Features and varieties of decorative bricks

Each building and finishing material has its own specific features. This fully applies to decorative bricks. However, many people do not know well enough of its features and characteristic points that allow them to make a competent choice.

The brick surface of the wall subconsciously inspires the idea of ​​reliability and invincibility, of the quality of the structure. From her and breathes comfort. But classic brick is inferior to more modern materials, and in some cases it is necessary to abandon it. There is, however, a good way out of the situation. It consists in covering a wall made of a different material with decorative bricks.

You can apply a similar coating both inside and outside the room. The choice of a particular variety depends on the place where the finishing will be done. Decorative bricks for interior walls are made using gypsum and materials based on it. But if finishing materials are chosen to decorate external walls, it is advisable to give preference to compositions of cement mixtures. Most often, the stone is imitated with molding gypsum of the GF10 modification.

I must admit that this material is quite expensive. However, the board is justified by the fact that the structures are durable and are used for a long time. Also, instead of this substance, alabaster or gypsum putty mixture can be used. In some cases, decorative bricks are made by hand in order to save money and get a product that is ideal for your needs.

Decorative bricks are superior to other finishing materials:

• its strength;
• stability in various weather conditions;
• minimum requirements for care;
• no need to paint the surface;
• fire and temperature resistance;
• thermal security of the building;
• aesthetic characteristics.

But it is important to understand that along with the positive aspects, decorative bricks have their weaknesses. It is quite expensive and does not forgive installation mistakes. This material, despite all the efforts of engineers, still has a high specific gravity. It is less than that of building bricks, but more than that of a number of other finishing materials. Handling decorative bricks requires experience, certain skills and care, so sometimes it is even appropriate and profitable to turn to professionals for installation.

Many options have been developed that allow you to create a chic external and internal appearance of the house. The use of aged bricks helps to reduce the cost of decorating the surface. The visual effect he creates, with unique chips and a range of colors, will delight almost everyone. But the problem is that factory-made aged ceramic bricks cost a lot of money. Therefore, in some cases it is obtained independently.

Yes, in terms of technical characteristics, such a product is inferior to branded samples. However, if only an external sense of similarity is required, this disadvantage can be ignored. In skillful hands, even the cheapest bricks of the M125, M150 or M200 brands can be transformed into some kind of decorative. Bad geometry turns from a disadvantage to a virtue. At the same time, the mechanical qualities of the products, if done correctly, will be at their best.

Sometimes the front side of ceramic bricks is chipped in order to form an expressive relief. A pickaxe is recommended for this job. Then a dye is applied to the same side (dipping the bricks themselves in a special container). Then they are left to dry.

Aging itself will require the use of:

• a set of hammers of different sizes;
• grinder;
• chisel;
• sandblasting machine.

There is also an alternative solution, in which used bricks are used, and the facade is covered with a composition that, in addition to decorative, also has protective functions. They start with the purchase of a full-weight brick, which must be cleaned from the front side with a grinder from the previous solution. Then special chips are applied with a mallet, the blocks themselves are laid on a lime mortar. The same solution is used for plastering. The prepared wall is covered with facade paints, achieving an original effect due to a variety of colors; then it is covered with a matte varnish.

Over time, the surface will still, of course, fade and fade. But this problem is solved simply: at the right time, they only use a special paint. To postpone this moment, you must immediately cover the surface with hydrophobic compounds. They will help the masonry to retain its original appearance longer. But before choosing a specific option, it is better to consult with specialists. It is important to understand that a “real” artificial finishing brick is fundamentally different from a standard wall sample.

For the manufacture of this material use:

• concrete;
• water;
• sand;
• coloring components;
• strengthening additives.

This mixture is mixed very thoroughly, and great attention is paid to the accuracy of the selected recipe. Manufacturers of colored, dark and light wall bricks equally try to keep the chemical composition of their product secret. Therefore, consumers can only focus on the appearance of the product. And it can be extremely diverse. Externally, the old brick, covered with graceful chips, as if worn and uneven on the outside, has become widespread.

But some people prefer a smooth decorative block that looks like clinker. In any case, if manufacturers set a goal to get a detailed drawing with a drawing of small features, they use a more complex shape. Therefore, you have to pay extra for the elegance of the image and the excellent appearance. It is important to understand that any artificial brick only imitates a “real” brick surface, but in fact remains a tile, the thickness of which rarely exceeds 1.5 cm. This material is cheaper than clinker and does not cause harm when used.

One more nuance must be clearly understood: for all the economy of decorative brick made with your own hands, it rarely has a special quality. And the main reason is due to the fact that publicly sold forms and technical documentation for them are carefully guarded by large firms. After all, all of them are not interested in reducing the number of buyers of finished products. But the choice of decorative bricks produced by large factories is large enough to "cover" all needs. Moreover, the recipe and methods of processing raw materials, of course, are also trade secrets.

Industrial decorative bricks can also be refractory. For domestic purposes, refractory materials based on silica or a mixture of aluminum with silicates are actively used. When choosing such blocks, you need to pay attention first of all to the level of heat capacity. Chamotte and magnesite are suitable for covering the outside of furnace combustion chambers, for lining various heating boilers. Experienced stoves definitely prefer fireclay bricks rather than dinas bricks, because:

• the latter is very hard, does not cut well or breaks;
• this material is heavy;
• despite its hardness, it is also fragile;
• manufacturers often deviate from the requirements of GOST, applying individually developed technical conditions.

