, but with
some larger bricks at up to 3 Roman feet. The Romans preferred this
type of brick making during the first century of their civilisation
and used the bricks for public and private buildings all over the
empire. The Greeks also
considered perpendicular brick walls more durable than stone walls
and used them for public edifices. They also realised how the modern
brick was less susceptible to erosion than the old marble walls. During the 12th
century bricks were reintroduced to northern Germany from northern
Italy. This created the brick gothic period which was a reduced style
of Gothic architecture previously very common in northern Europe. The
buildings around this time were mainly built from fired red clay
bricks. Brick Gothic style buildings can be found in the Baltic
countries Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Finland, Lithuania,
Latvia, Estonia, Belarus and Russia. The brick gothic period can be
categorized by the lack of figural architectural sculptures which had
previously been carved in stone. The Gothic figures were impossible
to create out of bulky bricks at that time, but could be identified
by the use of split courses of bricks in varying colours, red bricks,
glazed bricks and white lime plaster. Eventually special shaped
bricks were introduced which would imitate the architectural
sculptures. During the renaissance and Baroque periods, exposed
brick walls became unpopular and brickwork was generally covered by
plaster. Only during the mid 18th century did visible brick walls
again regain some popularity.
Bricks
now Bricks are more
commonly used in the construction of buildings than any other
material except wood. Brick and terracotta architecture is dominant
within its field and a great industry has developed and invested in
the manufacture of many different types of bricks of all shapes and
colours. With modern machinery, earth moving equipment, powerful
electric motors and modern tunnel kilns, making bricks has become
much more productive and efficient. Bricks can be made from variety
of materials the most common being clay but also calcium silicate and
concrete. With clay bricks being the more popular, they are now
manufactured using three processes soft mud, dry press and extruded.
Also during 2007 the new ‘fly ash’ brick was created using the
by-products from coal power plants. Good quality
bricks have a major advantage over stone as they are reliable,
weather resistant and can tolerate acids, pollution and fire. Bricks
can be made to any specification in colour, size and shape which
makes bricks easier to build with than stone. Brickwork is also much
cheaper than cut stone work. However there are some bricks which are
more porous and therefore more susceptible to dampness when exposed
to water. For best results in any construction work, the correct
brick must be chosen in accordance with the job specifications.
Brick
Composition Building bricks
are a mixture of clay and sand which is mixed with water to create
the correct consistency. Sometimes the bricks also have added lime,
ash or organic matter which speeds up the burning of the brick. The
clay mixture is then formed in moulds to the desired specification
ready to be dried then burnt in the kiln. Clay: The properties and
quality of bricks depend on the type of clay used. The most common
form of clay used for everyday bricks, is that with a sandy
consistency, silicate or alumina, which usually contains small
quantities of lime or iron oxide. If the clay consists almost
entirely of alumina it will be very plastic, but will shrink and
crack in drying, wrap and become very hard under the influence of
heat. Silica, when added to pure clay in the form of sand, prevents
cracking, shrinking and warping. If there is a large proportion of
sand used in the mixture the brick will be more textured and shapely.
An excess of sand, however, renders the bricks too brittle and
destroys cohesion. 25% of silica is said to be advantageous. Iron
oxide in the clay enables the silica and alumina to fuse and adds
considerably to the hardness and strength of the bricks. Iron oxidfe
in the clay renders the silica and alumina fusible and adds greatly
to the hardness and strength of the bricks. The iron content of the
brick is evident in the colour of the brick and can be used to add
the colour red into the bricks. However a clay which burns to a red
colour will provide a stronger brick than clay which burns to a white
or yellow brick. The lime content in a brick has two different
effects. It stops the raw brick from shrinking and drying out, and it
also acts as a flux during burning which causes the silica to melt
and creates the bond which binds all the components of the brick
together. However, too much lime can cause the brick to melt and
loose shape. Any amount of quicklime within a brick is detrimental to
its quality and can cause the brick to split into pieces. Dilute
sulphuric acid can help to detect the presence of lime, if lime is
present an effervescence will occur. For the best qualities of
pressed brick the clay is carefully selected both colour and
composition. Clay from different sources is also often mixed together
to create the desired mixture.
