The choice of whether to use natural flagstones or bricks for your home improvement projects should not entirely be based on your preference. Costs are the great determinants when it comes to this decision.
Bricks are less expensive compared to stones. This is because they are sold per units while stones’ prices are determined by how much they weigh. The issue of cost aside, using flagstone instead of brick for patios and walkaways is recommended as these stones are suitable in managing UV rays and weathering.
Also, the aging of natural stones makes patios look very attractive. In this article, the difference between bricks and natural stones for home renovation projects will be based on the following.
1.  Shape and Size
Natural flagstone usually comes in different sizes, shapes and colors as they take those of their surroundings. The common color tones of these stones are usually shades of dark grays, white, brown, orange, gold, blue, red and pink.
Natural stones can even be small enough to be handpicked if you live near a quarry. Because if not, the costs of transporting the stones can be a bit expensive depending on the sizes and shapes. If the shapes they assume cannot easily fit in the trucks, then it will need special carriage. But mostly, the shapes they come in can be carried by trucks and they can be really beautiful. This is because as earlier mentioned, they assume the shape of the environment they occur in.
Bricks on the other hand are very uniform. This is because they are all made in the desired shapes and sizes compared to natural flagstones where the shapes and sizes vary depending on the surrounding, they occur in.
The uniformity of the bricks makes it easier for the people doing the home improvement job to estimate how many more they need in the course of a renovation process. Additionally, the colors of the bricks can be designed according to the preference of the homeowner.
If you prefer the brown ones, you can consider going for clay bricks since the process of making them involves them being burnt hence the brown color. Read more here https://homeguides.sfgate.com/brick-vs-natural-stone-walls-homes-103050.html
2.  Labor
Natural flagstone takes a lot of time to install. Due to the variation in their shapes, it requires more labor since you have to collect the stones that matches each other so that they can fit well into the wall.
Also, these stones have to be installed in such a way that the ones at the bottom are strong enough to support the ones at the top to avoid them from collapsing before the cement sets. This process is a lengthy one and it requires a good number of laborers but the results are always worth the effort in the long run.
On the other hand, brick requires less labor and installation time compared to natural flagstone. Since they are made roughly of the same sizes and shapes, the bottom ones can easily support the top ones before the cement sets.
Nevertheless, bricks require the expertise of employees used to deal with cement. This is because, the addition of bricks to an enclosure requires cement to be added between the tabs and the metal lathing. Click here to find out more.
3.  Resistance to Weather
The main reason for building a house is to protect yourself from the weather conditions. Building your house with natural flagstones will help safeguard you from all the weather types; rain, snow, hail, to mention but just a few.
Stones do not absorb water when it rains. So, there is no way your house can be damp. We are all aware that dampness in your house is not good for your health or well-being. It can lead to health problems such as lung diseases and your house can feel really cold even when it is hot outside.
Bricks absorb water whenever it rains. This causes dampness in your house. Keep in mind that dampness can exist in your house for a long time even if it rained long ago. And as discussed above, dampness is not good for your health. Therefore, to avoid endangering your health with diseases such as the lung infections, it is advisable to use the natural flagstones which do not absorb water and cause dampness to your renovated home.
4.  Durability
When it comes to serving you for a long time, natural flagstone is more durable than bricks. These stones can withstand wear or tear. Situations that can result to wear and tear is the process of moving things around maybe when you want to arrange your furniture to your improved home.
This process can cause scratches to your walls if constructed with bricks and leave holes on them making your home look ugly. The resistance to weather conditions such as the way they do not absorb water when it rains also contributes to its durability. For this reason, there will be no need of changing the stones over time when you can longer handle the effects of dampness in your home.
Bricks are less durable compared to natural flagstones because they are not resistant to wear and tear. When you move your assets within your renovated home and by mistake it touches the wall in high pressure, your brick-walled house will be filled with holes. And also, because some types of bricks cause dampness when it rains, it may need you to change them over time and choose one that does not absorb water. This will be a costly and tedious process.
5.  Surfaces
There are surfaces in your home improvement projects that will obviously be uneven. This clearly help bring the difference between natural flagstones and bricks during your home renovation.
Since these stones comes in different sizes and shapes, it will be a problem when working with uneven surfaces. Natural flagstones also come in different thickness starting from an inch thick to even thicker ones like three and four inches.
So if you have decided to use these stones for your home improvement projects, you will have to prepare the surface they are going to settle in properly. You have to ensure that the stones fit properly on the surface to make them even. So, you will have to look for natural flagstones with the thickness and sizes that fit your surface properly.
It may be luring to tamper with the size, shape and thickness of these stones so as to achieve the type you need, but this act is not recommended since it will make the stones be susceptible to breakage. Altering their natural forms will disrupt their strength.
When it comes to bricks, its advantage is that it can be used in both even and uneven surfaces. Bricks are artificially made so they are created approximately in the same sizes and shapes. Also, they are made in the thickness suitable to be used in any type of surface.
So, even if the surface you are utilizing for your home improvement project is uneven, you don’t have to worry because bricks got you covered. With them you don’t have to worry about tampering with their natural form and suspecting them to breakage since you can design them to the thickness you need so that they can fit on your surface perfectly. See this link for more insights https://todayshomeowner.com/how-to-choose-between-brick-and-concrete-pavers/
Conclusion
As discussed from the points above, it is evident that bricks and natural flagstones are very different from each other. The advantage of one is the disadvantage of the other one and the vice versa is also true. Nevertheless, the advantages of using stones for your home improvement outweighs those of using bricks. This is because they are durable, do not retain water when it rains, and it is also beautiful as it assumes the shape of its surrounding.
These stones are also unique. Use natural flagstones for your home renovation project and stand out from the rest since most people use bricks for this kind of projects.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
