Bricks
Front Fence Failure
Generally you don’t have to go far to find a front brick fence falling over like this one. Normally they fall over in the direction of the street. So why is this failure so common? Reasons For Failure People think…
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Patterned Brickwork
What do you think of patterned brickwork? I think it can look well if its used with restraint and understanding. Unfortunately I don’t think this example that I recently saw qualifies. Those triple block features at the window are supposed…
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Roman Bricks
Do you like the look of the brickwork in this photograph? It’s known as Roman brickwork as it gives a similar look to the brickwork that was used in Roman Times. The look also emphasises the horizontal lines in a structure. A…
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Efflorecence
What’s that white powdery stuff that can appear on brickwork? Well the technical name is Efflorecence It can also appear on concrete! What Is Efflorescence, & How Is It Caused? Basically it is caused by water soluble salts contained in either…
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Brick Ties
Brick ties, although small, have an important part to play in the structural strength of your new home. In brick veneer construction, ties are used to pass all the sideways forces across the cavity (such as from wind) to the frame….
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Retaining Walls – Besser Blocks
If you want a rendered surface on your retaining wall one of the best ways of achieving this is by using ‘Besser Blocks’. These are hollow concrete blocks which are designed to incorporate steel reinforcement within the block. A few issues…
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What Are Brick Articulation Joints?
When you are looking round your new home build you may think “What’s that gap between the window and the brickwork?” . . . . . . .or even “Why is there a vertical gap between the bricks in the…
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Overhanging Brickwork
Unfortunately brickwork overhanging the slab like this is more common than it should be. . . . but it’s often not the brickie’s fault. How it Happens Normally the problem is that the slab has been constructed smaller than the…
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Height Above Ground
For the typical modern house with slab on ground base there are two minimum heights above ground level that need to be considered: Next to the building. Distance of 1m away. The reason for these minimums is to keep water…
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Brick ‘Bulldust’
I hear a lot of people agonise over the choice of bricks for their new house. That’s probably because they are: Looking Too Closely. At the builders display centre you may be handed individual bricks or see a board with…
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