What is cheaper plaster or facing brick. What is better - a wet facade or a facing brick? Surface preparation for application

Materials for erecting the walls of houses rarely differ in their finished appearance, therefore, additional cladding is used to give the appearance to the facade. The modern market offers many types of finishes for outdoor work, the most popular are facing bricks and plaster. In addition to aesthetic properties, the outer coating is an additional heat insulator and increases the efficiency of the wall material. Plastering or brick cladding: we will choose the most effective and most suitable way to complete the facade.

Plaster for outdoor work

A classic finish that has been around for centuries. For plastering facades, solutions of cement and sand or lime are used. Coatings are strong, resistant to destruction and moisture. Solutions adhere well to any base - brick, concrete, wood. Plastered facades are covered with paint for outdoor use, which gives free rein to the artist's imagination: the wall can be given any shade, color combinations can be made.

Application

Plastering is often arranged with an additional façade. During such work, slabs or mats of heat-insulating material were attached to the outer wall - or. For ease of adhesion and strengthening of the layer, a reinforcing mesh is pulled over the insulator. Next, a plaster mortar up to 5 cm thick is applied.

Facing with a composition can be done without insulation. If a small layer of plaster is planned, the mesh is not used; small notches are made on the wall to improve the adhesion of materials.

Cladding with ceramic bricks

Solid and durable material for finishing the facade. Its installation involves the presence or additional device for an additional wall layer.

In addition, the brickwork must be attached to the wall, in the process of parallel construction of the base and finish, the layers are connected with metal anchors. In most cases, the gap is filled with insulation. In this case, it is necessary to provide an air gap for facade ventilation.

Facade plaster or facing brick: comparison

To determine how materials differ in terms of operation and installation, we compare them:

Indicator Plaster Facing brick
Material Cement and derivative solutions Ceramics (clay)
Aesthetic properties Requires final painting. There are varieties of facade plaster with texture Finished appearance without the need for painting
Foundation Compatibility Suitable for any wall - wood, stone, concrete, brick The facing layer is built parallel to the main wall, the material does not matter
The need for a supporting base Not An additional foundation or protruding plinth (at least 12 cm) is required
Difficulty of installation Application with a trowel, leveling with rules and spatulas. Anyone can do the job The participation of stonemasons is required
"Warm facade" Yes Yes

Issue price

We approach one of the key questions: what is cheaper - brick or plaster. We will carry out an analysis taking into account the consumption of material per 1 m2.

Brick. For facing the square you will need:

  1. Bricks - 51 pcs. With an average cost of a product of about 20-25 rubles / piece. costs will amount to 1275 rubles.
  2. Masonry mortar from a dry mix will cost about 25-30 rubles. for 4-5 kg ​​of undiluted substance.

In total, without a heater, a square finish will cost an average of 1300 rubles. When hiring a bricklayer, the costs increase - an experienced master will take up to 100% of the cost of the material for laying 1 m3.

Plaster. Consumption of clean cladding material without additional thermal insulation:

  1. Reinforcing mesh - 30 rubles / rm.
  2. The usual plaster mixture costs around 300 rubles / 25 kg. It takes about 17 kg of dry mix to cover 1 m2 of wall. Total 204 rubles.
  3. Coloring. When using high-quality silicone paint, the consumption will be 300 g / m2. A kilogram costs an average of 200 rubles, the estimated cost will be approximately 70 rubles.

Total 304 rubles. For exterior plastering, there are different mixtures: improved, warm, textured. Their cost may differ by an order of magnitude.

Brick or plaster for - the choice is up to the preferences of the developer. The financial side of the issue may differ slightly when choosing high-quality plaster compositions.

The exterior cladding of the house has several functions: protective, heat-insulating, decorative. There are a wide variety of cladding options. Let's consider two: a wet facade, a facing brick. What is preferable?

In urban high-rise buildings, brick cladding is not an option: it is too expensive and energy-intensive. The owner of a country house can afford both.

There are also combined facades: brick columns, arches and other fragments successfully complement the plaster facade.

