5 Innovative LEGO Construction Blocks that can replace CMU
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
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While these concrete block walls have excellent fire resistance, sound insulation, and durability, their assembly is slow, tedious and expensive compared to other building methods. CMU block walls can also be affected by weathering, staining, and cracking, so they might not age as gracefully as other materials. In this video, we're going to discover 5 new, innovative building block systems that could replace CMUs.
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:20 Polycare
2:58 MyIB
4:17 JustBiofiber
6:06 Sponsor
6:54 System3e
8:05 Gablok
8:58 Conclusion
1 - POLYCARE
90% of their block is a filler of natural sands and the remaining 10% is a liquid binder which fuses the sand together. The mixture is compressed in a mold to form an eco-friendly geopolymer concrete block. The blocks are 5 times stronger than traditional concrete, while using a remarkable 75% less material.
2 - MYIB
Their bricks are made of local soil with a clay content of around 30%. This soil is mixed with cement and water and compacted in a hydraulic press under very high pressure of 3000 psi. Their bricks have consistent tongue and grooves on the sides, circular bumps on the top and a void on the bottom. All these features allow them to interlock with one another. The company estimates that this construction method is 9 times faster and 90% cheaper than conventional brick laying.
3 - JUSTBIOFIBER
The blocks consist of a biocomposite frame around which hempcrete is cast and cured. The heavy duty black frame blocks are used for tall walls, 30 feet high. The lightweight green blocks are used for standard residential construction up to 20 feet high. The inside and outside surface even have a scratch coat which makes it easier to apply the final lime and plaster coat.
4 - SYSTEM3E
Their building blocks are made of perlite, a natural material of volcanic origin. The blocks have a characteristic tapered and self-anchoring shape. They click together without the need for mortar, glue or water. These perlite blocks are fire resistant and chemically inert. They also provide good thermal insulation, sound absorption, moisture resistance, vapor permeability and resistance to pests and mold.
5 - GABLOK
hese insulated, structural stacking blocks are meant to simplify and speed up the construction of homes. The outer container is made of OSB or Oriented Standard Board. The insulating core is made of EPS or expanded polystyrene with a graphite additive. The blocks are designed to fit together without any adhesive or fasteners.
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#cmu #innovation #technology #concrete #ecofriendly #plastic #carbonfootprint - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Excellent video. As a retired bricklayer it is sad to see my trade going the way of the Dodo, that said Polycare would be my first choice, clean, lightweight, ease of construction and being able to dismantle and re-use is a big bonus for me.
I seriously doubt traditional brick or stone facades are going to go away anytime this century.
@@whiteknightcat
Yeah, you're probably right here whiteknightcat, brickwork will be used just as cladding or for decorative reasons in which case time-served tradesmen (not a Bengal Lancer) will become a niche/specialist trade
Curse my luck, I retired too early...😖
@@billhammond1003Hey, you could always consider a side gig as a consultant or instructor, to supplement your retirement :)
🙂My first pick is Lok-N-Block, followed by Polycare. They seem like the least amount of effort and time to build the structure.
I am dubious about the loadbearing past residential use on the plastic, the other 2 might take a fair amount of compression, but probably not as much as brick. The OSB stuff has a lot of thermal bridge in it, and it is only 2 story building rated.
I would like to see how they stack up in an earthquake test. A lot of us live in earthquake zones, so it would be vary valuable info. I would also like to see how they perform against strong winds, like microbursts and tornado strength.
Tremendous amount of information on such a variety of alternatives. Your tireless work in concentrating all the latest construction innovations never ceases to amaze me Belinda
This was a great video! I would watch a whole video on each of these! Thank you!
As with previous innovations, my biggest concern is both the initial layout of utilities in the exterior walls, and then any future modifications or repairs. It almost seems like one would be better off leaving utilities completely out of these structures and run them instead in interior walls built immediately up against the interior surfaces of those walls.
DWELL EARTH does the same thing and also sells the equipment if you want to build it yourself.
🙂Or just run the utilities inside of the floor/ceiling between the first floor and second floor. All bungalow basements in my province have some kind of utility-panel ceiling, that runs power/water/etc along the length of the house, for the basement and first floor. It'd basically be the same thing, to do it for non-basement ceilings/floors for houses / small apartments up to 3-4 floors.
@@AileTheAlien That's an option but restricts one from having a kitchen sink at a window (like in my house), or a bathtub or sink mounted behind an exterior wall.
I have always been kind of negative about running pipe in an outside wall I would rather have some sort of central wet wall interior to the structure that can have short branches going out to where you need them. It keeps the outer walls airtight and minimizes the chance of freezing in cold climates.
