Red Seal Bricklayer Practice Exam

High compressive strength is essential for bricks used in load-bearing walls because it indicates the material's ability to withstand significant amounts of pressure without failing. Load-bearing walls must support not only their own weight but also any additional loads from the structure above them, including floors, roofs, and other components.

Bricks that possess high compressive strength are capable of sustaining these heavy loads and ensuring the structural integrity of a building. This property reduces the risk of cracks, buckling, or catastrophic failure in the walls, which can lead to safety hazards and costly repairs. Therefore, when selecting bricks for load-bearing applications, prioritizing high compressive strength is crucial for reliable and durable construction.

Choosing bricks based merely on color, low density, or absorption rate does not directly address their ability to support weight and ensure stability in load-bearing scenarios, making those properties less important for this specific application.