According to the ASHRAE Handbook, the permeability of concrete (1:2:4 mix) is 3.2 perms per inch of thickness, whereas an 8- to 10-inch-thick poured concrete wall is about 0.4 to 0.3 perms. poured concrete make concrete blocks semi-permeable.
(Many people use the terms concrete blocks and cinder blocks interchangeably, but concrete blocks are heavier than cinder blocks.) The larger pores of concrete blocks vs. It is imperative to use the best block wall waterproofing products on blocks.Īll concrete materials have to be protected from water intrusion, but concrete blocks and cinder blocks are especially vulnerable. However, concrete blocks have a disadvantage: They are more permeable to water and water vapor than poured concrete. Another benefit is that when a wall is made from a block, it’s already hardened and doesn’t need cure time. Both types of foundations and walls have advantages - concrete blocks are a uniform size, stacking concrete blocks is sometimes easier than pouring a concrete wall, and concrete blocks are sometimes easier to get if there’s not a ready mixed plant nearby. Mortar bags estimation = number of blocks needed / 33.It’s common to build a foundation or outbuilding from either concrete blocks or from poured concrete. To calculate the number of such bags, you need to divide the number of blocks by 33.3: When it comes to estimating the mortar needed, a good rule of thumb is that three standard bags will typically cover 100 blocks. Then you need to calculate your concrete block costs just multiply the number of cinder blocks by the price per single block:Ĭoncrete block costs = price per block × number of blocks Number of blocks needed = wall area / block area To calculate the number of blocks, you need to divide the total area of the wall by the area of a single block: To do so, you need to multiply the wall's height and width: When calculating the number of blocks needed, the first thing to do is to calculate the size of your concrete block wall. If, after using our calculator, you're still thinking, "But how did they find out how many concrete blocks I need?", we are happy to walk you through the process! Please note, that this is a rough estimation, and you might need to calculate it separately using factors such as mortar type. On average, it takes three standard mortar bags to bond 100 concrete blocks together. Have a look at the mortar estimation field.Calculate the concrete blocks cost, which is done by inputting the price of a single block.In both cases, you will see the total number of concrete blocks needed for your project.An illustration of a wall segment will appear to show exactly which dimensions are needed, to avoid confusion. If you pick custom size, you need to provide the calculator with the height and width of a single concrete block.All you need to do here is pick the size you want. Feel free to use our length converter if you want to know what they are in metric. The preset block sizes are the six most common types you can find in the U.S.A.Decide whether you want to choose a preset block size, or input a custom one:.They are needed for determining the wall's square footage. Input the dimensions of the concrete block wall you're building, that is, its width and its height.To estimate everything your project needs, just follow these instructions: Our calculator is simple and intuitive to use.