Facade decoration is not only a way to give a house a neat look, but also an opportunity to emphasize its individuality. Facing bricks are very popular as a finishing material, in addition, there are many sizes and varieties of such bricks.
Dimensions and appearance
Facing bricks are used in both facade and interior decoration. In the process of choosing a material, it is important to remember that cracks, stains, chips and other defects are unacceptable. If there are lumps of lime on the front side of the brick, the material is considered defective - over time, lime particles will fall out of the brick and the surface of the cladding will become uneven.
The sizes of the facing stone can be different, in Europe there is even a kind of fashion for masonry with different-sized bricks. Such masonry makes the appearance of the building very original.
It is assumed that the dimensions of bricks within the same batch differ by 2-4 mm in size. In practice, the quality of the masonry will not deteriorate from such errors. However, the modern level of production makes it possible to reduce these errors to a minimum, even though the clay from which the brick is made can change its shape during firing and drying in a completely unpredictable manner.
In appearance, ceramic bricks can be of all colors and shades, uniform and non-uniform. To give the material a certain color, various minerals are added to the clay. Also, the color of the finished product is influenced by the composition of the clay and the technology of firing bricks.
Varieties of facing bricks
Facing bricks are of three main types: ceramic, clinker and hyper-pressed. They differ in price, manufacturing method and service life. Clinker bricks are known for their strength and durability. This facing material is produced by clay firing. Clinker bricks are made in different sizes, so the scope for designers' imagination is huge.
Ceramic brick, in addition to its aesthetic function, also performs heat insulation, since there are voids inside the brick. It is often used to decorate the facades of houses, since the texture of ceramic bricks can be very diverse.
For the production of hyper-pressed bricks, cement and semi-dry mixtures of lime and crushed stone are used. This finishing material is popular because it can be easily machined without losing its properties. For thermal insulation, such a brick is not used, however, this cannot be called a disadvantage, since the problem is solved by laying an additional layer of heat-insulating material under the layer of external decoration.
