Using reclaimed bricks for an outside wall

[SunnyUpNorth]

We are currently having our driveway done. We will need to have two small walls built and I would prefer them to match our house as closely as possible. Our house is Victorian and red brick.

The contractor says that if they use reclaimed bricks they are likely to crumble or break when the freezing weather sets in. He says this is because they become porous and therefore wet, and when that damp freezes and expands it damages the brick.

All makes sense but I am not sure I believe it. Reclaimed bricks seemed to be used in buildings all the time. The original bricks of our house, which are around 140 years old are still perfect.

Would there be a massive price difference or some other reason why he would be trying to dissuade us?

I need to make a decision pretty quickly as he ordered some new bricks today to be delivered tomorrow. So would need to cancel them first thing if going down the reclaimed route.

Thanks.

We used reclaim bricks for our walls and outside steps. Builders were thrilled we had them as they said they were better quality... So am worried it might all collapse this Winter !

Reclaim is more expensive and can be harder to source but the end look is great.

It's harder to guarantee the quality of reclaimed bricks. They aren't necessarily 'more porous', they may be more expensive and you may get a little more wastage (making them a bit more expensive)
You can get very close matches in new bricks but they are also usually more expensive than bog standard red bricks.
I'd want to see a sample brick before I placed an order.

The main difference between your Victorian bricks is that the ones on your house will be imperial sizes whereas most bricks are now slightly smaller and metric.
There are thousands of different red bricks out there - this is why if i'm trying to match I always get samples.

If you are using reclaimed, you'll need to use lime based mortar and not cement. Sounds to me that the builders simply don't want to use them, but if they are good quality, they should be fine.

Thanks all, I will talk to him again in the morning and at least see what other options are available in the new brick as the one he selected doesn't match very well.

IMO he doesn't like old bricks. It might be for convenience or maybe he has had a bad experience in the past.

Old bricks are not the same size and shape, quite, as modern bricks.

Above the DPC, bricks should not be wet and so should not suffer from frost spalling. If you look at the top of garden walls built in modern cheap bricks, where the rain lies, you will often see they are very badly spalled, exposing the pale pink inside. However bricks which are not wet do not get this.

It sounds like you mean you are having a dwarf garden wall. It will get wet. It will probably not have a DPC. This is a very arduous use and yes, it will be prone to frost damage, with old or modern bricks. Best to use an impervious brick for the top course, and at the bottom where it is near the ground. So a small wall would look better built throughout in impervious brick. You can get such bricks from demolished Victorian railway bridges, they are rather shiny, available in slate blue or dark red; or you can buy modern ones in a suitable grade, at more expense than ordinary house bricks.

An ordinary cheap brick in this use will spall, whether it is old or new.

Thanks pigletjohn

PJ, would I be correct in thinking engineering bricks are impervious bricks?

Yes, Staffordshire and Accrington are two well known old ones used a lot on railway bridges, but there are various modern ones available. Pavers are widely sold as they are used for brick driveways. A brick merchant or maker should have an online catalogue, or an experienced local builder will know what is used in your district. A strong cement mortar is usually needed for them.