Briefly about technologies

Wet facade is performed by successive application of several layers:

  1. Insulation - basalt wool or expanded polystyrene. Cotton wool is preferable to PPS, because. it has high vapor permeability and no flammability. In the most common version (“light” wet facade), the insulation is attached to the wall with special glue and additionally fixed with dowels, 5-7 pieces per square.
  2. Reinforcing fiberglass mesh made of alkali-resistant fibers. It is installed on top of the base layer of plaster.
  3. Leveling plaster.
  4. Primer composition.
  5. Decorative plaster. Sometimes it is replaced with a finishing layer of ordinary plaster, it turns out cheaper.
  6. In some cases, staining.


Brick cladding is usually performed with a separate wall parallel to the bearing hay. Bricks are interconnected using masonry mortar. In the case of an insulated facade (we are considering this option), between the load-bearing wall and the false wall, free space is left for the insulation boards. The insulation itself is attached to the facade wall with dowels or other hardware (this depends on the material of the wall). Sometimes, when mounting a wall, facing bricks are alternated with ordinary ones. This option is technologically more difficult.

note

The installation of a wet facade requires careful adherence to technology. Violation of the installation rules leads to premature wear, cracking, loss of appearance. Competent brickwork is not so much technologically complex as it requires professional skills from the performer.

Wet facade or facing brick: comparison

Significant arguments in favor of a wet facade:

  1. The brick has a solid weight. Such cladding should be planned already at the design stage of the house: it should be taken into account when calculating the load on the foundation. The base will need a more powerful and, accordingly, expensive. A wet facade, even in a “heavy” version (glueless fixation of insulation, a thick layer of plaster), will not create such a load.

A wet facade can be mounted on an already operated house (it’s even better this way: the house managed to shrink, the facade will be more durable).

For the brick cladding of the old house, you will have to strengthen the foundation. And this is an additional cost of finance, time and effort.

  1. Price. The current prices of materials can be found on the Internet. Although the economic situation is constantly changing, the ratio remains almost unchanged: a square meter of a wet facade is 30-40% cheaper than a square meter of brick cladding.
  2. Design. Decorative plaster allows you to create any surface: the popular "bark beetle" or fur coat, Venetian plaster, stylization for any kind of ornamental stone, wood, textiles, etc. In addition to the texture (which largely depends on the graininess of the material), you can make any relief - according to a template or using the appropriate tool. A brick can have a different texture and color, but it still remains a brick.

Wet facade or brick: arguments in favor of brick

Brick cladding also has its advantages:

  1. If the house is old, the walls have lost their former bearing capacity, they need to be strengthened. A wet facade can in no way affect the rigidity of the walls. It performs a protective function, but does not increase strength. On the contrary, it creates an additional (though not very large) load. Brick increases the rigidity of the walls. When it comes to strengthening, the need to modernize the foundation is not discussed, this is a must.
  2. For wet facades, one-piece systems are used from several components adapted to each other. The quality of the insulation is out of the question, as well as the type: of all types of mineral wool, only basalt (the most expensive) is suitable, PPS - preferably dense closed-cell polystyrene foam. Styrofoam is also used, but such facades lose to the rest in terms of durability. The cheapest insulation can be laid under the brick cladding: behind the brick wall it will be protected from water, ultraviolet radiation, and mechanical influences. Those. You can save money on this item.
  3. Wet facades are required to be carried out at positive temperatures without rain. If work is carried out in winter, a closed heat-insulating contour is formed around the structure. This complicates installation and requires additional investments. You can lay bricks in cold weather, you just need to maintain the desired temperature of the masonry mortar.
  4. A well-made wet facade lasts up to a quarter and a half century. It largely depends on the materials: the more durable, the more expensive. Nevertheless, the finish has to be updated - repainted, sometimes the plaster layer is restored. Brick cladding lasts for centuries.

When it comes to finishing the facade of a building, many people ask themselves: what is better than plaster or. Before making any decision, it is necessary to carefully consider all the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

Here it is worth considering that the appearance of the building indicates the well-being of the owner. The durability of the structure will also depend on this.

Indeed, the cladding not only decorates the house, but also protects its load-bearing walls from negative environmental factors.

An important issue is the thermal insulation of the house. This is especially true for buildings that were previously erected from materials that were weakly resistant to moisture.

