San Clemente Masonry Contractor
Masonry contractors in San Clemente use concrete blocks to construct walls. It is also commonly referred to as a concrete masonry unit, and it is one of the products made of precast concrete used in construction. A precast refers to a block that is made and hardened before being taken to the construction site. During the construction, the blocks are usually stacked together with mortar to create the desired wall height and length.
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Concrete blocks are usually created using concrete mixed with Portland cement, sand, gravel, and water. This creates a block that is light gray and whose surface texture is fine. The block also has a lot of compressive strength.
Generally, the concrete block that is used for making blocks contain a higher amount of sand and a lower amount of gravel and water as compared to the mixture of concrete that is commonly used for the general construction. The result is a dry and stiff mixture that can hold shape when removed from the mold.
A cinder block refers to a concrete block that uses a volcanic cinder of the granulated cycle instead of gravel and sand. A cinder block has a dark gray color, and the surface texture ranges from medium to coarse. It is a good choice for its strength, sound-proofing abilities, and higher thermal insulating properties as compared to the concrete block.
To make lightweight concrete blocks, masonry contractors replace gravel and sand with shale, expanded clay, or slate. To produce shale, expanded clay, or slate, the raw material is crushed and heated to around 2000 degrees. This causes the material to puff up. The material can then be used to construct non-load bearing walls and partitions.
On top of the basic components, concrete mixtures that are used to make blocks also have certain chemicals referred to as admixtures. These are used to change the curing time, enhance compressive strength, and increase the workability. Pigments may be added to the mixture to provide a uniform color on the block’s surface.
Design
The size and shape of the common concrete blocks are usually standardized to ensure these are uniform in their construction. However, some manufacturers are changing the basic block to ensure that it has a unique visual effect and meets the needs of their clients. For instance, some blocks are designed to be water-resistant when used as exterior walls. These are usually made using an admixture that is water-resistant to minimize the permeability and absorption of the concrete.
To understand how to use concrete blocks and concrete foundation, you will need to speak to a qualified and experienced masonry contractor. One of the most popular names is San Clemente Concrete.
You can reach us at (949) 541-2077 for free estimates.