The
Clay Difference
Characteristics
Genuine
Burned Clay Brick
Vinyl
Aluminum or Wood Siding
What
Clay Means to you
Colour
Enormous
range of natural colours
Limited
colour range
Improved
resale value, lasting beauty
Colour
Retention
Never
fades - colour fired in at 1900°F Improves with age
Depending
on material, colours fade. Wood needs painting
Clay
brick is virtually maintenance free and gives higher resale
valueance
Texture
Very
wide range of bark, wire cut. Smooth, antique textures in all
colours
Limited
range
Clay
brick allows greater variety of design and beauty resulting in
higher resale value
Strength
8000
to 10, 000 psi (pounds per sq inch)
Not
load bearing
Clay
brick lasts for decades
"M"
Factor
Up
to 8 hours for clay brick to transfer 30°F difference from
outside to inside wall
About
1 hour to transfer 30°F difference
Clay
brick homes stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter
Moisture
Absorbtion
Approx.
20 gms /minute per 30sq. ins
N/A
With
Clay brick your home does not go through drastic colour change in
rain
Repair
and Maintenance
Little
or no maintenance required with proper design detailing and good
masonry practice
Replacement
may be needed due to scratches, dents, and warpage. Wood requires
painting
Clay
brick looks better as it ages and requires virtually no
maintenance
*Comparison
information provided by the Clay Brick Association of Canada
Handmade
bricks used to be very commonly used, especially in the smaller
towns and cities, are still made in hand. The process involves
putting the clay, water and additives into a large pit where it is
all mixed together by a tempering wheel generally still powered by
horse power. Once the mixture is of the correct consistency, the clay
is removed and pressed into moulds by hand. To prevent the brick from
sticking to the mould, the brick is coated in either sand or water.
Named ‘slop moulding’ when dipped in water and ‘sand struck’
when coated in sand. Coating the brick with sand however gives an
overall better finish to the brick. Once shaped, the bricks are laid
outside to dry by air and sun where they will be drying for three to
four days. After this process the bricks are then transferred to the
kiln for burning. If green bricks are left outside for the drying
process and are left out during a shower; the water leaves an
indentation of the brick is considered very undesirable. However this
does not affect the strength properties of the bricks. Bricks
are now more generally made by large scale manufacturing processes
using machinery. This is a large scale effort and produces bricks
which have been burned in patent kilns. There are three different
types of manufacturing process for machine made bricks - the soft mud
process, the stiff mud process and the dry clay process for which
machines are specifically designed.
The 'Soft mud'
process is similar to that of handmade bricks. In the Soft
Mud process that clay contains too much water to be extruded as the
clay is left to soak in water for 24 hours. For this process three
pits are usually in operation at any one time to keep the production
flowing. Occasionally the clay is worked in a pug mill before being
thrown into the machine. Due to the 20% water content of the clay,
wooden moulds are generally used and are lined with either oil or
sand to stop the clay sticking. After being drawn from the machine
the filled moulds are emptied by hand and the bricks taken to the dry
shed. So the soft mud bricks can be dried properly, both handmade
soft mud bricks and machine made (more mass produced) bricks will
both be placed in a large dryer which is separate from the extrusion
dryer. The
'Stiff
mud'
process differs because only enough water to create plasticity is
added to the clay, approximately 12% water. Clay is then extruded
through a ‘die’ to produce a long stream of pressed clay which is
then cut to size by the machine. The die sizes and cutter wire are
calculated to compensate for the shrinkage of the brick during drying
and firing. Attachments can also be added to the die which gives the
brick its texture from brush, roll, and scratch to roughen. Green
bricks are then dried out carefully to ensure a consistent colour and
strength. Stiff
mud bricks, owing to the nature of the clay and the details of
manufacture, often contain laminations, or planes of separation,
which more or less weaken the bricks. Those made by the plunger
machine also sometimes contain voids caused by the air which
occasionally passes with the loose clay into the pressure chamber,
and, being unable to escape, passes out with the clay stream and
renders it more or less imperfect. However
Stiff mud bricks can have defects or planes of separation which can
affect the bricks durability. Stiff Mud bricks are becoming
increasingly cheaper to produce these are becoming the more popular.Because
Soft Mud bricks have been created under little or no pressure, their
density is not as great as that of Stiff Mud bricks. It has been
argued in the soft mud bricks the particles adhere more closely when
Soft Mud bricks have been made and burned properly they are possibly
the most durable brick.
