IBricks®: The Future of Façade Design

In an effort to meet this demand, we have developed IBricks®, to offer architects, specifiers and contractors a versatile façade solution that is capable of delivering a diverse range of architectural styles, without compromising on authenticity or visual impact. In this article, Greg Astill, Head of Product – Facades & IBrick, spoke to us about IBricks, why they came to be and what’s still to come.

Brick slips are by no means a new solution. Traditionally, they have been produced by cutting down bricks to create a thinner brick-faced product, often bonded to another material to form a brick veneer and while this approach has served the industry for many years, it also comes with some inherent limitations.

Cutting a full brick down to create a slip almost always results in material waste, while a whole brick still needs to go through the firing process. There can also be limitations around the thickness and yield of the finished product, with some bricks unable to be made into slips as a result of heavy texturing or tricky clay composition.

At the same time, the construction industry is evolving, with demand for new homes continuing, skilled labour remains an important consideration and there is an increasing focus on delivering buildings that are more efficient, sustainable and capable of meeting higher standards.

It is these changing requirements that have helped drive innovation in façade systems, from solutions such as our own FastWall® solution and external insulation systems through to brick-faced precast and GRC panels.

It was against this backdrop that IBricks were developed: combining the familiar appearance and character of brick with a production process designed around greater flexibility and efficiency.

One of the defining features of IBricks is the technology behind their production. At Ibstock's Nostell Horizon facility, the process combines extrusion with digital decoration technology – allowing patterns and images to be transferred onto the surface of the clay before it is fired.

This process is designed to avoid obvious repetition, creating an extensive range of colours, textures and visual effects. A large library of images can also be used across a product, helping to create a natural appearance and allowing the character and variation associated with traditional brick to be replicated.

This is complemented by the use of other techniques, including the addition of sand and frit on the surface, which can be used to recreate details found in traditional bricks such as iron or manganese staining. Glazes can also be used to achieve more striking appearances, while different extrusion profiles can introduce grooves, corners and alternative shapes.