Hi, I have a pile of bricks from the 1600s from when a wall came down. I'm considering trying to get it sawed and use it as floor tiles. It's uneven and has quite a few pores when I try to saw a little. Could this be a sensible idea? Is there a stone company near Stockholm that would undertake the job? I'm thinking of sawing up enough to cover a total of 15-20 sqm. Wondering how thin one could saw in that case. Anyone who has done something similar with really old brick?
Torbjörn
Torbjörn
Great idea to reuse the bricks as flooring, it's going to look awesome!
I laid 19th-century bricks a few years ago, it's a bit tricky since they are very uneven and different sizes (your 17th-century ones might be even more so), but patience goes a long way...
If you have a good base, I don't think there will be any problems even if you cut them in half. However, it's absolutely necessary to have a roof (if you're planning to lay the floor outside) because such a porous material risks frost damage.
The bricks are super easy to saw through, so it's no problem for, say, a groundworks company to handle. If they are willing to take the job, that is...
Good luck!
I laid 19th-century bricks a few years ago, it's a bit tricky since they are very uneven and different sizes (your 17th-century ones might be even more so), but patience goes a long way...
If you have a good base, I don't think there will be any problems even if you cut them in half. However, it's absolutely necessary to have a roof (if you're planning to lay the floor outside) because such a porous material risks frost damage.
The bricks are super easy to saw through, so it's no problem for, say, a groundworks company to handle. If they are willing to take the job, that is...
Good luck!
It should be possible to use as floor tiles. They are usually cut 20-25mm thick, in your case it's probably better to choose 25mm considering the quality of the tiles. I think it will be quite expensive to have it done professionally, it's much cheaper to rent a regular stone saw and do the job yourself if you don't mind a bit of dirty work. A machine like this should work:
http://verktygsboden.se/sten-kakelsagar/stensag-proffs
There is also a chop-saw-like model if the stones are not too deep. It costs 300-400 per day to rent. Hyrpoolen in Nacka has, for example (page 9):
http://www.hyrpoolen.se/document/Maskinprislista_Nacka.pdf
http://verktygsboden.se/sten-kakelsagar/stensag-proffs
There is also a chop-saw-like model if the stones are not too deep. It costs 300-400 per day to rent. Hyrpoolen in Nacka has, for example (page 9):
http://www.hyrpoolen.se/document/Maskinprislista_Nacka.pdf
Keep in mind that when grouting the floor, you can't do it like with regular tiles, as the stones will be permanently discolored. Apply semi-stiff mortar with a grout float along each joint, that's the way to go.
