How Are Cement Blocks Made?

Cement is used for various things such as bricklaying, construction and other indoor or outdoor tasks. Cement blocks can be shaped, styled and sized to any specification by various manufacturers. These blocks are very durable because contain elements that create a solid foundation that is designed to last many years.

Molding

Cement blocks are first molded into a specified shape. Normally, these blocks are created with some sort of cavity or indention, but can also be formed as a smooth surface.

Ingredients

The cement is manually mixed with a special concrete mixer or pre-mixed before adding to the forms. Once the cement has been mixed, special binding chemicals are added to the forms before fully molded into shape. This is done so that the cement block does not deteriorate over the years. The ingredients and formula used to construct cement blocks are three parts sand to one part cement (3:1). Pigments are also added to the block to produce an even color.

Important elements

Water, limestone or gravel is also necessary to create cement blocks and they are used to help make a smooth surface. The limestone or gravel should be added to the cement mixture for several minutes until evenly pressed. Once pressed, water is mixed with the content. The ratio normally is set to 3: (gravel or limestone) to 2 (sand): 1 (cement) parts.

Formed

Once all the ingredients are combined, the entire mixture is poured into the mold and covered with a wooden board to decrease the chances of air bubbles or other disruptions that can cause the cement block to become uneven. This process takes at least 24 hours to completely harden. Once the block is dry, it is removed from the mold.