Decorative brick is a fairly popular type of finishing materials. It was originally used to decorate the facades of buildings. Having gained popularity, this material began to be actively used in the design of interiors. Today it is the most popular type of decoration for hallways, corridors and foyers. Decorating the wall in the corridor with decorative bricks has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Advantages and disadvantages
Decorative brick is a beautiful and fashionable finishing material with the following advantages:
- light weight allows you to finish with bricks large enough surfaces without fear of unnecessary load on the building foundation;
- high strength material allows the use of decorative bricks in places with high traffic;
- ease of care and resistance to mechanical stress make it possible to use such a finish in apartments where there are pets;
- there is a possibility of its fragmentary replacement in case of damage to one element of the masonry (there is no need to change the entire wall covering as a whole);
- wide price range, a large lineup with a huge variety of colors and designs allow you to choose material for every taste and wallet.
The disadvantage of decorative bricks is the fragility of certain types, which requires careful handling when laying.
Views
Among the large assortment of products offered, it is important to consider the following point: along with decorative bricks, when facing walls, tiles are used that imitate the appearance of brickwork. It bears the name clinker and is a popular analogue of decorative bricks … Its advantage is that it weighs significantly less and is thinner. This allows the finishing not to reduce the effective area of the corridor. Clinker tiles are much more expensive than ordinary decorative bricks and are characterized by improved performance. It is dense and durable, comes in a wide range of colors and has a smooth surface.
Due to its heat resistance, the tiles can be used near fireplaces and stoves. It is made of baked clay, covered with a layer of glaze on top. Its thickness ranges from one to three centimeters. This material is used in all modern styles. Particularly relevant is this design of the corridor wall in the loft and high-tech directions, being an imitation of stone.
The second type of finishing material - decorative cement brick … It is made by hand and consists of sand and clay. The technical parameters of the raw materials are similar to those of ordinary bricks, although the coating is fragile and requires careful handling during installation and operation. The surface of this material is rough and embossed. When cleaning a wall decorated with decorative cement bricks, do not overmoisten the surface or use chemicals. The material is environmentally friendly and suitable for use in the design of the corridor of the living space.
The disadvantages of cement coatings are a large amount of dust during cutting and the need to comply with the air humidity regime. This figure should not exceed 50 percent. In the manufacture, chips of granite, marble and a combination of quartzite with polymer clay are often used: this improves the operational properties of the material, gives the bricks increased strength and wear resistance.
The third kind - artificial gypsum stone … This material is the most inexpensive type of decorative decoration for hallways and corridors, it is lightweight and can be installed on drywall walls. Gypsum brick is quite fragile and does not tolerate high humidity conditions (with excessive moisture, the bricks can deform and collapse). Upon completion of installation, it is covered with a special water-repellent varnish: this increases the wear resistance of the coating and allows the use of the material in the design of the walls of hallways and corridors.
Colors
To obtain various shades, dyes are added to the raw materials from which the brick is made. This technique ensures the release of products in a wide color spectrum, taking into account the possibility of selecting finishes in any shade (to match the color of the interior, furniture, in soft contrast).
The color scheme of the bricks affects the visualization of the room. For example, for small hallways and narrow corridors, a white finish with a glossy surface is well suited. This allows you to visually enlarge the room and bring freshness to the interior.
When buying bricks that differ slightly in color tone, there is a coating technology with a special composition, due to which the differences in color become almost invisible. This technique allows you to mask minor brick chips, although new defects in the fragments reveal a difference in the outer and inner color of the material.
Finishing
When decorating the hallway with decorative bricks, you need to determine the area of the surface to be decorated. Then, having calculated the required amount of material and adding to it an additional 10-15% of the required amount, purchase raw materials. The stock takes into account the loss of material during fitting, cutting or in case of accidental damage. In order not to take an extra brick, you can outline the boundaries of the masonry and prepare a layout for the fragments (especially important for bricks of different shapes and sizes). To simplify the task, the location can be performed on the floor, not forgetting to take into account the relief of the wall and the distance to the seams (the method allows you to adjust the laying order if the fragments do not match).
