Breeze blocks are made from concrete and a cinder aggregate such as bottom ash or fly ash that’s left behind after burning coal. Breeze is a synonym for ash. By contrast, concrete blocks contain stone and sand and are heavier though often they may look the same.
Full Answer
What is the difference between concrete and concrete blocks?
Concrete is an item made from cement and aggregates. The moment the ingredients are mixed together, a chemical reaction happens, and concrete is the end result. Concrete blocks are constructed from pure concrete. That is, the aggregates that are used are finely crushed stone or sand.
What size concrete blocks for a breeze block wall?
Breeze blocks have not been made for many years. Use 100mm medium density concrete blocks or maybe consider timber frame. Whatever you do don't use lightweight. thanks for that, what makes you say this? Also, the longest wall will be 7 meters long. Would a 4" wall be strong enough to not be pushed over by the wind etc?
What is the difference between cinder blocks and aggregate blocks?
Although cinder blocks have come to mean any hollow-core concrete block, we’re referring to those that are true cinder blocks. Lightweight blocks that use ash or pumice weigh less than standard aggregate blocks of similar size and shape that use gravel or stone as the aggregate.
What are the characteristics of a heavy concrete block?
Concrete blocks contain aggregates and variable amounts of finer aggregates. As a general rule the heavier the duty required the denser and heavier the block will be and the any air spaced between the main aggregates get smaller the denserand heavier the block is.
What are the 3 main types of blocks used in construction?
Types of Concrete Blocks or Concrete Masonry Units Used in...Types of Hollow Concrete Blocks:Concrete Stretcher Blocks.Concrete Corner Blocks.Concrete Pillar Blocks.Jamb Concrete Blocks.Partition Concrete Block.Lintel Blocks.Frogged Brick Blocks.More items...•
What are the two types of concrete blocks?
There are two primary concrete block categories: hollow and solid. Both of these concrete block types are typically used during the construction of walls, but can be used for other purposes as well.
What is the difference between concrete block and cement block?
The difference between cement blocks and concrete blocks lies in some of the materials used to fabricate them. Cement blocks use fly ash aggregates, whereas concrete blocks use stone aggregates or fine crushed sand. Whilst cement blocks are lighter, concrete blocks are stronger.
What are the disadvantages of concrete blocks?
Disadvantages of Concrete Blocks: The expense of constructing a residence out of concrete blocks is significantly higher. Some of the blocks may need to be cut to reach critical systems. Concrete block homes aren't usually attractive from the outside. Over time, concrete blocks may be subject to water seepage.
What are solid concrete blocks called?
Concrete blocks, also known as Concrete Masonry Units or CMUs, provide very durable structural and non-structural partitions. They are generally used as a backup wall that gets covered with a finish material or exposed in utilitarian spaces like mechanical rooms or basements.
What are concrete blocks called?
Concrete masonry units are colloquially known by many names, most predominately “concrete block”, “cinder block”, “CMU”, or simply “block”.
What are breeze blocks used for?
Breeze blocks balance the impact of sunlight and provide ventilation for outdoor patios and breezeways. Breeze blocks first made an appearance in American design and architecture in the 1930s. They rapidly gained popularity up until the 1970s. Most iconic cement blocks were popular in warmer climates like Palm Springs.
What are concrete blocks used for?
Concrete blocks are a prefabricated material mainly used to build walls. Like bricks, the blocks are stacked together and joined with a mortar, usually consisting of cement, sand, and water. The blocks are hollow inside to allow for steel bars and mortar filling.
How do you keep concrete blocks from sinking?
How can I prevent my concrete from sinking?Seal all open cracks and joints with a polyurethane or silicone caulk. ... Make sure downspouts are discharging at least five feet away from any concrete slab – the farther the better.More items...•
How long does a concrete block last?
You can expect a concrete block (CMU) wall to last for the life of the home, 100+ years.
How long do concrete block homes last?
It is important to note that a house constructed using concrete blocks that use sand as aggregate will last anywhere between 50 and 100 years.
Which is stronger brick or block?
The average concrete block can withstand 3500 psi (pounds per square inch) while a conventional clay brick can take 3000 psi.
What are the 4 types of concrete?
Let's take a quick look at the most common types of concrete and what they are used for:Reinforced Concrete.Lightweight Concrete.High-Strength Concrete.High-Performance Concrete.Precast Concrete.
Why is it called a cinder block?
Then why is this name for a block still being used today? Well you can thank a man named Francis Straub for that. In early 1900's coal fired plants created a byproduct called cinder. Francis Straub, discovered that these cinders were cementitious, or had the property of cement.
