Brick or Alpha Block? This is a particularly common question among construction professionals, as both brick and alpha block are fundamental building materials used in masonry.
We will begin our "brick or alpha block" assessment by making a quick reference to their composition. In particular, bricks are based on clay, a completely natural material, whereas alpha block is a porous concrete brick, consisting of cement, hydrated lime, quartz sand and gypsum and is relatively lighter.
Below is a comparison of the properties between brick or alpha block, which is also known as aerated concrete block.
Brick or alpha block is used by manufacturers in several areas, depending on the type of construction and the result they want to achieve.
However, taking into consideration 7 points of comparison we will find that eventually brick brings together more advantages for masonry construction. Let's look at this in a little more detail:
Brick is a material with a long tradition, however modern technology has also "endowed" it with unique thermal insulation properties. Specifically we will mention Climablock ECO V250, which acts as a strong thermal insulation element in constructions, and due to its large mass it also acts as a heat reservoir. This is one of the main reasons why at the question "brick or alpha block?" many builders finally answer: brick.
The new generation bricks are heated at very high temperatures during the production process, making them a practically fireproof and safe masonry. In addition, the properties and characteristics they acquire are unaltered in the event of fire, and due to their thermal inertia, the transmission of heat is significantly delayed. Therefore, in this particular case, if you are asking yourself "brick or alpha block", the best choice seems to be brick.
The dilemma of brick or alfa block does not even exist when referring to weather conditions and in particular humidity. Aerated concrete blocks, as a porous material, do not respond very well to moisture unlike brick. The outstanding characteristic of the new generation bricks of Maliouris Group is that they store moisture in their capillaries creating a pleasant environment inside the building.
Brick constructions have better anti-seismic properties compared to aerated concrete blocks, as has been proven in practice for many years. This is the reason why so many builders choose brick to enhance the strength of the buildings they construct. Therefore, as far as the issue of anti-seismicity is concerned, the answer to the question "brick or alfa block?" has already been given.
Another area in which brick is gaining ground is cost. Between the two building materials, brick or alpha block, brick is cheaper. In fact, combined with its advantages and the properties it brings to a structure, it is the best building material for a multitude of structures.
It has been proven repeatedly that when it comes to the lifespan of building materials, there is only one answer to the question "brick or alpha block". In particular, brick has an extremely high durability over time, which can exceed 100 years, giving great durability to structures.
The last thing we will look at is which of the two building materials, brick or Alpha block, is more environmentally friendly. Here we should mention that in Maliouris Group's bricks the raw material is clay, a natural ingredient, friendly to the environment and humans and completely harmless to health, while the aerated concrete blocks are made of cement, quartz sand, hydrated lime and gypsum.
At Maliouris Group we manufacture and trade a complete range of bricks in various sizes, with horizontal or vertical holes. Each of our products proves the timeless superiority of this particular building material, which offers unique properties in all types of constructions.
Therefore, regarding the question we posed at the beginning of the text "brick or alpha block", the data we have quoted proves that brick is a building material that is superior in many areas.
Bricks, moreover, thanks to their advantages, are the most modern way of building, ensuring an excellent result. Durability, fire resistance, thermal insulation, protection against moisture and a long life span make bricks an attractive choice, as they combine aesthetics and functionality.
