Both in construction and indoor decorating, materials are selectable not only by their quality of longevity but also by what impression they create in a room. Ordinary bricks have been used in architecture since time immemorial to build what is powerfully strong, reliable, and durable. However, Himalayan salt bricks have become the surprise competition in the interior design market over the last ten years, not due to their power, but their aesthetics and their ability to promote health.
This brings in two crucial questions: How are the Himalayan salt bricks different from regular bricks? But more significantly, can salt walls really help support health, and is it a fair trend?
Let's take a deep dive.
Himalayan Salt Bricks: Mineral Crystals of Nature in the Architecture.
Himalayan salt bricks are hewn out of the blocks of pink rock salt discovered in the Khewra mines within Pakistan, the second-largest salt mines on the planet, which is 250 million years old.
Color & Aesthetics:
Naturally pink, orange, or reddish in color, these bricks comprise 84+ trace minerals, including calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Most of the bricks are not the same, providing interiors with a welcoming, warm, organic ambiance.
Shapes & Uses:
It is available as a brick or tiles, block, or illuminated panel and has various dimensions. They are mainly used in:
Spa and sauna walls
Halotherapy (salt therapy) chambers.
Accent walls in luxury homes
Backlit reception counters and desks.
Function: Their functionality, compared to ordinary bricks, is not structural. Instead, they are decorative and therapeutic.
Traditional Bricks: The Apostate Building Blocks.
One of the most ancient building materials that has ever been discovered by humanity is regular bricks made of clay, shale, or even concrete.
Strength:
They are constructed of high temperatures, which cause them to be strong, durable, and weather-resistant.
Usage:
They make the pillars and sides of buildings, houses, bridges, and pavements.
Look:
The Himalayan salt does not have its own glow of light, so it is usually made in red or brown with a neutral and earthly coat.
In other words, normal bricks are bones; salt bricks are beauty.
Wellness Factor: Are these Himalayan Salt Walls really effective?
This is the core of the debate. What goes beyond beauty is whether Himalayan salt walls really make people healthy, or is it merely marketing efforts? Let's break it down.
Air Quality & Negative Ions
Negatively charged salt can give out negative ions. These ions bind with pollutants in the air (dust, pollen, smoke), actually pulling them downwards so that it does not remain in the breathable air. Although the studies are in progress, numerous spas and wellness facilities claim that after people have attended salt rooms, they feel more refreshed, less congested, and energy-rich.
Respiratory Benefits
The concept of halotherapy (salt therapy) is a centuries-old one. The Eastern Europeans would sit in salt caves to relieve bronchial and asthma problems. It is possible to create a replica of this atmosphere by going to modern salt chambers, which have been made using Himalayan bricks, and visitors can breathe in the air full of minerals. Sure, researchers indicate a way some conditions can be relieved, such as:
Asthma
Chronic bronchitis
Sinusitis
Allergies
Life-Real World applications of Salt Walls.
Luxury Resorts in the U.S.:
Salt walls are an essential part of the wellness resorts in the states of California and Colorado, where spa packages are offered, including salt therapy sessions in glowing saunas.
European Salt Spas:
Salt caves and salt rooms have been developed as a regular medical and recreational treatment in countries such as Poland and Hungary. As a simulation of the microclimate of natural caves, Himalayan salt bricks are now used in these centers.
Can one use Himalayan Salt Bricks instead of ordinary bricks?
The short answer is no.
Pink salt bricks do not accommodate the ability to carry or erect outside. They are not water-resistant and melt away in poor climatic conditions. They do not have to compete with ordinary bricks, though. On the contrary, they make them complete.
Structural construction is to be done in regular bricks.
Accent walls, wellness area, spas, and upscale counters should use Himalayan salt bricks.
Consider it as a comparison of steel and marble: one develops strength, the other beauty.
Sustainability:
Eco-friendliness is another interesting factor.
Salt Bricks:
100 percent natural, hand-carved, and have no chemicals. They do not need to be fired in factories, as is the case with clay bricks, which contribute to the carbon footprint.
Regular Bricks:
Tough and energy-consuming to make (kiln firing). Nevertheless, their usefulness spans decades, making them durable and resourceful in long-term applications.
To a designer who is environmentally conscious, the formula consists of structural sustainability + wellness decor.
Reasons why Interior Designers like Salt Walls.
Salt bricks are increasingly being recommended by interior designers on high-end projects due to their satisfying three key boxes:
Visual Impact:
The pink lighting automatically adds prestige to any room, turning it into a conversation starter.
Wellness Approach:
Customers are madly in love with the thought of health-enhancing decor.
Luxury Factor:
Salt walls are a representation of status and class, perfect for spas and hotels, and also in high-end households.
Things to take care of while installing:
Sensitivity to Moisture:
Salt bricks have a tendency to corrode when they are placed in damp conditions without an appropriate coating on them. So take care and keep them away from moisture.
Maintenance:
Salt wall panels require a dry environment as well as cleaning every now and then in order to avoid surface deterioration.
Price:
These natural salt blocks are much more expensive than the ordinary ones but have many health benefits which the regular ones do not have. Bricks can't .
Final Thoughts
The purpose of Himalayan salt bricks and regular bricks is entirely different. One is a necessity of the buildings, the other a wellness spa. Regular bricks will never leave strong architecture, but pink salt bricks are finding their niche as the symbols of good health, luxurious lifestyle, and the modern concept of holism.
So, does salt wellness really support wellness? It depends on your usage of them. Salt walls are worthy of purchasing, especially when you want to experience cleaner air, a relief from stress, and a pleasant natural beauty in your interiors. They will not substitute what you are built on, but they will definitely change your setting into a haven of wellness and serenity.