Therefore, additional insulation is indispensable here. If the cladding is chosen incorrectly, then internal insulation will have to be carried out, which will lead to a decrease in the internal area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe living quarters.

For facing the house is most often used. These materials have their own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, when choosing, it is worth considering all these features.

In some cases, facing can be carried out simultaneously with plaster and facing bricks. Of course, such a finish will take a lot of time and effort, not to mention the financial side of the issue.

Plaster has been used for many years for cladding various buildings, which cannot be said about brick. With the development of technology, the composition and appearance of such a finish has changed significantly.

The main function of plaster is leveling, as well as protecting walls from negative environmental factors. As for the brick, but among other things, it also performs a decorative function.

Facing brick has special physical and mechanical properties.

It is no worse than an ordinary brick. And this means that ordinary masonry can be carried out from it.

Of course, it is not used for this purpose, since the cost of construction will be high. Therefore, facing bricks are used exclusively for cladding facades and decorating interior walls.

brick cladding

Very beautiful brick façade

The method of facing the facade must be provided at the design stage of the house.

This is especially true for cases with the use of facing bricks. The fact is that the material has a considerable weight.

Therefore, the brick must have a reliable support in the form of a foundation. Also, the cladding must be securely connected to the wall.

If we are talking about an old house, then it is better to brick it. Here it must be borne in mind that in the process of laying bricks there will be some difficulties associated with the base.

The fact is that here you will have to dig out the old foundation and expand it somewhat. In some cases, a new foundation has to be made.

As a result, this will entail considerable financial costs. Also, such a cladding will take a lot of time, since masonry can only be done after a full set of strength. And this will be possible four weeks later, after filling.

If the house has a protruding base, then it will be somewhat easier to veneer. Of course, in this case, the protrusion must be at least 12 cm.

This is quite enough for laying bricks, the width of which is the same 12 cm, which is arranged between the facing and the bearing wall. The only exceptions are buildings that are not heated. In such cases, finishing is done without such a gap.

According to building codes, the width of the ventilation gap should be 4 cm. If the protrusion of the basement is 12 cm, then this is enough to clad the house with bricks, even with a ventilation gap.

The brick may hang somewhat from the foundation. Of course, the value of this protrusion should not exceed a third of the width of the material. It is worth noting here that such a hanging of a brick can somewhat worsen the aesthetic appearance of the building.

If, despite all the difficulties, you still want to brick your house, consider alternative options. In this case, we are talking about porcelain stoneware and.

If the load-bearing walls of the old house have lost their strength, then the facing brick will correct this problem.

It is also worth considering the height of the building. So, brick cladding is not recommended for high-rise buildings. The best option here would be facade panels imitating brick.

Outwardly, they cannot be distinguished from the original material. The advantages of such panels include low weight, ease of installation and low cost of lining.

When is the best time to use a brick?

Front brick is best used directly during the construction of the house. This will greatly simplify the work.

The fact is that at the initial stage, you can immediately build a foundation of the required width.

In the future, this will allow you to freely build a decorative wall of facing bricks with the necessary ventilation gap.

When carrying out construction and simultaneous facing of the house, it is worth considering a number of features.

First of all, this concerns a bunch of load-bearing walls and cladding. In this case, you need to be guided by building codes. This work is best left to professionals. This is especially true, separate the corners of the house and window openings.

Today, there are many brick laying technologies with which you can embellish the house in an original way.

You can clad the facade of your house with natural stone, and artificial, plaster or siding, tiles or panels: with insulation or ... Red with clinker: Very beautiful façade made of facing brick. You can choose a gray tint brick: Colored glazed...

Wall decoration in apartments and private houses is aimed at creating an interior in which a person will be comfortable and convenient be. The walls are the face of the house.

When the question arises regarding the choice of material for the facade of a building, which is better: plaster or facing brick, then it is worth considering the advantages and disadvantages of both options. In some cases, 2 materials can be used at once.

According to the exterior decoration of the house, one can judge the taste and well-being of its owner. For this reason, some pay a lot of attention to this moment. But here it is worth noting that not only the appearance, but also the quality of finishing materials plays a big role. If the facade of the building is processed correctly, then the house will last a very long time, and will not be afraid of the aggressive effects of the environment.

