Masonry Magazine March 2004 Page. 48
Concrete Brick
Having variety provides buyers the options they want, while also keeping them masonry consumers.
Other reputable manufacturers do not condone this practice, and even feel that concrete brick offers a more dependable unit.
"Because concrete brick size is more consistent, it may be easier for masons to lay out when they want a certain size mortar joint," says Bates. "A skilled mason should have no problem laying either product."
Cost and Competition
There is little debate over the cost difference between concrete and clay brick. According to Hanson Brick, there is a 10% price differential between a standard concrete brick and a comparable clay brick.
"Builders are always looking for ways to build houses cost-efficiently," says Seidel. "Concrete brick are sold at a cheaper price, and that's their basic advantage over [clay bricks] from the builder's perspective."
Bates agrees that people are looking for options, but feels that, because Hanson Brick manufactures both clay and concrete varieties, that they're not competing against other clay brick manufacturers for masonry market share.
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"Our view is that concrete brick is at a price point that's competitive with non-masonry cladding, such as siding and EIFS," says Bates.
This may not be the standing rule with every manufacturer of concrete brick, though. People have been known to take advantage of concrete brick's lower price, use deceptive sales tactics, and sell the units as clay brick, when in fact they're not.
"The unfortunate thing is that many consumers see the concrete and clay samples, and the concrete samples are not labeled," states Seidel. "We know of many cases where people thought they had a clay brick home, only to find out that it was concrete later on."
Bates says that this is hardly a fair assessment of the concrete brick industry as a whole.
"At Hanson Brick, our product is always very clearly labeled," explains Bates. "At the national level, there are very few large producers of concrete brick, and as far as I know things are clearly labeled."
Overall Value
Sometimes it just comes down to how long the product will last and the quality that you're getting for your money.
"Typically clay brick will outlast concrete because of the glass formation in the product," says Bates. "Clay brick does have a higher compressive strength than concrete brick; however, concrete brick made with limestone - like Hanson's concrete products - is stronger than traditional concrete brick."
"People just want clay and they'll pay more for clay brick on their homes," explains Seidel. "With any kind of product, consumers don't necessarily want the cheaper substitute - they want the real thing."
Conclusion
It would seem that, as long as the factual information on these products is provided to consumers, having a lower-costing concrete brick and a higher-valued clay brick is a winning combination for the masonry industry as a whole. It provides buyers the options they want, while also keeping them masonry consumers.
"The great thing about masonry," says Bates, "is that people have a choice from a range of high-quality products made by reputable manufacturers including both clay and concrete brick."