Which is better hollow blocks or solid blocks?
Hollow blocks are better acoustic and thermal insulators as compared to Solid blocks. This will reduce the electricity consumed for heating and cooling the rooms inside the house.
What are the different sizes of concrete blocks?
Typically, concrete masonry units have nominal face dimensions of 8 in. (203 mm) by 16 in. (406 mm), available in nominal thicknesses of 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 in. (102, 152, 203, 254, 305, 356, and 406 mm).
What is concrete made of?
Concrete. Concrete is an item made from cement and aggregates. The moment the ingredients are mixed together, a chemical reaction happens, and concrete is the end result.
Why do builders use cinder blocks?
If the building codes and formational needs of the job allow it, numerous builders choose ‘cinder block’ because it’s lighter in weight. Real concrete blocks are extremely heavy, and lifting them gets old fast.
Is concrete stronger than cinder blocks?
Concrete blocks are far stronger than cinder blocks. Several building codes explicitly prohibit the use of cinder blocks in building and construction projects.
Is cinder block heavier than concrete?
Consequently, cinder blocks are much lighter in weight than concrete blocks. Cinder blocks are hollow rectangle-shaped structures usually made of concrete and coal cinders which find use in construction sites. Concrete blocks often, on the other hand, are flattened constructs made of steel, wood or cement. The significant differences can be ...
What is a concrete block?
A concrete block, or concrete masonry unit (CMU), commonly refers to an 8”x8”x16” block used in construction. The blocks are stronger, denser, and heavier than cinder blocks.
How many different types of concrete blocks are there?
There are eight different types of concrete blocks available in different dimensions. There are solid or hollow core, stretcher, corner, lintel, partition, pillar, jamb, frogged, bullnose, and square blocks.
Why are hollow cores used in cinder blocks?
The hollow cores make it easy to reinforce the cinder block construction by filling the cores with concrete.
How much does a cinder block weigh?
A light-weight cinder or pumice hollow-core 8’x8’x16 stretcher block weighs approximately 28 pounds. It is about 10-pounds lighter than a standard concrete block of equal dimensions. Cinder blocks of different shapes and sizes will also be lighter than similar concrete blocks.
What are the drawbacks of cinder blocks?
Another drawback to cinder blocks was the toxic nature of the coal ash used in their manufacture. The toxins are linked to nervous disorders, cancer, health complaints, and decreased cognitive ability.
What is cinder block used for?
Today, 12 million tons of coal ash or cinder is used as a strengthening agent to make light-weight concrete blocks.
How thick are concrete blocks?
Concrete blocks come in standardized thicknesses (widths) of 2”, 4”, 6”, 8”, and 12” and heights of 2”, 4” and 8”. The common stretcher of 16” length and 8” height has the same area as six common clay bricks, making it easy to cover the blocks with brick veneer.
What is concrete block?
Concrete blocks are a form of construction material composed of concrete, cement, sand, water, and other additives. They are used in different types of construction applications. There is a common misconception that concrete blocks are mainly useful for controlling traffic in the form of large concrete barriers.
What is the drawback of concrete blocks?
A drawback of concrete blocks is that it absorbs water. Thus, to produce a more waterproof concrete block, a mixture of coarse and fine particle material should be used during manufacturing. What determines the degree of permeability of a concrete block is the amount of cement used in production.
How thick are aerated autoclaved concrete blocks?
Aerated autoclaved concrete blocks come in lengths of 24, 32, and 48 inches. Their thickness varies from four to 16 inches, whereas their height is typically eight inches. As these concrete blocks are much more versatile than their standard concrete block counterparts, they are used in the construction of walls, roofs, and floors. Besides being strong and fire-resistant, aerated autoclaved concrete blocks are excellent for both sound and thermal insulation. However, to ensure maximum longevity, they must be coated using an applied finish such as a polymer-modified stucco, finished with a siding, or covered with a natural or engineered stone.
How thick is aerated concrete?
Aerated autoclaved concrete blocks come in lengths of 24, 32 and 48 inches. Thickness varies from 4 to 16 inches, whereas height is typically 8 inches. As they are more versatile than standard concrete, they are used in the construction of walls, roofs, and floors.
Why are concrete blocks in demand?
Concrete blocks are in demand due to their compressive strength that’s common in all the types. There are numerous methods in place to estimate the concrete’s strength as well as to ensure whether the manufactured concrete meets the standard strength requirements.
How do manufacturers reduce the density of concrete blocks?
When manufacturers aim to produce blocks with high heat-insulating properties, they reduce the concrete block density by volume and generate low-weight blocks. Furthermore, the insulating properties of a concrete block wall can also be increased through solid grouting of the cells.
