Good Hints and Tips On Brick-Making

GOOD TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT BRICKMAKING
WHAT ARE RAW MATERIALS?

This refers to cement, aggregate, water

GOOD TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT CEMENT
1. Always use a reputable cement e.g. Blue Circle, OPC, PCI
2. Cement doesnt like getting wet before it is used.
3. After one has made the blocks, bricks with the cement, then remember that they have to be watered
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in order to cure them.
4. In a block yard, the best way to store cement is in a silo, but unless you run a fair sized operation, you
cannot afford such a site for your cement.
5. When you get your cement in pockets, you should make a plan to store them in a shelter e.g. a shed.
Remember to put the first row of cement pockets on some wooden planks or something similar to
keep it off the floor as it tends to be damp there.
6. Also remember to use your cement on the basis of first in first out
7. It is important not to use old cement maximum period of tolerance is 3 months.
8. If you cannot afford a shed then it is important to store your pockets in stacks raised above the ground
and keep them completely covered in tarpaulins
9. Never use old cement

GOOD TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT AGGREGATES
1. Aggregates must be kept clean.
2. If possible store aggregate on a solid floor, e.g. a concrete floor.
3. Be careful not to mix looses ground in with aggregate when you dig into it.
4. Keep your aggregates in piles of the same sort.
5. Dont mix aggregates in the stockpiles only mix them when you put them into the mixing process.
6. Never use only very fine sand
7. Never use sand with clay content
8. Never use ordinary soil.

GOOD TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT WATER
1. Any drinking water is deemed suitable to be used in the brick making process.
2. Unsuitable drinking water may contain chemicals or impurities that will affect the strength of your
product.
3. A laboratory test will be able to tell you if your water contains harmful chemicals.
4. Never use brak water

HOW ARE THE RAW MATERIALS MIXED TOGETHER?
The above tips pertain to the storing of aggregates that you will be using in your block yard.
However the way in which they are mixed together is extremely important.

1. A good mix should compact well in order to make a dense block normally the denser the block , the
higher the strength
2. A good mix should extrude well from the mould and have enough internal cohesion not to crumble
during and after the extrusion.

The factors that will decide this are:

The mix proportions.

The grading (particle distribution) of the aggregates.

The amount of water added to the mix.
WHAT ARE THE MIX PROPORTIONS?

1. Start out with the stipulated proportions that are given to you- leave the experimenting until you have
sorted out general problems that tend to occur in your startup phase.
2. The mix ration of 8:1 is the recommended proportion for making bricks and blocks. Please understand
that this refers to equal parts for both the cement and the aggregate, i.e. 8 wheelbarrows of
aggregate mixed with 1 wheelbarrow of cement. Often a common mistake is mixing 8 wheelbarrows of
aggregate with 1 pocket of cement. Obviously this is not going to work.
3. If you are going to measure the cement with a tin for example be very sure as to how many tins fill
up a wheelbarrow!
4. Be sure that workers understand how to mix properly keep instructions on aggregate: cement ratios
very simple.
5. Mix thoroughly making sure there are no dry sections in your mix.
6. Add water slowly into the dry mix if you are mixing by hand.
7. If mixing with a pan mixer, first add the dry ingredients before adding the water.
8. Oxide is added before the water is added.

WHAT IS THE GRADING (PARTICLE DISTRIBUTION) OF THE AGGREGATES?

Sand and stone are fragments of rock and differ only in size.
Sand particles will pass through a sieve with 4.75mm square openings. Stone particles will not.
Sand and stone vary greatly in grading , shape and texture and together with the variations in the
performance of cement , can influence the strength of your final product.
Sometimes it is necessary to mix bad sand with another aggregate in order to equalize the proportion
of particles, in other words al particles end up being more or less the same size.
If your sand is not of a good quality , try adding a small amount of builders lime to your mixture to
improve the quality

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE VARIOUS TYPES OF AGGREGATES?

Here are some photos illustrating the various kinds of sand and stone sizes that you will come across:

1: 9 MM STONE

This stone cannot be used on its own for blockmaking.
This is a stone that mixes well will all other sands, however too much of it and you will create a problem so
experiment with it.

2: 6.7 MM STONE


This stone is another that cannot be used on its own for blockmaking.
This is a stone that mixes well will all other sands, however too much of it and you will create a problem so
experiment with it.

