Brick

A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in <a href="/facts/Masonry/TlaDzpUp">masonry</a> construction. Properly, the term brick denotes a unit primarily composed of <a href="/facts/Clay/xnwouEkB">clay</a>. But is now also used informally to denote building units made of other materials or other chemically cured construction blocks. Bricks can be joined using <a href="/facts/Mortar_(masonry)/UsDMxYAh">mortar</a>, adhesives or by interlocking. Bricks are usually produced at <a href="/facts/Brickworks/BuG91Jps">brickworks</a> in numerous classes, types, materials, and sizes which vary with region, and are produced in bulk quantities.
<a href="/facts/Concrete_masonry_unit/kpnN48EV">Block</a> is a similar term referring to a rectangular building unit composed of clay or concrete, but is usually larger than a brick. Lightweight bricks (also called lightweight blocks) are made from <a href="/facts/Expanded_clay_aggregate/FfhCt1Fh">expanded clay aggregate</a>.

Fired bricks are one of the longest-lasting and strongest <a href="/facts/Building_material/Kk7GB0KY">building materials</a>, sometimes referred to as artificial stone, and have been used since c. 4000 BC. Air-dried bricks, also known as <a href="/facts/Mudbrick/WVTq2bae">mudbricks</a>, have a history older than fired bricks, and have an additional ingredient of a mechanical binder such as straw.
Bricks are laid in courses and numerous patterns known as bonds, collectively known as <a href="/facts/Brickwork/Gt2lU5SJ">brickwork</a>, and may be laid in various kinds of <a href="/facts/Mortar_(masonry)/UsDMxYAh">mortar</a> to hold the bricks together to make a durable structure.

Brick open-in-new

Brick