Tumbled vs Straight Cut Brick

You’ve probably seen brick descriptions as tumbled or straight cut, but what does that actually mean? Which one is right for your home? Let’s break it down. The difference between straight cut bricks and tumbled bricks is simple: 

Firstly, Straight cut bricks have perfect 90 degree angle corners and look like a brand new brick. Examples include Little Cottonwood, Pony Express, Cordova, and Independence.

Meanwhile, tumbled bricks have been, well, tumbled. After the brick is made, it is put in a tumbler to be roughed up a bit. Therefore the brick has an antique look and contains more texture and variation to the brick. Examples include Rushmore, Alamo Sunrise, Dixie Clay, and Boston Mill. 

Which kind of brick should I use? 

The style of brick that you should use is a little more complicated. This comes down to personal preference and the overall style you are going for. Straight cut bricks are more popular for exterior applications and in modern designs for their clean lines. Tumbled bricks are more popular for interiors and in farmhouse style homes for their aged and authentic look. 

In short, there is no right or wrong answer. All of the Old Mill Brick colors and options are beautiful in different applications. For example, here is a gallery of our straight cut colors verses their tumbled counterparts in real life projects.  

Rushmore vs Little Cottonwood

Alamo Sunrise vs Pony Express

Dixie Clay vs Cordova

Boston Mill vs Independence 

Decided on tumbled vs straight cut, but still trying to choose the right color? Read our blog post here for tips on how to match brick colors to the rest of your home decor. 

Still not sure which style is best for your home? Order samples here so you can compare them up close and in your home where you’ll be installing your brick.