We use a lot of reclaimed brick. It carries embodied carbon that has already been spent, it weathers in beautifully, and it usually matches the street better than anything new.
Where it works
- Garden walls and planters in lime mortar
- Internal feature walls that stay dry
- Repairs to older buildings of the same age
Where it does not
Exposed parapets, chimneys and anywhere that sees freeze–thaw cycles on a wet face. Old soft bricks were never made for that, and they will spall within a few winters. There we specify a new, frost-rated brick and match the colour as closely as we can.
