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Masonry has been around since ancient times. Although, the materials went from stone to modern day concrete blocks. There are mainly two types of concrete blocks used in construction- hollow blocks and solid bricks. Both are used to construct walls but can be repurposed for other structures. Concrete blocks are also known as concrete masonry units (CMU) and can come in a variety of sizes and shapes, based on your preferences and budget. This article has much-needed details that you should be aware of before choosing the type of concrete block that is perfect for you.

Similarities

Both types of concrete blocks are strong and durable. They were previously called cinder blocks because cinders generated in coal plants were used instead of sand and gravel in the composition of concrete blocks. Now the key components that make up the concrete blocks are concrete, sand, gravel, stone, and water in appropriate proportions. The mixture is shaped into uniform blocks with a smooth finish. Both blocks are more preferable than red bricks because they are cost-effective, use less mortar and water, are machine-made, produce minimum environmental waste, and are highly durable. These blocks can be fashioned into other structures that can come in handy during interior design, gardening, landscaping, and home decor. These blocks are also resistant to salinity and most weather effects.

Concrete Hollow Blocks

Concrete hollow blocks are primarily used to construct walls, fences, and other large structures. These blocks have holes that cover equal to or more than half of the cross sectional area of the block. The hollow cores bring a myriad of advantages. For example, they make the blocks lighter and easier to carry around. Construction becomes a lot faster and affordable as a result. Running wires, pipes, and rebar through these holes are also much easier, and also adds to the strength & stability of the building. There are three grades of concrete hollow blocks:

• Grade A: these blocks have the highest density, more than or equal to 1500 kg/m3. 
• Grade B: these blocks have a density somewhere between 1000 to 1500 kg/m3.
• Grade C: these blocks have a density lower than 1000 kg/m3.

Typically Grades A and B are used in load-bearing walls. Grade C blocks are used in non-load-bearing walls. Hollow blocks are also used as planters, retaining walls, foundations, steps, or fire pits.

Concrete Solid Bricks

These are also a type of concrete hollow block but the difference is that these can have ‘less hollow’ variations. So you can have fully solid blocks or mostly solid ones. They are bigger in size than concrete hollow blocks. They are excellent when used in paving, because it offers more stability. Imagine the uncomfortable experience of having to walk on pavements filled with holes! They are also great for creating walls that offer strong protection from winds, making them more preferable in hilly and coastal areas. Solid bricks can also be used as landscaping installations and interior decor, but because it is solid it has less versatility than hollow blocks. 

These blocks can come in a variety of colors and sizes. Customize however you want with bti Building Products. Depending on your budget and construction needs, we can help you decide which building product is perfect for you. Order now by calling 16604, or visit www.btibuildingproducts.com to check out our unipavers and pavement tiles too.

Pavements have been popular since ancient times. The Romans used mosaic-like patterns as superficial surface covering across most of their floors. Paving materials were relatively simple such as asphalt, concrete, cobblestone, etc. But modern times and modern applications require innovative solutions. They are now highly sought after by developers and homeowners involved in independent construction. Today’s pavement tiles can practically be used anywhere. In fact, pavement tiles have a variety of advantages that make them highly useful in construction and landscape architecture. 

Versatility

You cannot go wrong with the versatility of pavement tiles. As mentioned before, they can be used anywhere. In Bangladesh they are particularly used in parking lot floors, walkways, footpaths, driveways, roads, patios, and other outdoor flooring platforms. They are also used to add to the aesthetics of landscaping in gardens and rooftops. Many dirt roads or damaged floors are now replaced with pavement tiles for this reason. Pavement tiles can be used in commercial projects, residential complexes, industrial yards, inside homes, basements, and more. 

Aesthetics

When a person walks through a dirt road the experience is not pleasant. It can damage the feet and lead to an unpleasant experience. If the dirt road is covered with pavement tiles it appears more elegant and the walking experience becomes more refreshing. Therefore, pavement tiles add more elegance to any floor. This is exactly why they are popular materials to explore in landscaping. Their earthly natural tones make sidewalks and other outdoor floors appear extra charming.

Eco-friendliness

The Romans and many ancient nations used pavements using stones or asphalt that were impermeable, meaning water could not drain into the surface under the pavement. This is very harmful to the natural systems of the Earth. Therefore, modern construction allows appropriate water drainage. Pavements and other types of outdoor floors should be made of pavement tiles to facilitate controlled water drainage into the soil for the benefit of the environment. It prevents unwanted surface runoff or buildup of water in the area and prevents soil erosion.

The manufacturing process of pavement tiles is also eco-friendly. They are fully machine-made with no production of harmful waste and toxic smoke. They are made by mixing concrete with a coloring agent, which is then poured into a mold of a particular shape. The mixture is allowed to set into the mold shape and harden. 