Given a choice between a windows sink or an island sink that can watch the gathering area so whoever is cooking can participate in the conversation seems a better option.
@@whiteknightcat It doesn't restrict you like that. My kitchen sink is at a window, on an exterior wall. You just run the small extension pipes off of the main lines, to whatever you're installing.
MyIB and similar blocks made from compressed earth is my no. 1. They are in my opinion the best combination of features for above grade walls that exists today. If only there was a roof this good. Belinda, could you do a more in depth video on the subject, please?
Earth Block International is in your home state.
They're also my top pick. Ease of use + ease of manufacturing + lack of plastics/ polymers are always going to be a win in my opinion. They can be made locally with local materials, not needing a specialized manufacturing facility and potentially thousands of kms of shipping.
please cover cheap roofing for tiny homes
I love your content. It is so valuable and informative. I wish this one had cost of each system included.
Because we live in an earthquake prone area we see almost no block construction. Are there alternatives that are more seismically safe?
would love to know this as well
Yeah? Wood? Icf
@@benchoflemons398 wood has its own issues. Regarding ICF, I know it's structurally sound and prevents major damage, but if there is a crack, is it hard to repair, or would the rebar ensure that the crack is purely cosmetic?
I heard about a special tapestry designed to improve the structural integrity of block-constructions in earthquake-prone regions.
I live in the USA. Are any of these available or legal to build here in the United States?
The one I like is the one that can be placed below grade to support a 2 story structure.
Ma'am this is just a suggestion and a request please do try to include the links of the sources from where one could further study and research about the topic, it would be more beneficial in educating the people, and for broader audiences like research scholar, entrepreneurs, people interested in knowing more, and students, it may even help you get a few more sponsors (like the website you will use for research) for your time and effort, it's a win-win for both you and your viewers, please do consider. Thank you.😊 Really need these contents.
FYI, when using it to flow into and fill blocks/voids, it's call grout, not mortar. grout is usually thinner/runnier.
I have used both CMU and MYIB in my younger days but none other.
If I were to choose which one to use now it would be polycare, I think anyone can see why.
I have followed your very informative videos for sometime and it's time I thanked you for making them.
As always I loved the video, very informative and well put together
Another fantastic review and overview from Belinda Carr! Great work here. Thanks!
Belinda you're wonderful!!! Thank you for this!!
Funny how they compared their block (MyIB), dropped CMU on it's side and their block on edge. I like the System3e. Any of these available in the US yet?
A marvelous review you have put together. My choice is the Polycare reasons that it is super fast and neat construction. As an Architect it translates your straight line in design perfectly. Its ease of assembly is cost effective and big bonus for sustainable use. Would like to see more detail review on this in your upcoming videos. Plus am interested to know the application used for the Gablok description animation :)
I'm a construction worker in South Fl. I install residential HVAC. Real like your channel. I just subscribed to all notifications👍👍👍.
More MYIB and there are videos of making your own air-crete pour-in-place. Rammed earth, soil bags, and straw bale homes are another good topic.
How is the study updates on housing permitting across the US?
I have a root cellar build planned and looking at all of these options: soil bags, MYIB-style hand-made bricks, or rammed earth with 10% cement.
love all of these innovations! seems like there's a missing middle for construction, somewhere between modular housing (drop the room in place) and these modular building blocks. Would be fun to have pre-made walls of a set size that lock together and make a bunch of different shapes of rooms/buildings.
That may already exist, if it does someone please point me in the right direction!
I don't know if this fits in what you're thinking of, but Matt Ferrell from Undecided got his new house built from modular walls:
th-cam.com/video/y3NVDqH39CE/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=UndecidedwithMattFerrell
With sip panels they can make whole wall sections that need a crane to place, but they are expensive.
A very good overview. Well done Belinda.
Re choice between the different blocks, pricing, insulation levels, durability or maybe a calculation on a cube (with a theoretical foundation and roof which insulates perfect (to calculate the 4 walls)) could help.
One had a very good preparation for electicity, sewage etc.
quite educational. all of solutions are good , but my most preffered are polycare and systems 3e
Very nice video. Thank you for making it!
@3:30 The MyIB blocks may be stronger than hollow CMUs, but their demonstration is a lie: They let the MyIB block hit the ground in its vertical orientation, while they let the CMU hit the ground on its side. Obviously, the CMU was not designed to withstand much force from that direction. I wonder how much force the MyIB would be able to take sideways. Also, the CMU was twice the height as the MyIB, which makes the side impact worse for the CMU because of its higher weight.
Great work to compile similar construction block.
Did you consider Omni Block? It's based in the US and has multiple manufacturing sites around the country and after sales service to back it up.
