Re-toothing cut bricks?

[dishman]

Planning to get some french doors put in, and I keep reading that bricks should be re-toothed as it looks better.

One of the installers mentioned something similar. Or seemed to suggest that rather than doing a straight cut and leaving little slips of brick in places, something could be done to make it look cosmetically better. I did not catch quite what he was saying.

Can anyone clarify what this entails.

 

[Notch7]

There are various approaches, if the perpends are vertical, it easiest if the size works to make the door frame to suit the perps.

If that cant be done then some bricks may need to be toothed in if the cut would end up with thin slivers of brick. Each situation will vary and whatever is done, the brick layout cant be made 100%

There is a trade off whatever you do as toothing in will show somewhat as the new mortar will show somewhat.

 

[Doggit]

Toothing isn't really the best description for this situation. If you were to brick up an old window, the quick and dirty method is just sticking bricks in the opening, but if you tooth the job, then you cut out the half bricks, and put a full brick in, and that stitches the bricks together, and helps blend in the old openings. In your case, when they cut the opening, and do it down one of the perps, then every other brick will be a cut face, so if you remove it and turn it round (or replace it), then it'll look as though it was done from scratch. As notch suggests, try and size the french doors so they'll drop into the perendiculars, and that'll make the job much neater; then you can either turn the half bricks, or use the plastic mouldings to cover the cut brick edges.

 

[dishman]

So in this instance, it does not line up with the perps based on the cut from the existing window. If a cut is made it will be off centre on one brick and leave a small slither of another, maybe an inch or two.

What I am trying to understand is how an installer would modify the brickwork to have a clean half brick instead of a slither.

I assume this would mean widening or reducing the whole opening until it lined up with a perp and a clean half brick cut (or a turned half brick with a clean straight edge).

Am I correct?

 

[Doggit]

When you redo the brickwork, you can put in a 3/4 brick, not just a half; but that also means you have to put in a 3/4, plus a half on the next course. A good bricky will know how to deal with it, but he'll appreciate not having too much unnecessary work. Can you post a picture.

 

[dishman]

View media item 99772View media item 99771
The pattern is consistent until window cill level, then it changes slightly....enough to just throw it off centre from the perps

 

[Doggit]

It looks as though the issue is on the left of the window more so than on the right, but being lower down, it may not be that noticeable. Are you doing this yourself, or do you have someone to cut the opening. Am i right in that there's a crack in the brickwork above the right of the window. You may not have a decent lintel in there. Are the patio doors the same width as the windows, as it may be better going for broke, and get the doors made to the width of the lower perps, but that would definitely require the soldier course being redone; but if there's no lintel in there, then it may need redoing anyway.

I suspect this is going to be a six of one game etc.

 

[dishman]

Yes, lol.....

There is an extensive thread on the lintel issue. I'm sure you contributed to it too.

There is a lack of lintel. It has taken me months to find a window company who will put a proper lintel in. I think I have got there now. But the variety of answers from window companies has made me super cautious.

The window company will be doing all the brickwork. I just like to know what is expected.

As you say, it is probably not noticeable and the extra work may add too much to the cost.

If you mean going full width on the doors. I think the opening is too large for UPVC (2.4m). So I will be getting a side light arrangements.