But where do they come from?

But,where do they come from.

Behold, concrete blocks, but where do they come from? Concrete has been used in the craft of masonry (method of building using smaller units) from as early as 200 BC in ancient Rome. Concrete blocks were not used for sometime after the fall of the Roman Empire but were later introduced by English Stonemasons. Their popularity grew with socio-economic events which include the industrial revolution in the early 1900s. The manufacture of concrete blocks today is typically done at an industrial scale but DIY enthusiasts still do make their own bricks, the process basically encompasses these steps; 

1.      Mixing: a basic concrete mix consists of sand, cement, gravel and water. The very first step to manufacturing concrete blocks is mixing these materials, In industries mixers are used. Dry materials are blended in a mixer for a few minutes then water added to make a concrete mix.

2.      Moulding: this is where the concrete bricks are shaped into desired shapes and sizes. Proceeding right after the mixing of concrete is moulding, the mix is then forced down atop a Block machine which moulds the mix. When the moulds are full compaction (pressing down or compressing of the moulds) follows which is the result of upper layers of moulds or hydraulic pressure cylinders. At the bottom of the block machine, the compacted layer is then pushed out of the machine. At this time the bricks are shaped.

3.      Curing: is a process meant to make concrete reach optimal strength and hardness through hydration. This process can be carried out by laying blocks out on open air and manually continuously using hoses to spray water on the blocks and allowing to be air dried, this process typically takes  a few days.

4.      Storage: concrete blocks are stored by stacking in cubic vertical stacks allowing proper ventilation. It is best to have bricks which have just been cured stored near the worksite to avoid danger of damage owing to transporting of bricks. The symmetric stacking of bricks is aimed to minimise defacement and breakage of bricks. Bricks are put on wood or steel pallets right after moulding for ready fork lifting.

To see the listed steps in action, you can always visit the home of Blue’s Bricks and Paving in Masowe, You can also find our wide array of products ranging from paving blocks to custom masonry units.