Brick is a very common building material which is used for constructing both
1- Partition wall
2- Load-bearing wall
Here are some simple yet effective brick tests you can take to check the quality of bricks
1- Clap Test
If you clap two bricks together, they should make a metallic, clear ringing sound. This test helps you determine the reaction of bricks against sudden impact.
2- Drop Test
Drop a brick from a 4 feet height, if it does not break then the brick is of good quality. If the bricks are broken it indicates low impact value and are therefore not good for construction.
3- Shape and Size Test
All bricks should be of a similar size. Take 20 bricks at random and align them together and form a stack to check. You want to make sure that the bricks are all uniform in size for construction purpose.
4- Absorption Test
Soak a brick in a water bath for about 24 hours. The weight of the brick should not increase more than 20% of its original weight. This will help you understand the level of absorbed moisture content in extreme conditions.
5- Efflorescence Test
Place a brick in a water bath for 24 hours and dry in shade. If there are white/grey deposits on the surface then the quality of the brick is low as it contains soluble salts. You want to measure if the bricks contain any soluble salts and avoid efflorescence on brick surfaces.
6- Color Test
Make sure the brick you select has bright and uniform colour throughout its body. A good quality brick will have a uniform colour throughout.
7- Hardness Test
Use a fingernail or a sharp tool to try and scratch the surface of the brick. If the brick is unscathed, it’s a good quality brick.
This is basically to test the hardness of the bricks. No impressions indicate good quality.
8- Structure Test
Break down a randomly selected brick in half and check if its homogeneous and free from any lumps, holes or defects. Cracks and holes in bricks indicate low quality.
