Known as well masonry, building brick walls with insulation combines the strength of brick with the thermal efficiency of insulation materials. During wall construction, this technique of building entails sandwiching insulating materials between brick layers, like mineral wool or foam boards. Bricks serve as a robust outer layer that offers both structural stability and visual appeal, and insulation lowers heat loss to improve energy efficiency.
Enhancing masonry’s capacity to improve a building’s thermal performance is one of its main advantages. Insulation contributes to the year-round maintenance of comfortable interior temperatures by minimizing heat transfer through walls. In addition to improving living or working conditions, this lowers heating and cooling expenses and helps save energy. Well-insulated brick walls can minimize heat gain in warmer climates and greatly reduce heat loss in colder ones, keeping interiors much colder.
Furthermore, a building’s overall longevity and durability can be improved by well-built masonry. Brick’s durability and insulation’s barrier quality work together to provide protection from the elements, moisture, and physical harm. Because of its durability, the structure requires less maintenance and lasts longer, which eventually makes it a cost-effective investment.
The choice to use well-masonry should take into account a number of factors, such as building codes, budget, and climate. Even though it has many advantages over traditional brick construction, the initial costs could be higher. In order to guarantee that the insulation functions well without compromising structural integrity, proper installation is also essential. Speaking with experts in the field of construction can assist in determining how well masonry fits the needs and objectives of a given project.
- What it is?
- Application area
- Things to consider?
- Requirements for building materials and calculation of their quantity
- Technology
- Mistakes to Avoid
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Video on the topic of the article
- Video on the topic
- Laying a double brick house, a cheap option, do it yourself
- Well brick laying
- Brick walls with insulation and cladding
- How to fill the void between bricks?
- Well masonry
- Polystyrene concrete poured between bricks. Insulation for centuries.
What it is?
An important factor to consider in any building is its energy efficiency. However, building a wall two meters thick is the only way to achieve high energy efficiency in the local climate. Due to the strong load that the foundation may not be able to support, this is extremely risky and expensive.
To strengthen the wall, experts advise using lightweight masonry; however, they advise against making the wall into a siege structure that can only be breached with a ram.
Well, well, well—all terms referring to the same kind of masonry.
Its peculiar design element gave it its name. Masonry is the process of building a wall’s inner and outer sections while leaving a space empty in between. Usually, insulation is inserted into this space. Additionally, a wall’s two opposing sections are joined by brick partitions, reinforcement mesh, or 10 mm reinforcement rods.
Looking at this type of masonry from above gives the impression that it is filled with numerous tiny, closed rectangular wells. Twenty percent fewer consumables are required than with traditional masonry because of the use of lightweight masonry.
Application area
Utility rooms, garages, and small homes are built with well-masonry. This method’s goal is to combine bulk insulation—which can come in individual pieces, as well as concrete with additives—with cost-effective material use.
Despite the fact that the masonry is referred to as "well masonry," it is unrelated to wall installation in boreholes or wells. There, a different technique for building masonry is applied, where the wall is constructed with no gaps and of the same thickness.
When building a structure taller than five stories, lightweight masonry is not utilized because the foundation will be subjected to an enormous load. There are voids in the wall, which could cause it to break.
The building will shrink and collapse if this process is not completed in a timely manner, causing the bricks to start falling out of the wall.
It is best not to choose masonry well if the chosen thermal insulation material is not safe and durable because it will be impossible to replace the insulation in such a wall while the building is in operation (you will have to disassemble all the bricks). Applying this type of insulation to the wall’s exterior and, if needed, removing it without causing structural damage makes more sense.
Furthermore, it is not advised to use well masonry in highly humid areas because moisture may seep inside, build up in the insulation, and result in:
- mold development,
- fungus,
- destruction of the building from the inside.
Things to consider?
The dimensions of the well voids and the wall thickness and height of lightweight masonry can differ. For instance, the wall’s overall thickness may range from 33 to 62 cm. There can be 1.5, ¾, ½, or a full brick separating two walls. The well void’s length shouldn’t be more than 105 centimeters, or four brick elements.
Every five to six rows, there should be a void that needs to be filled with insulation. Every five to six rows, loose thermal insulation material needs to be carefully compacted; if the material is mineral wool or polystyrene foam, it is fixed in place with polyurethane foam or an adhesive mixture.
Three methods exist for making corners:
- Two walls running parallel to each other (marked with the letter “a” in the illustration).
- The outer wall thickens slightly (“b”).
- Solid masonry (“in”).
