Journal · 2 minutes read
Brick cladding, texture paint or ceramic wall tiles for a feature wall?
If you want one wall in the house to look like brick, three products usually come up: real clay brick cladding, a texture paint with a brick pattern, and ceramic or porcelain tiles printed to look like brick. They are priced and sold side by side, but they behave very differently once they are on the wall.
How each one is made
Brick cladding
Fired clay, the same material as a brick, cut or pressed to a thin tile. The colour runs through the body of the tile.
Texture paint
A thick coating rolled or trowelled on, sometimes with a stencil or tape to mark out joints, then painted in brick colours.
Brick-look ceramic tiles
Pressed ceramic or porcelain with a printed brick image on a glazed or matt surface.
Side by side
| Brick cladding | Texture paint | Brick-look ceramic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up close | Real clay texture and shade variation | Painted pattern, repeats show | Printed image, repeats can show |
| Joints | Real recessed joints with shadow | Drawn or taped lines | Real joints, usually thin |
| Outdoors | Suited to exterior walls | Fades and needs repainting | Depends on the tile rating |
| Chips and knocks | Chip shows clay of the same colour | Touch-up paint | Chip shows a different body colour |
| Upkeep | Wash with water; optional sealer | Repaint every few years | Wipe clean |
Which one to choose
Pick brick cladding when
You want the wall to look like brick from every distance, the wall is outside, or you want a finish that never needs repainting. It costs more than paint, and it is fixed by a tiler.
Pick texture paint when
The budget is the main limit, the wall is indoors and away from knocks, and you are happy to redo it in a few years.
Pick ceramic tiles when
The wall gets wet or greasy, such as a kitchen splashback, and a wipe-clean glazed surface matters more than a real brick face.
Before you decide
Hold a real clay sample against the wall next to a paint swatch or a ceramic tile, in the light the room actually gets. The difference is easier to see than to describe. We send brick cladding samples on request, and the interior brick cladding guide covers sizes and joints for rooms.
