Bricks and Stone: A Comparison of Two Building Materials
If you’re reading this and you specialise in commercial architecture, you may have started considering the materials to use for your particular project. If you’ve considered masonry of some description, there’s a chance you may be torn between two timeless and high-quality materials, brick and stone.
Is it better to use brickwork or stone masonry for a commercial structure? In the interest of fairness as a brick supplier, we will take a look at both materials in this short guide despite our clear preferred choice.
Brick vs. Stone
Ultimately the decision on whether to use stone or facing bricks for your commercial building rests with you, and also will be reliant on the type of structure you’re trying to construct.
Both clay bricks and stone offer a timeless aesthetic, offering distinct and unique benefits and drawbacks. As far as both materials are concerned, they have withstood the test of time, staying firmly ingrained in the urban fabric of modern commercial buildings.
While there are both advantages of bricks and stones for a building, how do you choose between the two? To help you make an informed decision, here is a breakdown of both materials’ pros and cons.
Pros of Bricks
1. Brick is long-lasting and durable, having been used to construct some of the world’s oldest and most iconic buildings.
2. Bricks are eco-friendly compared to stone and other materials like timber, with brick being an all-natural product.
3. Brick is low maintenance; they do not need to be painted and retain their colour and consistency incredibly well.
4. Brick buildings have been known to increase in value as the years pass due to brick’s tremendous benefits.
5. Brick is a naturally insulating material, helping buildings stay warmer during winter, thereby reducing energy consumption and costs.
6. There are numerous brick colours and brick textures to choose from. To find one you like, browse through our range via our brick selector tool.
7. You can even purchase bespoke blends of bricks made due to matching existing brickwork or older, reclaimed bricks with modern manufacturing techniques.
Cons of Bricks
1. There are fewer brick sizes available on the market, whereas stone has plenty of choices. It’s rare to find bricks that don’t conform to the standard UK brick size of 215 x 102.5 x 65mm; however, you can buy long format bricks (Roman bricks) with varying dimensions.
Pros of Stone Masonry
1. Stone is very durable, with many beautiful buildings being constructed from stone blocks, some as far back as thousands of years ago.
2. Stone block buildings have an added sense of luxury, character and timelessness.
3. Natural stone helps to keep buildings cooler inside, which is helpful during warmer months.
4. Like bricks, stone colour and texture often varies by region, which means readily available, local stones can be used in favour of transporting ones from far away sites, saving unnecessary costs.
Cons of Stone Masonry
1. Installing with stone is more time-intensive and laborious, which can exert a considerable physical toll on workers.
2. Stone is not as naturally insulating as brick, which means these buildings will be far colder in winter. Stone is naturally cold, which often means buildings will require an additional layer of insulation, whereas brick buildings likely wouldn’t.
3. Stone is quarried, meaning it’s dug up from the ground. The process of excavating stones is not environmentally-friendly, traditionally speaking. However, it’s possible to repurpose old solid stones, provided they’re still structurally sound.
Differences in Durability and Aesthetics
Both brick and stone are immensely durable materials, with stone and brick buildings standing for centuries, sometimes even millennia. Therefore, if you’re looking to build one which lasts, both are good choices in this regard.
Before choosing, we would exercise caution and remember that the UK is prone to very diverse weather conditions. If you’re weighing up the best material to choose to cope with the UK weather most effectively, you should consider this.
As far as aesthetics are concerned, UK bricks are leap years ahead of stone. It’s possible to find almost any brick colour, in any texture and desired dimensions that you require these days. While stone may have a greater size range to choose from, the sheer diversity of brick textures and colours is unmatched, thanks to the tremendous working relationship between UK brick suppliers like Modular Clay Products and brick manufacturers across the globe.