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Tools to Make Concrete Building Blocks

The Romans use a type of concrete mortar as early as the 2nd century B.C. to bind together stones in the construction of buildings. A couple of hundred years later, small, cast concrete blocks were used in buildings around the Naples area. In about 1900, cast concrete blocks were produced in the United States. They were so heavy, however, that they were impractical. Hollow concrete blocks reduced the weight, as did use of lighter materials. Although concrete blocks are nowadays produced by machines that churn out up to 2,000 blocks per hour, it is possible to make them by hand, with some effort.

  1. Mold-Making Tools

    • A mold is simply a plywood form of any size. Use a drill to construct the plywood form with wood screws to make it easier to remove the finished blocks. Before pouring the concrete mixture into the molds, spray them with a release agent: Something as simple as cooking spray is effective, or use a gel such as petroleum jelly. To pour hollow blocks, construct another, smaller plywood shape to set inside the first one.

    Measuring Tools

    • Use a tape measure to size your block molds appropriately. Standard concrete blocks are about 20 by 8 by 7 1/2 inches and weigh about 40 pounds. Concrete blocks may be made in any size and shape, but it would be good idea to do a few test blocks to see what size and weight you can handle and what is appropriate for your project.

    Concrete-Mixing Tools

    • To make a large batch of concrete, consider renting a concrete mixer from a home improvement store. For a small batch, all you need is a wheelbarrow and a hoe. Set all tools and materials near a water source so you won't have to lift and carry so much.

    Drying and Curing

    • Have several racks on hand for laying out the complete blocks to fully dry and cure before using them for building; this takes about 14 days at minimum. Old pallets are a good material for this part of the job. Industrial plants put the finished blocks into a drying kiln to speed up the process and make sure all water is removed.

    Ingredients

    • Concrete blocks meant for building structures should be stronger and denser than blocks that you might use for, say, a garden wall. The usual mix is Portland cement, an aggregate such as sand or small gravel, and as little water as possible. Lighter mixes, for nonload-bearing walls, contain crushed shale, clay or slate. This material is heated first, to get rid of any lingering organic material, which makes it puff up slightly. When added to the cement mix, it creates a block that weighs less. Homeowners may easily make a product called hypertufa to shape planters, stepping stones and other garden objects. In this case, add a percentage of peat, steel wool or other fibrous material to the cement mix to make a lighter weight mixture suitable for molding.

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Fences & Walls
  1. How to Make Garden Decor Using Concrete Blocks
  2. How to Make a Concrete Flower Bed
  3. How to Set Building Blocks in Wet Concrete Footing
  4. How to Make Concrete Molds for Cinder Blocks
  5. Is it Dangerous to Make a Garden Bed From Cinder Blocks?
  6. How to Garden With Concrete Building Blocks
  7. How to Make Your Own Sidewalk Blocks
  8. How to Make a Pond in Shale Using Concrete Blocks
  9. Information on Machines for Making Concrete Building Blocks
  10. Comparison of Concrete and Foam Building Blocks
  11. Techniques for Building Concrete Blocks
  12. How to Make a Bed Frame With Concrete Blocks

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