Alright, let’s talk about them normal size brick, you know, the ones you see everywhere.
I ain’t no fancy builder or nothing, but I’ve seen enough bricks in my life to tell ya a thing or two. First off, they ain’t all the same, no sir. You got your different kinds, like them modular ones. Folks say they’re kinda standard, but I just call ’em regular-sized. Then you got your Norman bricks, a bit longer, ya know, like a fella named Norman, tall and skinny.
And don’t even get me started on them Roman bricks, they’re long and flat, like a pancake almost. Folks use ’em for fancy stuff, I reckon. Then there’s the big fellas, the king-size bricks. Those are huge! You don’t need many of those to build a wall, that’s for sure.
But how do ya know if a brick is any good? Well, I heard tell of this water thing, a water weight test, they call it. Sounds fancy, but it ain’t rocket science. You take a dry brick, you know, one that ain’t been rained on, and you weigh it. Write that number down, so you don’t forget it. Then you dunk that brick in water, like you’re giving it a bath. Let it sit there a good long while, let it soak up all the water it can.
Then you pull it out and weigh it again. If it’s a whole lot heavier, like more than, say, 15% heavier, then that brick ain’t no good. Soaks up too much water, see? It’ll crumble on ya, specially in the winter when that water freezes. You want a brick that’s strong, not a sponge.
- Modular Bricks: Your everyday brick, nothin’ special, but gets the job done.
- Norman Bricks: A bit longer, for when you need a little extra stretch.
- Roman Bricks: Long and flat, for fancy folks and their fancy walls.
- King-Size Bricks: Big and heavy, saves you time if you got the muscle to lift ’em.
Now, there’s also them thin bricks. They ain’t for building walls, mind you. They’re more for decoration, like makin’ a wall look like it’s brick when it ain’t. I seen folks use ’em on their fireplaces and stuff. They’re kinda like pretend bricks, but they look nice enough, I guess. They got a size all their own, something like seven and five-eighth inches long, two and a quarter inches tall, and just three-eighth of an inch thick. See? Told ya they were thin.
So, when you’re lookin’ at bricks, you gotta think about what you’re gonna use ’em for. Building a house? You want them strong and sturdy ones, like the modular or maybe even the king-size if you’re feelin’ ambitious. Just want somethin’ pretty? Then them thin bricks might do ya just fine.
And don’t forget that water test, ya hear? It’s important to make sure your bricks ain’t gonna soak up too much water and fall apart on ya. Nobody wants a crumbly wall, that’s for sure.
I remember when my grandpappy built his house, he used them regular-sized bricks, the modular ones. That house stood strong for nigh on a hundred years, till that tornado come and blew it all to kingdom come. But that ain’t the bricks fault, no sir. That was just nature bein’ nature. Them bricks did their job, and they did it well.
Nowadays, folks got all sorts of fancy materials, but I still say you can’t go wrong with a good old brick. Just gotta pick the right size and make sure it’s a strong one. And that, my friends, is all I know about normal size brick and its cousins.
Brick Size Summary
- Thin brick standard size: 7 5/8 inches long, 2 1/4 inches tall, and 3/8 inch thick.
Remember, a good brick is a strong brick, and a strong brick makes a strong house. Or a strong fireplace, or a strong whatever-you’re-buildin’. Just don’t go buildin’ nothin’ on sand, ya hear? That ain’t got nothin’ to do with bricks, but it’s good advice anyway.
