If you’re renovating a home in Ireland or planning your dream kitchen, chances are you’ve come across reclaimed brick and thought: this looks amazing… but is it actually practical?
Because let’s be real - the kitchen isn’t a showroom. It’s where things get messy. Oil splashes, steam, coffee, tomato sauce… sometimes all within 10 minutes.
So the big question is fair:
is reclaimed brick above the worktop a great idea-or something you’ll regret after a week?
Short answer: it can be a brilliant choice.
Long answer: it depends on how you do it.
This is the moment where most people hesitate.
Brick = porous = absorbs dirt = impossible to clean.
Sounds logical… but it’s also a bit outdated.
Yes, raw brick behaves like a sponge. If you left it untreated, it would soak up grease or wine. But in real interiors - especially kitchens -you never leave reclaimed brick unprotected.
That’s where sealing comes in -and honestly, it changes everything.
A proper sealant doesn’t just sit on the surface- it goes into the structure of the brick and blocks those tiny pores.
In practice, that means:
You might even notice droplets forming instead of spreading - that’s exactly what you want.
At that point, cleaning becomes very straightforward. Wipe and done.
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Let’s skip the theory and talk about everyday mess:
Frying something?
Oil splashes happen. On sealed reclaimed brick, it doesn’t sink in-you just wipe it with warm water and a bit of washing-up liquid.
Spilled wine or tomato sauce?
No panic. As long as you don’t leave it there for hours, it won’t stain permanently.
Steam from cooking?
Here’s something interesting - brick still “breathes” even after sealing. That helps with moisture and reduces the risk of mould, which is especially important in Irish homes.
Most issues don’t come from the material - they come from how it’s installed.
If you’re planning to use reclaimed brick in your kitchen, a few things really matter:
1. Proper wall preparation
Kitchen walls often have invisible grease. Skipping primer can affect durability.
2. Flexible adhesive
Near a hob, temperature changes matter. A flexible adhesive prevents cracks over time.
3. Joint finish (this is important)
Deep joints collect dust and grease. A more flush finish is much easier to clean.
This is where many people are pleasantly surprised.
You don’t need special products.
Most of the time:
For deeper cleaning:
No heavy scrubbing, no complicated routine.
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A little - but nothing demanding.
It’s more like occasional upkeep than ongoing work.
Reclaimed brick can absolutely work in smaller spaces - you just need balance.
Done right, it adds depth instead of making the space feel smaller.
If you want a kitchen that feels warm, authentic, and not straight out of a catalogue - reclaimed brick delivers that effortlessly.
And despite the common concerns, it’s not difficult to maintain when properly sealed.
So is it a hit or a miss?
Honestly?
A hit - as long as it’s done properly.
Because good design isn’t just about how things look - it’s about how they work in everyday life.
