Klay’s face brick range offers:
- design flexibility,
- bricks grounded in performance and durability,
- lasting quality,
- and a natural aesthetic appeal.
Whether you’re planning a bold face brick wall for a city build or a textured palette for a coastal cottage—you can build with Klay and bring any project to life.
Architects and designers know that materials matter beyond form and function, and the right surface can define a building’s tone and shape its character. That’s why Klay offers a canvas of warm terracotta tones and texture that invites creativity and a sense of touch.
What is the history of face brick in construction?
For decades, bricks have been seen as the workhorse of construction. They are consistently reliable, strong, and practical. Clay bricks, specifically clay face bricks, are experiencing a design renaissance. We’re seeing more and more architects and designers seeking materials that not only last but look good doing it.
What makes Klay face brick a better choice?
Klay’s face bricks are crafted with natural clay, offering a timeless material that’s both durable and design-forward. The range is available in a curated selection of finishes and tones making them versatile enough to suit everything from minimalist architecture to more rustic designs.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, Klay face bricks provide the structural integrity and thermal mass expected from high-quality masonry. In essence, you get the robust performance of traditional clay brick, with the added finesse of thoughtful design and a refined finish.
Does Klay offer the right brick classification for my project goals?
Klay is compliant with the South African National Standard (SANS 227) for burnt clay masonry units and includes several brick classifications in their expansive face brick range with options that offer the specific balance of performance and visual character that every project needs, whether your priority is precision, texture, or budget.
Here’s a quick guide to understanding the different classes of bricks and how they’re applied in construction:
FBX | Clay bricks that are selected or produced for their durability and high degree of uniformity of size, shape and colour. |
FBS | Clay bricks that are selected or produced for their durability and uniformity of size and shape. |
FBA | Clay bricks that are selected or produced for their durability and aesthetic effect deriving from non-uniformity of size, shape, or colour. |
Source: Language of Clay Bricks
What colour, texture & style options are available in Klay’s face brick range?
Klay’s face bricks are a natural extension of the KlayConcept range. Each face brick is available in our signature palette—Chai, Latte, and Espresso—designed to pair seamlessly with other KlayConcept products such as the screen blocks and tiles. So if you’re using Chai screen blocks alongside your Chai face brick wall, the tones align seamlessly for a cohesive finish. The face brick range is also available in both a smooth and travertine finish depending on the desired look and feel of the final space.
By focusing on a refined palette of carefully developed colours, Klay is able to push creative boundaries and offer a much broader, more versatile range across applications, all while maintaining a unified visual language.
How versatile are face bricks?
In addition to varying colour, texture, and brick characteristics, Klay offers several special shapes. The L Shape, Double Cant, and Roman Linear (also known as long-format bricks) are part of this special range. These can be used in conjunction with standard face bricks, screen blocks, and other walling and cladding products to create interesting façades and eye-catching designs.
One can also experiment with different bonding patterns to enhance the aesthetic appeal. Laying bricks in a running bond, stack bond, herringbone, or Fleming bond can add great impact to the overall visual mood, each bringing their own sense of style and history. As Klay’s face bricks are a natural product, there will also be slight colour variations between bricks, even from the same batch. However, a skilled workman will know how to properly blend bricks to achieve symmetry and colour consistency throughout the design.
Weylandtstudio has created two standout designs incorporating Klay’s face brick range. Using the Satin Chai terracotta bricks and a unique bonding pattern, they have achieved a distinctive façade in their Castle Gate showroom. Another showcase by Weylandtstudio has combined the Roman Linear brick and Rectangle Single Pane screen blocks that resulted in this striking lattice wall:
Is face brick durable enough for my build?
Klay’s face bricks are built for lasting performance, combining the natural strength of clay with a refined finish that holds its quality.
By firing bricks at temperatures over 1000°C, it creates a material that is naturally fire-, water-, and pest-resistant. These bricks can withstand a range of environmental conditions, from coastal moisture to inland heat. And unlike synthetic building materials that may need repainting, sealing, or replacement after a few years, clay bricks maintain their integrity and colour for decades.
Their maintenance-free nature means fewer ongoing costs, which makes them a cost-effective solution over the lifespan of a building. It’s one of the few materials that improves not only the immediate ambiance of a project, but also its long-term economic and environmental footprint.
While clay bricks bring undeniable strength to the surface, Klay’s commitment to durability goes even deeper. The KlayConcept plant has recently been allocated solar power usage, significantly reducing the reliance on fossil fuels.
So, if you’re building a home, a commercial project, or a feature wall, Klay face bricks are designed to deliver form, function, and longevity in equal measure.
Klay’s lasting impact, inside and out
Klay’s face brick range proves that building materials can be both practical and inspiring. With options catering to various levels of uniformity, tone, and texture, architects and designers have the freedom to create façades that are uniquely their own, while maintaining the strength and durability that clay is known for. Klay believes in building with intention and using materials that support both vision and value. Build with Klay face brick and create something that lasts.
