From the Colosseum to Victorian kilns, the solid clay brick is the backbone of pre-modern architecture. Composed solely of clay, water, and fire, it blends formidable structural resistance with thermodynamic behavior that modern buildings still try to replicate.
Production begins with selected clays fired in tunnel kilns at 900-1000°C. Partial vitrification of silicates creates unscratchable ceramic bonds, while iron oxidation gives the brick its iconic reddish color.
Although solid brick is not an effective winter insulator, its density gives it excellent thermal capacity. It acts like a battery: absorbing energy slowly during the day, releasing it at night (phase shift > 12 hours), while its microporous matrix regulates indoor humidity.
Standards
European and international references applicable.
Physical properties
Usage environment
Solid brick is totally ecological at end of life. Rubble is crushed to produce Cocciopesto, the historic hydraulic aggregate used for waterproof mortars and highly prized breathable plasters.