Just realized old brick I always ignored is actually worth keeping

I was out on a delivery near Richmond last week and passed this torn-down building from the 1920s. The brick they pulled out had this deep purple color from the old kiln firing, way different than the orange stuff at Home Depot. Honestly I always thought reclaimed brick was overpriced and not worth the hassle, but seeing a whole stack of it with the original mortar still intact changed my mind. I talked to the demo guy and he said they sell it for $1.50 per brick, which beats the $0.80 new stuff when you factor in how long it lasts. Has anyone here actually used old salvaged brick on a job and found it held up better than new?

3 comments

3 Comments

xenagarcia15d ago

My contractor friend used salvaged brick from a 1910 warehouse for a retaining wall last year and it's held up way better than the new stuff he put next to it, even after that bad freeze we had. The old clay bricks are denser and absorb less moisture so they don't crack as easy in the weather. Idk if it's worth the extra money for a small project but for something structural it seems like a solid investment.

the_holly15d ago

Honestly, I was totally in the "newer is better" camp too. But seeing your friend's wall hold up better than the new stuff in the same freeze really makes me rethink everything. I've seen some old brick buildings around town that look like they've been through fifty winters without a crack, while newer walls are already crumbling. Ngl, you've convinced me to at least look into salvage brick before I start my own project.

parker_park815d agoTop Commenter

Wait is that actually true about the old bricks being denser? I always thought new materials would be better since they're made with modern stuff. But hearing that your friend's wall held up better than the new brick in the same freeze is pretty convincing. I've got a small retaining wall project coming up and I was just gonna grab whatever Home Depot had on sale. Now I'm thinking I should hunt down some salvage brick instead, especially after the last freeze we had where half my neighbors' fences fell over.