We created a new video – How to Install Thin Brick over an Interior Wall.

Posted on June 15, 2022 by ronwil52

Are you interested in creating a thin brick accent wall, fireplace surround or backsplash, but have questions about how to make it happen? Follow our installers as they take you through the entire process from beginning to end. Learn how to create a whole new look in your home or business by adding thin brick.

https://metrothinbrick.com/

#thinbrick #installingthinbrick #royalthinbrick

Ironrock Begins Refractory Recycling Program

Posted on June 14, 2022 by ronwil52

Refractories are the plates, posts, and blocks that let our tile and brick go through our kilns. Although they can withstand high temperatures, they are easy to break. Each year, we replaces broken refractories. In the past, broken refractories have been crushed into aggregate along with fired scrap but recently we began a program to return them to our local refractory supplier to use as grog. Grog is ground up refractories that help new refractory pieces use less energy and material to fire and produce. This helps our supplier because they need more grog.

Ironrock is pleased that our broken refractories will be re-used to make new refractories and add to the list of materials we recycle and re-use.

Learn more about Ironrock’s recycling program.

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New Colors from METROBRICK

Posted on May 31, 2022 by ronwil52

METROBRICK® Architectural Thin Brick continues to expand its color palette with two new colors, #100 Alabaster and #705 Graphite, broadening the possibilities in single-tone options and blend combinations.

100 Alabaster

Adding 100 Alabaster as a new option brings a very light, buff color into the mix. Use Alabaster as a stand-alone color, accent, or as part of a blend. Alabaster is METROBRICK’s lightest color and is the perfect solution when a light thin brick is what you need.

705 Graphite

The addition of 705 Graphite to the METROBRICK colors adds a deep gray option to the palette. METROBRICK now offers four gray colors; 505 Monument is a light gray. 507 Empire is a medium gray, the new Graphite color is a very dark gray, and 710 Charcoal is METROBRICK’S darkest color.

Visit metrothinbrick.com to see all colors available from METROBRICK

Posted in Topics | Tagged Made in USA thin brick, metrobrickthinbrick, thin brick, thin brick colors, thin brick veneer | Leave a comment

Removing Protective Wax from METROBRICK®

Posted on May 31, 2022 by ronwil52

METROBRICK WAX REMOVAL INSTRUCTIONS

Covering the brick surface with paraffin wax is an important option to consider when using thin brick with cast in place concrete.

METROBRICK® is available waxed to reduce the likelihood of cement and other contaminants adhering to the brick face during installation. Completely removing the wax once the brick is in place exposes the clean brick surface and is part of the installation process.

The METROBRICK website includes instructions for proper removal of wax from the bricks once the panel is formed. Wax removal information includes required equipment, appropriate water temperature, water pressure range, and the importance of spray distance and direction.

Posted in Topics | Tagged Made in USA thin brick, metrobrickthinbrick, precast, thin brick, thin brick veneer, thin brick wall systems, tilt-up | Leave a comment

METROBRICK products are listed in the mindful Materials database

Posted on May 31, 2022 by ronwil52

Popular Index for Finding Environmental Information on Building Products

Mindful MATERIALS is a free platform with aggregated information on human health and environmental impacts for products from leading manufacturers, vetted by experts passionate about making it easier to make informed product choices.

Products that are accepted into the database must undergo a vigorous vetting process to insure the products meet health and sustainability standards.

Mindful materials began at HKS in 2014. The simplicity of the labeling system soon generated interest in the greater design community. HKS understood the power that a united A&D industry could have to scale the initiative and drive the demand for material transparency data much faster, so it made its data publicly available.

Here is a link to all Ironrock products on the mindful Materials website. Once you go to mindful Materials’ website you can create a FREE account to access all of the database’s features.

Posted in Topics | Tagged Made in USA thin brick, metrobrickthinbrick, mindful Materials, thin brick, thin brick is green brick | Leave a comment

Meet Terry McCracken. Ironrock’s National Sales Manager – Thin Brick

Posted on May 31, 2022 by ronwil52

Terry McCracken is Ironrock’s National Sales Manager – Thin Brick

Ironrock’s National Thin Brick Sales Manager is responsible for meeting and exceeding annual thin brick sales goals, creating and growing a strong national distribution channel, and establishing METROBRICK^®and Royal Thin Brick^® as leaders in the thin brick market.

In his role, Terry makes presentations to architects and specifiers, distributors, precasters & tilt-wall companies. He will also work with field-applied systems companies and other users and influencers for the METROBRICK and Royal Thin Brick product lines.

Terry has been in brick and thin brick sales for twenty-four years. He has extensive experience working with many brick distributors, from small dealers to large partners with high-end commercial projects. Terry has a reputation for his exceptional service and knowledge of plant capacities.

Terry began his carrier learning the brick business from the ground up with Cason Building Supply (1993-1999). Terry then worked as a Sales Representative for Boren/Hanson Brick (1999-2008), as a Sales Manager for Hanson Brick (2008-2010), as a Territory Manager for Hanson Brick/Forterra Brick (210-2017) and most recently as a Territory Manager for Meridian Brick (2017 – 2021).

