Let”s consider what is better: plaster or facing brick

Plaster and facing brick are two common options that have clear benefits when it comes to selecting the right material for your walls. Because each has a unique appearance, feel, and set of advantages, the choice ultimately comes down to personal taste and the particular requirements of your room.

Plaster offers a seamless, smooth finish that is easily customizable with different colors and textures. When compared to brick, it can be more reasonably priced and is perfect for creating a sleek, contemporary look. Conversely, facing brick gives your walls a character and texture while providing a timeless, long-lasting look in a variety of colors and styles.

We’ll weigh the benefits and drawbacks of facing brick and plaster in this post to assist you in choosing the option that best fits your maintenance needs, style, and budget.

Plaster facade or brick

Humanity has been using plaster as a finishing material since the beginning of time. Furthermore, the final coating’s composition and appearance have changed significantly due to technological advancements. Although facing brick is purely decorative, it serves as a structural material in and of itself. Its primary purpose is to level and protect the walls.

• In terms of its physical and mechanical properties, it is in no way inferior to ordinary brick and can be used not only for decoration, but also for full-fledged masonry. Another thing is what the price will be? Therefore, the main masonry is made of ordinary brick or concrete blocks, and decorative brick is used for external cladding and internal wall design.

Difficulties of brick cladding

Even before you begin construction, you should choose between plaster and facing brick for your house for the following reasons. Brick cladding requires support on the foundation because of its substantial weight. Furthermore, it needs to be firmly fixed to the load-bearing wall, which is simpler to accomplish when building.

• For an already operating house, the choice of this type of finishing is not the best, since for this you most often have to dig up the foundation. If its design does not allow you to support the masonry with one brick, you need to add old ones or build a new foundation. Firstly, it is very labor-intensive, and secondly, you can load the newly poured concrete strip only after four weeks – after it has fully gained strength.

• Only those whose house has a protruding plinth, with a protrusion of at least 12 cm, will be lucky – this is exactly how much is required to completely support the brick. In general, it is also necessary to provide a ventilation gap, which should be at least 4 cm, without it you can only face an unheated building, for example: a barn, garage, warehouse.
• However, according to building codes, the brick can hang from the foundation by a third, and this is the same 4 cm required for the ventilation gap. But in the above-ground part of the facade, this does not look very nice, and you will have to think about how to close this protrusion with the help of finishing the plinth. If it is necessary to insulate the walls, the width of the support for the cladding should also take into account the thickness of the thermal insulation material.

• If you really want to make a beautiful brick facade, it is much easier and cheaper to use brick tiles for this purpose: clinker (see. Clamping with clinker tiles of facades yourself), porcelain or hyperpressed. It makes sense to clarify the old house with brick only when its walls have lost strength, and they need not only visual update, but also additional stiffness.
• It can be an old brick, log or shield house that I do not want to demolish. Then, of course, nothing is better than brick cladding, it is impossible to come up with, and even despite the costs of valuing the foundation, it is more expedient from a financial point of view. It is clear that in this case the question: “Which is better: plaster or facing brick?" – is not at all put.

• For high -rise houses, brick cladding is generally an inappropriate option. Construction standards recommend using this type of decoration only in low -rise construction. And why such expenses, if today manufacturers offer a great variety of facade panels that imitate the texture of brick!

They often have an almost identical appearance to the original masonry, and their ease of installation, light weight, and quickness of installation greatly lower the objects’ cost.

In which case is brick better

When it comes to finishing a brick facade, facing brick has an advantage over plaster in that it allows for more cladding options than just a decorative wall placed parallel to the load-bearing wall.

Kindly take note! Both regular and facing bricks can be used in the masonry with dressing arranged in multiple rows for walls that are one and a half times thicker than other bricks (starting at 380 mm). Naturally, this is not a job for someone who wants to perform all tasks by hand; it calls for specific knowledge and abilities. Furthermore, the artisans possess an extensive knowledge of masonry, which enables them to skillfully accentuate window sill areas, corners, cornices, and other architectural features of the home—all with the use of regular brick.

The key point is that in this instance, a specific header row arrangement—rather than the use of anchor elements—is used to dress the main and front masonry. The thickness of the walls overall and the size of the bricks used for the decorative and main masonry are taken into consideration when choosing the scheme. This work is undoubtedly difficult, and it is not something for amateurs.

In this instance, there is no need to finish the facade side, and savings are realized—if not from lower material costs, then at least from less labor-intensive work and less time that could be spent plastering. Many of our readers are curious about the answer to the question, "Which is cheaper: plaster or brick?" that arises. Let’s attempt to explain.

You should carefully consider the differences between plaster and facing brick when choosing which material to use for your walls. Plaster provides a smooth, adaptable finish that can be customized with different colors and textures, whereas facing brick has a traditional, sturdy appearance and offers the advantages of natural insulation. You can select the ideal material to fit your style and practical needs by being aware of each option’s distinct qualities.

The final decision you make for your walls—between plaster and facing brick—depends on your individual requirements and tastes. Plaster provides a flexible, smooth surface that can be painted or textured to fit any style. In comparison to facing brick, it is also typically easier to apply and more affordable.

However, facing brick offers a timeless, long-lasting appearance that is difficult to replicate. It gives your area a timeless charm and requires little upkeep. It is more expensive and takes more work to install, though.

When making your choice, take into account your spending limit, your preferred look, and the amount of upkeep you’re ready to put in. Every option has benefits, so you should consider which will be best for your house before making a decision.

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