There’s something incredibly appealing about good old British brick. With its solidity, durability and familiarity – not to mention its startling regional colour variations – there’s plenty to attract self-builders and renovators alike. When it comes to cladding a heritage-style home, whether new build or conservation project, nothing can ever beat handmade brick. It offers a depth of colour and texture, as well as flexibility, that’s extremely difficult to replicate with modern manufacturing techniques.
Combine these unique bricks with a well-selected blend and attractive laying pattern, and you’ll be well on the way to creating a home full of genuine character – whether you’re self-building, extending or renovating. And please don’t be deterred by the price of handmade bricks; it’s worth bearing in mind that bricks comprise, on average, 70 per cent of the appearance of a building, while costing just five per cent of the price. So sensitive use of genuine handmade products, when renovating an historic building, will protect its character and value. That’s not always the case if you choose to rely on modern, mass-produced alternatives.
Here at York Handmade Brick, we have excellent credentials in supplying bricks to high-quality self-build homes – winning a succession of awards in Brick Development Association awards, the Oscars of the brick industry. Choosing the correct cladding for your property is vital to achieving the appearance for the house that you have in mind. By using a genuine handmade brick you can ensure the building has all the charm and character of traditional buildings of the past. Meanwhile our Maxima Range of long bricks are in strong demand for self-builds of a more contemporary design.
We have the capability to either replicate or make to design bricks of all shapes and sizes in a variety of colours and textures to match or create the product required. We are fortunate enough to have manufactured bricks for several acclaimed heritage projects conserving the glory of these buildings for generations to come.
Just to give a flavour of the complex and stunning techniques that can create a unique self-built home with real character, here are some of them with their weird and wonderful names:
Tumbling: A sloping course of bricks that are set perpendicular to a straight-line gable in Dutch architecture or its derivatives; such a method provides an excellent seal against the penetration of moisture through the masonry joints.
Dogs-tooth: A projecting course of bricks laid at 45°, cropped at the cavity, which can be used to create corbelled eaves detail or decorative banding.
Plinth Stretchers: Plinth Brick Specials are used to create a single or double course splay detail, allowing change in depth to brickwork normally at the base of buildings. These bricks are typically used for window sills, corbelling details, capping and kerbs.
Bullnose roof line: Bullnose Brick Specials, with their smooth, rounded outward edges, are used to soften the aesthetics and add protection and visual appeal on top of walls and around openings to doorways, windows or to the corner detailing of buildings.
It is worth mentioning that we provide a matching service for restoration or extension projects, which typically involves sending photos of your existing brickwork to us. Sample panels will be produced and sent to you for comparison to the originals. In some cases, for example where complicated shapes or unusual colours and textures are required, a site visit might be arranged. So, it’s over to you now, if you are thinking of embarking on a self-build or restoration project. We are here, ready to help.