My clients often wrestle with the question of whether they should build a home with Masonry Nashville TN or wood.Masonry walls consist of concrete blocks stacked up from the slab to the full height of the wall. They are placed in beds of mortar and strengthened with embedded reinforcing steel and hollow cores full of concrete.

 The strength is dictated by wall Masonry Contractor in Nashville thickness, height and density of reinforcement and, of course, loading conditions. Framed walls consist of wood studs usually 16" on center with a stiff sheathing material, water proofing and some sort of siding on the outside such as stucco or siding. Let me answer a few common questions:

Are termites a problem when one uses wood framing as the main structural component?

• Yes, but not if the walls are built correctly. Termites can be easily controlled by placing a barrier called a "termite shield" which blocks the termites' ability (subterranean termites) to migrate up the wall. These shields are like flashing and are placed at the bottom of the wall. Additionally, pressure treated bottom plates are always used. Termites will not bother pressure treated wood and this adds another barrier. Once built, routine maintenance (inspections) will assure that termites never become a problem. There are homes that are centuries old which were built of wood.

Isn't a masonry wall stronger than one build with wood?

• Both masonry and wood can be quite adequate to the strength requirements needed to meet current codes. A wood wall is sheathed with plywood (usually) which give it an amazing amount of strength. Nailing patterns will affect the strength as well. The strength in masonry walls is governed by wall thickness, height and reinforcement; all under the control of the designer.

What about cost? Would masonry or framed walls be cheaper in the long run?

• Siding for a framed home can cost more than the typical stucco finishes used over block walls. However other factors, including speed of construction, cost of materials and labor tend to make framing an overall less expensive approach.

What about insulating masonry walls and framed walls?

• Insulation is always a challenge with masonry walls. The blocks themselves are not good insulators. Insulation is usually achieved by placing a foil over the pressure treated furring strips, or foam sheets over the wall and can even include filling the cores with insulation. None of these achieve insulation as high as that achieved in a wood wall. Wood framed walls are usually insulated with batts ranging from R-11 right to up in the 20's, depending upon wall thickness. Wood is generally easier to insulate to higher levels. One advantage of masonry is that it has a higher thermal mass which will tend to regulate temperatures a bit better.

Isn't it true that masonry walls take up a bit more room in the house.

• If one uses a standard 8" masonry block and compares it to a typical 2x4 exterior wall, one can instantly see about a 5" different in the amount of each exterior room that is taken up by the wall. From this common example it can be seen that framing takes up less usable space inside the home.

There are other factors to consider but looking at the above points one can see that framing offers an excellent value. We find, however, that masonry homes are quite common, especially in the South. Masonry offers an excellent product, is strong and can be beautifully crafted. However, looking at value alone, framing, if properly done, offers the better value.