Brick facade panels: material features for exterior decoration

Facade cladding plays a huge role in the modern exterior, since not only the appearance of the architectural building depends on it, but also the service life of the structure itself. Today there is a huge selection of finishing materials that can be used to decorate buildings in an original way, but brick-like facade panels are especially popular. They are available in various types, are easy to install, have a rich color range and texture, so they are ideal for any design style.

Brick facade panels are a unique material that has found wide application in the exterior decoration of buildings. They are produced from cement-sand mortar, so the raw materials are environmentally friendly and harmless to human health. To make the material durable and resistant to the effects of the external environment, plasticizers, polymer mixtures and stabilizers are also added to its main composition. Such panels are produced in various colors and textures, thanks to which the facade decoration can be performed in any style. Two-component water-based dyes are used to color the products, so the natural shades of the panels look natural and retain their appearance for a long time without fading in the sun.

As for the texture of the panels, for the exterior of the house, you can choose a material with a chipped, smooth, and corrugated or rough surface. At the same time, regardless of what type of panels will be chosen, the cladding will in any case acquire a pronounced relief, which will give the building a chic. As a rule, such material is used for the exterior decoration of the walls of country houses, but it can also be found in the design of other buildings. The panels are usually installed either on the entire surface of the walls or in separate inserts that accentuate the design.

Facade panels with imitation brick are produced in various types, each of which differs not only in size, shape, but also in the composition of the elements. Therefore, the material may have its own characteristics and characteristics.

Today there are two main types of panels.

• With a homogeneous structure. Such decorative products are made from PVC and polymer raw materials. Due to the presence of special modifiers, the material is resistant to moisture, temperature extremes and deformation.

• With a combined structure. These are the so-called thermal panels, which are produced using a special technology by combining polymers with an insulating material. The result is an excellent heat insulator that is not inferior in quality even to polyurethane foam or expanded polystyrene. When finishing with such panels, it is not necessary to additionally lay a layer of insulation. The only drawback of the product is its high price, but, unlike other panels, its installation is much easier.

In addition, brick facade panels are of the following types:

• Clinker. They are a material for the manufacture of which clinker bricks are used. They are considered an ideal option for exterior decoration, as they have many advantages: strength, high wear resistance, good thermal insulation.Cladding panels are produced in a huge range of textures and colors. The downside of the product is the complexity of its installation.
• Concrete. They are made on the basis of concrete in a wide choice of colors. The main components of the material are high quality cement and sand. In some types of panels, a quartz-cement composition may also be present, to which natural dyes and cellulose are added. Thanks to modern production technology, the product is lightweight and provided with mounting brackets that facilitate cladding. The only drawback of such panels is the high price.

• Polymeric. The product is made from polymer raw materials, which makes the panels lightweight and easy to install. Externally, the material resembles siding with imitation of natural brick masonry. It is affordable, ideal for any style. Antique brick and stone panels look especially beautiful in a modern exterior. As for the disadvantages, the product is not recommended for finishing buildings located in harsh climatic conditions.
• Polyvinyl chloride. They are characterized by good strength, ductility and excellent resistance to temperature changes. The color palette of the panels is different. The material that imitates burnt and sandy bricks looks interesting. There are also combined models in the form of a mosaic decor; a ceramic layer is applied to their surface. Although the price of the product is low, it is necessary to purchase additional insulation materials for installation, so the final installation is expensive.

Decorative panels for brick appeared on the construction market recently, but in a short period of time they managed to establish themselves as the most popular material that is widely used for facing facades.

The huge demand for the product is explained by its following characteristics:

• High resistance to environmental influences. The panels are not afraid of moisture, temperature extremes and ultraviolet radiation.
• Salt streaks are not formed on the surface of the material. This problem is often encountered when decorating facades with natural bricks, which absorb moisture well. Artificial analogs are protected from the appearance of plaque, since they have a low absorption coefficient.

• Huge selection. Manufacturers present panels of various colors and textures on the market. Products with imitation of red, yellow, white and beige bricks are especially popular. Thanks to such a chic assortment, it became possible to uniquely decorate the facade, giving it a beautiful and stylish look.
• Ease of installation. The installation of the material is carried out quickly and can be done independently without the help of specialists. Since the panels are available in large sizes, installation work does not require much time.
• Durability. The service life of such a finish is identical to that of ordinary brickwork.
• Low weight. Due to the fact that the products are made using modern technologies from polymers, they weigh little and significantly reduce the load on the foundation.

• Strength. The material can withstand any mechanical stress and is considered much more reliable than siding.
• Fire safety. The panels are non-flammable and, in the event of a fire, have a minimum fire rate.
• Good thermal conductivity. Most of the model range is produced with the presence of a special insulation, therefore, such panels are warm and at the same time play the role of not only a decorative element, but also a high-quality heat insulator.

As for the shortcomings of the facade material, its main disadvantage is considered to be its high cost. In addition, in some cases, in order to perform the cladding of buildings with a complex structure, you need to resort to the help of professionals, and this will entail additional costs.

Before revealing a building with facade panels, it is necessary not only to decide on their design, but also to choose the right size. Since the product is produced with a protective layer, it is important to take into account that the thickness of such a finish will be no more than 3 mm. Each brand produces panels in accordance with established standards for a specific model range, so the dimensions may vary. As a rule, products are manufactured in the form of three nuclear panels with dimensions of 19.8 * 35 * 2.4 cm. If you purchase products of this size, then their consumption per 1 m2 of wall will be about 14 units, while the weight of the finish will not exceed 20 kg.

