Bricks have passed the test of time in any climate. It has good insulation capabilities. Brick is suitable for both hot and cold weather. The basic material used in making bricks was created from nature.
A brick may be a small four-sided block, which is commonly made out of burnt or sun-dried clay and utilized in the development of walls, roadways and other features in masonry construction.
Most bricks are made out of clay. Clay is easily workable when wet and can be formed into any shape. A brick is created by wetting clay, pressing it into a mold, this mold would turn it into blocks. These blocks are then fired in a kiln until they are hard.
Bricks are made by mixing wet clay with other ingredients like water, sand bearing soil and other concrete materials. The mixture is then molded into the desired shape, then the brick is dried and fired.
While the form of a brick is essential, the brick dimensions are of greater importance. Bricks are utilized in many sorts of construction, each of which demands a specific size of brick. In Kenya, the standard brick size is 225 mm by 110 mm by 75 mm. Having a 10 mm mortar joint thickness, the sizes sum up to 235 mm by 120 mm by 85 mm.
The process involves in brick making consists of:
- Gathering of raw materials.
- Crushing and grinding of the raw materials.
- Mixing the raw materials to produce your clay.
- Mounding and firing.
- Packaging for sale.
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Brick Sizes in Kenya
The process of creating bricks usually involves mixing clay, molding, drying, and burning of the blocks to harden them. When you make use of building bricks, you don’t need to use any extra coating to finish it.
Brick dimensions are specified as “length by depth by height”. Some common brick sizes in Kenya are:
- Blocks which are 440 mm by (varies) by 215 mm. They are designed with a hollow core, this makes them lighter, and it improves their insulation.
- Norwegian bricks, which are 295 mm by 92 mm by 71 mm. They are used to construct load bearing walls.
- Modular bricks, which are 194 mm by 92 mm by 57 mm. Usually used for the construction of residential houses.
- Queen bricks which are 244 mm by 79 mm by 70 mm.
- Closure bricks which are 194 min by 92 mm by 92 mm. They are used to finish off the construction of a wall, specifically at the corners.
- Monarch bricks, which are 397 mm by 92 mm by 92 mm. They are used for long stretches of walls.
- Double monarch bricks, which are 397 mm by 92 mm by 194 mm. They are used to make sturdier walls.
- Norman bricks, which are 295 mm by 92 mm by 57 mm.
Standard Size of Brick in Kenya
The standard brick sizes are given to the brick making industry by the government. This is done to maintain the uniformity in the size of bricks.
The rules of the government determine the standard brick sizes. In Kenya, the standard brick size is 225 mm by 110 mm by 75 mm. Having a 10 mm mortar joint thickness, the sizes sum up to 235 mm by 120 mm by 85 mm.
Brick Making Machine In Kenya
A brick making machine is a machine that creates bricks by using hydraulic pressure and electrical vibrations. These machines are one of the most important machines in the construction industry because all the paving blocks, curb stones, solid blocks, etc. are made using these brick making machines.
The average price of a brick making machine in Kenya ranges from Ksh. 30,000 to Ksh.400,000.
Brick making machines are made with different systems and prices, but the process of making bricks is the same in all of them. The brick making machines apply pressure to concrete mortar and compresses it into different shapes.
Every brick making machine manufacturer produces the machine based on international standards. A brick making machine’s capacity is determined by the number of blocks it can make in one cycle.
There are different brick making machines for different types of bricks. For example, there are brick making machines that produce only hollow blocks, there are some that produce only paving blocks, etc.
Brick making machines have up to 600 different molds. You need to know that there are different additives that can be added to the brick mortar to make these blocks. Each additive gives an extra feature to the mortar. You need to know what is in demand in the market so that you can make the right choice of additive for your brick making business.
The brick making machine has different names supporting its production.
Brick Making Machine Price in Kenya
There are many ways you can categorize bricks. One way to categorize them is by the materials used to make them. This is a list of the types of bricks:
- Burnt clay brick: made out of clay which is molded, dried and fired in a kiln.
- Fly ash brick: made out of a combination of fly ash and clay, which is fired at an extremely high temperature.
- Fire bricks: made out of hearth clay. They are designed to have very high-temperature tolerance.
- Sand lime bricks: made out of a combination of sand, lime, and water.
- Concrete bricks: these are made from a mixture of Portland cement, water, and an aggregate.
Brick making machines are made with different systems and prices, but the process of making bricks is the same in all of them. The brick making machines apply pressure to concrete mortar and compresses it into different shapes.
The average price of a brick making machine in Kenya ranges from Ksh. 30,000 to Ksh.400,000.
