Why Are Brown LEGO Bricks So Brittle?

As anyone who has stepped on one will attest, the durability and hardiness of a LEGO brick is well-known. The plastic building blocks are made to resist all kinds of stress; it’s rare for a piece to crack.

But over the years, LEGO enthusiasts have reported an exception. Some brown LEGO bricks, they allege, are uncharacteristically brittle. They snap, weaken, and may even be damaged right out of the box, threatening the structural integrity of everything from Star Wars Sandcrawlers to chocolate fountains.

Is it true? And if so, why is the issue specific to brown bricks?

1. “Brittle Brown”
2. LEGO’s Response

“Brittle Brown”

According to Blocks, an unofficial LEGO collectors’ publication, the issue of crumbling brown bricks was first reported in the 2010s. LEGO fans described reddish-brown bricks snapping or breaking while building with them or when trying to separate them from other pieces. While other colors were seemingly affected—dark red and gold among them—the “brittle brown” became notorious for the issue. Ultimately, some collectors feared not being able to disassemble completed sets out of concern the brown bricks would shatter. If you wanted to store your Simpsons house, for example, you might risk destroying the roof.

It wasn’t just bricks: LEGO collectors also reported brittle brown minifigs that were unable to survive a fall from a shelf.

LEGO’s Response

The problem remained anecdotal for years. Then, in 2018, LEGO confirmed the problem. In a press release, the company said:

“The LEGO Group has been working hard to address reported issues with Reddish Brown bricks becoming brittle and breaking under use. {...} The fixes were put in place earlier this year for the LEGO colours 154 (New Dark Red), 192 (Reddish Brown) and 308 (Dark Brown). We waited until now to make the announcement, as we wanted to be 100% certain all issues had been addressed and fixed.”

While this acknowledged the problem, it didn’t explain why brown bricks were susceptible to breakage in the first place. It’s unlikely to be the plastic itself: LEGO typically uses acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, or ABS, plastic—a highly durable polymer that keeps the pieces strong for building, or what LEGO calls “clutch power.” Per Bricks, the offender was the brown dye used by the company in the pieces, which had an adverse effect on the plastic and resulted in a weaker brick.

LEGO has never confirmed this, however. In a statement to Mental Floss, a LEGO spokesperson said only that: “We heard from a number of fans about issues with dark red, reddish brown, and dark brown LEGO pieces. We were able to figure out what was causing the pieces to break and put fixes in place. If at any time a LEGO piece doesn’t live up to the LEGO standard, we’ll gladly send people a replacement. Just visit Bricks & Pieces on LEGO.com/service or contact us.”

If you have a brick or minifig that’s gone to pieces, you can request replacements on the LEGO website. Have the playset name or number ready.

As for other colors: You shouldn’t worry. A study from 2020 theorized that LEGO bricks exposed to saltwater may last up to 1300 years without disintegrating.

Read More About LEGO: