HISTORY OF THE CLAY BRICK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HISTORY OF THE CLAY BRICK - Essay Example Clay bricks have been in use as building material even before the Roman periods. However  its use  increased in the first four centuries during the Roman rule. This is a one of the outstanding structures of a beehive made out of bricks. Characteristics of bricks Bricks as a building material boast of being versatile due to its very good climatic uniqueness. For most people, it remains the material that is most preferred for constructing most residential houses. In addition, bricks have an excellent fire rating as well as being able weatherproof against extreme weather changes. It also has good auditory properties since it can hold sound within a desired area. Moreover, besides all that it is cheap because it’s worth amounts to about 10 percent of the total charges of a classic residential structure. This low cost and durability of brick buildings make it to be more valued (Kanti, 2008). Brick making in the old days As Harrison (1998) observes, bricks are usually modeled fr om sticky soil known as clay which is  derived from weathered and composed silicates. In early times, brick making was undertaken by small groups of people particularly men who prepared brick by combining water and soil. After casting out bricks from the brick moulds, it was then allowed to loose moisture. Bricks were thereafter placed in a fire furnace that would burn out water content at very high temperatures of between 400 to 1770 degrees Celsius.