Mud bricks

Many houses in rural Rwanda are built using mud bricks. This is typically how it is manufactured.

Loosen red earth.  Pour in water.  Mix thoroughly to form soft mud.

Pick up a big lump of soft mud and fill a rectangular mould.  

The mould has only four sides, without bottom or top.  

Fill the mould with the lump of soft mud.  The bottom is as flat as the ground is flat.  Level off the top with hand. 

P

ull off mould.  

Let brick sit under sun to dry.

A new mud brick is born.  

A mud brick is fairly hard when dry.  Hard enough to build a single story house with. Unlike a regular brick, it has not been fired.   Hence it is liable to fracture and/or turn into powder when hit.  Thus it does not hold a nail well.  Rain will gradually dissolve a naked mud brick.  Hence a house built with mud brick is not very durable.  Constant repair is required to keep the house in shape.