Using alternative bricks that look the same

[Yiddo13]

hi

My house is made with lbc Cotswold, I building a single story back extension in which I’ll need 1800 bricks. Cotswolds come in around £1 each however, ibstock advertise their tradesman antique grey brick as a cheaper Cotswold alternative, coming in at half the price. In the photos they look similar but I can’t find anywhere local I can pick one up as a sample to compare it properly. Anyone used these bricks before as an alternative? I’d rather save 800 quid but I don’t want them being delivered and not looking how they should.

Thanks

 

[noseall]

We have used manufacturer copies and some are fairly convincing. However getting an extension to look like it belongs there takes more than just a brick match. You need a skilled builder mixing the muck and selecting the right sand/s and his joints and his pointing also need to reflect what the existing building is stating.

 

[Yiddo13]

Thanks for the reply. My Dad is a brickie and will be the one laying them (free labour haha!)

He’s just never come across lbc alternatives. From the photos they look very similar, just didn’t wanna buy 1800 and they look crap. Are ibstock generally good quality bricks?

Tbh we built a porch in my house a couple of years back and the Cotswold we bought back then don’t even match 100% even though that’s what the house is originally built with.

 

[noseall]

just didn’t wanna buy 1800 and they look crap. Are ibstock generally good quality bricks?

It's rare that the actual quality of the brick reflects the outcome of a job. Quality of finish is down to the brickie. Having said that, we have been forced to use a bricks that I haven't been happy with due to their unusual perf' arrangement or the poor standard of size, shape and face quality, simply because they were the best match.
For example, one brick we used had an unusually high number of canted faces on them meaning we had to lay a lot of the bricks slightly tipping so that the arrisses lined up properly.

As I have said, a good brickie will make anything look good and will throw out any bad 'uns.

 

[Yiddo13]

Thanks, Noseall.

Think I will go ahead with them. I’m 100% sure my Dad will make them look brilliant regardless. And like I say my porch ones don’t exactly match even though they are the “same” brick as the house.

 

[noseall]

Think I will go ahead with them.

We had one brick that had four perf' holes in them. Impossible to cut in half with the brick hammer.

All cuts had to be done with the angle grinder.

 

[Nige F]

We have used manufacturer copies and some are fairly convincing. However getting an extension to look like it belongs there takes more than just a brick match. You need a skilled builder mixing the muck and selecting the right sand/s and his joints and his pointing also need to reflect what the existing building is stating.

Interesting point, Noseall. What would you do to a 60's " bears arse " brickwork with varying beds and perps wandering ? I've often wondered because I've seen freestanding walls repaired and though the bricks match it seems like brickies can't do any but neat work.

 

[^woody^]

They are good alternatives and blend in well. Bare in mind that either way, you will be comparing new bricks, from a slightly different clay with bricks made years ago, so there will be slight variances even from the same make.

Dads always work miracles, so everything will be OK.

 

[noseall]

Interesting point, Noseall. What would you do to a 60's " bears arse " brickwork with varying beds and perps wandering ? I've often wondered because I've seen freestanding walls repaired and though the bricks match it seems like brickies can't do any but neat work.

With varying beds we consider measuring say 10/20/30 courses and decide an average bed. It's far more accurate (10x more) to measure 10 courses than it is to measure 1.

 

[Notch7]

Make sure you get matching sand.

Its worth getting mortar knocked a few days before and let it dry to see true dry colour.

The mini bags of sand often arent the same sand as the bulk bags

Your Dad will know which quarries the local merchants use for their sand.

 

[^woody^]

I've often wondered because I've seen freestanding walls repaired and though the bricks match it seems like brickies can't do any but neat work.

One of the most difficult things for a [proper] bricklayer to do is making new work look like crap old work. I know this service comes as standard with almost all the trowel-hands nowadays, but it normally takes more time, effort and money.

Also when matching into buildings that are out of level and out of plumb but you have to contend with door and window openings in the new work that need to be plumb and level, then it gets interesting.