Reclaimed Bricks & Paving as Heat Sinks in Conservatories and Greenhouses
When planning a conservatory or greenhouse, most people focus on plants, glazing, ventilation, and irrigation — but one often-overlooked factor is thermal mass. By incorporating reclaimed bricks and paving into your design, you can create a natural, eco-friendly heat sink that helps regulate temperatures throughout the day and night. This approach not only improves plant health, but also reduces energy costs if you use supplemental heating in winter.
At Reclaimed Brick Company, we love the idea of blending beautiful salvaged materials with clever sustainability solutions, so this blog will explore how to turn your conservatory floor, walls, or even raised beds into efficient heat sinks — using bricks and paving you might already find on our website.
What is a Heat Sink and Why Does it Matter?
A heat sink in the context of a greenhouse or conservatory is any material that can absorb heat during the day (when sunlight pours in) and release that stored heat slowly at night. This helps to even out temperature fluctuations, which is vital for tender plants, exotic species, or seedlings.
Greenhouses, especially in the UK, suffer from the classic problem of overheating during the day and becoming too cold at night. Glass structures lose heat fast once the sun sets. Heat sinks help moderate this, making the space warmer at night and cooler during the day.
Why Reclaimed Bricks and Paving are Perfect Heat Sink Materials
1. Thermal Mass Matters
The best heat sinks are materials with high thermal mass — meaning they can absorb and store a lot of heat. Dense materials like clay bricks, concrete slabs, and natural stone are excellent at this. Reclaimed bricks, in particular, are often denser than many modern bricks because of their manufacturing processes and higher clay content.
2. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable
By using reclaimed materials from Reclaimed Brick Company, you’re giving second life to bricks and pavers that would otherwise end up as waste. This reduces carbon emissions from manufacturing new materials and adds historic character to your space.
3. Perfect for Period or Rustic Styles
Whether you’re building a traditional Victorian-style conservatory or a rustic greenhouse, reclaimed bricks and paving bring authentic charm that modern materials simply can’t match.
Best Reclaimed & New Materials for Heat Sinks
New Engineering Bricks
👉 Browse our New Engineering Bricks
These dense, heavy bricks were made to withstand industrial pressures — and they also happen to be fantastic thermal mass materials. Their density allows them to soak up heat slowly and release it gradually, exactly what you want in a heat sink.
Reclaimed Quarry Tiles & Paving
👉 Explore our Reclaimed Quarry Tiles
Terracotta or quarry tiles are famous for their thermal properties. Used for centuries in Mediterranean climates to keep buildings cool in the day and warm at night, these quarry tiles can do the same in your greenhouse floor.
Reclaimed Granite Setts & York Stone Paving
If you prefer natural stone underfoot, reclaimed granite setts or York stone slabs are both beautiful and functional. Their mass and density make them superb heat sinks, and they’ll develop a lovely weathered patina over time.
Where to Incorporate Heat Sinks in Your Greenhouse or Conservatory
1. Flooring
Laying your conservatory floor with reclaimed bricks, tiles, or paving gives you a large thermal mass right where it’s most effective — at ground level. Sunlight will hit the surface directly, heating it throughout the day.
2. Raised Beds
If you’re building raised planting beds inside your greenhouse, consider building them from reclaimed bricks. Not only will they look stunning, but they’ll also store heat close to plant roots, helping protect delicate species.
3. Feature Walls
In a lean-to greenhouse, the rear wall is a prime spot for a thermal mass wall. Use reclaimed bricks to build a wall that soaks up heat during the day and radiates it back into the greenhouse at night.
Design Tips for Maximum Heat Storage
Go Dark
Darker materials absorb more heat than lighter ones, so reclaimed red bricks, engineering bricks, or darker quarry tiles will work better than pale limestone.
Use Thickness to Your Advantage
The thicker your floor or wall, the more heat it can store. A brick floor with a sand bed underneath stores far more heat than thin tiles laid directly onto concrete.
Water + Brick = Power Duo
For the ultimate passive heating system, combine your reclaimed brickwork with water containers (like barrels painted black). Water holds more heat than any solid material, and combined with the bricks’ thermal mass, this creates a stable microclimate.
Real World Example: Victorian-Inspired Greenhouse
One of our customers recently transformed a modern polycarbonate greenhouse into a traditional Victorian-style greenhouse using reclaimed bricks for the lower walls and reclaimed quarry tiles for the floor. This combination not only looked incredible but added serious thermal stability. Even in early spring, the greenhouse stayed frost-free thanks to the retained heat from the day.
Benefits Beyond Heat
Aesthetic Charm
Nothing beats the look of genuine reclaimed bricks in a conservatory. Each brick has its own story, weathered edges, and subtle colour variations that no new brick can match.
Environmental Impact
By using reclaimed materials, you reduce demand for new production, cutting down on CO2 emissions and preserving valuable heritage materials.
Durability
Reclaimed bricks and pavers are incredibly tough. They’ve already withstood decades (sometimes centuries) of weather, making them more than capable of handling the temperature swings and humidity of a greenhouse.
What Products Should You Use?
Here’s a curated shortlist from Reclaimed Brick Company perfect for this type of project:
✅ Reclaimed Staffordshire Blue Bricks – Exceptional density and dark colour for maximum heat absorption.
✅ Reclaimed Quarry Tiles – Ideal for traditional flooring with excellent thermal mass.
✅ Reclaimed York Stone Paving – Durable, timeless, and great for large floor areas.
✅ Reclaimed Red Bricks – Perfect for raised beds or feature walls, adding warmth in every sense.
✅ Reclaimed Clay Paving Bricks – These versatile pavers offer both high thermal mass and excellent durability.
✅ Full Collection of Reclaimed Paving Bricks – Browse our full range of reclaimed paving bricks to find the perfect match for your greenhouse or conservatory project.
Conclusion
Whether you’re building a modern eco-greenhouse or a classic Victorian conservatory, reclaimed bricks and paving offer an authentic, sustainable, and highly practical way to regulate temperature naturally. By incorporating these salvaged materials into your design, you create a space that’s not only visually stunning but also passively energy-efficient — all while helping to reduce construction waste.
Explore our full range of reclaimed bricks, tiles, and paving at Reclaimed Brick Company and start designing a conservatory that works as beautifully as it looks.
