Repair; Refurb; Retrofit
Matching bricks for restoration, renovation and new build
Jason Hughes, Managing Director at Imperial Bricks, talks about the history of bricks and a new informative CPD for architects and specifiers.
Reclamation Yellow Stock - Moray Mews, London
Planners and conservation officers are becoming increasingly particular about the bricks used, specifying the colour, size and style of bricks. If the project you’re working on is in a conservation areas, or a listed property, construction works have to be sympathetic to the original features. But if you’re unfamiliar with brick manufacturing processes and the huge variation in brickwork across the UK it can be very difficult to match bricks and make the right choice for your projects.
You might think reclaimed bricks would provide an exact match for restoration or renovation. However, it’s becoming more and more difficult to source genuine reclaims - particularly in the quality and quantity required. With no reliable supply, they aren’t tested for frost resistance, there’s no guarantee of quality and you can experience up to 20% wastage. And if the bricks have been salvaged from a different area, you may fine they have weathered differently and are darker or lighter than required.
It’s no surprise then that the market for new bricks manufactured using traditional, time-honoured methods is booming. Handmade, wirecut and pressed bricks aren’t just being specified for extensions or renovations to older buildings - they’re also being used to add real character and value to contemporary new build developments too. And with specialist techniques ‘fresh out of the kiln’ bricks can be instantly weathered and aged for an authentic reclamation look.
We’ve recently supplied some really exciting projects with reclamation- style handmade bricks. For example, Phillips Tracey Architects used our 68mm Reclamation Yellow Stock on the boundary wall of a modern three- bedroom house that replaced a derelict medical surgery in Lansdowne Gardens, SW8, London. Situated between two listed buildings in a conservation area, planning conditions stipulated that the new build had to follow the form of the surgery, appearing the same from street level. Yellow Stock is a traditional London brick and used in old and new properties in the surrounding area, although some distressing and weathering is usually necessary. With our Reclamation finish, we were able to match salvaged brickwork from the site to repair the walls and create a seamless finish.
Another fantastic project was Moray Mews, a terrace of eight contemporary courtyard houses near Finsbury Park, London, using the narrow development site of a former stable and coach house. Peter Barber Architects overcame many challenges to create a radical design that was still sensitive to the local area. Large, frameless oriel windows echo the sharp-edged construction, set off by the rustic texture of Reclamation Yellow Stock bricks in 65mm. By using metric sizing, developer Roberto Caravona was able to use the bricks with modern lintels and materials.
IMPERIAL BRICKS
Ruth Huges, Specification Manager at Imperial Bricks presenting the CPD
EXPERT ADVICE & SOLUTIONS There’s a lot to learn about the process of specifying the right handmade brick for different projects. Our first CPD, ‘Revolutionising Restoration’ aimed to give architects and specifiers a better understanding of traditional brick manufacturing methods, regional variations and how to use handmade bricks in conservation, heritage and new build. It has been incredibly successful and was booked out throughout last year. This march we launched a second RIBA-approved CPD: ‘Inspiring Ideas for Innovative Brick Match Solutions’. The new CPD - part of the RIBA core curriculum - is designed to follow on from the first but also works as a stand alone seminar. It guides you through the brick matching process so you can learn how to make the right choices for clients, whether that’s an extension that blends seamlessly into the existing brickwork, or a new build that’s regionally appropriate.
The seminar looks at how to identify specific brick types, textures, colours and sizes to match properties of different periods and regions. It also reviews remedies for matching weathered and aged brickwork and covers economical colour correction, different types of mortar and the use of brick slips for interior features and external facades.
Ruth Hughes, Imperial Brick’s Specification Manager, will be presenting our new CPD at ‘Essex Buildingex’ by DCE Events on the 23rd May, at the Holiday Inn Basildon. To book a place or organise a CPD at your own office, call 01952 750816 or email:
sales@imperialbricks.co.uk
TEL: 01952 750816 15
WWW.IMPERIALBRICKS.CO.UK
Reclamation Yellow Stock - Lansdowne Gardens, London
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