Comparison of brick houses with panel, wooden, monolithic and block houses – which are better?

Selecting the appropriate building material is one of the most important decisions in building a new home. There are many options, and each has a special set of benefits and drawbacks. Different types of houses can impact your choice, such as block houses, monolithic houses, wooden houses, brick houses, and panel houses.

Brick homes are renowned for their dependability and timeless beauty. Because of their superior insulation, houses stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. In contrast to other materials, brick construction can be more expensive and time-consuming.

In contrast, panel houses are prefabricated and put together on location, which can drastically cut down on labor expenses and construction time. While energy-efficient materials and contemporary designs are common in these homes, they might not offer as much customization or long-term durability as traditional brick homes.

Wooden homes are a popular option in many areas because of their charm and natural beauty. Wood has good insulation qualities and is a renewable resource. But, regular upkeep is necessary for wooden homes to avoid problems like rot and insect damage, which can raise long-term expenses.

Built from a single concrete pour, monolithic homes are exceptionally durable and impervious to weather-related events like hurricanes and earthquakes. These houses have great thermal mass, which contributes to a steady interior temperature. The drawbacks are that their construction can be costly and they might not be as visually appealing as other materials.

Block homes, constructed from cinder or concrete blocks, provide a compromise between affordability and longevity. They offer effective insulation and are resistant to fire. They are frequently less expensive and easier to build than brick or wood, even though they might not have the same aesthetic versatility.

Every kind of home has advantages and disadvantages, and the ideal option will rely on a number of variables such as personal taste, climate, and financial constraints. Making an informed choice and creating the home of your dreams can be facilitated by being aware of these distinctions.

What are brick buildings?

Brick houses are large construction projects whose primary vertical load-bearing and enclosing structures are constructed from the following kinds of small-piece materials:

• Solid ceramic stone – used for backfilling of facing, or for laying internal walls. It is characterized by increased strength, has no pores, conducts heat well.
• Slotted or hollow ceramic brick – used to create facade structures, has a smooth surface, relatively low density and good thermal insulation properties. Due to low compressive strength, cannot be used for the construction of load-bearing structures.
• Clinker brick – the material undergoes a special multi-stage firing, is characterized by the highest strength, is used for facing places subject to intense mechanical impact, as well as for laying steps, pedestrian paths.
• Sand-lime brick – has a low cost, consists of a cement-sand mixture, used for laying load-bearing and enclosing walls under cladding with plaster or other decorative materials.

Bricks for stone structures are used in the following wall categories, depending on the type of constructive scheme of the bearing frame of the building:

• Carrying vertical elements – when erecting low -rise residential and public buildings, or apartment buildings up to 9 – 12 floors.
• As a material for hinged structures and partitions, during the construction of multi -storey capital construction facilities from monolithic reinforced concrete, panels or blocks.

Citation. Hundreds of species of single, one-and-a-half, or non-standard bricks are produced by modern production companies; these bricks are distinguished by color scheme, brand strength, and other factors.

What can be?

There are many different types of brick houses in the world, and they are categorized based on factors like configuration, number of stories, calculated scheme type, and carrier. The following kinds of structures are the most frequently utilized among them:

• Low-rise private residential buildings. Can be built in height from 1 to 2 floors, with an attic and basement. Brickwork is used for the construction of both load-bearing and facing suspended structures. The thickness of the main walls ranges from 250 to 380 mm, on which the slabs are laid. Partitions are made with dimensions from 65 or 120 mm.
• Residential and public buildings of frameless type of medium rise – from 4 to 9 floors. In some cases, with stable foundation soils and a high level of compactness of the structure, construction of facilities up to 12 floors is allowed. Internal and external load-bearing walls are laid out of solid bricks with bandaged seams and a thickness of 380 to 510 mm. The interior of brick walls in such buildings can be filled with energy-efficient thermal insulation blocks, if their installation does not affect the load-bearing capacity of the frame.
• One-story or two-story production facilities, public or special buildings with full frame. Brickwork plays the role of enclosing structures, and also acts as a rigidity diaphragm between adjacent vertical supports, which prevents the loss of stability of the column-transom system under the influence of horizontal forces.
• Multi-storey buildings with a full monolithic reinforced concrete frame – as a two- or three-layer cladding of external walls. The wall transfers the load to the floor slabs within each floor of the structure; an elastic gasket is inserted between the lower surface of the ceiling slab and the edge of the masonry to compensate for deflections.
• Panel houses – as internal partitions between apartments, offices and other rooms of different functional purposes.

