Reclaimed Brick Guide

Reclaimed bricks are just bricks that have been used previously and have been salvaged during building demolition, for this reason they offer both aesthetic appeal and practical benefits, making them a compelling option for those looking to build sustainably. According to ‘SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY & ROADMAP’ commissioned by Think Brick Australia there is 0.7kg of carbon dioxide emitted for each brick produced. Every time you use a reclaimed brick you are helping to reduce the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere.

Reclaimed bricks are, fundamentally, still bricks and retain all the practical versatility of the original material. They can be used for a wide range of applications, including the construction of brick walls, feature masonry and paving, while bringing the additional character, texture and history of a genuinely reclaimed product.

Brick is an exceptionally durable building material, capable of surviving for centuries and even millennia when appropriately made, laid and maintained. Brick structures dating back thousands of years remain standing today, demonstrating just how enduring fired clay can be. In many cases, a reclaimed brick has simply completed one chapter of its life and is perfectly capable of beginning another.

Residual mortar is a normal and authentic characteristic of reclaimed bricks, contributing to their aged appearance and individual charm. The amount of residual mortar will vary naturally and is entirely random, with some bricks carrying more than others. This variation is an inherent part of choosing a genuinely reclaimed material and cannot be precisely controlled or specified.

Reclaimed bricks naturally display an aged, weathered and tumbled appearance, although the type and intensity of this character will vary randomly from brick to brick. They are, by their very nature, perfectly imperfect, and may feature cracks, chips, worn or softened edges, natural weathering and patina, residual mortar and, in some cases, traces of paint acquired during their previous life.

These characteristics are not defects but an inherent part of using a genuine reclaimed material. Sensible face selection during laying is recommended, allowing the bricklayer to choose the most appropriate face of each brick and manage more heavily weathered pieces throughout the wall.

If you are seeking a consistent, clean and highly uniform finish, reclaimed bricks may not be the right choice. Their appeal lies precisely in their irregularity, history and unpredictability, with every finished wall developing a character that cannot be perfectly prescribed or replicated.

Reclaimed bricks may occasionally contain residual calcium sulfate, which can migrate to the surface and appear as a white, powdery deposit. This residue is harmless and will generally diminish and wash away naturally through exposure to weather over time.

For this reason, however, reclaimed bricks are not recommended for use as a substrate for render without thorough surface preperation, as residual salts within the bricks may migrate through and potentially affect the appearance or integrity of the rendered finish.

Loose demolition dust, dirt and lime residue may also be present on reclaimed bricks. This is entirely normal and is simply part of the reclamation process. These loose surface residues are removed during the standard brick-cleaning and washing stage after the bricks have been laid.

All photographs of reclaimed brickwork shown on our website depict the bricks after they have been laid and cleaned. Our reclaimed bricks are supplied in their naturally reclaimed condition and do not come pre-washed. Washing and final cleaning form part of the normal brick wall construction and finishing process.

It is also worth remembering that reclaimed bricks rarely look their best sitting in a pallet. Before laying, they can appear dusty, dirty, heavily weathered and somewhat uninspiring, with their colours and character obscured by demolition residue and loose lime. You need to trust the process. Once the bricks have been properly blended, laid, mortared and cleaned, their true colour, variation and patina emerge, and the individual bricks come together as a cohesive finished wall.

As reclaimed bricks are sourced from multiple buildings and demolition sites, natural variations in colour, residual mortar, weathering and patina should be expected. To distribute these differences evenly and achieve a balanced finished appearance, blending from multiple pallets during laying is essential. We recommend working from at least six pallets at any one time, rather than completing one pallet before moving to the next.

If reclaimed are to be rendered, thorough surface preparation is essential. Existing dust, salts, residual mortar and other surface contaminants must be appropriately addressed to provide a suitable substrate for adhesion and to ensure the required weatherproofing of the finished wall system.

All of our reclaimed bricks can be cleaned using low or high-pressure washing techniques, depending on the condition of the brickwork and the desired finish.

Acid washing can also be used, however it is important to understand that acid cleaning may remove some of the residual original mortar, lime deposits and surface patina that have developed over the brick’s previous life. For many people, these characteristics are a significant part of the appeal of choosing genuine reclaimed bricks, so we generally recommend avoiding acid washing where preserving this original character is important.

That said, if a cleaner appearance with less residual mortar and lime is preferred, acid washing can be an effective way of achieving it. Ultimately, the cleaning method should be selected according to the finished appearance you are trying to create.

If you are seeking a consistent, clean and highly uniform finish, reclaimed bricks may not be the right choice. Their appeal lies precisely in their irregularity, history and unpredictability, with every finished wall developing a character that cannot be perfectly prescribed or replicated. If this sounds like you, then yes, reclaimed bricks are for you.

If you have any reservations about using genuine reclaimed bricks, you may prefer one of our reclamation-style bricks. These are newly manufactured bricks specifically designed to recreate the aged, weathered character and irregular appearance of reclaimed brickwork, such as our Reclamation Heritage Red.

They offer much of the visual character of reclaimed bricks while providing the greater consistency and predictability associated with a newly manufactured product.