Why are concrete blocks used in traffic?
Concrete blocks are an incredible source of vehicular traffic control, too. Large blocks can be lined up side by side to organize traffic. Concrete blocks are designed in a variety of ways to make them adaptable to different applications and contexts.
What size is a concrete coursing brick?
Not sure I follow here - solid concrete coursing bricks are 65x215x100. On the corner that would mean the corner comes out 185mm to then next block, or just shy of half a block which is fine for bond.
How many blocks to build a 9m pier?
9m I would put a pier at both ends and then with 5 blocks in between piers - basically build it with any blocks and every 6 along and lay the piers on flat with the returns on the flat also. You could then just infill between the piers.
What happens if you don't use stretcher bond?
If you don't use a stretcher bond then your joints will be too close and the wall will be more prone to movement and will crack and ruin your render.
Can you interlock 90/100mm blocks?
It is just the common sense way to interlock blocks at a corner, you need to have a strong argument for doing anything else. Then having decided on stretcher bond and properly bonded corners the 90/100mm blocks are just a consequence of how the maths works out.
What are the different types of concrete blocks?
You’ve got your smooth faced, your split faced, your scored blocks, your fluted blocks, your shot blast blocks and within all of those you’ve got double sided, single sided, corner blocks, chimney blocks, window blocks, and a whole bunch of others. It’s quite overwhelming really. But today, we’re hoping to make the concrete block world feel a little less daunting for you by breaking down the basics.
What is a fluted concrete block?
Up next are split ribbed concrete blocks, sometimes referred to as fluted concrete blocks. Similar to split faced ones, these blocks are made from splitting a large block into smaller ones, exposing a rough surface. However, the molds used to create these blocks leave spaces in between the concrete, giving it a ribbed appearance.
What is split faced concrete?
Split faced concrete blocks, unlike smooth faced ones, are extremely rough. Depending on how many rough sides are desired, the molds that create these ones keep the block connected but scored at the top to provide the place where a chisel will break the concrete. Once the blocks have cured they pass under a high pressure, mechanical chisel-like machine that splits the concrete and reveals the rough insides.
How is single sided concrete made?
Single sided split concrete is made when one large smooth faced block is scored once and broken into two pieces. Double sided split concrete is made when a large piece of concrete get scored ...
What grade concrete block should I use for a shed?
I would go for a paint grade concrete block. Because of manufacturing tolerances you can generally only get one side really good and the other will show the tolerance variations in thickness. Additionally concrete blocks are going to be reasonably robust and will take the knocks and bangs of a shed fairly well. For long life you want to use a DPC to help protect the blocks above ground.
Is concrete block waterproof?
Country: No blocks are waterproof. For this use, look for a smooth or fair faced concrete block. You may find that for a smooth face, the blocks will be the heavier dense types, but look around to see what is stocked locally. ^woody^, 25 Jun 2013.
Can I use lightweight block for a shed?
I really would not recommend using a lightweight block for the shed unless there is a cladding going over the external surface.
KIAB Super Member
Never, never assumed anything, everything should be written, & it should be made clear what materials are specified.
Phil the Paver Screwfix Select
Its a strange one, I personally would build in breeze, solid concrete are a pain and I only use for things like retaining walls where extra strength is required.
Bobsy New Member
Hi Phil. Thanks for that. Its an interesting topic just to see what people build out of and how they overcome the 'breeze' issue on the inside.
Cinder Block vs. Concrete Block
Cinder blocks and concrete blocks are nearly the same thing. Both of these masonry blocks use the same three ingredients: water, cement, and aggregate.
The Ingredients in Concrete and Cinder Blocks
The ingredients in concrete blocks and cinder blocks are relatively similar—water, cement, and aggregate. However, there are some differences between the two blocks, the main being what type of aggregate is used in them and we’ll break that down further.
What Are Concrete Blocks?
Concrete blocks are composed of air, water, cement, and aggregates. When these ingredients are mixed together, a chemical reaction occurs and the result is concrete. The only aggregates used in concrete blocks are finely crushed stones or sand—like cement.
What Are Cinder Blocks?
Cinder blocks differ from concrete blocks in one important facet. While concrete blocks only use finely crushed stones as the aggregate, cinder blocks use a variety of aggregates with cinder being the most common aggregate used.
Which Masonry Block Is Right for My Next Project?
When selecting which block is right for your next project, it’s important to think about what you are building and what is your desired outcome. Cinder blocks are a great choice if you are making a garden or landscaping. If your next project is more structural, like a retaining wall or steps, concrete blocks might be the way to go.