Modern houses are built from a wide variety of building materials, almost all of which require high-quality exterior wall decoration. For these purposes, wood, plastic, metal, stone are widely used, but facade brick is considered the most reliable and durable. This type of wall cladding impresses with its diversity and ability to turn an unsightly building into a real architectural masterpiece. To understand what its advantages and features are, you should study this material in more detail.
Main characteristics of facade bricks
Facade brick is a versatile material made of ceramics, used for cladding interior and exterior walls, fences and pillars. Due to its attractive appearance and variety of colors, it is actively used in decorating rooms and ennobling cottage plots.
Popularity in the field of exterior decoration of facades of ceramic bricks has gained due to a number of positive features, namely:
- High degree of wear resistance. Due to the strength of ceramics, facades lined with suchbrick, for many decades do not require repair work, which fully justifies the cost of the material.
- Weather resistant. Facade brick does not fade, is not afraid of precipitation and is sufficiently resistant to temperature extremes.
- Excellent thermal insulation ability. The material is characterized by low thermal conductivity, which helps to retain heat inside the building. It should also be noted that the walls lined with ceramics practically do not let extraneous sounds from the street into the room.
- Fire safety. The resistance of brick to fire allows you to reliably protect the building from external fire, which is why it is very often used for finishing the facades of wooden buildings.
Types of facing bricks
There are several types of facade bricks, each of which differs in composition and manufacturing method.
Ceramic facade brick is made from fire-resistant clay, which is given a certain shape. The material is fired at high temperatures and covered with a coloring composition or glaze. Such a brick, in addition to strength, is characterized by high vapor permeability, which contributes to the creation of an optimal microclimate in the room.
Pressed brick is produced by processing particles of shell rock or limestone under high pressure. This look is very similar in appearance to natural stone, so it is great for decorating facades.
Clinker brick is considered the most durable type. For its manufacture is usedpure slate clay, which is fired at a temperature of 1600 degrees. Due to its high strength, the material is often used for laying sidewalks.
Brick-look wall panels
Unfortunately, there are situations when the use of facade bricks is impossible due to the low strength of the foundation of the house or simply due to lack of funds. In this case, the best option would be to finish with brick facade panels.
Wall paneling is considered an economical option for quickly and inexpensively giving your home a dramatic look. Moreover, this material acts as a heat-insulating layer and qualitatively protects the walls from freezing.
Panels are very easy to install, so installing them will not be difficult even for an inexperienced finisher. Facade brick finish can be installed on walls made of any material, be it brickwork, wood, concrete or plaster.
Advantages of facade panels
The main advantages of facade panels include:
- Beautiful appearance. A well-made imitation practically does not differ from natural brick, you can see the difference only from a close distance.
- Panels are not affected by temperature, moisture, and colonization by various microorganisms.
- The material has a long service life, because over time it does not lose its original appearance and can last more than 50 years.
- Light weight. Does not place additional burden onfoundation, thanks to which the panels can be installed on any facades.
- Large selection of textures and colors.
- No harmful components are used in the manufacturing process of the panels, so they do not emit harmful substances and are absolutely safe for humans.
Which of the two materials is the most suitable, the owner of the house should decide, having previously assessed his strengths and capabilities. If the foundation of a building cannot support the additional weight, and there is neither desire nor money to expand it, the ideal solution would be to install facade panels. Brick also helps to strengthen the walls of the building, thereby extending its life. At the same time, such a finish will cost much more.
