How do I choose my brickwork styles

Published

01.12.2021

Sector

Merchant

Topic

Tip

Here at Manchester Brick, we can provide you with everything you need to know about the varied range of brickwork styles to choose for your property developments. A building’s choice of brick, bonding patterns and mortar colour can affect its aesthetics.

What’s wrong with regular old brickwork styles?

Depending on your projects, choosing the right brickwork style is an important task. There are a wide variety of these brickwork styles to choose from. The following information can help you realise your ideas and bring them to light

We take pride in our ability to provide the bricks you need, but you might need some help with choice of colour, bonds and mortar that lives up to your design and needs. It could be the difference between your project coming out looking fabulous or looking un-inspired.

So, in the case of a creative roadblock, allow us to lend a helping hand and provide you with the information.

We can help find the perfect brickwork style for your project.

We’ve highlighted some of the main considerations below, but if you would like to discuss your project in more detail, please contact us.

Firstly, what bonds would work for me?

Choosing your brick bond is important as it:

Distribute loads throughout the structure to achieve maximum strength
Ensure stability
Achieve the desired aesthetic

Below are the three most commonly used brick bonds in bricklaying:

Stretcher Bond
Flemish Bond
English Bond

Stretcher bond

(The most commonly used brick bonding technique)

One of the most widely-used and easily recognisable brick bond is the Stretcher Bond pattern. For this bond, the edges of the bricks above meet at the centre of the length for the brick below. This single brick thickness bond is the most popular as it is time and cost-effective to use. It is often used for internal walls or externally when reinforced with concrete or steel structures.

Flemish bond

(Perfect for strength and insulation)

Being two bricks thick, alternating from width to length, you are able to design and develop patterns with the bricks through the wall. This double layer of bricks also helps maintain an extra amount of structure support for your project, perfect for buildings and walls. This double layer of bricks acts as an extra layer of insulation so upcoming cold winter nights will become that little bit more tolerable.

English Bond

(Perfect for load bearing structures)

Bricks are laid in a staggered pattern of flat horizontal bricks, with headers standing directly on top of other headers. The technique gives off the effect consisting of differing lengths for the bricks. Civil engineers often use English Bond for the foundations of bridges, viaducts and embankment walls to achieve maximim strength.

Brick colours

With an array of brick colours – the choices are endless. However, due to the very strict nature of regional building regulations you may need a specific colour to match the aesthetics of the environment. Using the brick selector, you can choose from the many varieties available.

Brick textures

When selecting bricks, colour is often the first consideration, but texture should also be taken into account. The texture of brickwork can affect the way light is reflected off the brick surface, creating highlight and shade, which ultimately influences the final perceived appearance.

Manchester brick has a multitude of texture types available such as:

Textured
Weathered
Handmade
Glazed
Smooth
Creased

Mortar colours

You can further enhance your brickwork styles by choosing from a range of colours of mortar. Different mortar colours are produced by combining different coloured sands with cement, or by using pre-coloured ready-mixed mortars. The below Chapel Light brick looks completely different when paired with pale, grey and black mortars.

Need more help?

The character and appearance of a building can be judged in an instant by the type of brickwork used, and we advise our clients to carry out the appropriate research to effectively communicate their design brief. No matter what brickwork style you go with, we will have the bricks to help you realise your vision. If you need help to find what works best for you – get in contact with us today.

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