ᐅ Facing bricks – selection based on water absorption of 10 to 12 percent

Hello,

the facing brick we have chosen has a water absorption rate of 10 to 12 percent.
Is that acceptable?
The building material supplier said that up to 15% is fine and nowadays there are no poor quality facing bricks, but of course he wants to make a sale.
I’ve seen limits online ranging up to a maximum of 6% or 10%, but I can’t find a consistent statement.
Is there anything else we should pay attention to?

Here is a photo of the facing brick...

I would say you don’t need to worry about that. The brick won’t act like a sponge and absorb water during rain; it’s more about the moisture it draws from the mortar while building. This can be managed by pre-wetting as well as by choosing the appropriate mortar mix to suit your specific needs.

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I mean, not that the bricks effloresce over time!

This has nothing to do with the water absorption capacity.

Isn't it the case that the absorbed water actually washes out the efflorescence agents?

The crucial factor is how much salt is introduced into the masonry, which then appears on the surface. In my opinion, this has nothing to do with the "storage capacity" of the brick. If that were the case, genuine clinker bricks would never effloresce, as they do not absorb water.