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UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#1
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
Hi All,
My wife came home yesterday, and wasn't happy with the builder's blockwork. Specifically she felt that the mortar wasn't bonded to the blocks properly as he hadn't soaked the blocks before laying them. I've had a quick Google to see if this has been answered here before (as I seem sure it must have)), but can't find anything. Should Thermalite blocks be soaked before use? My wife says my FIL (who was an Architechtural Technican and knew stuff) used to soak his as this prevents them from immediately sucking all the moisture out of the mortar joints and messing up the bond. I had a quick Google last night, and when I could find nothing here read a post in a less august forum. The general concensus from most of the people (who mostly claimed to be brickies, etc). Was don't soak the blocks (as it can lead to cracking when they dry out), but use a wet mix and get them down quick (one or two did say they had been on site and seen them being soaked). But then, they may be more interested in how quick they can get paid and move onto the next job, rather than the longevity or otherwise of the structures they build. What does the team think? Tia Chris |
#2
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
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#3
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
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#5
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 11:46:51 UTC+1, wrote:
Hi All, My wife came home yesterday, and wasn't happy with the builder's blockwork. Specifically she felt that the mortar wasn't bonded to the blocks properly as he hadn't soaked the blocks before laying them. I've had a quick Google to see if this has been answered here before (as I seem sure it must have)), but can't find anything. Should Thermalite blocks be soaked before use? My wife says my FIL (who was an Architechtural Technican and knew stuff) used to soak his as this prevents them from immediately sucking all the moisture out of the mortar joints and messing up the bond. I had a quick Google last night, and when I could find nothing here read a post in a less august forum. The general concensus from most of the people (who mostly claimed to be brickies, etc). Was don't soak the blocks (as it can lead to cracking when they dry out), but use a wet mix and get them down quick (one or two did say they had been on site and seen them being soaked). But then, they may be more interested in how quick they can get paid and move onto the next job, rather than the longevity or otherwise of the structures they build. What does the team think? Tia Chris It's normal for mortar on lightweight blocks to crack as it dries. For mediumweight blocks it's not. NT |
#6
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
I recently had to remove the top two courses of blocks from a four foot high
wall and was surprised at how weak the mortar bond was: it seemed as if only the weight of the blocks (the dense kind) was keeping them in place. I found myself wondering if a serviceable (if not too tall) block wall couldn't be constructed by using adhesive rather than mortar. |
#7
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
Assuming of course they really are the real mcoy so to speak. I recall
seeing somebody kind of painting water on the surface to be mortared many years ago, so the wetting rather than soaking sounds about right to me. Brian -- ----- - This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from... The Sofa of Brian Gaff... Blind user, so no pictures please! "Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message news In article , writes: Hi All, My wife came home yesterday, and wasn't happy with the builder's blockwork.= Specifically she felt that the mortar wasn't bonded to the blocks properl= y as he hadn't soaked the blocks before laying them. I've had a quick Google to see if this has been answered here before (as I = seem sure it must have)), but can't find anything. Should Thermalite blocks be soaked before use? My wife says my FIL (who was an Architechtural Technican and knew stuff) us= ed to soak his as this prevents them from immediately sucking all the moist= ure out of the mortar joints and messing up the bond. I had a quick Google last night, and when I could find nothing here read a = post in a less august forum. The general concensus from most of the people (who mostly claimed to be bri= ckies, etc). Was don't soak the blocks (as it can lead to cracking when the= y dry out), but use a wet mix and get them down quick (one or two did say t= hey had been on site and seen them being soaked). But then, they may be mo= re interested in how quick they can get paid and move onto the next job, ra= ther than the longevity or otherwise of the structures they build. What does the team think? Thermal blocks must be dry when used. They expand enough when wet so that when they later dry, they will crack in half. This happens when left uncovered out in the rain on building sites before use. You can moisten the surface for plastering, but don't soak the whole block. Mortar does bond to brick and blockwork, but the main function is to hold them apart, and blockwork itself doesn't have much tensile strength, so there's little point in forming a strong bond, as you would just pull the block apart under any significant tensile forces (as happens above). -- Andrew Gabriel [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup] |
#8
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
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#9
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
Bert Coules wrote:
I found myself wondering if a serviceable (if not too tall) block wall couldn't be constructed by using adhesive rather than mortar. There are "landscape" adhesives sold for just that in America e.g. http://www.loctiteproducts.com/p/pl_ca_lndscp_voc/overview/Loctite-PL-500-Landscape-Block-Adhesive.htm I checked with Henkel if it was available over here, they said not and nothing similar, which is when I ended up looking for (and eventually using) CT1 to glue down the edge pavers on my driveway, it didn't have quite the numbers in terms of holding pressure, but not far off ... |
#10
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
On Wednesday, 27 September 2017 15:56:35 UTC+1, Bert Coules wrote:
I recently had to remove the top two courses of blocks from a four foot high wall and was surprised at how weak the mortar bond was: it seemed as if only the weight of the blocks (the dense kind) was keeping them in place. I found myself wondering if a serviceable (if not too tall) block wall couldn't be constructed by using adhesive rather than mortar. Yes it is done. The idea is to reduce heat loss through mortar joints. EG http://www.starken.com.my/products-o...-bed-adhesive/ |
#11
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
Andy Burns wrote:
I checked with Henkel if it was available over here, they said not and nothing similar, which is when I ended up looking for (and eventually using) CT1... I wasn't familiar with CT1 and had to look it up: it's considerably more expensive than most gun adhesives though I suppose the spec is higher. But wouldn't any of the high-performance tube adhesives, Stixall and the like, do an almost comparable job? As someone whose skill with mortar and cement is approximately zero this approach holds considerable interest. |
#12
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
And here's someone building a block wall using Gorilla glue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSNIzxkD450 |
#13
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
Bert Coules wrote:
I wasn't familiar with CT1 and had to look it up: it's considerably more expensive than most gun adhesives though I suppose the spec is higher. But wouldn't any of the high-performance tube adhesives, Stixall and the like, do an almost comparable job? Don't think they'd hold up to car traffic (especially steering wheel turning against pavers) I only needed a couple of tubes, don't think I'd want to pay for enough to build a wall, plus it dries with a lot of rubbery stretch/give to it, so not ideal for a wall. I did use solvent gripfill to put in a temporary paving slab "half-step" for a neighbour who found the normal height had got too much for her, and it held OK, though it didn't take much force when the time came later to remove it. |
#14
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
Bert Coules wrote:
And here's someone building a block wall using Gorilla glue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSNIzxkD450 Argh! I think I'm seasick ... |
#15
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
Andy Burns wrote:
Don't think they'd hold up to car traffic... Yes, I suspect you're right; I was thinking more of walling than paving. |
#16
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Soaking thermalite blocks before use??
replying to Bert Coules, Giuseppe wrote:
In Italy, for interior walls, with similar blocks, a glue made especially for joining them is used, you can also use the simple glue for the tiles -- for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...e-1238516-.htm |
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