Making Bricks And Tiles From Rice Hull Ash And Clay

Bricks and Tiles from Rice Hull Ash and Clay

1. The high cost of construction materials for housing and the need for enough shelter lead to this simple procedure. Rice hull is used in cooking bricks. The produced ashes is used in the mixture of bricks. These materials can be found anywhere in the Philippines.

2. Materials needed:

    clay

    rice hull

    rice hull ash

3. Tools needed

    1. Oven or kiln with 3m x 5m measurement.

    Open on top and made of red clay.

     2. Shovel, hoe and tool for digging.

     3. Wood or metal mold with inside measurement of 2" x 4" x 10" for red clay and 3" x 8" x 12" for floor tiles.

     4. Wood or metal for scraping.

     5. Drying place (like table)

     6. Hole about 3mx2m with water.

     7. Mixing container -- wood or concrete.

Procedure:

A. Bricks

      1. Dig clay and bring to the hole with water.

      2. Soak for a day.

      3. Transfer mud clay in the mixing container and add rice hull ash: 1 part of ash to 3 parts of clay.

      4. Mix well by foot. Remove roots, leaves and other wastes.

      5. Prepare the molds (metal or wood). Wet inside surroundings and sprinkle with ashes.

      6. Pour the mud clay mixture.

      7. Scrape excess from mold.

      8. Remove from the mold carefully.

      9. Let it dry under the shade for a day.

      10. Let it dry under the sun for 5-7 days.

      11. Arrange the pile of brick tiles before firing.

Place 30 cm thick rice hull ash under the oven. Arrange the pile of bricks at 5 cm apart from each other and 15cm from the side of the oven.

Cover with rice hull ash, including the space between piles. Cover the first pile with 5cm thick of rice hull ash. Do the same in the second and next piles.

This size of oven can accommodate 1,200 bricks.

Ignite rice hull ash starting from the bottom. This will last up to one week. Leave bricks to cool.

Brick Tiles

       The method of making brick tiles is similar to bricks. They differ only in size and shape.

       Both sides of the floor must have a 1 inch groove.

       A laborer can make 200 bricks in a day.

       An open oven with 3m x 5m size can cook 1,200 bricks in a month.

From NSDB UNLAD Series

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