Apart from its primary uses, brickwork is employed in nearly all buildings to generate distinct structural components such as parapets, to occupy the area beneath first-floor stairwells, to build light pit walls, and for other purposes as specified by the architectural blueprint.

Why is this material preferred??

Brick houses are more common than other types of buildings and structures throughout the world. The majority of buyers and those involved in the production of installations and constructions select this material for the following objective reasons:

• The ability to create any architectural forms, due to the small dimensions of each individual element.
• A wide variety of textures and colors, which allows you to accurately replicate the architect’s idea.
• Multiplicity of geometric dimensions when arranging door and window openings.
• High level of fire resistance of clay bricks, which significantly reduces the risk of structural collapse in case of fire.
• Wear resistance – the material, painted in the mass, is not subject to fading in the sun, abrasion and aggressive environmental influences.
• Low porosity of fired brick, which provides excellent moisture-repellent properties.
• Environmentally friendly – houses made of natural clay do not cause respiratory irritation and allergic reactions in dependent people.

Apart from the aforementioned attributes, brick houses possess several other indisputable benefits that considerably enhance the well-being of occupants while they are in use.

Advantages and disadvantages of buildings

Let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages of each kind of building in more detail.

Made of brick

When selecting brick for their home’s primary material, each customer considers the following benefits and operational nuances of this design:

• Regardless of the ambient temperature, brick materials stabilize the indoor microclimate, greatly increasing the owner’s comfort.
• At elevated temperature and humidity conditions in the room, the brick does not collapse, and its structure does not support the development of harmful microorganisms, and therefore there is almost never fungus and mold in such houses.
• The consumer always has the opportunity to choose a material of different strength – from M50 to M200, which will provide him with additional savings during construction.
• When constructing brick walls, a large amount of reinforcing steel is not required. To strengthen the masonry, a standard mesh with a rod diameter of 3 – 4 mm and a cell of 50×50 mm is used, and, as vertical reinforcement for columns and pylons, rods with a diameter of up to 12 mm are placed in the seams.
• Facing products do not need to be modified, which significantly reduces labor costs when organizing the finishing facade.

Brick, however, is not a material that appeals to every property owner because of a number of significant drawbacks that come with both the material and structural elements made of it:

• Considering the small size of each standard brick, the construction of walls from this material is a complex, labor-intensive process that requires increased skill from the installation team and a long period of time.
• The process of erecting brickwork is accompanied by wet work, which cannot be carried out at temperatures below 0 o C.
• To prevent flexibility and increase load-bearing capacity, walls of significant thickness are required – 380, 510, and, in some cases, even 640 mm, which significantly reduces the usable area of ​​​​the premises.
• Considering the increased thickness of the walls, a brick house perfectly accumulates heat, but at the same time, in the absence of heating and its freezing, to achieve the desired temperature, you need to wait several days, which is why such a structure is not suitable for seasonal use.
• All internal walls are made of rough material, which requires large financial and labor costs when finishing them.

Crucial! Such a building’s primary drawback is its gradual long-term shrinkage.

All plaster surfaces will crack if repair and finishing work is done right away after the frame is constructed, necessitating additional repairs from the owner. The house needs to remain stable for at least one season in order to stop this from happening.

Made of wood

Summer cottage owners choose wooden houses above all others as their primary permanent or vacation homes. When compared to brick and other materials, these buildings can be quickly constructed and offer several benefits.

• The wooden elements of the frame or log house are fixed exclusively mechanically; assembly can be carried out at any time of the year.
• With an existing project and the availability of materials, a building made of timber, logs or panels can be assembled in 1 week to 2 months.
• Wood does not require finishing; for comfortable use it only needs to be sanded, sealed joints and coated with paint and varnish.
• Natural material creates special odors and microclimate in the premises, which has a beneficial effect on the health and comfort of residents, regardless of the length of stay.
• Porous material with the correct thickness does not require additional insulation, as it has low conductive properties.
• Wood works well in bending and stretching, due to which the timber can easily cover a span of up to 5 – 6 m, without deflections.

However, because natural materials can occasionally behave erratically, operating a house of this type carries a number of risks and inconveniences:

• First of all, without proper protection and ventilation, wood is subject to rotting, like organic material. Pests often start inside the structures, destroying the supporting structures.
• All wood burns well, a house made of such material must be treated with sealed compounds and observe increased fire safety measures during operation.
• The durability of the frame is lower than that of brick or monolithic houses. As a rule, after 20 years of operation, a wooden structure requires repair.
• Excellent conductivity of sounds and vibrations. Even with soundproofing pads, vibrations are transmitted through the wood structure.
• Every year, wood shrinks, which affects the stability of the main structures. Before filling door and window openings, it is necessary to install casing structures to avoid wedging of the elements.

