The many benefits of recycled bricks

Recycled bricks are an increasingly popular choice for builders, brick layers and DIYers alike. The benefits of this unique building product are almost endless, including:

• Beautiful, characterful finish
• Timeless, classic look
• Made using high quality traditional brick pressing and firing techniques
• Environmentally friendly and sustainable option. Each re-used brick is a brick that is saved from landfill
• Natural building material. All our recycled solid bricks were pressed from local Melbourne clay and fired using traditional methods
• Strong and durable material
• Pre-used bricks are pre-weathered, meaning they do not shrink or expand with the elements
• Budget friendly building option
• Versatile product. Recycled bricks are great for internal and external wall finishes, structural building work, garden paving, garden edging, garden walls, BBQs, pizza ovens and many more applications.

Contact Us now to discuss your recycled brick needs.

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

Inspiration: Classic Melbourne Style

The popularity of exposed brickwork in Melbourne dates back to the 1860s when architect Joseph Reed constructed several important buildings featuring exposed polychrome brickwork, including Rippon Lea House (1868 - 1876) and Faraday St School, Carlton (1876). Before this, most Melbourne brickwork had been rendered in the stucco style to emulate the appearance of stonework. 

By the 1880s, exposed brickwork was favoured for private homes in Melbourne with the popularity of the "Queen Anne" and "Federation" architectural styles.

Exposed brickwork has since become a distinctive and recognisable feature of Melbourne and its suburbs. 

Source: https://www.library.uq.edu.au/ojs/index.php/aa/article/viewFile/1534/1522

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

Building with bullnose bricks

If you're looking for a great value-for-money brick option, look no further than our solid and wirecut bullnose bricks.

Bullnose bricks have one rounded edge which makes them great for decorative garden edgings and brick fences but don't let that fool you. These bricks are user-friendly and great for a wide variety of uses.

We recently received photos from a customer who purchased our bullnose bricks for use in a building project which shows how great these bricks can be for building.

Contact us today to order your bullnose bricks! 

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers

Understanding Brick Types

What is a pressed red?

"Pressed red" is the general term given to solid red bricks made using traditional methods. These bricks are manufactured from clay pressed into individual moulds which is then fired in high-temperature kilns. The result is a timeless and durable brick option. 

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Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_material

What is a wirecut brick?

"Wirecut bricks" (also known as extruded bricks) get their name from the process of using a series of wires to shape the edges of the brick and create holes through the brick. As a result, wirecut bricks are light weight, budget friendly and a favourite of many bricklayers. 

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Image Source: http://buildingmaterialworld.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/type-of-brick-there-are-variety-of.html

What is a bullnose brick?

"Bullnose bricks" are the same as a standard solid or wirecut brick aside from the single rounded edge that gives the brick its name. These bricks can be used decoratively for garden edging, window sills, garden walls etc or they can simply be used as standard face or building bricks.

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Image Source: The Brick Recyclers 

"How to get the industrial look in your home" with Channel 9's The Block

If you're inspired by industrial design but not sure how to incorporate the look into your home or project, look no further than Melbourne recycled bricks from The Brick Recyclers.

Recycled bricks can add a timeless and unique warmth and character to your home. 

Click here for ideas and inspiration thanks to Channel 9's The Block.

Design Inspiration: South Melbourne Brick House, VIC on Grand Designs Australia

Looking for some design inspiration that combines unique brickwork with modern industrial design? 

The South Melbourne Brick House featured on Grand Designs Australia is a fantastic example of how you can create a contemporary design using recycled brickwork. 

Follow the link to find out more: http://www.lifestyle.com.au/tv/grand-designs-australia/episode.aspx?id=444996

Wondering how many bricks you'll need for your project?

Are you planning a weekend project but not sure how many bricks you'll need to pave that backyard space, build that front fence or make your very own interior feature wall? We have a simple and easy formula for calculating the quantity of bricks you will need for most building or paving brick projects.

Building a wall or fence? 

You will need 48.5 bricks per square metre

Paving a patio area or garden footpath? 

You will need 40 bricks per square metre

All you need to do now is measure the length and width of your wall or ground area, multiply the figures to find the area in square metres and then multiply that figure by the number above. E.g. wanting to build a garden wall that is 5 metres long and 1.5 metres high? Simply follow the formula below:

5 (length) x 1.5 (width) = 7.5 square metres

7.5 (square metres) x 48.5 (bricks per square metre) = 364 bricks

If you would like to calculate the quantity require for paving, simply multiply the number of square metres by 40 instead of 48.5.  Easy!

History of Brick Making in Melbourne

"Since the earliest days of the Victorian colony, Brunswick and the surrounding suburbs that now make up Moreland City were places of industry. Indeed, brick manufacturing in Brunswick began in the 1840s and continued until 1993! From the very beginning, through the construction of Marvelous Melbourne, to the place we know today, the bricks and labour of Brunswick really did build this city. The imposing chimneys, kilns and brick pressing shed of Hoffman's Brickworks on Dawson Street, are a reminder of Brunswick's past. Brickwork, quarrying, and pottery were the economic backbone of Brunswick well into the 20th Century. They shaped its character - its streets, its parks, and its people - in ways that continue to speak to us today; and though the industry may now be all but gone, Hoffman's story lives on for us to add to!" - Brunswick's Historic Brickworks