Concrete Block

JLC Field Guide: Concrete Block

Foundations built with concrete block may cost less than poured concrete, depending on local material and labor costs. Block may also be more practical than poured concrete for small jobs, crawlspace foundations, or jobs where access by concrete trucks is limited.  Block foundation performance depends on proper design and detailing. Effective perimeter drainage is a necessity to reduce lateral soil pressures, especially for full basements. Block is also very porous, so waterproofing or dampproofing is usually required to control moisture intrusion.

Learn more

Concrete Block Featured Articles

Posted on
Building A Block Foundation

Instead of subcontracting the work, invest in a few masonry tools and put your own... More

Posted on
Building a Reinforced Concrete Block Wall

A mason describes how he detailed a pair of large block walls to carry severe... More

Posted on
Block Foundations for Small Additions

If your crew has the skill and you own the right equipment, laying your own... More

Posted on
Reinforcing a Foundation with Structural Strapping

Jake Lewandowski explains how to repair cracked concrete-block foundation walls... More

Posted on
High-Performance Crawlspace Foundations

A concrete slab improves the performance of an unvented crawlspace, but you still... More

Posted on
Cure for a Bulging Brick Foundation

How Jake Lewandowski stabilized an old brick basement wall using vertical I-beams... More

View All

Concrete Block Instruction

Posted on
Block or Poured Concrete Foundation?

Each method has advantages and disadvantages, but more often than not the deciding... More

Posted on
Concrete Block

For block foundations, effective perimeter drainage is critical to reduce lateral soil pressures, especially for full basements (see Perimeter Foundation Drains). And block is also very porous, so waterproofing or dampproofing is important to control moisture intrusion (see Waterproofing and Dampproofing). More

Posted on
Framing Fix for a Faulty Foundation

When a foundation is out-of-level and out-of-square, you can shim the joists,... More

Posted on
Block Walls, Vapor Barriers, and Solar Vapor Drive

Q: With a cavity wall assembly consisting of load-bearing 8-inch CMUs (concrete masonry units), 2 inches of rigid foam, a 2-inch air space, and 4-inch concrete bricks covered with cementitious stucco and an acrylic color coat, how important is dampproofin More

View All
RSS
Close X