Crossbar brick: features and application

Recommendation points

• The main features of the crossbar bricks
• Where is the transom cladding used?
• Selection features
• Rules for working with transom bricks

In a wide range of facing materials, crossbar bricks have an elite status. This is really noble material, about the features of which he will tell. From the review you will learn about the varieties, purpose and rules for finishing with crossbar bricks.

The main features of the crossbar bricks

At the first glance at a wall made of cross-beam bricks, it is not entirely clear what caused such a high price. Undoubtedly, by its appearance the masonry does not in any way disgust, but there is nothing special and outstanding in it, there is no “zest”. At the same time, it is obvious to owners of houses with clinker cladding: this is an incredibly durable coating that does not require special care and does not lose its aesthetic qualities for decades..

In appearance, the transom masonry is associated with the architecture of England and Western Europe in the 18th-19th centuries: geometric rigor and visual expansion, due to the unique form factor of the material. Buildings with a transom brick facade look equally good among city streets, and being just a small residential building somewhere in the wilderness, being against the backdrop of beautiful landscapes.

Crossbar brick is a kind of clinker brick, its name comes from the shape of the stone – a wide plate, the length of which can reach 100-120 cm with a height of 4 cm. Due to this, a more detailed pattern is created, which has a camouflage effect. On the wall, especially from a great distance, it is difficult to discern the details of the jointing, which is usually selected in tone for transom masonry, and not in contrast. In addition, the uniformity of color increases: even if there is a discrepancy in shade in one batch of bricks, it fades due to the small size of the contrasting areas.

Clinker bricks do not have sharp edges, which is why it is difficult to say unequivocally when looking at the transom masonry: this is a modern factory-made material at a price of a couple of tens of thousands of rubles per square meter, or stones collected in a quarry and perfectly sorted. The line of imperfection of masonry elements is very thin and literally runs on the border between anthropogenic and natural. Thanks to this, when looking at the transom clinker brick, it is immediately clear that this material is natural and environmentally friendly, indispensable for the classical directions of construction and architectural thought..

By its structure, the clinker is dense, hard and at the same time has a sufficiently high strength, in contrast to most products made of brittle fired ceramics. All thanks to the addition of ground sintered shards to the composition and the use of low-melting clay. Most transom bricks are produced in an authentic way – hand molding and pressing, as evidenced by the master’s fingerprints on the bed, which are always unique.

Where is the transom cladding used?

Despite the authenticity of the transom brick, it blends well with modern architecture in the spirit of urbanism and constructivism. Starting from minimalistic fusion objects outside the city, including Dutch-style houses, and ending with a trendy loft: transom masonry looks the same everywhere.

There are few technical restrictions for the use of transom masonry. Due to the low row height, the relative content of seams in the massif is increased, which gives it additional deformability. Even an ordinary strip foundation on heaving soil can act as the basis for the masonry, which can often be found in the projects of fences and fences, when a parapet with a height of 30-40 cm is laid out with a transom brick.

Another purpose is the plinth cladding. The clinker does not absorb moisture and has almost absolute frost resistance, it is not afraid of mechanical damage, and moss does not grow on the brick surface. The entire facade can also be faced with cross-beam bricks: the masonry is self-supporting and does not require binding to the capital structure, which makes it possible to arrange a ventilated gap.

Crossbar bricks are also widely used in interior compositions. It can also be a solid wall cladding, or individual architectural elements: pilasters, panels, or just local sections on the walls. For interior decoration, in order to save usable space, clinker bricks are often sawn lengthwise into narrow bars, which does not affect the appearance in any way and reduces the cost per square meter of cladding by 2–3 times.

