Gather clay, shale, or suitable soil
Remove stones, roots, and debris
Crush and sieve the material
Mix with water to form a workable clay body
Add sand or other temper if needed
Shape the mixture into brick molds
Remove excess material and level the surface
Dry the molded bricks in air
Turn the bricks periodically for even drying
Fire the dried bricks in a kiln
Cool the fired bricks slowly
Sort and stack the finished bricks