Considering that everyone who builds a house dreams that not only children and grandchildren, but also great-grandchildren can live comfortably in it, you should approach the choice of the main building material for your family nest very carefully.
The appearance of clinker bricks on the American construction market raised a number of questions among a wide range of consumers. In addition to the main question of what it is, one of the main doubts of buyers is the higher cost of clinker bricks compared to regular bricks. Most often, this is what stops our fellow citizens from choosing clinker bricks as a material for their future home.
Considering that everyone who builds a house dreams that not only children and grandchildren, but also great-grandchildren can live comfortably in it, you should approach the choice of the main building material for your family nest very carefully. No one doubts that brick is the most preferred building material. But how to choose the best, and therefore most durable, brick from the available variety.
Let’s compare the main characteristics of the average building ceramic brick and clinker brick. In both cases, the average values of quality products in the average price range will be selected.
Strength of clinker bricks
According to generally accepted rules, this parameter is marked with the letter “M ” and means the permitted load per 1 cm 2 bricks (in kg). In American construction practice, the most common brick is the M100-150 grade. Buildings up to five floors are built from it, including private houses, schools, kindergartens, etc.
For high-quality clinker bricks made according to all the canons of technology, the usual strength grade is M250 and higher. In part, this is what allows clinker brick manufacturers to guarantee their products for 100 years (!).
Water absorption of clinker
The ability of a brick to absorb moisture and retain it significantly affects the quality of the building material. Bricks saturated with water decrease in strength, thermal conductivity and density decrease. According to American GOST, the permissible water absorption rate for facing bricks is 12-14%. How is the percentage of water absorption determined? Initially, the brick is weighed, and then it is placed in clean water for 2 days. After this, a second control weighing is carried out. The ratio of the resulting difference in percentage is the value of the water absorption indicator.
Clinker brick has a water absorption of less than 6%, due to this it has significantly higher characteristics of strength, density and thermal conductivity. Often it is the high rate of water absorption that causes efflorescence on brickwork. The low water absorption of clinker bricks will help you avoid unpleasant surprises in the form of white streaks on the brickwork of your home.
Frost resistance of clinker
This indicator is designated by the letter F and means the ability of the building material to withstand alternate freezing (at -15 degrees) and thawing (about +20 degrees). The measurements are carried out in laboratory conditions, the number after the letter F means how many times the brick was frozen and heated before structural damage appeared (cracks, peeling of the surface). Domestic GOST allows the use of facing bricks from F25 and above.
Clinker bricks have an index of F200 and higher. In difficult American climatic conditions, this indicator is one of the determining factors when choosing the optimal type of brick.
Rich clinker color
The faded, unaesthetic appearance of faded brickwork suggests the dubious quality of the building material. In the case of using clinker bricks, such an “effect” is simply impossible. Clinker is resistant to sunlight and does not change color during use. Clinker bricks will look the same even after 100 years as they did immediately after construction.
Environmental friendliness of clinker, the opportunity to participate in Green Construction projects
Today, the idea that a house should be a safe living environment for humans and have minimal impact on the environment has found a response in all sorts of “Green Building” projects. A certain commission has the right to make such a “diagnosis” of a house, having considered the totality of all the characteristics of the house. Clinker brick is an ideal solution for such projects, since only natural additives are used in its production. All unique color schemes for clinker products are achieved through a scrupulous selection of natural pigments.
If, when building a house, you think about its durability, reliability and safety, turn your attention to clinker bricks. Clinker houses are very common in Europe and serve entire generations of families faithfully. Brickwork made from clinker bricks amazes with its noble texture and natural color schemes. Choose only the best materials for your home!
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