concrete-construction-tips

For one reason or another, brick walls need to be repaired, replaced or extended every so often. In some cases, a person is looking for just a brick or two to make a repair, in other cases a lot are needed; for example, if an extension is being built. Finding new bricks that exactly match those originally used is preferable, but this is not always possible.

So, why is brick matching not an easy task? First and foremost, bricks are made from clay, and the clay deposit that the brick came from can become depleted and / or the characteristics of the clay may change as the mining pit is extended. The second reason is that the brick company that you dealt with before may no longer be in business, or may have discontinued that line of bricks. Brick styles change over time, just like styles of interior design do.

If the original bricks were bought in the last couple of years, you might get lucky and be able to buy exactly the same type and style of brick again at your local brick merchant. However, for the most part, the solution is not so easy to come by. If there was a national database of brick colors and textures, then this would not be too difficult but, alas, there is not.

Taking some high resolution photos of the original bricks should be the first thing that you do. You should email copies of these photos to every brick merchant in your city. Give them as much detail as you can about the originals, such as the year they were bought, where they were bought from, dimensions, etc.

If you discover your brick is not made anymore, then you should go for a color match with one that is available. Do not let a brick salesperson talk you out of this strategy. Try to find bricks that are very close, if not identical, in color. Matching bricks by color is much preferable to matching bricks by texture. You can see texture differences when you stand close to a brick surface, but rarely can you see differences when you stand back 50 or 100 feet. Color mis-matches stand out from any distance.

Do not rush the brick matching process. Take your time and get some samples that you can take back to your home. Up close, you will, of course, always be able to see some differences; what is important is how visible differences are from a distance of over 10 feet. Ask for a second, and even a third, opinion too.

Remember to also spend some time ensuring that the mortar that keeps the bricks together matches too. Pay close attention to the color and size of the sand particles in your existing mortar, as not all sand is the same. You will probably have to age the new mortar to match the old mortar. You can do this with a brick cleaning chemical.
—
Find Out More - Brick Matching

Post a Comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.