Help/Advice needed on bricks please

[C C]

I don't know if there are any bricklayers on here, or DIY brick enthusiasts but I thought there was a chance that there might be a powerfully built company director of a builders merchants or building firm who might be able to offer advice

Please can you take a look at the photos below and tell us if this is normal. We ordered some red engineering plinth bricks from our local merchant but when hubby went to collect them yesterday the majority (over 90%) were cracked like the 4 in the photos below. Is this normal? The standard engineering bricks (same brand & merchant) we ordered for the same job are perfect and not a single one has a crack in it.






We don't want to use these if they are compromised and may break up (in cold weather etc) but equally don't want to refuse to accept the bricks and demand a new lot are ordered if this type of cracking is normal.

I know you lot are a helpful bunch so I told hubby I would ask on Pistonheads as someone was bound to know

Thanks!

[falkster]

I cant tell from the picture, are they coping stones or bricks?

[C C]

Plinth bricks

[rovermorris999]

I'm no expert but I wouldn't accept them. Water will get in the cracks and freeze with not good results.

[C C]

rovermorris999 said:

I'm no expert but I wouldn't accept them. Water will get in the cracks and freeze with not good results.

Thanks rover that is what we were thinking but wanted a few other opinions, just seemed really odd that so many of them had the same cracking.

[Piersman2]

Is it possible that you're not a regular trade customer at this merchants?

I wonder because it's not unknown for builders merchants to get rid of stock that would possibly be rejected as below standard on a proper site by passing it to diy customers who they suspect will not so fussy because they don't know any better.

As to the pictures, I've been doing some diy brickying this weekend and went and picked up the small number (50) bricks I used myself. I went to Selco first but their selection of bricks seemed to mainly consist of random piles of bricks , mostly damaged. So I went to Wickes instead and picked out mine making sure none were damaged.

I'm not sure if yours are supposed to be perfect, but if I had the choice of perfect vs cracked, I know which I'd be taking!

[redgriff500]

I do a few refurbs - personally I'd not pick them and I suspect that others are correct re water and ice.

I have some old bricklayers coming to build a wall tomorrow I'll ask them.

[Spudler]

I can guarantee you 100% those, used as a plinth, will blow after a couple of hard
Winters.
Use at your peril.
Bricklayer by trade, 29 years of 'em.

[C C]

Thanks Spudler.
These plinth bricks were special order through my local merchant and hubby went to collect on Saturday. They are still at the merchant and we will now be asking for replacements to be ordered! These were Cradley special bricks, are they generally ok? Any other recommendations for red engineering plinths (we need stretchers and external corners).
Thanks again.

[Muncher]

I wouldn't use them, I can't see them all being like that.