Brick Complaint

Well, I found out how to use my camera as a recorder. This adds a whole new deminsion to my blogging. Well since this is my first video posting, I will stop writing and let the films begin.

Mixed Brick Lots

Here is a classic example of brick runs being mixed. Typically this happens when some brick is shipped out on job and a second load is sent from another job lot. This situation can be solved several ways. 1) Tear out brick and lay brick that matches. If the home is a month or older, the actual run of brick is probably gone. 2) The next option is to stain the brick. A solution of sodium silicate, water and additives that were used to manufacture the brick (clays) can be added to stain the brick to match. Typically it is easier to go from light to dark. The main objective is to remove the boarders or balance the wall. 3) The masons or job super should have noticed and called the supplier immediately to handle the problem.

Whenever ordering brick, ask that all brick be shipped from same job lot. This will drastically reduce any problems such as this.

Brick problems, run mix

Here is a side wall of a home. As you can see there is a difference between the top half of the picture to the bottom half of the picture. This is a problem with the brick. However, there are instances were the mortar is causing the color problem in the wall. Mortar does account for about 18% of the color that one sees in a wall. This situation is a brick problem. This can be fixed without taking the brick out of the wall. But what I would like to address is how to avoid this problem from the start. From the standpoint of the manufacture, a change in the kiln temp. could cause a discoloration but would only be a slight color shade difference, and with blending in the packaging department and jobsite blending this would not happen. (Note: a few additives used in manufacturing react to temp. change dramatically, but these brick typicaly have a short life span due to brick complaints.) From the manufactures standpoint, a change in the mill room or extrusion department can cause a major color change in the final product. By not adding or adding too much additives or the wrong additive could cause this situation. However, it would not affect one or two cubes of brick, but several 1,000's of brick. I would have to determine this problem was caused by mixing brick runs. Similar to getting all of your paint from the same lot number. Every run of brick has the possibility of being different from the last run. There are several factors that change during manufacturing the product that cause slight shade difference. How to avoid this problem is by reserving all of the brick needed for the job in the begining so all of the brick shipped is from the same run of brick. Typically if brick is being supplied by a local manufacture or supplier, this request can be filled. If the supplier is a distributor or dealer, they typically ship what is ordered to start the home and after framing the balance is shipped which may be from another run.

My recommendation is if you are a builder or a home owner working with a builder, ask to have all of the brick needed and a little more tagged up until home has completed the masonry needs. This will eliminate problems such as this one.