What is Waterstruck?
Waterstruck is a facing brick with a highly appreciated texture that gives a façade a lively and natural character. A Waterstruck facing brick is smooth yet textured, soft yet robust. Every Waterstruck brick tells a unique story about honest clay and purifying water. The name Waterstruck originates from its special manufacturing process.
How Is a Waterstruck Facing Brick Made?
Originally, Wasserstrich was a practical technique used to easily release clay from the wooden mould by using water.
Joseph Bricks, Wasserstrich bricks are produced using the original table press method. A table press is a round table fitted with multiple moulds, each exactly the size of the facing bricks to be produced.
First, the moulds are thoroughly rinsed and moistened. Then the clay is pressed into the moulds. Because of the water, the brick can be easily pushed out of the mould.
With other production methods, the bricks are usually coated with sand beforehand to prevent the clay from sticking to the mould. With the Wasserstrich method, however, this is not necessary.
The water softens the outer layer of the clay. When the clay is pressed through the table press, it creates a distinctive pattern, as authentic as a fingerprint. The result is a brick with typical edges and a pure colour with a natural colour mix. The brick is durable and frost-resistant.
Finally, at Joseph Bricks, the bricks are smothered in a unique way. This smothering process is the result of a journey passed down for three generations, continuously perfected with modern technology.
Technical properties of the bricks are analyzed and studied as well as the effects of temperature and smothering duration on colour. By carefully adjusting these parameters, an exclusive and flawless final result is created.
At Joseph Bricks, the firing and smothering processes take place in a single production cycle. This innovative process is called eco-smoking, which results in lower gas consumption and reduced CO₂ emissions.
The clay, the production process, the water, and the smothering technique together create a finish that cannot be achieved with any other method.
Which Projects Are Suitable for Waterstruck Bricks?
There is a Waterstruck brick for almost every type of project. The variations in colour, texture, and size give architects a versatile design material.
This robust and stylish brick is perfectly suited for renovation projects, new-build homes, and commercial buildings, whether the architecture is traditional or modern.
With elongated Waterstruck bricks (long-format), you can create an impressive and contemporary statement. Emphasize horizontal lines in a beautiful landscape and leave standard solutions behind.