Concrete Block Alternative
Posted by James Snyder on Thu, Jul 21, 2011 @ 09:30 AM
Concrete block has long been a reliable method for constructing home beautification projects. Done correctly, a project using this method can be solid and durable. However, StoneMakers has created a proprietary concrete mix that trumps concrete block in several ways, most importantly, in durability, cost effectiveness and aesthetics.
Concrete block is made from poured concrete, and is typically composed of cement, sand and gravel aggregate. The blocks used to form foundations are hollow, and when stacked on top of one another you can see through the center of the foundation. The voids are normally filled with a cement-based mortar or poured concrete containing small pieces of gravel.
Concrete block has a large amount of compressive strength; however, when it is subjected to some sort of tension or stretching force, that strength is reduced by up to 90 percent. As soil, for instance, pushes against a retaining wall built in this method, tension is created that can eventually lead to a failure. Concrete block is also susceptible to decay due to moisture, so a waterproofing system has to be applied after the completion of a project.
StoneMakers’ propriety concrete product has the look and feel of real stone and is much stronger than traditional concrete block. Rather than relying on concrete blocks held together by mortar, a retaining wall, for example, built with StoneMakers concrete is one solid mass tied together with rebar, which makes it longer lasting, curing out at the incomparable strength of between, 6,000-8,000 PSI. No concrete building material in the industry can come close.
And the cost savings are just as impressive. Because artisans can build project using the StoneMakers product so much faster than by using typical concrete block, homeowners can save staggering sums of money. Since most projects are charged by the hour, the potential savings should be readily apparent.
Aesthetically, there also is no comparison between StoneMakers concrete and the traditional concrete block method. With the latter, you get exactly that – a project that looks like concrete blocks. But with StoneMakers, we can completely custom color and design options that, basically, are only limited by your imagination. We can shape StoneMakers concrete into almost any design, and make it just about any color you can think of.
If you are considering a home beautification project using concrete block, do not proceed any farther until you call us at (845) 283-8787. We can tell you how, by using the StoneMakers proprietary concrete mix, we can build a project for you that will cost much less, and take much less more time, than one using concrete block.