Brick is preferred by many Russian real estate owners who do not view wooden houses as capital structures.

Note: Because the load-bearing capacity of wood cannot ensure operational safety, wooden buildings are typically no taller than three stories.

From monolithic reinforced concrete

Multi-story residential buildings are constructed using monolithic reinforced concrete, a contemporary building material. Simultaneously, some private residential real estate owners install their cottages using it. These materials provide a number of benefits.

• The high strength of reinforced concrete allows the construction of buildings up to 100 m in height or more.
• The joint work of rod steel and concrete provides the span structure with increased bending strength. The ribbed ceiling can easily cover spans of up to 9 – 10 m.
• Liquid concrete in formwork takes any shape, which allows you to bring to life the most daring ideas of an architect or designer.
• Reinforced concrete structures do not have to be solid – to ensure strength and stability, the construction of continuous walls is not required – it is enough to correctly calculate the location, number of columns and pylons, as well as stiffening units in the building. All free areas can be filled with brick or other materials.
• Concrete class B25 has a fire resistance limit of EI 120 and higher, depending on the dimensions of the structure, which provides the structure with increased fire safety.

Even though reinforced concrete is the material most frequently used in industrial construction, it has numerous drawbacks:

• Concrete work can be carried out in winter only when additional measures are carried out – with the addition of plasticizing agents, as well as with the heating of the material.
• Reinforced concrete products are not environmentally friendly, untreated surfaces generate dust, and large aggregates may contain a small amount of radiation.
• The construction of the frame of such a building is carried out strictly according to the design, requires careful calculations and is associated with increased labor intensity at all stages.
• During construction, there are many technological limitations, neglect of which leads to loss of the load-bearing capacity of the structure.

Citation. When designing a large-scale building for commercial use, monolithic reinforced concrete structures are preferable. Giving up on such technology is preferable when constructing a cottage.

From blocks

All around the nation, expanded clay concrete or foam concrete blocks are frequently used in the construction of private homes. This technology is used by the great majority of landowners who choose to construct a stone house because it has numerous advantageous features.

• One of the most economical options for constructing a capital structure.
• The strength of the blocks makes it possible to erect a building with load-bearing walls up to 3 floors.
• The materials have low density, retain heat well, and are lightweight, which significantly speeds up laying, unlike brick.
• The blocks lend themselves well to processing and cutting even with hand tools.
• The wall surface can be easily finished with cement-sand or gypsum plaster. The porous structure promotes increased adhesion to decorative materials.
• High degree of fire resistance.
• Increased resistance to the proliferation of microorganisms – the blocks do not rot, mold does not form on them, regardless of the nature of use.
• Possibility to set any building configuration.

Furthermore, building and using block structures has the following drawbacks:

• The impossibility of erecting long-span structures, since the concentration of stresses on the upper edge of the masonry without a distribution belt contributes to its collapse.
• Weak frost resistance, which requires the use of protective materials.
• High percentage of water absorption – not recommended for use in wet areas.
• Contains chemical compounds that cause allergies.

Regarding a note. At the same time, these buildings have higher dependability and durability in addition to a relatively low cost per square meter of building when high-quality brick cladding is used for the external walls and finishing is applied to the interior structures.

Comparison of basic characteristics of structures

The primary benefits and drawbacks, along with the useful characteristics of each building material, are clearly displayed in the table below. These materials are frequently used to construct private residential buildings in central Russia.

