HowToMakeMudBricks (AndMakeWaterproof) TheSurvivalJournal 1701047154516

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The Ultimate Guide To Mud Bricks

Updated by Editorial Staff
Have you ever heard of a mud brick? What if I told you that it was the single most
important building material in history? Seems rather hard to believe, right?
In this post, you’re going to learn everything about them. Including their history, how to
make them, how to make them waterproof, and the advantages for using them.
The purpose of this post is to bring awareness to the mud brick because it, in fact, is truly
one of the most significant materials used in the history of men building structures.
WeTable oftoContents
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How Ancient Civilizations Were Built
What Is A Mud brick?
A History of Building Nations
DIY Instructions
Sift The Soil
Make The Brick Mold
Mix The Soil
Add Mixture Into Mold
Remove The Mold
Let Air Dry
Advantages
Significance of Today
How Ancient Civilizations Were Built

Thousands of years ago, the first houses and structures that were ever built were generally
made out of stone, wood, and bones. Along with fibers and plants, these ancient materials
were also used to create tools and weapons.
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However, early villages that were largely made out of wooden tents and houses were
prone to fire destruction. This would leave hundreds of families distraught from having
their hard built properties destroyed by fire. After that, there was nothing left to do but to
rebuild their village and start anew.
But that was life before the first-ever mud bricks were discovered and built. The main
difference of a mud brick from wood is its invincibility to fire. These cheap, convenient,
and easy to make building blocks have been part of our history and global development
from then to now.
What Is A Mud brick?

Mud brick (spelled as mud-brick) is a brick made out of mixing mud, loam soil, sand,
water, and rice husk or straw as a binding agent to reduce breaking or cracking.
It is usually air- and sun-dried but several years after its first discovery, mud bricks were
then subjected to fire to intensify its longevity and strength.
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that the ideal materials for building and construction are those that are borrowed from
nature and replaced afterward. “If used carefully, mud bricks come close to this ideal,” as
emphasized in its official website.
Why is this so? First, the materials used for making mud bricks are easily available and
obtained from the environment. Second, the production would only require little
processing, mainly from manual labor. Third, mud bricks require only the sun and the air
in order for it to be formed and solidified. Finally, they are cheap, effective, and long-
lasting.
After mixing mud, loam soil, sand, water, and binding material, the mixture is then
poured into molds and then dried in the open air. When used in construction, mud bricks
are joined and piled onto each other with mud mortar.
A History of Building Nations

It was recorded that they were first used in 9000 BC in Jericho, one of the oldest cities in
the world. Back then, the houses in Jericho were discovered to be made out of piles of mud
bricks.
Later in 5200 BC, well-preserved mud bricks were also found in Jordan Valley. Then came
4000 BC and they were subjected to fire so that their durability and sturdiness would be
enhanced.
From 7000 BC to 3000 BC, it was recorded that families in Pakistan had built and resided in
mud brick houses. Since 3000 BC, they have been used in the ancient civilization of Indus
Valley.
Sun-dried mud bricks were used to build cities in Mesopotamia (modern-day Kuwait, Iraq,
Syria, and Turkey). Their mud bricks were called “plano-convex” because of their shape:
curved top and a flat bottom.
The construction is also known as adobe in Spain and other areas influenced by the
Spanish.
In Ur, Iraq, the potters have discovered that heat can be controlled in a closed kiln. The
ziggurat there is also an example of structural brickwork constructed using sun-dried
bricks but in 1500 BC, the steps were replaced with burned brick.
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When development and civilization began to spread to the East and the West, their
production and utilization had also expanded.
DIY Instructions
If you’re going to make your own, you need to have these tools and materials: sand, soil,
shovel, straw, mesh screen, 6 pieces of wood (three 2×4 feet, two 5 feet long, and one 7 feet
long), nails, hammer, gloves, hoe, measuring tape, kiln (optional), and bucket.
How To Make Mud Bricks

Total Time: 1 hour
Sift The Soil

Sift the soil through the mesh screen and remove any stones and other impurities. If some
impurities were left in the mixture, the resulting bricks will easily crack and break.
Make The Brick Mold

In making the brick mold, combine the pieces of wood and form them like a ladder. It is
advisable that the resulting brick will measure 10 x 14 inches.
Mix The Soil

Now, completely mix the soil with water in a dug hole or a wheelbarrow (if you’re making
just a few bricks). Add the straw and take note that the composition of your mixture
should be 40% to 60% straw so that the bricks will not easily break or crack. Add some
sand to strengthen its bind.
Add Mixture Into Mold

Add the mud mixture into the sections of the mold and fill them up entirely. Remove any
excess mud and pat each brick mixture to remove bubbles.
Remove The Mold

Remove the mold after letting it settle. Place the mold in another dry and clean surface
and repeat the process until you complete the number of bricks that you need.
Let Air Dry

Let them air dry under the sun for up to 4 to 5 days. After that, make them stand in a
vertical position. Dry them up to one month before using for construction. These can last
up to 30 years but firing them in a kiln can extend their longevity.
Primitive Technology: Mud Bricks

Advantages (https://thesurvivaljournal.com/)
Mud bricks have lots of benefits. They are cheap, durable, biodegradable, sustainable, and
fire-proof.
These building materials are also non-toxic and very easy to make. It also offers insulation
and sound-proofing.
Finally, it can resist water and is very easy to repair. Most importantly, building them
doesn’t require any technical or complex skills.
Significance of Today
Several structures that were built with mud bricks many years ago are still standing today.
A classic example is the Great Wall of China, which was built in 210 BC.
Today, they are still used to build homes, low- and high-rise buildings, and other important
societal structures. From Yemen to Australia to Romania, they are still widely produced
and used for building and construction.
Learning the history and benefits of mud brick is very helpful as we tread in the future.
Moreover, learning how to make these reliable building materials can improve our
preparedness if ever we will need to actually build new homes from scratch.
Further Reading on Mud bricks:
How To Use Mud bricks (https://www.yourhome.gov.au/materials/mud-brick)

Using Mud bricks To Build Structures (https://www.britannica.com/technology/brick-
building-material#ref609091https://www.asgmag.com/survival-skills/building-a-
shelter/down-to-earth-how-to-make-mud-bricks/)
How To Make Mud bricks (https://www.asgmag.com/survival-skills/building-a-
shelter/down-to-earth-how-to-make-mud-bricks/)
About Editorial Staff
Editorial Staff at The Survival Journal is a team of survival experts in a range of survival
expertise from wilderness survival, disaster preparedness, to preparing for the next
financial collapse.
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The Ultimate Guide To Mud Bricks

How Ancient Civilizations Were Built

What Is A Mud brick?

A History of Building Nations

How To Make Mud Bricks

Total Time: 1 hour

Sift The Soil

Make The Brick Mold

Mix The Soil

Add Mixture Into Mold

Remove The Mold

Let Air Dry

Primitive Technology: Mud Bricks

Further Reading on Mud bricks:

How To Use Mud bricks (https://www.yourhome.gov.au/materials/mud-brick)

ABOUT TSJ SITE LINKS RESOURCES

The Survival Journal is the Cookie Policy About Us

© 2023 Copyright - The Survival Journal - All Rights Reserved

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