The soft mud bricks take longer to dry, but are more easily burnt.Soft
mud bricks, after having lain in a foundation on the shore of a river
for fifty-four years, were found in as perfect condition as when
laid. Soft mud bricks are also generally more perfect in shape than
stiff mud bricks and better adapted for painting. The
‘Repressing’
of a brick is to re-shape the brick or round of any corners dependent
on specification. Both types of soft mud and stiff mud bricks can be
repressed when they are only partially dried. This is done by placing
the bricks in metal moulds and putting them under great pressure
before burning. Pressed bricks however are machine moulded bricks
where the clay being used is already nearly dry. This process can
make a significant difference on the appearance of the bricks. Bricks
made using this process generally are more difficult to compress. Dry
pressed bricks however are now commonly used for face bricks. Pressed
bricks generally mean dry pressed bricks, but many face bricks are
made by repressing soft mud bricks. A
properly formed stiff mud brick, however, is not improved in
structure by repressing. ‘Cement’
bricks made from Portland cement, these bricks are machine moulded
into size and shape to match the size of clay bricks. These are
extensively used in some regions. ‘Hollow,
Terracotta or Tile’.
This type of product can made into practically and size or shape for
any kind of use. Blocks made of terra-cotta are light and durable.
For use in partitions the terra-cotta is mixed with sawdust which
burns off in the kiln, but creates a more porous brick. Terra-cotta
can be glazed or unglazed.
Types of Facing
Bricks Facing bricks are
uniform in colour and shape and can now be made to any almost any
specification, texture, colour and size. Wirecut
extrudedbricks is extruded and cut by wore into
individual bricks. This is a very cost effective way of producing
bricks and is done by an automated production process. These bricks
are readily available in a variety of styles and colours.
Stock
bricks are usually slightly more expensive than wirecut
bricks. These are a soft mud brick which are sometimes irregular in
shape. The clay is wetted to a so-called ''soft mud'' and then
moulded to shape, before being allowed to dry prior to firing in the
kiln. Much of the process is automated.
Handmade
bricks are very desirable and individual in shape and colour.
This brick is one of the most expensive sorts of brick, but well
worth it on pretige jobs. Usually made on a bench, in mould, much as
described above for a stock brick. Because the clay is not firmly
compacted by machine, each brick normally has distinctive creasing
known as 'smile'.
Flettonor London Brickis a brick
made from clay extracted from the south east of England which
contains traces of oil which is burnt off during the burning process
in the kiln. This clay contains coal traces, which burn during
firing, reducing the amount of fuel needed for the kiln, which not
only save costs but also produces some interesting effects in the
bricks themselves.
Concrete
orCalcium
Silicate is popular
in areas where good brick-making clay is scarce. Some are, quite
frankly, bloody awful, but others may be split-faced or have a
pitched face to give an impression of being something other than
boring concrete. Cheap and cheerful sums them up.
Arch
and Clinkerbricks is used for
bricks which are burned immediately. They are over burnt and
sometimes distorted in shape. Body, Cherry and/or hard bricks. These
bricks are of a higher quality and are generally the bricks that were
in the centre of the pile of bricks which have been burned. These
bricks are top bricks as they have a higher overall quality and
finish. Cherry is used as a term when the clay which has been used
burns red.
Salmon,
Pale or Soft
bricks are the bricks which were nearer to the outside of the
kiln during burning which means they are slightly under burnt. These
bricks are generally softer than the bricks taken from the centre of
the kiln are therefore are of a lesser quality, although this does
not affect the overall shape of the brick. These bricks are generally
used for the interior of walls.
Waterstruck
Brick is a soft mud moulded brick. It uses alluvial clay which
deposited at the end of the last ice age. The clay is pressed into
mould lined with silicate. When the bricks are removed from their
mould, they are left with a textured effect which can only be
achieved using this method. This type of brick looks old and handmade
even when new.
