Hi,

just looked at blocks for building the single block wall for the
shed/workshop and saw a very large list of options.

So what would the team recommend for building a single block wall to about
2M high for a workshop 8m * 3.5m external dimensions?

Do I use the old style 'breeze blocks' or can I use something with better
thermal insulation?

Is 100mm thick O.K. or should I go slightly thicker for more stability and
better insulation?

I haven't decided yet if I will render the outside, or just paint the
blocks.

Any advice welcome.

TIA

Dave R

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
David WE Roberts wrote:

Hi,

just looked at blocks for building the single block wall for the
shed/workshop and saw a very large list of options.

So what would the team recommend for building a single block wall to
about 2M high for a workshop 8m * 3.5m external dimensions?

Do I use the old style 'breeze blocks' or can I use something with
better thermal insulation?

Is 100mm thick O.K. or should I go slightly thicker for more
stability and better insulation?

I haven't decided yet if I will render the outside, or just paint the
blocks.

Any advice welcome.

TIA

Dave R


Can you still get old style breeze blocks? You certainly need something that
will withstand the weather - preferably concrete-based. The lightweight
thermal blocks intended for internal use would be completely useless.

Have you considered hollow contrete blocks - the sort that look like a
squared off figure 8 in plan view? These are wider than standard blocks, and
will give greater stability. You could presumably fill them with some sort
of insulating material - but you would, of course, still have a direct
concrete bridge from inside to outside - so you'd probably want to dry-line
it as well.

Is this a free-standing building? Being under 30M^2 internal area, it is
presumably outside the scope of building regs (provided you satisfy the
other conditions) so you can do more or less what you like - as long as the
planners are happy! How are you going to do the electrics? that's another
mine-field to grapple with!
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

In article ,
"Roger Mills" writes:

Can you still get old style breeze blocks?

Real breeze blocks were 1930's, and they're often slightly
flammable because some of the rubble in them is coal/coke.
What most people call breeze blocks are really clinker blocks
(and not at all flammable).

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article ,
"Roger Mills" writes:

Can you still get old style breeze blocks?

Real breeze blocks were 1930's, and they're often slightly
flammable because some of the rubble in them is coal/coke.
What most people call breeze blocks are really clinker blocks
(and not at all flammable).

So . .
Can you still get clinker blocks?
Are they suitable for external use?
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!

"Roger Mills" wrote in message
...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article ,
"Roger Mills" writes:

Can you still get old style breeze blocks?

Real breeze blocks were 1930's, and they're often slightly
flammable because some of the rubble in them is coal/coke.
What most people call breeze blocks are really clinker blocks
(and not at all flammable).

So . .
Can you still get clinker blocks?
Are they suitable for external use?

I guess I was referring to things that look like the old style clinker
blocks.
There seem to be smooth blocks which have wavy lines on each side presumably
for render, rough looking blocks, hollow blocks etc.
Cheapest is one good option - the prices seem to range from £1 to £4 per
block - I was really wondering which blocks were the best general purpose
blocks.
At under 30 sq m and built from blocks I should be outside both BR and
planning if I get my design right.
I was wondering about the benefits (if any) of thicker blocks or hollow
blocks.
With hollow blocks it must be interesting to get mortar on them without
filling up the holes in the middle (which I presume are for insulation).

On Fri, 4 Dec 2009 17:09:57 -0000, David WE Roberts wrote:

"Roger Mills" wrote in message
...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article ,
"Roger Mills" writes:

Can you still get old style breeze blocks?

Real breeze blocks were 1930's, and they're often slightly
flammable because some of the rubble in them is coal/coke.
What most people call breeze blocks are really clinker blocks
(and not at all flammable).

So . .
Can you still get clinker blocks?
Are they suitable for external use?

I guess I was referring to things that look like the old style clinker
blocks.
There seem to be smooth blocks which have wavy lines on each side presumably
for render, rough looking blocks, hollow blocks etc.
Cheapest is one good option - the prices seem to range from £1 to £4 per
block - I was really wondering which blocks were the best general purpose
blocks.
At under 30 sq m and built from blocks I should be outside both BR and
planning if I get my design right.
I was wondering about the benefits (if any) of thicker blocks or hollow
blocks.
With hollow blocks it must be interesting to get mortar on them without
filling up the holes in the middle (which I presume are for insulation).

I've seen some interlocking "terracotta" looking blocks in France that
supposedly have very high insulation qualities and use the thin joint
system (an applicator that rolls a layer a few millimetres thick and you
just plonk the blocks on). They're intended to be rendered. I seem to
remember that they're pricey though

Ah, found them:

http://www.clayblocks.co.uk/

and

http://www.tackburn.co.uk/

SteveW

David WE Roberts wrote:
"Roger Mills" wrote in message
...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article ,
"Roger Mills" writes:

Can you still get old style breeze blocks?

Real breeze blocks were 1930's, and they're often slightly
flammable because some of the rubble in them is coal/coke.
What most people call breeze blocks are really clinker blocks
(and not at all flammable).

So . .
Can you still get clinker blocks?
Are they suitable for external use?

I guess I was referring to things that look like the old style clinker
blocks.
There seem to be smooth blocks which have wavy lines on each side
presumably for render, rough looking blocks, hollow blocks etc.
Cheapest is one good option - the prices seem to range from £1 to £4
per block - I was really wondering which blocks were the best general
purpose blocks.

The cheapest - seriously, which will be hollow clinker (concrete) which have
very little U value - those that do are more expensive, (thermalite) and
these are the ones with the wavy lines - they're not suitable for outside.

At under 30 sq m and built from blocks I should be outside both BR and
planning if I get my design right.
I was wondering about the benefits (if any) of thicker blocks or
hollow blocks.

practically none insulation-wise, but it may get you slightly more
stability, although I presume you'll be doing pillars halfway along each
long wall?

With hollow blocks it must be interesting to get mortar on them without
filling up the holes in the middle (which I presume are for
insulation).

no, they're there for the same reason as holes in bricks are there - to save
materials, but unlike bricks, the holes don't go all the way through, the
tops of the blocks are solid, and they are laid hole-side down

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

David WE Roberts wrote:
Hi,

just looked at blocks for building the single block wall for the
shed/workshop and saw a very large list of options.

So what would the team recommend for building a single block wall to
about 2M high for a workshop 8m * 3.5m external dimensions?

Do I use the old style 'breeze blocks' or can I use something with
better thermal insulation?

Is 100mm thick O.K. or should I go slightly thicker for more stability
and better insulation?

I haven't decided yet if I will render the outside, or just paint the
blocks.

Any advice welcome.

TIA

Dave R
Concrete blocks for choice.

Handle insulation seperately.