The Beauty of Recycled Bricks; 4 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Them
For many people, recycling is a habit ingrained deep within the fabric of their everyday lives. But there are still areas where the use of recycled materials is vastly underutilised, and nowhere is this more apparent than with the use of recycled bricks.
There are a plethora of reasons for using old bricks instead of new ones, from sustainability and reducing your carbon footprint to adding character and texture to create a unique effect or recreate the style of a past era. Here are four reasons why you should look past new bricks and appreciate the value and beauty in re-purposing old ones.
Unique characteristics
Most recycled bricks have been used in structures that were exposed to the elements, resulting in signs of wear caused by weathering in addition to the natural aging process. This wear creates a distinct appearance, resulting in unique tones and textures that just cannot be achieved with new bricks.
Consistency of design
When undertaking an extension, it can be extremely important to maintain a consistency of design between the old building and the new one. Sometimes this is purely for aesthetic reasons, but it can also be demanded as a requisite element of the extension by the local building control authority. Whatever the motivation, re-using old bricks is often essential to be able to come close to matching the previous brickwork.
Environmentally friendly
The building industry is a huge contributor to carbon emissions and produces untold quantities of waste each year. Maximising the lifetime of old bricks by re-purposing them not only provides a reduction in carbon emissions and your carbon footprint but also cuts down on unnecessary landfill waste.
Wide ranging variety
As recycled bricks can cover multiple eras, they can be found in a range of colours and styles, affording real opportunities to re-create the essence and aesthetic of a bygone era. From Tuscan to Tudor and Greek to Georgian Colonial, the opportunity to set your project apart from the competition with a style all of its own is second to none.
You see countless bricks each and every day, but rarely do you have cause to stop and notice them. With just a little insight and practical application, you can transform an otherwise bland structure and prevent it from fading into the fabric of familiarity. So next time you have the chance to build something, make it something that will truly stand the test of time.