Pros and cons of building a red brick plinth

The basement is the foundation of the house between the foundation and the main walls of the house. The erection of load-bearing walls is distributed along the base, so it is very important when choosing a building material for the basement to take into account all the factors that will make the optimal choice of the material from which it will be built.

The most reliable and common material for the construction of the basement is red brick.

Positive sides of red brick:
1. Less susceptible to cracking than white brick and concrete;
2. Resistant to moisture;
3. Resistant to temperature extremes;
4. Has a small weight;
5. Good soundproofing;
6. The possibility of recycling;
7. It is divided into several types and classes;
8. Environmentally friendly product (made from fired clay);
9. Red brick is a warm building material. In climatic conditions, where a clear division into seasons is characteristic, and sharp and large temperature differences are also characteristic, construction a red brick base will be justified.
When buying red brick, you need to know that the larger the number with the letter M on its marking, the stronger the brick, for the construction of a tall house with several floors, it is better to choose a brick with a marking from M 100. It is also worth paying attention to frost resistance - the more cycles, all the better.

When erecting a plinth using red brick, a wall thickness of at least 520 mm should be made. In addition, the base must be provided with good waterproofing so that mold does not form on its walls over time and they are resistant to severe frost. Warming is best done with extruded polystyrene foam.

If everything is done in strict accordance with the design decision, there will be no problems with the base for many years.

Cons of building a red brick base:
The main disadvantage of red brick today is its quality. The seller may even have a certificate for a brick, but in addition to produce it in other places without a certificate. Therefore, it becomes difficult to choose a good red brick that meets all the necessary requirements.
The second disadvantage is the cost of such a brick. It is estimated to be more expensive than silicate due to the fact that manufacturing takes more time and costs.
The third minus is that if you have to buy a red brick for construction, the color may differ and the visible part of the base will be in different color shades of red.