Wet facade is perfect for exterior cladding of the house.

When working on the facade, you need to think about such a moment as wall insulation. This is especially true for those houses that were built from building materials that are weakly resistant to moisture. In this case, additional insulation is indispensable. If the material for processing the facade is chosen incorrectly, then you will have to use a heater to process the inside of the wall. This is not the best option, as this method takes up useful space in the living room.

To avoid such problems, it is necessary to choose the right material for working on the facade of the building. For this, plaster and facing bricks are most often used. Each of these building materials has its pros and cons, so they are chosen for a particular case.

It is worth noting that some resourceful craftsmen use 2 options at once and veneer the facade of the house with both brick and plaster, this, of course, is not the worst option, but quite expensive and laborious. When working with each of these materials, it is necessary to follow all the rules and adhere to the technology for working with materials of this type.


If mankind has been familiar with plaster since time immemorial, since this material is convenient and easy to use, then it can be somewhat more difficult with brick. Given that in our time this building material is considered one of the most inexpensive and convenient, many novice craftsmen try to choose it for facade decoration.

Plaster has been used for a very long time, but recently it has undergone strong changes and has become much better. Even inexpensive facade plaster keeps on the wall for a long time and protects the house well from external factors. Moreover, it can contribute to the alignment of the walls, and in many cases this is a huge advantage, but also an additional cost, since the material will take much more than to process a flat wall.

Difficulties of brick cladding

The front brick looks much richer than ordinary plaster. According to its properties, this type of material is not inferior to ordinary brick. It is sometimes used not only for finishing work, but also for masonry. But this applies only to small areas, since the cost of this building material is quite high. Economical craftsmen erect a building from concrete blocks, and after that, facing bricks are used for additional work.

It is worth noting that such brickwork looks very good. Designers understand this and widely use it even for interior decoration. For example, facing brick can be used in the design of lofts and rooms in French country style. There can be a lot of applications for face brick, but working with it is more difficult than with plaster. Moreover, this building material is expensive.

Decide on what kind of material will be used to work on the facade of the building, preferably even at the initial stages of construction. There are good reasons for this. The thing is that to work with facing bricks, it is necessary to install special supports on the foundation, which must be strong enough and rigidly connected to the bearing walls. This is required due to the fact that brick, unlike plaster, has a significant weight. An unreinforced wall may not be able to cope with such a load. It is advisable to take care of the support immediately. After the wall is erected, this can be done, but there will already be serious problems that require additional work and financial investments.


If we are talking about a finished building that has already stood and is in operation, it is better to use a wet facade: here facing bricks will not be the best option. The thing is that it is possible to process the entire wall only with an open foundation. In the finished house, you will have to dig out the foundation of the building, and these are additional costs, and not the most convenient option. Moreover, in some buildings it is not possible to carry out laying in one brick. In this case, the foundation will have to be topped up. Thus, we can say for sure that working with facing bricks in an already finished building will be difficult and most time-consuming. Here it is much better to use ordinary plaster, with which you can also give the house a beautiful appearance.

The only exceptions are those houses in which there is a protruding basement. Its dimensions must be at least 20 cm. It is this distance that will be needed to create a support for the brick. Moreover, in the basement, you need to leave 4 cm for the ventilation gap. This point must be taken into account when it comes to a residential building. Non-residential buildings can be left without a ventilation gap, but it is important that the room is not heated. That is, this option is suitable for brick cladding of sheds, garages and warehouses.


According to building codes, it is allowed for a brick to hang from the facade by 4 cm. But in fact, this does not look very nice, and often you have to think extra about how to close the resulting gap.

Experts recommend that those who really want to decorate the facade of their house under a brick, use tiles. It is much cheaper, and it looks beautiful. Working with facade tiles is extremely simple. You do not need to have special knowledge and a high level of skill. In specialized stores, you can buy clinker, hyper-pressed or brick-like porcelain stoneware tiles. Each of these options is well suited for decorating the facade of a residential building, including those already in operation.


