When I speak with customers, they often ask my opinion about which brick is best for their space. Because there are so many choices of styles and possible customized color mixes, they sometimes become overwhelmed and ask for help. Whatever pictures they can share with me are helpful. There are various considerations when making a choice.
First, I ask if there are any pictures on the website that they love more than others. That is the first clue for me. Sometimes the answer is, “I like so many of them.” Then I try to help them narrow this down.
Before we even begin talking about color mixes, we will talk about size, texture and edges. Where the bricks will be used will also impact choices, and so will the age and style of their home.
A long time ago, I divided the styles into two groups: The Homestead Collection and the Manor Collection. The Manor Collection are all relatively smooth, with straight sides. The styles only vary in size. These bricks can be installed a little closer together. I suggest a 1/4” joint between them all at the base to allow the mortar or grout to bind them together. Because they are smoother on the top, they are usually the styles chosen for commercial locations, especially if there are luggage or food carts. I’m sensitive to the ease for walkers and wheelchairs, because my mother was in a wheelchair for some years. These smoother styles are nice in Arts and Crafts homes, mid-century homes, modern industrial and contemporary homes.
The Homestead Collection choices are more varied. Most bricks within that group are more textured, and some have tumbled edges, and are perfect for historic spaces. The Homestead Collection contains our original styles, Wright’s Ferry, Lancaster Running Bond, Flemish Bond, and Traditional Antique. These were later joined by Christiana, Wimer’s Mill, and the square(-ish) cobbles. These are especially nice in historic homes, and anywhere the homeowner wants the bricks to appear reclaimed and worn. I used the Wimer’s Mill style in my own 18th century woolen mill home entry, and the Wright’s Ferry in my mudroom and outside. The bricks look like they have been in place for over 200 years.
Some designers will suggest using smaller bricks in small spaces, and others will say that larger bricks make the space look larger. Honestly, I don’t think it matters, unless the space is a tiny pad inside a door. Some people want a wider grout line, and then they will choose a tumbled style. There are a couple of styles that work better with basket weave installations. I think the larger styles work well on large floors, because small bricks can look busy over a broad swath of floor. Remember that the smaller bricks require more labor to grout between them, if that’s a consideration. When styles are selected, I often ask if the client wants grout left in the brick texture, or if they want the grout only in the joints. There are good reasons for each choice, but it’s mainly a matter of taste. I can (and often do) talk to the client’s builder or installer. Many times my customer is the builder, designer or architect.
After we select the best style for the client, we will talk about color mixes. If there are paint colors and countertops already chosen, I would like to see those, because it helps me to help you. This is a good time to talk about grout or mortar colors, and whether a matte or a shiny finish is preferred after the bricks are installed.
We often mix wood ashes into the clay to get an aged and mottled look. The ashes are sometimes mixed with our black or white clay powders to get the most variation possible. These ashes and powders are applied to the inside of the molds by hand, and we can regulate the amount of the ashes and/or powders we press into the red brick clay. We usually create a custom mix of more than one or two of these colors, or we can leave the bricks simply the plain red clay. Brick tones will vary depending on where the bricks are in the kilns, and also by the firing temperatures. There will always be color variations in an order, because of the flow of air and fire around the bricks in the firebox. That will yield different tones.
We can make special bricks to mix with the others in an installation. Sometimes we stamp dates, names, pet footprints or child handprints into the clay. We also fire ferns and other plants into the bricks to create a kind of “fossil” impression. Customers within driving distance might come to my home office to stamp or otherwise decorate some wet tiles themselves. After they dry, they are fired with the others in their order. I think these color mixes, installation ideas, and special touch tiles are a good topic for the next blog post.
Many times customer choices are an evolutionary process as we visit; ideas can be changed as we work together. It’s helpful to think about these things ahead of time, knowing they might change as we brainstorm your project together:
We can go from there. It will be fun!
