To start, our paddles should not be confused with traditional wooden paddles. Wooden paddles are typically made from plywood; they are heavy, inexpensive, and primarily intended for entertainment. Brick House paddles are a hybrid composite that utilizes a polypropylene honeycomb core, a composite substructure and a natural wood playing surface.
Most composite paddles—made from materials like carbon fiber, fiberglass, or Kevlar—utilize multiple layers of man-made materials applied over a honeycomb or foam core. In our case, we substitute the outer layer of synthetic material with natural wood.
Wood offers a natural cushioning effect that effectively dampens harsh vibrations, providing a more controlled feel. Its compressive qualities also help impart spin without the need for a textured surface.
Carbon paddles tend to play hard, but are still currently all the rage. Many manufacturers though are seeking alternatives to carbon fiber, using materials such as Kevlar to dampen and soften a paddle’s feel.
So why don’t major manufacturers use wood? The simple answer is that wood is expensive and extremely time-consuming to produce. It does not scale well for mass production. For most paddle businesses, the goal is to produce and sell thousands of paddles each month while maximizing margins on each one. Wood simply doesn’t lend itself to high-volume manufacturing.
All materials impart a unique feel to a paddle, and different woods are no exception. This is why we use various types of wood and match them with different materials underneath. Each wood type used in our paddles is selected for its strength, physical properties, and appearance, then paired with a meticulously designed composite substructure for optimal performance and overall playability.
Advantages of a Natural Wood Playing Surface
- Strength and Rigidity: Wood is strong and imparts rigidity to the paddle.
- Durability: It has better durability for repeated flexing compared to carbon fiber or fiberglass.
- Compressive Quality: Wood’s natural compressive quality allows it to absorb impact and retain its shape.
- Spin Generation: The compressive properties of the wood surface help generate spin by compressing slightly upon ball contact, increasing the contact area and providing more grip and dwell time.
- Environmental Friendliness: Manufacturing a hybrid wood composite is more environmentally friendly. When used in our paddles, wood reduces non-natural products like resins and fiber materials by 50% to 65%.
- Enhanced Control: During play, the wood playing surface compresses slightly due to its natural properties, increasing the time the ball stays on the paddle and resulting in amazing control.
- Aesthetic Appeal: Naturally beautiful and unique paddles.
- Superior Bonding: Natural wood provides an excellent surface for glue adhesion, creating a superior bond between the paddle and the trim.
- Durability of Surface Finishes: It allows for excellent bonding of surface finishes.
Cons
- Labor Intensive: Manufacturing is labor-intensive.
- Specialized Processes Required: You cant pop a wood paddle out of a mold. Wood requires time, special processes, and equipment to achieve a level and professional playing surface.
- Care and Maintenance: Wood does require slightly more care and can be susceptible to water damage.
Conclusion
We love what we do, and we do it well. Could we make all carbon or fiberglass paddles? Absolutely. However, our goal is not to manufacture thousands of paddles each month. Our goal is to provide value and build the best playing paddles possible. We are committed to using a natural wood playing surface because, when designed correctly, we believe it provides the perfect balance of feel, performance, and comfort in a paddle.