Bricks come in all shapes and sizes, and are made from many different types of materials in various ways of manufacture. Each type of brick has its own advantage and disadvantage, so when starting a home improvement project or attempting to do repairs it can be daunting to figure out exactly the right type of brick to use. The most common types of brick today are made from clay, and they can be manufactured in a variety of different ways.

All forms of brick were originally handmade, dating back as far as 7,500 B.C. Handmade brick building materials were common up until the Industrial Revolution, when the process turned to mechanization. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, built in 1909, was originally paved with shale brick. During that same period, there was increased demand for quick and affordable housing in the United States, in larger cities in particular. Brick manufacturing was at an all time high, and in recent years antique bricks from that period have become a collector's item, with old Chicago brick in especially hot demand.