Brick & Block - Market Research Study

US brick and block demand will grow 4.1 percent annually through 2010. Concrete pavers and decorative block will grow the fastest, followed by nonstructural clay brick siding and structural concrete block. Healthy nonresidential building activity will benefit structural, fencing and other brick and block uses (e.g., paving, landscaping).

The study done by Freedonia Group analyzes the $5.7 billion US brick and block industry. It presents historical demand data for 1995, 2000 and 2005 and forecasts to 2010 and 2015 by product (e.g., common clay brick, glazed clay brick, structural concrete block, decorative concrete block, concrete pavers, concrete brick), by market, by application (e.g., siding, structural, chimneywork, fencing) and by geographic region.

The study also considers market environment factors, details industry structure, evaluates company market share and profiles 35 major players including Wienerberger, Boral, Hanson, Rinker, Berkshire Hathaway, CEMEX, Titan, and CRH.

Construction Tip -Brick Driveways

Brick driveways are generally laid on builders’ sand in an interlocking pattern such as herringbone at 45 or 90 degrees, to protect against shunting. Good results depend on careful preparation and attention to detail – having a solid, level basecourse, meticulous cutting, measuring and laying. With practical skills and patience, you can save labour costs by laying the bricks yourself. For detailed advice, consult a bricklayer or large DIY store.

Brick and stone-paved driveways need regular weeding, annual weed control and re-laying of loose pavers.

Brick paver driveways should be sealed every 6-12- months; concrete every 1-2 years; asphalt every 2-3 years.

Why a Brick Paver?

There are many benefits inherent to a brick paver.

Do Brick Pavers require to be sealed? No, sealing your brick is not necessary, it is the preference of the customer. If you do decide to seal your brick you should wait at least 3 months to allow the sand between the joints of the pavers to be thoroughly swept in.

As if the previous is not enough advantage, other main benefits are: durability and strength, flexible integrity, long term cost benefits, non-slip surfaces, fast installation, promotes environmental responsibility, consistent color and low maintenance.

Clay brick pavers have an ability to withstand an extremely high level of loading and are suited to many different types of landscaping applications, such as, pedestrian walkways, vehicle driveway accesses within residential, commercial and municipal construction projects.

By flexible integrity, it is understood that brick pavers maintain their interlocking form better than poured-in-place-concrete because when the underlying earth and materials move, clay paving adjusts itself to accommodate the movement of the underlying soil and thus prevents cracking of the pavement system.

Its is considered environmentally responsible because clay paving provides an easy repair and recycle solution since they are made from a natural material found within the earth's soil. If they ever become damaged or stained, it is simply a matter of lifting off the damaged paver and replacing it with a new one. It is like replacing a small piece of a jig saw puzzle. Therefore, these are classified as modular.

No doubt the material is slip resistant and skid resistant due to its natural textured surface and highly abrasive characteristics. So, it is recommended for heavily trafficked wet areas, such as swimming pool pathways and outdoor areas.

Clay paving materials can be laid in any type of moderate weather conditions which helps to keep the cost of installation, time management and budgeting issues under control. The installation process is simple and quick; thus, they can be trafficked upon immediately after the installation process is finalized.

The color of a brick paver consistently and permanently is maintained throughout the product and will not be affected by any form of ultraviolet light.

Cleaning clay pavers is done with some detergent, water and some scrubbing brush. Most of the time they require little maintenance.

Next time, you will be needing a paver, think of a happy cleaning environmentally friendly solution!