Breeze blocks are lightweight concrete blocks made from a mixture of cement and ash. They can be used in construction projects and come in various densities and weights. They are also known as cinder or concrete blocks and have hollow profiles that provide insulation. They are commonly used in Great Britain and British English-speaking nations.
A breeze block is a concrete block that has been made from a mixture of cement and ash. Other types of concrete blocks may be used with clinker, sand or gravel as fillers, but in some regions of the world these blocks are referred to generically as “breeze blocks”, whether or not they contain ash. They can be used in a variety of construction projects and tasks.
Concrete masonry units, as they are more formally known, can be made in a variety of densities and weights, depending on the fillers used. High-density blocks are used in construction to create supporting and load-bearing elements, such as walls and foundations. The lower density blocks can be used to make garden walls and various other non-structural features, including the popular inexpensive shelving units made from concrete blocks and lengths of wood by college students around the world.
These blocks may also be referred to as foundation, cinder, or concrete blocks, regardless of the fillers used. The term “breeze block” is most commonly used in Great Britain and British English-speaking nations, as “breeze” is used to mean “ash” or “ashes”. People outside these regions may refer to them as cinder blocks.
The breeze block design is relatively light weight, making such blocks unsuitable for carrying substantial or heavy loads. The design also means that these blocks weigh much less than denser blocks, which can make them easier to handle. They typically have hollow profiles designed to make them even lighter and easier to work with, and these profiles also give insulating properties to the finished block, because the air in the spaces acts as an excellent insulator.
When blocks are used to build a structure, they are laid in overlapping courses or layers which distribute the weight of the blocks and create a more aesthetically interesting finished structure. The structure can be cemented together with the use of various mortars, and they can be supported internally with rebar or other support pegs and posts which hold the blocks in place, give them structural stability, and increase their rigidity.
Many home improvement and construction stores carry breeze blocks, usually in classic concrete gray, although specially dyed and prepared blocks are also available. People should be aware that while a single block is light enough, a large load can add a lot of weight, which can make them bulky or difficult to manage.
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