Brick Slips in Bathrooms - The Latest Trend

Brick Slips have been used for a few years now to create beautiful feature walls, kitchen backsplashes and authentic fireplaces. These thin cuts of bricks, sometimes referred to as brick tiles, are just tiled onto the wall, making it relatively straightforward to install and quite versatile. 

As an internal wall covering, there is one room in the house that has seen a sharper rise in popularity over the last few months than anywhere else and you can see why- bathrooms.

Why is Brick Popular in interior design?

There are a few main reasons behind the popularity of brick as a material, with brick slips being the best way to use it.

Colour

The natural colours that come from dug and fired clay resonate with people, but what's more effective is the natural variation that comes with the process. 

Texture

Even with no creasing or tumbling on the bricks, the wall (or floor) will have the texture of 10mm mortar joints. What makes brick slips really stand out though is the texture on the brick- from misshapen tumbled reclaimed style products, to the gentle creasing of traditional style ones, it makes an incredible impact.

Timelessness

By using a product that is all around us, and has been for centuries, you guard yourself somewhat against changing trends. Particularly where you're using a reclaimed style brick slip, it has the look of already being there for years as a beautiful fixture.

All 3 of these can be summarised simply as character- you can add incredible character to even the boxiest of new builds using brick.

Why is it that they're more and more popular in bathrooms?

Whilst we always carefully design out kitchens, as we have to choose cupboard styles and colours, handles, worksurfaces and appliances, we don't always consider every other room the same amount.

The look and feel of a home is more important to people since the pandemic, there has been a reflection on where we spend most of our time. There are usually two different types of bathroom that will get attention- the downstairs bathroom, where guests will visit and can be impressed, or the most used bathroom upstairs, where you get ready each day, or soak in a bath- this is more of a personal project to make your home and bathroom feel like a place you are happy to spend time in, not just a functional space.

Do Brick Slips Cope with Moisture?

Brick is a porous material- it soaks in moisture. As a breathable product, it also dries out in the elements reasonably quickly. Most often in the bathroom, it will only be exposed to a little moisture, but you can use a breathable brick slip sealant to protect it, making waterproof brick slips.

Inside a Shower

Can brick slips be used in a shower unit? Absolutely they can.

Unlike the rest of the bathroom, the shower walls will constantly be exposed to water. This means not only is it important to use the brick slip sealant, but also to back that up with a waterproof tile backer board behind. To clean the slips all you need is household cleaners!

To explore brick slips for a bathroom or elsewhere, you can visit bricktilecompany.com - use the customer images, the brick slip visualiser, and order samples. Use our calculator to find out how many you'll need and get your installation supplies too. You can either install them yourself following our installation guide, or ask us to recommend an installer for you.