TerracottaDesign.ie

Today bricks are industrially produced to very precise tolerances. In contrast, traditional bricks tend to be irregular. For exclusive high quality brickwork – gauged brickwork – special bricks were shaped by sawing and rubbing with abrasives. A soft, low fired brick called red rubber was used for this type of work. Bricks prepared in this manner enabled masonry to be laid with extremely narrow joints, the so called pencil joints”.

Rubbing bricks can also be carved like soft stone for sculptural elements. In high profile historic buildings straight walls as well as classical architectural features and ornaments, such as pediments, entablatures, pilasters, platt bands, aprons and niches were traditionally executed in gauged brickwork.

Our craftsmen at Terracotta Design Ireland manufacture our own rubbing bricks and can reproduce any shape of brick or carved sculptural feature needed for replacement in decayed historic masonry fabric.