The Ancient Art of Brickmaking and Metal Smelting with Charcoal

When rebuilding civilization from scratch, the skills to create durable materials like bricks and to smelt metal can be transformative, improving quality of life, enabling new structures, and opening the door to a variety of essential tools. Although making bricks and setting up a charcoal-fueled kiln requires effort, the advantages in shelter, insulation, and even metalworking make it a valuable pursuit. This post covers several methods for brickmaking, provides tips on selecting the right clay content, and explains how a charcoal-fired kiln can even support metal smelting.