Brick dust for the garden?
 

The other day the re-pointing to the outsides of the house began; they
sealed the house up quite well and their own scaffolding too so as to
protect the neighbours. However, they needed electricity and the
smallest hole to get it from inside to out was the letter box.

Alas, the amount of stuff that came through it was simply unbelievable
and boy but did it find its way thoroughly throughout the building.
Not only from room to room (thanks mainly to the actions of a cat) but
high and low and inside cupboards et all. More over, it is quite
difficult to shift. Even turning the hose on the plants outside merely
gave a temporary illusion of being washed away.

Anyhow, i noticed last Friday evening, after they were gone that they
had cleaned up outside and the by-product of this job, inc. tiny bits
of bricks and masonry, was neatly in sack all stacked up on one
another.

So far so good, but what if they finish the job and leave without
them. So just in case ;;; are their any wonderful uses, gardening-
wise, that I could apply it?

ps.

thanks in advance as this computer now goes under wraps till next
weekend, by which time google groups might have worked out how to
archive their groups so as I can see any replies; Sadly, my attempts
via Forte Agent 5 have being a total waste of time due singularly to
skynet.be continuously failing to respond. I'm glad I opted just for
the trial version (-:

Brick dust for the garden?
 

aquachimp wrote:
thanks in advance as this computer now goes under wraps till next
weekend, by which time google groups might have worked out how to
archive their groups so as I can see any replies; Sadly, my attempts
via Forte Agent 5 have being a total waste of time due singularly to
skynet.be continuously failing to respond. I'm glad I opted just for
the trial version (-:

Well, hurry back, to both groups!

Brick dust for the garden?
 

"aquachimp" wrote in message
...
The other day the re-pointing to the outsides of the house began; they
sealed the house up quite well and their own scaffolding too so as to
protect the neighbours. However, they needed electricity and the
smallest hole to get it from inside to out was the letter box.

Alas, the amount of stuff that came through it was simply unbelievable
and boy but did it find its way thoroughly throughout the building.
Not only from room to room (thanks mainly to the actions of a cat) but
high and low and inside cupboards et all. More over, it is quite
difficult to shift. Even turning the hose on the plants outside merely
gave a temporary illusion of being washed away.

Anyhow, i noticed last Friday evening, after they were gone that they
had cleaned up outside and the by-product of this job, inc. tiny bits
of bricks and masonry, was neatly in sack all stacked up on one
another.

So far so good, but what if they finish the job and leave without
them. So just in case ;;; are their any wonderful uses, gardening-
wise, that I could apply it?

ps.

thanks in advance as this computer now goes under wraps till next
weekend, by which time google groups might have worked out how to
archive their groups so as I can see any replies; Sadly, my attempts
via Forte Agent 5 have being a total waste of time due singularly to
skynet.be continuously failing to respond. I'm glad I opted just for
the trial version (-:


Not sure about all your rubble, but I have heard that it's not wise to put
brick dust or soft (old) brick on clay soil. This is because the bricks
were once clay and the brick dust returns to block the air gaps in the soil,
making it more claggy and less aerated.

Spider

Brick dust for the garden?
 

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:22:35 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:

Not sure about all your rubble, but I have heard that it's not wise to put
brick dust or soft (old) brick on clay soil. This is because the bricks
were once clay and the brick dust returns to block the air gaps in the
soil,
making it more claggy and less aerated.

Spider

Bricks were indeed once clay, but after they've been fired there's no
way that they can return to clay (I assume that's what you meant). The
structural and mineralogical changes that take place during firing are
irreversible, except possibly on a geological time scale. However, I
suppose it's possible that a fine dust might clog pores in clay, in
which case it would also be true of any fine sand. Grit is usually
recommended to open up clay, and I vaguely recall reading that sand on
clay makes it go like concrete, especially when dry, so there may be
something in the second part of your post. But I can't see chips and
other bits of broken brick doing any harm at all, but not much good
either.
--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net


Indeed, larger chips of brick would be helpful until they, too, broke down
to dust... and you're right, of course, it is a small scale problem. I'm
inclined to think sand would be sharper and so less clogging, but the
principle is the same. We have, no doubt, both read somebody's pet theory
:~). Mind you, gardening on clay on an end-of-building-site plot, where all
the left over sand and grot was abandoned, I can see how 'your' theory may
have some merit :~(.

Had I been the OP, I would have been pleased for any information to guide my
decision-making, and this is the premise on which I replied. The OP is
perfectly free to embrace or ignore my post.

Regards,
Spider

Brick dust for the garden?
 

On Jun 23, 11:43*pm, "Spider" wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message

...





On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:22:35 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:

Not sure about all your rubble, but I have heard that it's not wise to put
brick dust or soft (old) brick on clay soil. *This is because the bricks
were once clay and the brick dust returns to block the air gaps in the
soil,
making it more claggy and less aerated.

