Creating the look?

[Alan Ambrose]

This is from a local church and is the look I want for the brick plinth around our black Suffolk-barn look-alike. Some of these will be under nominal ground level.

 

Any leads on how I might find bricks with similar mixed colours? Any specific recommendations?

 

 

[saveasteading]

Old bricks like these will have been from very local brickworks. In some clay areas there could be a brick kiln in almost every village.

The variations in colour usually come from temperature differences in a primitive kiln. Ends got hotter too. 

 

A modern brickworks can get this effect but it will never be the same.

Best is to go to a local merchant who should have samples to suit the local style, perhaps even in stock.

 

Some of these may give the effect through the use of sand facings.

 

But also try local salvage yards.  

 

New bricks will be easier to use and have more life left in them.

[FarmerN]

Pointing almost as important as bricks.

Your picture looks like a lime based mortar. Bricks look like a non standard size.

 

For our build used Furness bricks, Natural Orange, with “weather struck” pointing.

Our builder built several sample walls with different mortars and styles of pointing for us to choose from.

Furness bricks sent us a list of builds, using their bricks, in our area we could go and look at.

https://www.furnessbrick.co.uk/clamprange

Took us ages to find the builders merchant with a big display, found one with over a 100 different bricks.

https://www.huwsgray.co.uk/branch-finder/huws-gray-brick-specialist-centre-llay?srsltid=AfmBOooEFD64AmY0O74nf7f4WBMuWxwa7IFkcH1dfvjX8aSZYIeKeboo

About 700 on their web site, but that’s in N Wales a long way from you.

Edited June 2 by FarmerN

[FarmerN]

Flemish bond ,pattern of laying expensive to match with a cavity wall, involves half bricks.

[Alan Ambrose]

@FarmerN - very useful thanks - there's a Huws Gray that says it has a 'brick centre' 20 mins away. Lovely. 

[Mr Punter]

The bricks you have shown do not look standard size of 215 x 100 x 65 they look longer or not as high.  There are quite a few foreign bricks non-standard sizes.  The proper lime mortar looks good.  I would be tempted to get local clay stock bricks as anything imported can have a fair lead time and delivery charges.

[Gus Potter]

6 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

The bricks you have shown do not look standard size of 215 x 100 x 65 they look longer or not as high.

Historic bricks vary a lot in size, but that is the attraction. 

8 hours ago, Alan Ambrose said:

This is from a local church

If the brickwork is essentially non load bearing then your options expand a lot. 

 

But BC might ask about their frost resistance. If they are particularly permeable then they may ask for a bespoke DPC type detail. 

 

It's horribly frustrating at times as a designer , especially when trying to recycle materials and do the right thing environmentally.

[GEO-PAR]

On 02/06/2026 at 14:46, FarmerN said:

Pointing almost as important as bricks.

Your picture looks like a lime based mortar. Bricks look like a non standard size.

Agreed on the pointing. It looks like a churn-brush finish in the picture — slightly open-textured, with the aggregate exposed, giving it a rougher more traditional looking finish than you’d get from trowel-pointing.

[Alan Ambrose]

You wouldn't believe the nonsense I got back from the various 'brick matching' services e.g. below.

 

I know less than nothing about bricks but even I can see 3 or 4 shades in my example and err, one in this. I told one guy, who had shipped me a bunch of random sample boards of any old red brick - to just stop and cross my name off his list. 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by Alan Ambrose

[Mr Punter]

The samples are really annoying and hard to store and dispose of.  I think a photo of a panel gives a good idea.  Try an image search for Rural Multi Classic Brick and see what looks good.

 

https://www.jewson.co.uk/p/classic-brick-rural-multi-imperial-68mm-BRCBC009

Edited 7 hours ago by Mr Punter
link added

[saveasteading]

2 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

samples are really annoying and hard to store and dispose of.

they become brick slips or hardcore easily.

I agree it is wasteful.