CONCRETE BLOCK CORE FILL CALCULATOR SERIES

This logarithmic scale is particularly appropriate for sound because the perception of sound by the human ear is also logarithmic. For each 20 dB increase in sound there is a corresponding tenfold increase in pressure. Intensity is measured in decibels (dB), a relative logarithmic intensity scale.

Frequency (the number of vibrations or cycles per second) is measured in hertz (Hz). Sound is caused by vibrations transmitted through air or other mediums, and is characterized by its frequency and intensity. Because of these abilities, concrete masonry has been used successfully in applications ranging from party walls to hotel separation walls, and even highway sound barriers. Second, concrete masonry effectively absorbs noise, thereby diminishing noise intensity. First, it effectively blocks airborne sound transmission over a wide range of frequencies. Concrete masonry offers excellent noise control in two ways. Concrete masonry walls are often used for their ability to isolate and dissipate noise.

For vertical bars, avoid the centre of the core (single bar per core).įor horizontal steel (bond beams with 2 bars) the steel should be in the upper half of the block.Unwanted noise can be a major distraction, whether at school, work or home. If you have to drill through a solid filled core, try to miss the steel rebar. Running all the way to the top of the wall in that core. These will normally be in the centre of a hollow core, and indicate wiring or plumbing So you don't need to go into the wall centre.Īlso look for electrical, plumbing (or any other) outlets on the inside of the wall first. Obviously it's easier to drill into the hollow core from each side of the wall, To make sure the position you choose is actually an empty core, drill a very small hole to check - if you go more than about 50 mm without breaking through,īE AWARE that any electrical or plumbing work will likely also be placed in these hollow block cores (before the concrete is poured) so once you've drilled through the outre wall of theīlock and into its hollow core LOOK INSIDE TO CHECK WHAT's THERE. Usually the top 2 courses of the wall are solid filled (a bond beam from wall top to 400 mm down)Īll wall ends and corners, each side of all openings, and above all openings are also normally filled.Īlso vertical cores (top to bottom) at given horizontal centres (maybe 600, 800, 1200 etc) - These you cannot guess easily. To see where the concrete and steel goes (preferably not a place to drill) Normally the wall is concrete filled, as the diagram above shows. If the wall is not concrete filled, ALL these points are hollow and easy to drill. If the wall is rendered or sheeted, and you can't see the block joints, from the wall end, measure horizontally to any odd multiple of 100 so: 100, 300, 500, 700, 900 etc.įrom the bottom of the wall measure up the same odd 100mm measurements to find the centre of the empty cores. Horizontal (bed) joints up or down 100 mm to the empty core centre. So from a block end measure Horizontally 100mm or 300mm, and vertically from the

If you can see the block joints, just make sure you position the hole in a hollow core. To find the empty core centres (the easiest location to cut) do this: The entire 190mm of concrete block, through a concrete filled and steel reinforced core, or only through the 2 ~ 45 mm sidewalls of the block into the hollow core (much easier).

CONCRETE BLOCK CORE FILL CALCULATOR SERIES

If you need to drill or cut a hole through a 200 Series concrete filled masonry wall, depending on where the hole needs to go you may have to cut through Drilling Holes Through Concrete Masonry Walls

Concrete block core fill calculator