If you needed another reason to choose brick as your primary building material – here’s three.

A+ Green Guide rating.



The BRE’s latest Green Guide to specification assigned the highest possible accreditation A+ to every external wall it rated that contained brickwork. The scoring runs from A+, the best (or having the least environmental impact), down to E, the worst (or having the greatest environmental impact).

Brick Development Association ad campaign promoting the highest possible accreditaion rating obtained by brickwork.

500+ year lifespan.

Research undertaken by Adrian Bown from Leeds Metropolitan University of 860 homes found that brick structures can have a lifespan of 500 years or more. The recent survey found that “…under the right circumstances clay bricks have the potential to remain serviceable up to 650 years. This is approximately the time at which clay brickwork was first introduced to the UK from the continent.”

In sharp contrast, some of the lightweight panelised homes now being constructed have a design life of 50 years or less. “There is evidence all around us that brick only gets better and better with age. Maintenance is minimal – repointing may be necessary after 68 years for cavity walls and 113 years for solid walls. In contrast to other materials, brick will not rot, rust, erode or decay. Wind and rain and snow will not damage it, weather merely mellows it.”.

Brick Development Association ad campaign promoting the envious lifespan provided by brickwork

Brickwork costs less.

An investigation by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) found that, against a line-up of popular finishes for the external skin, installed brickwork beat just about all of them on price. There is a popular misconception, fuelled by the off-site lobby that brickwork is an expensive external finish, but the RICS study clearly concludes that brick is a competitive option for the external skin. Brick has long been a favourite amongst architects, developers and the public. It’s warm and humanising character brings buildings to life. An external brick wall adds scale, colour and texture blending so easily and naturally with its surroundings.

For more information on each of the above points:

BDA (Brick Development Association).

Brick Development Association ad campaign dispelling the myths of expensive brickwork construction costs.

A new court at Clare College Cambridge by Van Heyningen and Haward Architects has won an RIBA Award.

The new 6.3 million courtyard completed in early 2009 has fought off stiff competition to win the prestigious award. A combination of Coleford Grey handmade bricks (70% Vauxhall Grey and 30% Gloucester Grey blend), and Cedar timber cladding, combine to give the finished buildings a clean uncluttered appearance.

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Business as usual at the NEC, another busy five days for our third visit to the Interbuild show.

The stand keeps growing, the only issue - bigger stand - more brick samples to carry!

Coleford’s third visit to the interbuild show at the NEC took place over the 26th to 30th Oct 2008. Over 32,000 visitors packed the NEC over the 5 days easing fears that the current reduction in construction activity would affect attendance,

“..another great show with a healthy number of new contacts made.”

‘”Although attendance was down on last year we were still kept on our toes.” “..the number of visitors to the stand was similar to last year and not a case of extremes as some expected..”
H. Gilson (Sales Director).

Visit interbuild 2009 site.

As the previous year the stand was split between Coleford Brick & Tile and sister company Gryphonn Concrete Products.

A new Studio Annexe development in the North Oxford Conservation area has been awarded an Oxford Preservation Trust Plaque for its outstanding contribution to Oxfords built environment.

The Annexe was built to provide a garage and additional living space to the main accommodation. Using the Arts & Crafts design of the main house for inspiration the Stunning annexe was designed by Oxford based practice Adrian James Architects.

The fine texture of the Coleford Handmade Wessex Mixture have been used to add mellowness and maturity to the new build removing the “just unwrapped’ feeling some new builds can project.

The purpose built annexe designed with dual functionality, garage and additional living space

The ultimate finishing touch to a beautiful Arts & Crafts house.

Designed by Neil Holland Architects, this complex working chimney gave Coleford an ideal opportunity to show our skills in producing beautiful handmade specials. A blend of smooth curves and sharpe angles have combined to produce a bold statement.

Indeed it is difficult to appreciate the scale of the chimney, the smooth curve of the hexagonal flair at the top of the stack measures 1.5m at its widest point.

The fine texture of the Coleford Saxon Multi brick & pale lime mortar emphasize the detail and directional changes in the chimneys construction.

A stunning image showing the complexity of the chimneys construction and the exquisite window finishing detail of the final design.

The latest building produced using Colefords special Pre-cast bricks is a 7-storey office development at 77 Grosvenor Street in London.

The pre-cast element of the build was handled by Trent Concrete a specialist precast concrete contractor, producing high quality bespoke architectural cladding and structures.

Remove the concerns of producing intricate details on site. Now high standards of workmanship can be achieved under factory conditions.

The bricks, Coleford Buff, have been specified to complement surrounding buildings and satisfy the requirements of Westminster City Council for a high quality hand made brick in the Mayfair conservation area. The pre-cast units are typically 3.7m high and 6m long, and include a combination of plain wall panels and single, double and triple punched window panels.

Visit our Pre-cast page

The grand entrance to the development with the specially commissioned Bronze gates.