In his career, Terry has been responsible for brick sales in multiple eastern states and has sold thin brick in many western states. He is a student of product knowledge and known for his honesty and ability to communicate, building lasting relationships with his customers.

Terry can be reached by email at tmccracken@ironrock.com.

Posted in Topics | Tagged Made in USA thin brick, metrobrickthinbrick, thin brick, thin brick for commecrial construction, thin brick in wall systems, thin brick veneer | Leave a comment

New Vintage Texture from METROBRICK

Posted on December 7, 2020 by ronwil52

NEW Vintage Texture – featuring distressed edges and a heavily distressed surface. Ready for the best part? This one-of-a-kind textured brick meets the PCI Standard for thin brick.

what’s not to love? We know your customers are going to love a thin brick this distressed and gnarly looking – it’s what they’ve been asking for. And we know you will love that Vintage Texture follows the same stringent standards as our other PCI compliant thin brick.

The NEW Vintage Texture from METROBRICK is one distressed brick that will fit your form liner and give you a distinct look.

Request Samples

https://metrothinbrick.com/products/vintage-texture/

Posted in Topics | Tagged metrobrickthinbrick, thin brick, thin brick for commecrial construction, thin brick texture, thin brick veneer, thin brick wall systems | Leave a comment

New Video! Installing Thin Brick Outdoors

Posted on June 12, 2020 by ronwil52

Here is a new video we created called – Installing Thin Brick on an Insulated Exterior Wall. This video shows all steps of a wall assembly with a focus on installing the thin brick using tile setting methods. This is a very detailed video that took a while to put together but we think in the end was well worth it.

https://metrothinbrick.com/about/videos/

Posted in METROBRICK Installations | Tagged metrobrickthinbrick, thinbrick, thinbrickinstallation | Leave a comment

Ironrock Announces new Edge Grinding Technology for Thin Brick

Posted on October 3, 2019 by ronwil52

In September of 2019, Ironrock produced its first thin brick order using its new state of the art edge grinding equipment. The new equipment ensures all manufactured bricks conform to the tight dimensional tolerances required by the Precast Concrete Institute (PCI) Standard for Thin Brick embedded in concrete.

“We see our new edge grinder as a competitive advantage,” says Guy Renkert, Ironrock’s President & CEO and the fifth generation of the Renkert family to run the company. “While our size control has always been the best in the industry, being able to rectify oversized pieces helps improve efficiencies and shorten lead times because scrap and reruns are all but eliminated. We are very excited to have the new equipment up and running. Our precast and tilt-wall customers will see that our new ground edge bricks have tighter size control and fit even better in your formliner than before. This means faster setting, fewer eyebrows or cocked brick and less leakage for faster cleanup, which saves you money.”

Ironrock is a fifth generation, 150+-year-old producer of quality ceramic tile and thin brick under the brand names of Metropolitan Ceramics, Royal Thin Brick, and METROBRICK. The company’s manufacturing operations are based in Canton, Ohio, with close access to raw materials and clean-burning natural gas. For more information about Ironrock’s thin brick products, visit www.ironrock.com.

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METROBRICK® Adds to Popular Fast Ship Offering

Posted on May 2, 2018 by ronwil52

The METROBRICK® Fast Ship Program is designed to provide precasters with the most requested METROBRICK Thin Brick colors fast – many times shipped within days of placing an order.

The program has gained in use over the years as customers grow in awareness of Fast Ship and learn what a time saver it can be. The METROBRICK Fast Ship Program combines a thin brick precasters can rely on with expedited availability, which is often necessary to meet tight deadlines.

METROBRICK is pleased to announce they have added two new colors – 320 Schoolhouse Red and 365 Schoolhouse Red Flashed along with a new color blend to the Fast Ship product offering. Nine colors and seven blends are now available.

The Fast Ship Program allows precast customers to meet their thin brick needs quickly with METROBRICK’s most popular colors and blends. They can use Fast Ship for small to midsize jobs – whenever they need thin brick fast. For more information about the METROBRICK Fast Ship Program, visit https://metrothinbrick.com/fast-ship-program/.

eadlines are always an issue. Often, long lead times just won’t work and anxiously waiting for a material is never a good thing. Sometimes delays can’t be helped but as the old saying goes, “time is money.”

With METROBRICK Fast Ship Offering It’s nice to know there is one product you can count on when the clock is ticking. METROBRICK understands projects sometimes have short deadlines and even the best plans can change. Having an option of getting a thin brick to the plant or job site fast can make a big difference in these situations.

METROBRICK thin brick is extruded, kiln fired, low absorption brick and their Fast Ship offerings are ready when you are. Whenever the project calls for thin brick and the time frame is short, there is one place to turn to find the right combination of colors when you need them.

Think METROBRICK when you need thin brick fast. Visit the METROBRICK website to learn more about their Fast Ship offering and the entire thin brick offering – www.metrothinbrick.com.