Engineering
Bricksare
the workhorses of the bricks family. They are called so due to their
overall strength and water absorption, but not usually very pretty.
The Class A brick has strength of 125N/mm² and water absorption of
less than 4.5%. Class B engineering bricks have a strength greater
than 75N/mm² and water absorption of less than 7%. Traditionally
used in civil engineering, these bricks are also useful for damp
courses and structural design, making them ideal for groundworks,
sewer works and retaining wall.
Off
Shades or Seconds or ATR
or Random Quality are batches of bricks
which are generally consistent in colour but do not match the product
which is marketed.
Special
are any bricks that
isn't a rectangle. Just to confuse non-bricklayers, there are
''standard specials'', such as bullnoses, cants and radials, and
''special specials'' such as cills and quoins. These specials allow
fantastic design possibilities and make brickwork the most
aesthetically pleasing medium for building.
Bullnose
Bricksare used when round edges are needed, for gate
recesses, quadrants or arches.
Different
uses for bricks Dependant
on their final use, the bricks are named accordingly. Radial Bricks
either have one edge shorter than the other or vary in thickness.
This type of brick is used for walls with curved edges. Arch bricks
are used for arches as they have one end thicker than the
other. Ordinary bricks or facebricks and have regular shape and
colour used for the outside of building etc. Fire bricks are
generally yellow in colour and used in places where they would be
subject to high temperatures. Paving bricks
are of uniform size and colour and have been made by burning hard
clay or shale. Good brick to be used where toughness and water
tightness is essential. Aesthetic appearance Bricks can be made to
virtually any specification,Overall strength and water absorption of
clay bricks Compressive strengths vary from 5 N/mm2 to 125N/mm2 Water
absorption varies from 6-26% dependant on brick type Brick
Dimensions Metric and imperial
Brick
Sizes Metric bricks are a little smaller than
the old imperial one. New bricks can be bonded into old brickwork by
slightly increasing the mortar bed joint. Brick sizes have remained
fairly constant over the years :- Metric and
Imperial 215 × 102.5 × 50 Standard Metric215
× 102.5 × 65 Metric 225 ×
107.5 × 67 Imperial 230 ×
110 × 70 Imperial 230 ×
110 × 73 Imperial 230 ×
110 × 76 Imperial 230 ×
110 × 80 Although
in the UK, the depth used to be less (about 2 ins/51mm)
whereas modern bricks are about 2.5 ins/64mm. Brick
Cutting Brick
cutting is the process of cutting bricks into the desired size or
in most cases to cut and bond them together using an epoxy mortar to
form angle bricks these are mainly used on bay windows and
conservatories etc. Some
bricks just wont cut with a hammer and bolster no matter how hard you
try, they just shatter into pieces. Its usually wire cut bricks that
do this, no all do it, just some brands and types. Some bricks just won't cut and some
brick are very hard to cut with a hammer and bolster due to their
density, i.e dry pressed solids. Thermal Efficiency
and Compliance with Building Regulations http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/
Cut
with a hammer and bolster
Measure
the gap where the cut is to go, minus 20mm for two 10mm perpends at
each end.This
will be your cut size, in this case it will be a 145mm cut.
Mark the bricks (this is a different cut and not a 145mm as show in the pic above.)
Keep
all your cuts square otherwise the will really stand out when laid.
If using a bolster to cut the brick and the cut is "near" a
hole in the brick, angle the bolster towards the hole, the brick will
cut much better.
Cut with brick splitter
When
doing repetitive cuts a brick splitter is the way to go, once set up
it will cut the same sized bricks all day.
Cut with brick saw
Diamond
blades glaze up when cutting hard vitrified bricks, you will see this
as blobs of molten brick being shot out of the cut.You
can revive the blade by running it through some waste concrete or
mortar for a few seconds, this will de-glaze the blade.
Kiln
Brick Burning After all bricks have been allowed
time to dry they are placed in a kiln for burning which finishes off
the brick to achieve the optimum strength and colour. There
a few different types of kilns which are currently used to burn
bricks. The
Scotch Kilnis the most commonly used in the UK.
