There are a lot of good bricks on the modern market. There are so many that it is extremely difficult to choose the best one, and of course, you need the best one for your home. The opinion of the architect is very important: the architect takes into account many nuances - from purely technical to landscape-aesthetic; his task is to create a harmonious home - beautiful, strong, durable. As a rule, the architect takes into account the wishes of the customer as much as possible, but tastes can sometimes diverge, and ideas are not always fully successful. Any other talented architect will most likely find another, no less effective solution - this is how a musical composition can sound beautifully in a variety of arrangements.
If you conduct a survey of engineers and builders - for them the most important parameters will be not obvious to the customer at home. Managers can offer the best value for money or offers favorable due to market conditions. It will not be possible to generalize all opinions, because there is no single denominator, despite the fact that we are talking about a geometrically simple brick. Well, they don't argue about tastes!
The firm "KIRILL" decided to sum up the results of 2012, relying on the most objective criterion: professional architects, developers, ordinary people constantly voted for this or that brick with their own ruble. As a result, we got the TOP-10 among the sales leaders - those types of bricks preferred by buyers
For greater objectivity, the "hit parade" is divided into price categories, because the characteristics of bricks in different categories differ significantly.
TOP-10 in the nomination "Brick is more expensive than 1500 rubles per m²"
1 … So, in the nomination "Brick more than 1,500 rubles per m²", hand-molded facing bricks became the winners. The Belgian brick Barok 83 became the absolute leaders. It is a red mottled solid brick with an uneven front surface. Due to the wide range of shades, the masonry always turns out to be individual, it is clearly associated with the brick that was made without the use of modern technology, with the walls of architectural masterpieces that have survived for many centuries. This brick has a very high compressive strength - 250 kgf / cm², water absorption does not exceed 14%. Produced by Barok 83 at the Belgian factory Steenfabriek Heylen nv of the tradition-rich production group HEYLEN BRICKS, now part of the Wienerberger concern.
2. The second place was taken by Oud Romaans brick - also from HEYLEN BRICKS. It is a variegated brown cladding brick with the same characteristics as Barok 83. Oud Romaans masonry is in good harmony with the natural landscape, against its background graceful decorative elements stand out effectively.
3 … In third place is the black one-color Zwart Mangaan from the Dutch factory Nuths, part of the CRH concern. Thanks to the corrugated surface, this brick creates a very effective play of light and shade, and the strict coloring additionally emphasizes the monumentality of the walls. The compressive strength of Zwart Mangaan is 200 kgf / cm², water absorption is 18%.
4. The fourth position is occupied by a representative of another Dutch plant Facade Beek, also part of the CRH concern - Castello. Red, motley, with a corrugated surface - he, like the leader of the TOP-10, turns to the traditions of architecture, which did not know the mechanization of labor.
5. It is curious that the next two places, respectively, have an appearance similar to the brick that took the second and third positions in the rating. So, in fifth place is Bruin Rustiek GS from the Dutch factory Nuths (CRH) - brown, motley.
6. On the sixth - brick Nero Zwart Mangaan (HEYLEN BRICKS, Belgium), which differs from Zwart Mangaan only in shade.
7. In seventh place is again a representative of HEYLEN BRICKS. Pampas bricks have a solid burgundy color and a corrugated surface.
8. The eighth position (like the fourth) belongs to the Dutch plant Facade Beek (CRH). It was occupied by a red motley Carmine GS brick. Its surface is also uneven, but less corrugated in comparison with Castello.
9. Ninth place - same Facade Beek (CRH) plant and same color. True, the Carmine Genuanceerd brick has a smoother color.
10. And the Dutch Haagsche Mix brick from the Nuths (CRH) plant closes the top ten. This is a dark brown mottled brick, which, on the one hand, corresponds in appearance to the traditional red brick, and on the other hand, more closely merges with the surrounding nature.
Thus, the TOP-10 in the premium class was divided by Belgian and Dutch hand-molded bricks. All of them have a fairly strict and familiar color scheme, all "emphasize" a man-made, not mechanized origin. Which is quite natural: the owners of expensive real estate objects are mostly conservative, they are guided by time-tested forms, they strive to find the continuity of traditions and their place in history.
TOP-10 in the nomination "Brick is cheaper than 1500 rubles per m²"
The nomination "Brick is cheaper than 1,500 rubles per m²" revealed the preferences of those who want to have a solid brick facade, but consider the price of the issue. Here, there is a clear distinction between customers who strive for a certain status, and those who crave individuality. Most of the leading positions were taken by the brick of the Nizhny Novgorod KERMA plant … The products of this plant are of high quality, clear geometry, matching shades and a minimum amount of rejects. Modern production, large volumes, competent logistics allow Nizhny Novgorod residents to increase production volumes, expand the range, and quickly respond to demand and consumer preferences.
1. The deserved first place was given to Alizarin Gladkiy (KERMA) - a strict red brick of plastic formation. It has a mild shade similar to an organic dye. The facade, faced with Alizarin, looks fully "brick", that is, everyone who understands the advantages of classical ceramics can appreciate it.
2. The second place is occupied by the Zaonezhie Velvet brick (KERMA). As the name suggests, the color is matched to the Karelian logs that make up the monuments in Kizhi, Kondopoga, etc. The rough surface emphasizes the affinity with nature, because depending on the angle of illumination, the wall becomes either deep brown, sometimes motley, or sparkling in the sun's rays.
3. The third position was taken by Chestnut Velvet (KERMA) - burgundy facing brick named for its resemblance to chestnut fruits.
4. In fourth place is the Wheat Summer Velvet (KERMA) brick, which corresponds in color to mature ears, or steppe grasses, discolored from the scorching sun.
5.-7. Positions five, six and seven repeat the three previous ones with a minimal difference, respectively: Zaonezhie, Wheat Summer and Kashtan, only here the front surface is smooth - akin to the TOP-10 leader in this nomination. These bricks are also produced by the Nizhny Novgorod KERMA plant.
8. The eighth place was taken by the Red Rough brick of the Estonian plant Aseri, which is part of the Wienerberger concern. It costs more, but has greater compressive strength, and water absorption is close to that of clinker bricks.
9. The ninth place was taken by Safari Reef of the same production of the Aseri plant (Wienerberger) - the only one-color brick with a corrugated yellow surface in the leaders.
10. Closing the top ten, summing up Ying-Yan, Nizhny Novgorod Alizarin (KERMA) in velvet performance.
There are no colorful models in this nomination, but with the plastic formation of a certain price category, this is quite natural. In addition, all the bricks here are hollow, which, on the one hand, lightens the load on the foundation and increases the thermal insulation of the walls.
The goal of the hit parade is to provide an opportunity for free choice without imposing any recommendations. But in any case, our specialists are always ready to advise you on all matters of ceramics, because we do not just sell bricks, but we sincerely want our clients' houses to be beautiful, strong, durable, so that those who come to visit you feel the atmosphere of comfort, which people learned to create in their homes many centuries ago. So that the hearth will delight you in the coming year and serve as a reliable rear for many, many years!
Moscow region, KP "Zhuravli", on the facade of townhouses, hand-molded ceramic bricks FBL made by CRH (Holland)
Moscow, Barkli Virgin House club house, on the facade there is a hand-molded ceramic brick Sepia GS by CRH.
