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Tuesday, October 31st, 2017
The lovely brick walls serve as the frame to the equally lovely pieces. Featured here is the Meritage Aerostat Cocktail Table.
Two of the most abundant raw materials on earth are shale and clay. These are the main ingredients in creating bricks. These materials are then fired up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit inside a kiln. Through chemical transformation and vitrification, these two minerals are then fused for good. The resulting product can then be used as a durable piece of construction material.
A lot of people mistake concrete brick for clay brick. The former uses a gray paste to bond the raw materials. Also, the pigment is added to make the material more interesting.
Clay brick is also stronger than cement brick this is why it remains to be the most sought-after type of brick in the industry.
Architecture Made with Clay Brick
Heated clay brick has long been used as a building material in the U.S. And since this is such a durable material, majority of the colonial brick structures that were made in the 1700s are still standing today.
It is amazing to note that architectural marvels such as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. The renowned Glass House, as well as the nearby brick houses, are now parts of Modern Art.
Pelli Clarke Pelli also used brick in designing the beautiful The Solaire.
Pavements made with brick were also quite popular during the colonial times. These clay pavers are now over two centuries old. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway had about three million pavers made from 1910-1911. These are still in use today and since they are made of fired clay bricks, they did not fade or even require sealers throughout the years.
Awesome Bricks in Homes
Since bricks are durable materials, it is not surprising that they are preferred by many homeowners. Just think about this – almost every Union State has a street that has the word brick on it – from Brickyard to Brick Kiln, to simply Brick.
Brick is a sturdy cladding material that is used in many healthcare structures, schools, and government buildings. It is fairly common to find brick schools and brick apartment buildings nowadays. And here’s a trivia – more than eighty-percent of homeowners think of brick when they are about to build or reconstruct their homes.
So, are you aching to have a brick wall now? That’s not shocking news. Brick is gorgeous and its presence can instantly give your home a delightful appeal.
If you’re looking to have a modern or a country style home, your go-to material is no other than brick.
The first thing that you can do with it is to create stone walls with them. Instead of thinking that brick interior walls would look cold, think the other way around. Bricks can make the atmosphere of any room warmer and more welcoming.
Brick tiles are especially great to use in hallways, living rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. If you’re thinking of adding a cellar, then this is also the material that will make this new addition to your home look more awesome.
Bricks are simply magical. It may be because they have been around for so long that people instantly think of reliability, solidity, and comfort when they see them.
Proper Care for Brick Walls
While bricks are lovely to look at, you have to prepare to take care of them. Be sure to conserve the beauty of the bricks’ surface and to keep damages at bay. To do this, clean each brick then leave a glossy, layered finish. You could also consider adding matte binders since these are effective in keeping dust away.
If you’ve used brick as a bathroom solution, make sure that you won’t face damaged grout later on. Reposition your brick walls where they won’t get any moisture. If there’s no way to do this now, then be sure to seal them at the very least.
Tags: brick, brick design, brick wall, designing a brick wall, designing with brick, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Architectural Elements, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Sturdy Beauty of Clay Brick
Friday, April 1st, 2016
FFDM’s Sunset Canyon Collection has this hardwood cabinet that will make the perfect subject to the canvas that is the brickwork in your kitchen.
Brick. This can either be a boring or an exciting part of your home. Mostly, brick lends a warm, historic look, makes one wonder why many homeowners are afraid to use it especially in their kitchens. One reason could be because it could become a stack of greasy masonry behind a stove. Be afraid no more – you can even make brick veneer look so authentic that your relatives and friends would go gaga about it.
The most basic and easiest way to get real brick look is to purchase the right thickness of brick veneer. This has to be ¾ of an inch thick. Find the concrete-based products so that you won’t have to use sealants. If you still want to use sealant, then be sure to find silane-based sealants because they are breathable.
Sealant use could darken the color and could slow down the movement of moisture out for the brick veneer.
Texas homes use bricks in their homes because it can easily withstand the harshest climates. Reclaimed brick can be used to age the look of a kitchen. This automatically adds texture and warmth as the intricate brickwork bring special details into focus.
The secret to using brick, whether it is the real deal or the brick veneer type, is balance. This is especially true when you need to use it in the kitchen.
Bricks can pack in the most punch on the range wall and the floor. Don’t be limited to traditional or transitional looks, though. There is so much more to bricks that can define features inside your kitchen.
Brick Veneer Care
Do you know what you would do if spaghetti sauce suddenly splatters on your unsealed brick veneer? The cleaning part is easy but there are some guidelines to follow.
Use granulated soap with water then scrub using a stiff-bristled brush only. You can also use vinegar with water in 1:5 ratio.First, make sure that you do not use an acid-based cleaner. Throw all your wire brushes and say no to sandblasting and power washing from now on. All these items can erase the base color on the brick veneer.
Check the manufacturer’s installation as well as cleaning guides. These are information that is often posted on their websites or you can simply talk to their customer service departments.
If you want to add an authentic feel to your brick veneer, then you can hire a mason to apply grout. There are also transparent, no-sheen masonry sealers that you can consider when sealing stones and bricks.
Using brick for a kitchen backsplash is also a unique way to catch the attention of your visitors. This can be made of a thick, brick veneer. This can give your kitchen an industrial warehouse feel. You can have this sealed annually.
Remove the outlets from the brick veneer backsplash to improve the overall look. Move the outlets at a higher, horizontal position. Make sure that you still comply with the safety codes. To be sure, hire a professional electrician to do the installation for you.
Use the brick veneer from the inside corner through to the inside corner and then from the countertop then down the bottom of the ceiling or cabinet. A convincing authentic brick look only comes in where you conceal any part that tells the material is veneer. This can be achieved through ending the brick layout with the inside corner – all of the time.
If your dining area is adjacent to the kitchen, then you can effectively use bricks to tie both rooms. Embrace the industrial look while accentuating any steel or brick patterns. You might feel nervous to use brick at first but you will soon see how it can provide a look that no other material can offer.
Tags: brick, brick in the kitchen, brick interior design, brick interiors, brick veneer, brick wall, brick wall design, designing with brick, exposed bricks, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Architectural Elements, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Kitchen Design | No Comments »
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