Installation guide
Brick cladding installation, step by step
Brick cladding goes up much like wall tiles, but the joints show and the wall is often outdoors, so preparation and finishing matter more. This is the sequence we explain to tilers on the phone, written down.
Before you start
Tools and materials for brick cladding
Materials
- Brick cladding tiles, plus 5 to 10 percent extra
- Polymer-modified cement tile adhesive (exterior grade outside)
- Primer, if the adhesive maker asks for one on your wall
- Tile spacers sized to your joint
- Grout or a cement-sand pointing mix
- Breathable, silicone-based water repellent for exterior walls
Tools
- Notched trowel and margin trowel
- Spirit level, chalk line, straight edge
- Rubber mallet
- Angle grinder with a masonry blade, or a tile cutter
- Jointer or pointing iron, grout bag
- Sponges, soft brushes, clean water
Sequence
How to install brick cladding tiles
- 01
Check the wall
Tap the plaster with a mallet. Hollow, cracked or damp patches are cut out and repaired. Paint, putty and oil are scraped back to bare plaster, because adhesive does not grip paint.
- 02
Set out the courses
Mark a level line at the bottom and a few vertical lines on the wall. Plan the joint width (8 to 12 mm is common) so whole tiles land at corners and window edges, not thin slivers.
- 03
Mix and spread the adhesive
Use a polymer-modified cement tile adhesive, exterior grade for outside walls. Spread it with a notched trowel over a small area at a time so it does not skin over.
- 04
Back-butter and press each tile
Wipe dust off the back of each tile, butter it with a thin coat of adhesive and press it into the bed with a slight twist. Use spacers to hold the joint. Lay from the bottom up.
- 05
Mix tiles from several boxes
Clay varies a little in shade. Pull tiles from three or four boxes at once so any variation spreads evenly instead of showing as patches.
- 06
Clean as you go
Wipe adhesive off the face of the tiles before it sets. Dried adhesive on a textured face is hard to remove later.
- 07
Grout or point the joints
After the adhesive has set (follow the adhesive maker’s time), fill the joints with grout or a cement-sand pointing mix and strike them with a jointer for a neat recessed or flush finish.
- 08
Seal exterior walls
Once the joints have cured, exterior walls can be given a breathable, silicone-based water repellent. It reduces water uptake and makes the wall easier to wash.
Details
Corners, openings and edges in brick cladding
Outside corners
The thin edge of a tile at a corner gives the game away. Either mitre the two meeting tiles at 45 degrees so they close into a sharp corner, or let the tile on one face run past the other so its end covers the edge, alternating course by course like a real brick corner.
Window and door reveals
Decide whether the tile returns into the reveal or stops at the frame. Returning looks more solid but needs the frame set back enough to take the tile thickness. Plan this before the frames go in on a new building.
Top edges
Outdoors, the top of a clad area must be covered by a coping, sill or drip so rain cannot run down behind the tiles.
Switches and fittings
Bring electrical boxes forward by the tile and adhesive thickness. Cut around them neatly; cover plates should sit flush on the tile.
Avoid
Common brick cladding installation mistakes
- Tiling over paint or putty. Adhesive grips the paint, and the paint lets go of the wall.
- Dabs of adhesive instead of a full bed. Hollows hold water and the tile sounds dull when tapped.
- Laying from one box at a time. Shade variation shows as patches. Mix boxes.
- Letting adhesive dry on the face. It stains textured tiles and is hard to clean off.
- Rushing the joints. Grouting before the adhesive has set can shift tiles out of line.
- Sealing too early. Wait until the joints have cured, then use a breathable product.
Quantities
How many brick cladding tiles to bring to site
Count the tiles before the tiler arrives, so the job does not stop half way for a second delivery.
Formula: 92,903 mm² (one sq ft) ÷ ((tile length + joint) × (tile height + joint)). Sizes are nominal; we confirm the final count with your quote.
Send these numbers for a quoteQuestions
Brick cladding installation questions
Not covered here? Call +91-90411-00702 and speak to the factory.
Can a normal tiler install brick cladding?
Yes. The work is close to wall tiling: a sound wall, tile adhesive, spacers and grout. Experience with joint finishing matters most, because the joints are a big part of how the wall looks.
Should brick cladding be fixed with cement mortar or tile adhesive?
Polymer-modified tile adhesive is the safer choice, especially outdoors and on upper floors, because it grips better and is applied in a thin, even bed. Follow the adhesive maker’s instructions for the substrate.
How long before the joints can be filled?
Wait until the adhesive has set, which is usually a day, but check the time printed on the adhesive bag for your weather.
Quote and samples
Get brick cladding tiles for your installer
Tell us the wall area, the city and the tile you are leaning towards. The form saves your details and opens WhatsApp with the message written, so it reaches the factory directly.
- Factory
- Village Kakkar Majra, Distt. Ambala, Haryana 134202
- Phone
- +91-90411-00702
- Hours
- Mon – Sat: 9 AM – 6 PM · Sun: Closed