To work on a finished building, it is worth using brick only if there is a need for additional strengthening of the walls. For example, when the house is old, it is quite possible to maintain its condition with facing bricks. There are many ways to decorate walls with brickwork.

To give the walls additional rigidity, you need to use high-quality brick for cladding. Masters say that in this way it is possible to save log, brick, and panel houses from demolition. Here already, despite the need to top up the foundation and carry out additional work, brick cladding will be the best way out. It is still much cheaper than building a new building.

Facing brick is considered the most unfortunate choice for those who are going to carry out work on the facade of a multi-storey building. According to building codes, this is completely unacceptable, since it says that facing brick can only be used for low-rise construction. Working with face bricks, when it comes to a building with several floors, will not only be difficult, but also unprofitable. Is it worth using this complex material when there is such a wide choice of facade panels in stores, including those with imitation brickwork? With proper work with them, it can be difficult to distinguish natural brick from the panel.

When is brick better than plaster?

Each finishing material has its own advantages. There are situations in which it is more profitable and more convenient to use facade plaster, and in some cases it is still better to use facing brick.


If we are talking about a house with several floors, then, choosing from these two options, you should give your preference to plaster, and for an old house or a building with thin walls that need to be strengthened, it is better to purchase a brick.

For two-story houses, it is better to use plaster.

Many focus on the cost of the material. If the main role is played by the price, then, of course, the plaster wins. Moreover, you can work with this facade material even without special skills. With a brick it is quite difficult. For example, if you need to veneer the walls of an already finished building, then in this case you will need special knowledge.

In defense of facing bricks, it can be noted that this material allows you to significantly decorate the facade. If the owner of the house wants to make his house unique, to the envy of his neighbors, then with the help of facing bricks you can very beautifully place accents on windows, cornices, and even create excellent architectural elements of the building. But this is already quite a difficult job that requires serious skills in the construction business.

How much will it cost to work with facing bricks?

If everything depends on the price, then it is better for the master to turn his attention to plaster, since brick finishing will definitely come out more expensive.

To work on the front brickwork, it is necessary to stock up not only with the brick itself, but also purchase the masonry mixture, insulation materials and anchors that will be driven into the blocks. If we take the amount based on 1 sq. m and at the same time buy the cheapest facing brick, it will cost 1000 rubles.

To lay the material on 1 sq. m, it will take more than 4 kg of dry masonry mix. Considering that a bag of 25 kg costs about 500 rubles, the price of the mixture per 1 sq. m will be approximately 25 rubles.


In addition, special anchors are needed, which can vary greatly in cost. The simplest cost 5 rubles. They will need at least 5 per 1 sq. m of the wall, that is, investments will increase by another 25 rubles. The insulation for the wall itself, the sheet of which is sold in the size of a meter by a meter, costs 150 rubles.

After all the calculations, it turns out that the cost of facing the facade of the wall with bricks will amount to more than 1200 rubles for each sq. m.

The cost of plaster work

In this case, one mixture for plastering walls is also not enough, so the costs will be significant. However, compared with the use of facing bricks, plaster is much more profitable.

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First you need to purchase a heater, which is specially designed to work with facade plaster. Styrofoam insulation costs 210 rubles per sheet measuring 1 × 1 m. A reinforcing fiberglass mesh must be applied on top of it. It can be bought at a price of 30 rubles per 1 sq. m. It is impossible to ignore the use of the grid, since without it cracks will quickly appear on the wall.

Next, you need to purchase the base plaster. About 17 kg of this building material is consumed per square meter of wall. The cost of such an amount of base plaster mixture is 170 rubles. In addition, you need to stock up on warm plaster. It needs about 9 kg per 1 sq. m, which will cost 260 rubles. The final stage of work will be painting. It will take 70 rubles.


Calculations show that plastering 1 sq. m of the facade will cost only 740 rubles. That is, it is about 500 rubles cheaper than using facing bricks. For this reason, if the owner of the house wants to save money and does not have special knowledge in the field of construction, he should opt for facade plaster. Moreover, it allows you to make the appearance of the house beautiful and neat.