The application process is also simple and environmentally friendly. When the tiles are ready they are placed on the floor space which is evened by a foundation of stone and sand layers. The tiles require no adhesive to stick together. The gaps are simply filled with sand. The entire structure is then evened out via edging. 

Easy to Install & Customize

Due to their uniform structure and shape, pavement tiles are very easy to install. Once placed on the floor they require very little maintenance. They are placed on the ground and evened out simply by edging, and require no adhesive. Pavement tiles are very smooth and homogenous in shape so when they are placed on the ground they appear evenly spread out.

You can customize them into whatever size you want and pick your own color if needed. By customizing their size you may be customizing their PSI strength so bear that in mind. They do come in many shapes and colors to give off an attractive floor finish, so feel free to explore! 

Strength & Durability

Pavement tiles have high PSI strength and can withstand high load, making them very durable. They are flooring materials and need to withstand the load of many footsteps over time, therefore it makes sense for their immense strength. Since they are tough and require little maintenance they can be managed very well. 
Are you impressed by the numerous benefits of pavement tiles? Order your first 1000 pieces of bti pavement tiles from us for elegant floorwork. Call 16604, or Whatsapp: +8801313401405 or visit www.btibuildingproducts.com to know more!

Global climate issues combined with over consumption of fossil fuels have governments thinking of renewable and sustainable resources. Many countries have made significant progress regarding eco-friendly approaches, and Bangladesh is also not behind. Yet, the recent flooding in Sylhet and load-shedding across the country has sparked the debate of how we can do better. The government has made the use of concrete hollow blocks mandatory by 2025 to eradicate the environmental issues created with traditional red bricks. This means that the construction industry is also now at the forefront of ensuring sustainability. People are highly encouraged to build eco-friendly homes. Here is how you can build one too!

Use Concrete Hollow Blocks

Many people in our country still prefer the age-old method of using traditional red bricks for construction. There are several disadvantages with bricks. For example, their production in the kilns result in massive air and water pollution. Red bricks are also more prone to weather damage. They are also not too resistant against salinity, dampness, or sound. Traditional bricks are also not great with thermal insulation, and use too much water taken straight from the environment. With so many negativities, it makes sense to choose better alternatives. Concrete hollow blocks are a fine example. They are eco-friendly because their production is completely machine-made with little pollution or wastage. Since they are machine-made their finishing is smooth, allowing them to be perfectly stacked on top of one another without too much use of mortar, raw materials and water from the environment. One concrete hollow block can replace the use of five red bricks! Use of concrete hollow blocks is also more cost-effective and less time-consuming for this reason. To top it all off, concrete hollow blocks are damp resistant, soundproof, salinity resistant, regulate temperatures duing summers and winters, and also more durable. 

You can also choose our concrete solid bricks which have very similar properties. You can use concrete solid bricks and hollow blocks to build your home along with a boundary for security. 

Install Solar Panels

Solar panels are available across most homes in Bangladesh and for good reason. It is a great renewable form of energy that is used as electricity. Installing them on top of buildings is also relatively inexpensive, so make sure to use them generously!

Make the Most of Landscaping

Plants can actually help keep the indoors fresh, well-ventilated and cool, which is especially necessary during the summer. When indoors are relatively cool you will not need to use air conditioners or fans much. Consequently, less electricity will be required. Make gardening and plants a staple in the rooftop and balconies. Concrete hollow blocks can also be used to install certain landscaping and interior design elements, which shows how versatile it truly is. Landscaping and sustainable interior designs are not only pretty to look at but also very cost-effective and eco-friendly. Try to incorporate reusable items and recycled materials during the design process.

Keep Home Automation Features

Smart Home features can make life incredibly comfortable and easier. If you use them properly, you can save on a lot of electricity. For example, you can use automated curtains to block out intense sunlight during the afternoon and reduce heat build up in your interiors, or use remote controlled air conditioners in certain times of the day to reduce usage of electricity. Automated drying racks, light sensors, fingerprint security lock, smart hub, and many other Smart Home elements are available at Get Smart by bti. Give it a try for a cosier lifestyle.

Choose Pavement Tiles & Unipavers for Flooring

Pavement tiles and unipavers from bti Building Products are ideal choices when it comes to flooring. They can be made in custom sizes according to your specifications and come in different colors. Pavement tiles can be used to create elegant footpaths, driveways, parking lot floors, rooftop floors, walkways, and more. Unipavers also offer versatile flooring options and can be used in a similar manner. Just like the concrete hollow blocks, our pavement tiles are also made sustainably with an eco-friendly approach. Pavement tiles can also be used as flooring for your gardens and balconies as landscaping elements.

