Bricks have been used for millennia in the construction of buildings, and they still remain the single most used construction material in the world. The main ingredient of bricks is clay, which is an abundant natural resource. In the modern age, we have heat-treated clay bricks which have some additions which make them easier for mass production and which provide additional benefits such as durability and insulation. Despite the modern additions, the process of making bricks has remained largely unchanged throughout the centuries.
Bricks are used for structures, large buildings, custom brick fences, and in just about every architecture project on the planet, and it is these benefits that have helped the brick survive for all these years.
Base Materials
The base materials of clay and loam are inexhaustible and it is this abundance which makes bricks so attractive. Even once a site is excavated for these materials, the site can then be used for construction or agriculture, and there is little waste product.
Recycling
Bricks can be reused to build again and even broken bricks can be smashed up into powder and then used to form the base for cement and concrete. Bricks are never wasted and this again is why they are so widely used.
Durable
We only need to look at the high quality of ancient brick buildings to see just how durable this building material is. Bricks don’t rot, they are very tough to damage and they can withstand everything that the elements throw at them.
Flexibility of the Building
The reason why toys like Lego are so popular is that there is no limit to the changes which you can make to a building or structure, and this is the same with real bricks. This flexibility allows for rebuilds and extensions with ease, yet another attractive quality of the humble brick.
Environmentally Friendly
There is no building resource or material which comes close to being as environmentally friendly as bricks. Even recycled materials such as plastic blocks cannot offer the same with regards to green credentials, give the process which is used to create those materials. In a world which is trying to get greener, the brick once again survives modernization and showcases its advantages.
Warming
For centuries now we have been aware of the excellent thermal properties of a brick, as well as their ability to keep the weather out. Bricks store heat on warmer days and have the ability to keep the building cool as well.
Low Cost
And the best part about using bricks as a building product is that they are one of the lowest cost materials that you can find. For that low-cost investment construction companies and architects can rely on all of these impressive benefits, and this is exactly why the brick will be here for many, many years to come.
This is exactly why brick continues to be the world’s most used construction material, it really is the perfect product to use on buildings.