Why are brick molds made larger than the finished bricks?

Brick molds are manufactured larger than the intended finished product to compensate for the shrinkage that occurs during the production process.1

When manufacturing bricks, water is mixed with clay to achieve the necessary plasticity for forming. This water must be removed during the subsequent drying and firing stages. As the moisture is extracted, the clay units shrink; therefore, the molds are intentionally oversized to ensure the final, fired brick reaches the desired dimensions.1