3: CRUSHER SAND

This type of sand, as the name implies, is produced in a crushing plant. It is a good sand for blockmaking as
it blends both with coarse as well as fine particles to give good finishes and cohesiveness.
It can be used as follows:
On its own
Blended with medium natural sand.
Blended with a medium natural sand & stone
Blended with a small proportion of stone
All sand particles will pass through a sieve with 4,75 mm square openings

4: COARSE NATURAL SAND


This sand is drawn from river beds or pits.
It is very good sand for block making.
Some types of river sand do not have enough fine particles in them.
If you find that this sand produces a mix that lacks cohesiveness blocks which crumble when demoulding
you will need to introduce some fine particles.
This sand can be used as follows:
Used on its own
Blended with a crusher sand
Blended with fine pit or plaster sand
In the case of economy, it may be necessary to introduce a small amount of stone, however if the
main sand is very coarse , the stone is better left out.

5: MEDIUM NATURAL SAND

This sand is also found in river beds or pits.
It tends to be somewhat difficult to use in mixes, as it is lacking in coarse and fine particles.
This kind of sand can be used as follows:
Blended with crusher sand
Blended with stone
If used with crusher sand, it is possible to add a small amount of stone.

6: FINE PIT OR PLASTER SAND

This sand is normally found in pits
It is made up of primarily very small , fine particles.
Blended with coarse natural sand
Blended with a medium natural sand
Blended with small stone
If blended with a sand mixture , it is possible to introduce a small amount of stone- especially if
blended with the medium natural sand
Crusher sand does not normally go very well with this sand

7: BEACH, DUNE OR SEA SAND

This sand is normally found on beaches or in the coastal regions.
By using this sand only, it will result in a mix that does not want to compact properly in the mould.
It is difficult to extract and shows poor strength. It is very difficult, dead sand.
Blended with a crusher sand
Blended with coarse natural sand and pit/plaster sand.
Blended with pit/plaster and stone
A small amount of stone can also be blended in with the first two alternatives if this practical.
This sand should be kept well away from medium natural sand

THE AMOUNT OF WATER ADDED TO THE MIX

WATER CEMENT RATIO
It has been established that, other things being equal, the strength of concrete depends on the relevant
proportion of water and cement.
The higher the proportion of water, the weaker the concrete.
The quantity of water per 50kg of cement pocket of cement should be 0.40 x 50 kg or 20 litres.
The mixes used in blockmaking are semi dry.
The water acts as a lubricant permitting greater compaction of the concrete under pressure and vibration.
The best way to judge whether enough water has been added to the mix is by doing the following simple
test:
1. Make a ball of concrete in your hand
2. If the mix is too dry, a ball cannot be formed because the mix is too crumbly
3. If it is too wet, the ball loses its shape and considerable moisture sticks to the hands
4. If the moisture content is about right, the ball can be formed and a slight water sheen can be noted on
the surface of the concrete.
5. If your mix sticks to the floor- it is too wet.

Another quick check is to take a handful of the mix and rub it against a steel bar and observe the glisten and
compaction of the rubbed surface.
Try and measure how much water is added to the mixture, so that you can establish the correct amount of
water needed in the mixture.
This can still vary however depending on the amount of the moisture content in the aggregates which also
varies from time to time.

STRENGTH AND QUALITY
The South African Bureau of Standards requires nominal strengths of 7 MPa for solid bricks and
3.5 MPa for hollow blocks.
Every city should have a lab facility for testing blocks. Ask at your local cement distributor.
The lab in P.E. is LABCO (Tel; 041-4611832)
Ideally, blocks should be laboratory tested for strength. However this is not always possible especially
in rural areas.
The block density is a good indicator of strength. By weighing the block, you will be able to ascertain
its density and strength. The heaviest block will be the densest and strongest.
The next step in assessing the strength of your block is to look out for breakages to corners and edges
of cured blocks- if the block breaks when handled , they are clearly too weak.
Strength can also be assessed by knocking two blocks together after curing and drying out.
A ringing sound indicates good strength while a hollow thud probably means that the blocks are too
weak.
Also, look at the surface of the blocks. If the texture is too smooth, reduce the amount of fine material
in the mix, if it is too coarse- increase the amount of fine material.