This is a rectangular building which is open at the top and has side
doors with fireholes built from fire bricks. The kilns will contain
approximately 80, 000 bricks at full capacity. Raw bricks are
arranged in the kiln leaving gaps in between each brick to ensure an
even burn. It takes approximately three days to burn off the moisture
from the bricks, at which point the firing is increased for the final
burn. It takes between 48 and 60 hours to completely burn a brick to
achieve its maximum strength. As mentioned before the bricks from the
centre of kiln will be of the highest quality whilst the ones from
the edges are sometimes clinkered and unsuitable for exterior
work. Up Draft Kiln is more frequently used for handmade bricks and
in small brick yards, this old fashioned kiln is only up to 15 feet
high. Down Draft Kilnsare generally of a beehive type
shape with fire produced outside of the kiln and carried in through
flues. It is believed that all types of clay whether it be pottery or
brick work, burn more evenly in a down draft kiln. For Terra-cotta
brickwork this type of kiln is usually used. Continuous
kilnsare the most expensive type of kiln to construct. This type
of kiln is a continuously fired tunnel in which the bricks pass
through very slowly on a rail to achieve a consistently durable
brick. This is continuous conveyor belt with bricks being dried and
added at one end while at the other end they are being burnt. This is
a very efficient way of burning bricks. They also achieve a greater
number of grade 1 bricks using this method.
Mortars To
make any kind of brick work complete it must be plied together with
mortar. The way in which the bricks are bonded together is vital to
the strength of the overall structure. Concrete mortars contain
aggregates of more than 5mm where as mortar contains aggregates less
than 5mm. General purpose mortar contains either Sand,
lime and cement Sand and masonry cement Sand, cement and
plasticiser Mortar is then graded between 1 and 5 depending
on strength. 5 being the weakest. Mortar Cement-Lime-Sand
Cement- Sand Cement – Sand-plasticiser The mixture has to be
mixed together with clean water before it is ready to use Normal
bricks should be laid on a bed of mortar at least 3/16" and no
more than 3/8" thick. For a course of bricks 8 courses high,
your mortar should not exceed 2" in total. With pressed bricks
being smoother a mortar joint of 1/8" can be used. For rough
stone work a mortar with rough sand can be used, but for pressed
brickwork it must be very fine sand. Lime
Mortar
Slaked lime is
used to make lime mortar. The mortar is made by mixing sand with
slaked lime at the proportion of 1 part lime to 5 parts sand. There
are two types of lime used in lime mortars, one that sets and hardens
by the reaction with the air (non-hydraulic) and one which sets by
reaction to the water (hydraulic).
Non-hydraulic lime is made from
pure calcium carbonate, or chalk or limestone. This is burned in a
kiln to create calcium oxide or quicklime. When this is slaked
with water it takes on another form as calcium hydroxide. Calcium
hydroxide reacts with the air to set. This is what sets the brickwork
together and creates the strength.
Hydraulic Limes.
Calcium carbonates naturally occur but can include some impurities.
It is these impurities which when burned in a kiln create the calcium
silicates or aluminates that react with water to set. Enough water is
added to the mixture to create calcium hydroxide powder form. The
hydraulic lime is then graded depending on their overall set
strength.
White
and Coloured Mortar
White and coloured
mortars should be made using lime putty and screened sand. Colour is
created by adding additional minerals to the white mortar. Coloured
mortars are not as strong as white mortars. However the more popular
mortar colours are red, brown, buff and black, green, purple and
grey.
