I'll be starting the rising wall within the next few weeks and it's a mix of ICF and foundations blocks. The ICF panels are approx 300 high so I need to lay blocks that are going to line up with them so they can support the concrete floor beams. Some of them are just sleeper walls for the beams and some will continue up to the internal load bearing walls, so I need a mix of widths, 100mm for the internal walls and single sleeper walls and 200mm for the sleeper walls where they support beams from both sides. I asked TP and and they said they couldn't get a block to suit. Any idea what I'd need to use?

 

Oh, and I also need to have air bricks in those walls for ventilation.

 

Cheers

 

Vijay

Edited May 24, 20179 yr by Vijay

You can get blocks that are 300mm*350mm. They are very widely used in NI as they are perfect for a 300mm wide wall that suits a 100,100,100 standard cavity build. 

https://stowellconcrete.co.uk/foundation-trench-blocks/

For air bricks you will just leave a channel similar to an exit that a service pipe would leave and build in 65mm heads cut to suit the opening. Then build in the telescopic vent.

Not sure I have read that right. If it's just two widths you need 100mm and 200mm wide then just build a block on it's flat for all the walls using a standard block. Three course high gets you the 300mm.

Edited May 24, 20179 yr by Declan52

3 courses plus mortar would be too high wouldn't it??

But going by your other post is your founds not out by 30mm. 

yep, I reckon some are gonna be less than 300mm and some more. So ideally looking for a block that can easily be cut (if that exists)?

The standard here is ordinary blocks laid block and flat. (one block on edge, two laid flat gives a wall about 330mm wide

1 hour ago, Vijay said:

yep, I reckon some are gonna be less than 300mm and some more. So ideally looking for a block that can easily be cut (if that exists)?

 

Put 2 standard blocks side by side with a 10mm mortar join and that gives you 215mm wide and a variable from 0-225mm deep. Add an additional block on top and you're at 0-335mm depending on the foundation level.

 

Below ground and for load bearing of B&B floors then you have to use a 7N block or potentially a 10N block depending on the SE spec. I would go with a 140mm 10N block and use a coursing brick, and overlap the beams on the blockwork as you will struggle to get a perfect 100mm end bearing otherwise.

 

And cutting is easy with a Stihl saw and a diamond blade.... don't forget the PPE..!

For those less than 300mm then you are looking at using a mixture of 100mm, 150mm block and brick and heavy beds. 

No blocks are easy to cut!!

Might be easier to set a height at 330mm and build all the blocks to that height. Where the founds are lower it's pretty easy to bed up to suit. Then you only have to figure out how to set your panels to suit that height. 

 

Edited May 24, 20179 yr by Declan52

Cheers guys. Can't see an easy way of raising the ICF panels so would prefer not to do that.

 

I'll get the ICF done first and then look at what I need in terms of blocks.

 

SE specified 7N blocks