Mark,
I learn something from everything you post! But I wouldn’t sweat how perfectly the brick is. When I was a kid, my grandparents lived in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Most of the cobblestone streets had be covered with concrete which the over the years had worn away, exposing the stone streets. The passage of time and traffic had worn down the “ bricks” to the point where they were very uneven and some were so worn as to be indistinct. So I wouldn’t worry about roughness. Once they’re painted and weathered they’ll look fine.
