Decorative creasing tiles?

[amandaeb]

Hi
I hope someone can help please.

I've just had the front garden wall rebuilt in Victorian reclaimed bricks, and would like to finish it off with decorative creasing tiles and blue capping bricks. (I'll be doing this part - the wall is only about 8ft long).

I'd like to keeep a traditional look and I've seen walls done with wavy edged creasing tiles or tiles with 'U' shaped bits. One seemed to be made of hard plastic.

I've rung around the local builders merchants and tried to describe what I'm looking for but I've only been able to find stockists of flat, straight creasing tiles.

Does anyone know if these more decorative tiles are called something else, are they for example roof tiles? Are they usually available from normal builders merchants or only specialist outlets? I'm in Birmingham.

Also, I've seen finishes where there are 2 layers of straight, flat, tiles, the bottom one sticking out further than the top, creating a slope effect. If you have this finish do you have to cut the top tile smaller or do some places sell sets to create this finish. Also do you have to use special mix mortar for this slope effect as it will be exposed to the elements?

Thank you for reading and many thanks for any replies!

Amanda

[TexMex]

Although you can get tiles that are manufactured specifically for creasing, it is very common to use roofing tiles. The main differences are that creasing tiles tend to be much flatter and don't have nibs. If you use roofing tiles you will have more variety available and, if you shop around, you are likely to pick them up considerably cheaper.

I take it that the blue capping bricks you refer to are Stafforshire blues. If so you should make your mortar mix stronger than normal. 1:4 (cement/sand) would be about right, and make sure that your mix is not too wet.

Due to their density, these bricks do not absorb water as well as other bricks, nor do the tiles. The weight of the bricks then tends to squeeze the water out of the mortar. This not only runs down the wall spoiling the appearance but also gives rise to "swimming". A phenomena where a layer of water develops under the brick, causing it to very slowly but inexorably slide out of position.

Some bodge artists prevent the swimming by sprinkling neat cement on top of the mortar before laying the bricks. DON'T DO IT! Just make your mortar quite stiff, lay it on the wall and leave a few minutes before laying the bricks. Try not to faff around with it either. Once you've laid it and are happy with it, leave it alone. Don't try to go back to it to adjust it later, this will only encourage it to go for a swim.

As bricks suck water out of the mortar, they cause a vacuum to develop. The strength of the bond between brick and mortar relies on this vacuum. Since staffordshire blues are less absorbant than the norm, if you disturb them once they've had their little suck, you will destroy the vacuum and since the brick is now wet, it's not going to suck any more when you replace it.

I hope I haven't put you off the job now. As long as you're aware of this feature of stafs, I'm sure you'll do fine. Oh, Just one more thing. Don't attempt to lay them if they are wet. It'll put you off bricklaying for life.

[amandaeb]

Hi Texmex

Thats brilliant advice thank you.

I had no idea about laying the blue bricks differently so I'm glad you told me.

Its also useful to know about the vacuum effect, so I guess the mortar needs to be reasonably moist for this to happen. I did notice that, when I couldn't get one brick right and I ended up taking if off completely, that the mortar had gone really dry, I was surprised it had dried so quickly, now I know why. Luckily I did rewet it.

Hopefully I'm going to a reclamation yard at the weekend so I'l look out for flatish roofing tiles, that should widen my choice.

This is my first attempt at bricklaying and I've just done a 3m long 3 course high garden wall- that took 2 days! i'm doing one the other side now- but i don't think Tommy Walsh's job is in any danger yet!

Thanks again

Amanda