Do I need to dry out reclaimed bricks before laying?

Question

I've reclaimed some bricks to make a garden wall. They've been outside for a while. Do I need to dry them out before laying them?

Ryan · Answer

Yes my friend . Make sure fully dry before laying. For number of reasons. That is why we always cover are bricks over night to save them getting wet.

Neil · Answer

always covered and kept dry. only time when ive dampened bricks down is mid summer on red hot days .

Lee · Answer

Yes it would be best mate best of luck regards Lee Cuxton

Mike · Answer

It will be best dry them before hand as they need to Soake up the water from the mortar when you do lay them. If they are old soft bricks you will also be best using lime based mortar as well

John · Answer

i would make them easier to lay and they wont smear when laying

Terence · Answer

I prefer to lay bricks with some moisture content in them as it stops the mortar drying to quick which can effect the bonding..
Indeed bolder soft bricks would be dunked in a bucket of water on a hot summers day before  laying but in the winter this would be the west thing you could do  
So to answer your question it depends on daytime temperature density of bricks either soft or hard clay engineering bricks which won't absorb  much water anyway !
So in brief a little bit  of  moistures okay  but you definitely don't want them dripping wet.
Sloppy compo and wet bricks   in cold weather a brickies worst nightmare!!
Hope this helps

Ben · Answer

I would dry them out even damp bricks can cause problems after a few courses. Also you may get efflorescence (a white salt that comes out of the brick) which you have to treat. Best bet is stack them so air can get in between them and place a board over the top and give them 3-5 days see how they are after that

David · Answer

Yes always keep them dry,................................................

Alexandru · Answer

is not necesary to dry them befor lay down  but must be dried before brush the sand over them . 
Hope that answer helps you!

Paul · Answer

Yes 100% dry them out thoroughly otherwise the wall would just end up a very untidy substandard looking wall the same reason you cannot lay bricks in the rain

Do I need to dry out reclaimed bricks before laying?

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