When thinking about building a new home, or any kind of structure, you’ll likely be choosing between brick or stone masonry, but how do you decide between the two?
While stone work can give an aesthetically pleasing element to a structure, and doesn’t require any external treatment, brick masonry requires external plastering to improve its overall appearance. That said, there are pros and cons to both methods and materials:
What is brick masonry?
When bricks are used in masonry, they’re placed side by side and one above the other to form a single, solid structure, bonded into place with cement mortar. There are several different methods of arranging bricks used by skilled brick masons, such as brick bonds, with some bonds being stronger and more popular than others. There are also different types of bricks used, such as clay, fly ash, cement and concrete bricks.
What is stone masonry?
Stone masonry is when stones are placed together and bonded with mortar to form a solid structure, and has been a popular technique for centuries. As a natural building material, stone is favored by many homeowners for its aesthetic appeal, and is cut and dressed into shapes by skilled stone masons. An economical option, stone is used in the construction of various buildings and its components, from walls and columns, to lintels, arches and beams.
Depending upon how the stone is arranged and to what level of refinement is there in the surface finish, stone masonry can be classed as rubble or ashlar masonry.
Choosing between stone and brick masonry
Ultimately, a lot will come down to your budget and the overall look you want to achieve on the structure, and your chosen masonry contractor will be able to discuss both options with you in more detail. To sum both materials up though:
Stone masonry gives a more attractive look to a structure and does not require any external treatment, however, it’s important to note that stone isn’t always readily available, and as such, is a costlier option.
Stone masonry is a method generally used in those areas in which natural stone can be found locally in abundance, and it can have a more decorative, visually appealing impact for boundary walls, for example.
Brick masonry requires external plastering to help improve its overall appearance, but the materials are easy to find and buy, and come in the required shapes and sizes.
So, to sum it up in brief (your local brick and stone mason can go into more detail for you) brick masonry is a preferred option in the case of major load-bearing structures, while stone masonry is often used when a more decorative, natural look is required.