Advantages of Thin Brick

Thin brick offers all the benefits of a traditional brick finish — it’s classic, traditional and warm. Like traditional brick, thin brick is durable, easy to maintain and improves building insulation. This option can significantly reduce labor time and building costs because it’s much easier to install than the traditional alternative.

Learn more about the advantages of thin brick so you can make the right decision for your next residential or commercial project.

Thin Brick vs. Traditional Brick

Thin brick is simply a thinner version of traditional brick — it’s the same fired clay brick material, just thinner and lighter. There are many similarities between thin and traditional brick:

• Thin brick and traditional brick look identical once they’ve been added to a structure.
• They can both increase the insulation and energy efficiency of a building and are equally durable.
• Both are easy to maintain, lasting for years with minimal care.

Thin and traditional brick have several key differences:

• Thin brick measures 1 to ½ inches thick, compared to the 3 ⅝ inches of traditional brick.
• Because of weight differences, thin brick isn’t used as a structural building component like traditional brick.
• Thin brick is easier and more affordable to install than traditional.

If you’d like brick to be part of your building’s structure, you need to use traditional bricks. However, you can save costs by using structural materials like concrete and adding thin brick over these materials for a traditional aesthetic.

Thin Brick Applications

Because thin brick is a real clay material, it can be used throughout residential and commercial properties for a quality finish. It offers the warmth and texture of traditional brick but is a lightweight solution.

Residential Applications for Thin Brick

Homeowners can use thin brick for kitchen backsplashes, statement walls, home exteriors and even flooring. Thin brick would be a great choice for a mudroom floor or a porch finish, offering an elegant look at a more affordable cost. Other residential applications for thin brick include chimneys and fireplaces.

Commercial Applications for Thin Brick

Brick provides a sense of quality and tradition that conveys credibility, history and trustworthiness to guests, customers and employees in a commercial space. Businesses can use thin brick for exterior features like walls and chimneys and entrance structures like gates or small buildings. Thin brick is an excellent choice for flooring, indoor statement walls, welcome counters and more.

Thin Brick Benefits

Thin brick offers many additional benefits to traditional brick — because it’s so versatile, it can easily be added to a structure with minimal trouble or expense. It outperforms traditional bricks in almost every category except for structural support. However, even this can be a benefit — when installing thin brick, you likely won’t need to consult with a structural engineer because it is an aesthetic finish rather than an integral part of a structure.

Here are five benefits of using thin brick for your next project:

Easy Installation

Thin brick can be installed individually or as panels. Either way, the installation process is easier and faster than putting in traditional brick, saving time on the jobsite. Because thin brick installation is simple, it doesn’t require a highly skilled laborer and can help you save on costs.

Installation options for thin brick include different panels to achieve a specific purpose. For example, quiet-brace panels are perfect for an economical indoor installation. Concrete panel systems are strong and offer durability for exterior applications, while insulated panel systems can increase the R-value of your outside walls. These panel systems are easier to install than traditional brick.

High Durability

Like traditional brick, thin brick is made of fired clay. It is resistant to rotting, insects, fading and chipping, unlike other building materials like fake brick or stone veneer.

Because it’s made of real brick, thin brick is strong and difficult to damage. It handles weather changes well and continues to look like new because it doesn’t fade in the sun. Using thin brick is an affordable way to enhance the aesthetics of a building or its interior design without compromising on material strength and durability.

Range of Options

If you’re wondering about the aesthetic appeal of thin brick, you can find it in a wide range of colors and finishes. Options include straight or tumbled brick, with colors ranging from black to white and many shades of yellow, orange and red. While some thin bricks are a solid color, others include hue variations that add depth to the final product.

Each color and finish gives a different feel to the material, so you can find the right option for every project. For example, a municipal building may choose a traditional red brick, while a homeowner may pick a yellow finish for their southern home. Interior designers often use white brick to brighten a space while adding texture.

Eco-Friendly Material

Because thin bricks are manufactured in a smaller size, they use 80% less shale and clay than traditional bricks. They don’t require steel lintels or brick ledges either, saving even more material when compared to traditional bricks. Because they’re thin, these bricks also take 80% less time to install.

From a materials perspective, thin bricks are more eco-friendly than traditional. They can also increase the R-value of a wall, reducing energy costs for a building’s interior. The energy efficiency of thin brick is another reason to invest in this building material. Thin brick lasts a long time and doesn’t need to be replaced frequently.

Affordable Cost

Compared to traditional brick, thin brick is a cost-effective building material because it requires less material to create the same effect. Instillation is also simpler and faster. Because thin brick lasts for many years, it offers a high return on your investment.

Thin brick appeals to many construction companies and interior designers because it offers such an affordable, high-quality finish. You can get the beautiful look and durability of brick without paying the usual hefty price tag.

Join the American Brick Revolution With Best Panel Company

Why go to the trouble and cost of using traditional brick when you can benefit from thin bricks instead? At Best Panel Company, we offer thin bricks and thin brick panel systems for walls and floors. Our thin bricks are designed for easy installation and a high-quality finish, whether you’re completing an interior or exterior project. 

Our company is American-owned and operated, and every brick we sell is made of real, kiln-fired clay. We’ve worked with many well-known businesses, including Staples, Burger King and Title Boxing Club. To learn more, email us a contact form or call us at 502-586-3908. Join our American brick revolution and enjoy the look of high-quality brick at an affordable price!