Plastic Air Bricks
(3 Products)Plastic air bricks are a modern take on the conventional air brick (traditionally made from clay), offering the added benefit of greater airflow and an integral clip that allows multiple airbricks to be stacked together. Their UV-stabilised polypropylene construction ensures consistent performance and colour retention over time, resisting the weathering effects that can impact more traditional materials.
What Are Plastic Air Bricks?
Plastic air bricks are a modern, lightweight alternative to traditional clay air bricks. Designed to fit standard UK brickwork dimensions, they allow vital airflow into sub-floor voids, through cavity walls (when used with suitable ducting), and into other enclosed spaces. This airflow helps control moisture levels, reduce the risk of damp, and support a healthier building fabric.
Often used alongside cavity sleeves for external walls and telescopic underfloor ventilators for suspended ground floors, plastic air bricks feature a stepped front grille and integrated clips. The grille design helps deflect wind-driven rain while maintaining clear airflow, and the clips enable multiple units to be securely joined together into a single, cohesive assembly.
Available in a range of colours, such as black, terracotta, and buff, plastic air bricks seamlessly blend with different exterior finishes, complementing the aesthetic of a building while providing a functional solution for ventilation.
Key Design Features
- Stepped Front Grille: Many feature a unique stepped or louvred front grille design. This not only allows for consistent airflow but is also engineered to reduce the entry of wind-driven rain.
- Integral Pest & Debris Screen: The grille openings are sized to act as a barrier against larger pests (like mice) and debris (such as leaves) entering the ventilated space.
- Interlocking Capability (Integral Clips): Some designs include integral clips or connection points that allow multiple air bricks to be joined together securely, forming larger ventilation panels if required.
- Ducting Compatibility: They are often designed for easy connection with complementary components like cavity sleeves (for carrying air across an external wall cavity) or telescopic underfloor ventilators (for reaching sub-floor voids at varying depths).
- Material & Durability: Being made from UV-stabilised polypropylene or similar robust plastics, they are lightweight, resistant to rot, corrosion, and impact, offering a long service life.
- Aesthetic Versatility: Available in a range of common colours to complement or contrast with various brickwork, render, or cladding finishes.
How They Facilitate Ventilation
- Air Passage: The precisely engineered grilles on the face of the air brick allow external air to enter and internal (often damp or stale) air to exit the building void.
- Creating Cross-Flow: When installed strategically on opposing walls, or in sufficient numbers, they promote a continuous movement of air (cross-flow ventilation) through the targeted space (e.g., a sub-floor void). This constant air exchange helps to evaporate moisture, reduce humidity, and prevent the build-up of stagnant air.
Applications
- Sub-Floor Void Ventilation (Primary Use): Essential for properties with suspended timber or beam-and-block ground floors. They are installed in external walls above the Damp Proof Course (DPC) to ensure continuous airflow beneath the floor, preventing damp, condensation, and timber decay.
- Through-Cavity Wall Ventilation: When used with compatible cavity sleeves or telescopic underfloor vents, they effectively duct air from the external face, across the wall cavity, and into the sub-floor void.
- Ventilating Other Enclosed Spaces: Suitable for providing airflow to garages (especially integral ones, subject to fire regulations if applicable), utility areas, sheds, or other building voids where moisture control and air exchange are beneficial.
- Replacement of Old or Damaged Air Bricks: A common, durable, and cost-effective choice for replacing broken, inefficient, or pest-compromised clay or metal air bricks in older properties.
Benefits
- Excellent Durability & Weather Resistance: High-quality UV-stabilised plastics are resistant to cracking, fading, and degradation from sunlight and typical UK weather conditions. They will not rot, rust, or corrode like some metal or older clay alternatives.
- Lightweight for Easy Handling & Installation: Being significantly lighter than clay or concrete air bricks reduces manual handling strain and can speed up the installation process.
- Cost-Effective: Generally more affordable than traditional clay air bricks, both in terms of initial purchase price and potentially installation time.
- Effective Pest & Debris Deterrence: Most designs incorporate grilles fine enough to prevent the entry of mice and larger insects, as well as leaves and other wind-blown debris.
- Consistent Size & Quality: Modern manufacturing processes ensure each unit is dimensionally accurate and of consistent quality.
- Wide Range of Colours & Styles: Allows for better aesthetic integration with diverse building exteriors.
- System Compatibility: Often designed to work seamlessly with standard cavity sleeves, underfloor ventilation systems, and ducting.
Why Use Plastic Air Bricks?
- Ventilation: Plastic air bricks ensure proper ventilation, complying with relevant British standards and NHBC (National House Building Council) requirements.
- Moisture Control: These bricks prevent rain penetration and moisture-related issues, maintaining building integrity.
- Energy Efficiency: By providing a free area for air circulation, they reduce the need for conventional air bricks or mechanical ventilation systems.
- Compliance: Plastic air bricks have an equivalent area marking of 6170mm², ensuring compliance with relevant building regulations.
Frequently Asked Plastic Air Bricks Questions
How Do Plastic Air Bricks Differ From Traditional Clay Air Bricks?
- Weight: Plastic is significantly lighter, making it easier to handle and install.
- Durability: Modern plastics are very durable, resistant to rot, corrosion, and impact, and won't crack or chip like clay can.
- Cost: Generally, plastic air bricks are more cost-effective.
- Integral Grille: Most plastic versions come with a built-in grille designed to deter pests like mice and prevent larger debris from entering. Clay versions often require a separate internal mesh.
- Consistency & Colour: Plastic offers more consistent sizing and a wider, more uniform range of colours to match various building aesthetics.
- Ducting Compatibility: Often designed with specific spigots or connectors for easy integration with cavity sleeves or telescopic underfloor ventilators.
How Do Plastic Air Bricks Prevent Moisture Problems?
Plastic air bricks, like all ventilation bricks, help control moisture by allowing airflow, which reduces humidity levels and prevents mould and dampness.
Which Standards Do Plastic Air Bricks Comply With?
Plastic air bricks typically comply with relevant British standards and NHBC requirements to ensure their quality and performance.
What Materials Are Plastic Air Bricks Made From?
Plastic air bricks are typically made from UV-stabilised polypropylene through injection moulding.