We’ve been sitting on a secret for a while now…
Back in March, on a clear and chilly day, we welcomed Kevin McCloud and the Grand Designs production crew to our headquarters in the heart of Shropshire.
The show has been broadcast to our living rooms since 1999. That’s 25 years of celebrating innovative design and construction materials, and we were excited to showcase why we’re the best in the business when it comes to the humble brick. More specifically, on this occasion, reclaimed style bricks – bricks that have qualities and irregularities that give them a unique character and authenticity that new bricks can’t replicate…or can they?
The Grand Designs contingent was here because we created a blend for The Foxes Maltings, a re-imagination of a 17th-century malthouse in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Dreamed up by Zara Findlay and Giuliano Rapoz and designed by Lincs Design Consultancy, this imposing self-build needed to reflect the area’s rustic countryside and time-worn aesthetic. A handmade buff brick with interesting textures and a reclamation feel that could grapple with the modern design was needed. And they were in luck – interesting bricks are our specialty.
After some brief introductions and a much-needed cuppa to warm everyone up, MD Jason Hughes walked the Grand Designs team through the same process that Zara and Giuliano’s bricks went through to achieve the “perfectly imperfect” look they were after.
The first destination was the spraying shed; here, our operator Callum used a variety of water-based dyes that penetrated the bricks, toning and weathering them. The dye colour used depends on the region and look we aim to create with the bricks. For the blend created for The Foxes Maltings, about 10% per pallet of bricks were treated with a dark dye – this establishes an aged aesthetic; these were held to one side until the final stage. The remaining 90% were treated with a white dye, adding a subtle, more muted palette to the original buff bricks.
After drying, the bricks were moved next door to be “reclaimed,” starting with dabbing mortar on the faces; this helps achieve the reclaimed look by creating more texture. The final (and definitely not the quietest!) step in the bespoke blend process is tumbling. Here, bricks are loaded into the tumbler, which does precisely that; it bounces the bricks off each other, causing divots and dents. This recreates the salvaged look, the imperfections, cracks, chips, and worn edges caused during demolition.
After their makeover, the bricks were meticulously stacked back onto pallets. Each layer contained a percentage of certain bricks, allowing for continuity when laying on site.
But why do we do all this?
For a start, it’s simple, supply – reclaims can be expensive and difficult to source in the required quantity; there can also be significant wastage due to inconsistent quality and damage during transport. Safety is a second and important factor; genuine reclaimed bricks can be of unknown age and origin. In contrast, all our bricks are thoroughly tested for size tolerance, frost resistance, water absorption, compressive strength, and soluble salt content.
But the other reason is the journey – the final product. The hospitable piece of art at the end that someone can call home. The joy of taking a brick, a handmade object, moulded from raw, earthen clay and turning it into something of use, value and beauty…
We hope you enjoyed watching Zara and Giuliano’s journey as much as we enjoyed participating in it. Thank you to them, N&A Wilson Brothers Bricklaying Specialists and the entire Channel 4 and Naked Productions team.
Are you feeling inspired? View more of our completed projects here.
While a buff brick was chosen for The Foxes Maltings, we can recreate this look across our entire spectrum of brick colours.
We are proud to be one of the UK’s leading suppliers of handmade, pressed and extruded bricks; take a look at our full range here.
Contact our dedicated specifications team for product information, free samples and expert help and guidance.
Image Credits: Lincs Design Consultancy and Nick Austwick Photogrpahy