Maple Home Improvements provides specialist brick and mortar tinting across Birmingham and the West Midlands. We colour-match new bricks and mortar to existing brickwork, so repairs, alterations and extensions blend in rather than stand out.
Tinting can also give tired or patchy brickwork a fresh, even appearance, or create an aged, period-style finish. It changes the colour of the brick while keeping its natural texture and character.
Brick and mortar tinting is a method of colouring bricks or mortar joints to match existing brickwork, or to give a property a new look. Tints use bespoke mixes of pigments that stain the surface of the brick, rather than coating it like paint.
Because tints don’t form a thick surface film, brickwork keeps its texture and natural character and can still breathe. Paint, by contrast, sits on top of the brick and can flake over time, needing ongoing maintenance. Tinting is most often used where original bricks have been discontinued, and an exact match can’t be sourced.
Tinting changes the colour of brick and mortar, not its texture, shape or condition. Damaged bricks and failed joints need repairing first, and the closest match comes when replacement bricks have a similar texture to the originals.
Every tinting job is mixed to suit the property. We use high-quality brands of breathable tint, blended to match the colour, tone and variation of your existing brickwork.
Finding bricks that match an older property is often impossible, especially where the original bricks are discontinued. Tinting lets new bricks on an extension, alteration or repair be colour-matched to the existing wall, so the new work blends in. It can also help where planning conditions require new materials to match the original building.
New pointing and mortar often dry a noticeably different colour from older joints, making repairs and repointed areas easy to spot. Mortar tinting adjusts the colour of the joints to blend them with the surrounding brickwork. It can also be used to change the colour of all the joints across a wall, for a fresher overall look.
Tinting can even out brickwork that has become patchy or discoloured, or give a whole elevation a completely new look without painting it. It can also be used to pick out features such as soldier courses, arches, quoins and decorative bands, adding definition while keeping the natural texture of the brick.
Brand-new bricks can look out of place on an older building. Brick ageing and weathering techniques recreate the tone and subtle variation of brickwork that has weathered over the years. This helps new work sit naturally alongside original brickwork, or gives newer homes a more established, traditional character.
These images show brick and mortar tinting in practice, from mismatched new brickwork to a finished wall where old and new blend together. Careful colour matching means repairs and extensions no longer stand out.
A good colour match depends on careful assessment, a sound surface and patient application. Our process is designed to give a result that blends naturally.
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We visit the property to assess the brickwork and mortar, looking at colour, tone and the natural variation between individual bricks. We then recommend the best colour and finish, and mix the tint to match the existing brickwork.
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Before tinting, the brickwork must be clean, dry and sound. Any damaged bricks or failed joints are repaired first, and new brickwork or mortar is left to cure properly, so the tint takes evenly and gives a lasting finish.
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The tint is applied brick by brick and joint by joint, building up the colour gradually and varying it across the wall to replicate natural brickwork. We step back and check the match as we work, so the finished wall looks natural from a distance and close up.
Maple Home Improvements provides brick tinting, mortar tinting and brick colour matching across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Bearwood, Harborne, Kings Heath, Edgbaston, Erdington, Worcester, Oldbury and West Heath. We work on domestic and commercial properties, from period homes to modern extensions.