5 Tips to Help You Choose Recycled Bricks for a Fireplace
Interested in building a fire place? Looking for the right bricks? Curious about using recycled bricks for your project? Then, here are some tips to guide you through the process.
1. Choose Fire Bricks
For the part of your fireplace that are going to come in direct contact with fire or high temperatures, you can't just use any old bricks. Rather, you have to ensure that they are rated to withstand fire. There are a range of ratings, and in most cases, you can choose between medium or heavy duty firebricks.
So that the bricks can withstand the heat, you need to ensure that they have been kiln dried rather than air dried. When it comes to recycled bricks, it's hard to tell how they were dried, but in general, you want to look for old red clay bricks.
2. Have Fun With Decorative Brick
Although firebricks are essential for some areas, not all of your bricks have to be rated to withstand fire. For the arch around the fireplace and for a brick mantle, you can use recycled masonry bricks. Have fun with these decorative bricks, and choose interesting shapes or colours to create a compelling effect.
3. Consider Paint
Can't find the exact bricks in the right colours that you want for around the edges of the fireplace? Then, you may want to consider paint. Clay bricks hold paint quite effectively, and that's an easy way to add new colours to your design.
You don't have to paint the whole brick if you don't want to. Instead, go for an effect where the paint is noticeable. That adds to the rustic, recycled vibe of your fireplace. You may even be able to use bricks that have been part of an old advertisement or mural painted on an old brick building.
4. Match the Time Period of Your Home or Interior Style
If you are creating a fireplace in an old home that you are restoring, you may want to find recycled bricks from that same time period. That helps you create a more authentic style. Even with a new home, you can capture the sense of a certain period by choosing bricks from that time period.
5. Integrate Meaningful Bricks
You may also want to integrate bricks that hold some sentimental meaning in your life. For example, that may include bricks from an old home or bricks from your old school or church. Even if you just have one brick that falls into this category, you can find a way to include that in your design.
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