What You Should Know About Faux Brick

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:19:41 EST

Faux Brick comes in many forms, material compositions, and methods of installation. Choosing a faux brick will depend on whether you are going to use the product indoors or outdoors and the surface that the "brick" will be installed on.

All of the manufactures strive to make brick look realistic, but with easy installation, lightweight, easy maintenance and cost savings. Several manufactures produce faux brick and stone panels that are made from plastic recycled materials. Others are made from polypropylene polyurethane or polymer-based materials.

Most of these come in panel form. The panels have the colored brick and mortar pattern on the panel. There are a wide variety of bricks to choose from. If you are looking for a Victorian look, there is a brick for that. Tan, yellow brick, old school house, white or the used brick looks are all options.

The panels vary from thickness of 1/8 inch, which are flexible to 1 inch and tend to be more rigid. Depending on the manufacturer, the panels are either cemented into place or screwed. Sometimes both attachment methods are recommended. These panels tend to be lightweight, weatherproof, UV stable, and resistant to insects. There are also corner pieces, trim and even columns to match each panel style. All of these are great choices for exterior applications.

The next type would be thin brick made from various materials. One manufacturer makes thin bricks from cement, aggregate, quartz sand, and cured mineral oxide colors. Another is made from vermiculite, which is a material also used in insulation that makes each stone or brick lightweight and natural in texture. For this application a mortar must be used, as you would for a standard brick. The beauty of these bricks is the lightweight factor and the longevity, due to the materials.

One company makes a plastic brick panel that is white or clear. These panels are not colored and are designed for the purchaser to paint in whatever color they choose. With this type, you can use your creativity and make a wall look exactly the way you want it.

One company makes a panel from recycled paper and cardboard. These panels come ready to paint with any color or effect you choose. Some experience in faux techniques is required. These panels are water resistant, but not waterproof. Lightweight and inexpensive, these panels are a good choice for stage use.

Still another choice is full size bricks made from carefully selected materials that are recycled. If you like the idea of environmentally friendly, then one of these products may be for you. Some of these materials come not only from landfills, but also manufacturing by-products.

TRCB.com RSS Feed

What You Should Know About Faux Brick