12 Ways to Repurpose Old Bricks
We were digging up our back yard a couple of weeks ago to begin laying a foundation for our new home addition when my husband hit the motherload — a never-ending pile of vintage bricks. Now we have a pile of old bricks in our yard. So, I’ve been searching the web for ideas of ways to repurpose old bricks.When we found the hole full of bricks in our yard, we were pretty puzzled. What could this pile of bricks be for? Where did they come from? Why were they buried under a foot of soil?
After talking with some of our neighbors, we found out that each of the older homes on our street once had a cistern behind the house. These cisterns were used to catch and store rainwater, similar to a well, though not as deep. There really wasn’t any guidelines for filling in these holes after modern storm drainage systems were installed in city limits, so most residents just used what they had on hand to fill the hole. Our previous homeowners used bricks. Tons of bricks.

While the pile of bricks in my backyard isn’t very pretty right now, the ideas I found for the bricks are so inspiring. Check out these 12 ideas for ways to repurpose old bricks:
What to do With Old Bricks
Whether you have extra bricks laying around like I do or just love the look of brick, finding ways to reuse old bricks is a fun way to decorate. These simple projects are a great way to use bricks in your home decor and outdoor areas!
If you're searching for uses for bricks with holes, why not turn them into a planter? Succulents fit perfectly inside bricks with holes, making them great for planting small plants!
This beautiful flooring from Beneath My Heart is a great way to repurpose old bricks to bring a vintage, farmhouse feel to a new mudroom. Plus, it’s durable and easy to clean!
Finding uses for old bricks in the garden is a great idea! I love this idea for vintage brick raised beds from the Vegetable Gardener. It’s a unique and visually interesting way to lay out your vegetable or herb garden.
If you have a lot of bricks to use up, why not make yourself a pretty patio? This brick patio makes a great backdrop for a built-in bench, making it a great use for old bricks.
Finding creative things to do with bricks in your home is another great way to use old bricks. Brick stairs leading to your home’s entry is a striking way to repurpose old bricks. This exterior entryway from Don Gardner Architects is a beautiful use of vintage bricks.
Using vintage bricks to create a garden pathway, like this one from Garden Photos, is a great way to add visual appeal to your garden and find uses for old bricks, too. And it keeps the weeds at bay!
Build your own brick wood fired pizza oven with this tutorial. Wouldn't that oven look amazing on your patio? If you're looking for things to do with bricks in your yard, this is the perfect idea!
This DIY fire pit from Grace and Josie looks like a simple way to repurpose old bricks and enhance your outdoor entertaining space. That makes it another great way to reuse old bricks.
Vintage bricks can add some farmhouse flair to your home’s exterior when used in a walkway like this one from Home Bunch.
Keep your kids busy this summer by building a bug hotel in your backyard with your bricks! You can use a variety of different types of bricks to build an adorable backyard home for bugs.
Adding vintage brick edging to your flower bed is a great way to enhance your garden and add some curb appeal to your home’s exterior. I love this wide edging from Garden Living. What a great way to repurpose old bricks!
This is another wonderfully simple idea for vintage bricks with holes in them. I love how Woo Home used tea lights to add a farmhouse ambiance to their tablescape.
Give your yard’s wildlife a place to rest and repurpose old bricks at the same time. This easy-to-build DIY birdbath from Robins Nesting Place is a great use of vintage bricks.
Give your bricks a farmhouse look by painting them. This tutorial teaches you how to use limewash glaze on bricks to give them a rustic farmhouse look.
Add some visual appeal to your yard with this unique brick pathway from Home Talk.
Or get creative with your vintage bricks by painting names of herbs, vegetables, or flowers on them for your garden. These herb markers from Simple Details will add some vintage brick detail to your garden -- and they’re practical too!
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Emily is a midwestern mom of two boys. She loves all things DIY — from home renovations to kids birthday party planning. Whether she’s making a new farmhouse craft for her home or helping her kids with a cool activity, you can bet she’s in the middle of some kind of DIY project (or three) right now!

Hi Emily, You have a beautiful blog here. Loved the bricks DIY ideas. Going to apply some of these in my backyard. Thanks for the tips!