Types of Bricks

The units of masonry we call bricks

A brick is a building material mostly used for construction of walls and pavements. Traditionally the term brick specifically referred to clay bricks but with the rise of mortar (a mixture of sand, water and cement) blocks, the term has grown to refer to any block that is used in construction. There are thousands of types of bricks when classified by size, shape material and different methods of manufacture. Using the mentioned criteria, bricks can be classified as;

1.        Mud Bricks: Mud bricks are simple bricks made of a mixture of water, mud, sand and sometimes loam using straw as a binding material. Mud bricks are normally hand molded and air-dried. Mud bricks are relatively weaker in terms of lifespan and comprehensive strength. This type of bricks are the oldest and perhaps the very first made, they are still of widespread use in rural parts of the globe.

2.        Fired Bricks: this type of bricks are by far the most diverse as they have various methods of manufacture, material composition, size and method of shaping. The key ingredients of fired bricks are sand, alumina (clay) and lime, The materials used vary according to the intended use. Fired bricks are industrially produced so hand molding is not the most economic method of shaping, they are normally machine molded or extruded (forced through an opening in order to shape). Fired bricks get their name from how they are dried, after shaping bricks are dried in a kiln (an oven) but with advancements in technology, bricks can be pressure dried. Fired bricks can be customized for paving, fencing, traditional wall building or even decorative building.

3.        Concrete Bricks: otherwise referred to mortar (any kind of paste used as aggregate when building) bricks. This type of bricks vary in accordance to the composition of the mortar, the size and the shape. The basic materials in mortar include Cement as a binding agent, sand, water and sometimes lime. Concrete bricks are machine molded and air-dried. This type of bricks are normally used for construction of interior of walls and fences. Customized concrete blocks are also used for paving.

Visit the home of Blues Bricks and Paving at Masowe 2 to find Concrete blocks at different shapes and sizes including much much more.