Make Bricks from Concrete

The primary use of bricks has been for wall coverings over the years, but they can be used for decorative purposes as well. Historically, the common brick has been molded from clay and fired in a kiln. But that isn't the only way you can make brick. Another way, popular with do-it-yourself types, has been by using concrete. You can make bricks from concrete by following a few simple steps.

Steps

Making Brick from Concrete

1. Make the forms you need to use for the concrete bricks. This requires basic carpenter tools and a sheet of .75-inch (19 mm) plywood along with 2 x 4-inch (5.1 x 10.2 cm) by 8 feet (2.4 m) lumber. Use 9 x 4 x 3.5 inches (22.9 x 10.2 x 8.9 cm) for your brick dimensions.
   • Rip the sheet of 3/4 inch plywood down to 12-inch (30.5 cm) wide x 48-inch (1.2 m) long strips. This will give you 8 bricks per strip, and the entire sheet of plywood will give you a total of 64 bricks.
   • Cut the side forms down to 2 x 4 inches (5.1 x 10.2 cm). You will need 2 pieces at 48 inches (1.2 m) long for each strip. There will be 9 pieces, 9 inches (22.9 cm) in length.
2. Assemble the forms with the two 48 inch (1.2 m) pieces laid parallel. Begin nailing the 9-inch (22.9 cm) pieces between the two 48-inch (1.2 M) strips using either double-headed 16 penny concrete form nails or 3-inch (7.65 cm) deck screws. When finished, you should have 8 spaces 4 inches (5.1cm) wide, 9 inches (22.9 cm) long, and 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) deep.
   • Lay the strips of plywood on a flat level area and spread plastic sheeting over it to keep the concrete from bonding with the plastic. The work area will need to be left undisturbed for at least 24 hours.
   • Place the assembled side form on top of the .75-inch (19 cm) plastic covered plywood strip. Either nail the side forms to the plywood or drive wooden stakes around the sides of the forms to keep the forms from shifting off of the plywood bottom strips.
3. Use a spray can of form release oil to aid in stripping the forms after pouring the concrete into the brick molds.

Making and Pouring the Concrete into the Brick Molds

1. Make the concrete and pour it into the assembled molds. This will most likely be the most physically challenging part of making brick from concrete. Using a commercially prepared dry mix of concrete materials is the easiest method. It is often referred to as Sak-crete and normally comes in 40-to-80-pound (18.1-to-36.2 kg) bags, which are then mixed in a wheelbarrow.
2. Put a bag of prepared concrete material in a wheelbarrow. Make a small hole in the middle of the dry mix using a shovel or a common garden hoe.
   • Begin adding small amounts of water in that small hole, preferably from a bucket rather than a hose for better control of the amount of water that is added at any one time.
   • Mix the dry material and water together with the hoe or shovel, adding water until you have a concrete consistency that is workable. Too wet and it will want to push up the side and run under the forms. Too dry and it will not want to consolidate, but rather it will leave air voids in your concrete brick.
3. Use a shovel put the concrete into the forms.
   • Tap on the side of the forms with the brick forms filled. Tapping on the top afterward will force any trapped air out from inside of the concrete.
   • Use a straight edge or 12-inch (30.5 cm) trowel to smooth off the top of the concrete level with the top of the forms. Allow it to dry for 24 hours.
4. Strip the forms from the concrete bricks on the next day. Stack the bricks in a cool area to cure a suggested 2 weeks. Cover them up with a mover's blanket while they are curing and keep the blanket wet and covered with plastic sheeting. This will keep the bricks from cracking during the curing process. Once they have cured, you are ready to use them.
5. Finished.

Tips

• Save the forms you made for the concrete bricks and use them for future projects and repair work.
• Concrete is naturally gray, but you can change that color by adding commercially available dyes.
• Making concrete forms for brick and then casting them isn't the only way you can make brick for a driveway or walkway. There are commercially available plastic polymer forms you can use, which will leave you with many different patterns or sizes of brick when you follow the manufacturer's directions.

Warnings

• Concrete is corrosive and all manufacturer's instructions on safe handling during the mixing process should be followed.

Things You'll Need

• .75-inch (19 mm) 4 x 8 ft (1.2 X 2.4 m) exterior grade plywood
• Plastic sheeting
• 2 x 4-inch (5 x 10 cm) x 8 ft (2.4 m) #3 common boards
• 16 penny double headed concrete form nails or 3-inch (7.6 cm) deck screws
• Bags of premixed dry concrete
• wheelbarrow
• Square pointed shovel
• Garden hoe
• Framing hammer
• Circular saw
• Screwdriver for screws
• Concrete trowel 12" (30.5 cm)

Related Articles

• Make a Brick Kiln
• Lay Brick
• Characterise Bricks
• Replace a Damaged Brick
• Build Brick Stairs

Sources and Citations

• http://www.themoldstore.info/Make_Stone.html

See also

• Clean Deck Wood
• Build a Storm Shelter
• Excavate a Trench
• Build a Pulley
• Install Posts in the Water for a Dock or Pier
• Build a Greenhouse
• Learn to Read Blueprints
• Reduce Stormwater Runoff at Your Home
• Build a French Drain
• Make Fake Rocks with Concrete

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• Build a Brick Wall
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