Bricks Or Blocks (BRICKS Vs CEMENT BLOCKS) – THE BIG GREAT CONFUSION MISCONCEPTION

Which to consider while building or buying your home.?

The confusion on which to prefer (Bricks/Cement Blocks) while building your home has been for quite a while.
I’ll Start with the Q&A’s which comes to your mind,your Family,Friends,Neighbors and everyone around you when you construct your home with Cement Blocks.



NOTE 1 
: CEMENT BLOCKS are NOT HOLLOW BLOCKS. They are SOLID CEMENT BLOCKS WITH NO HOLLOW SPACE INSIDE.

Sayings/Reasons from Stereotype person’s/Misconceptions around you,
Q&A’s


Stereotype/Misconception Saying 1.

Brick has been using from many centuries and generations.My father,grandfather constructed with brick and house is still strong.

Fact Advice 1.

Yes Brick is been used from many years, Size Stone construction from many centuries.
But there are new technologies upgradation everyday in the science and technology and Cement Block is one of those strong technology when you are going with column structures.
And its been more than 100 years since Blocks came into technology and people staying in it are quite happy with their homes.

Misconception Saying 2.

My Colleague said home’s constructed with block homes have water leakages, I saw a home on parallel street with block construction ongoing and many leakages.

Fact Advice 2.

There will be leakages in both Brick and Block Construction unless its neatly built with quality. 
Bricks homes are so many that, faults in it are neglected or not shared. 
How can you know that water is leaking when the construction is still going on? It may be the curing water? Wait till the construction is over, After plastering and paint, Your home constructed with blocks is Equally Excellent as Brick.

 Saying 3.

Why not use Brick?

Fact Advice 3.

In column structure, There is no weight going on the walls. If its a load bearing Structure, surely brick is the one. 
All i’m trying to do is to give you more inner space. 
A Brick home takes away so much of your interior space due to its 9 inch thick wall,whereas in a block home you get a extra inner space, due to its wall thickness of 6 inches. 
So, If your contractor is suggesting you block homes, Don’t take it negatively. He is just trying to get you more inner space.

And with blocks,there is lesser dead load on the structure. It is more light weight and stronger compared to bricks.

Misconception saying 4.

Blocks are not strong as Bricks, Yesterday my son hit a block with hand, and it almost came into ashes.

 

Fact Advice 4.

Block Homes are made with stone powder and cement, Which makes it Strong.

Bricks are made from mud.

And Blocks Surely it won’t come into ashes when you hit it with your hand.

Yes there will be a difference between a 9 inch brick wall and 6 inch block wall in terms of wall strength.

Bricks are strong but you loose lot of space.

For residential homes, you don’t want to live in bank strong room. Do you?

6 inch thick Block walls are equally safe.

If you have crores of Black money hidden, A thief will surely break even steel walls to get them.!!

ST Saying 5.

Brick homes are more cooler.

 

Fact Advice 5.

Yes Brick homes are about 0.2-0.5 degree cooler than Cement block homes.
Thats because its 9” thick.!

A 0.2-0.5 degree Celsius wouldn’t be even felt virtually.

Are you ready to sacrifice lot of inner sqft’s just for 0.5* C?


ST Saying 6.

Brick walls take lot of time to construct than block walls and is costly.

Let it take, what am i going to loose, The contractor is the sufferer.

Fact Advice 6.

Yes, Brick takes lot of time to construct, 
And Contractor is the sufferer.

Ultimately you are the one loosing inner space and
 Ultimately the contractor also thinks negatively for you if you think negatively on his behalf.

He is just trying to give you a extra inner sqft’s of space when you are constructing with column structure.

Nobody likes to go bare handed after working in hot sun in dedication for days together. Would you?

Why burn your stomach when a contractor takes less than 8-12% overall profit? You don’t get that feeling when you buy a Apple iPhone or Samsung at 300% profit. Do you?

Final Advice.
Cement Solid Block home are equally updated technology and largely used in upcoming everyday homes with good life and expectancy. 
Start believing on it,Before new technology updates and you are still stuck with brick homes/size stone forts of your grandfather.
Good Luck.

(ST definition : a one with widely held and fixed belief and oversimplified image or idea of a particular thing. )

by,

Siddarth.P.Raj

Civil Engineer,

MBA(Operations Management)

Bangalore.