I have what I think used to be an old milk chute near my side door. It's pretty rusty & we have no use for it. Can that be removed & bricked in?
Answer
Yes, it can absolutely be removed and bricked in, and it’s a very common repair on older homes in metro Detroit.
The metal milk chute (or door) is fully removed, not just capped or covered.
Any loose or damaged surrounding bricks are taken out so the opening has clean, solid edges.
New brick and mortar are installed to infill the opening & tied into the existing wall so it’s structurally sound & looks seamless.
Once done correctly, it eliminates a water entry point, rust staining, drafts, and pests—all problems milk chutes are notorious for.
Lastly something you should be aware of. Sometimes those old milk chutes can go all the way through the wall so they could be opened from the inside as well. If that’s the case you’ll need to have some drywall put over the opening on the inside once the milk chute is removed. Sometimes people don’t think about that part but we do this type of repair often so it’s our job to tell you about the scenarios you may find yourself in so you can make an informed decision about how you want to approach your masonry repair. Hope this helps.
