The Georgian Group Guides BRICKWORK A Brief Guide to the Types and Repair of Georgian Brickwork Sponsored by & COLEFORD [BRICK & TILE|A B i D E F A) RUBBED RED BRICKS IN” TOKEN HOUSE YARD, CITY OF LONDON. 8) STOCK BRICKS FROM SEITALFIELDS, EAST LONDON. €) CAMBRIDGISHUIRE {WHITES D)TUCK POINTING IN WEST LONDON. ©) BURNT HEADERS INA SUSSEX WALL RUBBED AND PALACE, LONDON RICK WORK is one of the most cha elements of the Georgian house. The vast majority of colours, acteristic: and attractive textures and sizes contribute substantially to the interest of even the most moxlest Georgian facades, and enormously enhance the surrounding streetscape. However, in many cases good brickwork is ruined by bad repointing, which serves to destroy both individual bricks and the wall as fa whole, of by unsympathetic and structurally harmful external sreatments. This leaflet is not designed as a technical manual; the further reading listed will provide more technical and historical information, It serves rather asa general guide for house owners on the simple do's and don'ts of brick maintenance, Before starting any work in Georgian brickwork, always consult the Conservation Officer of your local District or Borough Couneil first. And remember that if your house is a listed building - or in some cases even an unlisted one ina Conservation Area - you will need Listed Building Consent or planning permission from your local council before attempting most alterations or repairs. HISTORY RICKS were frst brought to Britain by the Romans. Only during the sixteenth century, however, did brick become widely used Britain, and it was not until the late seventeenth century that the elaborate brick partemns of the continent began to be enthusiastically mimicked by British designers. The restoration of Charles Il in 1660 marked the beginning of what can be termed the finest period of British brickwork; gauged or rubbed bricks began to be used on a large scale, while the demand for bricks in general soared after the Great Fire of London of 1666. After c. 1720 Palladian designees reacted against the Tate seventeenth century predilection for warm red brickwork, and introduced bricks whose aspeets had more affinity with tone, ranging in colour from light yellow to dull brown. New bonds were introduced asthe century progressed. The Brick Tax of 1784 checked demand, however; builders resorted on oceasion using flint, cob oF mathematical tiles to construct their walls, and often restricted the use of brick to window and door dressings. Whereas stucco became highly fashionable during the Regency period, cheap bricks continued to be used behind the stucco skins Brick sizes varied greatly up eo che midile of the nineteenth century, Jbutin 1840, with the Imperial brick, a standard nominal chickness of 9" 4" x 3" was widely adopted and was only superseded in 1969 by the slightly smaller metric brick, nominal size 215 x 102.5 x 65mm. BRICK TYPES ‘ODERN BRICKS can be found to match numerous Georgian or Victorian examples, but exact replacement i not always possible. Care must be taken, therefore, to save old bricks wherever possible Many architectural sahage firms retail salged Georgian bricks, which look far beter in or adjacent to weathered beck facade than brighty- coloured modern products. Hand made bricks - wholly produced by hand, are still available from companies, and most of these can manufacture moulded bricks of numerous sites and shapes to onder.ANATOMY OF A BRICK ae OF THE TERMS used in brickwork may be rather confusing. Here is a quick glossary of some of the more frequently- used terminology. POINTING TYPES Ghykind permission of Herfondshire County CouneiD CLOSER, RUBBED BRICKS. GAUGED BRICKS, PERPEND BRICK Brick cur to half a header. A ‘Queen Closer’ is a ‘quarter brick cut from a half header throughout the length of the brick; a ‘King Closer’ has one corner lopped off obliquely Soft bricks, easly ut or rubbed to specific sizes, Accurately measured bricks, used in combination with subbed bricks for precise bonding. Both gauged and rubbed bricks were generally bonded with white lime putty. Vertical edge joint of a brick. ‘A brick with over burne surface beginning t0 fuse £0 sivea ghsvlike finish ofa silverygey, blue or purplish colour; used widely in certain parts of the country t0 form ‘diaper’ patterns with regular red bricks. Pale yellow or white brick used in some areas during the Georgian period, containing a high proportion of light-coloured clays and chalk. FLUSH JOINT ‘The most common traditional orm of pointing, wnere the mortar is finished fush with the brick bee. FLUSH SCRIBED JOINT Often seen in eighteenth century work. The flush pointing is scribed with rule and trowel end shorly before the mortar sets, producing an linesLout appearance in otherwise relatively eg work KEYED JOINT Not to be confused with the rather exagerated modern raked joint. The mortar is pressed into the join, originally with a metal tool, but usually today with a buckec handle or similar curved too to give a slishely concave section. Useful in some cases for repointing old work where the bricks ae regular. TUCK POINTING ‘An elaborate technique used. particularly in the second half of the eighteenth century. Where the effect of fine brickwork was requted from otherwise ‘ordinary-quaiy work, the joins wee flushpoined with coloured mortar to match the bricks. Before seating, a groove was cut into the mortar to recive thin lines of lime putty. This putty was made fom chalk quick lime, slaked to a powder and sieved, then mixed wit ser sand and lee water and ‘worked to a tif plastic consistency. STRUCK POINTING ‘Commonly used in modern brickwork, with hand ‘mortar sloping inward from the bed joints to cast off the rain. Ths ype of pointing produces a hard Tine emphasised by the deep shadow where the ‘mortar is most deeply recesses and is rarely suitable for restoration purposes. OVERHAND STRUCK POINTING. Seruck pointing with the slope reversed is sometimes ‘used in old brickwork, BEAKED JOINT A kind of doublestrick pointing more usally sociated with stonework but oeasionally used in brickwork where the sharp line achieved. was thought desirable.