What is a Masonry Framed Home?
The first part of educating future homeowners is helping them understand what is behind the wall for protection of their family’s health and safety.
The exterior walls “envelope” are made of load bearing Concrete Masonry Units.
So, just because you have brick on your house it doesn’t make it a Masonry Home!
Can you tell which home is Masonry Framed vs Wood Framed?
Well, you’re not alone! It is very difficult for future homeowners to tell the difference just by looking at the finished home. The real question to ask is “What’s Behind the Wall to determine this answer.
Here is the simple process: Masonry Framing is a method where the exterior walls of a home are built using concrete masonry units (CMUs), like many commercial buildings. The concrete masonry walls are designed to be stronger than those constructed with traditional framing methods, serving as the load-bearing component instead of lumber walls. The interior walls are wood framed, and an additional 2×4 wall is added to the exterior walls to allow for insulation, wiring, and plumbing. Interior finishes can be customized similarly to conventional framed homes, and exteriors may be covered with stone, brick, Hardie board or siding,
So, what are the advantages of CMU vs Wood for Homeowners? ADVANTAGES: Using concrete block for a home’s structure creates a robust building envelope compared to traditional stick framing, enhancing energy efficiency. Thermal massing helps retain heat in winter and keeps the home cooler in summer. Concrete masonry wall construction also improves sound insulation, absorbing more sound energy. The mass and weight of concrete masonry walls significantly reduce sound penetration through the wall when compared to wood-frame construction. CMUs provide energy efficiency while offering protection from weather, rot, fire, and environmental damage. Currently, the cost difference for a CMU home is approximately 5% to 8% higher than that of a conventional wood-framed brick home.
Any cost difference is easily made up with all the benefits below.
| Homebuyer Benefits | Masonry Framed Home | Wood Framed Home |
|---|---|---|
| Sustainable Green Building Product | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fire Resistant | ✔ | |
| Naturally Energy Efficient | ✔ | |
| Lower Insurance Premiums | ✔ | |
| Lower Maintenance Costs | ✔ | |
| Lower Heating & Cooling Costs | ✔ | |
| Less Builder Callbacks | ✔ | |
| Bullet & Ballast Resistant | ✔ | |
| Wind Borne Debris Resistant | ✔ | |
| Sound Barrier | ✔ | |
| Mold Resistant | ✔ | |
| Rot Resistant | ✔ | |
| Warp Resistant | ✔ | |
| Termite Resistant | ✔ | |
| Rust Resistant | ✔ | ✔ |
| Flood Resistant | ✔ | |
| Storm Surge Resistant | ✔ | |
| Recyclable Building Material | ✔ | |
| Natural Ingredients | ✔ | ✔ |
What’s exciting is the new CMU Checkoff Masonry Framed Homes Program “The future of the masonry framed home program nationwide has a tremendous growth opportunity with a national checkoff program. As we continue to fully build out this program, we are happy to recommend a masonry contractor, help with flipping plans or just talk through the benefits to go with masonry.
