Alternative Ceramic Supply


Materials
  1. Brick Rubble
  2. Granite Offcuts
  3. Dolerite Offcuts
  4. Broken Bisque
  5. Concrete Rubble
  6. Glass Sludge
  7. Wood Ash
  8. Bone Ash
  9. Marble Offcuts
  10. Oyster Shells


Bulk Buy
Ground Works


Info
Instagram

      1. Brick Rubble
         
      Test tiles exploring second-life granite in ceramics, fired to midfire (cone 6, left) and stoneware (cone 9, right). Rows show granite at three mesh sizes (super fine, fine, coarse); columns test it in clay bodies (5% and 20%),  the material alone on the surface (applied with CMC), and in glaze (+30%).
                        

      FIRST LIFE  

                  ORIGINClifton Brickworks
      Assumed Preston and Brunswick claypit sites

                 MEASUREMENTSStandard brick assumed 
      110(w) x 230(l) x 76(h)

                 COLOURMultiple types, but consistent colour throughout individual bricks. Colours range from deep red and mid red to light orange
                 TEXTUREMultiple types. Some are dense with coarse grog, and some are crumbly with no grog

                FINISH / FEATURESTop - Smooth, slightly grainy surface
      Bottom - Unpolished, abrasive
      Consistent colour, texture and finish in all offcuts

      SECOND LIFE 

                 COLLECTION LOCATION Warehouse adaptive reuse site
      -37.79785412649077, 144.98661158830336

                  DATE OF COLLECTION
      April 2022

                  SUBURBCollingwood

                  COUNTRYWurundjeri Woi Wurrung

                  LOCAL COUNCILCity of Yarra

      MATERIAL INFORMATION

                 COMPOSITION Silica (sand) – 50% to 60% by weight. Alumina (clay) – 20% to 30% by weight. Lime – 2 to 5% by weight. Iron oxide – ≤ 7% by weight.

      POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

                 SUBSITUTE FOR
      Redart
      Grog
      Use grog in clay body to reduce shrinkage rates and for colour or texture
                 IN CLAY BODY

                 IN GLAZE      Use powder in glaze as colourant. For a smooth surface at Cone 6, fluxing agent needs to be added to lower the melting temperature

      PREPARATION

                 CALCINATION
      n/a

                 CUSTOM PREPARATION
      Brush or wipe off any organic matter 
                 MINIUMUM REQURIED EQUIPMENT
      Hammer

                 RATING
      (Scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being hardest)
      2-4

                 NOTES Harder samples: semi-dense, loud 
      Softer samples: easily crushable, powdery when struck


      SAFETY &
      HANDLING

                 HAZARDS
      If in contact with ground: may have hazardous material in the ground. Check if asbestos was on site. Check if site was previously industrial zoning (and what kind of businesses may have operated in or near the location to determine potential waste and leaching)
                 SUGGESTED PPE
      Respirator

      SOURCING

                 SEARCHING FOR SUPPLY
      Contact builders, construction and demolition companies. 
      Check skip bins accessible from the street. 
      Look for scaffolding and construction fencing along streets, and check the building permit for a phone number if noone is on site. 

      If a larger company: contact sustainability team/person

                 WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU
      Bucket or container
      Gloves
      Steel capped boots
      PPE specific to construction site 
      (potentially high-vis vest and hard hat)

                 QUESTIONS TO ASK
      Is there any reuse plan for any brick currently on site? 
      Are any bricks being cut on site? (Collect slurry if so)

                 RECYCLABILITY AS-IS
      Construction
      • Whole bricks can be reused (either on site or transported elsewhere).
      • Damaged bricks may be partially salvageable depending on the application (ie, cut in half)

      Landscaping/Gardening
      • Build garden beds, walls, firepit
      • Pavers
      • Plant substrate

      Civil/Infrastructure
      • Road base component

                 COLLECTION RECOMMENDATIONS
      Check if they are slicing bricks with minimal damage to turn them into face bricks for different applications (and don't take).
      Take broken bricks and smaller debris. Separate out from mixed waste by hand where possible.