Brick slips are a great alternative to traditional style bricks that you can use for interior and exterior home improvement projects. In this post, we’ve got the lowdown on why brick slips are a good option, how they’re made and the various ways in which you can use them in your home decor.
What are brick slips?
Brick slips are essentially a thin slice of brick, as if the front of a brick has been sliced off. You’ll often find them called a brick slip tile. They provide the look and feel of a traditional building brick, but without the chunky structure.
They can be placed vertically or horizontally on a wall, or used to create a variety of eye-catching tiled patterns.
How are brick slips made?
Brick slips can be made in a variety of ways. They can literally be sliced off the face of a standard or reclaimed brick, or they can be made from moulded and fired slips of clay, concrete, plaster or mortar.
If you’re looking for the most authentic brick slip tiles, then the ones cut from handmade or reclaimed bricks tend to look the most realistic, but some of the slips with glossy and metallic finishes are ideal for more contemporary home design projects.
How thick are brick slip tiles?
The thickness of brick slip tiles tends to depend on how they’ve been made. When they’re cut from bricks, brick slips are usually about 20mm in thickness.
If other materials are moulded and fired into brick slip tiles, then they can be as thin as 10mm.
The thinner thickness of brick slip tiles, compared to traditional chunky bricks, means that they’re easier to handle and lift when being used for a building project. Plus, they are lighter to attach to a wall and can be used in ways that traditional bricks can’t.
Styles of brick slip tiles
Brick slip tiles come in a range of colours, finishes and styles so you can find the perfect material for your interior or exterior home project. Traditional brick slips have the classic rustic look of a brick wall and can be found in a variety of earthy colours.
For more modern and contemporary home projects, brick slips are produced in different shades and finishes. For example, matte grey and black, gorgeous metallics and shiny glazed finishes.
It’s well worth exploring a range of different retailers to find the perfect brick slip style that you’re looking for.
Brick slips for fireplaces
Brick slips work really well for creating a wow factor, statement fireplace. Whether you’ve been dreaming of a traditional rustic fireplace, or a modern contemporary style, you can create the look you want using well chosen brick slips.
One of the key benefits of using brick slips for fireplaces is that they have a nice slim profile, so won’t take up as much space as a solid brick would. This means that the opening of your fireplace could potentially be bigger than if you were to use traditional bricks.
Do remember that if you’re going to have a functional fireplace with a log burner or other non-open heat source to point the wall and all joints with a fire cement. This helps prevent high temperatures from affecting the joints of the brick slips.
It’s not recommended that you use brick slips if you plan to have an open fire, as the brick slips may crack if in direct contact with hot temperatures.
If you have any concerns or questions regarding using brick slips around a fireplace, consult a qualified professional for advice and guidance.
Can brick slips be used externally?
One of the benefits of brick slips is that they can be used either internally or externally, making them a versatile DIY material. For example, they’re a popular choice for exterior cladding on a home, as they’re lightweight and quick to install. They can be used alongside other cladding materials or timber frames and can be used to create both traditional and modern exterior styles.
Can brick slips be used for flooring?
Although brick slips are largely designed to be use for walls, it is possible to use them for flooring too. You do need to take into consideration the texture of the brick finish, as flooring needs to be flat to be functional and some styles of brick slips aren’t completely flat. You don’t want to end up with a floor that isn’t entirely level and it could make it uncomfortable to walk on or put furniture on.
One option to get over the uneven texture issue is to put a layer of epoxy resin over a brick slip floor, as this will ensure a more even surface is achieved.
If you’re considering using brick slips for a flooring project, it’s advisable to consult a professional for advice on the best way forward.
Where to buy brick slips
Any good DIY, tile store or builders merchant should have brick slips available to buy. There are also plenty of stores online where you can search for and purchase brick slips for your home interior project.
When you’re buying brick slips, don’t forget to purchase any other tools or accessories you’ll need to fit them. For example, brick slip tile adhesive, spacers, pointing mortar and brick tile bonding primer.
How to cut brick slips
One of the common questions often asked is how to cut brick slips and is it easy. Where brick slips are made of clay, they can be fairly easy to cut as long as you have the right equipment. You can either use a traditional approach and cut brick slips using a simple hammer and chisel or use an electric tile cutter. Both methods work equally well, but do remember to wear safety googles when you’re cutting brick slips.
Endnote
Hopefully this has given you a good insight into the benefits of brick slips and the wide array of ways in which they can be used in home décor interior and exterior projects. If you’ve used brick slips, or have any further tips or ideas, do let us know in the comments below!
For more tiling posts, check out:
How to use travertine tiles in your bathroom design
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