Building with concrete Block in Seattle.

Building with Concrete Block takes skill and talent. When you build with Block they must be lade true and plumb, regularly checking the wall to make sure that the blocks stay level. There are many types of blocks, sometimes block are called concrete Masonry units, or CMU. The basic concrete Block is called a Stretcher and is the most commonly used unit in the building of large commercial buildings.  Generally speaking Blocks consist of an outer shell with a hollow Center that will have two or three vertical webs. Block Masonry unites with two vertical webs are the most commonly used, this make the Block Unites webs larger and easier to place reinforcing steel and concrete in.  It's always a good idea to use reinforcement when you are building a Block wall, this is especially true if your Block Wall is of any size or is a load bearing.  Walls made of Concrete Block are a fundamental components of many large buildings, you can also build a foundation for a house with them. When you are planning your Block Walls you will need to check with local building codes that will regulate, such features as the size of footings and the amount of Rebar that they require.

 

Concrete Block are a Green building material, this is true in many ways.  Block Masonry units work well with many other Green building materials, such as Concrete, Plaster, Brick and Stone.  All of these product have a low impact footprint, and all of these building materials come from renewable resources.  Concrete Block have some special quality that place them high up, when we are wanting to Build Green.  Concrete Block can be easily insulated for a high R factor in more then one way, also a building built with Block Masonry units is slow to heat up and remains cooler on the inside in the summer heat.  For a Green passive Solar design, Block Walls work well as a base for a Stone Wall and Fireplaces. Block Masonry Units are usually manufactured locally, and do not have to be trucked over long distances.  As a renewable resource Block scores high again, close to 100% of the Block Material can be recycled this includes even the Mortar and Concrete in them.

 

Concrete Block have many uses but some of them are not used in the usual way. From time to time we will take on a large or interesting project out of the Seattle Area.  One such project we did was several Beautiful Stone Masonry Walls at the Abeja winery in Walla Walla Washington. These Walls needed a good solid base that went down in to the ground to the Concrete footings.  These Stone Walls weighed thousand of tons, and needed a building material that was low cost, strong as concrete and be able to last underground. Concrete Block Masonry Units were exactly the right building material for the job.  In your own garden Block unites make excellent raised garden beds, they can be laid with out mortar and hold in place quite well. They well do some special things as well.  First they wont leak out creosote on your plants and food like railroad ties will, and they can be moved and placed in a different location.  Block will also act as a passive solar collector and help keep plants warm on cool nights.  As a Masonry Contractor in Seattle area we have used Block Masonry Units for every possible need and situation, and find them to be one of the very best building material to work with.  If your are planning a project that you would like to be high quality and low maintenance, Block Masonry Units come in a wide verity of color and textures. Please give us a call if we can be of help on your next project.

 

 

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