SIZES AND WEIGHTS OF BRICKS
The Indian Standards Institution, New Delhi has specified standard bricks of 19 cm × 9 cm × 9 cm with 1 cm thick mortar joints (the size of brick with mortar joints becomes 20 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm). Brick tiles should be 19 cm × 9 cm × 4 cm in size.
The minimum compressive strength of the standard brick has been specified as 35 kg/sq cm, however, different state PWD’s have adopted different sizes. A few of them are given below:
In UP : Brick size 24 cm × 11.4 cm × 7 cm
Number of bricks used per cubic metre of masonry – 476.
In Punjab PWD : Brick size 23 cm × 11 cm × 7 cm
Number of bricks used per cubic metre – 536.
In Punjab Irrigation : Brick size 23 cm × 11 cm × 7 cm
Number of bricks used per cubic metre – 560.
Bricks should be of such size that it could be easily burnt to the core and its weight should be such that the mason could conveniently lift and place it with one hand without fatigue.
In general the length of brick should be twice the width plus the thickness of one mortar joint.
Brick is considered by building professionals to be one of the most environmentally friendly building materials on the market
So what is brick, and how is it made? Bricks are:
Bricks made from clay are the most common. The clay is mixed with sand and then mixed with water. Then, the clay is pressed into steel moulds and heated at 1,000° centigrade, which locks in the strength of the brick.
Bricks of Chaudhary Bhatta Company look like this
SIZE : 9 X 3 X 4.6 Inchs
Here are some fun facts about bricks:
Bricks are great insulators. They store heat energy from the sun during the day and release heat for several hours after the sun has set. In hot climates, this thermal lag can translate into energy savings and increased comfort for the occupants.
Brick is known for its durability – it can withstand severe wind and extreme weather conditions.
The Great Wall of China, constructed around 210 BCE, is made of 3,873,000,000 individual bricks.
The natural color of a brick is determined by the mineral content of the clay used. For example, a red brick is made of clay with high iron content. A pale color brick most likely had higher lime content in the clay.
In addition to the mineral content of the clay, a brick’s color can also be influenced by the temperature when firing – the higher the temperature, the darker the brick.