Masonry Magazine April 2007 Page. 38
RECYCLED MATERIALS
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Hilyer-Atlanta
Aesthetics, History and Character
THE ABILITY TO MATCH in some cases provide an exact match to buildings' existing exteriors is one reason for using salvaged materials.
"The primary reason we go to salvage is to match what's already on the building. Usually, if you want something historic, you need to use salvaged materials," said Jeffrey Frake, vice president of the Masonry Preservation Group Inc., in Merchantville, N.J. "You just flat out can't get a match for it any other way."
Sometimes, a building is dismantled and the brick is salvaged and used to reconstruct a new building or complete a remodeling job that will have the same exterior as the rest of the structure, Frake said, citing his company's work with Princeton University in New Jersey, as an example. Bricks from buildings that are taken down on campus are either reused immediately or stored to be reused later.
"They're really fussy about reusing the material," Frake said. "They never throw anything away."
Salvaged masonry materials also give buildings, even new buildings, a historic look.
"The aesthetics is really the benefit," Svoboda explained. As it states on his company's website, "An authentic, time worn reclaimed brick is impossible to duplicate. Using antique brick in a new project or remodeling job will create a space that conjures up the feeling of a century-old structure, even in a brand new installation."
Most of Svoboda's customers buy his brick tiles for their look and ease of installation, not because they're environmentally friendly. "The benefit of salvaged brick tile is aesthetics and it's easy to install. A certain percentage of businesses want it because it's green," he said, stating that approximately 25 percent of his customers are interested in the green aspect.
Trade associations representing the brick and stone industries also endorse the idea of reusing materials.
"We think it's wonderful. It adds a lot of character to the project itself," said Jeff Buczkiewicz, executive vice president of the Building Stone Institute (BSI) in Elgin, Ill. "It gives you an idea of how long the stone will last. It's truly a product that will live forever."
Some BSI members specialize in recycled and salvaged materials, including members who are bringing 100-year-old stone to the United States from China, Buczkiewicz said. Others are reclaiming pavers from historic areas, such as in Philadelphia where Benjamin Franklin may have walked, because of their uniqueness.
"It kind of gives you a neat feeling," Buczkiewicz said of reusing the historic pavers.
The Brick Industry Association (BIA) in Reston, Va., also supports reusing materials. "Certainly we support recycled brick. It has its advantages," said Stephen Sears, director of marketing and communications for BIA. "One of the benefits of brick is that it can be reused."
However, he adds that salvaged bricks may not be as strong as new bricks. "From a performance perspective, the new bricks are much more consistent because the manufacturing process is more stringent," Sears said. "You can replicate that charm [of recycled bricks] with new bricks that you know for sure will meet the codes."
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Unique Set of Challenges
REUSING SALVAGED materials has an inherent set of challenges. Architects often include specifications calling for brick or stone to "match the original" or "match existing" materials, Frake
36 Masonry
April 2007
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