There are many good reasons why concrete is the building material of choice for so many people. Did you know that the Egyptian Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, many Greek Temples and Roman cities are just some of the great masonry structures that have stood the test of time?
Concrete is the workhorse of the building industry, and has a range of excellent features that make it successful just about anywhere.
However, while there’s no doubt that concrete is an excellent building material, it’s fair to say that your ordinary grey concrete block is not exactly, well … particularly exciting or appealing.
However, building with concrete doesn’t have to be boring – far from it. It might surprise you to discover that concrete blocks can be taken to the next level with the use of designer concrete blocks. These specially crafted decorative blocks take all the amazing qualities of concrete and wrap them up in an exterior that’s a lot more unique, interesting, and attractive than your typical concrete block.
Firstly, designer blocks come in a much wider variety of colours, finishes and textures than your ordinary grey concrete block. They are designed to look more attractive and creative than regular blocks, and will add a touch of designer elegance to any building project. You can find them in beautiful and natural looking colours, silky textures and innovative finishes, giving you lots of choice when designing the look of your building project.
Think contemporary colours, fine textures and interesting finishes such as shot-blast, honed, polished, smooth face or split face. Each of these choices will create unique character in your project, and give it a very different look from ordinary concrete blocks. There’s a lot of designer value added to these blocks, making them an excellent choice for a premium, decorative look and feel.
They have other benefits too. Designer concrete blocks are:
- Non-combustible and fire resistant, and do not assist in spreading fire.
- Extremely durable and long-lasting, and won’t warp, corrode, rust, rot or grow mould.
- Weather resistant and can withstand the extremes of weather in coastal areas and severe storm conditions.
- Termite resistant, as there’s nothing for termites or white ants to eat.
- Strong, offering very high compressive strength.
- Energy efficient, as they slow the transfer of temperature fluctuations from the outside to internal living areas, thus leading to energy savings on the heating and cooling of your home.
- Comfortable to live in, as they gradually absorb the sun’s heat and keep the building cooler during summer and warmer during winter.
- Sound insulated and can block out unwanted noises far better than other lightweight building materials, resulting in a quieter home environment.
- Low maintenance, requiring zero to no effort on your part to keep them looking good.
And designer concrete blocks certainly don’t sacrifice performance for good looks! They not only look classy and elegant, but they also perform to an extremely high standard in a wide variety of applications, including:
- Load-bearing applications
- Non-loading applications
- External walls for both residential and commercial projects
- Internal walls for both residential and commercial projects
- Feature walls
- Retaining walls
- Reinforced concrete wall applications, where they can be core-filled for added strength to enable them to withstand enormous amounts of pressure
What it all comes down to, is that designer concrete blocks will make your building look amazing, perform well, and will even increase the resale value of your home when it comes time to sell. And while you might think that all this comes at a price, designer concrete blocks are actually quite cost effective.
They reduce the need for accessory products such as insulation and sarking, and are much faster to build with than other commonly used walling materials, resulting in reduced building time. As well, they have the added benefit of being both structural and aesthetic.
So, where can you buy these super building products? Go to National Masonry to have a look at a wide variety of designer block choices – you’re sure to be impressed: https://www.nationalmasonry.com.au/blocks-bricks-pavers-retaining-walls-qld-nsw/architectural-range/