Pressed Red bricks were manufactured in South Australia using a similar process to Wirecut bricks. Specifically, clay was loaded into the machine where it was automatically cut to size before being extruded out the other end to a particular size. The difference in the manufacturing process between Pressed Reds and Wirecuts, however, was that once the bricks were extruded from the machine and cut to size, they were left to partially dry, then collected and dropped into a hand mould for final touch-ups before firing. At the end of the process the bricks were stamped by the manufacturer.

The manufacturing process behind Pressed Reds creates a smooth hard red brick that are uniform in size and shape. The unique stamps on Pressed Reds make it possible to identify the individual brick company that manufactured the bricks. Common South Australian manufacturers include W&W, Wade, Freeburg, Childs, Barrey, Magill and Hallett, with Hallett being the most common.

We do not sell our Pressed Rreds by the individual companies that manufactured the bricks. However, as houses tended to be built using bricks from the same company, they come in batches of the same type as the houses are demolished and the bricks recycled. This means that individual pallets will generally have the same type of bricks in them, but a larger order of pressed reds may contain a mixture of pallets with bricks made by different manufacturers. However, given that Pressed Reds are generally always red and uniform in shape, bricks from different manufacturers are next to indistinguishable when laid together.

Given the properties of Pressed Reds, specifically their hardness and uniformity, their recommended usage is for landscaping purposes and driveways.

As with Wirecuts, we generally do not recommend them for feature walls because of the smoothness of the bricks which means that any chips or blemishes on the face of the bricks tend to stand out in a negative way.