The great majority of brick made today are manufactured using an extrusion process. Clay, shale and other raw materials are blended with water to a consistency which can be forced through a shaper of the desired dimensions. The resulting columns are then mechanically cut into individual units before being dried and fired. Extrusion is the most efficient way to make brick, so extruded brick generally enjoy a cost advantage over brick made using less automated methods. The process also gives the most consistent finish and sharpest edges.

While consistency is a desirable trait, imperfections or differences in individual units give the wall character and visual appeal. Manufacturers have developed a number of methods to create that character, to simulate some of the unit individuality inherent in traditional molded brick. Tumbled brick are extruded brick which are distressed prior to firing. The process creates blunted edges, dented corners and other imperfections that give the brick an antique appearance. The process also adds some cost. In recent years, other processes have been refined to create similar looks without the cost of tumbling.

Extruded Brick - detail	Extruded Brick

Face coatings have gained widespread use in the past twenty years. Face colors were once limited to whatever occurred naturally from firing the brick, with color variety only possible through the use of different raw material combinations. While the material mix is still the primary driver of a unit's face color, various sands, slurries and other coating materials are used to create colors ranging from white to pink to near black.

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Riverside Brick & Supply • 1900 Roseneath Road • P.O. Box 6666 • Richmond, VA 23230

Ph 804.353.6681 • Fax 804.353.7770 • tparrish@riversidebrick.com