Canski Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 Oh and where are the slips in between the beam and block ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmj1 Posted October 6, 2022 Author Share Posted October 6, 2022 44 minutes ago, Canski said: The architect has set a very high bar. My thoughts as a bricklayer faced with high bars every week :- 1) To build it as his drawing would entail cutting the bottom of the brick at an angle. How is this going to look from below once the arch former is removed ? Would that look acceptable ? I think not. 2) It is far from the best brickwork that I have ever seen. I think that I may have investigated if it were possible to get an extra brick in with tighter joints at the bottom therefore tighter joints at the top. 3) The first 3 bricks on the right hand side are not flat on the former and are leaning slightly which has caused a larger joint at the top. . 4) Without cutting voussoirs the joints will always be larger at the top 5) To cut the top of that arch flat would look ridiculous 6) I'll ask this when the architect has addressed 1) Maybe you need some of these shown in the photo but that would take ages and you would need new bricklayers by then. Architect has provided the attached example - what do you think ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmj1 Posted October 6, 2022 Author Share Posted October 6, 2022 6 hours ago, BadgerBadger said: Great! I was worried the whole house was done - so builder's invested a few hours to show what easily achievable on one arch, not really a big deal if you have to take it down but you can now work through and see what's practical vs cost implications. Keep us posted! We're working through similar with our brickwork at the moment. What bond are you using - do I spy a queen closer..? Flemish bond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canski Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 10 minutes ago, bmj1 said: Architect has provided the attached example - what do you think ? I think that every brick has been cut on that and it is different to his detail. That looks far better than what you have. Was this shown to the bricklayers on site or did you get it after the arch was built ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmj1 Posted October 6, 2022 Author Share Posted October 6, 2022 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Canski said: I think that every brick has been cut on that and it is different to his detail. That looks far better than what you have. Was this shown to the bricklayers on site or did you get it after the arch was built ? I just got it yesterday. I asked the builder to match it - which he agreed to... But we'll see where we get to over the next few days..! P.s. I also thought it looked really good ! Edited October 6, 2022 by bmj1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 6 hours ago, bmj1 said: Architect has provided the attached example - what do you think ? Some of the bricks in the arch look longer than standard length bricks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 5 hours ago, Temp said: Some of the bricks in the arch look longer than standard length bricks? Optical illusion ..! It’s because they are thinner they look longer but may have canted ends and they would have been made back in the day specially for that purpose. Lintels will need to be specially made for this too - there are better ways to do it tbh ..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceverge Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Fair play to your builder for having a crack on a trial window but it's clearly a specialist job. His effort isn't really that bad and with a little practice with tightening the bonds it'd look passable for 99% of casual onlookers. The trouble is that he will be practicing on your job and the end result isn't what you want. I'd put him out of his misery and order something premade. https://www.brickfab.com/product/prefabricated-arches There's an option here that would achieve 90% of the architects look off the shelf without having to dig up some perfectionist bricklayers. I mean that literally, most of them who did this are dead with centuries! I think your architect has to be held accountable here, you pay for their specialist knowledge of building. They should have a broad appreciation of every aspect of the house and be able to specify something that is affordable and practical to build. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annker Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 The architect has drawn/described a bastard of an arch. It looks like a flat arch, its also part segmented but described as "gauged" which is probably the only thing it is not, as joints in gauged brickwork ~3mm-6mm Anorak-time, as a poster previously said the voussoirs (read soldiers) were traditional made from "rubbers", softer brick which would be rubbed down to achieve the required dimension of each individual voussoirs in the arch. Thin wooden templates call face moulds would be fashioned from a full scale drawing to provide a pattern of the required shape to rub the voiussior down to, 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billt Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 On 07/10/2022 at 08:02, PeterW said: Lintels will need to be specially made for this too - there are better ways to do it tbh ..! I'm not a bricklayer or an architect, but I thought that that sort of arch was intended to support the structure above it, so an extra lintel shouldn't be needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 1 hour ago, billt said: so an extra lintel shouldn't be needed. Correct, I had no lintel under my brick arches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I think you now have lots of options - fairly low cost for a key feature, and no need to upset your brickie. Thank him profusely for being willing / talking the initiative / listening to your suggestion to do a to do a one-off prototype (whichever is least untrue) to let you get it right before they were all built different to your imagined expectations, then move on with your selected option. In BH, you usually get very good answers by the (notes that himself did post 13) the 12th reply, or whatever, then we sometimes devolve into spats about detail. ATB. F PS We demand a photo of the finished hoose in due course. If you don't you will be haunted by the Ghost of Pevsner, carrying a clipboard and a plumb bob. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 On 06/10/2022 at 10:19, joe90 said: As much as I have maligned architects in the past, if that’s what they have proposed (and I used to live in a Georgian house with lintels like that), you accepted it and the builder quoted from the drawings then the builder is at fault. The least the builder should have done is say “I can’t do that”. Or “that will cost more”. I have arched windows tops to my “cottage esk” design and very pleased with them. weep vents ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Dave Jones said: weep vents ? Yes, with trays. Edited October 9, 2022 by joe90 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 4 hours ago, billt said: I'm not a bricklayer or an architect, but I thought that that sort of arch was intended to support the structure above it, so an extra lintel shouldn't be needed. Internal skin won’t be self supporting and you’ll also have the issue that an arch like that needs to have the window shaped into it - otherwise you end up with fillers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Jones Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 On 09/10/2022 at 16:46, joe90 said: Yes, with trays. where ? cant see any on the lintle or cill ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 3 hours ago, Dave Jones said: where ? cant see any on the lintle or cill ? If you care to come visit you will see them. Then again I saw them installed so I am not worried. On 09/10/2022 at 18:23, PeterW said: you’ll also have the issue that an arch like that needs to have the window shaped into it - otherwise you end up with fillers However, with check reveals I had the windows made with additional timber above Which sits behind the brick arch and not needing to be cut in an arch shape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HughF Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Meanwhile, in Bournemouth.... *it's not difficult to cut the bricks with a 9" grinder - hardly a complex task. My mate who isn't even a brickie did this, half drunk... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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