I get the appeal of old brick, but sometimes it’s just beyond saving—especially if it’s uneven or crumbling. I’d be careful about trying to incorporate it unless you’re sure it’s stable.
That’s solid advice. If you want to keep any of the old brick, I’d suggest testing a few spots—tap them with a hammer or screwdriver and see if they hold up. If most of it’s loose or powdery, it’s probably time to start over. Sometimes you can salvage a few pieces for edging or a small accent, but I wouldn’t rely on them for anything structural. The spoon thing is wild... I once found an old toy car under a patio slab—never know what’ll turn up.
I hear you on not trusting old brick for anything load-bearing. When we started digging up the backyard, I found a section of brick that looked fine at first—until I tried to pull one up and half of it just crumbled in my hand. Ended up keeping a few of the better ones for a little garden border, but most just weren’t worth saving. Sometimes the nostalgia’s not enough to make up for how much work it’d take to restore stuff like that.
