Exterior brick facing tiles should be specified as part of a complete wall system. The substrate, preparation, adhesive or fixing route, joints, movement, flashings, drainage, corners and workmanship determine whether the facing remains aligned and maintainable. A tile photograph cannot resolve those interfaces.
Start with the base wall and exposure
Identify the structural wall or sheathing, render or levelling layer, insulation where present, waterproofing or air-water control layers, openings, parapets and base. Record substrate material, age, condition, flatness, moisture, movement and any coatings or contaminants. The responsible designer should define which layers carry loads and manage water.
Map rain, runoff, splashback, freeze–thaw conditions where relevant, solar orientation and maintenance access. Renovation work also needs investigation of existing adhesion, cracking, salts and moisture. Do not select an adhesive or tile treatment until the actual substrate and exposure are understood.
Prepare a substrate survey plan before tender or mock-up work. Identify representative areas and difficult interfaces, record observed cracks, coatings, repairs and moisture symptoms, and decide which project-specific tests or opening-up are required. Assign responsibility for accepting the prepared base. A clean-looking patch is not sufficient evidence that the whole elevation offers the same condition.
Confirm tile identity and rear geometry
Request a current product code and drawing showing length, width, actual thickness, edge, surface, rear profile, tolerances and mass. Ask whether WHS7763 remains valid and whether the archived dimensions are current. Rear geometry can affect installation compatibility, so it must appear in the reviewed data rather than be inferred from the front image.
Tie the tile, drawing, sample, quotation and reports to one revision. Review several fired units for colour, texture, dimensions, warpage and edges. For repairs, compare current samples with measured originals and investigate the existing wall assembly before assuming a direct replacement.
Select and verify the installation route
Substrate
Define acceptable type, strength, condition, flatness, moisture and preparation.
Bond or fixing
Select a current compatible system through responsible manufacturers and designers.
Joints
Coordinate joint material, width, depth, tooling and movement accommodation.
Water path
Detail flashings, drainage, drips, openings, bases and interfaces for the wall design.
Use one coordinated specification for the tile and installation materials. Product instructions, project criteria and local requirements should agree. A generic online method cannot account for every substrate, exposure, height or movement condition.
Create an interface schedule listing each substrate, preparation, bonding or fixing component, joint product, flashing and adjacent material. For every interface, record the responsible supplier, current document and compatibility confirmation required. When one component changes, reopen the affected entries and mock-up checks. This avoids approving products individually while leaving the connections between them unreviewed.
Resolve joints, corners and openings
Set out the module across elevations and around windows and doors using actual approved dimensions. Decide where the bond begins, how tolerances are absorbed and where movement joints occur. Coordinate structural and substrate joints through the facing instead of bridging them unintentionally.
Draw external and internal corners, jambs, heads, sills, parapets, soffits and bases. Confirm whether corners use standard field pieces, cuts or current special shapes. Avoid vulnerable slivers and unsupported returns. Flashings and drips should direct water away from the tile and wall interfaces.
Build and test representative details
Construct a mock-up with the actual substrate preparation, installation products, joints, corner and opening or base detail. Review bond coverage or fixing engagement through the selected system’s quality procedure, along with alignment, joint finish, cuts and fired variation. Keep the approved area as a workmanship benchmark.
Where the project requires testing, use the specified method and representative assembly. A loose-tile result cannot prove adhesion or water management of the completed wall. Record samples, batch references, products, mixing or application conditions and curing relevant to the approved mock-up.
Control site conditions and installation
Set hold points for substrate acceptance, preparation, first installed area, bond or fixings, joints, movement details, flashings, corners and cleaning. Record environmental conditions when required by the installation products. Protect unfinished wall heads, stored materials and completed work from water, dirt and impact.
Log tile batches and installed elevations, and follow the approved blending plan. Isolate damaged or mismatched units. The terracotta tile range can support early product review, while the project gallery can help teams discuss facade module and context.
Release and hand over a maintainable facing
Before release, align the tile code, drawing, substrate criteria, installation system, wall details, evidence, samples, quantities, specials, spares, packing and programme. Compare complete scope, including mock-ups, testing, freight and exclusions. Record approved changes to any component.
Handover should retain final elevations and details, installed batches, inspection records, installation product references, cleaning guidance and spare inventory. Plan access to inspect joints, flashings, impact damage and persistent wetting. Investigate the complete wall before choosing a surface repair.