What are waterstruck bricks?

Waterstruck is a facing brick with a much-loved texture that gives a façade a lively, natural character. A waterstruck brick is smooth, yet textured. Soft, yet robust. Each one tells its own story of honest clay and clean water. The name comes from the way it is made.

How is a waterstruck facing brick made?

Waterstruck began as a practical technique: water makes it easy to release the clay from the wooden mould. Joseph Bricks produces waterstruck bricks with the original table press method. A table press is a round table fitted with several moulds, each exactly the size of the finished brick.

The moulds are first rinsed and moistened. The clay is then pressed into them, and thanks to the water the brick is easily pushed out of the mould. Other methods coat the bricks with sand first so the clay does not stick to the mould. The waterstruck method does not need that.

The water softens the outside of the clay. As the clay is pressed in the table press, a distinctive pattern forms, as individual as a fingerprint. The result is a brick with characteristic edges and a pure colour with a natural mix of shades. The brick is durable and frost-resistant.

Finally, at Joseph Bricks the bricks are smoked in our own way. This smoking process is the result of a craft handed down over three generations and refined with technology. We analyse the technical properties of the bricks and study how the temperature and duration of smoking affect the colour. By working with these parameters, we arrive at a precise, consistent finish.

At Joseph Bricks, firing and smoking take place in a single production cycle. We call this process eco-smoking. It means lower gas consumption and lower CO2 emissions. Together, the clay, the processing, the water and the smoking give each brick its finish.

Which projects suit a waterstruck brick?

There is a waterstruck brick for almost every type of project. The variations in colour, texture and size give architects a versatile material to design with. This robust, refined brick is at home in renovation, new build and commercial buildings, with a traditional or a contemporary character.

With the elongated waterstruck brick in linear format, you can make a striking contemporary statement. Emphasise horizontal lines in the landscape and leave the standard behind.

Explore colour combinations, shapes and textures in our configurator and design a façade that is entirely your own.

At Joseph Bricks, personal service comes first. We are happy to think along with you, and custom-made bricks are also possible. Would you like advice or to visit our showroom? Get in touch.