Which veneer should I choose?

Hello everyone,

we are now quite far along in our planning: the house plan is set (pillar house with gable roof) and actually we were also done choosing the building materials.

We got advice on the topic of facing bricks from a specialist retailer and chose an impregnated brick (approx. €660/ton), which we especially like visually. I have little to no knowledge about the material properties – the only thing I want to avoid if possible are ugly efflorescences.

By chance, I got in touch with an acquaintance who works in a clinker factory and mainly advised me against choosing a brick (even if impregnated) due to its water absorption. After that, we consulted at the clinker factory ourselves and also found a nice stone there (€820/ton).

Now I am unsure: is the brick really that much worse compared to the clinker – meaning, is the clinker worth its extra cost? That would certainly be an additional €2,000–3,000.

Could you please define brick? Aren't clinker bricks also bricks?...

What deteriorates is the mortar - and often, when horizontal barriers have been neglected. I still don't know what a [Backstein] is. [Klinker] range from 30 cents to 1 euro.

Whether you choose a klinker or another type of facing brick is, in my opinion, a matter of taste. It is true that klinkers absorb less water. You probably still won't be able to notice any difference in durability. The impregnation from Olfry is supposed to completely prevent efflorescence.

Ok, that doesn't sound too bad. Thanks! I am just worried about efflorescence. But I have also read at Röben, for example, that you can relatively easily counteract it without acid if it does occur.