Wood Stone - Macquarie Blocks

Natural Brick Co focuses on reducing carbon emissions throughout the entire manufacturing process. Locally sourced materials and innovative manufacturing processes work to bury carbon by absorbing multiple streams of waste and producing materials that have renewed longevity in homes and buildings for decades to come.

Unlike traditional masonry options, Natural Brick Co has worked to refine manufacturing processes to bury carbon during production. This carbon consciousness continues into the curing stage where we utilise natural curing to avoid the high carbon cost of artificial curing.

Sustainability in masonry is about innovating better solutions for the building industry. Natural Brick Co works to innovate options for sustainable design by providing high performance masonry that works to balance thermal mass, insulation and conductivity. When paired with sustainability conscious design, Wood Stone provides options for passive solar, passivhaus and other sustainable design strategies.

The Australian climate requires buildings that are capable of harnessing high diurnal temperature variation. The current focus on R ratings through the National Construction Code (NCC) has pushed buildings to adhere to rating systems that work to reduce the need for excess energy consumption for heating ventilation and cooling systems. The Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) and the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) have been developed to set a new standard for energy efficiency and sustainability in residential housing. Wood Stone masonry not only satisfies these requirements for insulation and mass, it strives to empower higher NatHERS ratings for masonry homes.

Perhaps the most gruelling test for masonry in Australia is the Fire Resistance Level (FRL) test.
Despite being made from recycled timber, Wood Stone is a non-combustible material that surpassed the requirements for structural adequacy, integrity and insulation. Wood Stone easily fulfilled the CSIRO’s FRL testing at 240/240/240. Temperatures inside the kiln exceeded 1100ºc while the external face of the wall only increased by 46ºc after a total of 4 hours of testing. During the first 30 minutes of the test, the external surface of the wall experienced no change in temperature, meaning that Wood Stone is a solid option for Bushfire Attack Level - Flame Zone (BAL-FZ).

Wood Stone harnesses the perfect balance between conductivity, resistance and thermal lag. Due to the high diurnal temperature variation in the harsh Australian Climate, insulation is not enough. Buildings need to have the ability to store and release heat efficiently, ensuring that internal temperatures maintain a comfortable climate.

Natural Brick Co has worked to develop solutions to traditional problems with masonry. The biggest problem with masonry has always been water ingress. This problem has led to a number of mandatory requirements for masonry construction such as the need for cavities, acrylic membrane sealers and minimum eaves coverage. Mortar naturally wicks moisture through capillary action, from the external wall surface to the internal wall surface. In order to prevent this, we have developed 3 barriers to water ingress:

1. Mortarshield: This additive works to repel moisture from mortar.
2. Shell Bedding: By shell bedding mortar on both tops and perpends of our blocks, moisture is unable to bridge from the external face of our blocks to the internal face.
3. Drainage cavities: Built in to every Wood Stone block is a mechanical drainage system that effectively utilises gravity to draw ingressed moisture down the cavities and out the weep holes.

Unlike traditional concrete blocks, Wood Stone has very low water permeability meaning that moisture can’t travel from one face of the brick to the otherside. Due to this property, the main concern with water penetration is through mortar joints.

Wood Stone pertains to the principles of building biology. As part of the building biology framework, the Wood Stone materials is a breathable product that defends against mould and dampness by having no dew point. The products innovative properties ensure that buildings remain healthy by regulating thermal comfort, dampness and air quality. For more information on building biology, click here.

Natural Brick Co recommends a penetrating, low VOC, silicone based sealer. The sealer remains breathable while helping to repel water. When applied, the blocks maintain their aesthetic. This sealer allows for homeowners to clean walls easily, without the need for high pressure water or chemicals.

The three components to building with Wood Stone are blocks, labour and sealing. When shown side by side with other comparative materials and styles, Wood Stone blocks and bricks demonstrate a comparative price point.

Single Skin construction means that time is saved on the need for multiple trades.

As explained in the energy efficient section, Wood Stone works to regulate temperature change in households. Keeping homes warmer in Winter and cooler in Summer. This saves money on heating and cooling, which is a major contributor to household energy bills.

The Natural Brick Co range works to enable energy efficient design and construction strategies such as:

• Passive Solar Design (PSD)
• Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD)
• Passive House (Passivhaus)

The ability to maximise space on the internal envelope of a build is extremely valuable. Standard brick veneer construction works at 250mm wall thickness, whereas Wood Stone blocks only require 190mm wall thickness. The extra 60mm on the internal envelope of a build would typically calculate to an extra 4m2 + of extra internal floorspace on a standard build.