How to Collect Bricks

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By Gail Martin
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Collect Bricks

It is a common sight in older, small towns to see lots of bricks. So many buildings, sidewalks, bridges, plant boxes, walls, patios, and older streets have been built with bricks, that they seem ordinary. If you take a closer look, you'll find many variations. You can collect special bricks and even showcase them in your backyard. Here's how.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

transportation to areas where there are bricks
a list of bricks you have
a willingness to poke around tumble-down buildings

Step 1

Your collection won't just be plain bricks. There are bricks with designs, dates, names, geographical location of brick manufactures or slogans.
Step 2

You can join the International Brick Collectors Association (IBCA), with current mailing address at 1743 Lindenhall Drive, Loveland, Ohio 45140. The IBCA web site is at www.tlgwindpower.com/tweety. This is a non-profit organization of collectors and others with a common interest in bricks and/or paving blocks as collectible items or as objects of historical interest or both.
Step 3

There's a Yahoo Group for brick collectors. Check out the link below for it.
Step 4

Attend brick meets to swap with other brick collectors. To find these, search the internet using terms like "brick meet" or "brick swap."
Step 5

You can look for bricks at former brickyards, construction sites, abandoned building sites, demolition sites, and dump sites. At building demolition sites, ask workers if they could spare a brick.
Step 6

Let your friends and family know that you collect bricks, they will become your best source of bricks. It's great to have many eyes on the lookout for you.
Step 7

Sometimes you find a brick at garage sales, flea markets, and building materials yards usually for a few dollars.
Step 8

You can get modern day personalized bricks. Maybe you want some with your name, special dates, city or other wording. Search the internet for one using keywords like brick engraving, personalized bricks or memorial bricks. One company that provides these is called Engraved Bricks.
Step 9

Display the bricks by making shelving for them. You can also arrange them to form a patio or sidewalk. Another way to arrange them is as a brick border for a flowerbed.