The owners of the houses being erected want to build them first of all as durable and aesthetic objects – meeting all criteria of the latest technologies.
These both conditions are met by ceramic facade bricks. Therefore this building material is used by many investors for the construction of fencing, grill in garden, but mainly for the façade of the whole house (or its part). The selection of bricks, their purchase and supply to the construction site are not sufficient to ensure that the object under construction will be attractive.

The final result is affected by the following factors:

(1) properly prepared architectonic and building design,

(2) top quality of all materials to be used (mortars, anchors etc.) ,

(3) considering all recommendations of manufacturers in the scope of transportation and storage of materials,

(4) works of construction team

In course of facade works, a rigorous technological regime shall be maintained in the scope of the construction of visible elements as well as of those which are invisible to naked eye. Said elements are very often decisive for the appearance and durability of the façade.

Properly completed waterproofing of the foundation and the application of horizontal insulation always constitute the basis for properly built construction consisting of bricks.

The use of anchors – the anchors should be resistant to corrosion, resistant to low and high temperatures, made of galvanized steel and preferably of stainless steel. The spacing of anchors depends on clearance width and on thickness of external wall. In accordance with Polish requirements, the cross – section of anchors should amount at least 0,6 cm2/1m2 of wall and their number at least 5 anchors /1m2 of brickwork at maximum horizontal spacing of 75 cm and maximum vertical spacing of 50 cm.

Additional anchors should be provided in the corners, at the openings and at the brickwork edges in amount of 0,4 cm2/1m.

The anchors should be made of wire dia.6mm or of flat bar. Minimum length of anchoring in internal and external wall amounts 50 mm. In brickworks with air void, the anchors should be provided with drip flashing situated in ventilated air void. The purpose of the drip flashing is to prevent water flow along the anchor from the façade wall into insulation layer and to its moistening.

The width of ventilation void should be equal at least 3,0 cm in the wall without thermoinsulating material and at least 4 cm (recommended 5 cm) in the walls with thermoinsulating material.

Minimum total surface area of intake and outlet opening for strip of brickwork 1m wide and with a height of at least one storey amounts 10 cm2.

The simplest possible method to provide an intake opening is to leave a vertical joint between two bricks without filling.

The facing walls of ceramic facade walls should be built using proper mortar:

- the mortar should be selected in accordance with water absorption of the bricks;

- mortar with wet consistency should be used (over-wetting is not allowed);

- mortars for clinker bricks should be used (any lime addition is not allowed);

- ready mortar mixes can be also used, so called „two- in - one” performing the role of pointing mortar;

- special ready mortar mixes, coloured in mass, can be used for pointing.

The pointing can be carried out parallel to the bricklaying (using universal grades of mortars) or after about one week after the completion of the bricklaying using special mortars for pointing (wider palette of colours).

The objects built of ceramic façade bricks should be cleaned with soft brush and water after complete hardening of mortar used for pointing.

The builder shall also adhere to the remaining principles, i.e.:

- order the bricks in advance with consideration of whole project;

- use the bricks originating from at least five pallets in course of completion of brickwork;

- the bricklaying and pointing are not permitted in case of frost and precipitations;

the last courses of bricks should be properly protected with plastic foil when bricklaying is interrupted;-

after unwrapping, the pallets should be protected against precipitations;-

Thanks to the adherence to the principles specified above, the owners of the objects will enjoy their construction built of façade bricks in a correct and aesthetical manner for many years.

Architect Tomasz Michalak