SA Affordable Housing March - April 2019 // Issue: 75 | Page 12

ADVERTORIAL - COVER STORY There is also more to clay face brick than meets the eye. belief that clay bricks are pricey, they actually save you money in the long run. Face bricks possess a natural artistic beauty that lasts, colour remains consistent and isn’t affected by the most extreme weather conditions we have in South Africa. In other words, there is no need to plaster a clay face brick, which means it saves on additional costs on plasterwork and painting each year. Clay face bricks require minimum maintenance. There is also more to clay face brick than meets the eye; many building professionals don’t consider that a clay brick has four sides and that they are rich in texture and colour. One of Federale Stene’s best projects to illustrate this is the University of Mpumalanga that is built using Federale Stene’s Plum Satin face bricks, which consist of various shades of purple colours and refined with a smooth satin finish. The reverse and sides of the Plum Satin are creatively used in this project to give the university an interesting mosaic-like look and to create a diverse selection of angles, dimensions and shapes. Generations of students will be in awe as they walk through the trendy campus to each building which offer a unique look and building style. Clay bricks are also incombustible, do not conduct electricity or lightning and can resist fire as the bricks are fired in temperatures up to 1 200°C. They are also structurally adaptable, which means that doing renovations to your home or building is uncomplicated. Interior walls can also support cupboards and heavy shelving. Clay bricks are also composed of mainly natural ingredients. Clay is extracted from the earth, transported to the factory where it is processed and fired in huge kilns. Federale Stene takes great care to ensure that production of its clay bricks emits the lowest CO 2 emissions possible therefore ensuring that the environment is protected and a low carbon footprint is maintained. Building with clay brick makes sense – why build with inferior building materials when you can build with a superior product that is proven to stand the test of time? Start reaping the benefits that clay bricks have to offer; namely security, savings, sustainability, style and authenticity. Clay bricks provide a long term investment that benefit not only yourself and your company but provide a legacy for generations to come! You deserve to build with the best – build with clay brick. Clay bricks offer security, savings, sustainability, style and authenticity. Application of different bricks can create different textures in the surface of the building. 10 MARCH - APRIL 2019 www.saaffordablehousing.co.za