What You Should Know About Faux Brick

Whether you want to add a new look to you kitchen wall or add curb appeal to the outside of your home, faux brick may be just what you have been looking for. Faux brick comes in several styles, forms, and methods of installation. Each manufacturer attempts to make their product as authentic looking as possible with cost, maintenance and ease of installation in mind.

What a Great Idea!

Several manufactures produce veneer wall panels 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 are made from sturdy plastic. They are lightweight and are weather and insect resistant. The 1/8 inch panels are flexible for a curved surface. The 3/4 to 1 inch panels are more rigid and can withstand blunt force trauma. An installation recommendation is cement or screws, and in some cases both methods. For a complete look, trim and corner pieces are available to match.

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.