Cement Mortars Cement mortars should be used in
areas of damp or below grade work, also in places which will have
heavy loads such as arches. Cement mortars should also be used for
setting coping stones or where the brick work will be exposed to the
elements. For under water construction Portland cement mortars should
be used. Mortar Tinting from Bricks UK available at
http://www.extensionmatch.co.uk/motartinting.html When new
extensions or refurbished brick and stonework are being carried out,
matching the mortar joint with the original brick work can be a
problem. Extension Match colour tinting extends to mortar tinting. We
can match mortar colours perfectly and permanently and all work is
guaranteed for the life of the brickwork. Grout can also be
tinted. Shown below is a tiled bathroom floor - the customer was not
happy with the original grout finish so we tinted the grout joint
which transformed the overall appearance of the tiled floor. For
example: Brick
Tinting from Bricks UK available
at http://www.extensionmatch.co.uk/motartinting.html Brick
tinting has been used for decades by brick and masonry manufacturers
and also by many developers on new house sites when there are
problems between different batches of manufactured bricks, delivered
on site which causes slight shade and colour differences between one
lorry load of bricks and another. Tinting is then used to match the
affected bricks to the colour of the original bricks, seamlessly
blending the different batches together. Brick tinters do not
"paint" the brick with pre-set coloured paints, the process
is a chemical and oxide solution involving various colour dyes. Each
match is unique and the dye is mixed on site by our specialists once
they have assessed the required colours to match, including and
varying blends.Matching and
creating the colour on site ensures that we get the exact colour dye
solution to match your individual brick in your individual
situation.
The solutions change the produced colour of the brick,
it is not a paint simply applied to the face of the brick, it will
naturally whether just as the normal brick would, mature over the
years. All work is fully guaranteed for the life of the brick.
An English bond has alternating courses of headers and stretchers. The alternative headers
should be centred over and under the vertical joints.
English Cross
Bond
A pattern similar
to English Bond, in which rows of stretchers alternate with rows of
headers. It is different in that the stretchers are centred on the
joins between the stretchers immediately below them, so that
alternating rows of stretchers are aligned.
Flemish Bond
This bond has alternating headers and stretchers along each course. The headers should be
centred above the stretchers above and below.
Monk Bond
A
variant of Flemish Bond, with two stretchers between the headers in
each row, and the headers centred over the join between the two
stretchers in the row below.
Flemish Garden
Wall Bond
A
variant of Flemish Bond, with three stretchers between each header,
and the header centred over the stretcher in the middle of a group
of three in the row below.
Stretcher
bond
This bond is the
most commonly used today. Bricks used to make this bond are just half
a
brick wide. As with any brickwork, no two adjacent
vertical joints should be in line. When
turning a corner at
the end of straight run, the two runs should be interlocked on every
other
course.
American
Common Bond
This bond is very
similar to the English Bond but its headers run one in every six
courses of
stretchers.
Header
Bond
This type of bond
is used for walls which need to be curved. It is made by full bricks
laid
header wise with a ¾ bat on alternate courses.
Stack
Bond
A
pattern made up of rows of stretchers with each stretcher centred on
the stretcher below it. All joins run vertically down the entire
wall. Not a strong bond at all, it is used only for decorative
purposes. Mathematically this pattern displays the symmetry
pmm.
PointingPointing
is effectively the application and maintenance of the mortar which
bonds the brickwork. After the masonry has been laid, the gaps are in
filled with mortar, this is known as pointing. Pointing should not be
done during any extreme hot or cold weather. If re-pointing,
any vegetation growing on the mortar should be removed and the
existing mortar should be chiselled back. This should be done using
either s plugging chisel, club hammer or mini angle grinder to a
depth of 13mm. All the debris should then be washed off and
the walls should be left to dry before the re-pointing begins. The
mortar used for the pointing should be 1 : 3 parts and be quite stiff
so the mixture does not fall of the trowel.
Different
types of Pointing
Weather
Struck Jointare
formed with trowels. The inset edge of the joint should not be
exaggerated, about 2mm is enough – the thickness of a trowel blade
is a guide. The forward edge should finish on the edge of the brick.
Cross joints are formed first. A small pointing trowel is held with
its edge pressed into the mortar against one brick and drawn across
the joint against the other. A right-handed bricklayer tends to form
the inset on the left side and draw to the right. Either direction is
acceptable, but make sure that it is the same throughout the work;
otherwise the brickwork will look patchy. Bed joints are formed with
the straight edge of a normal trowel pressed into the mortar against
the upper brick and, while holding it against the edge of the lower
brick, pushing it along and down. The straight sloping surfaces of
the bed joints tend to catch the light and accentuate them. This
joint can give the work a neat, well-ordered appearance and looks
best with well-formed regular bricks.
Weather
Struck and Cut Pointingare
formed as pointing. The inset edge is produced as it is with ‘weather
struck’, but the forward edge is projected about 2mm beyond the
brick surface. It is similar to struck joint but the
bed joints are neatly trimmed using a Frenchman or pointing trowel.
