Concrete Masonry Units were also known as CMU are blocks used in the construction industry to form a concrete block structure like a wall or a fence. There are 7 types of concrete block that is known in the market.
These are generally made up of concrete and aggregates of certain design mixtures depending on strength required but systems used as masonry units are non-load bearing in nature or do not and should not be allowed to carry any vertical loads at all.
Now, if you want to build a concrete block or concrete masonry unit you need to have an Understanding About Checklist to compliance to the approved project documents such as blockwork shop drawing, method statement for blockwork, and inspection and test plan.
So, if you want to know more about concrete block or concrete masonry units here are the 7 types of concrete block and the most common type of concrete blocks used in the construction industry.
1. Hollow concrete blocks
Commonly used in the construction industry, concrete hollow blocks are usually manufactured using lightweight aggregates with a certain design load depending on the nature of the member it will be used into. Normally, concrete hollow blocks have voids of ¼ its gross area and the solid area should be not less than half of its area to attain its maximum allowable load capacity, study suggests. The voids are generally filled with mortar of lightweight aggregate material as well.
There are two kinds of concrete hollow blocks; load-bearing concrete hollow blocks and non-load bearing concrete hollow blocks. It is available in sizes such as 100x200x400mm, 200x200x400mm, 150x200x400mm and so on.
2. Aerated Autoclaved Concrete Block (AAC)
Most of the time compared with bricks but is different in a lot of ways. Aerated Autoclaved concrete blocks are lighter and bigger version of bricks. Mostly made with same ingredients as of bricks but with a different composition which made the material a vessel for cost-cutting. Studies show that using autoclaved aerated block has diligently reduced the overall steel and concrete consumption by 15% and 10%. Apparently, in the cost-benefit factor part, autoclaved aerated block past by bricks in several areas such as construction time, adaptation to various surfaces, fire resistance, and cost.
For the installation of AAC block, a method statement must be submitted for approval before work commences.
3. Concrete Bricks
Concrete bricks typically are small rectangular block arrange and piled systematically to create a rigid wall. These bricks are usually made up of cooked clay or concrete. Some manufacturers use solid concrete while others play with its cement and aggregates ratio for economic purposes. Other manufacturers also created bricks with different color as per request of some clients. Concrete bricks are usually used in fences, facades, as it provides the good aesthetic and slick look.
4. Solid concrete blocks
Way denser and bigger than concrete bricks, solid concrete blocks are manufactured to be strong, heavy, and created out of naturally dense aggregates. These solid concrete blocks are strong enough that it is used for large masonry units that are load-bearing in nature. Solid concrete blocks are just similar to concrete brick but are way costlier and heavier and can withstand more forces as compared to bricks.
5. Lintel blocks
These concrete blocks are used in preparation for lintel beams. These lintel blocks are manufactured in such a way that it serves as a masonry unit and a formwork itself. Aesthetically, lintel blocks have a deep groove where reinforcing bars are put along with the concrete. Meaning, they serve as permanent formwork systems for the lintel beam member. This is found to be efficient and useful by most builders as they served two different purposes. A two in one product it is.
6. Paving Blocks
Paving blocks are generally just a rectangular or square box made up of reinforced concrete. As these blocks are used in paving and road shoulders, these have to be painted with high-visibility concrete paints so motorists and drivers could see it right away. Also, these blocks have to be rigid and firm enough to receive any car collisions.
Pavings blocks are also used in parks, walkways, and sometimes in parking areas. The common size of paving block is 60mm.
7. Concrete stretcher block
Again, somewhat similar to corner block, concrete stretcher blocks are used to combine masonry units. With respect to its looks, concrete stretcher block is relatively the same with common hollow block but their faces are laid parallel with respect to the face of the wall.
Alongside every masonry units stated above, these concrete blocks come with reinforcing bars and approved mortar and paste or adhesive material. Furthermore, choosing a masonry unit is solely dependent on the needs of the builder, a combination of this masonry unit is advisable.
Each and every masonry unit is created and manufactured for each and different purposes. It is advisable to ask the supplier as they are the ones knowledgeable about their products. They can give ideas and impart knowledge that is not common. Engineers may also ask these suppliers to have a demo on how to install their products.
Thank you for the information, it’s really helpful.
Thank you for your great article. It is very helpful to us.
Hello Amol,
Welcome and thanks for stopping by.
A few days ago,i found a device on the internet that can make concrete blocks,maybe it can help you.
Hi thanks good content.
I am interested to construct my house G+2 on plot size 200 sq.yard. kindly suggest which is the better material
BLOCKS OR BRICKS.
Hi Sita,
The best is blocks (Concrete hollow block).
Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Noel,
Your article on concrete Masonry Services units was so insightful. I learned about 7 types of concrete blocks used in building construction. This information is invaluable to me and my industry. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Thanks a lot for the awesome comment and thanks for stopping by.
Hi Noel,
Your blog is an invaluable source of information and I really enjoyed your blog post on concrete block, and how Masonry Services helps to make the work a lot easier. I would love to check in on what you’re up to with your latest posts! I hope you keep up the good work!
Concrete block is also one of the best materials used worldwide in terms of masonry. As it needs a sufficient amount of time and careful project planning. But of course, depending on the type of masonry job, highly skilled masonry contractors may be necessary.
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Sort of left out pumice, vermiculite and shredded Styrofoam aggregates for a similar product strength as AAC, but the ease of being able to small batch mix for thinner finish (over all sorts of block, rock and brick), don’t forget the easy binders such as polypropylene chopped thread (or steel wire or stamped ties) to keep cracking at bay for the undercoat [I see this missing in many videos].
To construct cost-effective 2-storey building what should be the minimum thickness of the wall and how it can be constructed? (Brickwork, RCC, Blockwork, load bearing wall, Aerated block, Fly ash brick etc..) please suggest..
The minimum thickness is 10cm CHB for internal wall and 15cm for external. This is based on my 12 years of work experience here in Dubai. You can find the method statement for blockwork here on how to construct.
Please block for plumbing and electrical pipes installation without chiseling.
Can we drill into a solid concrete block?
Yes, you can.
I am very pleasant after reading this post. Thanks for posting your blog here.
Thanks for stopping by.
I just got a strange type of concrete block – delivered by Home Depot when I ordered a standard pillar block. The blocks they delivered are 8X8x16 as required, but instead of having the two vertical openings in the center, the 8×8 ends of each block are open. In other words they look like regular pillar blocks but with the ends missing. I can’t find such configuration on any website I’ve seen, yet. What are these called?
Hi Douglas,
I am sorry I can’t figure out what type of block that is. Better if you can send the photo to my email at [email protected].
Thanks for stopping by.
Reply to me with and send full detail blocks.
Please can you the block as a recessed block?
Nice article here Noel.
Thanks for stopping by.
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It’s been a great article and i actually wanted to know about these different types of bricks an its classification and i personally feel this article going to clear all of your doubts regarding to this topic so i am going to bookmark this for further reference.Thank You.
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Can you guide me for preparation of Template commonly used for submitting weekly or monthly quality control and quality assurance?