SETTING UP THE BRICKYARD

1. FEASIBILITY STUDY
It is essential to do a feasibility study before you set up a block yard
Determine what the demand for blocks is in the area and also find out what competition there is in the
area
It is important to draw up a simple business plan to establish basic costs
Factors which influence unit costs include the following:

Purchase price or rental
Cost of any site improvements- fencing, paved areas for production and stockpiles, pathways,
roadways
Cost of Equipment, concrete mixer, blockmaking machine, miscellaneous equipment, e.g.
wheelbarrows and trolleys and tools.
Cost of services: water and electricity
Material Costs (Presume that 1 m3 of looses aggregate will yield 0,7 m3 of block volume)
Wastage
Maintenance costs of site and equipment
Output: number of blocks per day
Labour costs
Cost of finance

2. SELECTING A SITE
In selecting a site, consider location, access, ground slope and size.
LOCATION
This should be considered in relation to:
Supply of raw materials
Market for blocks
Location of the labour force
Security of the area
Availability of services, i.e. roads, water, sewerage, electricity , etc.
ACCESS
The site must be accessible to trucks delivering aggregates and cement and collecting finished blocks.

GROUND SLOPE
Ideally, the site should be level or nearly so.
Steep slopes make handling and production difficult.
Terracing a steep slope is expensive.

3. ESTABLISHING THE SITE
This site should have provision for stockpiling aggregates and storing cement, a production area, a
stacking area, staff facilities, an office and access between different areas and facilities:

Aggregate Stockpiles
Aggregates must be stored in such a way that they do not become contaminated by soil, leaves etc
Ideally different aggregates should be separated by partitions and it must be ensured that rainwater
is able to drain away by keeping the aggregate stockpiles; this can help to drain the water away.
Ideally aggregates should be stockpiled on a concrete slab.
If this is not possible, the layer of aggregate in contact with the soil should not be used for
production
Aggregates should not be stockpiled under trees
Partitions should be erected between piles of different types of aggregate.

Cement Store
The best way to store cement is in a silo.
For smaller blockyards, this is too expensive and cement should be stored in the bags in which it is
delivered in a weather proof room/area.
Bags should be stacked on a plastic tarpaulin or on closely spaced wooden strips so that they do not
absorb damp from the floor.
There should be space in this area to store about a weeks supply of cement.
At the very least, cement should be stored in stacks raised above the ground and completely covered
with tarpaulins.

Production Area
The size of this area depends on the method of producing blocks
A stationary machine, which uses pallets, needs a relatively small area with space around it for
operators.
A mobile egg laying machine needs a fairly large slab on which blocks are made
Details of laying a production slab;
1 A flat concrete slab , big enough for at least two days production is required
2 As a rough guideline, a slab of 50m2 in area is suitable for a production of 1 000 bricks or 200 blocks
3 The block production should have a minimum slope of 1 in 100 to ensure proper drainage
4 The minimum thickness of the slab is normally 125mm. In the case of producing with a small had
operated machine, a thickness of 100mm could be considered.
5 Large production machines may require a minimum slab of 150 mm
6 If you intend to mix the concrete yourself, the following proportions should be used;

7. The amount of water is not given in the table because it depends on the materials used.
Use enough water to make a workable mix that can be properly compacted.
8. When ordering concrete from a ready mix suppliers specify a strength of30 MPa at 28 days and 19
mm stone. Slump should be 75 mm if the concrete is to be hand compacted by mechanical
vibration and 125 m for hand compaction
9. To prevent uncontrolled cracking of the slab, it should be divided into panels which should be kept as
square or as close to square as possible.
10. It is not necessary to reinforce the panels with steel rods or mesh.

Stacking Area
An area big enough to stack two weeks production is needed for curing and drying
To avoid muddy conditions, a layer of concrete stone, about 100 mm thick should be enough.

Staff Facilities
These include toilets, ablutions, and perhaps change rooms
Minimum requirements of local authorities should be met.

