Why Poured Concrete Walls are Better

Whether you are building your new home or constructing a larger commercial structure, you will have to decide to either build a poured concrete wall foundation or a concrete block foundation. Each has its own advantages and drawbacks.

The construction of a wall is a crucial part of construction because walls basically carry the load from the floor above to the floor below or to the foundation. Walls should be strong enough to carry the load in multi-story buildings from one floor to another.

For most constructions, concrete walls are the desirable structural element even in geographical locations that are prone to earthquakes.

Hence, great caution is considered when choosing which type of concrete structure should be used in building walls.

This article will clearly define why poured concrete is the better choice for walls in both residential and commercial settings.

Materials Used in Concrete Wall Construction

You will come across different types of concrete wall materials used in construction. The differences between these types depend on their application and the building specifications.

Generally, when constructions are made with concrete, the following are used:

• Cement
• Aggregate
• Sand
• Admixtures
• Steel reinforcement
• Formwork materials (wood, steel, aluminum, plastic, composite materials like cement and foam or cement and wood chips)

The strength of the concrete wall will rely on the quality of materials and the process used and whether they adhere to the standards of the industry.

If you are considering using concrete material for your walls, it is therefore important to be informed about the different types of concrete building processes that you can choose from and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Concrete Wall Foundation Types

There are two main types of concrete walls that are being used in residential and commercial constructions.

Each type has its own pros and cons. We will first determine what they are.

• Block Foundation Walls

The main material used in building a block foundations wall is cinder blocks. Cinder blocks are manufactured in an 8x8x16 inches rectangular form.

When used to build a wall, they are stacked on each other and cemented with rebar for reinforcement.

Cinder blocks are also called hollow concrete blocks. They are piled on top of each other until the desired wall height is achieved. This process of building a wall with cinder or hollow blocks has been in the construction industry for many years.

• Poured Concrete Wall

Most builders choose the poured concrete wall for new construction because it is considered stronger than the block foundation wall.

Poured concrete walls can be colored, textured, or accented with embedded objects for a more personalized look.

Concrete is poured on models prepared at the construction site to form the walls of a house or a building.

High-quality materials should be used and proper reinforcement is established to make sure that the poured concrete will stand the test of time.

Why You Should Choose Poured Concrete Over Block

The method that is most used today is poured concrete when building walls for homes and commercial buildings.

There are more advantages that have been seen in the construction industry for this type of wall construction. Hence, many consider it the better choice.

Here are five reasons poured concrete walls are generally considered better:

1. Poured concrete walls have better lateral strength.

When walls have better lateral strengths, they are better able to resist more pressure from the water and the soil outside.

The lateral strength of poured concrete foundation is stronger because, unlike concrete block walls, they do not have joints where water can seep through. This also makes it easier to make them waterproof.

Lateral strength is a big consideration when building walls because it determines how a wall will stand in the presence of pressure from the backfill.

Concrete walls are checked for stability using certain parameters like:

1. 1. Wall overturning
   2. Base sliding
   3. Soil-bearing capacity

poured concrete foundations has a greater ability to hold back the soil compared to concrete block walls that have the tendency to crack and bow.

2. Poured concrete walls are more resistant to lateral water pressure.

Similar to the strength of poured concrete walls against lateral earth pressure, this type of concrete wall application also offers as much water resistance as possible.

This includes all types of harsh weather conditions that can cause buckling and bow to concrete block walls. The main reason for this strength is the absence of joints in poured concrete walls as compared to their block counterparts.

3. Poured concrete walls are fire resistant.

According to Sustainable Concrete, one of the unique features of concrete is that it is fire resistant. They specifically mentioned how “concrete provides the best fire resistance of any building material.

If it does not burn, it cannot be set on fire like other building materials and it does not emit any toxic fumes, smoke, or drip molten particles when exposed to fire.” No wonder poured concrete is highly rated in fire safety ratings.

4. Poured concrete can be custom designed.

If you choose to use poured concrete for your walls, you can custom-design it. Talk to your contractor about it. Molds for poured concrete can be prepared to attain the shape and design that you like.

poured concrete foundation walls can be adapted for last minute changes. That’s how flexible it can be in terms of usage.

5. Poured concrete walls are easily maintained.

The absence of joints on a poured concrete wall makes it easier to maintain. You will not need to regularly waterproof them like concrete block walls which are susceptible to water leakage.

With a poured concrete wall, you can expect that they will not crack or have water leaks in five to ten years.

Poured Concrete Walls Are Arguably Stronger

Block foundation vs poured, with the latest technology in a concrete building, it can be easier and more efficient nowadays to build a wall with poured concrete. It requires less labor and time to complete a poured concrete wall project compared to a concrete block wall.

Poured concrete walls have better later strength that makes them more resistant to soil and water pressure. In the best circumstances, they are the better choice for new home builders.

More from Big Easy Concrete

How Much Does It Cost to Pour a 12′ Square Concrete Slab?
7 Ways to Find the Best Concrete Pouring Contractor