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How many bricks are there in a square metre?
For a standard brick which is 230mm x 76mm there are 48.5 bricks per square metre (which includes the mortar joint). You can visit the Austral Bricks Brick Calculator by clicking here to estimate the number of bricks for your project.
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What is an Exposure Grade Brick?
Bricks that can become exposed to a severe marine or saline environment need to be exposure grade. Exposure Grade bricks are less susceptibale to salt attack. In accordance with the Building Code of Australia, Exposure Grade bricks must be used where the construction is within 1km of a surf coast or 100m of a non surf coast. See Brick Manual 2 - Brick Properties and Bricklaying Practices.
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How do I need to pay for my bricks or pavers?
Full payment is required for your product prior to delivery. Payment can be made by credit card, cash, eftpos, cheque or direct debit however funds will need to be cleared if paying by cheque or direct debit.
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What are bricks made from?
Bricks are composed of clay and shale. The colour of bricks depends on the clay mix used, firing temperatures, kiln car setting and additives. Additives might include sawdust, coal, coke and manganese.
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Do bricks improve energy efficiency?
Brick is a natural insulator. It’s ability to absorb and release thermal energy (heat or ‘coolth’) over an extended period makes it an ideal choice for reducing the amount of energy used for mechanical heating and cooling and therefore reducing carbon emissions. When used with passive solar design principles, brick has helped achieve an 8 star energy rating on residential houses.
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What is Passive Solar Design?
Passive solar design is when the orientation of the building, site selection, materials, and design features allow the home to collect, store and distribute the sun's heat in winter, block the sun during the summer and provide for air circulation and natural day lighting – all without the need for mechanical cooling.
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What is the difference between Embodied Energy and Lifecycle Analysis?
Embodied energy is a measure of the amount of energy associated with the manufacture of a product. The true life-cycle impact of a material is not accurately measured by its embodied energy alone. A Life Cycle Analysis examines the total energy used in construction, utlisation, heating and cooling and finally, decommissioning of a building. Overwhelmingly, utilisation energy (including cooking, heating and cooling, lighting) is the primary energy demand over a building’s lifetime.
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Should Hydrochloric Acid be used to clean bricks?
Acid cleaning using hydrochloric acid (HCl) should normally only be used to remove mortar stains. Generally, hydrochloric acid should not be used to treat any other stains or at any other time during the life of your bricks. If used incorrectly, it can cause unsightly staining that is more difficult to remove. The correct technique for cleaning mortar stains of brickwork with hydrochloric acid is given in Brick Manual 3 - Brick cleaning and maintenance (hyperlink).
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