Get matched with top masons in Tsaile, AZ

Whether you’re installing brick siding over a traditionally-framed home or you’re using genuine brick construction to build, the biggest downside of a brick house is the higher cost you’ll pay for the materials and labor. Real brick construction also means your home build will take longer, as it’s more time-consuming to construct brick walls than it is to frame out your home.

If your old bricks are in decent condition and you have the space to store them where they’ll be protected from the elements, keeping old bricks is often worthwhile. You’d spend anywhere from $70 to a few hundred dollars to have them removed from your property, in which case you won’t be able to use them for future projects. Holding on to old bricks in good condition means you can use them later for other DIY projects, potentially saving yourself some money on disposal and new materials down the road.

Cutting stone comes with a number of safety hazards. First and foremost, if you’re not comfortable with the equipment required to cut stone, including blades and grinders, you could easily injure yourself. The heavy machinery also poses a risk to your ears if you don’t wear proper ear protection; similarly, you need to wear eye protection to keep debris from irritating your eyes.

However, the biggest risk from cutting stone comes from the stone dust. When breathed in, stone dust can be a huge hazard to your lungs. Always wear a face mask when cutting stone to prevent inhaling stone dust, and thoroughly clean the work area when you are finished.

To avoid injury, we recommend hiring a stone-cutting professional, rather than attempting this job yourself.

Mortar, or masonry mortar, is mainly used in joints and as parging for stone, brick, or cement construction. Stucco is primarily a surface material used as wall coverings. For maintenance, masonry will need repointing or replacing as damage or land shifting occurs, whereas stucco will need patching or refinishing as it tends to crack over time along with other types of wear-and-tear.