When it comes to masonry concrete, it’s a good idea to be a blockhead. Just like being a sneakerhead means a person is really passionate and knowledgeable about sneakers, being a blockhead in this instance means knowing about the different blocks used in concrete masonry. This can be essential in understanding the different types of masonry concrete. Here are some of the different shapes and sizes of masonry concrete.
Standards
Units (blocks) of masonry concrete typically have standard sizes. The standard face of a masonry concrete block is 8 inches by 16 inches. These can be found in thicknesses ranging from 4 to 16 inches, increasing in increments of 2 inches.
There are different shapes of concrete masonry blocks, but for the most part they are all some variation of a rectangular cube. There are solid blocks, hollow blocks and blocks with different structural properties.
Different types of masonry concrete blocks
While there are some standards of masonry concrete blocks, there are many shapes and sizes of different masonry concrete products to choose to from. Here are some common types of masonry concrete:
- Solid blocks: These are heavy and provide very good stability in building. Solid blocks can be made to be larger than bricks, which saves time in construction when you’re going to be using a lot of material. These are often used in load-bearing walls or other aspects of construction that require extra stability.
- Concrete pillar blocks: These hollow blocks are rectangular cubes with the left and right sides hollowed out symmetrically. These are also called double corner blocks, and are often used when two ends of a corner are going to be visible.
- Bullnose concrete blocks: These are similar to corner blocks in appearance and usage, but one end is rounded at both corners. This can be a good choice for a softer aesthetic look.
- Concrete stretcher blocks: These are used to join the corner. They are placed with their horizontal side parallel to the face of the wall.
- Concrete corner blocks: As the name implies, these are used at the corners of the ends of construction in masonry. That may be a door, window or other opening. They lock in with a stretcher block on one end, and the other end, which is flat, is visible to the outside.
- Frogged brick blocks: Again, as the name implies, this block contains a frog, or depression, along the top. This helps the mortar bond stronger with the top-laying block.
- Lintel blocks: These blocks have a deep, curved groove on one end and are used for beam provision. That groove is filled with concrete for reinforcement once placed. One example where these may be used is in the case of a lintel beam, which helps bear the load above a door or window.
When you’re planning on doing a construction project with masonry concrete, it’s important to get the right type of concrete blocks for each part of the job. For the best selection of masonry concrete and knowledgeable service, contact Beavertown Block Co., Inc. today.