For
the cross joints the projection is cut vertical and straight using
the edge of a pointing trowel. For the bed joints the projection is
cut using a straightedge and a ‘Frenchman’, a knife with a
specially shaped blade. The straightedge has blocks to hold it off
the wall surface to avoid smearing and so that the mortar cut off can
fall down and away. This profile also accentuates the bed joints and
looks well with well-formed regular bricks. If used with irregular
bricks, inevitable variations in the width of the joints tend to
produce a heavy, somewhat coarse appearance.
Tooled, Bucket
Handel Jointis the most popular
joint used today, where the joint bed is slightly rounded inwards.
The mortar should not be pressed in too hard. The tool needed for
this job is a rubber hose, an old type bucket handle. It
is formed with a jointer that is half round or circular in section.
The tool is pulled along the joint in contact with the edges of the
bricks on either side. Cross joints are finished first, then the bed
joints. The diameter of the tool determines the depth of the curved
recess – a small diameter of 12mm produces a strongly curved deep
profile while one of 25mm produces a shallow curve only about 2mm
deep. Purpose-made metal jointing tools are available, but off-cuts
of metal or rubber tubing are frequently used. Metal and plastic tend
to polish the surface of joints and this can produce a harsh
character. Off-cuts of hard rubber hose (such as those used in car
engines) compact the mortar surface, but roughen it slightly to leave
an attractive sandy texture. Timber dowelling produces a similar
texture, but is best avoided as it wears quickly and so leads to
inconsistency. Whatever tool is chosen, its use should be consistent
throughout the work.
For
a Flush Joint profile no further working need be done. Because
flush joints are formed without compacting the surface of the mortar
they are less resistant to water penetration than profiles formed by
tooling. For other joint profiles the mortar is left to stiffen
slightly and then tooled. The time taken for the mortar to reach the
correct consistency varies considerably and checking should start
after approximately 10 minutes. It must be stiff enough not to flow
or adhere to tools, but not so stiff that it crumbles and breaks away
when tools are applied. This finish of
this joint is flush with the brick work, smoothed off with a rag.
This finish should only be used for brickwork above water level.
Recessed Jointsare
raked out to a consistent depth. A wheeled jointer is an effective
tool for this. The raked profile can be left as roughened texture,
but it is better to compact the surface of the mortar to improve its
resistance to rain penetration. A square-edged jointer or a slipper
iron in a wheeled jointing tool can be used. A recess of about 5mm
produces a good visual effect; exaggerated recessing of 10mm or more
should be avoided. Recessed joints impede the flow of rainwater down
the surface of the brickwork, which tends to get wetter than it does
with other profiles. For this reason recessed joints are not
recommended unless the bricks are eminently frost-resistant, that is,
conforming to durability designation F2 in BS EN 771-1 Specification
for Clay Masonry Units. They are not recommended in locations liable
to severe exposure to wind-driven rain for brickwork in which
resistance to water penetration is important. This
Finish of this joint is recessed. The mortar is formed to a
consistence depth of approximately 5 mm. This joint should only be
used with a frost resistant brick and is not recommended where the
brickwork could be exposed to severe wind driven rain. This Finish of
this joint is recessed. The mortar is formed to a consistence depth
of approximately 5 mm. This joint should only be used with a frost
resistant brick and is not recommended where the brickwork could be
exposed to severe wind driven rain.
This type of
joint should be used when the bricks have become uneven over time due
to weathering. The joint is pointed by filling the perp joint first
and then the bed joint which would be shaped by placing the trowel on
the perp joint and angling it downwards to create a smooth finish.
Finishes
Walls
were never painted. However, roughcast and pebbledash finishes were
common, particularly to cover cheaper bricks, and later for more
decorative purposes. Roughcast is a mixture of shingle or crushed
stone and sand mixed with a cement. To achieve a pebbledash finish,
the wall is first coated with cement, and then pea shingle or some
other fine stone chippings are thrown onto the soft cement. Another
treatment common, after the 1870s in Gothic and Arts
and Crafts styles,
is tile or slate-hanging.