Bricks are mainly used for wall coverings for many years, but can also be used as decorations. Historically, bricks were usually made of clay and burned in a kiln, but you can make your own using concrete.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making Bricks from Concrete
Step 1. Make the molds needed to make the bricks
You will need carpentry tools and a piece of 20 mm plywood along with 5 x 10 cm x 2.5 m wood. We will make bricks with a size of 23 x 10 x 9 cm.
- Cut a 2 cm sheet of plywood into long strips measuring 30.5 cm x 1 m. Thus, you get 8 bricks per strip, and the entire plywood sheet will make a total of 64 bricks.
- Cut the sides of the mold into 5 x 10 cm. You will need 2 pieces of wood 1 m long for each strip. Thus obtained 9 pieces of 23 cm long.
Step 2. Arrange the mold so that two 1 m long pieces of wood are aligned
Begin nailing the 23cm piece between two 1m strips of wood using a double-head 16-penny concrete nail or 8cm deck screw. When you're done, you should have 8 spaces measuring 5 cm wide, 23 cm long, and 9 cm high.
- Lay a strip of plywood on a flat surface and spread a sheet of plastic over it so that the concrete can adhere to the plastic. The work area will not be disturbed for a minimum of 24 hours.
- Place the stacked side of the mold on top of the 20 cm plastic covering the wood strip. You can nail the sides of the molding or drive wooden dowels around the walls of the molding so they don't slide off the basic plywood strip.
- You can use screws to make it easier to remove, if you want.
Step 3. Apply an oil release spray to the mold
This way, the wood can be removed easily after the concrete is poured into the brick mould.
Try not to damage the concrete brick
Method 2 of 2: Making and Pouring Concrete into Brick Mold
Step 1. Make concrete and pour it on the mold that has been made
This process is the most labor-intensive part of making concrete bricks. The easiest step is to use commercial concrete powder. This ready mix concrete is usually called Sak-crete and is available in sizes 18 – 35 kg, which will be mixed in a stroller.
Step 2. Place the concrete sack in the wheelbarrow
Make a small hole in the center of the concrete powder in the cart using a regular garden shovel or hoe.
- Start pouring a little water in the small hole, working from a bucket instead of a hose so that the amount of water that is poured each time is easy to control.
- Mix dry concrete and water using a hoe or shovel, and add water until you get the right consistency of concrete. Use a water meter to make sure each batch has the same consistency. If it is too wet, the concrete will push aside and seep under the mold. If it is too dry, the concrete will not stick together, but instead will leave air holes in the concrete brick.
- If you prefer, you can purchase or rent a small cement mixer from a hardware or home supply store.
Step 3. Use a shovel to put the concrete mixture into the mold
- Tap the sides of the mold until it is completely filled with the concrete mixture. After that, tap the top of the dough to force the trapped air out of the concrete mix.
- Use a straight ruler or small trowel measuring 30.5 cm to smooth the top of the concrete so that it is flush with the mold. Leave it for 24 hours to dry.
- If brick is to be used on an existing wall, it is a good idea to use a molding trowel to make recesses in the concrete. This step will help when plastering the brick so it doesn't move.
Step 4. Remove the mold from the concrete brick the next day
Stack the concrete bricks in a cool area to harden in about 2 weeks. Cover with a tarp when the bricks harden and keep the blanket wet and covered with the plastic sheet. This step helps the brick to crack during the setting process. After hardening, the concrete brick is ready to use.
Step 5. Done
Tips
- Save for the concrete brick made and use it for your next project or repair.
- The natural color of concrete is gray, but you can change it using commercial paints.
- Making concrete molds for bricks and pouring concrete into them isn't the only way to brick sidewalks or driveways. There are commercial plastic polymer molds available, and they come in many patterns or sizes, complete with manufacturer's manufacturing guidelines.
Warning
- Concrete is a corrosive material and all safety instructions provided by the user manual for the concrete mixing process must be followed.
- Wear protective clothing when working on concrete, such as gloves, eye protection and a dust mask.