Office
An office should be provided for all but the smallest of yards

Size of Stone- mm

Proportions by volume

Cement Sand Stone
19,0 or 26.5 1 2 2
1 bag 75 L 75 L
13,2 1 2 1 1/3
1 bag 75 L 55 L

Size of Stone

Quantities per cubic metre of concrete

Cement
-bags
Sand
m 3
Stone
m 3

19,0 or 26,5 8,7 0,7 0,7
13,2 10 0,8 0,8

Wall Foundations- 20mm stone

Ordinary grade concrete for walkway
paving, steps, light duty floors, general
re-inforced concrete work- 20 mm stone

Higher grade concrete for driveways &
carports, flagstones & other precast
units , important precast concrete work-
20 mm stone

Higher grade concrete using 10 mm
stone , for thin precast work, slabs &
flagstones less than 50 mm thick ,
garden fence posts

TINS
1

1

1

1
TINS
4

3

2

2

TINS
4

3

2

1.5

On site Access
Pathways and roadways between the different parts of the yard should be wide enough for
barrows, trolleys or trucks and this area may have to be paved or covered with aggregate to
make them usable in wet weather.
Paving would in any case be necessary where trolleys are to be used to move blocks.

4. EQUIPMENT
Block yard equipment consists essentially of: a means of moulding blocks, a concrete mixer and various
general purpose tools and equipment.

BLOCKMAKING EQUIPMENT
1. There are two basic types; stationary machines that mould blocks, one or more at a
time , on pallets or egg laying machines that mould blocks on a concrete slab.
2. Both types come in differing sizes from small hand operated devices , which have
limited output , and a range of electrically powered machines of high output.
3. Doubell Machines are available from the small QAA range, through the very popular
J J MK2 AND J J MK3 ranges to the very successful Hyperstat range.
4. Machinery can either be manually operated or electrically operated, depending on
the needs of the customer.
5. Please check the brochure of the Doubell machinery which gives an idea of expected
daily production as well as costing on the production

ADVANTAGES OF STATIONARY MACHINES-
A relatively small space is needed for production
DISADVANTAGES OF STATIONARY MACHINE-
This machine needs pallets upon which to make the bricks/blocks/pavers.
Pallets are expensive initially to purchase and can increase the set up cost.
Pallets also need to be replaced as they can become damaged or stolen

ADVANTAGES OF EGG LAYING MACHINE MACHINES-
Pallets are not necessary
DISADVANTAGES OF EGG LAYING MACHINE MACHINES-
A fairly large slab is needed for production of blocks.
The slab is expensive to lay and increases the size of the site necessary for a blockyard.

PAN MIXERS
Although it is possible to make blocks on a small scale without a concrete mixer, output is limited
and the mixing may not always be thorough.
Hand mixing should be done with shovels on a concrete slab or flat steel sheet.
Never mix by hand directly on the ground as this can cause contamination of the mix.
Panmixers, with their forced mixing action can cope with the semi dry mixes used for making
blocks. Drum mixes do not work because they require a wetter mix.
The output of the mixer should match that of the blockmaking machine.
The Doubell range of Panmixers can compliment any brickyard, by speeding up the mixing
process. The mixers are durable and reasonably priced.

OTHER EQUIPMENT
This includes wheelbarrows, batching containers, trolleys (for moving blocks), shovels, hosepipes
and plastic sheeting.

5. MATERIALS FOR BLOCKMAKING
Materials for blockmaking have been discussed previously under the headings;
Cement
Aggregate
Water

6. MIXES
*The aim should be to find a mix that will produce blocks that have an acceptable texture and be strong
enough, but as cheap as possible. Because cement is more expensive than aggregates, the lower the
cement content the cheaper the block.
The strength of well cured blocks depends on;
Aggregate: cement ratio
Degree of compaction
The degree of compaction depends on:
Overall grading of the aggregates
Aggregate: cement ratio
Water content
Compactive effort
The strength depends on a number of interrelated factors
The ideal mix which suits a particular blockyard has to be found out through trial and error
using the equipment in the blockyard.

