From the time that bricks were first being made, we’ve been including them in our infrastructural endeavors. Whether it be public gathering areas or places of business, these materials acted as the core foundation for many structurally-sound buildings. But bricks aren’t only used for wide-scale construction projects. In fact, they’re just as commonly used to both strengthen and decorate our private residences. Brick homes are just as beautiful as they are durable, providing a classic look and charm while also staving off the harsh elements for generations. So, it’s no secret that many homeowners want to apply some of these benefits to their own properties. However, ensuring these projects go off without a hitch relies on choosing the right type of brick for your needs. These are the different types of residential brick and some tips for picking the perfect one.

The Different Brick Types

Before we get into the specifics of the several kinds of bricks, it helps to have an understanding of what makes them different in the first place. For starters, though all bricks might look and feel similar to the touch, the important thing to remember is that they’re often made with various different materials. These ingredients are what supply certain types of brick with their color, texture, and even their strength. Some bricks also possess additional resistant features depending on their construction materials and can serve more specific purposes as a result. Now, to go into more detail, these are the different types of residential brick for you to choose from.

Burnt Clay Bricks

Burnt clay bricks are the most common and traditional type of brick found on homes, and they are what individuals tend to think of when you mention these reddish, hardened materials. Formed by pressing wet clay into rectangular molds and drying them in kilns, they can be red or brown in color depending on where the clay was retrieved from. This natural palette makes them one of the leading options when going to build a decorative wall or put in brick siding. However, because of their beauty and quality, burnt clay bricks are often a bit more expensive than some other types. Still, they’re highly sought after for the natural color, depth, and texture they provide to a flat home design.

Sand Lime Bricks

Also known as calcium silicate bricks, sand lime bricks are a bit more versatile in use as they’re made with sand rather than clay and are significantly stronger. During the creation process, the sand is mixed with lime powder and molded under a high-pressure system to form brick shapes. The drying and kilning steps aren’t needed for these types of bricks due to the chemical reaction that occurs between the two materials. This chemical reaction greatly increases the strength of sand lime bricks, making them the perfect option for more strenuous use in home foundation or exposed walls. Although, it’s important to still mention that you can use these bricks for more decorative purposes if you like their smooth appearance. With a bit of pigment included in the creating process, you can even commission them in colors other than gray.

Concrete Bricks

On the other hand, concrete bricks offer a more rough and distressed aesthetic that’s become increasingly popular in recent years. Because they can also be formed in a series of different shapes, they’re useful in many areas of the home and have diverse uses. However, you might want to note that while concrete is a very stable material, it doesn’t hold up particularly well to intense pressure or weight. As such, they’re more often used for aesthetics on outdoor fences and hidden brickwork.

Fly Ash Bricks

Fly ash is the official name for the coal residue left after large chunks of coal have been burned away. Containing large amounts of calcium oxide, fly ash is often used as a fast-expanding material in materials like brick and cement. So, when mixed with water, it creates a quick-hardening material that can be molded into chunks of brick. Fly ash bricks are very lightweight compared to other types of brick and resist things like heat and moisture very well. It’s important to mention though that while they’re easy to lay, they aren’t the strongest or most structurally sound. So, you shouldn’t use them for foundations.

Fire Bricks

Lastly, fire bricks, or refractory bricks, are used for areas of the home that need increased heat resistance such as grilling, chimney, and furnace locations. Constructed with earth that’s high in aluminum oxide, these bricks can withstand temperatures of over several hundred degrees once they’re properly burned. These additional properties can be very beneficial to certain sections of a home and even increase a property’s overall resistance to fire. Because of this though, fire bricks might be a bit more difficult to acquire and more expensive to have made.

Tips for Choosing Residential Brick

Now that you know some of the basics about the core types of residential brick, it’s time you start weighing the pros and cons. Brick isn’t an easy material to work with. So, you want to ensure that you’re only getting what you need to meet your vision and that it’s no more than what you can handle. Try these tips to help you through the decision-making process.

Consider the Function of the Brick

At the end of the day, if the brick isn’t performing some function for your home, there’s no point in having it. This purpose could be aesthetics, protective durability, or even insulation, but in order to make the best decision, you need to decide which is most important. For those looking to improve their home’s aesthetic, burnt clay, sand lime, or concrete may be the best bet. But, if you’d rather go for strength and durability, you’ll want something like fire brick.

Stick with a Complementary Color Scheme

Make sure that you’re also considering the color of your bricks when you choose, as this will have a large impact on how the home will look once the bricks are laid. Do you like the natural color of clay or the smooth gray of sand? Either way, picking something with complementary colors to the rest of your home will make the property look great and save you a lot of renovation work down the line.

At Bear Mountain Custom Painting, we pride ourselves in being able to provide whatever it is our clients need. From siding and general carpentry services and painting and remodeling projects, we can help with various aspects of home renovation and get you closer to making your vision a reality. So, even if you have a few brick surfaces that you don’t know what to do with, let us work with you on the perfect new look.

Interior painting jobs are some of the most common home renovation projects homeowners decide to undergo. With the potential to completely transform certain areas and make them more suitable to your tastes, the possibilities for your home’s design are only limited by your imagination. However, as exciting and effective as a new coat of paint can be, the process of painting itself can take fair bit of time and preparation. In fact, even if you hire home interior painting professionals to get the job done, you should still do several things ahead of time to make the task go more smoothly. This is how to prepare your home for an interior paint job and ensure its success.

