Revive Your White Bricks

Skalflex has developed a dyed special-purpose plaster suitable for cleaved sand lime bricks.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, using white bricks for house building was in style. Since then, however, experience has shown that these cleaved sand lime bricks easily develop a somewhat sad and soiled appearance over time. For this reason, many homeowners have asked for a durable product to brighten their facades and make their houses look more contemporary.

Skalflex A/S in Viborg, Denmark, is now able to offer a solution. The product is called Skalcem 1000. It is a cement-based mortar specifically suited for giving facades made of sand lime bricks a new and more contemporary finish. Skalcem 1000 can be applied directly on to any type of mineral surface such as plaster, tile and concrete. The result is a beautiful, dull finish that is vapour permeable and extremely hardwearing.

Until today, plastering facades made of cleaved sand lime bricks has been very difficult because these bricks are made of a relatively soft material that has a porous and open structure. If a normal plaster layer of 2 mm is applied on to sand lime bricks, surface cracks will often appear over time, which will cause the plaster to peel. However, with Skalcem 1000, normal application by broom produces a layer thickness of just 1 mm on average and leaves such a varied and broken surface that these cracks will not develop. At the same time, Skalcem 1000 also offers very high adhesiveness and tolerates high-pressure cleaning. It is in every way a perfect and long-lasting solution for refreshing old houses made of sand lime bricks.

Skalcem 1000 is very much a do-it-yourself-friendly product. Just apply it on to the clean facade using either a mason's steel float, filling knife, roller or broom - depending on the desired texture. The plaster comes in standard white, but can be treated with other Skalflex products to achieve the desired tint.

Skalcem 1000 comes in bags of 25 kg each and is available throughout the country from building supply stores and timber merchants.