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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
This would probably sounds too wacky for all the pro out there, but
surely there must be a way of turning concrete blocks into lookalike bricks?! I am about to rebuild an external wall (the back only) and I would like to use blocks instead of bricks (for costs and timing reasons). The main problem is a cosmetic one as I am dealing with a terrace house and all the other houses use red bricks. Here are some ideas: 1) I decided to do an experiment using a router to carve brick patterns into a block. The final result looks fine (the bricks part should be painted), but the router bit is badly worn out. 2) Now I am thinking of using an angle grinder to do most of the carving and using the router where the grinder would be unpracticable (mortar junctions). 3) Another idea would be to use stucco like material to 'build' bricks on the face of blocks. 4) On a lesser impact, why not use a thick layer of texture paint? 5) Or maybe there are out there merchants selling decorative blocks which looks like bricks? Been there before? Please let me know. Alex |
#2
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#3
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#4
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
Derek ^ wrote: On 1 Sep 2006 02:33:49 -0700, wrote: 5) Or maybe there are out there merchants selling decorative blocks which looks like bricks? Been there before? Please let me know. http://www.padipa.co.uk/ DG Interesting link, but these Slipbricks or Thinbricks must be quite expensive. I was thinking of concrete blocks with patterns to make them look like bricks...obviously there are a few issues regarding mortar joints. At least 2 bits alongside the perimeter of the blocks need some sort of adjustments. |
#5
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#6
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#7
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
I think the main downside here is that it will be both more expensive and take longer to make blocks look like bricks than to just use bricks in the first place - by quite some margin. -- Grunff Carving blocks was only one of the ideas...and anyhow, as far as I know concrete blocks are sold at B&Q at about a third of the cost of bricks. Regarding time; I am much more comfortable with angle grinders than mortar (and its mixing and 'hurry up' cos' that stuff is gonna to dry up...and yes throw away the remainder -half or so'- cos' I'm too slow! - is that cost effective?). Consider the texture paint...that must be the better solution...any expert out there? Alex |
#8
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#9
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
Grunff wrote: Another alternative is to use lime mortar (and bricks). I don't like the stuff much, but from your POV it might be ideal. It takes *weeks* to first-set, and *years* to fully set. You can mix up one lot, and use it up slowly over a week or two. All you need to do is keep it covered. Sounds interesting but lime bricks? Are these yellow in colour? The bricks must be red (like the rest); also, I would have to incur in extra costs because I have already bought the cement. Most importantly, the rest of the house (the other 3 facades) are build using bricks and cement. thanks for your suggestion Alex |
#10
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
Stuart Noble wrote: Render the blocks and stamp on the brick pattern before it goes off? I've seen driveways done like this but I don't know how easy it would be on a vertical surface Render...and stamp the brick pattern?! You mean using textured paint? I am not sure what you mean... Alex |
#11
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#12
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
Grunff wrote: wrote: also, I would have to incur in extra costs because I have already bought the cement. How much cement have you bought? Ok I get the message, a few bags of cement aren't that expensive...yet, I would have to throw away the stuff. Most importantly, the rest of the house (the other 3 facades) are build using bricks and cement. The colour of lime mortar is slightly different, as is the texture. If you want a perfect match, you'll have to use cement. But you can tweak the colour quite a bit. Probably this is a problem...having to find the right match would require some search (time consuming), I'm not an expert. |
#13
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
wrote: Grunff wrote: wrote: Most importantly, the rest of the house (the other 3 facades) are build using bricks and cement. The colour of lime mortar is slightly different, as is the texture. If you want a perfect match, you'll have to use cement. But you can tweak the colour quite a bit. Probably this is a problem...having to find the right match would require some search (time consuming), I'm not an expert. I take this back. The look isn't a major issue (I was more concerned about the different technicalities of cement v lime)...If anything matching the blocks rendered or sculpted to make them look like existing bricks is more problematic. The real issue is that I would rather avoid bricks. They look great if done PROPERLY. Blocks are a much safer bet for masonry 'casuals' like me. |
#14
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#15
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#17
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
wrote:
