Concrete Blocks That Look Like Stones

Creating Concrete Block

• Concrete block is also known as a concrete masonry unit, or CMU. The blocks are made using compaction machines and intense vibration to create a block with a compression rating of 1,000 pounds per square inch or higher. Block manufacturers make concrete blocks in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and have added a number of exterior finishes to the blocks. Manufacturing concrete blocks to look like stone requires burnishing, splitting and chipping the sides of the block.

Split Concrete Block

• A split concrete block is a block given a rough-hewn, textured finish to one exterior side. The block's ends and second side are usually left smooth to provide easier stacking and building against other blocks. This concrete block has the appearance of an architecturally cut stone.

Scored and Ribbed Block

• Concrete blocks can be scored or ribbed to resemble stacked stones. These techniques cut lines in the stone using a mold or a grinder to imitate various stone sizes. For example, a large block can be scored in a width that makes the block look like a series of stacked slabs of stone or a series of brick-sized stones. Scored and ribbed concrete blocks can be made with a smooth or textured face surface. Textured surfaces resemble split or rough-hewn stone.

Ground Faced Block

• Ground faced concrete blocks, also called burnished masonry, are made by grinding the block's concrete facade to create a gleaming polished look. The process uses a multi-head grinder to arrive at a mirror-like finish. The concrete is color-treated before it is shaped so that the color is uniform after grinding. The aggregate gleams and shines in a similar manner to granite when it is ground and polished. Ground face block can easily replace the look of real granite on the exterior of a building.