The high resistance to temperature fluctuations and the hydrophobicity of the crossbar make it optimal for use in baths and saunas, where such material allows to increase the inertia of the stove, along the way providing it with a reliable protective screen, which is not afraid of being doused with water. Clinker can also be used for cladding fireplaces, but its heat resistance does not play a role in this: an interlayer of clay brick is still required. This need is dictated by the fact that when lining fireplaces, cut bricks are usually used, which requires gluing to the supporting base. If this is permissible on walls that do not experience sharp temperature fluctuations, then direct contact with the firebox will cause flaking and collapse. It is possible, as in the case of a sauna stove, to lining with a solid crossbar, but this is much more expensive, given the difference in the area of ​​the facing.

Selection features

On the Russian market, girder bricks are presented by both domestic and European manufacturers. It makes no sense to compare them in terms of the raw materials used and the characteristics of the production technology. Europe has a solid experience in pottery production and today the leading manufacturers of crossbar bricks are family enterprises with a long history. In Russia, brick is produced under a franchise, using suitable local raw materials and working according to the instructions of foreign technical supervision..

There is also no reason to talk about a fundamental difference in quality. In some aspects, Russian bricks are even better: they have less battle content, which is especially important if the stones have been cut, and the cost of the domestic product is lower. However, the Russian manufacturer does not give a guarantee that the coating will retain its appearance without the appearance of defects for ten years. But in case of damage to the local area, you will have to disassemble a significant amount of masonry. Damage to masonry can consist both in the appearance of cracks in individual stones, and in a violation of the appearance due to efflorescence. On the other hand, imported materials are more tolerant of mistakes by unprofessional laymen or those who have not previously dealt with crossbar bricks..

There is a slotted girder brick, which is no different in appearance, but has some thermal insulation properties, has a lower weight and, accordingly, a price, but when used outdoors requires closing the top row in order to avoid moisture seepage inside. Some types of bricks have such an arrangement of voids that allows you to dissolve the stone into two or three strips..

The color palette of crossbar bricks is very peculiar and includes either monochrome colors or the texture of stone rocks, which are often very unusual. The color of the brick is determined by the raw materials from which it is made, it is thanks to this that the clinker does not fade in the sun, and the cut surface practically does not differ from the outside. It is only necessary to choose a girder brick if there are demonstration stands or at least high-quality photographs in order to be able to assess the appearance of large areas – at least 1.5x, 1.5 meters.

To summarize: when buying a transom brick, it is almost impossible to encounter frankly poor quality. The reason is simple: there is no point in faking the material of the elite class, because the frankly low price will speak for itself. If you plan to buy a cut brick, it is better to cut it in Russia – this way there is less chance of a fight during transportation. If you want to simulate solid brick masonry, you can order cut corner pieces.

Rules for working with transom bricks

The technique of masonry crossbar bricks has some characteristic differences, which are due to its form factor and strength properties. Since the stone exerts less pressure on the mortar than the classic brick, it is customary to use a binder of a softer consistency than usual. The laying is carried out strictly in rows, starting from the edge to the center, where additional elements are placed in an arbitrary place. The geometry of the stones allows you to make masonry without any displacement at all, or freely determine its size, depending on aesthetic wishes.

Slotted girder bricks must not be laid under the bar. This is difficult for inexperienced bricklayers, because due to the presence of voids, the stone sinks more into the solution. If rods are still used to guarantee a uniform joint, the masonry must be planed using a waterproof cement mixture and a construction syringe. After jointing, the masonry is exposed to jointing with a scraper with a depth stop. After the drying time of the fugue has expired, the brick should be washed. The first time it is better to do this using a car wash, you should also use detergents, which may be recommended by the manufacturer of the brick and grout.

The thickness of the masonry joint is selected depending on the desired visual effect. Crossbar bricks can have a noticeable curvature along the length, to hide which the required joint thickness reaches 25 mm. In addition to masonry with an emphasized geometry of the pattern, thin-seam masonry is practiced, very similar to rubble. In this case, the control of the correct laying of bricks is controlled by the face spoon and the upper bed using a cord or a laser axis. The grade of cement for clinker needs to be low so that the plasticity of the joints provides sufficient deformability of the masonry for the clinker.