Types of Construction Blocks

There are different types of blocks used in construction companies.  To know more, read this article.

The construction of any building constitutes a lot of components. These components include cement, sand, soil, and blocks. Without blocks, the construction of a building will be incomplete. This is why it is pivotal to know about the different kinds of blocks used on a day-to-day basis.

History of Bricks

To date, there is no building material that can go head-to-head with a block. The oldest brick was discovered in 7000 BC, originally manufactured from mud. Earlier bricks were made from clay-bearing mud or soil. They were dried to be hard enough to carry the whole building.

The main purpose of bricks is to make wall units; this is because it is one of the oldest commodities used for building. The blocks are made of about 75% solids. These days, they are classified into different kinds and they are more ways of making them.

Here we will be outlining the different kinds of bricks. The most common ones are sun-dried clay bricks, burnt clay bricks, engineering Bricks, concrete bricks, fly ash bricks, fire bricks, and sand lime bricks.

Main Types of Blocks

1. Burnt Clay Bricks

• These bricks are used for building columns, walls, foundations, and more.
• They are abundantly used in building and are popularly known as common bricks

These bricks can be classified into four categories, and they consist of the following: First, Second, Third, and Fourth Classes. Modern construction uses this sort of brick because of its versatility.

2. Sun-Dried Clay Bricks

These bricks are one of the oldest types and were used in cities like Jericho. This block is also in modern Palestine and areas of Southern Turkey.

• These blocks are not strong enough to be used for load-bearing purposes.
• Moreover, they are also not the most durable type being the weakest ones in the group. They are used primarily for temporary masonry.
• These bricks are a combination of water, loamy soil, and straw. Brick makers might include clay, manure, or sand to increase their strength and prevent the bricks from cracking.

3. Concrete Bricks

• These bricks are mostly used for outdoor walls, facades and internal brickworks.
• This kind of brick is made from solid concrete. And afterward, the mix is poured into custom molds. This will help them to have different shapes and sizes.

4. Engineering Bricks

• These bricks have high comprehensive strengths, strengths and all the necessary qualities to be used as load-bearing materials.
• These bricks have low absorption levels. This means that they do not absorb a significant amount of moisture; this is to ensure that they don’t crack.
• They are used regularly for basements foundations due to qualities like strength, density, and more.

5. Fly Ash Bricks

These bricks are made using class C or F fly ash, cement, quicklime, aluminum, powder water, and gypsum.

These blocks come in small sizes. This is because of their durability.

They can be used as an alternative to burnt clay. This is because of their low absorption rate and high compressive strength.  

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