Not all chalk is suitable for building, that near the surface being often far gone in decay and much too friable for such a purpose.
Even when apparently sound blocks have been gotten they are not infrequently found to be crossed in all directions by planes of weakness along which they are apt to fall to pieces in the handling.
From this cause the "waste" is sometimes considerable.
The well-known building "stones" from the quarries of Beer, Sutton, and Tottenhoe in Devonshire are really chalk, but in a form not readily distinguishable from ordinary free-stone.
The longer that chalk blocks are kept to dry before building-in the better, and the sun and wind of at least a year should be allowed free play upon them to dry out their natural sap and render them "frost-proof."
During the drying-out process the chalk should, if possible, be protected from the rain.
For years after being built into the walls of a house, chalk will continue to dry and harden.
But it is essentially a somewhat porous material, and will quickly revenge itself on those neglecting its just demands for a sound roof and a proper damp-course.
In exposed situations new chalk walling is liable to allow the penetration of moisture under the pressure of the wind unless a cavity is provided or unless the surface is treated with a silicate or other "vitrifying" fluid.
Chalk, however, has one shining virtue in common with its great antithesis--it improves mightily with keeping.
Chalk walls sometimes have youthful vices in the way of porosity that entirely disappear with advancing years through the closing up of the surface pores, which eventually makes a cavity and inner lining superfluous.
The use of sun-dried bricks in this country, is, for no very apparent reason, almost entirely restricted to East Anglia. There it has been used for generations with entirely satisfactory results.
Mr. Skipper of Norwich writes of the material as follows: