Photo: Erik Mclean

Is building with concrete more expensive than wood?

Typically, concrete is far more expensive than lumber. But the price difference has mostly been erased with lumber's increased cost — and in some markets, building with concrete masonry is actually cheaper than building with wood.

acmeblockandbrick.com - Concrete Masonry is Cost-Effective versus Lumber | ACME Block & Brick

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Concrete Masonry is More Cost-Effective Than Traditional Lumber

As the nation has begun to emerge from the pandemic, lumber prices have skyrocketed — more than tripling in some cases as demand soared amid supply chain bottlenecks. These higher prices can add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of a new home. Smart homebuyers and architects will want to take this moment to look at how concrete masonry construction can better serve their needs, providing an affordable and durable alternative to traditional lumber construction.

Price difference erased

Typically, concrete is far more expensive than lumber. But the price difference has mostly been erased with lumber’s increased cost — and in some markets, building with concrete masonry is actually cheaper than building with wood. Building a house with concrete masonry units (CMUs) offers many benefits and long-term savings opportunities. For instance, owners of homes built from concrete masonry could see significant lifetime savings on insurance costs. Studies in Charlotte and Atlanta found premiums for property insurance were 2.5 to 3 times cheaper for masonry buildings than for wood structures. Builders also experienced insurance savings with building risk insurance premiums for masonry construction about half of those for lumber construction. Concrete masonry buildings are stronger and more resilient than buildings made of lumber, and less prone to mold or water damage. Not only are they tough and resilient, but CMUs can be crafted into attractive, visually appealing buildings.

Versatile, attractive construction

CMUs are one of the most versatile products in the construction industry, used for foundations, structural frames or the building itself. ACME Block & Brick produces CMUs in a variety of colors and textures depending on the aesthetics of the project, and our blocks come in both smooth face and split face textured styling. The spiking prices of lumber only highlight the many advantages of concrete masonry construction. ACME Block & Brick provides the highest standards of quality across our seven locations. We deliver the best service to understand and meet your needs.

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Can metal get so cold it breaks?

Yes. Cooling just about anything to liquid nitrogen temperatures makes it more brittle than at higher temperatures.

van.physics.illinois.edu - Brittleness of Metals at low Temperature | Physics Van | UIUC

A:

Hi Qi Han,Yes. Cooling just about anything to liquid nitrogen temperatures makes it more brittle than at higher temperatures. At higher temperatures, defects in the crystal lattice of a material are more mobile. Bending a crystal will introduce slippage and cracking. At higher temperatures, bonds re-form around the dislocated surfaces, distorting the lattice nearby, shifting the stress around. At lower temperatures, the nearby atoms in the crystal lattice do not move and long cracks can form more easily.A common process in the production of steel is "annealing", which raises the temperature of the metal so that accumulated slippages and other defects in the crystal lattice (usually caused by forceful mechanical shaping, such as rolling and stamping) may relax and a more ordered crystal can form. A piece of metal that has been repeatedly bent back and forth will become brittle due to an accumulation of defects in the crystal lattice.Hitachi in Japan has an interesting materials recycling process in which everything is cooled down to liquid nitrogen temperatures and then crushed. Iron and steel components crumble more easily in a crusher at these temperatures, and then the remaining pieces can be separated from non-iron components with magnets later on.Metals become brittle at temperatures much warmer than liquid nitrogen temperatures. On a cold winter night in Iowa, the door on my brother’s car was frozen shut. I didn’t think I was pulling on the handle too hard, but managed to snap the handle off anyway. I suspect the temperature had a lot to do with the brittleness of that metal door handle.Tom