Disposing of old bricks and mortar.

Submitted by NoBoDySHeRo3000 t3_10o7z4x in DIY

Currently doing house renovation on my own property.

Because the cost of disposing of rubble is quite high, I’ve decided to re-use as many bricks as possible from walls coming down to block off doorways etc that won’t be getting used. All the old mortar and broken bricks still add up to quite a large pile of rubble that I need to dispose of.

Is there any damage in making a raised section/split level garden, and building garden planters etc, and disposing of some of the bricks and sand at the bottom of those? And filling up an old pond that won’t be used any more that will eventually be grass

I know I can’t bury plasterboard, but mortar is basically sand, and bricks get used for hardcore, so I didn’t know if this is environmentally damaging, or will cause me any other problems down the line?

I’m in the UK if that makes any difference?

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your_mail_man t1_j6d3db4 wrote

In the US they call that 'clean fill'. Doesn't rot or attract insects. Perfectly safe to bury.

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brock_lee t1_j6d5t9y wrote

I've seen several times, too, when they are building a new neighborhood around here they dig a pit and put up a sign saying "concrete washout". They wash out concrete mixers, dump concrete rubble, etc. They then cover this it and it gets paved over as a road or made into a lawn in a common area or something.

https://www.codot.gov/programs/environmental/water-quality/assets/images/concrete-washout-good4.jpg/@@images/image

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lazyfrenchman t1_j6fzhmq wrote

They don't bury this. They scoop it all up and haul it to a landfill. That picture you have of the washout, should also be lined with plastic sheeting because wet concrete is hazardous.

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CunningStunt_1 t1_j6d2gd7 wrote

Lol. Are you sure you aren't a builder?

You have the exact right thought process for it.

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6d2py1 wrote

I’m an electrician, so I’m happy to have a go at doing bits. But this is my first go at doing any proper building work. I’ll be digging out footings at some point, so I’ll have plenty of soil to cover the rubble piles

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CunningStunt_1 t1_j6d3dhf wrote

If you take the top soil of any new build garden, it's full of rubble.

Nothing "wrong" with doing it. Just a little bit cowboy.

I'd save them and use as a sub base material for exterior paths, shed bases. That sort of thing .

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6d4k0c wrote

Can usually pick up free hardcore from gumtree or marketplace from someone else getting rid of stuff if I ever needed more

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Exotic-Flight3452 t1_j6ecteo wrote

In the US most states and the EPA recognize that concrete, bricks and broken blocks from foundations are inert enough to be used as clean fill or crushed and used as aggregate.

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Reelplayer t1_j6d2b3c wrote

Burying bricks won't bother the ground one bit. Here is the US there is a market for used bricks. People cut them in half for wall coverings. Or make paths outdoors.

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II_Confused t1_j6d3phq wrote

To add on to this, if you just want to get rid of them throw up an ad on Craigslist. Somebody's going to have a use for them.

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Rzah t1_j6ejumu wrote

Pop a couple of bricks in a carrier bag, leave it by the front door, when you go out take the bag and just 'forget' it on the bus etc, in a couple of months all your bricks are gone and the local neighbourhood has an interesting mystery to chat about.

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6ekf23 wrote

Or I could stick pairs of googley eyes on the bricks and scatter them around the village as ‘rubble pets’.

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Rzah t1_j6epy36 wrote

Sell those bricks on Etsy.

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radiantxero t1_j6eoti5 wrote

just take it to your local brick and mortar store

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Birunanza t1_j6evcrd wrote

I'm glad I scrolled to the bottom for this

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jungerfrosch t1_j6d41op wrote

Filing the pond, probably not an issue..... I would stay away from raised features though. If you(or anyone) ever decides in the future to remove them, it will be a pain in the butt to deal with.

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6d4gbl wrote

That’s future me’s problem haha.

I’d only be talking about raising the garden up about 1-2 bricks high and getting it completely flat and re-turfing it. Probably barely notice it

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jungerfrosch t1_j6d5dya wrote

You could always just dig the pond deeper and put it all there too.

I hope future you doesn't get mad at past you. :)

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6d76bl wrote

I’d still have to find somewhere to put the stuff I dig out the pond, although at least that would be soil rather than rubble

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CommonConfusables t1_j6dne04 wrote

Why not just put them out front with “free” so that someone who needs bricks for a project can take them for you and all you have to do is leave them there?

A few reasons not to bury construction:

-it leaks into your ground water

-if you ever want to use that area of the yard for something else then you have to dig it up

-planting a garden or getting things to grow in that area will be difficult, including anything that roots.

-you could use that rubble to build something wildlife and nature will love

-future you won’t remember exactly where you buried it to dig it all up

-even if you don’t dig it up a future homeowner will have a massive pain of a project

https://dontdrinkthewater.silvrback.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-burying-rubble-in-your-backyard

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6dp278 wrote

That’s all good info thank you. In all honestly, most of it will be the old mortar which is basically sand, and the old bricks I will try and use for actual building projects.

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CommonConfusables t1_j6dw8ks wrote

If it’s just mortar, put it in a bag and throw it away. You are making more work for yourself by digging and burying.

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6dznnf wrote

It’s quite expensive to get rid of rubble, hence the whole reason for the post

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celaconacr t1_j6ev2vl wrote

How much are you getting rid of? Can't you just take it to the local tip?

Also if you put an advert on Facebook or similar for free hardcore someone will take it.

