When it comes to building a foundation, for whatever building you are choosing to bring to fruition, there is no better material than concrete.
Sure, there are other materials out there – such as wood – that may be slightly easier to use, and a bit less expensive. But, wood is a rather weak material, in of itself, and it won’t always be able to withstand things like intense weather conditions.
Along with that, wood is susceptible to termites and other pests, and these pests have no problems degrading wood, leading to decay and rot and then. Naturally, the inevitable falling apart of whatever building the wood is used as a foundation for.
For those reasons and many more, concrete is easily the best material that you can use for the foundation of a building. It doesn’t matter the building. Concrete is the best foundation. If you want the building to stay there, and to remain strong and sturdy, then you can’t go wrong with concrete.
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What Is Better, Poured Concrete, Or Concrete Blocks?
So, there is a debate that is often had, and this debate has to do with whether or not concrete blocks are better than poured concrete. This is not the easiest debate to answer, because there are a variety of different factors at play here.
However, as you probably figured out, this is a buying guide that is all about concrete blocks. More specifically, this buying guide is all about concrete block piers and using concrete block piers as a foundation for a building, such as a home or a shed, among many other types of possible buildings.
We’re going to talk a bit more about piers and the advantages that they provide, as well as where this type of foundation is usually found, but let’s talk a bit more about poured concrete, versus concrete blocks.
With concrete blocks, you have a lot less flexibility. The concrete blocks that you buy, well, those are the concrete blocks that you’ll be using. You can cut them, but that is not an easy procedure, and it’s better to find concrete blocks that are the ideal size, rather than having to adjust them.
Concrete blocks are “as is”, to borrow a term found in retail. And this means that you can’t adjust them at all, and you don’t have a lot of freedom.
With poured concrete, however, you have a similar lack of flexibility, but this is only apparent once you have poured the concrete, and allowed it to solidify. Before you do that, the concrete is quite fluid, and you have a lot more freedom when it comes to how you apply it.
In terms of flexibility, then, poured concrete is a better choice because it does give you more options, generally speaking.
However, if you are building a pier, then you don’t need as many options, because a pier is a very simple and basic thing to construct, that relies on a specific structure/model, that is designed to be durable and resistant, but it requires none of the extra care and freedom that poured concrete gives you.
Along with that, the other factor at play here is the fact that the most important element, with regards to creating a strong and durable foundation, is actually the reinforcing steel that you are using, to reinforce the concrete that you are using, so that it can actually serve as a strong and stable foundation, that keeps your building standing tall and strong, without allowing it to be susceptible to the elements, or to the various other types of damage that it can be affected by.
Ultimately, though, the best type of foundation is going to be concrete blocks. For the simple reason that they have been designed to work with reinforced steel, right out of the box. There is no need to pour the concrete and to set everything up. Instead, this type of concrete works well, as is, and you don’t need to do anything. Along with that, these concrete blocks are exceptionally strong and powerful, and they have many different uses and applications, while also being cheaper, more often than not, than poured concrete.
What Is A Concrete Block Pier Foundation?
A concrete block pier foundation is a type of foundation that is built using the pier model, which is a very popular type of foundation model, and this foundation is, as you might expect, built out of concrete blocks.
Many homes that are situated right on the beach, or close enough to the beach, use a basic concrete block pier foundation. And, this is because this type of foundation can be built so that it stretches very high up. It simply requires you to lay out the concrete blocks like that of a wall, and when these blocks are put together, they form a strong and sturdy foundation that makes it easier for people to build small houses and homes on them. In some ways, this type of foundation resembles a set of pillars.
Within the concrete block pier foundation, there is empty space, and this space can then be used to house things like electrical wires, and other types of routing that you would find in a home. However, this space is always square, because that is the only shape that can be produced, in an adequate manner, using rectangular concrete blocks.
Underneath the foundation itself, there is another foundation, and this foundation consists of, more often than not, poured concrete. Although it isn’t always necessary to have this, if you are building this foundation on the ground, which consists of dirt, then it is a wise choice.
On top of the poured concrete, the concrete blocks are arranged in a way that forms a square pillar, and this serves as the foundation for whatever you are building.
What Are The Advantages Of A Concrete Block Pier Foundation?
In terms of cost, this is one of the cheapest foundations that you can build. It doesn’t cost much money, and the concrete blocks are a big part of that. Since the concrete blocks have already been made and turned into a specific product, without requiring you to pour it, this also saves a decent amount of time, as well as money.
Remember, though, that in some cases, poured concrete is necessary so that the concrete block pier foundation has something sturdy to sit on.
Along with that, this is also one of the simplest foundations that you can build. It doesn’t take very long to build it, either, due to the simplicity of the whole thing, and if you include the time it takes for the poured concrete – which may, or may not, be necessary – to solidify, it should only take three or four days, depending on the nature of the foundation that you are building. Factors such as width and height will, naturally, affect the duration of time it takes to build this foundation.
Ultimately, a concrete block pier foundation is one of the best types of foundations you can build, because it is cheap, easy to build, strong, sturdy, and it takes very little time to build it!
What Do I Need To Look For?
To build the very best concrete block pier foundation, there are a few things that you need, and a few things you need to consider.
Concrete Blocks – Obviously
So, you need to buy concrete blocks. But, more importantly, you need to buy concrete blocks that are the ideal size for the foundation you will be building, and you also need to buy the right number of concrete blocks.
It is very important that you understand the space where you will be building this foundation because that is going to make it much easier for you to buy the concrete blocks that you need.
A Level, To Make Sure The Foundation Is Even
This is very important, although many people overlook it. When you are putting this foundation together, it’s incredibly important that you use a level, to make sure that each layer of blocks is level with one another. If you don’t do this, what ends up happening is that the foundation becomes uneven and skewed, which affects the building you are going to be putting on top of the foundation.
Reinforcing Steel Wire
Finally, the last thing you need is reinforcing steel wire – and there are so many varieties out there, we can’t dive into it properly – that you will then use to “glue” the concrete blocks together. Without this, the concrete blocks are unstable. But, with this reinforced steel, the blocks are strong and sturdy.
Depending on the type of project you are doing, you could also use some type of construction adhesive, which could work very well, too.
Conclusion
For as confusing as the process can be, in the end, it’s very simple. By using this buying guide, you’ll have no problem building the concrete block pier foundation that is the best for you!
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