National Consumers Prefer Brick, Study Shows

A new study shows that consumers prefer genuine clay brick exteriors on a national scale. Scoring highest nationally among all ages, races, income levels and household types, brick ranked number one over vinyl siding, stone, stucco, wood and fiber cement.
 
Regionally, brick ranked highest in five out of nine census divisions including the South, West and Pacific areas, but second to vinyl siding in parts of the Northeast and Midwest and trailed stucco in parts of the West. The study, "What Home Buyers Really Want," was conducted online last July by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Economics & Housing Policy Group.
 
New home buyers ranked energy efficiency as the most important factor - a key brick benefit from its exceptional thermal properties that keep homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Consumers also indicated how much more they are willing to pay for their preferences. Key findings are summarized in a recent Builderonline article.
 
“The study shows that home buyers trust brick to deliver on all fronts,” says Gregg Borchelt, president and CEO of the Brick Industry Association (BIA). “From its natural beauty and durability, sustainability, low maintenance, extreme weather resistance and higher resale value, there’s no substitute for genuine clay brick,” he said.


On a national level, respondents ranked brick highest at 34 percent, vinyl siding at 21 percent, stone at 16 percent, stucco at 12 percent, wood at 7 percent and fiber cement at 5 percent. To get brick, respondents reported they would add $7,500 in additional costs. Ranked by price point, brick topped other home exteriors in the $150,000 to $499,000 range, while vinyl was preferred in the $150,000 or less range; brick ranked second to stone in the $500,000-plus range, with stucco following in third place.

Even though adding a brick front to a house would cost consumers an extra $7,500 over aluminum and vinyl siding and $6,750 more than wood and fiber cement, the study indicated that consumers preferred brick 60 percent more frequently than vinyl and 4.5 times more frequently than fiber cement. And brick was preferred over twice as frequently as stone, which could be due, in part, to the fact that the study showed stone as having a 66 percent price premium over brick.
 
An earlier 2010 study by the NAHB Research Center comparing moisture resistance among typical residential exteriors evaluated genuine clay brick veneer as the highest in moisture resistance and dryness. Of the eight wall systems tested - accounting for approximately 90 percent of the cladding systems used today - brick veneer wall assemblies performed the best overall in controlling moisture.

Denver's McNichols Building Undergoes Restoration

The soon-to-reopen McNichols Building will be both the guest of honor and hosting facility at a LIGHT Party, held on Wed. Oct. 24 and hosted by the Civic Center Conservancy and Arts & Venues Denver.

During the last three years, mason contractor Building Restoration Specialties Inc. (BRS) restored the stone structures at Civic Center Park, its Greek Amphitheater and Voorheis Memorial, as well as the City and County Building. As part of the ongoing renovation of Civic Center, BRS has finished restoring the historic masonry façade of the Carnegie Library, now called the McNichols Building, at the northwest corner of Civic Center Park.  

During the summer, BRS restored window openings back to their original intent and hand-carved the stone window surrounds that were removed in a previous remodel. After patching some areas and installing new stone where the existing stone could not be salvaged, BRS washed the entire building to return it to its original elegance. One of the challenges while working on the building was extracting large pieces of stone, some as large as 5,000 pounds, in order to build a new entrance into the structure.

“It’s been very gratifying to work on the McNichols Building,” says BRS President Rhonda Maas. “It is surrounded by other newly restored structures and the entire area is just beautiful now. We’re glad to see the revitalization of Civic Center Park and are proud to be on the team that strives to keep it beautiful.”

The LIGHT party aims to raise awareness of the McNichols Building as a unique venue for special events and serve as a fundraiser for the nonprofit Civic Center Conservancy’s efforts to revitalize Civic Center Park – elevating and sustaining it as an active and iconic cultural and community hub. More information about the LIGHT party can be found at http://www.civiccenterconservancy.org/event.

Pearsall, Texas, to Require Masonry in New Construction

Pearsall, Texas, is a fast-growing South Texas city that has decided to join a growing state trend and require minimum percentages of masonry for new construction. Pearsall, located 54 miles south of San Antonio, is the county seat of Frio County. It lies within the Eagle Ford Shale Play, a major oil and gas exploration and production area, and grew nearly 28 percent during 10 years to a population of 9,146 in 2010. Continued significant population growth has spurred new residential and commercial development, but also concerns about construction quality.