Thank you for the list Miss Carr!
Your information is always awesome. Thank you for your continued reviews on products!
We built our second SIP home. If you looked into SIPs you would be convinced it one of the best building systems. It’s close to conventional building with a small learning curve. My wife and I built our home with no help except the concrete foundation. We are both in our 60s. There are so many benefits to this system to list here.
I liked the Poly and MYIB, I do question the earthquake and wind speed capabilities, will the compressed brick or hemps collapse during long rains, or earthquake, or trains running by constantly?
Love the videos Belinda . Any update on fbr ? So curious to what they doing over there 👉
I was literally just starting to research this topic when you posted this video! I'm in the early phases of trying to design my off-grid cabin, and I want to make it as resistant to earthquakes and wildfires as possible. I'm planning to build a 2-story house with a daylight basement, and I'm thinking I might use the biofiber blocks above grade and Polycare or MyIB below grade. Thanks for this video, it's exactly what I needed!
If you are in the woods, logs are free except for chainsaw gas, maybe use a solar charger for electric? Logs have a lot of thermal mass if not R value, and you can always panel the inside and route wiring with a little judicious drilling to get up and down.
@@watchthe1369 I'd love to build a cabin out of logs from my own land, but I bought it just after it was logged, so there aren't many trees left sadly.
@@WillowGardenerI like the idea of a dugout home in a hillside to stay cool in Sumner and warn in winter.
Years ago I started watching a TH-cam channel called Pure Living For Life. They bought land in Idaho much of which was a hillside with little flat area. It would have been a good place for an off grid hillside dugout home.Which would have left them with more flat land. Instead they built a regular house and paid for it by TH-cam money. In Australia dugout homes are common in the outback to escape heat.
So, if one of the interlocking blocks get damaged a few years later, how do you get a new one in?
My favorite will be whatever one is open source.
Cool stuff
a lot of what determines use is access. As I live in alberta the justbiofiber would be the best but only because of location. Most likely some of the other types wouldn't be available in my area without a large cost, plus inspecters are like horses, easily spooked on anything new to their area.
I love watching these alternative building material videos! Thank you. I'd be interested to know the regulatory side of getting these materials approved for building in the US. From the Lok-N-Block video it sounds like it's a difficult process. Are any of these actually being used for building at this point?
Great video! Can you do a review of blown in mineral wool for attics? Thermafiber insul-fill. Looking for a viable alternative to cellulose and fiberglass.🙏
The shape of polycare makes it my favorite
I'll let you know that you are great. Thanks Belinda.
I saw many videos in German about polycare the good thing is they have experimented with other local materials especially for materials which are not very useful for construction
This was not a review, just a list with some descriptions... A review goes more in depth and has an answer.. where to use, where not to use and why...
Great content 👍
Polycare
Polycare looked like the best option for me... until I searched for the cost to build with them. They seem to be going out of their way to not tell us how much it costs to build with them. That's a pretty glairing red flag!
Using local sand/clay sounds ok in theory, but literally growing your future walls while capturing carbon (hempcrete) seems the most sustantiable system to me.
LokN block could be form with clay too or system3e material but here I love the quite easy looking interlocking blocks
Thanks
Great video as usual. Breathtaking these new blocks, all of them. BUT-- seismic performance. As we have come to learn, while earthquakes don't kill people, buildings do. Among buildings, brick and block are particularly lethal. Cf San Francisco. The best masonry structures, brick or block, whether triple wall mass or constructed by our best masons, perform the worst of all wall systems in an earthquake. Again, cf the 2022 IBC on building a humble stem wall in a seismic zone-- enough steel to build a battleship!
This concern IMHO obviates any of the (many and great) advantages you list. No?
Excellent Belinda! I am convinced that the Lok-N-Blok solution is the best overall. How much does it cost and where is it available?
I'd love to build with the structural hempcrete blocks
Are any of them available in the USA to be used for home construction?
Dwell earth has products you can purchase
One concern that System3E raises is the risk of silicosis. Here in Australia, there is major concern about the number of silicosis cases coming about because of engineered stone bench tops... to the extent there is now political pressure in our country to _ban the importation of engineered stone altogether._ While I'd contend that is something of an over-reaction (the hazard can be mitigated substantially with wet cutting and polishing), it's _very concerning_ to see construction crews working with high-silica perlite and raising clouds of dust. Especially when none of them are wearing appropriate PPE.
how do these blocks stop from water and moister from coming in?
They don't, an outer plaster layer is the protective surface.
I want some of these as toys in my backyard.
LokNBlock is my favorite, but when will it be approved for use in my state?
