Match My Old Bricks

If you are working on a renovation or addition to your home or commercial building and would like to know how to match your old bricks, you first should consider exactly what you mean by “match.” Do you mean you want identical bricks that visitors will not be able to tell from the older bricks? Or are you looking for something that would be complementary? Or would you like to create a contrast but one that still “fits” with the current look?

Let’s consider the different options:

Identical Bricks

Finding identical bricks to your current home or building could be a challenge. Antique bricks will vary by manufacturer, region, process and raw materials. Most likely your brick was manufactured nearby as transportation of bricks was rare in the old days. You might need to track the manufacture of your bricks then search for projects in your region supplied by the same manufacturer.

If you are located in one of the regions where we currently are reclaiming bricks, chances are better we will have found similar bricks from a project and can get a really close match to your existing brick. We start with you sending photographs of your bricks, then we send you samples to determine the best match.

A Complementary Look

If you are more interested in finding bricks that will provide a nice complement to your current brick, you can browse through the website and begin to get ideas on what might work. Then send us photographs of your home or building and we can offer suggestions based upon our nearly 20 years of experience working with various building projects across the country.

We also will provide photographs of our reclaimed antique bricks to your architect or designer so they can create a rendering of your project to give you a more accurate idea of what the finished product will look like.

Again, we will send sample bricks to you so you can place the bricks side-by-side.

A Contrast that Fits

Sometimes getting the “right” look means something completely different than what we have in our brains to begin with. For example, if you’re adding a fireplace to an existing brick house, maybe you don’t want the fireplace to be an exact match. Maybe a field stone look or antique firebricks could make your new fireplace a centerpiece of your living room or a feature that adds curb appeal when seen from the street.

A rendering created from photos of our bricks or samples will give you a better idea of how a contrast can actually create a perfect fit that might not have been in your imagination when you conceived the project.

Creating a Unique Look

Half the fun of working with antique bricks is that practically no two bricks are alike. Each brick brings its own personality and history to your project. Each firing of the kilns created a slightly different temperature, a different chemical reaction within the bricks and slight to greater differences in the coloration of each brick.

Yet, all these different bricks come together to create a cohesive whole, without losing their individual personality. When you see a brick structure from a distance, you see only one aspect of it, as you see an entirely different structure when you examine it up close and see and feel the differences in each brick.

Whichever path you choose to follow for your project, you are sure to create a unique look when you build with reclaimed antique bricks. Contact us today to learn more about how we can unearth the perfect bricks for your project, whether you want an exact match, a complementary look or an appealing contrast.

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