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Building materials like cinder blocks are frequently used to build foundations, safety barriers, and even for decorative purposes.
Concrete and coal cinder can be combined to create cinder blocks, which are typically lighter than concrete blocks.
Due to their shortage of strength, cinder blocks are not frequently purchased, despite the fact that they perform exceedingly well for the purposes for which they are intended.
Concrete and cinder blocks will be differing in size and mass, though you might not notice much of a distinction from a simple glance.
They serve varied functions due to their varying quality, and heavier concrete blocks can be used for building.
While cinder blocks are sturdy and may support their purposes adequately, they seem relatively light to handle. For this reason, you may be wondering how much the average cinder block actually weighs.
In this article, we will be answering that exact question. Continue reading to find out how much a cinder block weighs, as well as finding out factors that may affect the weight.
What Is A Cinder Block?
A concrete masonry unit, or CMU, often known as a cinder block, is a type of oblong masonry block. They have varying weights since they are available in a range of sizes.
They frequently feature hollowed cores that can accommodate vertical rebar augmentation. Cells are vacuous spaces that can be solidly packed with concrete to increase its strength.
Constructional cinder blocks are typically employed to construct foundational structures, such as walls. They are laid one by one, and connected by mortar joints.
A traditional concrete foundation is used to support cinder block walls.
Cast concrete is used to create concrete blocks, and cinder block concrete is composed up of both aggregate and cement.
This mixture may include charred components such salvaged resources, sludge cement, coal dust, or industrial refuse.
The reason that concrete blocks are known as ‘cinder blocks’ is because they contain ash.
What Sizes Of Cinder Blocks Are Available?
The three dimensions of a cinder block are height, length, and width. The block’s sizing will typically be displayed in the order of width first, then height, then length.
So, if a cinder block was 8 × 8 × 16, it would be 8 inches wide, 8 inches tall, and 16 inches long.
The majority of full size cinder blocks have a conventional height of 8 inches and a standard length of 16 inches. The width of a full-sized cinder block is its primary changeable measurement, or its variable.
It’s crucial to keep in mind that when construction workers refer to cinder blocks being 12 inches, they are referring to the block’s width, not the height or length.
The only common aspect that varies is the width; the elevation and lengths of the bricks are pretty much constant, at 8 inches high and 16 inches long.
So, as we already mentioned, the average dimensions of a cinder block are 8 × 8 × 16. However, you can also get cinder blocks in the following sizes:
- 8 × 8 × 8
- 2 × 8 × 16
- 4 × 8 × 16
- 10 × 8 × 16
- 12 × 8 × 16
The Weight Of Cinder Blocks
A cinder block’s weight is ultimately determined by its volume and density.
The weight of a block increases with its size and concentration, making it difficult to simply give a specific weight for any given cinder block.
Cinder blocks are available in a variety of sorts, dimensions, and forms that are intended for use in various projects.
A cinder block’s weight is, overall, determined by its weight while it is completely dry. Since cinder blocks are able to easily retain moisture, their weight will increase as they absorb liquid.
The block’s capacity to take water increases with size and density. A slab that has been submerged in water could potentially weigh beyond a pound more than a drier block.
A cinder block will thus become heavier once it has become wet, despite initially feeling light.
So, let’s take a look at the different sizes that cinder blocks are available in, and, from there, work out how much each size would weigh (while being completely dry).
The most common size of a completely dried cinder block, which is 8 × 8 × 16, would weigh around 38 pounds (17.24 kilogram).
However, once that cinder block has become wet, it may become around 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) heavier.
A dry 6 × 8 × 16 cinder block would weigh around 25 pounds (11.34 kilogram), a 10 × 8 × 16 block would weigh 43 pounds (19.5 kilogram), and a 12 × 8 × 16 block would weigh 52 pounds (23.59 kilogram).
Again, once those cinder blocks have become moist, they will become, at least, a pound heavier than they would have been if they’d stayed completely dry.
Final Thoughts
So, the average weight of a cinder block, with dimensions of 8 × 8 × 16, would weigh around 38 pounds (17.24 kilogram).
However, this weight will change if the cinder block becomes moist, or wet, as it absorbs water quite quickly.
A cinder block will feel a lot lighter than a concrete block, and this is because these two products should be used for different purposes.
Be sure to check which of the two you require for your building process before choosing one.
We hope you found this article helpful.
