The Endless Possibilities of Brick Slips (Thin Bricks)

Brick slips, or thin bricks, are becoming increasingly popular in construction. In combination with insulation panels they can be a great solution for the efficient exterior cladding of a building. Slip bricks can also be used as interior wall cladding or even flooring.

At StoneCycling, we’ve experimented and completed projects with all of the above applications of stone slips. Of course with the added benefit of upcycling waste at the same time! 

Today, we like to show you how our versatile WasteBasedSlips can not only uplift your design, but also make a positive impact on our planet.

The Endless Possibilities of Brick Slips (Thin Bricks) || StoneCycling

Everything you wanted to know about Brick Slips

What are brick slips / thin brick tiles?

In short, brick slips are tiles which, when installed, have the appearance and texture of a real, full sized brick wall.

What is the benefit of brick slips?

The use of stone slips significantly reduces the use of materials. Together with the panels on which they are adhered, the facades have the same properties as ordinary masonry.

How are you cutting brick slips?

We manufacture our handmade brick slips by cutting full bricks into various sizes, as well producing them as slips directly to reduce cutting loss. You can choose to get the bricks in the thickness that you require. We advise a minimum thickness of 23 mm.

Where can brick slips be installed?

Our reclaimed brick slips are very versatile and can be used in various applications. When you’re installing brick slips, think not just about external brick slip cladding, but also about feature thin brick walls for the interior. You can even use them on fireplaces, in kitchens, bathrooms or as flooring!

StoneCycling WasteBasedBricks® - Wasabi Contrast

The WasteBasedSlips by StoneCycling offer architects and interior designers various aesthetic solutions:

1. Brick Slip Textures

Raw – This is the most straightforward finish we have, created early on in the production process. It is what the brick looks like coming directly out of the mould, after which they are dried and then fired in the kiln. The material that we use for releasing the bricks from the mould is still visible when it comes out of production.

Punched – Similar to our Raw finish, Punched is created early on in the production process. The difference is that instead of releasing the brick from the mould, we press or ‘punch’ them out. This leaves the surface of the product slightly uneven, creating a deeper, more clean look and feel.

Sliced – After drying and firing, the bricks are sent for cutting. Essentially, we slice off the skin of the brick, revealing the inside. Now you can see what beautiful waste materials the product is actually made of! It provides a great way of sharing the history of the brick in an aesthetic way.

Shine – We let the bricks dry for a few days and before they go into the kiln, we add an extra layer of Shine. The Shine finish is a mix of recycled glass and other components and leaves the brick with a beautiful lively surface. They are especially interesting as external brick slips, looking different each time under changing light.

Pssst… Have you heard about our exciting collaboration with glazing-expert Studio Mixtura yet? Current experiments will lift our Shine waste-based bricks and brick slips to a whole new level!

Perhaps the best feature of brick slips is that they don’t have most of the limitations of full bricks. Time to get creative!

2. Brick Slip Shapes & Sizes

You might think that stone brick slips only come in one rectangle shape or standard set of sizes, but you’d be surprised! We are able to create thin brick slips in various formats, custom to your specific project.

Below is some inspiration, but we encourage you to dream big and get in touch with your own ideas!

StoneCycling WasteBasedBricks Composition
Custom WasteBasedSlips
StoneCycling WasteBasedBricks® - Pistachio Custom Sizes
Custom Pistachio WasteBasedBricks

3. Brick Slip Application Ideas

Brick slips are a great solution for retail, hospitality and commercial spaces, as well as private home owners. Feature an authentic-looking brick wall while using up minimal space and save time, money and valuable resources.

Upgrade existing spaces with ease or implement new buildings for a stunning effect.

Perhaps the best feature of brick slips is that they don’t have most of the limitations of full bricks. Time to get creative. How about using bricks slips for:

INTERIOR WALL CLADDING

  • New York City – For the wall behind the reception desk in the lobby of “The West” in New York, we have made a relief with Truffle Shine WasteBasedSlips by letting some of the brick slips protrude a little further than others. By also using a staggered thickness, a poem by a local poet can be read in code.
  • Waddinxveen – By coincidence, the color range of our latest batch 2Good2Waste resembled the facade of early offices of LC Packaging. By applying the WasteBasedSlips (15mm and 25mm thickness) without mortar and in a vertical way, the interior wall hints towards a typical Amsterdam canal house facade, but with a modern look and feel.
  • Venlo – We produced the Wasabi not as a full brick, but immediately as a WasteBasedSlip. For the first time produced on a larger scale, we found out that the Wasabi is actually a collection of various tones of green, resulting in almost an impressionist-like painting when used as wall cladding.

INTERIOR FLOORING

  • Helmond – For this project we’re reusing waste from the existing building, to be used as flooring at the entrance floor of the new House of the City in the city of Helmond, The Netherlands. Because our custom product will be used as flooring, we develop two formats of brick slips that can be laid in a pattern.
  • Amsterdam – Together with the client and architect we developed a terracotta-like color for the new Adyen office in the heart of the historical centre of Amsterdam. For this project we created a truly unique surface texture on the product without the need for a different production technique. We use the outside, inside, top and bottom of the brick, which does not only look great, but is also very efficient. No waste is created in the cutting process, which is unique for the ceramic industry.

FACADE CLADDING

  • Amsterdam – Construction waste has been processed in the Mopé and Nougat WasteBasedBricks and WasteBasedSlips of this project. Especially in the sliced finish, you can see the waste back in the end design.
  • Amsterdam – The inside of our Nougat Raw WasteBasedBricks is aesthetically exciting in and of itself, so we mixed both types of slips together to create one unifying façade. We cut the brick into slips, to efficiently cover the entire facade. 
Future-Proof Office Space with Adyen in Amsterdam || StoneCycling
Mopé and Nougat WasteBasedBricks and WasteBasedSlips in Office in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

How can we work together?

Whether you’re working on a new build or re-cladding project, or looking for uniquely shaped or perhaps even glazed brick slips, we’re sure that we can help you out with our custom products.

Before you buy brick slips from simply the cheapest seller, consider the positive impact you can have on the environment by choosing for our upcycled products. 

Not only are our thin bricks and other products made from at least 60% construction waste, upcycling 23 kilograms of waste per square metre, the production is also CO2 compensated. Our products are compliant with industry standards and the future of circular construction!

Curious to find out more? Order your samples here