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Alright, let’s talk about them red brick old things, you know, the ones you see in old houses and stuff. I ain’t no fancy expert or nothin’, but I seen a whole lotta bricks in my time, so I reckon I can tell ya a thing or two.
What makes ’em red, ya know? Well, it’s like this, they got this… this iron stuff in the dirt they use to make ’em. Yeah, iron, like in them pots and pans. When they heat up the bricks real good, like in a big ol’ oven, that iron turns all red. That’s why most of them old bricks are red, simple as that. They say this kinda thing started way back, even before my grandma’s grandma was born, in a place called China. They used them red bricks for floors in their houses. Can ya believe it? Floors! Not fancy like the floors they got now, but strong, that’s for sure.
Now, some folks call these old bricks by all sorts of names. I heard tell of “IJssel bricks” and “ice bricks.” Sounds fancy, don’t it? But to me, a brick’s a brick, red or not. But these old ones, they got somethin’ special. They got character, they do. You look at ’em, and you can see they been through a lot. Sun, rain, snow, the whole shebang. They ain’t like them new bricks, all smooth and perfect. These old bricks got bumps and scratches, and sometimes even a little bit of white stuff on ‘em. That’s what they call “weathered patina,” I think. Makes ’em look… I dunno… important, I guess.
- Strong as heck: Them old red bricks, they don’t make ’em like that no more. These things are tough, real tough. They can hold up a house for a hundred years, no problem. I seen houses built outta these bricks standin’ strong even when them new houses fall apart.
- Pretty too, in a way: Okay, so they ain’t shiny and glittery, but them old red bricks got a certain prettiness to ’em. That red color, it’s warm and cozy, makes ya feel right at home. And the way they look all worn and weathered, it’s just… nice.
- Lots of different kinds: Now, you might think a brick is just a brick, but there’s all sorts of ’em. Some are smooth, some are rough. Some are plain, some got little marks on ‘em. And some are even different shades of red, from light to dark. It’s kinda like people, ya know? All different shapes and sizes, but all bricks just the same. I even heard tell of some old English red bricks made by a company been around for over 150 years. They call ’em “Butterley Bricks” or something like that. Fancy names, I tell ya. But they still just bricks, good strong bricks.
If you’re thinkin’ about usin’ old red bricks for somethin’, I say go for it. They ain’t just for old houses no more. You can use ’em for patios, walkways, even walls inside your house. They add a touch of somethin’… somethin’ real, somethin’ solid. And they last forever, practically. My grandpa used to say, “Build it with brick, and it’ll be there ’til the cows come home.” And he was right, he was.
So, there ya have it. My two cents on them red brick old things. Like I said, I ain’t no expert, but I know what I like. And I like them old red bricks. They’re strong, they’re pretty, and they got a story to tell. And that’s more than you can say for most things these days, ain’t it? And you know they are perforated with 18 to 25% voids, so they are strong but not too heavy, I guess. And about 65 mm high, whatever that means.
Where to find ‘em? Well, now, that’s the tricky part. You can’t just go to the store and buy ’em like you can with them new bricks. You gotta look around, go to salvage yards, maybe even ask around if anyone’s tearin’ down an old house. But trust me, it’s worth the effort. When you find them old red bricks, you got yourself somethin’ special. You got yourself a piece of history, a piece of somethin’ real. And that’s worth more than all the money in the world, if you ask me.
So next time ya see an old brick building or wall, take a minute to look at them bricks. They might just look like a bunch of red rocks, but they are more than that. They are a reminder of the past, a symbol of strength and a testament to good old-fashioned hard work. And that, my friends, is somethin’ worth thinkin’ about.
Tags: [Red Bricks, Old Bricks, Building Materials, History, Construction, IJssel Bricks, Butterley Bricks, Weathered Patina]