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If a real master takes up the matter, and the main goal is not economy, but quality and durability, then it is worth using a brick. This material can serve for decades, unlike plaster, which will at least have to be repainted every 2 years.

Facade finishing is an important stage of construction or repair. Plastering of brick facades or brick cladding protects the house from external adverse influences, helps to retain heat and save energy required for space heating. So the building gets an aesthetic appearance, performance characteristics increase. What material will be used for finishing the facade - it is necessary to decide before starting work.

Brick and plaster: what are the materials?

It is possible to plaster the facade, regardless of what material was used for construction - wood, brick, aerated concrete. This surface finish is considered the most economical. The presence of a variety of plaster mixes for facades allows you to make each building unique, original, and solve a number of design problems. Depending on the brand of plaster, the presence of specific impurities, it is possible to improve the sound insulation and moisture resistance of the walls.

Main types:

  • Mineral. Differs in durability, resistance to a mold, a fungus and dampness.
  • silicate. There is no static accumulation. Features - high strength, adhesion, vapor permeability.
  • Acrylic. Safe, environmentally friendly material based on synthetic fibers. Differs in plasticity, frost resistance, resistance to attrition. Cons - lack of vapor permeability, quickly fades in the sun, attracts dust.
  • Silicone. Polymeric compounds in the base make it possible to combine pluses of other types in a mixture.

Facade plaster is distinguished by a variety of textured patterns obtained after application.


Clinker tiles can also be used to finish the facade.

Brick home decoration is a more thorough approach in creating an additional layer of protection for the walls of the house. Such a facade will be more reliable, durable and strong. But such a lining will cost more. In this case, the base does not need to be additionally prepared. The main thing is to correctly carry out the masonry, bandage the main and front masonry with anchor elements at a certain arrangement of the bond rows. You can use both ceramic and hyper-pressed bricks and clinker tiles.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of brick cladding:

  • resistant to temperature changes;
  • heat resistance;
  • thermal insulation;
  • durability;
  • building strengthening;
  • soundproofing;
  • aesthetics (in the real estate market, such cottages are more expensive);
  • ease of care - it is washed with a stream of water (a wet house dries quickly).

Disadvantages:


This method of cladding has to be used if the building itself is built from cheaper material.
  • For a finished building, not the best option. It is necessary to excavate and strengthen the foundation for brickwork, if this type of finish was not included in the project.
  • According to building codes, brick cladding is used only in low-rise buildings.
  • Weight - makes the building heavier, increasing the load on the foundation.
  • The financially costly method and time-consuming process is not for amateurs.
  • Facing brick plaster is needed if a cheap brick is chosen.

Plastering advantages:

  • vapor permeability, providing a good microclimate inside the house;
  • a wide range of textures, colors, shades, shapes (there are ready-made solutions);
  • possibility of application to high-rise buildings;
  • lightness - does not weigh down the foundation of the structure;
  • the ability to change the color scheme at will;
  • no need to build blind areas, strengthen the foundation;
  • simplicity and speed in work.

When cracks appear on the walls of the building, the situation cannot be corrected with plaster.

But plastering the facade of the house is not always advisable due to the presence of such disadvantages:

  • it is required to regularly tint the building;
  • the appearance of vertical and horizontal cracks on the walls;
  • flaking finish;
  • lower weather resistance.

Technology of plastering and brick wall cladding

Finishing the facade with brick is to carry out more extensive work, namely:

  • Dig out or complete the foundation (at least 12 cm) to support the masonry with a row of facing bricks. In the second case, you will need to wait for strength gain for a period of 4 weeks.
  • The construction of a ventilation gap of 4 cm. If the material of the outer wall is wood, it will be necessary to additionally lay a layer of windproof membrane (due to the difference in material properties).
  • Binding and reinforcement.
  • Laying thermal insulation material, if additional insulation is required.

Facade plaster technology:


Several layers of plaster may be needed to achieve a good result.
  • Cleaning the surface from the previous plaster (preparatory stage).
  • If the surface is lined with bricks, then embroider the seams.
  • Priming of the vaults of the building.
  • Installation of beacons.
  • Wall plastering. Several layers are required, depending on the brand of the manufacturer.
  • Smoothing the surface to achieve a smooth state.