But still, first-class fireclay has only a narrow "niche" - facing of hearths and chimneys. Alternative materials are required to decorate other parts of the room. Glass bricks are worth noticing among them. This decorative coating is becoming more and more popular, and experts estimate it as very promising. Glass blocks help to save money on heating, they are impervious even to strong moisture.

A wide range of colors, external textures allows both to shade existing interiors and to create an original composition from scratch. But even the best glass bricks are not strong enough. This means that it is necessary to carefully monitor their transportation, storage and stowage. Otherwise, the surface is easily damaged. If all technical requirements are met, the transparent "brick" will provide:

• excellent sound insulation;
• excellent sanitary and environmental characteristics;
• resistance to everyday mechanical stress.

Glass bricks are perfect for a bathroom. Its properties make it possible to use blocks as the main building material. Aftercare is relatively easy and cleaning is not a problem. Most designers recommend using glass bricks to create chaotic compositions. Such elements fit well into modern furnishings.

Glass bricks are also used to decorate rooms because they are easy to replace. If individual blocks are damaged, then only them can be replaced without touching the rest of the wall. The difference between the modifications of glass bricks is expressed in:

• relief;
• mechanical strength;
• chemical composition;
• manufacturing method.

A brick made of glass is much heavier than glass bricks. Also, this product costs more, and its variety of colors is less - but during work, you can change the appearance of the products. Without any problems, you can form a pattern suitable for yourself. Since glass bricks are heavy, it is worth calculating the load generated from the outset. Not all houses have a foundation and supporting structures that will withstand it, so the calculation will help to avoid a rash step.

Manufacturers change the color of decorative glass by adding special pigments. Technologies have been developed that make it possible to separately paint both the surface of the material and its entire thickness. A colored variety of glass bricks can be obtained by heat treatment (with simultaneous exposure to alkali metal oxides, quartz sand). The proportion of reagents used determines not only the tonality of the finished product. It shows how strong the product is, whether it becomes dense or relatively light.

In addition to glass, decorative concrete bricks can also be used. It can be used for a long time, while maintaining an elegant appearance. Imitation of natural material is often achieved with an uneven surface layer. The stone can be used to decorate walls and other surfaces both in a private house and in a city apartment. Even those who have only elementary bricklaying skills will be able to do all the work.

Decorative brick, no matter what material it is made of, is suitable only for certain decoration styles. It is often used to decorate loft-style rooms. This is almost ideal in this case: it’s hard to find a better way to mimic an old-fashioned brick wall. If everything is done correctly, it seems that there is not modern housing around, but a building built at least in the first half of the twentieth century (if not earlier).It is important to understand that even the most elaborate loft is visually aggressive and can be tiring over time.

Therefore, the design must be diluted:

• floor rugs in rich colors;
• flower arrangements;
• expressive upholstered furniture.

Do not assume that decorative bricks are only suitable for loft-style houses. Where the owners prefer country or its various semi-antique versions, this material can also be used. In this case, use the lightest brick possible, trying to lay it as beautifully as possible. This is not surprising, because the concept is also different - now the premises are made out not as an "old factory or warehouse", but as a cozy rural house.

To enhance this impression, solid dark natural wood beams can be used. But it is not recommended to introduce any artificial details into the composition, they will immediately disrupt the integrity of the country interior. A similar style can be used for a kitchen backsplash and for walls in individual rooms. The use of decorative bricks is also appropriate in high-tech style. But the approach, of course, should be different.

Decorative bricks can also be used in the English style. Here, rough, emphatically rural material will not work. It is necessary to use carefully executed blocks that will perfectly combine with natural wood. The English room is done in a single color scheme. This circumstance must be taken into account even when choosing decorative elements for framing a fireplace.

Even if the decorative brick matches the basic style, you should not rush to stick it on the wall. It is necessary to pay attention to other characteristics of the products. Thickness and other dimensions are determined individually, but one must remember that elements that are too thick will turn out to be unnecessarily heavy. When choosing a decor for a bedroom, you need to give preference to coverings with a discreet appearance. If you violate this requirement, you can get a pretentious, too tense emotionally environment.

Decorative bricks intended for a kitchen backsplash must be as resistant to moisture, grease and heat as possible. Smooth blocks, the surface of which is resistant to detergents, are preferred. When you plan to use bricks to decorate compact areas around the entrance, you need to choose products that can be applied fragmentarily. Otherwise, the design becomes cumbersome and cumbersome, it looks too uncomfortable. But apart from the design characteristics. it is also necessary to take into account purely technical issues.

So, it is appropriate to use clinker where the humidity is high. It is used in the bathroom, in the kitchen, as well as in the design of facades. Low absorption of water by the coating is a very important property, thanks to which the service life of the products is very long.

There are three main surface formats:

• glazed;
• matte;
• with a pronounced relief.

Decorative gypsum bricks are not recommended for use in damp rooms. The exception is products with a special protective layer. To trim the corners, specially prepared curly parts are used. Regardless of the humidity in the room, you can use polyurethane panels that reproduce the relief of "real" bricks. These products are recommended for sanitary facilities and kitchen groups.

As for the preferred colors, the designers recommend using:

• a combination of red and brown paints;
• white and red tones (these are the most common shades);
• a combination of brown and sand colors;
• combining white with sand and gray tones.

Red decorative brick, even if it is not too saturated in color, is perfectly combined with a "white" room. Especially when the furniture is also painted in the lightest possible colors. Gray decorative brick fits mainly into more austere and laconic interiors. Black decorative material is used primarily as a contrast. A black wall looks best in a light room.

For information on how to choose a decorative brick, see the next video.