The Benefits of Staining Brick: The Product of an Ever-Changing Industry

Words: Don Foster

Brick has been used for thousands of years as a building material, renowned for its strength and durability. Whether constructing a home, office building, or even a simple fence, brick remains a reliable choice. However, in today's brick industry, a significant shift is occurring: availability. The once-plentiful supply of brick for matching has dwindled, with many brick plants and distributor locations having closed their doors.

The Challenge of Availability

The industry's changing landscape has created a gap in the availability of brick. Discontinued product lines and special-order-only brick, with increased minimum purchase quantities, make finding the perfect match for repairs or additions an even greater challenge. Many historic buildings were constructed with unique or discontinued brick, complicating restoration efforts and making seamless matches nearly impossible.

Comments frequently heard throughout our industry are: "The Brick Manufacturer does not produce this brick anymore, and the options we have available are less than ideal." As technology evolves, the brick industry has undergone substantial changes. This shift has left many struggling to achieve seamless and precise brick matches for expansions or repairs and raises this question today: Why is it so easy for a brick salesman to suggest using mismatched brick for a building addition and then also recommending the same customer to just paint the entire structure?

This quick and easy suggestion can compromise the brick wall's durability and does not preserve the look and integrity intended for brick structures. This suggestion also changes a maintenance-free brick and may create a future ongoing maintenance issue.

This situation does not support the brick industry very well, explaining in part why brick has lost market share to alternatives like fiber cement siding. It's because the average brick salesperson often fails to grasp the importance of achieving a match that illustrates the long-lasting success of using brick, while at the same time protecting the integrity of the industry. We can do better, for ourselves and our customers.

The days when architects could depend on knowledgeable brick matching salespeople to find or create the perfect blend for their projects are few and far between because many salespeople and customers have not quite grasped the simplicity of packaging brick staining early on in the brick matching process. Brick staining is a powerful tool to use when you cannot find a good brick that matches, or you cannot get a combination of blended brick by hand to match your project. Brick staining can be used as a tool to close more sales and satisfy more customers.

Staining Brick as a Solution

Enter brick staining—a technique that has risen in popularity due to its ability to provide aesthetically desirable solutions without compromising a structure's integrity. Rather than making brick stronger or more durable, staining offers the opportunity to color-match new bricks with existing ones. This technique is particularly beneficial for architects and builders trying to match the materials for restorations or new additions and has been embraced by both educational institutions and corporate entities that wish to maintain the consistent look of their buildings while ensuring durability.



Brick Staining Techniques and Benefits

Staining brick involves altering the color of existing or new brick while preserving their durability. The importance lies in selecting the right stain with the brick combination of size, texture, and color. The technique allows architects and contractors to achieve a level of precision in aesthetics that once seemed difficult to attain.

The greatest advantage of staining is using the right stain that does not create a superficial layer that can peel, crack, or blister. Utilizing transparent stains ensures that the coloration will weather naturally, much like the original brick. By absorbing into the pore structure of the brick, these stains become one with the brick, similar to a tattoo, embedding the dye into the pore structure of the skin.

Proven Applications

A notable case showcasing the effectiveness of brick staining took place back in 2002 at a university in Texas. The project required the addition of a dark header pattern forming diamonds in the wall texture that was unavailable. By applying a stain to each brick selectively, the project successfully achieved a seamless appearance—which remains unscathed over two decades later.

Selecting a proven brick stain is critical to long-lasting results. Companies offering quality stains often provide case studies and field-performance records demonstrating their products' effectiveness over time, so potential buyers can have confidence in their selection.

   

The Importance of Research

If you are unsure about choosing a quality brick stain, it is important to do some research. Ask for case studies from prospective companies. Many companies that have been in the business for over 20 to 30 years should be able to provide hundreds of examples of proven field performance.

Be cautious of case studies that serve merely as attractive marketing pieces without substantial evidence. Authentic case studies should demonstrate the project's initial appearance, the outcome after staining, and an up-to-date photo to verify longevity. Additionally, pay attention to 20 to 25-year warranties that only offer a prorated product replacement based on the remaining warranty period.

Imagine a scenario where the stain fails, resulting in the color fading to an unappealing shade. Although you may receive some replacement stain, simply applying the replacement product over the existing failed product will not solve the problem.

Failing stain projects could diminish the aesthetic value of the structure, impact its resale value, and unfairly tarnish the reputation of the brick industry. Since there's no sign indicating a stain failure, observers may mistakenly attribute the unattractive appearance to subpar brick manufacturing. This is just one example of how choosing the wrong brick stain company can hurt our entire industry.

The Evolution of the Brick Industry

The rise of brick staining as a technique highlights the industry's continuous evolution in meeting modern needs. Availability challenges have presented obstacles, but innovative solutions like staining ensure the prevailing use of bricks in construction while maintaining the material's historic and aesthetic significance.

By employing advanced techniques such as brick staining, the industry hopes to regain some of the appeal that brick cladding lost to alternatives like fiber cement siding. This progression further aims to preserve legacy structures while incorporating new designs adaptively.

Future Perspectives

Brick staining represents an invaluable advancement in architectural restoration and design innovation as it works harmoniously with brick's intrinsic properties. By facilitating the needs of changes that stand the test of time, it ensures an enduring relevance for this age-old building material.

For architects, builders, and restorers, using a proven brick stain is a pragmatic solution bridging the past's traditions with future trends, reinforcing the vital role brick plays in our architectural landscapes.


About: StainingFeatured
 0
MASONRY STRONG Podcast Episode 7 Recap: Melonie Leslie, President at G & G Masonry, LLC

This episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast explored Melonie Leslie’s fascinating journey in the masonry industry, her experience as a leader, and life beyond the bricks and mortar. Let's dive into Melanie's story, her impactful role in the masonry world,

By: Justin Stengel
About: Featured
Read More
The Human Factor: Safety on Mast-Climbing Platforms

Mast-climbing platforms are efficient and inherently safe technology that allows people to work safely at significant heights. Despite numerous safety features, accidents still sometimes happen—not because the platforms fail, but often because humans do.

By: Vera Autushka
About: Featured
Read More
Meet GEORGE AI: The Tool Building Tomorrow's Foundation

George Miller helped get the MCAA started 75 years ago, and another GEORGE will help kick off the next 75. Our AI system, which we’ve worked on for almost three years now, is filled with purpose-built Assistants designed to make the masonry industry more

By: Dan Kamys
About: Spotlight
Read More
Embracing Software: A Game-Changer for Masonry Companies

With challenges such as labor shortages, rising costs, and increasing competition, masonry businesses must find ways to work smarter, not just harder. Fortunately, construction technology and software solutions tailored to field management and operations

By: Erin Laird
About: FeaturedMAP Partner
Read More