Commonly chosen to emphasize the long, low architecture of ranch houses, “Roman brick” was a signature design feature likely used to build millions of American homes in the 1950s and 1960s. We also see Roman brick frequently used on fireplaces. My immediate neighborhood reflects this trend — with about one in three homes built using Roman brick — including mine, that’s my brick above. We’ve received questions in the past about where to get Roman brick, so Pam sent me on a research mission, and I found two places to buy Roman brick in an impressive variety of styles and colors.
Roman brick — as the name suggests — can trace its history back to ancient Rome. Ancient Roman bricks were made in a variety dimensions, but always longer and flatter than traditional brick. Roman bricks were reintroduced into contemporary architecture in the early 20th century.
This long, thin brick was used extensively by famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright for many of his Prairie style homes, because he liked how the brick helped emphasize the horizontal lines common to his home designs. The same held true when ranch house production boomed in postwar American. By the middle of the 20th century, we believe they were quite commonly used on and in midcentury modern and modest houses alike — we seem them in a lot of reader photos. Ranch houses simply look great, clad in roman brick, and golly, Roman brick fireplaces are awesome! If you need to renovate or change out the mantle of the fireplace in your midcentury house — be sure take a look at Roman brick as an option.
Two places to find Roman brick today
1. The Belden Brick Company — 13 Roman brick styles
The Belden Brick Company began as the Diebold Fire Brick Company in 1885 in Canton, Ohio. According to the company, it is the sixth largest (by production volume) brick manufacturer in the U.S. — and the largest family-owned and -managed brick company in the country. Belden offers 13 styles of Roman brick, which are available to purchase nationwide through their distributors.
From The Belden Brick Company website:
Roman Brick is ideal for creating a distinct and different look to any structure. It characteristically has longer and more linear dimensions than those of standard modern brick. Belden Roman Brick was used on the restoration of the Famous Frank Lloyd Wright “Martin House Complex” in Buffalo, New York. The dimensions of Belden Roman Face Brick are 3-5/8” x 1-5/8” x 11-5/8”.
Above: Medium Range Ironspot (Shadow-Tex)
Above: Red Shale (Shadow-Tex)
Above: Red Shale (Smooth)
Above: Belcrest 500
Above: Dark Range Ironsphot (Smooth)
Above: Frontier Blend (Velour)
Above: Beaver Blend
Above: Medium Range Ironspot (Smooth)
Above: Light Range Ironspot (Smooth)
Above: Light Range Ironspot (Velour)
Above: Sunburst (Velour)
Above: Mayo Blend
Above: 8531
Links:
2. Cloud Ceramics — 29 colors, 8 textures
Cloud Ceramics has been producing bricks in Kansas since 1946. Today the company makes some 29 different colors of brick, eight textures and several sizes — including Roman brick. Their bricks are sold nationwide and in Canada and can be ordered through distributors. Cloud Ceramics also offers brick matching — allowing homeowners and contractors to send them photos of an existing building — even one with aged brick — so Cloud Ceramics can suggest or custom make the best available match. The company will even send physical brick samples to you for match comparison purposes.
Above: Antique texture
Above: Rockface texture
Above: Rustic texture
Above: Shadowtex texture
Above: Smooth texture
Above: Velour texture
Above: Vertex texture
Above: Wiretex texture
Links:
Tricia says
Wow, I always thought my fireplace bricks were cool because they were so long compared to “regular” bricks. I just got out the tape measure and measured then and it turns out they are Norman Bricks–who knew? Thanks for making us smarter!
Judy H. says
My house is a ranch built in 1950 and as I find here, made of Roman brick. I always wondered what kind of brick it was. On my block there are three other homes constructed of the same brick. Their are two other homes constructed of what I would call a traditional brick and two more made of the ever popular yellow or buff brick. The rest of the homes are of wood construction. I find it very interesting that there are so many varieties of brick on the same block.
Mr. W says
Oh that is awesome! I didn’t know you could still get roman brick, and in a variety of styles too! I always loved the look of it.
It’s interesting to walk around a 1950s era neighbourhood and see all the different colours and patterns of it… when I was a kid, our house had orange roman brick (as well as “bottle-dash” stucco! but that’s a different story), and a house down the street had grey with red mortar; it looked very unique and interesting, and I’ve never seen it anywhere else. Sometimes the bricks are laid out in interesting ways too, such as on your house where they have a bit of a random appearance.
Tear-down Townie says
My eyes may be playing tricks on me, but the height-to-width ratio of Michael and Teresa’s Fireplace brick pictured above appears more Norman to me than Roman. Our 1956 house has a Roman brick fireplace in the downstairs rumpus room and a fireplace upstairs with bricks that are the height of a Roman (1 5/8″) but only 7 5/8″ long( split paver).
pam kueber says
Norman brick? That’s a new one on me! Went to look and Howdy, Hudee: Norman bricks! http://www.beldenbrick.com/brick-dimensions-guide.asp
Thank you, TDT, for making me (and us) even smarter. Imagine the cocktail chatter we can dominate with our knowledge of brick sizes! 🙂
Tear-down Townie says
I had no idea there were different types of skinny brick either until Kate’s post led me to the Belden site (awesome resource) and their sizing guide. Then I printed it out (like a big dork) and went around the house trying to classify all of our bricks. An interesting side note: Google thinks you probably want pictures of Norman Bates if you start typing in Norman brick!
pam kueber says
hehe! We are all now brick geeks! Like I said, we can now amaze and impress (or bore to death) our friends at cocktail parties with our brickxpertise
Laurie says
Hoping to integrate some Roman style brickwork when we restucco in a few years!
lisa in Seattle says
We have a Roman Brick fireplace that was added to our 1909 house in the 50s. It has been painted, which perhaps is for the best given the difference from the style of the rest of the house. It is dark taupe. I’ve often considered repainting but can’t decide on a color.
Barb says
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I have a few small repairs needed on my 1961 Roman Brick rambler. I believed Roman Brick was unobtainable. Thank you for finding sources!
Barb
Cheryl Roberts says
This is a great article. I wondered what my 1951 fireplace brick was and it appears to be the Red Shale (smooth). It was laid in a simple, but very well done, stacked pattern, with straight horizontal and vertical lines. The fireplace is over 8′ wide and takes up most of one wall. It is just under 5′ in height. The mantle is a simple, but appropriate, shelf that runs the width of the mantle. And, as per 1951 standards, there is a mirror above the goes to the ceiling.
When I bought the house, several people suggested that I paint the fireplace–not a chance!
Keep up the good work.
Robin, NV says
I was just out strolling around my neighborhood yesterday, admiring the homes with Roman brick. One is a darling little 1940s cottage with a Roman brick fireplace. The house is currently empty, so I snuck a peak inside – the fireplace is a whole wall of Roman brick! Good to know you can still get it!
Laura says
When are we going to have more dollhouse posts? I’m dying over here! Dying for miniature midmod fully-decorated beauty!
Kate says
hahaha, I’m working on it Laura! Pam pulls me in a lot of different directions every week so I don’t always have time to devote to the dollhouse, but I’m hoping to finish it up soon — I’m so close! — so you can see it in all it’s glory! So glad you are enjoying the series!
Laura says
Yay!