8 Ways to Use Antique Building Brick in a New Home

Antique building brick is often thought of as an exterior material, but that is only one way it can be used in a new home. Reclaimed brick can also be brought indoors and used in places homeowners may not immediately think of when planning a new build. 

A new build gives you the freedom to decide where brick makes the most sense instead of limiting it to one part of the house.

Here are eight ways to look beyond the exterior and use antique building brick throughout a new home.

1. Start With the Exterior

A full exterior is one of the most natural ways to use reclaimed building brick, but antique brick comes in a much wider range of colors and appearances than many homeowners may expect. 

Some selections lean toward softer buff, pink, and cream tones. Others have stronger reds, oranges, grays, or darker colors.

That range gives you room to compare the brick with the roof, windows, trim, stone, siding, and other finishes planned for the house. The size, texture, and amount of wear can also vary from one selection to another.

On a full exterior, those differences can have a bigger effect on the overall look because the brick covers such a large part of the house. 

2. Frame the Fireplace With Antique Brick

A fireplace is a good place to use reclaimed brick in a more focused area. 

Full brick or thin brick veneer can be used for the visible brickwork around the fireplace, whether it stays close to the firebox or continues higher up the wall.

Areas exposed to intense heat need a brick made for that purpose. Firebrick is made to handle higher temperatures and serves a different purpose than the antique brick used around the visible portion of the fireplace.

3. Add an Interior Brick Wall

A reclaimed brick wall can work in plenty of rooms, but the wall you choose matters.

A stairwell can carry brick between floors. A dining room wall gives the material a large, continuous surface, while entries, home offices, bars, and hallways offer other possibilities.

Several thin brick veneer options are cut from genuine reclaimed brick, making it possible to use the face of antique brick indoors without the depth of a full masonry wall.

There is no need to repeat brick throughout the whole house. One well-placed wall may be all the room needs, especially in a space that already includes wood, stone, tile, or other strong finishes.

4. Try Antique Flooring in an Entry or Mudroom

Brick can be just as interesting on the floor as it is on a wall.

Entries, mudrooms, sunrooms, and other transition spaces are natural places to consider antique brick flooring.

The flooring is cut from salvaged brick, and the finished look depends partly on which surface of the original brick is used. Some cuts keep more of the weathered outside face, while others show the cleaner interior.

That difference becomes much more noticeable when the brick is repeated across a larger floor. The available flooring options give you a choice between surfaces with more visible wear and those with a cleaner look.

5. Use Thin Brick in the Kitchen

Brick can be just as interesting on the floor as it is on a wall.

Entries, mudrooms, sunrooms, and other transition spaces are natural places to consider antique brick flooring.

The flooring is cut from salvaged brick, and the finished look depends partly on which surface of the original brick is used. Some cuts keep more of the weathered outside face, while others show the cleaner interior.

That difference becomes much more noticeable when the brick is repeated across a larger floor. The available flooring options give you a choice between surfaces with more visible wear and those with a cleaner look.

6. Take Brick Overhead

Exteriors and fireplaces may be some of the first places that come to mind, but ceilings and arches can take brick somewhere less expected.

One residential project supplied by Gavin Historical Bricks uses Antique Buff Handmades across a brick-lined ceiling in a Los Angeles home.

Los Angeles, CA | Brick Ceiling | Antique Buff Handmades

The brick continues into the kitchen, showing another way reclaimed brick can become part of the room beyond a traditional wall or fireplace.

Vaulted ceilings, arches, and passageways are a few places where brick overhead can give a room a completely different look.

This type of feature needs to be part of the building plans early because overhead masonry comes with structural requirements that a standard wall finish does not.

You do not need a full brick exterior to use reclaimed brick outside.

7. Mix Reclaimed Brick with Other Exterior Materials

Reclaimed brick does not have to be the only material on the exterior.

In this Sonoma, California, home, Antique Brewery Bricks are paired with wood rather than used across every exterior wall.

Sonoma, CA | Exterior Walls | Antique Brewery Bricks

These oversized, sandcast red bricks were reclaimed from the historic Forest City Brewery in Cleveland, Ohio. The same brick also appears in other areas of the property, including the outdoor kitchen and wine cellar.

8. Use Reclaimed Brick in Outside Space

There are plenty of ways to use reclaimed brick outside the home as well.

Garden walls, courtyard features, raised planters, and outdoor kitchens are a few possibilities. Clinker bricks have been used with stone in garden walls, showing how reclaimed brick can also work alongside other natural materials outdoors.

The brick outside does not have to match the house exactly. Choosing colors that work with the brick or other materials already on the home can keep the outdoor spaces feeling like part of the same property without making everything identical.

Paved surfaces call for a different type of brick. Driveways, patios, and walkways deal with regular traffic and direct weather exposure, so the product needs to fit the job. The antique street paver collection includes reclaimed paving bricks for driveways, patios, walkways, and other hardscape projects.

What to Consider Before Choosing Antique Brick

Once you have an idea of where you want to use the brick, take a closer look at the individual selection. 

Reclaimed brick can differ in color, size, texture, markings, and the amount of visible wear. Some selections show more signs of their past, while others have a cleaner, more even look.

Think about how much of that history you want to see in a finished space. A brick with worn edges, old markings, or more color variation will create a different look than one with a smoother, more consistent face.

Mortar is another detail worth considering. A lighter or darker mortar can change the overall look of the brick and how much each individual piece stands out. For a side-by-side example, the Brick Industry Association’s mortar color guide shows how the same brick can look with different mortar choices.

Frequently Asked Questions about Antique Building Brick

How Do I Choose the Right Antique Brick for My Home?

Start with where the brick will be used, then compare the options that fit that part of the project. Color, size, texture, and signs of age can all help narrow down the right selection.

Do Antique Bricks Come in Standard Sizes?

Not always. Reclaimed brick comes from different manufacturers, buildings, and time periods, so dimensions can vary from one selection to another. The measurements of the actual brick should be considered when planning quantities and installation.

Can I Get Samples Before Choosing Antique Brick?

Yes. Samples give you a closer look at the brick before choosing a larger quantity and make it easier to see how it works with the other finishes planned for the home.

Take a Closer Look at Antique Brick

If reclaimed brick is part of your new home plans, Gavin Historical Bricks can help you compare options that fit the look and type of project you have in mind. 

Browse the available reclaimed building brick options or request samples before making your final choice.