Spider

Bricks were indeed once clay, but after they've been fired there's no
way that they can return to clay (I assume that's what you meant). The
structural and mineralogical changes that take place during firing are
irreversible, except possibly on a geological time scale. However, I
suppose it's possible that a fine dust might clog pores in clay, in
which case it would also be true of any fine sand. Grit is usually
recommended to open up clay, and I vaguely recall reading that sand on
clay makes it go like concrete, especially when dry, so there may be
something in the second part of your post. But I can't see chips and
other bits of broken brick doing any harm at all, but not much good
either.
*--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Indeed, larger chips of brick would be helpful until they, too, broke down
to dust... and you're right, of course, it is a small scale problem. *I'm
inclined to think sand would be sharper and so less clogging, but the
principle is the same. *We have, no doubt, both read somebody's pet theory
:~). *Mind you, gardening on clay on an end-of-building-site plot, where all
the left over sand and grot was abandoned, I can see how 'your' theory may
have some merit :~(.

Had I been the OP, I would have been pleased for any information to guide my
decision-making, and this is the premise on which I replied.

And right you (both) were too;
And Thanks.

*The OP is
perfectly free to embrace or ignore my post.

Actually, I liked both equally.
The curious thing about this dust is how hard it is to shift; I used a
brush to remove the heavist from one kitchen counter, then a damp
sponge to wipe of the rest; 5 times it took and each time it looked
done until it dried a bit showed otherwise. ; grrr.

Though the brick might, as Chris Hogg states, be so different, in
terms of the fineness of the dust that is the main problem; Put it
this way, if anyone here plans on having their wall sanded down to
remove old paintwork, the existing pointing removed, the wall sand-
blasted to clean bricks and stone work and then the pointing redone...
here's a good tip; tape up your locks so that you don't end up having
to get out a locksmith to repair:replace them! And I do mean tape up
both sides.

As for the clay soil, I don't have any. Quite the opposite, it's more
like dirty old seaside stuff.

As for the bags of stuff, they took them;


Regards,
Spider- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Brick dust for the garden?
 

On Jun 21, 10:51*pm, Martin wrote:
On Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:55:12 +0100, "Ophelia" wrote:
aquachimp wrote:
thanks in advance as this computer now goes under wraps till next
weekend, by which time google groups might have worked out how to
archive their groups so as I can see any replies; *Sadly, my attempts
via *Forte Agent 5 have being a total waste of time due singularly to
skynet.be continuously failing to respond. I'm glad I opted just for
the trial version (-:

Well, hurry back, to both groups!

skynet.be LOL

Now we know who it is.
--

Martin

smirks but not caught up
yet (1976 post to go)

Brick dust for the garden?
 

"aquachimp" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 11:43 pm, "Spider" wrote:
"Chris Hogg" wrote in message

...

On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:22:35 +0100, "Spider"
wrote:

Not sure about all your rubble, but I have heard that it's not wise to
put
brick dust or soft (old) brick on clay soil. This is because the bricks
were once clay and the brick dust returns to block the air gaps in the
soil,
making it more claggy and less aerated.

Spider

Bricks were indeed once clay, but after they've been fired there's no
way that they can return to clay (I assume that's what you meant). The
structural and mineralogical changes that take place during firing are
irreversible, except possibly on a geological time scale. However, I
suppose it's possible that a fine dust might clog pores in clay, in
which case it would also be true of any fine sand. Grit is usually
recommended to open up clay, and I vaguely recall reading that sand on
clay makes it go like concrete, especially when dry, so there may be
something in the second part of your post. But I can't see chips and
other bits of broken brick doing any harm at all, but not much good
either.
--
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

Indeed, larger chips of brick would be helpful until they, too, broke down
to dust... and you're right, of course, it is a small scale problem. I'm
inclined to think sand would be sharper and so less clogging, but the
principle is the same. We have, no doubt, both read somebody's pet theory
:~). Mind you, gardening on clay on an end-of-building-site plot, where
all
the left over sand and grot was abandoned, I can see how 'your' theory may
have some merit :~(.

Had I been the OP, I would have been pleased for any information to guide
my
decision-making, and this is the premise on which I replied.

And right you (both) were too;
And Thanks.

The OP is
perfectly free to embrace or ignore my post.

Actually, I liked both equally.


Most diplomatic :~)


The curious thing about this dust is how hard it is to shift; I used a
brush to remove the heavist from one kitchen counter, then a damp
sponge to wipe of the rest; 5 times it took and each time it looked
done until it dried a bit showed otherwise. ; grrr.


Mmm. I have less than fond memories of clearing up after new glazing and
building work. :~( Dreadful mess .. seems to go on forever.


Though the brick might, as Chris Hogg states, be so different, in
terms of the fineness of the dust that is the main problem;

Put it this way, if anyone here plans on having their wall sanded down to
remove old paintwork, the existing pointing removed, the wall sand-
blasted to clean bricks and stone work and then the pointing redone...
here's a good tip; tape up your locks so that you don't end up having
to get out a locksmith to repair:replace them! And I do mean tape up
both sides.


Good advice. It's worth taping over your nose and ears, too!


As for the clay soil, I don't have any. Quite the opposite, it's more
like dirty old seaside stuff.
As for the bags of stuff, they took them;


Well, that's good news. It's getting harder to dispose of rubble these
days. It's crazy when it could be used as hardcore in another job. We
recently had to watch helplessly as our landscapers smashed perfectly good
bricks to make hardcore! {:~O
Unbelieveable!

Spider