Think You Know Bricks? 5 Counter-Intuitive Truths from the Construction World

From terraced houses in London to historic pubs in the countryside, brick is the familiar, unassuming backdrop to life in the UK. We see it every day, a symbol of stability and tradition. It’s so common, in fact, that we rarely give it a second thought. But behind this everyday material lies a world of surprising complexity, high-stakes financial decisions, and counter-intuitive science.

The simple act of laying one brick upon another is governed by factors that can swing a project's budget by tens of thousands of pounds and determine a building's health for decades. Common sense often fails when it comes to the real-world application of this ancient craft.

This article pulls back the curtain on the world of masonry to reveal five of the most impactful takeaways that challenge common assumptions. These are the details that architects, developers, and seasoned builders obsess over—and once you know them, you’ll never look at a brick wall the same way again.

1. The Price of a Brick Can Vary by Over 700%

One might assume that a brick is a brick, and its cost is relatively standard. In reality, the price variation is enormous, driven by aesthetics, manufacturing process, and performance. The choice of brick is one of the most significant line items in a construction budget, with the cost to supply and lay 1,000 units varying dramatically.

• Common Machine-Made Bricks: £650 - £1,500

• Handmade Bricks: £950 - £3,900

• Clay Facing Bricks: £2,260 - £5,000

This matters because the bricks you see on the outside—the facing bricks—define the entire character and curb appeal of a property. While a cheaper brick might be fine for an internal wall that will be plastered over, the exterior choice is a permanent one. It's a decision where trying to cut corners can devalue the entire project, locking in an aesthetic that is almost impossible to change later.

Remember, the one thing you can’t easily change about a house or property once it’s built is the bricks.

2. Productivity, Not Day Rate, Determines the Real Cost of Labor

When hiring a tradesperson, the logical approach seems to be finding the one with the lowest day rate. For bricklaying, this is a classic false economy. The true cost of labour isn’t measured in days, but in productivity—how many bricks are laid accurately in that time.

An average bricklayer can lay around 500 bricks per day under good conditions. A highly skilled and efficient bricklayer, however, can lay up to 800. While a top-tier team might command a higher day rate (for example, £550 versus a less experienced team's £350), their increased output means the cost-per-brick is significantly lower.

Furthermore, speed translates into major savings on secondary costs. A faster bricklaying phase means less time paying for scaffolding hire, site security, and other overheads. A team that finishes the structural work in three weeks instead of four doesn’t just save you a week of their own labour; they save you a week of total project costs.

3. A Brick Wall Is a Team of Specialists in Disguise

The brick wall you see is just the public-facing part of a complex structural system. Hidden from view is a carefully selected team of different brick types, each chosen for a highly specific job. A typical modern building uses a variety of bricks that work together like a team of specialists.

Facing Bricks: These are the aesthetic stars of the show, chosen for their colour, texture, and visual appeal on the exterior of a building.

Engineering Bricks: These are the unsung heroes. Used for their exceptional strength and low water absorption, they are placed in critical, high-load areas you don't see. You'll often find them forming the first few rows of a wall just above ground level, acting as a damp proof course (DPC) to prevent moisture from the ground from seeping up into the rest of the structure.

Common Bricks: A functional and more affordable option, these bricks are used for internal walls and other areas that will be hidden from view, such as behind plaster or render. Their appearance is secondary to their structural role.

Fire Bricks (Refractory Bricks): A true specialist, this type of brick is engineered with high silica and alumina content to withstand extreme temperatures. They are essential for lining fireplaces, furnaces, and pizza ovens, where standard bricks would crack and fail.

What appears to be a simple, uniform wall is, in fact, an engineered assembly of different materials, each playing a crucial role in the building's strength, longevity, and safety.

4. The Science of Mortar Is More Complex Than You Think

Mortar is often thought of as simple "glue" for bricks, but getting the mix wrong can lead to catastrophic failures. Too much water and the mortar will crumble over time; too much cement in the mix can cause it to shrink and crack. The real science, however, reveals a surprising principle: sometimes, weaker is better.

This is especially true when repairing old brickwork, a process known as repointing. The counter-intuitive art of conservation masonry dictates that the new mortar mix must be softer and more permeable than the original bricks it is bonding. If a modern, hard cement mortar is used on an older wall, it can do more harm than good.

The reason is functional. The new mortar must be the sacrificial element in the wall system. If it is harder than the bricks, it won't allow for the natural, tiny movements of the building. Instead of flexing, the hard mortar will force stress into the bricks themselves, causing their faces to crack and crumble over time—a process known as spalling. For historic properties, this often means using a traditional lime-based mortar instead of a modern cement one. Lime mortar is inherently softer and more flexible, protecting the irreplaceable historic bricks and allowing the entire wall system to "breathe" by letting moisture escape.

5. Preventative Maintenance Is a High-Return Investment

Seeing a quote to repoint a house can be a shock. Replacing the crumbled mortar on an average semi-detached house typically costs between £4,000 and £5,500. It's a significant expense that many homeowners are tempted to delay. However, this is one of the clearest examples of where preventative maintenance pays for itself many times over.

Failed mortar joints are one of the most common causes of damp penetration in a building. Water seeps through the cracks, saturates the brickwork, and eventually makes its way inside. The cost of inaction is steep. Once damp gets into the internal structure, the subsequent repair bill can easily exceed £10,000, covering costs for re-plastering, replacing rotten floorboards, repairing damaged insulation, and redecorating.

Viewed through this lens, that £5,000 repointing job isn't just a maintenance cost; it's an investment that prevents a far greater financial disaster. It is a crucial act of defence for the long-term health and value of the property.

Conclusion

Bricklaying is a craft where the fundamentals are visible to everyone, but the expertise is hidden in plain sight. It is a discipline of material science, financial strategy, and structural engineering, all disguised as a simple brick wall. From the immense cost implications of choosing a facing brick to the counter-intuitive logic of using weaker mortar, the world of masonry is far more complex than it appears.

The next time you walk past a brick building, what hidden details will you notice that you never saw before?