Is this a quality brick?

[Joe Shmoe]

This engineering brick seems awfully rough. Is this an indication that it's a cheap one?

 

[Spectric]

Gives something for the mortar to stick to .

 

[Stigmorgan]

The mating surfaces should be rough, if they weren't the mortar wouldn't bond to it so well. Going from that pic it looks pretty standard to me

 

[clogs]

no such thing as a cheap/rubbish engineering brick.....
at least it's more brick than holes.....
have u tried to cut one yet.......lol......

 

[Henniep]

Gives something for the mortar to stick to .

Exactly. Remember the brick is there only to keep the mortar apart

 

[pgrbff]

Exactly. Remember the brick is there only to keep the mortar apart

The mortar is there to keep the bricks apart.

 

[Stigmorgan]

The mortar is there to keep the bricks apart.

The mortar goes down first then the bricks are used to separate the layers

 

[Pedronicus]

I don't think engineering bricks are designed for their aesthetic value!

 

[JBaz]

The brick looks fine, but do remember if you are laying them that engineering bricks are non-porous and will not draw water from the mortar like facing bricks. Consequently the mortar stays "squidgy" (technical term) for a long time and will squeeze out if you lay too many courses at once. Most brickies will try to lay 2 courses maximum in a session.

 

[benitod]

This looks a little different than the ones we are used to seeing here. We call them concrete bricks.

 

[rogxwhit]

I don't think engineering bricks are designed for their aesthetic value!

Of course they can be! Colour, texture ...

 

[bourbon]

There is a RC church in Newcastle under lyme made completely of them. Beautiful blue colour.