This would probably sounds too wacky for all the pro out there, but surely there must be a way of turning concrete blocks into lookalike bricks?! I am about to rebuild an external wall (the back only) and I would like to use blocks instead of bricks (for costs and timing reasons). The main problem is a cosmetic one as I am dealing with a terrace house and all the other houses use red bricks. Here are some ideas: 1) I decided to do an experiment using a router to carve brick patterns into a block. The final result looks fine (the bricks part should be painted), but the router bit is badly worn out. 2) Now I am thinking of using an angle grinder to do most of the carving and using the router where the grinder would be unpracticable (mortar junctions). 3) Another idea would be to use stucco like material to 'build' bricks on the face of blocks. 4) On a lesser impact, why not use a thick layer of texture paint? 5) Or maybe there are out there merchants selling decorative blocks which looks like bricks? Been there before? Please let me know. Alex Youre never going to get blocks to look like bricks. Its easy enough to cut straight lines with an angle grinder and make the wall look like a wrongly bonded brick wall, and build with joints same thickness as angle grinder blade, but youre then left with 2 problems. 1. texture 2 colour. Bricks are far from a uniform colour and youre not going to be able to replicate them unless youre an artist with a whole lotta time on your hands. If you want brick, use brick. If you must use blocks to save £, you could at least use decorative blocks. Making your own blocks opens a wide range of decorative options up as well as saving some dough. http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...454ce4283b9aa7 NT |
#18
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#19
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
"Weatherlawyer" wrote in message oups.com... wrote: This would probably sounds too wacky for all the pro out there, but surely there must be a way of turning concrete blocks into lookalike bricks?! I am about to rebuild an external wall (the back only) and I would like to use blocks instead of bricks (for costs and timing reasons). The main problem is a cosmetic one as I am dealing with a terrace house and all the other houses use red bricks. Here are some ideas: 1) I decided to do an experiment using a router to carve brick patterns into a block. The final result looks fine (the bricks part should be painted), but the router bit is badly worn out. 2) Now I am thinking of using an angle grinder to do most of the carving and using the router where the grinder would be unpracticable (mortar junctions). 3) Another idea would be to use stucco like material to 'build' bricks on the face of blocks. 4) On a lesser impact, why not use a thick layer of texture paint? 5) Or maybe there are out there merchants selling decorative blocks which looks like bricks? I have seen brick paint before, and it always looks like bricks painted red. If you want to achieve the effect of real bricks that will be exceptionally difficult, and probably not very durable. However, if you simply have to do this then I suggest: (1) Rendering the wall then removing render in a brick-pointing fashion before it has achieved any real strength. You will need to develop a technique to do this ( or you could add render in a bid to build up brick-like projections ). (2) Break up a variety of different coloured bricks ( for texture - variations in colour look better than identically-coloured bricks ) and sieve it to get sand sized particles or smaller. Also buy in some red/golden/white sand. Make up a batch of cement made using the coloured sand to get a good base colour(s) and then adding the crushed brick for authenticity. (3) Mask off the supposed areas of mortar pointing and 80% of the "bricks" in a random pattern and spray on a batch of one particular shade of crushed brick/coloured sand/cement binder with a Tyrolean machine. As you finish each brick ( i.e. before the moisture disappears from its surface, so I'm talking seconds ), lightly dash it with some dry, mixed coloured sand for extra texture ( optional ). (4) Repeat process the next day on another 20% of randomly chosen bricks, having masked off the other 80%, using slightly different colour crushed brick etc from previous batch. Remember that "random" does not mean all-equispaced from each other, that'd look contrived. (5) Eventually you will have a wall apparently composed of five slightly varying shades of brick, with extra variability added by how the "sand-dashing" process worked on each 'brick'. FWIW I would also remember that dead smooth and perfect bricks look boring, and the really interesting handmade types tend to be somewhat irregular in profile, but quite frankly you'll have your work cut out achieving a half-decent result at all: I have some experience in trying to match colours and textures in pebbledash etc, and it really does cut your work out to get a good match. Andy |
#20
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
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#21
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decorating concrete blocks to make them look like bricks?
Andy wrote:
FWIW I would also remember that dead smooth and perfect bricks look boring, and the really interesting handmade types tend to be somewhat irregular in profile, but quite frankly you'll have your work cut out achieving a half-decent result at all: I have some experience in trying to match colours and textures in pebbledash etc, and it really does cut your work out to get a good match. Real bricks, and boring fake bricks that I have drawn: http://i3.tinypic.com/27y33g1.jpg (81K) It would certainly look better with random changes of colour. May I suggest growing a creeper over much of the wall if it's fake. |
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