Did you already do a video on Precast Concrete?
Polycare isn't in the US and I didn't find a site with a simple search. The perlite is only in Poland, has an international rep but no US distributor.
They could probably use many different types of plant material instead of just hemp.
But I'm assuming hemp was mainly used to make rope because it was a strong fiber. So maybe not.
My favorite is Lok N Block
Are any of them available now?
As a builder none of these have the ability to replace CMU's in price , repairability ,durability or even code acceptance which is why they wont be going anywhere for a long time.
You can make a product that can be placed and ready in 5 min and it wont matter if you can't guarantee it will stay in place doing the job for many many years to come and still be repaired when something does happen.
Thank you for your video.
I like them all but I'll stick with the good old rammed earth as in superadobe. I loved your review of that stuff.
Keep up the great work and good luck.
your videos are exceptional Belinda :-) can Polyblocks be used in a tropical country like Philippines that is prone to earthquakes and typhoons?
Very fascinating building methods and materials. Seems some variations of these building blocks possible by varying block style for a given method. Some I like the material composite chosen, but think the design of the block used could be in improved. The ability to use preformed components/blocks that are mass produced and can be efficiently assembled onsite with little is a great advantage.
The fire resistance of System3e is a very appealing feature, given the number of wildfires many regions are now facing as a result of climate change.
Hi @Belinda, need your big brain
Looking to replace/retrofit some high maintenance (sand based) bricks by sometype of architectural paneling something that would add some insulation as well ideally (in Canada).
Ever heard of a product like that?
Which of these would be applicable for a basement scenario
What type of insulation does Polycare insert in their product? I don't like that Gablock uses EPS; I would prefer greener insulation like HempWool+ (I think the + version meets Class A fire-resistant standard, sheep wool, or wood fiber. I think MyIB's interlocking bricks look like a great choice to construct a single or possibly 2-story house or even just the chimney for one. Do any or all of these meet impact and wind resistant standards for hail and hurricanes?
Pumicecrete is by far the best building material on the planet Pumicecrete is a mixture of pumice cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12"to 24" thick pumicecrete is fireproof termite proof rust rot and mold proof non toxic and has a high R value and good sound attenuation solid poured walls means no critters can live in your walls Pumicecrete can be built for a fraction of the cost and time and pumice is one of the few building materials that can go directly from the mine to the job site ready to use without any additional possessing and zero waste Google all the walls of my house are made of pumicecrete
Take care Ray
Intriguing. At points, there seemed to be a lot of dust when the perlite blocks were stacked and the guy wasn't wearing a mask.
Locking block look the best and easier.
With all the wildfires, which of these is most fire resistant?
Suggestion for a future video: I'm curious why we don't see more plastic in homes. We've come a long way from the Monsanto House of the Future at Disneyland, but our houses use gypsum, concrete, vitreous china, galvanized metal, and wood where plastics and recycled materials might be better. One example is a kitchen sink--why not plastic? It may need a thin stainless steel finish, but I would think a plastic frame would be better than a thicker all metal design.
Just biofiber is the most innovative building product I have ever seen. Not sure how himpcrete works in a high humity enviorment like the Texas gulf cost.
Gablok looks like a great do it youself product but it is insanrly expensive, much like a many of the new products.
I love the idea of these blocks. In addition to these though just like you have basic Lego blocks for general construction you also have hundreds of specialty Lego blocks for decorative or practical purposes.
Imagine specialty blocks to create walls with patterns and textures, guttering and aqueducts, roman, three pointed, and ogee arches, an alcove for a statue, planters that come out of the wall and so on.
🙂The Lok-N-Block blocks from two weeks ago have lots of exterior grooves that could be used to attach stuff besides just more blocks. I can totally imagine a house made out of the blocks, with siding/gutters/roof panels for the exterior, and pipes/electrical/drywall panels on the interior.
DWELL EARTH does the same thing and also sells the equipment if you want to build it yourself.
I'm confused about the Polycare blocks which say "90% filler of natural sand and 10% binder" but then later says "the outside of the block is only 1cm thick and the rest fill with insulating material". So is it a thin shell of sand and binder with mostly insulation inside, which is inside the mold before the sand and binder and put in?
The only reason I don't like any of the plastic ones is the potential hazardous chemicals released during a fire. Not just bad for the environment, but affects localized air quality as well as any wind moving toxic fumes creating a whole new problem on top of the fire.
Being from Canada, I also have concerns about longevity as we're in a climate of extremes. 40 Celsius (104 F) in summer, to as low as -40 C (-40 F) in winter; as well as any potential water seeping between any cracks on mild winter days, leading into frigid nights, how do these blocks handle the expansion and contraction to freezing water in the layers. They might be water tight when constructed, but time will create gaps eventually.
