Choosing bricks for self-build homes
Graham Irving, managing director of Bovingdon Bricks explores the use of brick in self-build homes
F
or centuries clay bricks have been an integral part of the English architectural landscape and they continue to be the sin-
gle most popular way of constructing a house. In practical terms bricks are not only suited to
the damp British climate, but they require very little on-going maintenance compared to other external finishes. In fact any weathering can actually add to the charm of brickwork and to some extent even improve its weather resist- ance. In addition, brick has superior thermal, acoustic and fire resistant properties and excel- lent sustainability credentials throughout its entire lifecycle, compared to other materials. However, for most self-builders, the real
attraction of brick lies in its aesthetic qualities and the ‘kerb appeal’ it brings to a property. As it cannot easily be changed at a later date, it is important to take time to make the right choice of brick from the start.
Handmade or machine made
Broadly speaking, there are two main types of facing bricks (bricks for the facade of a building) to choose from: handmade or machine made
Continued overleaf... [
Bricks are not only suited to the damp British climate, but they require very little on-going maintenance
compared to other external finishes
] selfbuilder & homemaker
www.sbhonline.co.uk 31
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