Help me choose a brick please

Hi guys,

Merry Christmas and all the best for 2021

After collecting so many brick samples over the last few months, we are down to the final 3 brick choices for our terrace renovation ... who would have thought that choosing a brick would be so difficult

I've attached a photo of 2 buildings using the bricks from Row 1-3. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a photo of a building using the other 2 options. Note that the ones in Row 4-5 and Row 6 are from the same supplier and are very similar but with the ones from Row 4-5 being a slightly "blacker" variation of Row 6.

Plan is to have them laid in an unconventional 25% staggered pattern and use a dark charcoal mortar.

I've deliberately not mentioned the brands and model at this stage so are not to influence your choice.

Please help up choose one

Thanks,

alps.

 

Personally I think the longer bricks suit a much larger building structure. So given you are talking a terrace renovation I would stick with the row 1-3 option.

I do agree with Wylie about having the renovation look quite different - does it need to be brick?

 

Hi Wylie,

Thanks for responding. I think you can appreciate my dilemma

Ive seen row 1-3 laid in a way where the vertical mortar joints are almost non-existent, giving the bricks an allusion of being longer than they actually are.

All 3 bricks would be make a great choices and yes, the intention is to make the new form contrast against the existing one.

Yes, the rear painted wall you see is the existing terrace and will remain as it, albeit painted grey (possibly darker) most likely. Their will be an internal courtyard in front of that wall and then the extension will start further back. The extension ground level will be concrete and the level above it will be in one of these bricks which will form an external box connecting to the existing form around the courtyard. It's a little hard to explain, so hopefully this made sense?

 

Hi qak,

We initially wanted to do it all in off form concrete (we like the look of concrete and these bricks can be expensive ) but our town planner recommended this compromise as it shows less bulk.

FYI, exisiting house is rendered double brick, so the extension will definitely look different, in a good way.

Here are some examples of larger format bricks (similar to row 4-6) being used.

 

I love the look of the dark slimline bricks and I think its a very contemporary finish that works well as a heritage contrast. I think I'm for row 4-6 as I'm not sure about the metallic shine on the other ones. I recall going past an apartment building on Ward Ave Potts Point with something similar.

 

I like the longer and slimmer bricks. I think with heritage extensions, the general architectural consensus is to contrast, instead of replicate, the original heritage component.