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6ewll3 wrote

It’s £3 per rubble bag, and the nearest tip I can use is over 30 mins drive away. Will be a lot of rubble over the course of the job, enough to fill a large skip probably, but will be over the next couple of years, so actually getting a skip is no good. Hoping to get rid of bits of rubble as and when I can

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CommonConfusables t1_j6miu5g wrote

If it’s per bag, fill large bags.

I drive 30 minutes to dispose of rubble because it’s better than burying it.

Saving a bag in the corner of your lawn for when you do rubble will probably be unoticeable, but digging up your yard or a permanent hole to bury rubble will fuck up future plans. Don’t let lazy dictate your actions.

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Sturmghiest t1_j6eiwvf wrote

Back in the eighties my parents garden was tiered using rubble from their house renovation and topped off with a foot or two of top soil.

There's now an incredibly lush and vibrant garden so it doesn't seem to have done any harm.

When I was a teen I built a pond in the garden and even though the rubble had been buried under soil for over two decades there were still voids and cavities in the rubble so it might be prudent to compact the layers as you go to maximise how much you can dispose of.

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6ejl9k wrote

This is what my dad told me he did years ago in his first house. Said he built a wall and lobbed every single bit of rubbish he had into it. Everything from rubble to an old motorbike. Topped it off with soil and had a nice tiered garden once he was done.

I don’t want to be chucking any old shite in though as I’d like to at least consider the environmental impact if there was one. Hence why I won’t be burying plasterboard

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momo516 t1_j6fwszp wrote

I’m not sure about in the UK, but here in the US we have lots of places that will take your brick/mortar for free. They recycle it by crushing it down and selling it. It’s worth seeking out if that exists near you. Look for places that sell crusher run or aggregate.

And as others said, if you list it for free pickup, you’d be surprised at how much others may have a use for it. Try a buy nothing group for your area on Facebook

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6gu8rg wrote

I do see people advertising hardcore (that’s what we call that stuff in the Uk) for free on things like fbook marketplace. But it’s available in abundance, so it’s not that often people actually need it

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Crimkam t1_j6f352h wrote

My grandparents did this, but ended up not doing a very good job and there was a noticeable hump about a foot higher than the rest of the grass in the backyard where they buried everything for the next 40 years.... so just make sure you've got a plan to make it look nice and don't get lazy.

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PraiseTheErdtree t1_j6gnzw4 wrote

I reuse brick/mortar/rubble as fill or in low-stakes mortar just like you’re suggesting. Good idea if you ask me 😎

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6d42e9 wrote

The shed will be done at some point and need a new base, along with a summerhouse etc, so I’ll have plenty of use for the old bricks. I believe the mortar is no good though as hardcore because it is basically sand though, whereas hardcore needs to be more solid bits? The mortar being buried under grassy bits will be a big help though

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DriftingNorthPole t1_j6da7o9 wrote

Depends on what state you're in. I forget the exact language, but the state I'm in has a mandatory form you have to fill out when you sell that has a whole section on "buried rubble used as fill material". Doesn't matter the amount, next homeowner digs a hole to plant a tulip bulb and runs into a some chipped concrete and brick, and I didn't disclose it.......and if you do disclose, most buyers will make you remove it. Unless you're way out in the sticks and no one's going to care about a pile of brick in the back of your 40 acres.

Which led me to....every trip to the dump include 4-5 milkcrates full of chipped concrete, tile, and brick tipped into the construction waste dumpster. Took a few months, but beat the hell out of paying for a few dump truck loads.

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Birunanza t1_j6eur9u wrote

I'm doing the same thing sort of with some old concrete rubble. Making a small hill/mound for a raised herb garden. If you want to get really fancy, you can use that sort of stuff for a base for cob structures like benches or pizza ovens etc. Just be aware that thing may settle wherever you bury. The brick will degrade with time and whatever you cover it with will fill those voids. Common sense thing you probably thought about, but it's worth noting.

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salmonlikethephish t1_j6f9vw7 wrote

Could you slowly drip it into your council bin collection? I've got rid of quite a lot of stuff by adding a bit into my black bin over the course of time.

As a bonus it forces you to cut down on other waste to leave a bit of room for the "extras".

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NoBoDySHeRo3000 OP t1_j6gtymr wrote

I did that in my old property, but where I live now we don’t have wheelie bins, they send out plastic bags for your waste and you just leave them on the side of the road for collection. The bags aren’t very strong so risk it getting spilled all over the road or not collected at all.

I mean, I do get rid of little amounts, but it’s hardly worth it. Would take me the best part of 30 years to get rid of it that way

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brynnecognito t1_j6fqg8g wrote

Where I live people offer it up as clean fill and other folks will take it away to fill in old fish ponds in their yards.

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ntyperteasy t1_j6fscie wrote

I don't see any problem with this, and it's quite common in building new construction to plow under this sort of debris.

If the structure is pre-1970, I would NOT bury any bricks that have been painted, as it is likely lead paint

The thinking is that you don't want to bury things that are actually toxic, or will breakdown and become toxins, or collapse and create a low spot in your garden over time (I buried a hay bale once, I can still see the low spot in the yard). Bricks, mortar, concrete rubble don't have these problems.

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KongaTom t1_j6lg24n wrote

When we put in a garden in our back yard, it was full of brick and mortar (an old pathway or patio that they broke up and buried)

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