Est. 1988 · Portland, Oregon
Every brick
has a recipe.
Mixed, molded, and fired to spec in downdraft kilns that haven't cooled in decades.
The Fabrication Sequence
Clay to crate.
No shortcuts.
Click any stage to see the exact variables — temperature, duration, tolerance — that determine whether a batch ships or goes back in the kiln.
Clay Mixing
Mold Pressing
Kiln Stacking
Firing Cycle
Cooling Yard
Color Sorting
Technical Specifications
The variables that
make it matchable.
Restoration architects don't guess. Every batch ships with a full process log — clay source, firing curve, shrinkage measurement, and color code.
Peak Firing Temp
Cone 04 equivalent. High enough to vitrify the surface without bloating the clay body.
Verified by Type-K thermocouple at crown, mid, and base of each stack.
Linear Shrinkage
Dimensional change from green to fired. All molds are oversized by this factor to hit nominal.
Measured across 10 units per batch. Deviation >0.5% triggers a remold.
Total Cycle Time
From cold kiln to door crack. Includes 2-hour soak and minimum 24-hour sealed cool.
Cycle is logged digitally. Every batch ships with its temperature chart.
Lead Time
From confirmed spec to crated pallet. Custom matches require one test firing before production.
Rush orders (3 weeks) available for quantities under 500 units.
Material Properties
| Property | Value | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Compressive Strength | ≥ 28 MPa | ASTM C67 |
| Water Absorption | 6–10% | Class SW |
| Initial Rate of Absorption | < 30 g/min/30 in² | Per ASTM C67 |
| Efflorescence Rating | None to Slight | ASTM C67 |
| Modulus of Rupture | ≥ 6.9 MPa | ASTM C67 |
| Freeze-Thaw Resistance | Grade MW / SW | ASTM C216 |
Still in Spec Phase?
Request a Sample Box
12 fired units across our standard color range — delivered to your office in 5 business days.
Field Reports
The proof is on
the building.
Margaret Holloway
Principal, Holloway Preservation Architecture
We matched a 1923 Flemish bond on a Portland warehouse conversion. I sent Kiln a single brick in a zip-lock bag. Six weeks later the pallet arrived and I couldn't tell the new from the original at ten feet. That's the only metric that matters on a historic job.
Project
Burnside Warehouse Conversion, Portland OR
Thomas Brennan
Senior Designer, Brennan & Reyes Landscape Studio
The estate garden needed handmade pavers in a color that hasn't been commercially available since the 1970s. Kiln's color sorting process — the 12-point Munsell scale — is the reason we could specify it with confidence. The client's landscape architect was skeptical until delivery day.
Project
Harrington Estate Garden, Sonoma CA
Sandra Okafor
Project Manager, Meridian General Contractors
The original brick was listed as discontinued by every supplier we called. Kiln asked for the dimensions, the color code, and the bond pattern. They came back with a test batch in three weeks. The GC had the full order on site before the structural steel was topped out.
Project
Civic Center Façade Repair, Sacramento CA
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