Do not compromise on the quality of construction materials used when developing your dream home. The problem that arises here is finding out that the raw material is up to the standard. Happily, we have many ways to determine its quality. This blog will discuss the different ways to check the bricks’ quality to ensure your house’s strong foundation.

Steps to review the quality of bricks before building your home

Damaged walls and collapsed roofs are some of the outcomes of using cheap construction materials. Bricks use in load-bearing walls – both interior and exterior. Therefore, it is vital to spend some time ascertaining the quality of materials before building your dream house. Let the bricks you think to buy go by these tests before you make the final investment.

Color inquiry

Make sure the bricks you are purchasing have a similar color. There should be no dark and light shades, and all the bricks should have the same color. This shows that the bricks are of superior quality and can withstand the examination of time.

Absorption test

This test defines how much mist a brick can hold and whether the bricks can endure severe weather conditions like heavy rainfall or not. To check the bricks’ quality, we will weigh the brick before and after being immersed in water 24 hours. The amount of water absorbed should not be more than 20% of the dull bricks.

Crushing strength test

This defines the power of the brick, whether it can resist extreme climatic changes or not.

This needs a concentration testing machine. Place the brick inside the machine and use load on it until the brick breaks. Note down the amount when the brick was cracked and determine the crushing power value of the brick. The least strength of crushing brick is 3.50N/mm2. If it is shorter than 3.50 N/mm2, then do not utilize the bricks in construction.

Hardness test

Use a sharpened nail or make scar marks on the bricks. A good brick is contrary to any marks and scars on its surface. If the brick does not include any scratch marks, then it is termed a hard brick.

Structure test

This is maybe the easiest of tests to check the quality of bricks. Pick any brick from the crowd and break it into two parts. Examine the inside structure of the bricks, which should look similar. There should be no pieces in the bricks. 

Voice of bricks hitting

Another way of examining the quality of bricks is to strike two bricks collectively and listen to the sound it produces. If the brick does not break and having an unmistakable ringing sound, the bricks are superior.

Shape and size

Pile the bricks together to examine the shape and size

They are of great importance when building a house. It should be of the same equal measure to ensure good quality construction. The best bricks for construction should be rectangular, and the brick size should be breadth – 9 cm, length – 19cm, and height – 9 cm. 

Perform an easy test by accumulating around 20 bricks along with its height, length, and breadth. If all the bricks appear of the same size, then they are equipped for the construction site.

Efflorescence on bricks

Soluble salts in bricks make it unsuitable for construction.

Make sure there isn’t any salt residue on the surface of the bricks. Since it is not visible, you’ll need to perform a small test for it. Here’s how you can do it: place the bricks in a water bath for 24 hours and let it dry in the shade. Observe the surface of the bricks closely. If you find grey or white color deposits, there are soluble salts on the bricks, which are not fit for construction. So, these were some of the simplest ways of choosing good quality bricks. Stay tuned to the Indigo Developer, the best real estate blog in Pakistan.