Using eco-friendly building materials will not only create a sustainable home that will last a lifetime, but also save the planet. Taking the first step is not too late. Build your home only with the best building materials in Bangladesh. To order our building products call 16604, or Whatsapp: +88013130401405 or visit www.btibuildingproducts.com

Masonry has been in use since ancient times. Back then masonry was done using stones only, but nowadays there are several units of masonry. While traditional brick and mortar are still the popular choice in some countries, Bangladesh has taken a new direction almost a decade ago. The use of concrete hollow blocks will become mandatory by 2025, and as a result a large number of developers now use these blocks for construction. Fly ash bricks are also used in some cases. This blog will let you know the pros and cons of using both types of masonry units so that you choose the building product most suitable for you.

Fly Ash Bricks: Pros & Cons

Fly ash bricks are made from fly ash, cement, lime, gypsum, and sand. They can be used in load-bearing and non-load bearing walls, and also in high rise structures, large factories, power plants, irrigation work, etc. Fly ash bricks are well insulated from fire, strong and sturdy even when transported around, uniform in size therefore easy to apply mortar to, and also provides good thermal insulation. 

While we have mentioned the main advantages, there are several disadvantages as well. 

• Each brick has less mechanical strength. To reinforce the strength you will have to add more mortar or marble waste, which adds more to the costs. 
• Fly ash bricks come in limited sizes. If the size is too large it can break during transportation.  
• Fly ash bricks cannot absorb heat that well. So, it is not really helpful during the winter seasons or colder regions.
• They are heavier than concrete hollow blocks.
• Concealed wiring is difficult with fly ash brick structures. Use of steel is also not possible in its masonry work.

Concrete Hollow Block: Pros & Cons

Concrete hollow blocks are made from several raw materials including cement, aggregates, water, sand or gravel. Sometimes industrial wastes such as fly ash are also added to the mixture. These blocks have one or more large holes, with the solid part being 50-75% of the total block volume. The cavities are meant to reduce the total cross-sectional area of the block. They have a wide variety of uses. The blocks can be used to create interior and exterior load bearing or non-load bearing walls, curtain walls, panel walls, partition walls, to back stone walls, floodproofing, building fireproof walls, retaining walls, and piers etc.

So why are concrete hollow blocks so popular in masonry? Here are some of the benefits!

• They are lightweight and very durable, so there is less unusable load which saves reinforcement steel. However, concrete hollow block structures can be generously reinforced with steel.
• They are eco-friendly as they incorporate use of industrial by-products as raw materials. Unlike clay bricks which are burnt and cause air pollution, concrete hollow blocks are machine-made and do not harm the environment. They also do not use topsoil unlike clay bricks, which saves agricultural lands from destruction.
• They are easy to install, meaning the masonry work takes less time compared to other construction materials.
• Concrete hollow blocks have amazing thermal insulation, making them ideal for use in all regions and climates. Because of their versatility, the blocks are readily used in landscaping and interior designs as well.
• Hollow blocks are relatively soundproof and also weather-resistant as they are less prone to water absorption.
• They enhance earthquake resistance of buildings!
• Since they are machine-made they have a smooth structure, making them easy to work with. They also consume less mortar for this reason, thus saving costs and time.
• They come in a wide number of sizes. You can set custom sizes according to your preferences and purpose.

Concrete hollow blocks and fly ash bricks have similar properties too. They are both grey in color, have similar dry densities, and have good termite resistance. Therefore, you should choose what suits your plans best based on the information provided in this article. They have their own pros and cons, but both are excellent for masonry. However, if you are interested in our concrete hollow blocks, call us at 16604, or visit www.btibuildingoroducts.com or Whatsapp: +8801313401405.

The real estate industry of Bangladesh is largely dependent on clay bricks for a variety of reasons. However, these bricks not only harm the environment but also increase the overall cost of construction. Planned urbanization, sustainable construction, and a safe environment now call for alternative building materials. By choosing eco-friendly building products, we can prevent environmental hazards and also save construction costs at the same time. Among the innovative building materials used worldwide, Concrete Hollow Blocks are considered superior to other conventional materials such as burnt clay bricks. Our approach to green construction does not limit to hollow blocks only. Over time we have introduced several other eco-friendly products such as Concrete Solid Brick, Unipavers, and Pavement Tiles which are undoubtedly great construction solutions.  

Concrete Hollow Block

Unlike the traditional red bricks, hollow blocks do not need to be burnt; they are made from automated processes which means they cause no harm to the environment and come out with smooth finishing. The hollow blocks of bti Building Products are fireproof, damp-proof, earthquake-resistant, and most importantly eco-friendly. On the other hand, the soil used in the conventional method of making bricks is collected from the surface of agricultural land. As a result, the amount of our agricultural land is decreasing day by day which is threatening our food security. A study found that on average, about 600 acres of agricultural land is being lost every day which is more than 1% of the total cultivable lands. This means Concrete Hollow Blocks are a great alternative to clay bricks.  Above all, the government has announced Concrete Hollow Blocks to be made mandatory by 2025 whereas we have been producing and using our blocks since 2016. Thus, when it comes to innovation in construction, we are always one step ahead.

