What Brick type is best for Rendering?

[wombat]

Currently getting a house priced to be built. The house will be rendered and the house will be of brick (I’m old school).

Would like to get an idea of what brick options and what advantages or disadvantages for a particular brick type there are for rendering and what the price difference may be as compared to face brick

Concreted render bricks – cost per 1000?
Concrete Blocks - Cost per 1000?
Clay seconds – cost per 1000?
Face brick – cost per 1000?


wombat

 

[Sailesh Channan]

If you can find double height bricks you will find these to be your cheapest option for a rendered finish. The costs are as follows:

Double height $550/1000 (to be confirmed) Labour: $1400/1000
Commons face brick: $300, Labour $870/1000
Face brick: $450/1000, labour $870/1000

Please note that these prices are for Queensland and based on discounts applied for a mid sized builder.

 

[geoffw]

I don't know much about now- just something with a friend many years ago.

For rendering a house, he used seconds bricks and small runout batches to build before rendering.

But the double height option sounds good.

What about Hebel even?

 

[wombat]

Thanks Sailesh & Geoff,

Sailesh, what type of bricks would be desirable with respect to insulating qualities? Concrete or Clay? – I have seen solid clay red bricks used for rendering, I’ve seen concrete blockwork and also “seconds” bricks.

Geoff – my builder has been pushing me to go down the Hebel path as it would be cheaper to actually construct. Apparently hebel gives excellent insulation qualities. however, there really is not many Hebel houses around to compare it with and the ones that I do know of simply have not aged the same as good old boring brick!

Wombat

 

[vincenzo]

I'm not an expert, but if insulation is what you want, then instead of worrying about what type of brick, maybe you should be thinking about what other layers of insulation you will be adding to it.

Such as a foil layer behind the brick, then a wool layer, then plaster. As long as the roof is well insulated, the next biggest ones would be windows & floors, which both have layering options aswell.

 

[boods99]

In Perth we mainly use maxi's,sometimes referred to as fastwall, a two course clay brick for walls to be rendered or floated/set.

Are you having a double brick construction or brick veneer?

If double brick, then there is no real need to insulate between leafs, but brick veneer, you will obviously need insulation bats between the external leaf and stud wall.
Hope i'm not stating the obvious!

Boods

 

[Glenn]

Hi wombat,

You could always have the best of both worlds....and build walls in the reverse brick veneer style with bulk and reflective insulation between the brick and cladding.

The benefits are:

1. Thermal mass is located on the inside of the home for greater thermal stability...cooler in summer and warmer in winter than traditional brick veneer.

2. External cladding of low thermal mass does not retain heat like masonry does after several days of hot weather.

3. Solid brick feel on the inside of the home.

4. The ability to change the look of the property in years to come by replacing the cladding.

Glenn

 

[Sailesh Channan]

Bricks will give you very little insulation. All new brick veneer homes have wall insulation.

Solid Besser blocks will soak up the heat as well.

One of the benefits of using hebel is that it does have good thermal insulation.

 

[Ana]

The main thing with rendering is that the bricks need to be able to breathe and that the render can stick. I would stay away from any brics which have been sealed or had a polish (shine) applied to them.

Wishing you every success,

Ana
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