mineral / Clay-Based / Brick

Clay Brick, various types, finishes and sizes for envelope use (76mm, 90mm, 110mm wall thickness)

High-performance fired clay masonry units for structural and veneer applications, manufactured to Australian Standards with excellent thermal mass, fire resistance, and durability characteristics suitable for all Australian climate zones.

Atlas code
MIN-CLY-BRK-002
mineralclay-basedmasonrythermal-massfire-resistantaustralian-madedurable
Clay Brick, various types, finishes and sizes for envelope use (76mm, 90mm, 110mm wall thickness)
At-a-glance signals

High-performance fired clay masonry units for structural and veneer applications, manufactured to Australian Standards with excellent thermal mass, fire resistance, and durability characteristics suitable for all Australian climate zones.

Overview
Executive summary

Clay bricks are manufactured from selected clays, shales and other minerals, moulded or extruded into shape and fired in kilns at temperatures between 900-1200°C. Standard Australian dimensions are 230mm × 110mm × 76mm, with variations for 90mm and 110mm wall thicknesses. These units provide structural integrity, thermal mass benefits, and aesthetic versatility for residential and commercial construction across all Australian climate zones (BCA Zones 1-8).

Best when…
  • Exceptional durability (100+ year lifespan)
  • High thermal mass for passive solar design
  • Non-combustible with excellent fire resistance
  • Low maintenance requirements
  • Locally manufactured reducing transport emissions
  • Recyclable and reusable at end of life
  • No VOC emissions
  • Natural humidity regulation
  • Excellent acoustic insulation properties
  • Colourfast and UV resistant
  • Termite and vermin resistant
  • Suitable for all BAL ratings including BAL-FZ
Top advantages
  1. 01 Exceptional durability (100+ year lifespan)
  2. 02 High thermal mass for passive solar design
  3. 03 Non-combustible with excellent fire resistance
  4. 04 Low maintenance requirements
  5. 05 Locally manufactured reducing transport emissions
Top limitations
  1. 01 High embodied energy from firing process
  2. 02 Labour-intensive installation
  3. 03 Relatively high initial cost
  4. 04 Heavy material requiring robust foundations
  5. 05 Limited insulation value without cavity
Technical
Physical ·9
Density
1430-1950 kg/m³ kg/m³
Specific gravity
1.8-2.2
Porosity
25-35% %
Water absorption
12-20% %
Hardness
5-7 Mohs scale
UV resistance
Excellent // No degradation
Chemical resistance
Good-Excellent // Resistant to most chemicals
pH tolerance
3-11
Surface roughness
0.5-3.0 mm Ra µm
Mechanical ·7
Tensile strength
2.0-4.0 MPa MPa
Compressive strength
10-50 MPa MPa
Flexural strength
2.5-5.0 MPa MPa
Shear strength
0.3-0.5 MPa MPa
Poisson's ratio
0.15-0.25
Impact resistance
Moderate // Brittle fracture mode
Creep resistance
Excellent // Minimal long-term deformation
Sustainability & Health
Embodied carbon & energy ·7
Embodied carbon
200-345 kgCO₂e/m³ // Brickworks EPD 2024
Carbon footprint
0.19-0.26 kgCO₂e/brick // Australian EPD data
Embodied energy
2.5-3.0 MJ/kg MJ/kg // Think Brick Australia LCA
Water footprint
2-4 L/brick L/kg // Manufacturing water use
Recycled content
0-30% % // Post-industrial waste content
Renewable content
0-15% % // Biomass fuel content where used
Circular score
High // Reusable and recyclable
Compliance & Fire
Fire performance ·6
Combustibility class
Non-combustible // AS 1530.1
Fire resistance level
60-240 minutes // AS 3700, depends on thickness
Ignition temp
N/A °C // Non-ignitable
Flame spread index
0
Smoke dev. index
0
Heat release rate
0 kW/m² // Non-combustible
Cost & Lifecycle
Capex & lead time ·6
Material cost (range)
$800-1500 per 1000 bricks // 2024 Australian market
Material cost (per unit)
$0.80-1.50 per brick // Standard face brick
Lead time
1-4 weeks // Standard products ex-stock
Lifecycle cost
$150-250 per m² (50 years) // Total ownership cost
Annual maintenance
$0.50-2.00 per m² // Minimal maintenance
Market availability
Excellent // Multiple manufacturers nationally
Service life & durability ·3
Expected lifespan
100+ years // Proven durability
Maintenance interval
10-25 years // Repointing cycle
Warranty period
50-100 years // Manufacturer warranties
Layer D

Where it's used

External load-bearing walls
Cavity wall construction (double brick)
Brick veneer cladding systems
Internal partition walls
Retaining walls
Firewall construction
Heritage restoration projects
Acoustic barrier walls
Architectural feature walls
Bushfire-prone area construction (BAL-FZ rated)
MIN-CLY-BRK-002 · Materials Atlas · CLAD Atlas data is reference-only. Verify against manufacturer specifications and current standards before specifying.