Want to use crushed brick as a base for concrete patio

matkyne

Hi, I am currently in the middle of building my new home. The masons just finished and left me a yard full of broken bricks.

I need to build a small 8x10 slab that ranges from 4 inched deep to 15 inches deep, (slope of the land) and I remember hearing that crushed brick is a good base for concrete. So I payed my nephew to help me collect all the broke bricks and cart them over to the area where I want the patio. We then proceeded to smash them into small pieces so they have nice jagged edges and compact nicely.

I was about to call the cement trucks but I though I would sound it out here first. Does anyone have any experience using old bricks as a filler/base? By the way, I should mention that the ground beneath the patio is nearly solid rock. Not rocks, rock. Like large Volkswagen-sized rock, so I am not worried about ground stability. I mainly thought this might be a way to use less concrete.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Bondo

Ayuh,.... As long as they're compacted, I don't see any problem...

Daniel Holzman

As long as the brick you are using was outdoor rated, no problem. Interior only rated brick is not going to last very long exposed to freeze/thaw.

matkyne

The bricks were the remnants from the brick veneer installed on the exterior of my home; so they should be good to go. Just as a follow up, in case anyone else is considering doing the same thing... ... all the work, collecting and smashing the bricks took about 6 hours. For the help I paid my nephew $45 bucks and bought him lunch ($12). And for all my effort and expense, I probably saved myself $100 in concrete. So I spent 6 hours of back breaking labor to save less than $50. In hindsight, I don't think I would do it again.

Bondo

Ayuh,... The numbers get better if you include the unpaid costs of exportin' the material, if ya hadn't buried it....

jomama45

You know you could have used cheap aggregate, like gravel as well, don't you? No need to ever pour concrete flatwork that thick just because the grade is low.....