4"block v 4" thermolite

[Alan J]

What are the pros + cons, besides the price, Its for a single skin garage /workshop. tia Alan

[Grunff]

I've built garage-type outbuildings in both concrete blocks and thermalites.

Block is harder, cheaper (40p versus ~80p/block) and results in a more solid feeling wall.

Thermalites are much lighter (1/3 the weight), much easier to cut, a lot less hard work to lay, and more insulating.

The last building we did was thermalites, and the next one will certainly also be thermalites.

While you're at it, consider using thin-join techniques (read up on the thermalite website). Really speeds things up.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Not much,. Thermalite is warmer and easier to drill

Its lighter to lay, but needs rendering. It soaks up water from mortatr badly.

Concrete is tougher, and can be painted or just left.

[Grunff]

IME they both soak up water pretty badly. Rendering helps a bit, but not all that much. We've taken the approach of 3 coats of textured masonry paint straight onto the block, which works really well.

[Grunff]

Like any porous material does.

Both. It's not problematic until you've finished the garage and you have really wet walls, which result in a very humid interior.

Personally, I'd never use bricks in place of blocks - life's too short. A couple of good coats of masonry paint on the outside completely waterproofs the block.

[Mark S.]

Soak up water in what way?

When you are laying them or afterwards when raining etc.

Asking as I've the same to do sometime in the future and was going to start aquiring blocks or bricks in advance.

Mark S.

[Alan J]

[David Hemmings]

And that applies to thermalites/durox ? i was on the verge of asking something like this.

I have been in a quandry over using thermalites or heavy concrete, heavy concrete as it wouldn't need rendering vs thermalites for their lightness, ease of cutting to size, and good insulating properties. But if a few coats of masonary paint and maybe a liberal coat of silicone will do the trick i think that steals it.

I am still working on the garage i was rambling on about march 2002, a close family illness effectively stopped my work (and everything else) for the best part of a year. But i have about one day left of digging my footings (6.3m2 base 1200mm x 600mm), done the soakaway hole that is failing to empty out copmpletely (possible high water table possibly clay stopping drainage) i was thinking of using a plastic pre-cast chamber from

but the lazy buggers didn't reply to my email yet.

The concrete i am planning to mix myself onsite, one of the local planing staff have said that i can cast the footings in legs (obviously not terminating in the corners). Breaking the job down into 4 parts will make quite manageable. Me + brother have mixed a few 4 tonne batches for shoring up in about 2.5h a time. Will be a great saving over readymix + pump hire.

Hopefully be reporting back good progress soon ....

[Grunff]

Yes. If you're not going to render, buy smooth faced thermalites. They take the paint very nicely.

Worked well for us on a garage and a hay shed.

How very energetic of you ;-) I went for the easy premixed route.

[IMM]

"Very" light weight Thermally blocks are available in double thickness. You will have well insulated structure then, that keeps heat in and cold out. Have an insulated sealed garage door.

[David Hemmings]

Damn, i cannot believe the last chance i had to have a look here was the 12th, almost another month gone. Still filling skips with the dirt dug from the trench and soakway pit.

Also been busy finishing off those stupid small irritating snags you always get at the end of jobs. the frequency of ear bashing by the SWMBO has reduced in line with these being completed. Now onto more esoteric things like why do the rear surround speakers have to be so large, do we need to amplifiers. basically the whole AV setup is under dispute, after much discuassion i have been given carte blanche to get more expensive 'tidier' components.

Also just finished off the hallway last night at about 10pm, the other half very pleased.. when i got in this evening one of the normally nice cats had shredded, by the looks of it, a baby song/missile thrush all over the hallway