Move and Cover Furniture

It’s impossible for the professionals to paint your walls when all your belongings are still in the way. Large pieces of furniture can be particularly troublesome, as they take up ample amounts of space and make it more difficult for the workers to move around. Additionally, having furniture near the fresh paint raises the possibility of a few splatters finding their way onto the fabric and ruining them. To ensure the safety of your items, either move them out of the room or cover them with a thick tarp.

Transition Major Functions to Other Areas

Before the painting can officially begin, you should also take some time to move all major home functions to another space. Since you won’t be able to use this particular room for a while, you’ll need to find other ways to finish your daily tasks. For instance, if you’re painting your kitchen or bathroom, you’ll need to use alternative methods to perform certain activities while the paint is still drying. If you’re only renovating a bedroom, this step may not be as crucial.

Create a Path to the Job Site

We know preparing your home for an interior paint job can be tedious and throw your entire home out of balance. However, it’s important that you maintain some semblance of order if you want to make the working conditions as good as possible. Making a designated path from the entryway to the project room not only limits the paint spatter to a narrow space, but also helps workers better navigate their surroundings. With a clean path to follow, they’re less likely to trip on your belongings and cause an accident.

From keeping the outside world at bay to making our homes look fantastic, our exterior doors have several essential functions. However, even the best door models can deteriorate with prolonged exposure to the elements and need to be replaced. In fact, regardless of whether your door has sustained damage or not, it’s recommended that you install a new one every several years to be safe. These are some of the benefits of installing new exterior doors and why you shouldn’t wait to get this project done.

Increased Home Security

Though exterior doors are made to be strong and durable, they can’t last forever. As the years roll by, the stress that the outside environment puts on your door slowly wears away at the solid materials and causes structural damage. With a weakened door, your home is more vulnerable to things like pest infestations and break-ins. So, by installing a brand-new exterior door, you’re reinforcing your home’s defenses and protecting yourself.

Additional Insulation

Modern exterior doors also provide more insulation for the home’s interior. A few decades ago, it was common for doors to be made exclusively of solid materials such as wood or steel. While sturdy, these resources didn’t trap climate-controlled air very well and would develop heavy drafts. Newer models, on the other hand, have a layer of polyurethane foam pressed between strips of solid material. These extra layers form a barrier that prevents the indoor air from escaping through the porous wood surface. This prevents those annoying drafts from forming and can even save you a bit of cash on your next utility bill.

Enhanced Curb Appeal

Another noteworthy benefit of installing new exterior doors is the fresh, revitalized look they give to your home. Curb appeal is one of the most important contributing factors to overall home value. As such, maintaining the look of the property is just as important as maintaining its functionality. Since the front door is also the first thing that visitors will see when they walk up to your home, it’s the perfect place to make a good first impression. Best of all, these doors come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and designs to fit with any existing home design.

At Bear Mountain Custom Painting, we believe that every home renovation, no matter how small, is a stepping stone to creating your dream home. Because of this, we offer a multitude of services to best accommodate each homeowner’s needs. Whether it’s exterior or interior painting or door installation in Cumming, GA, we want to ensure you’re getting the most out of your renovation experience.

Vinyl siding is among the most common type of siding found on homes across the country. It’s sleek, colorful, and affordable, which makes it a stylish addition to any home exterior, and its protective capabilities ensure that no harm comes to the home’s interior. However, as popular as vinyl siding is, it’s important to remember that it’s also very susceptible to holes and cracks. This makes it likely that you’ll need to repair or even replace it at some point. Try these tips for repairing your vinyl siding to best protect your home from the elements.

Identify the Scope of the Damage

The first step to any successful repair project is to accurately identify how much damage there is and how to best repair it. This not only ensures that the repairs are handled in the correct way, but also that the results are quality and able to withstand future stress. After all, a rushed repair job can leave your home just as vulnerable as it was prior to the work being done. So as you begin compiling the tools and materials you’ll need for the project, make sure you take some time to note all the present damages.

Clean the Damaged Areas

Then take a moment as well to clean off the damaged area of siding in preparation for the sealing agent. The siding is there in the first place to protect the interior of your home from water, insects, and other things that could infiltrate and cause damage to your walls. You’ll want to ensure it’s as clean as possible before you seal it up. In addition, the caulk or patch you use for the repair may not stick as effectively to siding that is covered in a layer of dirt and grime.

Consider Your Repair Options

When it comes to repairing your siding damage, there are different options to choose from that will seal off the hole and keep it protected. Caulk and siding patches are two of the most popular methods because they’re quick to adhere, easy to use, and affordable for any homeowner. Caulk is especially helpful because it can mold to any shape and create an airtight closure over the entire crack. If you’re dealing with a large hole, though, patches are often better at covering the entire damaged area in one shot.

Protect the Area From Further Damage

Another crucial tip for repairing your vinyl siding is that you take the steps to keep it protected even after the project is done. Though the newly patched area may appear stronger than it was before, it’s still susceptible to being damaged again by environmental conditions. Because of this, it’s often beneficial to provide this area with an extra layer of protection in the form of paint. A new coat of paint gives the area an extra watertight seal and supplies a finish that can help wick moisture away. For more additional tips on how to keep your siding protected, consider reaching out to your trusted siding contractors in Cumming, GA.