Product identity · Wall system · Project evidence
Select a terracotta brick by assembly and exposure—not by a list of generic advantages
A full brick, a thin brick slip and a fired-clay tile can share colour and texture while carrying very different loads and relying on different wall systems. Use this checklist to define the product, substrate, support, moisture strategy, evidence and maintenance plan together.
1. Name the product before comparing it
Full brick
A solid or perforated unit with substantial depth and mass. Establish whether it forms masonry, a veneer or another supported assembly; never infer load-bearing status from the word “brick.”
Brick slip
A thin, non-structural fired-clay facing that depends on a separate substrate and approved bond, carrier, precast or support route. Confirm rear profile and corner pieces with the system.
Terracotta tile
A broad label covering fired-clay units for different wall or floor routes. Identify thickness, back, edge, intended use and fixing method rather than treating “tile” as interchangeable with brick.
The Terracotta Brick page is the current range entry; the Ceramic Brick Slips page explains thin facing and system paths. This article remains a decision guide so it does not replace either product page.
2. Select one construction route and assign responsibility
| Route | Coordinate | Evidence before approval |
|---|---|---|
| Full-depth masonry or veneer | Foundation or shelf support, ties, cavities, flashings, weeps, mortar, movement and transitions | Unit schedule, structural design, tie/support specification, wall details and applicable material/assembly tests |
| Bonded brick slips | Stable substrate, preparation, adhesive/base coat, reinforcement, coverage, joints, curing and movement | Exact unit-and-system compatibility, exterior exposure approval, pull-off or project testing where required, and installation method |
| Carrier board or mechanical support | Board, rails, fasteners, cavity, drainage, wind transfer, fire interfaces, corrosion compatibility and replacement access | Engineered build-up, component data, load path, test/classification reports and project-specific details |
| Precast integration | Unit back, liner or bond process, casting sequence, panel joints, corners, storage, lifting and repair | Precaster-approved samples, production trial, drawings, inspection criteria and responsibility matrix |
Resolve structural actions at assembly level. The responsible engineer must check self-weight, wind, seismic actions where applicable, anchors or ties, bond demand, substrate capacity, edge distances, differential movement and consequences of local failure. A product photograph cannot approve any of these items.
Three complete archive images
The two body images remain in WXR order and the existing featured attachment is added last. Both portrait selection collages are displayed whole in a single column and self-link to the full source; no item numbers or dimension labels are visible.
3. Control appearance, dimensions and the approved batch
Build a coded product schedule
Record item code, unit type, nominal and work sizes, tolerances, finish, colour range, rear profile, perforations, corners, special shapes and intended location. Confirm that the tested product matches the scheduled one.
Approve a representative sample range
Review multiple units rather than one ideal piece. Agree acceptable shade, flashing, texture and dimensional variation; compare units under project lighting and retain signed control samples.
Test the complete visual mock-up
Include bond, joint width/depth/colour, corners, openings, bases, sills, parapets, flashings and adjacent materials. Mix agreed batches or cartons according to the approved distribution plan.
4. Match evidence to exposure and failure mode
Water, freeze-thaw and salts: obtain current water-absorption and freeze-thaw data for the exact product using the applicable project method and acceptance criteria. Consider saturation, climate, orientation, splash zones, drainage, mortar or adhesive moisture, soluble salts and efflorescence. The old 8–10% absorption and −45 °C/50-cycle statements have no identified report and cannot be reused.
Fire, structure and enclosure: verify the required reaction-to-fire and, where relevant, fire-resistance evidence for the actual unit and complete wall build-up. Coordinate cavity barriers, combustible components, insulation and interfaces. Thermal and acoustic outcomes belong to the complete wall, not to an untested brick face.
Weathering and maintenance: evaluate surface, glaze if any, joints, metal compatibility, pollutants and exposure. Define inspection, safe access, cleaning trials and replacement. Test any cleaner on a discreet sample; do not prescribe acids, solvents, abrasives or high pressure without the product and system suppliers’ written method.
Environmental documentation: request current project-relevant EPD, HPD or equivalent declarations, sourcing information and certificates only when available for the exact product and manufacturing scope. Natural clay alone does not prove low carbon, non-toxicity, recyclability or a green-building result.
Claims that require evidence
- Freeze-thaw, water absorption, salt or chemical resistance must be supported by exact-product test data and project criteria.
- Fire, structural, wind, seismic, bond, thermal and acoustic performance must be verified for the complete proposed assembly.
- “Breathable,” “water-permeable,” “never fades,” “maintenance-free,” “acid-rain resistant” and unlimited-use claims are not assumed.
- Colour, texture and size must be approved from coded physical samples and a representative mock-up, not from archive photographs.
- Environmental or health claims require current, scope-matched documents; no generic green advantage is claimed.
Prepare a brick selection and evidence package
Send product type, application, project location, elevations, substrate and system route, unit schedule, finish reference, exposure, area and corner quantities, test criteria, mock-up scope, programme, packing needs and replacement allowance.