I'd love to see some models built specifically to test the environments they'll be put in. I'm sure there are demos out there of this specifically; even if it's only within the industry community as opposed to worldwide access like on TH-cam or whatever.
I'm also not a fan of any building blocks that need to be routed out for plumbing and electrical systems; that being said, the simplicity could be quite the product for disaster relief worldwide. Provided we tackle the toxicity during fires, or climate compatibility.
Thank you for bringing these innovations to the public perspective; very very much appreciated.
Do you think any of these products could be compatible with any currently built structures, either for renovations, add-ons, or damage rebuild (like if a tree or build up of ice on the roof caused a wall to give way)?
Having installed dropped ceiling panels containing perlite, I would be loath to use it, given it is INCREDIBLY ITCHY! Much worse than fiberglass.
Polycare or MYIB would be my first selections
Have you looked into Perfect Block?
4:34 I watched a video about a Men which remove invasive algae and turn them into building blocks I think with a better block design in the future he could make a lot
I've been puzzling over how to rebuild Lahaina, Maui. This was a zero lot line town built of wood, basically the Chicago & San Francisco 1906 fires but wind driven. It occurs to me the stagnant CMU design should have been Lego'd a long time ago. CMU fire resistance is unrivaled in all these stackable blocks except maybe the 30% clay units.
Given the volcanic origin of the Hawaiian islands, are pozzolanic materials available? A particular advantage of "Roman" type cement would be its capacity for a strong cure even in the presence of seawater.
The best building material to rebuild Lahaina is the only local building material on the island
Cindercrete is by far the best building material on the island Cindercrete is a mixture of cinder cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12"to 24" thick Cindercrete is fireproof termite proof rust rot and mold proof non toxic and has a high R value and good sound attenuation solid poured walls means no critters can live in your walls Cindercrete can be built for a fraction of the cost and time and cinder is the only local building material on the island
Local building material
No shipping cost and zero waste
80% of what you need to build your home is already there
Puu Hele cinder pit is less than 30 miles away and has all the local natural building material you need
Why would you build out of anything else Mahalo
Not available in the USA :-C
Cuál es el mejor ?
2:15 - blocks can be reused ... 2:36 - plastered and painted. And so again the idea of reusable brick-blocks ended where our estetics starts.
I like your delivery.. I’m a fan of justbiofiber, for a reason.
Concrete blocks needs some alternative materials to bring the down the cost of building.
Not too sure of the Gablock fire resistance
It is hemp a fire resistant product? Your opinion of the last product is right on the money, innovapanels are similar, faster and cheaper.
Justbiofiber or System3e or Gablok
Could you use some of the inovative molds with other formulas? Which if these would be best for a hot and humid environment?
Despite re-discovering the formula for Roman concrete I have not seen anyone announce building plans with it. It's ability to heal cracks when wet seems like a big money saver but no one is incorporating it yet. Is it cost or changing the way things are that's the issue?
Check "bio building block" by Marco Citro!
Shape of System3e but if they can use hempcrete
Hi, Belinda! Exciting content, well communicated! Are you Rosalind's and Anne's sister?!
1. These materials might be easy to build with but they do not look earthquake resistant at all. and beeing light means your house might fly away in a storm.
2. Gablok looks like it will burn nicely.
these are my wories :)
SYSTEM3E?
@@tristankordek build like brick structures it seems. No reinforced concrete colums or anything. Works for places that does not have strong earthquakes I feel like.
@@Jhaldmer True
Well, we don't have earthquakes in Poland.
I would give a lot to see how it works on "shake tables"
th-cam.com/video/nGV_JS9j4JE/w-d-xo.html
In fact, the only thing that holds these blocks together is the original shape, gravity, and exterior elevation.
Rebuild Lahaina The best building material to rebuild Lahaina is the only local building material on the island Cindercrete is a mixture of cinder cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12"to 24" thick Cindercrete is fireproof termite proof rust rot and mold proof non toxic and has a high R value and good sound attenuation solid poured walls means no critters can live in your walls Cindercrete can be built for a fraction of the cost and time and cinder is the only local building material on the island
Local building material
No shipping cost and zero waste
80% of what you need to build a house is already there
Puu Hele cinder pit is less than 20 miles away and has all the local natural building material you need Why would you build out of anything else Mahalo
Not permitted on any worksite I've been on.
Only people who do not know about thermalsteel panels could find those blocks are interesting
drop test alone is not a fair strength test. for example, cardboard bricks will always win drop test against any concrete bricks.