Brick terminology help please

[MrsRenovator]

Hello

I want to have a 1m high wall built around my garden. My idea is to have a block centre and face it with bricks both sides. In order to keep the cost down I was wondering if I could have the bricks laid on their long edge. But googling this seems problematic because I don't understand brick terminology.

Some websites refer to the large flat side of the brick as a Shiner, others says a Bull Stretcher, Bull Shiner or a Bull. To make it more confusing some use the word Shiner to refer to the opposite of the Face.

Can you help me please by telling me what words I should be putting into Google? Or by posting a link to an image so I can see what a wall with the bricks laid on their long thin side looks like please?

Thank you

 

[noseall]

It's called brick-on edge and it's a terrible idea. I can't think of a single reason why you would do such a thing.

Google 'rat trap' bond.

 

[MrsRenovator]

Thank you . I've googled Rat-trap bond. I don't think that's what I would want. As I said, its for facing a block wall so I wouldn't want it a full brick depth.

So now I've Googled 'brick on edge' but still not getting any images of a wall built like that.

As I mentioned, it's with the idea of keeping the cost down. If a metre square uses approx 60 bricks, then hopefully it would use fewer if laid 'brick on edge', so that each brick will look as if it is approx 9"x4½".

Blocks can be laid flat or on edge, so why not bricks? What are your reasons for saying it's a terrible idea?

 

[Mottie]

Why not just have a normal 9” wall and save money by not using blocks in the middle or am I reading this wrong?

Edit: I think I am!

 

[noseall]

Blocks can be laid flat or on edge, so why not bricks? What are your reasons for saying it's a terrible idea?

Bricks have a weathering décor face. Many bricks would not be suitable because of the frog/perf' issues. There is a risk of de-laminating. Not a very strong bond. Looks pig Ugly. Savings are only modest.

 

[MrsRenovator]

Thanks. Pig ugly is what I'm trying to avoid. Otherwise I'd just have it all concrete blocks. Much cheaper.

The reason I'm trying to keep costs down is that to get bricks that blend in with my old house I'm having to look at handmade bricks. About £1 each! I'm already making it as lowlow possible, and going to have wooden fencing above it, but it's going to cost a small fortune. Then again, if I'm paying for a wall I might as well pay for a nice one as an ugly one.

Incidentally, the bricks I've been looking at haven't got any frogs.

 

[MrsRenovator]

Why not just have a normal 9” wall and save money by not using blocks in the middle or am I reading this wrong?

Edit: I think I am!

All the other walls here are about 16-18 inches. I think anything slimmer than 12" would look mean.

 

[bernardgreen]

google for "brick slips"

Brick slips a.k.a 'Brick Tiles', 'Thin Brick', 'Veneer Bricks' are the faces of bricks. Ours are made of clay but there are other versions made of concrete, plastic, etc. There are two ways of producing clay brick slips; cutting from a full brick or purpose making them to the required dimensions.

https://www.slimbrick.co.uk/ being one supplier.

But check carefully that the ones you choose are suitable for outdoors and the weather conditions prevalent in Flintshire

 

[Notch7]

Thanks. Pig ugly is what I'm trying to avoid. Otherwise I'd just have it all concrete blocks. Much cheaper.

The reason I'm trying to keep costs down is that to get bricks that blend in with my old house I'm having to look at handmade bricks. About £1 each! I'm already making it as lowlow possible, and going to have wooden fencing above it, but it's going to cost a small fortune. Then again, if I'm paying for a wall I might as well pay for a nice one as an ugly one.

Incidentally, the bricks I've been looking at haven't got any frogs.

I wouldve thought a conventional 9" thick wall in flemish bond would be cheaper.

Your best starting point would be to get a bricklayer to give you a price for the labour -you might find a contional bond will be quicker to build. Having a block centre will give you a 300mm thick wall and complicates construction.

 

[MrsRenovator]

I wouldve thought a conventional 9" thick wall in flemish bond would be cheaper.

Your best starting point would be to get a bricklayer to give you a price for the labour -you might find a contional bond will be quicker to build. Having a block centre will give you a 300mm thick wall and complicates construction.

Thanks for your input. Can you please explain why a 300mm thick wall becomes complicated? Are certain sizes of wall difficult to build?

 

[MrsRenovator]

google for "brick slips"

Brick slips a.k.a 'Brick Tiles', 'Thin Brick', 'Veneer Bricks' are the faces of bricks. Ours are made of clay but there are other versions made of concrete, plastic, etc. There are two ways of producing clay brick slips; cutting from a full brick or purpose making them to the required dimensions.

https://www.slimbrick.co.uk/ being one supplier.

But check carefully that the ones you choose are suitable for outdoors and the weather conditions prevalent in Flintshire

Thanks. At around £30 m² they would be around half the price. I wonder if it might be possible to have brick on the inner garden face and brick slips on the road side that I don't care about so much? After all I can't see both at the same time...

 

[Notch7]

Thanks for your input. Can you please explain why a 300mm thick wall becomes complicated? Are certain sizes of wall difficult to build?

Its more material rather than more complicated than a solid 9" wall which can be built flemish bond which is self locking. A wall with a concrete block centre would have stretcher bond either side and need brick ties to lock together. It also needs a way to finish the top.

Brick slips are an option, but would you get the bricks you want.

Have you researched brick options to see if you could use an alternative stock brick?

 

[MrsRenovator]

I'm only very early on in my brick learning venture. Just learning to see the various nuances in shades, blends and styles. I did spend 3 days trying to clean lime mortar off some old bricks that I've got though. I reached about 250, though some are probably unusable and loads are halfs. Th arthritis in my hands didn't thank me.

They need to look oldish. Reclaimed looking. Preferably quite orangey, like Cheshire bricks. I haven't seen anything cheap that fits the bill.....yet. But ever hopeful.

 

[^woody^]

What tends to be done with thick walls, is to reduce the thickness part way up in order to have a suitable and visually appealing coping.

There are several ways to do this but the nicest would be a course off plinth bricks. This will reduce the wall to one brick thick (215mm) and then you can use your choice of copings or a brick on edge - with or without tile crease.

You certainly don't want to be using brick slips on an exposed wall. They will be on the floor in no time.

A "shiner" or "bull shiner" is not UK terminology

 

[Notch7]

Similar to these ones:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bricks-C...ksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10&redirect=mobile