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. They can be painted to provide a cleaner finish, but they are also manufactured with different finishes that help improve the aesthetic quality over the traditional gray CMU.
Concrete block is made from Portland Cement, aggregates and water. It is also known as a concrete masonry unit (CMU). As a building material, concrete offers several attractive characteristics to designers and builders, including the following:
- Durable
- Easy to install
- Fireproof
- Low maintenance
- Decorative finishes available or may be ornamented after installation
The standard (nominal ) size of a concrete block (stretcher block) is 8” x 8” x 16”, the actual size is 7 5/8” x 7 5/8” x 15 5/8” the block is produced to this size to account for mortar joints. The block itself is slightly shorter in order to accommodate the mortar used to secure it in place.
CMU Block Shapes. Blocks may be solid or hollow with two or more cores. This feature reduces the cross-sectional area of the block by about one quarter. The advantage with this material is that its lighter weight makes it easier to work with. It can also be reinforced with rebar, either horizontally or vertically, depending on your plans.
Hollow concrete blocks are also a more economical choice, since they require less raw material, time and energy to produce. Once delivered, they are much easier to lift into place than their solid counterparts.
The fully solid blocks have different applications including caping off top of a wall or to give a building additional security. Since they are more expensive than their hollow counterparts, the cost of using them would always need to be weighed when considering whether they are the best solution for any project.