Concrete Solid Brick

Just like Concrete Hollow Blocks, solid bricks are also an innovation in construction. They also have almost the same properties just as hollow blocks. They come in different sizes and uniform shapes. Concrete Bricks are made with powdered portland cement, concrete, water, sand, and gravel. Being made of concrete, solid bricks are strong and increase the durability of construction. Unlike the traditional red bricks, it has less salt which makes its salinity negligible. Our Concrete Bricks are far more durable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. This makes any construction long-lasting and sustainable as it does not require the use of clay bricks. The amount of noise pollution and heat transfer is comparatively 40% less, and the solid bricks are able to adapt to any kind of weather change.

Pavement Tiles

Pavement tiles have also paved the way for green construction. When you are done with construction, you may need to make sidewalks, entryways, driveways, or more. Pavement Tiles are highly suitable for making driveways, walkways, entryways, rooftops etc. The Pavement Tiles of bti Building Products are made in automated machines using state-of-the-art technology without any involvement of manual labor. Moreover, their easy installation process is ideal for gardening and landscaping. They are not just kind to the environment but also add elegance to your tracks.  

Unipavers

Unipavers are primarily used as flooring materials. Our Unipavers are made of cement, coarse sand, fine sand, pea gravel, and stone dust. They are locally sourced and machine-made. This is how we utilize recycled materials so that they do not cause any harm to the environment. They are getting seemingly popular because they are easy to install and highly durable. Hence, they are widely used in footpaths, walkways, pavements, driveways, factory yards, and garden landscaping. Unlike other flooring materials, they can be customized according to your preference, so you can choose the size, shape, and colors of your choice.  

An exemplary approach to green construction

We always believe in green construction and thus we incorporate greenery in each of our projects. That’s why we implement earthquake-resistant designs with fire safety measures. Because we understand that a catastrophe does not just harm one individual only but also the environment and an entire community. bti Building Products has been using eco-friendly building materials for ensuring green construction from the very beginning. Moreover, we use solar panels in all our projects to reduce energy consumption. Through nature-integrated designs, be it on rooftops, entryways, gardens, or wherever possible, we make sure that every home is sustainably made.   

We have only one earth, so it is our solemn duty to protect the only home we have by incorporating and using eco-friendly building materials as much as possible. This is how we can reduce the harmful emission of carbon to save the environment before it’s too late.

Our happiness largely depends on how safe we feel at home. Choosing an eco-friendly building material to build your dream home not only saves the environment but also saves your overall construction costs. Among all the innovative building materials used worldwide, Concrete Hollow Blocks are considered to be superior to other conventional materials such as burnt clay bricks. Their excellent fire-resistant features help to keep the blaze at bay. They do not emit harmful chemicals, unlike the traditional red bricks. There are other reasons why this particular product tops all the other building materials.

One of the main reasons that the hollow blocks do not catch fire is the reason for the inflammable materials they are made of. When exposed to high temperatures, they do not even discharge any baleful chemicals. Flammable materials, on the other hand, combine oxygen that facilitates the flame to cause and spread the fire easily. The raw materials used in hollow blocks are cement, stone dust, coarse and fine sands, along with pea gravel. They consume less energy and no harmful gases are emitted which makes them non-flammable and ensures the safety of buildings. 

Another major factor of the hollow block being fireproof is it is low in thermal conductivity. This implies that even if a building catches fire it takes less time to spread in the entire building. Its load-bearing capacity and structural features do not let it catch fire easily even if any building is set on fire, the non-combustible materials protect it from spreading fire. Nevertheless, not all kinds of concrete blocks are fireproof. Hollow blocks consist of cement and other aggregated materials that are needed to protect any structure from catching fire.  

Above all, the presence of concrete in the hollow block does not cause any chemical reaction. Concrete can withstand fire for up to four hours. Although it depends on the other aspects of our homes such as furniture, fixtures, fittings, etc. Unlike wood and steel, concrete takes less time to spread fumes. Of course, only the presence of concrete does not ensure that a building will not catch fire. It just follows a concrete structure to spread the flame from one area to another contrary to a wooden structure.  

To sum it up, hollow blocks prove to be a great choice for construction in minimizing the danger of fire. Now that the myth is busted about whether Concrete Hollow Blocks are fireproof or not, you can undoubtedly choose this material for building a safe haven for your family.