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Jerseygirl May 24th 2011 10:45 pm

Wood vs Brick built houses
 
Looking at pictures of the recent devastation in Missouri the reporter commented how the brick built houses and structures were still standing. Why oh why are the houses made of wood instead of brick? :confused:

Bluegrass Lass May 24th 2011 10:52 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 
I wonder if those brick homes still standing are all older homes, circa 1900s. Back then, brick wasn't just a facade like it is today. I wouldn't trust a newly built 'brick' home to withstand an EF4/5.

Tarkak9 May 24th 2011 10:54 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 9385730)
Looking at pictures of the recent devastation in Missouri the reporter commented how the brick built houses and structures were still standing. Why oh why are the houses made of wood instead of brick? :confused:

.... $$$.

Jerseygirl May 24th 2011 11:01 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by Bluegrass Lass (Post 9385745)
I wonder if those brick homes still standing are all older homes, circa 1900s. Back then, brick wasn't just a facade like it is today. I wouldn't trust a newly built 'brick' home to withstand an EF4/5.

That is true...I think they were older.


Originally Posted by Tarkak9 (Post 9385750)
.... $$$.

False economy IMO.

kimilseung May 24th 2011 11:10 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 9385764)
False economy IMO.

Well to get a bit boring about it, it was a narrowish corridor that got damaged. The houses to either side were OK, you have to calculate the chances of being hit by the tornado and weight that against the cost of damages.

tonrob May 24th 2011 11:14 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 
I've got wood, but it's still erect despite my terrible wind.

Sally Redux May 24th 2011 11:19 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by tonrob (Post 9385786)
I've got wood, but it's still erect despite my terrible wind.

You must be built like a brick shithouse.

S Folinsky May 24th 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 
I have noted that many of the pics show the surrounding structures still standing.

Even the brick buildings won't have a roof after a wind like that.

As one living in Earthquake Country, I would rather be in a wood frame structure any day. There was an article in the LA Times this morning about a hospital there and the wind blew out the doors and windows.

Also, one thing we have learned the hard way here in California is that how one joins the components of the building are important.

sir_eccles May 24th 2011 11:29 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 
I feel a lot of modern housing is put together like Ikea furniture, as quickly as possible using the cheapest materials available.

I recently bought a house in the older part of town (1950s counts as old here in Phoenix) rather than the new suburbs not least to avoid HOAs but also because they built houses properly then. Thick heavy concrete block walls keep the place nice and cool as do seemingly small design features such as large overhanging eaves, single story, small windows etc. The inspector was really impressed with its condition.

Sally Redux May 24th 2011 11:33 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by sir_eccles (Post 9385822)
I feel a lot of modern housing is put together like Ikea furniture, as quickly as possible using the cheapest materials available.

I recently bought a house in the older part of town (1950s counts as old here in Phoenix) rather than the new suburbs not least to avoid HOAs but also because they built houses properly then. Thick heavy concrete block walls keep the place nice and cool as do seemingly small design features such as large overhanging eaves, single story, small windows etc. The inspector was really impressed with its condition.

I love old houses for those reasons. Also the traditional adobe construction of this area withstands earthquakes and keeps the house cool. The modern approach takes little or no account of local conditions.

meauxna May 24th 2011 11:55 pm

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 9385730)
Looking at pictures of the recent devastation in Missouri the reporter commented how the brick built houses and structures were still standing. Why oh why are the houses made of wood instead of brick? :confused:

Respectfully, why do you ask the same question over and over? See S Folinsky's post. I wouldn't live in a brick house here if you paid for it and gave it to me.

Jerseygirl May 25th 2011 12:01 am

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by meauxna (Post 9385859)
Respectfully, why do you ask the same question over and over? See S Folinsky's post. I wouldn't live in a brick house here if you paid for it and gave it to me.

I wasn't aware I had asked it over and over again. :confused:

meauxna May 25th 2011 12:09 am

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl (Post 9385873)
I wasn't aware I had asked it over and over again. :confused:

I'm sorry. It wasn't very nice of me to be impatient, regardless.

N1cky May 25th 2011 12:13 am

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 9385829)
I love old houses for those reasons. Also the traditional adobe construction of this area withstands earthquakes and keeps the house cool. The modern approach takes little or no account of local conditions.

I thought wooden houses stood up better than brick in earthquakes as they flex. The shifting of brick houses means walls fall down and the mortar holding the bricks together rubs together and becomes sand, eventually falling down. Also, most brick houses out here have no foundations, so slide

Can't comment on tornado's though, can't imagine either structure would fair well.

Scouse Express May 25th 2011 12:13 am

Re: Wood vs Brick built houses
 

Originally Posted by kimilseung (Post 9385779)
Well to get a bit boring about it, it was a narrowish corridor that got damaged. The houses to either side were OK, you have to calculate the chances of being hit by the tornado and weight that against the cost of damages.

The chances of being hit by a Tornado, when you live in the middle of "Tornado Alley" aren't exactly remote.

Jim.


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