Making Clay Bricks

Published Categorized as Journal

There are plenty of different ways to make your driveway look wonderful. It is possible to pave it or you can cover it in gravel or you can make use of cobblestones. You can also simply use cement or leave it grass or dirt if you actually want to. It all depends on what you like and what your budget it. One thing that is often used is paving pricks. These are frequently made from clay of some kind.

Making clay bricks is actually a rather technical process that needs to be carried out correctly. If any of the steps are missed then your bricks do not set correctly and also the paving won’t be as durable as it should as the bricks will disintegrate. If the bricks are baked for too much time then the colour won’t be uniform and the bricks will likely be too dry and will fall apart. For more information on paving go to http://www.bosun.co.za.

The first thing that needs to happen before any paving with clay bricks can be done is the clay for your bricks must be mixed. The actual proportions of the various elements has to be correct for the brick to stand the test of time. If an excessive amount of sand is actually added the brick is going to be crumbly and if too much water is added the brick won’t set correctly.

The mixture is then poured in to moulds that are the shape the manufacturer wants the bricks to be. There are a few different shapes that can be used so the manufacturer has to know more or less what sort of demand there is for the different choices and be sure that the appropriate bricks are made. Not having sufficient bricks of a particular shape could result in a loss of business whilst having too many may cause an increase in storage expenses that may be difficult to carry.

When the mixture has been poured it needs to set. This is completed by way of massive baking ovens where the bricks are placed on a conveyor belt and therefore are passed through the actual ovens. By the time the actual brick comes out the other end it is baked and solid. If the oven is not warm enough the brick will not set all the way through and may have weak points. If the oven is too hot the actual paving bricks might crack within the heat due to the expansion that heat causes in all things.

As you can tell, there is a lot that has to be completed to make the paving bricks on your paved driveway that you might take for granted. It is essential to ensure that each portion of the procedure is carried out very carefully and fully so that the bricks are a high quality and will stand the test of time. Any kind of deviation can cause an entire batch of bricks to be lost and costs a lot of money. These types of mistakes are avoided where ever possible. Next time you look at your paved driveway remember just how much effort went into making those bricks and be glad they were made correctly.