Advantages:
- Since shape and size of bricks are uniform, it do not need skilled labour for the construction.
- Bricks are light in weight and hence handling them is easy.
- Bricks are easily available around cities and their transportation cost is less because their weight is less. Stones are to be brought from quarries which are located only a few places.
- It is possible to use all types of mortar in brick masonry. For unimportant buildings even mud mortar can be used.
- Thinner walls can be constructed with bricks but it is not so with stones.
- It is easy to form openings for doors and windows.
- Dead load of brick masonry is less.
- In brick masonry mortar joints are thin and hence construction cost is reduced considerably.
- Brick masonry has better fire and weather resistance compared to stone masonry.
Disadvantages:
- Strength of brick masonry is less than that of stone masonry.
- Durability of brick masonry is less.
- Brick masonry needs plastering and plastered surface needs colour washing. Stone masonry don’t need them and hence maintenance cost is more in brick masonry.
- Brick masonry absorbs water and there are possibility of dampness. There is no such problem in stone masonry.
- More architectural effects can be given in stone masonry compared to that in brick masonry.
- Stone masonry gives massive appearance and hence monumental buildings are built in stone masonry.
Personally, I prefer stone to be an accent piece. I feel like you can also get away with doing an entire house out of brick and not have it too much overpowering. Stone will always bring a substantial value ahead of bricks for many reasons. Bricks are man-made products, and repairs are difficult if bricks of past eras are not accessible. Since it’s a clay product, it’s essential that the masonry cement is properly combined to guarantee cement is weaker than brick.