Reinforcement is required at the corners and in areas where the outer wall meets the inner wall. The masonry is continuous near windows and doors, and the lintels beneath window openings should be reinforced with mesh and at least two bricks thick. After the final three to five rows are solidified, either an armored belt made of reinforced concrete is poured on top of the bricks, or a cement screed is applied.
In order to keep the insulation from becoming wet, ventilation gaps between the outer wall and the insulation material are essential. Additionally, vertical seams in the first and last rows help to ensure air circulation in the ventilation gaps, as humidity rises during the rainy and cold seasons.
Any moisture that seeps in will be able to dry out and not deteriorate the material because of this straightforward advice.
Requirements for building materials and calculation of their quantity
But as they say, "Trust, but verify," brick quality control should happen at the manufacturing facility. Such a brick needs to be dependable and intact in order to withstand the future load, given that there will be a void in the well masonry between the two walls.
You should consider the material’s appearance before buying it:
- There should be no defects on the elements that are larger in size and quantity than the permissible standards. A brick is allowed to have a maximum of 2 broken corners up to 15 mm, 2 broken areas on the edges up to 1 cm deep and up to 1.5 cm long, 1 crack on the product itself no more than 3 cm.
- The edges and edges of the brick must be straight. When producing bricks, it is allowed to make ribs with roundings up to 1.5 cm. But this is already a separate type of brick products.
- The number of individual elements in a batch that, due to storage or transportation, cracked in half in the center of the brick – no more than 5% is allowed. If by eye the number of broken half-pieces is greater than this norm, it means that the manufacturer did not comply with the proportions during production or the carriers did not store the material correctly.
Masonry can take many different forms. The diagram displays them as follows:
- “A” = ¼ brick masonry, elements are laid on edge, bricks on each row are mounted with a shift of ¼ of the length of the brick;
- “B” = ½ brick masonry;
- “B” = walls of different thicknesses, and the void is ½ brick, the inner wall can be equal in thickness to the outer one or thicker, but not vice versa;
- “G” = walls of different thicknesses, and well = 1 brick;
- “D” = walls are the same thickness, and lintels are laid to the middle of the wall.
Knowing the quantity is essential for building a brick wall; otherwise, you’ll either have to buy more of the product or leave a pile of extras. How much brick is needed to construct one building?
For instance, there is a two-story home with ten meters on each side. The building’s perimeter is first determined by adding the lengths of all of its sides, giving rise to 10+10+10+10=40 meters.
Additionally, you must be aware of one floor’s height. Assume that it is 3 m. This indicates that a two-story house’s wall will be six meters. It is now crucial to determine the area of the exterior and interior walls. This is accomplished by multiplying the perimeter by the wall height. However, because there are two walls, it’s crucial to choose the markings beforehand. Let’s assume that the example will have an external wall with a length of one side equal to ten meters.
A masonry scheme is determined in order to calculate the internal wall’s perimeter.
One typical brick measures 250 x 120 x 65 mm. Let the masonry in the given house have a thickness of 64 cm. This indicates that each internal wall will have a length of 9.36 meters after deducting 0.64 meters from 10 meters. 9.36×4 = 37.44 m is the perimeter.
You can now resume calculating the area. Area of the outer wall: 40×6 = 240 m^2. Area of inner wall: 37.44 x 6 = 224.64 m^2.
You must consider that 480 pieces are required per 1 m2 (when laying in brick) when calculating the number of bricks required for all rows. This indicates that you will require 240 x 480 = 115,200 pieces for exterior walls (area multiplied by the quantity of bricks in one square meter).
You will need 224.64 x 480 = 107,827 pieces for interior walls. You will require 223,027 bricks in total. This accounts for window and door openings but excludes lintels.
This number can now be subtracted by 10% for a mortar joint with a thickness of 10 mm. As it happens, 200,724 pieces. Approximately 202,000 can be allocated for any battle or defective products.
Technology
Precise calculation and process concentration are necessary for lightweight masonry.
Principal phases of the job:
- A waterproofing layer is laid on the foundation.
- On top of the waterproofing, 2 rows of bricks are laid, tightly pressed against each other, without voids. They will be the base for subsequent rows and the bottom for wells.
- Two walls are laid out – external and internal – with the required distance between them. The thickness of the void should be such that the insulation fits into it, no more.
- Lintellectuals are made every 50-120 cm. It is advisable to mount them under future floor beams.
- To obtain a single structure, it is necessary to connect the walls with reinforcement.
- On the 5-6th row, start laying and tamping the insulation.
