How Do I Choose the Best Facing Bricks?

You can typically choose the best facing bricks for your needs by examining the different types of bricks available and comparing them against the vision you have for your building's appearance. There are typically several colors of facing ricks to choose from, with some bricks even offering an authentic weathered finish. In your search for the best facing bricks, you will need to determine the pattern, color and size of the bricks you required. You will typically be able to choose facing bricks with several variations in texture, size and color to match your needs and create the visual appearance you are hoping for.

Facing bricks are the bricks used on the exterior of a structure to give the building a visual appeal. Some facing bricks can be handmade with stampings or several types of finishes, offering a one-of-a-kind brick that can be used to face your building. The handmade bricks will, however, often cost more than commercially available facing bricks. You may choose to face your building in an alternating pattern of different sized bricks and possibly even random colors. This is easily accomplished by choosing the proper bricks.

If you are attempting to give a worn and weathered appearance to your newly constructed building, reclaimed bricks may serve your purpose well. These bricks are taken from dismantled buildings and selected for the unique finish they offer a builder. Chips, worn corners and even several layers of peeling or faded paint can give an antique appearance to any building. These bricks are often chosen in two or more different sizes to allow for a random pattern by combining the different sizes in several courses. A course of bricks is the proper name for a row or line of bricks, and by alternating one course of small bricks with a course of large bricks,a visually appealing pattern can be created.

In most cases, facing bricks are not used to provide strength and structural integrity, they are used to add visual appeal and personality to a structure. You may be able to walk around a brick supply yard and choose from several pallets of brick to select the bricks you like best. While most supply staff will not allow you to handpick the entire pallet of bricks, many will allow you to choose from among the pallets of brick on hand. By choosing the desired facing bricks, you will be able to create the appearance you want on your building.