Well let me rephrase the question: "How long does brick last"? There
is a brick house I'm interested in that was made in the mid-1800s. I
was told years ago that brick had a lifespan of about 150 years before
it starts to crumble. Does this sound right? Should brick homes that
old be avoided?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Well let me rephrase the question: "How long does brick last"? There
is a brick house I'm interested in that was made in the mid-1800s. I
was told years ago that brick had a lifespan of about 150 years before
it starts to crumble. Does this sound right? Should brick homes that
old be avoided?

How far is up? Too many uncontrolled variables for a meaningful
long-distance answer to your question. Just off the top of my head, the
composition and manufacturing quality of the brick, the quality of the
original build, wall drainage and weatherstripping, the upkeep it has had
over the years (ie, was the mortar tuckpointed as needed?), local weather
conditions (any sign of ice spalling?), local rain acidity, local earthquake
activity, how much has house settled, etc.

Having said all that- a quality fired brick can last almost forever. (Look
at most of England, or the older cities in this country.) From the age, I
assume this is all-brick, not brick veneer. Be aware that the interior
courses, and sometimes the less-exposed back walls, were sometimes made out
of a lower-quality less durable brick, that does tend to 'dissolve' over
time if it gets wet. For examples, drive down the alleys of any older
commercial area.

The condition and expected lifespan of the brick is only one item that
should be taken into consideration, especially in a structure that old. If
you are seriously interested in the house, it would be very cheap insurance
to engage the services of a professional inspector and/or engineer, one who
is experienced in historical structures. Someone who only inspects houses
younger than they are will likely be clueless about the materials and
construction techniques used 150 years ago. I grew up in the business, and
know enough about the limits of my own knowledge that I would seek
professional assistance under those circumstances. It will take some
searching to find a guy like that, but it will be worth it.

aem sends...

In article .com,
wrote:

Well let me rephrase the question: "How long does brick last"? There
is a brick house I'm interested in that was made in the mid-1800s. I
was told years ago that brick had a lifespan of about 150 years before
it starts to crumble. Does this sound right? Should brick homes that
old be avoided?

That is hard to say without inspecting it. Modern brick and
modern mortar is better than what they had 100 years ago.
The bottom line is that all the factors that matter are non
brick factors, like how good the flashing and drainage is,
if any water is getting behind it, and how good is the
foundation. That all assumes it is brick veneer, and the
brick is not a structural component.

What shape is the brink in now? If it is in good shape, you
should be able to maintain it for your lifespan by inspecting
it every so often, calking it to keep the water out, replacing
broken bricks, and tuck-pointing when needed.

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

John A. Weeks III wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:

Well let me rephrase the question: "How long does brick last"?
There
is a brick house I'm interested in that was made in the mid-1800s.
I
was told years ago that brick had a lifespan of about 150 years
before
it starts to crumble. Does this sound right? Should brick homes
that
old be avoided?

That is hard to say without inspecting it. Modern brick and
modern mortar is better than what they had 100 years ago.
The bottom line is that all the factors that matter are non
brick factors, like how good the flashing and drainage is,
if any water is getting behind it, and how good is the
foundation. That all assumes it is brick veneer, and the
brick is not a structural component.

What shape is the brink in now? If it is in good shape, you
should be able to maintain it for your lifespan by inspecting
it every so often, calking it to keep the water out, replacing
broken bricks, and tuck-pointing when needed.

-john-


I agree with the above. It can and should be inspected. I've seen brick
fall apart in only a few years. It's like buying a used car. They age
differently. Your brick is not going to be good today and bad tomorrow.
It's a process. So find out where you are.