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Often designers and builders are faced with difficult choices when designing with brick due to the need to support relatively heavy but non-load bearing cladding. Inevitably this leads to compromise with design and perhaps where an architect might like to see decorative brickwork such as herringbone or polychromatic brickwork, or even gauged arches or corbel detailing, the designer would have to accept something easier, cheaper and quicker to build.

GRP brick panels therefore offer a perfect solution as they are produced from cutting (or firing, subject to brick supplier) brick slips and encasing them in glass reinforced fibre to produce bespoke, lightweight panels off-site. This provides the designer the freedom to design with a traditional material but without the dependence on highly skilled tradesmen and offers the builder an easy to install, lightweight solution, which will eliminate expensive structural support and minimise the build programme.

Typically bricks (or brick slips) are collected from site or the brick manufacturer and 22mm thick panels are produced up to a maximum length of 1350mm. The panels are then returned to site on pallets fully labeled to ensure the series of components are correctly assembled in accordance with the design.

GRP brick panels do not need to be applied by approved installation contractors but it is recommended that the work is carried out as part of a cladding or roofing package. Panels are mechanically fixed and for structural stability, they should be applied to a minimum 18mm thickness of exterior grade plywood at minimum centres of 450 x 600mm with 4.5no fixings per m² (subject to windload).Typically, a two-men team should be able to fix at least 15 to 20m² per day. The whole brick façade is pointed after all the panels have finally been fixed.

GRP panels are designed and produced to suit specific requirements therefore please contact us and we will be pleased to provide technical advice including drawings, fixing information, pricing and availability.