Brick and Stone: How Do They Differ?

If you are in the market for a new home in Westfield—of if you’re interested in giving your home a facelift in Broad Ripple—you might be trying to decide if you would like to use stone or brick. Similarly, if you are wanting to redo your fireplace in Lawrence or wanting to add a retaining wall in Plainfield, you are probably looking into all of your stone options.

For many, the choice between brick and natural stone comes down to budget. In general, natural stones will be more expensive than brick, largely because their weight is taken into consideration when they’re sold (as opposed to brick, which is sold per unit). You also might be taking into account if you are wanting to install them yourself—or if you plan to hire someone to do it for you.

Natural Stone

Part of the beauty of natural stone is its variation in shape and color. Whereas bricks are uniform, natural stones are more reflective of the variety found in nature, which ranges from dark shades of gray to tan to silver and white. Living close to a quarry is advantageous if you’re choosing to work with natural stone because you can handpick what you want—and you avoid the cost of shipping.

Largely, installing natural stone is going to be a more laborsome process than brick because each stone has its own unique shape and size. With such a large variety, it takes more time to match stones and install them. Installation can also be tricky in that you need to ensure that you have a solid foundation of bricks that can support the rocks above and/or that you can keep them in place until cement dries. Despite the more difficult installation process, natural stone is beautiful and worth the effort.

Bricks

Bricks, on the other hand, are similar in shape, color, and size. That being said, you have lots of choices of color—from deep reds to pale oranges to neutral browns. Because of their uniformity, bricks are easier to install than natural stone. Similarly, it’s easier to calculate just how many you will need to cover on your home’s exterior or on your fireplace.

Like natural stone, bricks are installed using cement, which can require some experience to work with. Because brick is not natural (i.e. it’s man made), it’s much more common than natural stone. So if you are wanting a unique look, that’s something you’ll want to consider.

Regardless of whether you choose natural stone or brick, you’ll want to make sure you have someone install it who has experience. If you are in the market for a new chimney, fireplace, patio or wall outside your home, give B+E a call. We love working with clients on this stuff!