- Openings for windows, doors and the last rows should be mounted with solid masonry using a reinforcing mesh.
- Waterproofing is laid on top of the constructed wall, and then supports are mounted under the floor beams.
As an application for insulation:
- Expanded clay. The minimum distance between two walls should be from 10 to 30 cm. Expanded clay is poured every 5th row, carefully compacted and cement is poured on top.
- Minvata. To prevent it from getting wet from moisture, it is recommended to additionally wrap it in a waterproofing film.
- Styrofoam. The sides of the material must be filled with mortar or foam so that it adheres tightly to the walls.
- Foam concrete – a liquid mixture that is poured into the space between the walls 12 cm thick. Density of foam concrete = 250 kg/m3.
- Polystyrene concrete. The walls on the sides serve as formwork for this insulation. The solution is poured into the well from a concrete pump hose, and a Ø 4 mm mesh is used for reinforcement.
- Sawdust concrete. The solution is also poured from a hose. When creating sawdust concrete, industrial wood waste and concrete of at least M10 grade are used.
Mistakes to Avoid
Since the owner has no construction experience, dishonest builders can take advantage of this and violate the laying technology. As a result, the walls start to crack, the finish starts to peel, and mold and mildew grow inside the insulation and spread to the inner and outer walls. An inexperienced owner who handles everything by hand could make the same mistakes.
Here are a few of them:
- The elements are laid crookedly, unevenly, with a large discrepancy in the seams, with a small amount of mortar, not according to the level or in places where the roof goes diagonally – instead of cutting the bricks, just lay the bricks along an inclined line.
- Laying out the basement or corners with hollow bricks. As a result, moisture will immediately get inside the building through the holes. Plus, such a brick simply will not withstand the load and will crumble in the near future, and with it the house.
- Using low-quality bricks. A material that contains a lot of lime will lose a piece of itself over time, i.e.e. pieces of brick will fly off from it in wet weather, and water will begin to get into the voids.
- Lack of clearance for ventilation, as a result of which condensation accumulates in the wall, the walls freeze and become damp.
- Poor filling of seams. Using a mortar that is too thin or too thick will prevent the brick from being securely fixed in place. Because of this, the strength of the wall decreases. And if the mason turned out to be dirty, the terribly sealed seams will ruin the entire appearance of the wall and it will have to be plastered (even if this was not planned).
In the world of construction, well-masonry of brick walls with insulation refers to a technique that combines traditional brickwork with modern thermal insulation materials. This method enhances both the structural integrity and energy efficiency of buildings. By integrating insulation within the masonry, it helps regulate indoor temperatures, reducing heating and cooling costs. However, the decision to use this technique depends on various factors like climate, budget, and building requirements. While it offers benefits such as improved comfort and lower energy bills, it requires careful planning and skilled labor to ensure proper installation and long-term performance. Therefore, weighing these factors is crucial to determine if well-masonry with insulation is worth implementing in a construction project.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of well-masonry:
- reduction in material costs,
- wall thickness and weight,
- foundation loads,
- increasing masonry speed,
- the ability not to insulate walls from the inside or outside.
However, there are also major disadvantages. If the insulation is poorly chosen or installed, condensation from temperature changes will start to build up inside of it, which can cause the material to shrink or break down, weakening the structure as a whole.
Furthermore, it is impossible to assess the insulation’s state, much less replace it.
This section contains all of the most significant and practical information regarding the various kinds of brick walls.
Video on the topic of the article
You’ll learn about the well-masonry of brick walls from the following video:
Constructing insulated brick walls, also referred to as well masonry, has several advantages for both residential and commercial buildings. This technique combines the benefits of insulation materials for moisture and heat control with the structural strength of brick. Well-built walls with integrated insulation contribute to increased energy efficiency by decreasing heat loss in the winter and increasing heat gain in the summer.
The ability of well-built masonry to maintain a cozy interior climate all year round is one of its main benefits. By assisting in temperature regulation, the insulation layer reduces the need for excessive heating or cooling. In addition to improving occupant comfort, this lowers energy use, which could result in lower utility costs over the course of the building’s lifetime.
In addition to improving thermal performance, well-built masonry also reduces sound transmission from outside sources and enhances acoustic insulation. This is especially helpful in multi-unit buildings or urban areas where noise control is essential to the happiness and productivity of occupants.
Even though building brick walls with insulation may initially cost more than using traditional techniques, the long-term advantages frequently outweigh the initial outlay. The building’s increased resilience and energy efficiency meet contemporary construction standards, add to its overall sustainability, and may even raise its property value.