Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-03-13
BRICK VS.. CONCRETE.

! me has reference to the clay brick
which has a record co-extensive with
the history of mankind. 1t has been in
competition with, and demonstrated It's
superiority over all classes of material
for permanent construction, whether
natural or artificial. 1t is therefore
perhaps useless to waste words, extoll-
] ing its merits, when there are none to
deny them. From every point of view,
resisting the elements of decay, fire or
wAter, uninfuenced by the ''gnawing
tooth of time" overcoming the effects
of heat or cold, or in supplying every
artistic design, in its natural and per-
manent color, the clay brick stands
without rival and supplies every de-
mand.
/ understand at least one of the pur-
poses of the Clay Workers convention
to be, the PRONUNCIATION of experimental
and scientific facts, for the further inn
provement and maintenance of the
quality Of our product, and perpetuate
its superiority. If, therefore, we take
occasion in our proceedings to refer to
a competitive material, cement con-
crete, it is not for the purpose of de-
preciating its we'll known merits in its
| proper place, a valuable auxiliary to
the clay product. Since the consump-
tion of the perishable material for build
ing purposes, timber and lumber has
reached the period of its limitation,
there will no doubt be ample demand
for all good materials produced by ma
ture or science, to supply the wants of
man. We can hardly be accused of
selfishness in performing duty we owe
to our patrons and the general public.
in calling attention to the defects of the
so-called cement block as a building
material. The past several years has
been an era for the introduction of
building materials, in competition with
clay products. The seller of the cement
block machine, in fifty or more varie-
ties, has exploited the country People
have been led to believe that with a
$500 machine, sand bank and little
cheap cement, any ordinary person, IN
back yard, could produce cement
block equal if not superior to any build
ing material on the market, and at a
less cost Visions of riches thus loomed
up on the horizon, and as result there
is scarcely hamlet which is not blessed
with one or more cement block MA
chimes. Profits thus far have only been
realized by the machine man, and the
manufacturer of cement. Numerous
impediments have made their appear
ance, checking the considerable use of
the cheap cement block, as building
material. 1t was found that cheap
blocks could only be produced at sac
rifice of their quality, and that even if
well made and strong enough, they arr
not good building material. Mos
ture penetrates the cement block, even
the hollow block, and the inside of the
building is damp. Various prepara-
tions for saturating the block to over
come this defect are advertised, none
are entirely successful.
A man who builds house, wants to
come in out of the wet and not have
the wall plate commence it's decay as
soon as laid. Aside from this, are the
disastrous effects of expansion and
contraction, and the cracks in the wall.
And the tendency to effiorescence (salt
petering) that usually makes its ap-
pearance after every considerable rain
This latter might be tolerated, for it
adds variety to the otherwise sombre
appearance of the structure. These are
the defects of the good cement blocks;
what shall we say of its unreliability?
The tendency of the maker for CON-
mercial purposes, is to make a cheap
block by hap-hazard process and the
use of an insufficient proportion of
cement, OF unknown quality, and there
fore weak and uncertain. The defect
of weakness in cement blcck can not
be readily detected, while poor brick
not properly made or burned can be
detected at glance. My information
from men OF experience is, that the diff
ference between good and inferior
block, is liable not to be discovered for
several years, The purchaser must
therefore rely wholly upon the integ-
rity of the maker.
will leave the cement block by quot
ing the words of Mr.. Lauer, of Chicago,
a man of much experience in the block
business soft, absorbent blocks are
no more fit to enter into residence con-
struction, exposed to alternate rain and
frost, than the myriad of water guzzling
hollow concrete blocks now flooding
the market. There is legitimate field
for genuine concrete, but neither the
soft hollow clay ware, nor concrete in
hollow form as now produced on one
thousand and one different hand ma
chimes, by as many different men and
as many different mixtures, are fit
materials to use for exposed walls in
residence construction"
AS to cement concrete construction
in other forms, it is also believed, that
this is being carried beyond its proper
limit. Concrete structures, involving
the steel REINFORCED method, are sub
ject to the expansion and contraction OF
large cement bodies In addition the
porocity of the material is such, that
under many conditions may cause the
steel to corrode and the structure to
crumble within the life of man.
From present experience, such con.
struction is at least of doubtful value.
The matter is comprehensively stated
in an editorial in Carpentry and Build
ing" when it says: MANY engineers
and architects are of the opinion, that
the use of concrete is being carried too
far" The manufacture of cement pro-
ducts for building purposes should re-
iQuire at least as much scientific and