Abstract: Salvaged bricks should not give rise to any particular problems when used inside buildings. Their use under conditions that require exposure to weather, however, should be avoided because many of their properties have an adverse effect on the quality and performance of the brickwork. The need for "old-fashioned" bricks for this application can be met from current Canadian brick production which includes bricks imitating the colour, texture, shape and dimensions of the bricks made in earlier times but not possessing their inherent weaknesses. When it is considered necessary to use reclaimed bricks externally, careful attention must be paid to the design of the wall to afford it as much protection as possible from wetting, including that from rain, soil moisture, or the migration of water vapour from within the building. A mortar composed of lime and sand is desirable for laying salvaged bricks.
Canadian Building Digest; no. CBD-138, ISSN:
0008-3097, Publication date:
1971-06
