Woodfired Bricks

Reigniting the traditional art of firing with wood, these bricks capture the rich, subtle hues and natural glazes of yesteryear. Ideal for conservation and restoration, they add a timeless charm to new builds.

Discover Our Range of Woodfired Bricks

The Woodfired Range

These exclusive bricks are ideal for the highest end new builds and for conservation and restoration work on buildings predating 1850, when the switch to coal as a fuel occurred. Their signature natural glazing occurs as a result of the chemistry between wood and clay when burnt at high temperatures.

Woodfired Bricks by H.G. Matthews

Our handmade woodfired bricks are the ideal solution for conservation and restoration work, as well as extensions to heritage buildings, and can be found on many of England’s most prestigious buildings.


The natural glazes that occur during the wood-firing process lend a charming character to these bricks, producing a distinctive, traditional feel. Handmade woodfired bricks create a beautiful blend for new builds requiring a heritage feel.

About

History of Woodfired Bricks

Brick buildings predating the 19th Century are widely considered to be amongst the most beautiful in the country. The subtle colour shades and glazes that characterise bricks from this era come from the way the kilns were fired, using wood.


There has been a sad decline in the local character and distinctiveness of buildings. Handmade woodfired bricks have been replaced by those that are mass produced. At H.G. Matthews we realised that the industry was lacking woodfired bricks to enable ultra-authentic conservation of some of our most important historic buildings.


We took the decision to learn the art of woodfiring and in so doing, successfully reignited a lost technique which had been the dominant method of brick production for many centuries.

Fuelling the Fire

In the mid-19th Century, coal was adopted as a fuel for brick firing as it was quicker, easier and cheaper to use than wood. In the 20th Century, coal was then almost completely replaced by oil and gas.


While producing an attractive brick in its own right, oil firing does not match the character and beauty of these older buildings. Fossil fuels obviously have many technical advantages which led to their universal adoption, but only wood can produce the natural glazing effect formed as a result of the complex reactions between the brick and the wood smoke that take place during firing.


This glazing effect is completely absent in all other fuels.

Reviving a traditional Craft

Situated in the Chiltern Hills, there is an abundance of heritage buildings built from local bricks, that have been fired using wood from the surrounding Chilterns woodland. Woodfired bricks are the defining element of many of these unspoilt manor houses, stately homes, villages and market towns.


We were introduced to the art of wood firing when one of the country’s leading brickwork historians encouraged a collaboration between ourselves and Colonial Williamsburg in the U.S.A., where the practice of firing with wood had been preserved. When two of their brick experts came over in 2012 to teach us this lost art, we were inspired to revive the tradition here in the heart of the Chilterns.

Woodfiring Bricks Today

All of our woodfired bricks are made by hand, a highly skilled process that dates back thousands of years. Forming the brick by hand produces a sand crease on the surface, giving each brick the unique texture and characteristics of handmade craftsmanship.


Each brick contains around a pint of water when it is formed, which must be removed through a gentle drying process before  the bricks can be fired. Since 2009, the heat source for our brick drying has come from sustainably sourced wood chip burned in our biomass boilers.


Once dried, the bricks are set by hand into the kiln. 60,000 handmade bricks are fired per kiln and stoked day and night for up to five days.

How can we help?

We’re here to help! Whether you’re looking for advice on our bricks or other materials, we’re always happy to share our expertise. Contact us by phone or email or please feel free to visit the brickyard to discuss your project.