What makes a Brick, BRICK?

    What makes a Brick, BRICK?

TANN! TANN!

“I do not have to build a perfect wall today. I just have to lay a perfect brick.”

                                                                              Will Smith

World’s most used and trustworthy forms of building materials that can tolerate the test of time and harshest environmental conditions is a clay-based, BRICK! A good quality brick is energy-efficient, cost-effective; long lasting, weather-resistant, and aesthetically contributes to the interior and exterior layout of a building.

Only a brick can make a dream into a house!

Plenty of planning is required while building a sustainable and comfortable home. The right quality material is going to decide the comfort level and age of a house.

Here are Some Practical Tricks to help you pick the “First Class Brick” or “Awal Quality Eenth”:

The brick that sounds “tann”- First things first look for the metallic ring sound when you strike two bricks together. This is an extremely important feature to look for. If the sound comes out just right without breaking the bricks and you hear the sound of resonating “tann” entering your ears, trust me, this is your right choice! This means the brick has been baked at optimum temperature and made with the right quality and quantity of materials.

Color is not the criteria- Bricks have beautiful earthy color tones, from vintage red to tan brown. Many people fall victim to this idea that color indicates the superior quality brick but as per the experts don’t judge a book by its cover. Even so, if the brick is cooked at the right temperatures, the color is not necessarily a quality measuring criteria. But when you are making a purchase it is better to buy bricks with uniform color tone, mostly of cherry or dark red color.

Water Absorption Test- For clay brick, the optimum water absorption level is 12% to 20% of its dry weight. It is seen that it is normal practice to water bricks profusely for 24 hours. The term is usually regarded as “Tarai Karna” to determine the water absorption level. If the brick is of the right composition and of good quality, it will absorb the right amount of water and will give out the excess amount. This is another indication of “Awal Quality” brick.

Brick can make it or break it. If it is not of first-class quality it either deforms or turns into muddy substance.

One of the most significant features of a long-lasting brick is to prevent the house from water logging ensuring the long life of any building.

Texture Test- Generally and most commonly used test for checking a quality brick is by breaking it into two pieces with force and test uniform texture inside, and no lime lumps foaming on the surface.

Shape and Size- A brick has a uniform rectangular shape with sharp and straight parallel edges with square corners and a smooth surface.

Cement Adhesive- If the brick has all of the above-named qualities that allow it to make an adhesive, strong bond when plastered with cement, to form a durable and resistant gray structure of a building.

Here are some of the practical tests shortlisted out of many, learned from professional masons that every buyer must perform before you make a purchase. These simple and short tricks will help you figure out the first quality brick that is strong, durable, and cost-effective. 

“In short, a brick that will hold firmly to the ground.”

Stay tuned for more short and simple tips about house building materials.

Save time. Save money.