Student: xxxxxxxxx AEC 204 Lab December 5, 2006 Concrete Blocks Student: xxxxxxxxx AEC 204 Lab December 5, 2006

What is a Concrete Block? Made of Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water Manufactured in a variety of shapes and sizes Standard block is the 8”x8”x16” hollow core masonry unit

Cinder Block? Concrete blocks contain gravel aggregate Cinder blocks contain coal cinder aggregate Due to the coal cinder aggregate, cinder blocks are lighter than concrete blocks

Concrete Block Size Nominal size of standard concrete block is 8”x8”x16” Actual size is 7-5/8”x7-5/8”x15-5/8” Difference of 3/8” leaves room for the mortar joint which allows for easy planning and measuring Standard block height is 1/2 the width of the face which is perfect for running bond

Concrete Block Shape Hollow cores reduce the weight of the block and allow space for rebar, insulation, or concrete filling Tapered core provides an easy grip and larger surface area for mortar Blocks with two cores are more balanced which makes it easier for masonry workers to lay them

Necessary Tools Brick trowel Mortar boards Mortar mixer Line stretcher Construction line Masonry ruler Shovel Mortar bucket Water bucket Level

Before Installation Remove any debris from application area Set up mortar boards and stacks of blocks

Before Installation Mix mortar Place on mortar boards

Step 1 Starting in the corner, apply mortar to base Place first block and check alignment and joint thickness

Step 2 “Butter” next cement block and place beside first block Tap into place and check with level

Step 3 Finish building up the corners Scrape away excess mortar Set up construction line

Step 4 Apply more mortar to base and lay block Tap into place using construction line as a guide

Step 5 Continue laying block until wall is complete Use a jointer to form the mortar joints if necessary

Clean Up Scrape away all excess mortar from wall and floor Wash mortar off of trowel, mortar boards, and mixer Brush wall if necessary

References http://www.masonryinstitute.com/guide/part2/prod_b-p1-2.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinder_block http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/pages/h00032.asp http://www.mc2ice.com/popular_conversion_files/masonry/mortar.htm