When drawing up a design project for a building, it is necessary to provide not only its internal design, but also external decor. To do this, you should choose in advance a suitable cladding color, which would be in harmony with all exterior elements. Today, gray and white brick panels are very popular. If the building needs to be given a refined look, it is recommended to use terracotta, red and yellow colors for finishing the facade. At the same time, it is not necessary to perform wall cladding in one shade, for example, white brick will be ideally combined with burgundy and peach inserts, and gray can be supplemented with red-brown compositions.

Since the facade panels are produced in a rich palette of colors, when choosing them, you need to take into account the peculiarities of the architectural structure and pay attention to the finish of the basement and roof. The geographical location of the building, its size and purpose also play a huge role. Depending on this, the decor can be made with panels of both cold and warm colors. Red and orange are considered warm colors, purple, blue and green are considered cool, and gray is neutral.

Panels with imitation bricks are presented on the market by many manufacturers, therefore they differ from each other not only in color, texture, but also in material.

Products made on the basis of clinker tiles from brands such as ABC, Roben, Stroeher and Feldhaus Klinker... They are characterized by high quality and reliability, and a chic selection of shades allows you to finish any marching direction. The thickness of such panels is from 9 to 14 mm and the weight does not exceed 16 kg.

Concrete-based material from by Kmew... For the manufacture of products, this manufacturer uses only high-quality cement, plasticizing additives, pigments and fine sand. To simplify the installation of panels, they are provided with special brackets for fastening, and thanks to a special molding technology, the products acquire a texture that is difficult to distinguish from natural bricks. The dimensions of such panels are 45.5 * 30.3 cm, the thickness is 16 mm.

Also popular in decoration and polymer panels for brick, which produces Docke-R company... They are lightweight and easy to install. Since the product is lightweight, it does not load the base of the building and allows an additional layer of thermal insulation to be laid. Outwardly, such panels resemble vinyl siding, they are produced in standard sizes - 112.7 * 46.1 cm with a thickness of 16 mm.

The facade is considered to be the face of any architectural structure, so its decoration must be done accordingly. Recently, most craftsmen began to use brick-like facade panels for external cladding of buildings, since they reliably protect the structure from the negative effects of the external environment and give its image a complete look. Before doing such a finish, you need to choose the right material.

To do this, it is worth considering the following points:

• Features of the structure. Different types of panels can be used depending on the purpose and size of the building.So, for a private house, concrete-based products made in warm colors are recommended, for public institutions it is best to give preference to polymer panels of colder shades. The product can be installed on any surface, but the installation technology for wood and concrete bases is different. The location of the building is also important - for areas with harsh climatic conditions, it is advisable to purchase panels that are already provided with thermal insulation.

• Operational characteristics. The material should be selected with a high strength class.
• Price. There are both expensive and affordable panels on sale, but it is worth remembering that you cannot save on quality. When purchasing products from well-known manufacturers who have proven themselves in the construction market, you do not have to worry about the reliability of the finish.
• Compliance with landscape design. All structures and annexes located on the territory of the land plot must be harmoniously combined with each other and complement each other beautifully. Therefore, the color and texture of the cladding is selected in accordance with the general style of decoration. The facade, roof and basement of the building should be a single composition.

It is quite possible to do the cladding of the facade with your own hands, without having special knowledge and experience, the only problem can only be the finishing of structures of a complex architectural form.

The following tips will help beginners with this:

• Before starting work, it is necessary to thoroughly prepare the surface of the walls outside. To do this, it is worth checking the base for evenness using a building level. In the event that the differences exceed more than 1 cm, then it is impossible to fasten the panels to such a base without alignment. Regardless of whether the walls are brick or concrete, they must also be primed. Wooden surfaces are additionally treated with an antiseptic.
• It is important to correctly determine the level of the first row of cladding. Wall panels, as a rule, are fixed from the ground level by 30 cm. It is advisable to start cladding from the corners.

• The material is fixed using a special tile glue, it is applied pointwise along the entire perimeter of the panel. In addition, the products can be installed on the lathing, fixing them on the dowels. Fiber cement panels are best secured with hexagonal screws.
• After the first row is ready, then all the gaps between the wall and the material must be filled with polyurethane foam.
• If during installation it turns out that the panel does not fit in a row, it should be cut with a grinder.
• A country house, where it is planned to live only in the summer, can be revetted with material without insulation, this will turn out much faster and cheaper. As for residential buildings, thermal insulation is required for them.
• In order for the finish to acquire an aesthetic appearance, its seams must be rubbed with special mixtures.

Brick facade panels open up great opportunities for design creativity. The classic style is very popular in modern decoration, for which the roof is made in dark colors, and the facade is decorated with panels of pastel and coffee shades. The cladding also looks beautiful in yellow and white. At the same time, it is recommended to use no more than three colors for wall decoration, one of which will be considered the main one, and the other two - additional. The original solution will be the facade cladding with materials of different textures. By making individual inserts, you can achieve a stunning effect.

If the country house is small, then it can be decorated in an Alpine style., where the roof of the house will be made of natural wood, and the walls of the facade will be light. If the land on which the building is located is lined with many trees, then for cladding it is best to choose panels of saturated colors and give preference to green, yellow or brown.In open areas, a red or orange cladding is suitable for the facade. In this case, it is advisable to choose panels with a relief structure.

For large country houses located near a lake or sea, the right solution would be to decorate the walls in shades of water. It will look beautiful against the background of such a landscape blue, blue or turquoise. In order for the architectural structure to acquire a chic look, it is important to supplement it with decorative extensions in the form of terraces, for the decoration of which the same material will be used as for a residential building.

Forged stairs look interesting against the background of such finishing. In this case, their steps need to be laid out with marbled tiles. Decorative tiles, laid out in the form of small paths and leading to separate zones of the personal plot, will help to complete the composition.

Installation of panels is waiting for you in the next video.