What are brick slips and why should you use them?

Sarah Parker
Authored by Sarah Parker
Posted: Wednesday, October 19, 2022 - 07:58

If you start looking into the world of bricks for your next project, then you might find a lot of information about brick slips in there as well. Brick slips have become very popular in the world today, and they have a lot of advantages over traditional bricks that you can take advantage of. 

But what are brick slips and why are they the best choice for your brick laying needs? Well, that’s what this article is here to find out!

Brick Slips Are Chips Off The Old Block!

The brick slip tiles, such as the ones sold at slipsfromstock.com, are actually thin cuts of real brick, almost like whenever you take a block of cheese and then start slicing off slices. They are used to imitate the look and feel of a brick, and are a quick and easy way to erect a brick wall in no time at all. Additionally, they can add a brick finish to a lot of walls, even those without a lot of foundation behind them as well. 

Brick slips can be made in one of two ways, where you can either cut the pieces of the brick off and have various thicknesses of slips that you can select. Or another way that brick slips are made is whenever a column of clay is cut using wires into the shape and thickness of the brick.

But why would you use pieces of a brick when you could just get whole bricks to make your wall out of?

Brick Slips Are Better For The Environment And Easy To Use

First, compared to conventional bricks, brick slips are breathable, durable, energy efficient, and also recyclable. Plus, they are also non combustible, so you won’t need to worry about fire harming your brick slips!

Additionally, they can also be used for internal and external applications as well, and the main benefit for these brick slips is that they are cost effective. Once the thickness is figured out, they are also able to be attached to the wall very easily regardless of the foundation behind the wall. They are also slim and can be used with various external insulation systems as well.

They Are Perfect For DIY Workers

Most DIY workers aren’t that confident when laying traditional bricks which means that you need to hire specialized labor to complete the brick portions of the project. With brick slips, while you can hire a bricklayer or a tiler to do it for you, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t be able to lay the bricks as a DIY builder. The process is very similar to tiling a wall, and you just need to have the correct adhesive to attach your brick slips to the wall in question. 

Once they are attached you simply fill in the joints and they will resemble traditional bricks! Finally, you can make the process even easier by buying your brick slips in panels which will be easier to lay than individual bricks.

They Are Easy To Maintain

While you can let your brick slips go a bit in order to get a dirtier and more rustic look to your brick wall, brick slips are very easy to maintain and keep in order. A light dusting with a brush or rag, or a quick wipe down with some detergent and some warm water is going to be enough to ensure that your brick slips remain perfect.

You won’t need to coat them with anything after the installation or do anything else to keep them looking as good as the day you put them up! 

Brick Slips Only Need Adhesive

Just make sure that whenever you are using your brick slips you are picking the correct adhesive depending on the wall you are sticking them to. You can use a cement based adhesive like you would use for tiles, and it is the best for heavier brick slips and external walls. 

For lighter brick slips and for walls that won’t get wet, you can use an epoxy based adhesive that is oil based. Just make sure you pick the right adhesive and you will be able to get into all the benefits of brick slips!

Give Brick Slips A Try!

If you are faced between using some brick slips or some standard bricks, don’t be afraid to see what brick slips can do. They will give you a lot of benefits and might be your go to item the next time you need to put another brick in the wall!