Archive for the ‘ Stone Masonry ’ Category

Stone is a durable material that gives your building or structure a timeless look.

There is a lot of thought that goes into constructing a new building. Whether it be a brand new commercial building or restoration to make your business pop, you have a lot of decisions to make. The first starts with what material you are going to use for your next masonry project. The three most common ones are brick, concrete block, and stone. Here is some information on the three that will help make your masonry decisions easier.

Brick

Brick is an eco-friendly material since it is made from some of the Earth’s most available materials, shale and clay. It is both long lasting and durable, so you do not have to worry about your building or structure being easily damaged. They require very little maintenance as the color of bricks doesn’t really fade. They are weather resistant, so you don’t have to worry about the wind knocking them out of place. The downside to brick is that it is held together by mortar, which Is not as durable. The mortar needs to be tended to every so often because otherwise it could cause damage to your bricks. There also isn’t much design variation for your masonry project with this option, as most bricks have a standard color and shape.

Block

Concrete block has an interesting advantage over the rest in that it repels insects. Buildings made with these blocks tend to have fewer insect infestations. While brick is pretty weather resistant, block is known to resist huge natural disasters. They can withstand hurricane winds, tornadoes, and most earthquakes. It is also fire resistant so if your building does happen to catch fire, there is a lower chance it will collapse and sustain extensive damage. There are a variety of different finishes you can use with blocks, so you have more versatility in its design than with bricks. On the flip side, water can seep through block more so than other materials. With this material, you might have to do some waterproofing and assure that your building has proper drainage.

Stone

Stone is also a very durable material like the other two. It gives a building a very luxurious look and works well combined with other construction materials. It is a material that will never go out of style, giving your building or structure a timeless look. Stone is ideal for warm climates because it is a naturally cool material, so it will keep the interior of a building cooler. You can use local stone for your masonry project to save money and give it a unique element that another structure may not have. The disadvantage of stone is that the installation requires a lot more time and effort. This makes it more expensive since more work goes into it. Since it is naturally cool, that’s a disadvantage for when the cold weather rolls around because your building will likely be colder as well.

Your Preferred Masonry Professional Is Del Prete Masonry

If you are ready to upgrade your home or commercial building with professional masonry installation or replacement, Del Prete Masonry has the experience and expertise to get the job done right for the right price. To explore our residential and commercial services and set up a consultation, please give us a call at (410)-683-0650 or contact us online. We currently serve Baltimore City and County, Harford County, Carroll County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County. To see examples of our work and get more updates, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.