To many people a brick is a brick; a basic building block that performs its function and nothing more. Mass produced and uninspiring, surely one brick is the same as any other?
Well, not exactly. While it’s true that machine made bricks are produced to a budget that leaves little room for individuality, handmade bricks are an entirely different animal.
They offer a depth of colour and richness of texture that simply can’t be replicated with modern manufacturing techniques.
So whether you’re working on a heritage-style new build home or a listed conservation project, handmade bricks are hard to beat.
Handmade bricks vs machine made
It wasn’t so long ago that handmade bricks were the only option. Clay was heaved from the ground with shovels, worked by hand into moulds and levelled off before being turned out and fired in huge on-site kilns.
These traditional brick fields were hot, dirty and difficult places to work so it is probably no surprise that improvements in mechanisation and industrial processes were welcomed with open arms by the brick industry.
Machines now take the heavy lifting out of the equation and the latest production facilities are able to produce thousands of perfectly uniform bricks every day. But has something been lost in the process?
Modern, machine made bricks are perfectly suited to new developments as they give clean lines, they are available in vast quantities and, above all, they are cheap to produce.
However, they lack the charm, character and individuality of their handmade counterparts which is why handmade bricks are still so sought after by homeowners looking for that extra element of authenticity for their project.
Handmade bricks today
Traditional handmade bricks are still made by skilfully ‘throwing’ refined clay into a sanded timber mould. Subtle variations in texture and shape result in a more individual, characterful brick and bespoke sizes can be catered for which is often essential for a period property restoration.
The clay will develop its natural colour when fired at carefully controlled temperatures, and variations can be achieved by adding sand to the clay mix.
Because each brick is thrown by hand, the results are entirely individual. The process is much more labour intensive but for a heritage property handmade bricks are often the best solution. They may even be a mandatory requirement by planning officers in some circumstances.
A match made in heaven
When working with period properties, listed buildings or properties in conservation areas it is crucial that any new bricks are carefully matched to the existing brickwork in terms of colour, texture and size. Handmade bricks are a fantastic choice as they can be carefully crafted in smaller batches to ensure a perfect match, even with unusual sizing.
At Heritage Bricks we offer a matching service whereby our highly skilled team will assess detailed photographs of any original brickwork and follow up with a site visit if required.
We can make recommendations about suitable products and offer advice on our bespoke weathering and colour blending services to help you achieve the best possible result.
Samples of all of our bricks are available for comparison against existing brickwork and neighbouring buildings and we are always happy to help if you would like to pay us a visit in person.
So why choose handmade bricks?
For heritage properties, listed buildings and conservation work there is only really one choice. Handmade bricks offer a level of quality and character than cannot be mass produced.
Every brick is unique and our time served brick makers take pride in producing the very best products using traditional skills passed down through generations.
Although this level of authenticity prioritises craftsmanship over made-to-budget production volume, we think that the results speak for themselves.
