Concrete can provide a very sturdy foundation, and it is very cost-effective, and for this reason it is a material very widely used in construction. However, between concrete patio vancouver wa blocks and poured concrete, which has the best advantages?
First of all, let’s take the sturdiness of the structure. Poured-concrete is stronger than concrete blocks, but with a price to match. But on the other hand, even though blocks are cheaper, they are also more vulnerable and more likely to retain water. And the possibility of moisture penetrating an interior wall definitely counts as a disadvantage.
When it comes to prices, as mentioned above, concrete-blocks are cheaper to install than poured concrete. To be more specific, the material costs for concrete blocks is roughly $4 per square foot, while the prices for poured concrete are of about $7 per square foot. That is with labor included. If you decide to drop the labor costs and do it yourself, prices for concrete blocks will be $3 per square foot, while poured concrete will be $4. However, these are rough prices, they may vary quite significantly depending on the location and supplier.
Regarding the strength of the material, poured-concrete definitely wins the battle. It is installed in one monolithic structure, as compared to concrete blocks which are laid one block at a time. Therefore, poured concrete has a stronger unit. Still, you can make concrete blocks stronger if you work with type S mortar and fill every fourth block cell with concrete and rebar. But poured concrete will still be stronger and more appropriate as a barrier or retaining wall, as it can hold off tons of pressure.
And because there is nothing in the whole world that has only advantages and not one single disadvantage, let’s talk about the possible problems with the two types of concrete structures. Poured concrete, if not properly installed, may crack and settle if the footers are too thin or they are not wide enough to support all the weight and pressure of the poured-concrete. On the other hand, concrete-blocks are, as stated before, very vulnerable to water penetration. Because of the porous nature of the materials, water may infiltrate and favor mold. Also, in time the block joints may break down, causing the entire structure to crumble or deteriorate.
Concrete blocks and poured concrete can be compared in numerous other ways, but these are the most important aspects. So before you start building your construction with either concrete blocks or poured concrete, take some time to analyze all aspects, the pros and cons of each application, and try to think of it in the long run. If you are just interested in the costs, then concrete blocks is the solution for you. They are definitely cheaper, with or without the labor costs. But if you want a stronger structure, that can hold off more pressure, poured concrete may be worth the extra bucks.
