building with blocks (2 topics/questions in one)

[watcher]

First topic is building with standard cinder blocks.

Does anyone here have a website or formula on how many blocks it takes to build a building or wall of a set size? For example say I wanted to build a 10X10X8 building with two 32"X32" windows and one 36" door or a wall 4' tall and 12' long how would I know how many blocks I'd need?

How difficult is it to build a good strong wall with blocks and mortar? I know its not as easy as it looks but it seems fairly straight forward. You set a level line, but mortar on the blocks and stick them together making sure they are plumb and level.

Second topic.

Anyone here ever seen or worked with the new mortarless blocks? I had never heard of such a thing until this week and the websites make them look great. They are shorter, 6" vs 8", but come in 6", 12" or 18". I just called and the 18 incher runs around 2 bucks whereas a standard 8X16 cinder block runs just under a buck fifty. If my math is right that works out to 1.9 cents per square inch for the mortarless and 1.2 cents per square inch for standard blocks or about 60% more per square inch.

[OntarioMan]

Mortarless - as in surface bonded or "dry stack" block walls? Fiber reinforced surface bonds have been around for a long time - and I don't believe you require any special blocks. Some advantages with this system is that it requires far less skill, its fairly quick, fairly inexpensive and its actually stronger than a mortared wall. One disadvantage is that sizes of openings are not "conventional" since there is no mortar between the blocks.

There are lots of other "locking block" type systems around - but I'll assume those all require blocks of that locking type.

Originally Posted by watcher

First topic is building with standard cinder blocks.

Does anyone here have a website or formula on how many blocks it takes to build a building or wall of a set size? For example say I wanted to build a 10X10X8 building with two 32"X32" windows and one 36" door or a wall 4' tall and 12' long how would I know how many blocks I'd need?

How difficult is it to build a good strong wall with blocks and mortar? I know its not as easy as it looks but it seems fairly straight forward. You set a level line, but mortar on the blocks and stick them together making sure they are plumb and level.

Second topic.

Anyone here ever seen or worked with the new mortarless blocks? I had never heard of such a thing until this week and the websites make them look great. They are shorter, 6" vs 8", but come in 6", 12" or 18". I just called and the 18 incher runs around 2 bucks whereas a standard 8X16 cinder block runs just under a buck fifty. If my math is right that works out to 1.9 cents per square inch for the mortarless and 1.2 cents per square inch for standard blocks or about 60% more per square inch.

[Windy in Kansas]

After doing a search I find that there are a number of brands of mortarless block systems now on the market. They either use surface bonding or infill grout to do the final interlocking.

The face of a standard block is 8" X 16" which means they are 128 square inches or .888 square foot each. Pretty easy to figure wall surface area and subtract away for openings.

Which particular mortarless block system were you looking at? Do you prefer one system over the other and for what reason?

[watcher]

Originally Posted by OntarioMan

Mortarless - as in surface bonded or "dry stack" block walls? Fiber reinforced surface bonds have been around for a long time - and I don't believe you require any special blocks. Some advantages with this system is that it requires far less skill, its fairly quick, fairly inexpensive and its actually stronger than a mortared wall. One disadvantage is that sizes of openings are not "conventional" since there is no mortar between the blocks.

There are lots of other "locking block" type systems around - but I'll assume those all require blocks of that locking type.

They are called dry stack. From the website it looks as if they sort of 'nest' end to end but are flat on top and bottom like regular blocks.

There was another system I found where the blocks are shaped strangely which allows them to interlock. Kinda like 3D jigsaw pieces.

[agmantoo]

Yes, I have a lot of experience as a DIY user. I built a couple of buildings, one 2400 sq. ft., solely using this technique and a product called Surewall. It made a durable and lasting structure that was extremely strong. It was also waterproof. The biggest problem I had was keeping the wall level. I learned to make up for minor variations as I set the last course. I simply bedded the last course with the surface finish material to correct for inconsistency in the level. I also bedded the first coarse to the footing using the product. I made a threshhole for an animal housing (pigs) just to see how the product would last. The threshhole held with no problems. I made a number of well houses using the material and I only used it on the outside, they are still functional. I also made a cistern type device for animal water storage and it functioned as expected. The stuff works!
PS.......... the face of a block in not 8 x 16, that include the motor joint!
The most common block size in the United States is referred to as an 8-by-8-by-16 block, with the nominal measurements of 8 in (20.3 cm) high by 8 in (20.3 cm) deep by 16 in (40.6 cm) wide. This nominal measurement includes room for a bead of mortar, and the block itself actually measures 7.63 in (19.4 cm) high by 7.63 in (19.4 cm) deep by 15.63 in (38.8 cm) wide.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

It's not just a matter of how many block for your project...you need to know how many corner block and how many inside block. Corner block are flush on the end and cost more...

Being a mason required me to go thru an extensive apprenticeship program many moons ago. A journeyman makes it look easy after doing it for many years.

RF