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What tests are building ceramics products subject to?

Construction products are of great importance for the safety of the objects erected from them. Their quality parameters determine the durability of the building, as well as operational characteristics, e.g. energy efficiency. Due to the need to ensure that they have the right characteristics, when introducing individual materials to the market, it is necessary to conduct initial type tests and issue a Declaration of Performance, CE label or B mark. These rules also apply to popular bricks, roof tiles and hollow bricks - so that they can legally to be placed on the market, it is necessary to carry out testing of building ceramics productscarried out by authorized laboratories. Let's take a closer look at this process.

Where can building ceramics products be tested?

The basic document admitting the construction material to the market is the Declaration of Performance and the related CE label, which confirms that the product meets the requirements European harmonized standard, allowing its sale and use throughout the European Union. For products that are not covered by these standards, it is possible to issue a National DOC and B labels. It means that the material meets the requirements set out in the national standard or has obtained the National Technical Assessment. This type of research must be carried out in a facility that has appropriate competences and laboratory equipment. An additional advantage of the testing laboratory is the implemented and accredited system compliant with the requirements of the PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard, which confirms that it uses a strictly defined, appropriate methodology and its work is fully independent.

What is being tested?

Various ceramic products used in construction can be tested, both in the framework of type tests, what control tests. In case of ceramic tiles bending resistance, permeability, frost resistance, water absorption and the degree of dimensional retention are controlled. The components used in the production are also checked. However, in the case of ceramic masonry elements – e.g. solid bricks, clinker bricks, perforated and checkered bricks or hollow bricks – the list of verified parameters is much longer. It includes e.g. compressive strength, percentage of hollows in the surface of the product, water absorption, surface flatness and dimensions, as well as resistance to freezing and thawing cycles. They can also be tested ceramic blocks ventilationor silicate wall elements or made of autoclaved aerated concrete.