Brickwork patching

 I love working with styrene - it's so forgiving. There aren't many materials that allow you to make invisible joins in so easily. 

 

 

The design of the South Eastern Finecast arches combined with the way I've used them on Selly Oak lets the end of one arch be visible where I don't want it. 

 

 

The bricks are laminated to a 2mm thick backing sheet using Limonine solvent. To hide the end of the arch, I carefully cut out a section of bricks and a matching strip from a plain sheet. Then the whole are is washed with Mek-Pak. 

 

 

The strip is them shoved hard into the gap after making sure the bonds line up. It's important to push it in properly because the two plastic pieces will be slightly soft thanks to the solvent. Done right, the plastic will bond and leave no gap. A wash of solvent over the surface and apart from a slight shine, which will be covered with paint, the bodge will be invisible.