The large majority of buildings in Salford are constructed using brick. Brickwork varies in character with bricks from different periods being of varying size, colour, texture and strength.
Earlier brickwork tends to be a softer brick with inconsistent pigments, whilst later bricks (from the late Victorian period onwards) tend to be more robust, harder and smoother with a shiny surface (known as a pressed brick).
Bonding in brickwork is the arrangement of bricks, usually overlapping between courses to distribute load and provide stability. Brick bonding is important and should be replicated in any alterations or extensions to a building.
In Salford most brick built buildings use either an English garden wall bond or a Flemish bond and more information on these can be found in the heritage directory note on brick bonds.
Brickwork that is over a century old will be prone to dirt and it is common for owners to want to clean it. Cleaning should be undertaken carefully if at all.
There are many cleaning systems on the market and many cause irreversible damage by removing the face of the brick (known as the fireskin). Once lost, the brick will decay rapidly with wind rain and winter frosts.
In most cases, the cleaning of brickwork will not be granted listed building consent. However, if a particular case is justified then there are three systems (‘jos', ‘doff' and ‘torc') that the city council will consider. Further information can be found on these on the cleaning historic buildings and structures page.
Historic Scotland has published guidance on repairing brickwork, which can be downloaded below. This provides information on the signs of deterioration in brickwork, the causes of deterioration and the repair and maintenance of brick structures.
Traditional brick buildings constructed using lime based products must be repaired using lime rather than cement based products. Inappropriate use of cement can lead to rising damp and crumbling surfaces (as shown in the image above). Further information on the use of lime in buildings can be found on the council's lime page.
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