Brick colors

Submitted by Clovis on Thu, 21/03/2019 - 06:54

I was interesting in knowing what particular material is used to produce brick with different colors

Submitted by geoffrey on Thu, 21/03/2019 - 07:24

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Basically blocks receive their color from the raw materials used.  The base color is that of the soil used. A soil with an attractive color is valued by block producers.  At the CVBT, we use a mix of pulverized nodular laterite, fine sand and a fine orange soil.  We use the orange soil to get a more orange color in our block. 

Powdered pigments, such as Bayer's iron oxide line, can also be used.   Usually, the pigment is added as a percent of the weight of cement used.  For red this is a maximum of about 5%.  Adding more pigment than that will not make the block redder - it is already saturated. 

Using gray cement or white cement has an affect on the color of the block.  If you want red blocks, using gray cement is sufficient.  If you want yellow blocks, it will help to use white cement (although it is much more expensive).

Walls can also be painted after a building is built.  Use a breathable water-based acrylic paint.  Sealing earth walls is not advisable - they need to breathe.