In early times they where mud and straw formed and left to dry in the sun. Today there is three different steps to make a brick. Bricks are made from finely ground clay. In the soft-mud process, a soft, easily molded mass containing more than 20 percent water is formed in the pug mill. In the pug mill, rotating knives cut the clay and blend it with water.The wet clay is shaped in molds that have been coated with sand or water to prevent the clay from sticking. The bricks are then removed from the molds and dried.Slow drying, the second step in making brick and tile, evaporates most of the water from the brick and tile and helps prevent cracking and warping during firing.The hardening of brick and tile is effected by burning or firing. This process reduces the tendency of the finished product to absorb water and brings out the color of the clay.
Firing of dried, or green, bricks is done in ovens called kilns. During firing, which may take several days, the bricks are baked at 1600° to 3000° F.The exact temperature depends on the kind of clay in the bricks and the use for which they are intended.Today most bricks are fired in coal, oil, or gas-fueled kilns that operate continuously. Bricks help people build buildings,like this very school.(Malone Middle school)we got this information fromhttp://longtail.hubpages.com/hub/how-bricks-and-tiles-are-made