Having decided on the quantity, they prepare the wall, which implies the process of removing old paint, wallpaper and leveling the surface. For reliable fixation, a deep penetration primer is used. It is necessary to start the installation of bricks from the corner: this eliminates the need to adjust the elements at the junction of the walls, which is problematic. In the work, you should use a special glue for the specific selected coating. The masonry is carried out from bottom to top in rows according to the following technology: the joints between the bricks of the first row are placed in the center of the bricks of the next row. When laying materials that include shale and sandstone, a seamless technology is used.
After the glue has dried, it is necessary to wipe the surface with a damp, but not wet cloth (it is easier to remove dust and other dirt). It usually takes several days for the solution to dry completely. If antifungal treatment was not applied during the production of bricks, it is necessary to independently cover the laid surface with a special solution. It is a water-based varnish that protects the surface from dirt and accidental mechanical stress. It is applied after drying, gives the wall a glossy shine and visually expands the space.
As a budget finishing option, you can clad one wall, on the surface of which it is better to highlight an arch, mirror or niche. Not so many bricks are needed for such a repair, and the decoration effect will pleasantly surprise. For a better design, you should purchase lightweight, wear-resistant materials. When choosing the basic tone of the walls, you should not choose too dark shades, because often there is no natural light in the corridors. Given the purpose and specificity of the corridors, it is preferable to use easily washable materials.
After the completion of the work, it is recommended to cover the surface with a spray, the color of which will be a couple of tones darker than the shade of the artificial stone. This will make the surface more expressive. An interesting technique would be to highlight the contour of the masonry with bronze or dark gold paint. Additional coating with acrylic varnish will help to make the brickwork glossy, and correctly exposed lighting will emphasize the aesthetics of artificial stones, make the corridor stylish and solid.
Various styles
A huge assortment of decorative bricks allows you to use it in various stylistic directions. When cladding, it is important to take into account that a wall in a small corridor does not look beautiful if it is finished with brick from floor to ceiling. Such a room looks cluttered and heavy. It is better to complete the decoration fragmentarily, occupying small areas in the corners, at the junction of walls, at doors and arches, as well as on the clearly visible surface of the main wall. With the help of brickwork, you can zoning the room.
For hallways made in the Provence style, white glossy masonry is well suited, which also looks appropriate in the loft style. The combination of black and white bricks looks great in the style of minimalism or high-tech. For the ethnic African style, it is necessary to use bricks of different sizes in yellow, red-brown tones with a pronounced relief pattern. For Scandinavian, you should choose a shade of light wood and a matte surface. A classic-style hallway is best decorated with brown narrow elements, using masonry technology with seams. In this case, repetition of similar brick inserts near the fireplace and doorways is allowed.
For a retro style, a combination of Venetian plaster and artificially aged brick is suitable. For Rococo and Baroque, columns can be imitated using decorative bricks in dark colors. But this type of decor is suitable only for spacious corridors: it is better to decorate small rooms in styles that imply light colors.
How to choose?
When choosing a brick for finishing corridors, you need to take into account the design of the room and furnishings. The material should harmoniously fit into the space without cluttering or diminishing it. To do this, you need to decide on the style, color and relief of the brick, choosing an option that is acceptable in cost. It is important to remember: the final price of installation depends on the raw materials from which the material is made. The glue and varnish are selected according to the type of brick.
Interior options
The use of artificial stone as a facing material used for interior decoration, including hallways and corridors, is rapidly gaining popularity. The competent use of this aesthetic and durable material allows you to perfectly decorate the room and correctly place accents.
Decoration with bricks of various shapes and sizes. Floor-to-ceiling finishing using seam technology. Corner decoration.
See below for more details.