Characteristic name	Brick	Blocks	Tree	Monolith
Thermal insulation	Medium, achieved by using effective insulation or increasing wall thickness	High – porous material with a thickness of 400 – 500 mm does not require the use of additional thermal insulation materials	High – with a timber or log thickness of 200 mm or more made of pine, the required heat transfer resistance for the middle zone of the Russian Federation is achieved	Low – any monolithic reinforced concrete structure requires additional thermal insulation
Soundproofing	High – with a load-bearing wall thickness of 250 mm or more, noise insulation measures are not required	High – to ensure sound insulation, a masonry device with a thickness of 200 mm or more is required	Low, requires the installation of elastomeric inserts and porous insulation to reduce vibrations	Medium, to stop the transmission of vibrations, the installation of floating floors and other measures to cut off structural noise are required
Environmental friendliness	High, when using fired clay bricks	Medium – the composition contains chemical additives, which requires a protective coating of the finished structure	Very high – natural material provides its own microclimate in the room and improves health	Low – cement binder generates dust after hardening, promotes the development of allergies, requires additional finishing
Operating period	Up to 50 years for load-bearing and enclosing structures	Up to 30 – 40 years at constant temperature and humidity conditions in the premises	Up to 25–30 years, after which it is necessary to carry out restoration and restoration work with the replacement of individual structural elements	Over 50 – 60 years – the highest level of reliability among other stone materials
Construction time (for a private residential building)	From 6 to 12 months	From 4 to 8 months	From 1 to 6 months	From 4 to 8 months
Approximate cost, based on 1 m2	from 15 – 20 thousand. rub	From 8 – 12 thousand. rub.	From 6 – 15 thousand. rub., depending on the type of wood	From 15 – 25 thousand. rub, depending on the complexity of the design and filling elements

Because of this, every building material has pros and cons, and the decision is based on personal preferences, end user needs, space planning, and functional constraints.

What is better for building a private building??

You must comprehend the precise necessity of a private home before you can decide. Selecting based on this criterion will be considerably simpler:

• For seasonal use of a summer cottage, the best choice is a wooden structure.
• When building a cottage for permanent residence of the whole family, you should choose a brick house that will provide comfort for many years.
• If it is necessary to implement – rent or sell a property, it is recommended to use block technology.
• If you have a non-standard design solution in a high-tech style, with a lot of open spaces and glass, experts recommend thinking about a monolith.

Suggestions. Brick construction is the better choice for a typical small cottage for one family, even though it requires more work and is more expensive overall. Only a home like this will be comfortable, and the buildings won’t deteriorate over time.

Why is it important to know all the nuances and options?

Purchasing or constructing a private home on your own land is an expensive and responsible choice that calls for more accountability. It is vital to pay attention to each and every detail and nuance for this reason.

Should an incorrect choice be chosen, the owner will need to alter the design. For example, you will need to build extra brick walls when installing a bathhouse in a block house, and installing a fireplace in a wooden structure is nearly impossible. A brick building will let you down if you need to move into a house under construction in a few months because the finishing touches will quickly stop working due to a technological breach.

When deciding between brick, panel, wooden, monolithic, and block houses, it"s essential to consider factors like durability, insulation, cost, and aesthetic appeal. Brick houses offer excellent longevity and thermal insulation but can be expensive and labor-intensive to build. Panel houses are quick and cost-effective to construct, yet they may lack the sturdiness of brick. Wooden houses provide a warm, natural feel and are environmentally friendly, though they require regular maintenance to prevent decay. Monolithic houses are extremely durable and resistant to natural disasters but can be costly due to specialized construction techniques. Block houses strike a balance between cost, insulation, and durability, making them a versatile choice. Ultimately, the best option depends on your specific needs and priorities in a home.

Useful video

You will discover the advantages and disadvantages of brick, monolithic, and panel homes from the video:

Knowing the benefits and drawbacks of various building materials is essential when choosing the right kind of home for your requirements. Because of their well-known robustness and superior thermal insulation, brick homes are a wise option for regions with harsh weather. They have a classic aesthetic appeal and need little upkeep over time.

Conversely, panel houses are renowned for being inexpensive and requiring little time to build. They are lighter and simpler to assemble because they use prefabricated panels made of steel, concrete, or wood. They can be more prone to deterioration over time and might not provide as much insulation as brick homes.

Those looking for a natural, eco-friendly option are drawn to wooden houses. They offer good insulation and a warm environment, but they need to be maintained frequently to keep out weather and pests. Because of their sturdy design and high energy efficiency, monolithic homes are becoming more and more common. They may cost more, but because they are made of poured concrete, they provide exceptional insulation and structural integrity.

Block homes combine affordability and durability with materials like AAC (autoclaved aerated concrete) or concrete blocks. They are weather-resistant and offer good insulation, though in colder climates they might need extra insulation.

In summary, your decision regarding brick, panel, wooden, monolithic, or block houses ultimately comes down to your personal priorities, which may include cost, environmental impact, durability, or insulation. Before choosing, it’s important to carefully consider these factors because each type has distinct advantages. Seeking advice from a reputable architect or builder can yield insightful information specific to your needs, guaranteeing that you locate the ideal residence that satisfies your needs and tastes.

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