Starting Points;
1. General Information;
1 Pocket cement = 50 Kg
1 wheelbarrow holds +/- 100 Kg sand/grit
1 m3 sand weighs +/- 1600 Kg = =/- 16 wheelbarrows
1 wheelbarrow of cement = =/- 2 pockets cement
Therefore 5 wheelbarrows of sand to 1 pocket cement is a 10:1 mix
And 4 wheelbarrows of sand to 1 pocket of cement is a 8:1 mix

2. Recommended Ratios:
Start with an 8: 1 mix. This is 2 pockets of cement to 8 wheelbarrows of aggregate
After 7 days, test for soundness- this is done by knocking two blocks together. If they make a
ringing sound it shows good strength. If they make a dull thus, it shows poor strength. If a
greater strength is required, use a stronger mix, i.e. 1: 6 mix. Which is 2 pockets of cement
mixed with 6 wheelbarrows of aggregate
If a lower strength is needed, use a 10: 1 mix. This is 2 pockets of cement mixed with 10
wheelbarrows of aggregate
If a large number of bricks are cracked in each days production, this is a good indication of a
poor mix. Too little cement or poor compaction

3. Examples of Recommended Proportions
A. Reservoirs , tanks, dams and other waterproof structures
1 part cement to 4.5 parts sand
1 part cement to 3 parts sand and 2 parts stone
1 part cement to 5 parts grit
B. External Walls to houses, factories etc. including face bricks or paving stone
1 part cement to 7 parts sand
1 part cement to 8 parts grit
1 part cement to 2 parts stone and 7 parts grit
C. General purpose interior walls, stables and sheds etc
1 part cement to 10 parts sand
1 part cement to 8 parts grit and 2 parts stone
1 part cement to 4 parts ash and 7 parts sand/grit

Colouring of units
Oxide is used to colour your mix.
It is available for sale in bags from various distributors, e.g. Bayferrox or Protea chemicals.
The Bayferrox toll free number is 0800 203 124
About 1 Kg of oxide is added per wheelbarrow of dry mix- again this is a trial and error exercise
depending on the colour that you want to obtain.
Adjust the oxide to suit your desired colour
The oxide is added to the dry mix and mixed thoroughly before adding the water (also note that a
little more water is necessary when using oxide)

Stacking and Curing
After +/- 3 Hours the bricks/blocks must be sprayed lightly with water so as to keep them damp until
stacking, which is done after 24 Hours.
For the next few days the stock pile must be kept wet and if possible covered with old sacks, grass or
anything that would prevent them from drying out in the initial stages.
Bricks/ blocks should not be used for a minimum of 10 days preferable 20 days for the best results.

Other information on brickmaking is available from Portland Cement Institute.

7. PRODUCTION
Aggregates and cement should be ordered in good time. Stocks should be sufficient to prevent stoppages
due to lack of material.
As a rough guide using an aggregate: cement ratio of 8:1 by loose volumes, three and a half bags of
cement and a cubic metre of aggregate will be enough to make about 400 bricks.
The number of blocks produces from the same quantity of material will depend on block size and whether
they are solid or hollow.

Mixing
Hand mixing should be done with shovels on a level concrete slab or steel plate.
First spread the aggregate out to 50 to 100 mm thick. Then distribute the cement, and stone if any,
evenly over the surface and mix. Continue with this process until the right amount of water has been
mixed in.
For machine mixing, first mix aggregate and cement then add water gradually while mixing until water
content is correct.

Stacking and Curing
After +/- 3 Hours the bricks/blocks must be sprayed lightly with water so as to keep them damp until
stacking, which is done after 24 Hours.
For the next few days the stock pile must be kept wet and if possible covered with old sacks, grass or
anything that would prevent them from drying out in the initial stages.
Bricks/ blocks should not be used for a minimum of 10 days preferable 20 days for the best results.
Other information on brickmaking is available from Portland Cement Institute.

8. QUALITY CONTROL
Quality of bricks should be controlled so that strengths are adequate to avoid breakages or
rejects. Mixes should be as economical as possible. Ideally, blocks should be regularly tested for
strength and mixes and production modified as necessary.
Strength can be assessed by knocking 2 blocks together and listening for the ringing sound which
shows a good strength block. A dull thud probably means that they are too weak.
Shrinkage- Concrete masonry units shrink slightly after manufacture. In order to avoid this
happening in the wall, blocks should be allowed to dry out for at least seven days before being used for
construction.

As a brief guide to your costing, the following information is also given:

SIZE POCKET OF CEMENT NUMBER OF BLOCKS
190 x 190 x 390 1 +/- 30
140 x 190 x 390 1 +/- 35
190 x 190 x 390 1 +/- 42
Stock Bricks 73 x 105 x 220 1 +/- 200
Paving Bricks 100 x 200 x 55 1 +/- 300


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GOOD TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND ABOUT BRICKMAKING

WHAT ARE RAW MATERIALS?

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