Brick laying instructions
How to lay Bukhara-America facing ceramic brick correctly so the masonry lasts for decades.
Laying sequence
Prepare the base
Level the ground base; tamp soft soil. Lay a 5–10 cm sand bed — it prevents water from seeping to the bricks.
Saturate the brick
Before laying, soak the bricks in water for 5 minutes — this stops them drawing moisture out of the mortar.
Lay on mortar
Spread a 3–4 cm cement mortar layer on the sand. Press the soaked bricks in to at least 60% of their height, tapping with a hammer over a board or a rubber mallet. Keep joints at least 8 mm wide.
Fill the joints
After the mortar hardens (in 2–3 days) fill the joints with liquid cement mortar up to the top edge of the bricks, avoiding voids.
Grouting
Once the joints have dried, grout them for a neat, sealed finish.
Mortar mixes
Laying mortar
1 part cement of grade 325 or higher to 3 parts sand with grain up to 5 mm.
Liquid joint mortar
5 litres of water with 7 kg of cement added while stirring constantly.
Not allowed
- ✕ Cutting any lines on the face side of the brick.
- ✕ Reshaping the brick (trimming it).
- ✕ Installing the brick together with marble in open areas.
Care & use
- ✓ Clear snow off the laid brick surface.
- ✓ Frost resistance down to −20 °C (GOST 7025-91).
- ✓ The overall surface must have organised water drainage.