BRICK SLIPS EXPLAINED
These clever, tile-like alternatives to traditional bricks can be used indoors or out to create a unique design finish. If you’d like to know more, look no further…
Building expert Mark Brinkley explains all you need to know about the tile-like alternatives to traditional bricks
1 WHY CHOOSE BRICK SLIPS?
If your wall can’t take conventional bricks, either because it can’t support them or there isn’t enough space, then brick slips can often be used instead to replicate the look, inside or out. Brick slips are usually just 20mm thick, compared to 100mm for conventional bricks, meaning they’re much lighter and put less stress on foundations.
2 HOW ARE THEY SOLD?
Brick slips are usually sold in packs of 30, which is enough to cover 0.5m2 of wall. Corners, headers and reveals are sold separately.
3 HOW ARE THEY MADE?
Brick slips can be made in one of two ways: Fired in ovens, just like conventional bricks Sliced off the face of standard-width bricks — the most common method.
4 HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?
You can usually expect brick slips to cost a little more than a conventional brick wall. At the lower end of the range you’ll be paying around £18/m2, while premium versions can be over £60/m2. You’ll need to factor in the cost of the mortar mix, backing board and adhesive, too. Details like corner brick slips are expensive to produce, and the laying adhesives needed are much pricier than cement mortar.
5 CAN BRICK SLIPS BE INSTALLED OVER EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION?
If you are adding external wall insulation to your house, you may still want the final result to look like you have brick walls. This is a very common application for brick slips, and as such there is a good range of insulated cladding systems on the market, including several products designed specifically for brick slip cladding.
6 CHOOSING AN ADHESIVE
Determining the correct adhesive to attach your brick slips can be confusing. There are a couple of options to keep in mind:
A cement-based adhesive, similar to that used for tiles. These are often cheaper to buy and are better for heavy brick slips and external walls.
An epoxy-based adhesive. These are oil-based and ideal for internal walls that won’t get wet.
7 HOW ARE THEY LAID?
The construction process used to install brick slips is much closer to wall tiling than bricklaying and requires rather different skills to achieve a good-looking result. Whereas ordinary brick walls are self-supporting, brick slips are stuck onto a base with an adhesive (see point 6, above) before the joins between them are filled or grouted to create the look of conventional brickwork. If you’re a competent DIYER there’s no reason why you couldn’t install brick slips yourself. Just factor in how much time it’ll take you and the impact it may have on your build timeline.