With the renewed popularity of bricks driving an upsurge in new colours, textures and sizes, Midland Brick has stepped in with an easy selection guide for today's home builder in WA.
The ever-growing range of this durable, low maintenance and thermally efficient building material has expanded rapidly to meet the needs of architects and designers, particularly for the design of contemporary buildings.
Bricks offer a vast choice of colours and textures, and Midland Brick have a brick to suit nearly all architectural styles. When you also consider the effect of mortar colour, architects can really get creative with brick. Bricks also complement other building materials which are being used increasingly in interesting combinations.
Once the exclusive domain of the rendered finish, a smooth look can now be achieved through innovative new brick textures and colours that don't need ongoing maintenance.
Recently, darker colours have grown in popularity in WA. An example of this is our new Blackwell brick from the popular Manor Range, which has a subtle texture, a contemporary finish and is bold in colour.
It offers dramatic results particularly when using different coloured mortar. Make sure to check with your builder to see what mortar options are available.
Four-step guide to choosing bricks
Step 1: Style.
Explore ideas and designs to establish your preferred house design as this will greatly influence the type of brick chosen. Popular styles today include contemporary, modern, heritage, beach and Georgian, with a choice of brick for each architectural style. Make sure to check out the Get The Look brochure for inspiration and ideas.
>Decorative Brick Bonding Patterns
Step 2: Colour & Texture.
When deciding on colour, consider all the components of the building such as the roof, guttering and fascia, as well as doors and window frames. Limit yourself to one or two trim colours and focus on texture and decorative elements to create a unique look. Remember, brick laying styles also offer choice.
Use Midland Sampler as a tool to visualise the effects different colours can have. You can mix and match with the roof, guttering and fascia, as well as doors, window frames and flooring.
>Brick Colours
>Brick Textures
Step 3: Size
While the standard 76 mm high brick size remains the most popular, there is a growing interest in WA for using different brick sizes, such as slimline and double height bricks. These can be used for the entire house or for feature walls, window sills, internal features, facades, fireplaces and architectural details.
>Brick Sizes
Step 4: Mortar
The mortar joint and colour can alter the appearance of bricks considerably, allowing you to achieve a relaxed light feel or a dramatic contrasting effect. The Raked version is common however Rolled or Ironed joints complement nearly all brick and house styles. Flush joints provide a flatter look by minimising shadow.