brick
Small blocks of baked minerals which are usually joined by mortar on building facades.
Pictured: Seattle Tower
Bricks are small masonry units made of clay or shale, mixed with water and fired in a kiln. They are often coated with sand or lime, and are available in a wide range of colors.
Advantages of bricks include low maintenance, energy efficiency, durability, and architectural flexibility. Individual bricks can be shaped according to specification, and arranged in decorative patterns. In many buildings they provide the primary structural means of support, but bricks can also be applied as a curtain wall or supplementary finish to other materials.
Most brick facades form a masonry facade system, but brick can also be used as the infill in a frame + infill facade.
brick Photos
Related definitions
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aggregate
Manufactured facade sheets formed by binding rocks or pebbles, using one stone type or a mixture. -
asbestos
A fireproof material made of silicate mineral fibers, often applied as shingles or panels. -
asphalt
A highly viscous material taken from petroleum deposits, often formed into colored or patterned shingles, tiles, or sheets. -
cast stone
Concrete or cement-based units formulated and cut to resemble natural stone. -
cement board
A dense material composed of cement and reinforcing fibers, usually formed into hard sheets. -
ceramic tile
Clay-based ceramic pieces applied to facade backing with mortar or another adhesive, often colored or glazed. -
concrete
A fabricated mixture of cement, gravel, and other substances which can be applied as panels or left exposed as a framework structure. -
concrete masonry unit
Brick-like concrete blocks laid in masonry, often hollow and sometimes made with coal cinders. -
fiberglass
Facade sheets, panels, coatings, or other plastic surfaces heavily reinforced with glass fibers. -
fibrous concrete
A lightweight molded facade material incorporating fiberglass or similar material. -
glass
A smooth and normally transparent silicate material (only counts as a facade material when used between windows). -
plastic
Facade cladding made from synthetic or semi-synthetic polymers, including various plastic sheet and panel forms. -
stucco
A thick facade coating applied as a water-mixed paste that hardens in place, excluding paint and oil-based coatings. -
terra-cotta
Baked-clay material used on ornamental facades as tiles or sculptural forms, with polished or unpolished finishes. -
vinyl
Lightweight vinyl plastic used for facade cladding, commonly as weatherboard-like siding on houses.