What is a moulded brick?

A moulded brick, or profiled brick, is a facing brick whose cross-section departs clearly from the standard rectangle. Unlike most special shapes, the reason for that departure is primarily visual: the profile brings relief into the wall face and produces a play of light and shade in raking light that a flat wall cannot achieve.

Profiled bricks are usually made by the extrusion process: the clay column is pushed through a die with the required cross-section and then wire-cut to length. Every cross-section therefore needs its own die.

Common types

• Wave brick — a continuously undulating face
• Trapezium brick — a sloping face, producing a strong cast shadow
• Serrated or notched brick — a saw-tooth front face
• Grooved brick — with a groove cut along its length
• Stepped brick — with an offset, projecting face
• Parabolic and circular bricks — curved faces
• False-joint brick — with an incised groove suggesting an extra (non-existent) joint, making the brickwork read as finer

Application

Accents in the wall face

Moulded bricks are rarely used across a whole elevation. They work best in bands, spandrels, piers, entrance surrounds and individual panels, where they break up the plane without becoming restless.

Orientation matters

The effect stands or falls by raking light. A profiled panel facing north stays visually flat; facing east, south or west the appearance changes through the day. Always judge a sample on the actual elevation, at different times of day.

Points to watch on site

• Water shedding. Projecting faces catch water; horizontal top surfaces must fall or be capped, or staining and eventually frost damage will follow
• Frost resistance. Specify the appropriate frost resistance class; a profiled brick has more vulnerable arrises than a plain one
• Setting out. The non-standard cross-section usually requires purpose-made closers; order them with the main delivery, because matching a later batch to the same firing is rarely possible
• Jointing. The joint profile helps determine the shadow; a recessed joint strengthens the relief, a flush joint flattens it
• Sample panel. Always build a sample panel of at least half a square metre and have it approved

Related terms

• Brick
• Special shape brick
• Hand moulded brick
• Facing brickwork
• Frost resistance

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