Building with Brick
Building with Brick
Concrete or Clay?
Did you know there was a difference between the two, and what is the difference? Do you have a preference?
These are only some of the questions that arise when talking bricks with clients here at Stroud Homes Bay of Plenty.
To help clients figure out if it’s a material that suits them and their dream home, in this blog post we’d like to delve a bit deeper into one of our favourite materials to work with – the brick.
The versatile brick
Bricks are fantastic in the way that there are multiple options for their use. Not only can bricks be used externally as a façade option but internally as a feature or even as a structural element.
Whether you choose a concrete or clay brick they come in a wide variety of colour’s and sizes. This allows you to get creative when choosing bricks.
You can mix brick colour’s to create feature panels, mix the brick sizes to give contrasting effects, you can even paint bricks to give a rough texture while achieving your ultimate colour.
The way you choose to lay your bricks can also differ as there are many different patterns in which you can lay a brick.
Aside from the laying pattern, there is also multiple choices for the joint type between the brick. Each giving distinct finishes.
The difference between concrete and clay bricks
Concrete Bricks are made from a mixture of sand, cement, oxide, and water that is mixed and placed into a mould and baked in a furnace to create the brick.
Concrete bricks are more likely to be consistent in size and shape and are often more consistent when laid. Colours of concrete bricks are also more consistent and allow you to colour match the mortar.
Clay bricks are made by natural clay bearing soils, minerals and lime that is pressed into moulds and kiln dried to form a pressed or extruded clay brick.
Clay bricks have complete colour through the brick, therefore they don’t require any colouring, painting or sealing.
As these are more of a natural brick the size and shape can vary slightly. The colour can vary between bricks as they are made from natural materials with no colour additives, generally grey or white mortar is used with a clay brick.
Internal use
When you mention bricks, most people think of the external façade of the home.
However, a perfect idea for an internal feature is to use brick on the internal walls. These can be either face brick which is the natural finish of the brick or painted bricks.
Internal features really bring a sense of ‘wow’ to the inside of your home. They have become popular features in kitchens as well as in living rooms and bedrooms.
Have a discussion with our staff during your colour selection process to discuss what would look best in your home.
Get in touch!
If you’re looking for a Bay of Plenty home builder, come on in to our Display Centre located at 415 Cameron Rd, Tauranga.
Here you can get a feel for what your new home could look like with our fully loaded inclusions, colours and materials on display.
Please call Mark Hemmings 027 226 9998 to book in or keep up to date with our news via our Facebook page.
