*️⃣ compressive strength *️⃣
Clay: average compressive strength is usually between 8000 and 10000 psi.
Cement brick: average compressive strength is usually between 3000 and 4000 psi
Clay brick units are 2 ½ to 3 times stronger than concrete bricks. It is important to note that the strength of a brick or concrete block or a brick wall depends on the quality of the holding mortar. Mortars rich in lime are weaker than mortars that are heavy on cement. For comparison, dense lime mortar can hold about 350 psi, while high cement mortar can hold 3000 psi.
*️⃣ absorption rate *️⃣
Pottery absorbs approximately 15-35 grams of moisture per minute per square meter. On the other hand, the water absorption of concrete bricks is between 40 and 80 grams per minute per 30 square meters. When we compare clay or brick in natural state, we can summarize the difference between brick and clay as concrete brick absorbs about 2-3 times more moisture than clay. So, after heavy rains, If you compare walls made of clay bricks with cement walls, you will notice that walls made of cement can stay wet for days after rain.
Due to the high water absorption rate of cement bricks, some manufacturers A water repellent is added to their mortar, which helps to eliminate and minimize the potential for water related problems in such building materials.
Another thing to note here is that if one of the units For integral waterproofing to be used, the manufacturer must even add a water repellent to the mortar for it to be effective. This cost is about the cost of a bag of mortar.
*️⃣ expansion and contraction *️⃣
With changing weather conditions, most building materials show some kind of movement. And all building designs must consider such movements. A clay building unit expands or expands over time after installation while a concrete building unit contracts.
Brick or clay houses are built without the use of movement joints. Unless a house is unusually large, this is still a good rule of thumb to follow. However, it is recommended that it be opened to expand around all windows and doors.
Now for concrete units, due to the nature of shrinkage movement, these homes may be more prone to cracking. This is exactly why; Reinforcing steel joints are needed because it helps reduce shrinkage cracking.
*️⃣ color and texture *️⃣
any type of pottery or bricks are available in many different colors. Sometimes textured and perforated bricks are also available with clay bricks. One thing to note about concrete bricks is that they are not painted quickly and fade over time.
*️⃣ Weight *️⃣
Bricks or clay are both heavy materials, but their exact weight depends on the materials used, the size of the blocks and the type of construction. For example, the weight of a standard clay brick is about 2.2 kg, on the other hand, a cement block can weigh up to 15 kg. It depends on the type of materials used, for example, light block, which is a type of cement block, due to the use of pumice and press, has a much lower weight and a much higher quality than old blocks.
< b>*️⃣ useful life *️⃣
The durability of cement bricks is less than that of clay bricks. Concrete works well for about 60 to 100 years, while clay bricks have been known to last for 1,000 years or more.
*️⃣ Strong and durable - high compressive strength *️⃣
Cement bricks, especially light bricks, are more durable than clay products such as clay bricks.