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For one reason or another, brick walls need to be repaired, replaced or extended every so often. Of course, you want to use exactly the same type and style of bricks that were used in the original structure, but this is easier said than done.

There are a couple of reasons why the original type and style of brick used may no longer be available. One reason is that the clay deposit that was used for the original bricks may have been depleted. The second reason is that the brick company that you dealt with before may no longer be in business, or may have discontinued that line of bricks. Though you may think that bricks have little style to them, it is actually quite common for subtle, fashionable changes to be made to them over time.

It is possible that you may get lucky and find perfectly matching bricks at your local brick merchant. However, for the most part, the solution is not so easy to come by. Hopefully, one day there will be a national database of brick colors and textures but, for the time being there is not, so you will have to do some investigative work.

The first thing that you should do is take some high resolution pictures of the original bricks, as matching from memory is impossible. Mail these photographs to brick distributors who will be more than happy to help you if they can. Give them as much detail as you can about the originals, such as the year they were bought, where they were bought from, dimensions, etc.

If perfect brick matching is not an option, then a color match is the next best thing. Whatever, a brick salesman says to the contrary, this is the best way forward. It might take a little bit of looking around, but finding an identical color match is definitely possible. Always opt for color matches over texture matches. You should not ignore texture altogether, but bear in mind that differences in brick textures cannot be seen from a distance. Color differences in bricks can clearly be seen from any distance.

Once you have found some potential matches, get some samples and take them back to your home for a proper evaluation. You need to compare the bricks from different distances. Look up close, then from 10 feet away, and then from the opposite side of the road. Do not make the final decision on yourself - ask for a second opinion from a family member or neighbor.

As a final point, do not forget about also matching the mortar. Examine the sand particles in the existing mortar; paying attention to the size and color of them. Matching the mortar is not to difficult, but will probably require you to prematurely age the new mortar. You can do this with a brick cleaning chemical.
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Find Out More - Brick Matching

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