Study finds that homes built with brick provide better protection from wind-blown debris

Homes featuring brick veneer far exceed strictest hurricane building standards

Reston, VA, September 22, 2004 – A study shows that homes built with brick offer dramatically more protection from wind-blown debris than homes built with vinyl or fiber-cement siding.

The study, conducted at the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center at Texas Tech University, demonstrated that a medium-sized wind-blown object, such as a 7.5-foot long 2 x 4, would penetrate homes built with vinyl or fiber-cement siding at a speed of 25 miles per hour (mph). By comparison, the same object would need to travel at a speed exceeding 80 mph in order to penetrate the wall of a brick home. 

In a test that simulated wind-blown debris traveling at a speed of 34 mph, the 2 x 4 bounced off the brick veneer with no damage to the interior wall. When the same test was conducted on a vinyl or fiber-cement sided wall, the 2 x 4 easily penetrated the wall, with more than five feet of the timber passing through the interior wall. The test was representative of weather that would generate wind speeds of between 100 and 140 mph.

“This research demonstrates that buildings and homes built with brick provide a huge advantage over those built with lightweight sidings,” said Richard Jennison, then president and CEO of the Brick Industry Association. Not all walls are built the same and they don’t perform the same. Brick provides safety for building occupants and security for property. 

The study, which was sponsored by the Brick Industry Association, consisted of a series of tests that simulated the potential damage that could result from wind-blown debris by propelling a nine-pound 2 x 4 at samples of typical residential wall construction. This size 2 x 4 is representative of typical wood framing used in home construction and could be expected to become airborne in high winds.

The Wind Science and Engineering Research Center, which conducted the study, was established after a devastating tornado in Lubbock, Texas, and is recognized as the premier location for impact testing of wind-blown debris. Dr. Richard M. Bennett, P. E., of the University of Tennessee Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was the principal investigator.

The tests found that homes made with brick exceed the 34 mph impact resistance requirement for high velocity hurricane zones in the Florida building code. Brick also exceeds Florida’s impact resistance requirements for essential facilities in hurricane areas.

The impact test procedures in the study are used to rate wall, door and window protection assemblies for damage in high wind situations. The tests used four feet wide by four feet tall wall segments constructed in accordance with the International Residential Code provisions for high wind areas. Each wall was made up of 1/2 inch gypsum board, 2 x 4 wood studs at 16 inches on center with fiberglass insulation between, 1/2 inch Oriented Strand Board (OSB) sheathing, and brick veneer or siding attached with the appropriate ties or nails.

The tests were the second phase of a two-year study conducted by the brick industry on the impact resistance of typical residential wall construction to wind-blown debris. The first part of the study, which was completed last December, included a review of building codes and standards requirements with a focus on impact tests of siding materials. The tests at Texas Tech University took place in August 2004.

Resource: BIA

Bring The Warmth Inside:

Security, hospitality, warmth….Such sensations await us as we cross the threshold of any structure. Whether you’re ducking into your home to escape the weather or returning home after a day’s work, a homes interior should embrace, inspire and invite you in to see more.

By combining the endless variety of brick shapes, textures and colors, builders can transform conventional interior features – from fireplaces to kitchens to entire walls – into works of art that add timeless beauty and value.

Brick’s outstanding durability makes it an exemplary building material for any interior project. It can stand up to extremes in temperature and holds up under years of wear, making it ideal for kitchens and floors. Its solidity adds to any building’s structural integrity and safety.

Brick details – from arches over doorways to contrasting brick colors and patterns on walls, chimneys and floors – can bring a large interior down to a human scale, add continuity between rooms or create an awe-inspiring sense of history in progress. Whatever the look to be achieved, brick can create a custom look that communicates imagination, endurance and warmth….try brick flooring in a patio room or wine cellar; arches over the stovetop or between the kitchen and sunroom to create an added-on feeling to an adjacent room.

More than ever, architects, builders and homeowners appreciate the beauty and flexibility brick adds to interior designs. From your home, to churches, to restaurants to conference centers, interiors that incorporate brickwork into their designs enhance intimacy and communicates a homey, comfortable feeling to all visitors.

Resource: Brick Watch/MISL