Are Engineering bricks any good for facing or to be exposed?

[macadonald]

Hi Guys,

Just a quick one before I place an order today. My bricklayer has suggested using engineering bricks up to DPC level for our rear extension. I will have 6 coarses in total, but about 3-4 above ground level. Just wondering whether these engineering bricks are any good visually if left visible. Above this will be rendered OR I may render all the way down to ground level.

Thanks

Mac

 

[Aqua]

My opinion is that well laid/pointed engineers look ok in the grand scheme of things.

Engineering bricks exist for a reason and as said, if done properly they look fine in your type of job. But do not render over and below dpc, by doing that you create a bridge for moisture.

 

[ryanhirst]

Hi Guys,

If your engineering bricks are laid with a lot of precision and also pointed as well as possible then yes they can be a good brick to use.

If you are rendering however you need to ensure you do not render over the bricks. For a simple 3-4 coarses above ground level you should be okay and I would say it is something you will be able to get away with!

Good luck

 

[RonnyRaygun]

Hi Guys,

Just a quick one before I place an order today. My bricklayer has suggested using engineering bricks up to DPC level for our rear extension. I will have 6 coarses in total, but about 3-4 above ground level. Just wondering whether these engineering bricks are any good visually if left visible. Above this will be rendered OR I may render all the way down to ground level.

Thanks

Mac

Engineering bricks look fine below DPC, although the most important characteristic is that they are frost resistant.
Don't render over them. Set you bell bead at DPC level. If you render down to ground level you bridge the DPC and have the potential for damp to rise up the walls.

 

[macadonald]

Thanks for the advice guys. As an aside to this and talking about DPC, the sides of the extension will essentially have the dpc just below the neighbours patio level and the alley pathway. I noticed where I have broken into the existing render, that the existing house appears to have a menbrane wrapping from the DPC on the outside of the bricks a little way up to protect from damp. Saying that the render does bridge all of this on the existing house. But so do most houses in our area.

 

[^woody^]

As it happens I was just passing this

Untitled

• ^woody^
• 1 Nov 2012
• 1

Engineers can look quite nice as face work, but they are unforgiving of poor bricklaying.

There are also types which are nice and square and smooth, and others which are bent and cracked