A brick making machine compacts a damp mix of cement, sand and water in a steel mould and releases bricks or blocks ready to cure. In South Africa most small yards start with an egg-laying machine that lays bricks straight onto a concrete slab, then move up to static machines on pallets or hydraulic presses as orders grow. Machines run by hand lever, on electric vibrators or on a petrol or diesel engine. Tell us what you want to make, the power you have and your budget, and independent machine suppliers will send free quotes, with no obligation.
Types of brick making machines for sale
Brick making machines for sale in South Africa fall into three main kinds:
- Egg-laying (mobile) machines: the machine drops a row of bricks onto a flat slab, then you wheel it forward and drop the next row. Cheap to start, but it needs a big, level slab.
- Static machines: bricks are pressed onto pallets that are carried off to cure, so the machine stays put and curing can happen in rows, racks or a shed.
- Hydraulic presses: high pressure for dense bricks, pavers and interlocking bricks, often part of a brick making plant.
The mould decides what comes out, stock bricks, maxis, hollow blocks or pavers, and how many per drop.
How to choose a brick making machine
Start with what your buyers want. Township and RDP builders mostly ask for cement stock and maxi bricks; contractors want hollow blocks; landscapers want pavers. Then match the power to your site: a manual machine needs no plug, an electric one needs a reliable single or three phase supply, and an engine machine suits farms and sites off the grid. Ask whether one frame takes several moulds, how heavy it is to move, and what output the supplier gets with your mould, your mix and a crew your size.
Running it: mix, curing and common mistakes
The machine is only part of the job. You also need a concrete mixer, clean building sand, cement, water and plastic or shade cloth to cover fresh bricks. Batch by measure, not by eye, and keep new bricks damp and out of strong sun and wind for about the first week. Bricks sold to builders should meet SANS 1215 for concrete masonry units, so have a few tested.
The usual mistakes: a slab that is not level, too much water in the mix, stacking too soon and running a worn mould that makes oversize, weak bricks.
Brick making machine price and what to ask
The brick making machine price depends on the type, the power, the cavities, the moulds included and whether the vibrator motor or engine is part of the deal. New manual egg-layers start around R16,000, electric egg-layers run about R25,000 to R46,000, and static and hydraulic machines about R77,000 to R390,000. Ask each supplier:
- which moulds are included and what extra moulds cost
- the motor or engine and the power supply it needs
- delivery, setting up and training
- the warranty and where spares and repairs come from
What to include in your request
- What you will make: bricks, maxis, blocks, pavers
- Power: manual, electric or engine
- Egg-laying, static or hydraulic
- Moulds wanted and bricks per day hoped for
- Your town, and whether delivery is needed
Brick Making Machines for different clients
- Homeowners: a small machine to make your own bricks for a house, outbuilding or boundary wall
- Builders and bricklaying contractors: making cement bricks on site for a job instead of trucking pallets in
- Housing developers and complexes: a static or hydraulic machine supplying bricks across a housing project or township extension
- Brickyards and block yards: adding a second machine or a new mould to keep up with orders from builders
- New brick-making businesses: an egg-laying machine on a rented slab as the first step into brick making
- Farms and smallholdings: making bricks on the farm for staff houses, stores and kraals with an engine machine
- Municipalities, schools and public works: community and youth brick-making projects supplying schools, clinics and public works
- Landscapers and paving teams: a machine with paver and kerb moulds for driveways, paths and garden edging
Frequently asked questions
How much is a brick making machine in South Africa?
How many bricks can a brick making machine make a day?
Is brick making a good business in South Africa?
Who will quote me if I send a request?
Brick Making Machines by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg