Is BLOCKWORK air tight, core filled or not?

Blockwork and Hebel Brick, are interesting products, and they provide so many features in construction, but can these types of walls be relied upon for airtightness?
In this video we smoke test and pressure testing, blockwork and hebel brick, and also try some coatings in order to create an area barrier.
Note that all test results are for this sample product specifically, and the air leakage rate due to the small sample is indicative only.
Other manufacturers blockwork products, can vary significantly due to different densities, porosity and surface qualities.
The worst publically documented report on leaky blockwork is available below.
An independent test (report number 109848) performed by HRS Services Ltd (UK , now part of Stroma Group) in 2011 demonstrated uncoated standard cellular blocks has the air leakage rate greater than 80m³/h/m².
www.airtightpaint.co.uk/app/d...
efficiencymatrix.com
www.bcta.group/attma/
00:00 Intro into Blockwork air leakage
02:28 Uncore Filled Blockwork air leakage demonstration
04:08 Corefilled Blockwork air leakage demonstration
06:42 Hebel brick air leakage demonstration
08:00 Painted blockwork air leakage demonstration

[@seanmaxwell4976]

Blockwork leaks! Projects rely too heavily on a single air barrier product like a membrane, and then ignore the other parts of the building that they don't think of as part of the "air barrier system". It all counts. Great video.

[@eliotbenor513]

Great video guys. We see the same in the states and even on coated block walls we get leakage if the coating thickness isn’t monitored AND they done pay attention to the joints. Awesome John and Joe

[@pureecohomes]

Nice idea for a video compo! Well done as usual Jonners , joe. Hebel would need a cavity. Love the test boxes!

[@timconnell4117]

Thanks! I just finished laying over 200m2 of hebel floor panels (hard work). I couldn’t find any info on its air tightness so was just hoping 🤞 The suspense of your video was killing me 😂 Very relieved to see the result.

[@silviofontana5144]

I built with 75mm hebel power panels which has been rendered with dulux acra tex full system which is an impervious render and a paint membrane which is about equivalent to 5 coats of exterior weather shield paint. Yes, you need coatings to seal, Yes, Render also

[@psegre]

Wow, that was interesting, I would have thought the DryLock type paint would completely seal it.

[@jfoxaus987654]

Have you done the same test with conventional double brick and brick veneer? Thanks good work

[@colingenge9999]

Just the block work along with get most buildings to fail and air tightness test. We always recommended that fire enclosures be sealed where there is block work but quite frankly never realized it was so bad.

[@ecoevo]

This demonstration amazed us too.

[@rossmcleod7983]

Interesting and not what I thought it would be by a long shot. I’ll be doing a build with hempcrete soon, I wonder how that will stack up? I see what you did with those number plates too....

[@josephcheung3964]

Hempcrete is an interesting material. I believe the key is in the "packing" of the material similar to the performance of the rammed earth. I tested a hempcrete house in the past but cannot draw any confident insight on the performance of hempcrete as there was substantial leakage through the louver windows.

[@tubulartuber]

it's a cool video, maybe test OSB vs plywood next? I know some OSB isn't airtight

[@iteerrex8166]

Nice study! I had no idea those blocks leaked SO much. It was like a colander.
Guys what is the best product to water proof the out side of basement walls, that is also environmentally safe? There well be an organic garden outside, so I don't want it leaching out into the garden over time. Thank you.

[@knekker1]

Better late than never.
www.mineralstech.com/business-segments/performance-materials/cetco/building-materials/products/waterproofing/voltex

[@maxyoung2307]

I like how Joseph address this as "Cinder" block.

[@josephcheung3964]

Shh~~, no free advertising :>

[@fullboost]

This is YUUGE! :)

[@ecoevo]

👍🏻

[@15minutecity]

Clever and well placed number plate guys 😂

[@mssburr]

So this is like Aircrete.
I wonder what the leakage would be if you paint the block with flex seal...lol

[@autumnwindassociates7783]

What in the h__ is "rendering"? Poorly done at the end of the video--you introduce something, some technology or product, but you never define what it is or explain it. Arghhhh.....!

[@ecoevo]

Rendering? Is like wet plastering on the outside. At the end we tested a hebel brick/panel. Try google searching the terms we use. Sorry about that.