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for dismal ‘pastiche’ that ends up looking
a bit naff. Planning application drawings
for extensions commonly include the
words ‘to match existing’. But unless
detailed drawings are also produced to
provide practical guidance on site this can
potentially trigger problems later on when
the builders start trying to interpret it.The art of matching materials
Creating a new extension that harmonises
with an older main house means sourcing
appropriate materials to achieve the
required likeness. But the bricks and tiles
you’re keen to replicate may have been out
of production for well over a century and
will probably also have mellowed, adopting
a distinct patina of age.
Fortunately you only need to focus on
the parts of the building’s exterior that are
actually visible. You don’t need to clone
every detail, so areas that are hidden from
view, such as flat roofs and stuff below
ground or indoors, can be built using
standard materials. The need to comply
with modern performance standards for
thermal efficiency and suchlike means
you have little choice other than to build a
modern structure cloaked by a traditional
façade. So the key components that need
to be matched are the roofs, windows and
walls (which we’ll address first).Brickwork
The main walls of a building account for
most of its appearance so it’s obviously
important to source suitable materials.
However, older bricks can be a bit quirky
because, until the late Victorian period,
most were produced locally with widely
varying dimensions. Subsequent moves
towards standardisation resulted in bricks
manufactured to more consistent imperial
measurements until 1965 when today’s
metric size brick was introduced.
Although some local variations in
imperial sizes had persisted around the
country, a typical imperial brick would
be 9in (wide) x 4.5in (thick) x 3in (high).
Given this complexity it’s fortunatefor extension builders that there are a
number of highly accomplished small-
scale producers able to match a wide cross
section of older bricks not just in terms of
size, but also in colour and texture. One
such firm, Shropshire-based Imperial
Handmade Bricks, list more than 40 types
in their catalogue. Most suppliers offer
brick matching services if you send them
samples or photos.
Before plunging into the refined world
of hand-made replicas however, the first
course of action is to check with local
builders’ merchants who may stock suitable
off-the-shelf bricks that look very similar
to the originals you want to match, but
cost around half the price. For example,
there are plenty of readily available ‘soft
reds’ ideal for replicating decorative arches
and corbels. The only snag is the standard
metric size brick is 215mm (wide) x
102.5mm (thick) x 65mm (high), which is
a little smaller than the old imperials. But
if your new extension walls aren’t built as
a straight continuation of an old wall, the
inconsistency in course heights may not be
particularly evident to anyone other than
eagle-eyed surveyors.
Manufacturers like Northcot, who
supply merchants like Buildbase and
Jewson, produce a wide range of period-
style bricks with names like ‘Tudor
Restoration’ and ‘Cotswold Orange’ in
heights of 65mm, 68mm and 73mm.
To achieve a weathered effect some are
‘prematurely aged’ during the production
process. To help new brickwork blend
in and match weathered walls, new
brickwork can also be tinted by specialists
using dyes. Another possible option is to
use brick ‘slips’, comprising thin slivers
of facing brick designed to adhere to a
backing substrate such as blockwork.
Once pointed-up these can be virtually
indistinguishable from the genuine article.
But if you want the real deal, scouring
local reclamation yards can reap rewards.
Alternatively it may be possible to
liberate matching ones nearer home by
demolishing any old outbuildings in yourThe
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