Citing concerns about the city’s appearance and the long-term sustainability of the tax base, the City Council on June 12, 2012, voted unanimously to require minimum percentages of masonry for all new residential, multi-family, commercial and industrial buildings. 

The new masonry requirements are:

Residential – Minimum 3 feet of masonry at the ground level and minimum 50 percent masonry or stucco on all walls visible from a street.

Multi-family – Minimum 3 feet of masonry at the ground level and minimum 50 percent masonry or stucco on all exterior walls. Minimum 75 percent masonry or stucco on all walls visible from a street.

Commercial – Minimum 3 feet of masonry at ground level and minimum 75 percent masonry or stucco on all exterior walls.

Industrial – Minimum 50 percent masonry on the building front.

Leila Siqueiros, representing the Texas Masonry Council, says that, by enacting the masonry requirements, Pearsall joins a growing trend in the state. Statewide, more than 170 cities have enacted masonry requirements, according to the Texas Masonry Council. Pearsall is the first city in South Texas to adopt masonry requirements.

Research has shown that masonry (brick, stone, concrete block) provides greater protection against fire and windstorms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes, than non-masonry siding products. In addition, other research has shown that masonry requirements result in higher overall property values; growth in the tax base, lessening the tax burden on residents; continued population and housing growth, and no significant impact on affordability for either renters or buyers of housing.

Oldcastle Architectural Launches Artisan Masonry Stone Veneers

Oldcastle Architectural, the largest producer of concrete masonry products in North America, has created     Artisan Masonry Stone Veneers, a collection of high-density, pre-finished architectural concrete masonry units whose designs reflect timeless aesthetic appeal with artisan, hand-cut appearances.

Because they are manufactured with a high-performance water repellent admixture, Artisan Masonry Stone Veneers repel moisture, resist mold and offer efflorescence stain resistance. The aggregates of each stone are mixed throughout to prevent color fading, which adds to the aesthetic appeal.

The new line includes Cordova Stone, Franklin Stone, Waterford Stone, Dufferin Stone, Lamina and Slatestone.

Cordova Stone achieves the look of natural stone by using all natural aggregates for clean lines and a more modern look. Other than routine cleaning with a standard commercial grade cleaning agent, Cordova Stone masonry units require virtually no maintenance and will last the lifetime of your building.

Franklin Stone has the smooth texture and clean lines of cast stone with all the advantages of concrete masonry. Franklin Stone’s unique texture reveals the natural look of stone and allows sunlight and shadows to dance across a building’s facade, creating an ever-changing, visually appealing finish which enhances the character of any structure.

The distinctive look of Waterford Stone’s rich features and natural beauty is surpassed only by its durability. This cost-effective, versatile masonry veneer is available in a variety of warm color blends and rich textures.

Dufferin Stone is a natural texture veneer with an elegant old-world appearance. Installed using the same construction methods used to lay brick, Dufferin Stone's modular configuration and variety of stone sizes allow for a hand-hewn look in customized ashlar patterns.

Lamina is the only thick masonry veneer that offers a stacked stone look providing a distinct appearance that enhances architectural design through innovative texture. Lamina may be used on the entire façade or just to accentuate certain architectural elements such as wall sections or skirting.

Slatestone is a modern product that has the look of large stonework highly sought after in urban settings. Slatestone features three distinct textures with marked edges, a rich finish and earth tone hues, clean contours and a modular shape. Its durability and refined appearance will make it look timeless throughout the years.

Each product is available in multiple sizes, and all are suitable for residential, commercial and institutional applications. Additionally, all of the products in the Artisan Masonry Stone Veneers line can be cut and shaped in the field making for an efficient and cost effective installation.

General Shale Launches Branding Strategy, Expands Products

General Shale, the North American subsidiary of Wienerberger AG, began 2012 with an aggressive expansion of product offerings, along with a shortened name and a revamped logo to more accurately reflect the scope of its operations.

Effective immediately, General Shale Brick will be known as General Shale to symbolize the company's significantly expanded product line. In addition, General Shale's new logo will better represent the company's enhanced image as a comprehensive provider of masonry selections and outdoor living products.

In addition to its corporate brand, General Shale has established the following sub-brands:

· Building Products

· Outdoor Living Products

· Renovation Products

· Arriscraft Building Stone, Brick and Limestone, a subsidiary of General Shale.

