Materials / Compare
Aluminum vs. Brick Compare Aluminum vs. Brick strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
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Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall Aluminum Wrought Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall Brick Natural Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser Open in LessCAD Open in LessCAD Mechanical Yield strength 276 MPa source typical, 0.2% offset, .500 in dia specimen not given (tensile used) Ultimate tensile strength 310 MPa source typical 5.1 MPa source modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) Compressive strength not sourced 77.9 MPa source mean unit compressive strength, solid extruded brick (survey mean; SD 30.8 MPa) Elongation at break 17 % source typical, in 4D, 0.500 in dia specimen not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 68.3 GPa source typical not sourced Density 2,700 kg/m³ source nominal 2,082 kg/m³ source face brick density row used for k (BIA notes most fired clay brick 120-130 lb/ft3) Strength to weight 102 kN·m/kg 41.7x higher 2.45 kN·m/kg Stiffness to weight 25.3 MN·m/kg not sourced Poisson's ratio 0.33 source typical (handbook physical constant) not sourced Shear modulus 25.7 GPa not sourced Bulk modulus 67 GPa not sourced Speed of sound 5,030 m/s not sourced Thermal Thermal conductivity 167 W/m·K source typical, 20 °C 0.92–1.12 W/m·K source range for 130 lb/ft3 face brick (ASHRAE 2013 via BIA) Thermal expansion 23.6 µm/m·K source typical, mean 20-100 °C 7.2 µm/m·K source TMS Code average coefficient, clay/shale unit masonry 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 118 µm growth 36 µm growth 3.28x less Specific heat 896 J/kg·K source typical, at 100 °C 837 J/kg·K source value used in BIA heat-capacity sample calculation Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 69 mm²/s 118x faster 0.585 mm²/s Thermal shock resistance 19,159 W/m not sourced Melting point 582–652 °C source solidus-liquidus not sourced Values for 6061-T6/T651, Kaiser Aluminum typical properties (sheet, coil & plate datasheet); Poisson from MIL-HDBK-5J Solid extruded clay/shale brick units (BIA 1993 manufacturer survey, TN 3A 2024); face brick of 130 lb/ft3 for thermal properties (BIA TN 4, from ASHRAE 2013); CTE is the TMS Code value for clay/shale masonry
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions Is Aluminum stronger than Brick? Aluminum is stronger: its yield strength is 276 MPa against tensile strength 5.1 MPa for Brick (54.1x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum or Brick? Brick is lighter: 2,082 kg/m³ against 2,700 kg/m³ for Aluminum.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum or Brick? For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be Aluminum Brick Strong rod or tie lighter 41.7x heavier Strong beam lighter 11x heavier Strong panel or plate lighter 5.67x heavier
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum or Brick? Aluminum conducts heat better: 167 W/m·K against 1.02 W/m·K for Brick.
Which expands less with temperature? Brick expands less: 7.2 µm/m·K against 23.6 µm/m·K for Aluminum.
Among 59 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Aluminum Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Rubber Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Aluminum Brick Strength against density