Brick Wall

Brick wall has been surpassed by precast concrete fencing technology. (Request pricing and additional information here.) However, as brick wall is still used, this article explains the elements, positives, and negatives of brick wall as well as the history and future of brick wall.

Brick wall dates back to 3000 BC as a part of construction and building. Although the materials and styles today are different, the concepts and ideas of making brick walls have actually changed very little.

Brick in Wall Construction

The basic building parts of the brick wall are individual bricks and filling mortar. A brick is a ceramic block made of oven or furnace fired material, most commonly clay or ground shale. Bricks are also called compressed earth blocks, or CEBs, because of their material and their manufacturing process. Brick wall fabrication requires stability of each brick to create an enduring finished product. Thus, oven/furnace temperatures must be precise and the size and shape of individual bricks needs to be consistent.

To achieve these standards, one of two forming methods is employed. The first method, deemed the “soft method,” is when clay bricks are formed in a mold. The mold for the brick is removed after the element within has dried. The second, more frequent method, called the “stiff mud method,” is when material is pulled through a manufacturing die. Whether single or multi-part die machinery is utilized, the die allows for brick casting to work more continuously. After the material passes through the die, a wire is used to cut the brick into a consistent dimension (Wikipedia).

Regardless of the method used to create the brick, dampened clay needs to be cast with high levels of pressure. Known as hydraulically pressed bricks, systems may apply pressure via hydraulics. When such pressure is properly applied, the brick and subsequent wall will have a less penetrable interior and exterior.
Builders want such durability and stability in both their bricks and walls because these characteristics contribute to the longevity of their work. The damp earth material, that has now been formed and pressed, is ready to be dried and heated. The pressure and heat applied have created a brick that resists outdoor conditions including weather and use. Additionally, the heat, from the oven, furnace, or kiln, is carefully monitored so that the brick achieves the ideal strength. Modern brick making employs the use of a continuously fired kiln; such a kiln ensures that formed bricks move gradually on a conveyor belt (Wikipedia).

When the brick has been produced through one of these two methods listed above as well as through the pressure and heating processes, it is ready for use.

History of Brick Wall

Geologists and anthropologists date brick wall manufacture back to 3000 BC. During this time, the Egyptian society practiced methods of brick making in various forms and sizes. These brick walls were built with mud brick and did not require any type of cement or mortar. The spaces in the brick wall were filled with mixtures of water, straw and bitumen. There were many other cultures that used similar mud bricks for construction, including the Indians. Interestingly, the modern brick standards stem from the Indus Valley civilization brick size: a ratio of 4:2:1.

The use of mortar in brick wall construction grew from the Roman Empire. With this great surge in brick and mortar use, the brick industry began to thrive increasingly. Such Roman technology is present today in Europe and other parts of the world. European works show this brick and mortar technology extensively in baroque and gothic period construction.

Today, three main types of brick are used in almost all brick fence wall construction: clay brick, concrete block, and calcium silicate brick.  Standard brick size is close in dimension to the ancient Indus Valley civilization and measures 8” x 4” x 2.25.” Currently, colored bricks are produced from tinted concrete, and moreover, are molding and casting techniques can result in the resemblance of standard clay brick quite well.

Brick wall construction, although popular, does have some significant drawbacks. Because bricks are made from compressed earth, they have a higher water absorbency rate than comparable products, such as concrete block walls, and thus a shorter life span. Also, when constructing a brick wall, each individual brick must be mortared and placed manually, which creates very high labor costs associated with the installation of a brick wall.
Future of Brick Wall.

A preferable alternate to the brick wall is a precast concrete fence wall. The StoneTree precast concrete wall system built with the AFTEC concrete wall forming machine offers augmented resilience beyond traditional brick wall or stone fence. Furthermore, StoneTree precast brick fence decrease expenses as a three man crew can install up to 1,000 feet of a six-foot high StoneTree wall per day.

Enjoy the professional look provided by StoneTree precast walls including multiple types of stone, rock, concrete stucco walls, slate, brick, and various additional architectural designs. These precast walls are produced on both sides of the wall via the vertically cast form system.