With its product expansion and brand restructuring, the Johnson City, Tenn.-based company will continue to transition itself in phases over the next two to three years as marketing materials, location signage and other branded entities will need to be updated with the new name and logo.

"Consumer trends and preferences continue to evolve," says General Shale president and CEO, Dick Green. "Our new business model signifies our company's commitment to providing our customers with a variety of product solutions, whether they involve building a new home, remodeling or improving their outdoor living area. While we will always remain true to the core product that has been the basis of our success – and we believe brick is still the most durable, most attractive and 'greenest' building material on the market – these new products provide our customers a full range of choices for all their building and remodeling needs."

General Shale's corporate and local marketing efforts will re-emphasize direct sales to consumers while continuing to meet the rising demands of the entire building industry. Green points out that two key factors differentiate General Shale from its competition: The general public may purchase all products directly, including the new line of outdoor living selections and thin veneer products; and all products are professional-grade materials used by building contractors and landscaping companies.

Indiana Cut Stone to Distribute ‘Vanderbilt Classic’

Indiana Cut Stone has been awarded the rights to distribute and market the Vanderbilt Classic line from Indiana Limestone Co. Vanderbilt Classic is a solid, genuine natural Indiana limestone (stone masonry unit) sawn building veneer. The strong, clean look of genuine Indiana limestone masonry units is ideal for both residential and commercial structures.

Vanderbilt Classics, available in the market for a number of years, now is being made available through and promoted by fabricators and distributors. Indiana Cut Stone, a longtime customer of Indiana Limestone Co., is pleased to include Vanderbilt in their product offering.

Vanderbilt Classic building veneer will continue to be available through the Indiana Limestone Co., and the product and trademarks remain their property. Moving forward, Indiana Cut Stone will be distributing and marketing Vanderbilt Classic to their network of masonry customers, so that the material is readily available for both new construction and restoration projects worldwide.

Cast Stone Institute to Offer Producer Member 10-Year Limited Product Warranty

As of Jan. 1, 2011, all Certified Stone Institute producing members will provide a 10-year limited product warranty for the cast stone they supply on projects.

The Cast Stone Institute (CSI) Producer Members voted on Oct. 8, 2010, to adopt the language for a 10-year Limited Product Warranty. CSI Institute Producer Members are aware of the evolving environment for products in the marketplace that demand sustainability, durability and usable service life. This warranty demonstrates that CSI Producer Members embrace these principles and produce product that will stand the test of time.

Who is the Cast Stone Institute?

The Cast Stone Institute, founded in 1927, is an organization of certified Cast Stone Manufacturers and related professionals committed to developing standards and promoting the use of cast stone. We continually strive to encourage, through research, development and member training, the continual improvement of cast stone’s unique characteristics and educate designers and users of cast stone on the inherent value, quality and best practices in the use of cast stone.

Certified Producer Members of the CSI are engaged in the relentless pursuit of excellence in manufacturing. Prior to admission, each potential producer member must submit to a rigorous examination of product quality, safety, testing (including freeze-thaw) and meticulous record keeping. They must submit test data twice a year and undergo the re-certification process every other year with unannounced inspections. The results of these efforts include consistently high product quality, through continuous improvement in manufacturing methods and materials, and the assurance that Cast Stone Institute Certified member plants are “on the job” keeping cast stone a premier building material. The Cast Stone Institute, through its standing committees, disseminates current information and standards regarding the design, manufacturing, installation and use of cast stone.

What is cast stone?

Cast stone is a premier masonry product that provides ornamental or functional features to buildings and other structures as per ASTM C1364-10. It is made from fine and coarse aggregates, Portland cement, mineral oxide color pigments, chemical admixtures and water. Cast stone products are available in virtually any color, and will give the appearance of a variety of natural building stones including but not limited to limestone, granite, slate, travertine or marble. Applications for cast stone range from the simplest windowsills to the most complicated architectural elements.

Properly manufactured, cast stone has the same or stronger physical properties as most dimensional building stone. Properly selected and installed, cast stone can result in an architectural project of enduring beauty to be enjoyed for decades. Care and installation of cast stone are referenced in many of the Cast Stone Institute publications and tech bulletins.

For more information, visit www.caststone.org.