Bricks vs breeze blocks and plaster

Annie1960

The drawings for my small extension show a double layer of bricks. I'm being asked if I want breeze blocks and plaster on the inner layer instead. I'm not sure why, but I suspect it may be because many of the bricks broke, and the bricks have to be an exact match to the existing.

Is there any difference in practical terms between having the inner wall of the cavity made of breeze blocks and plaster rather than bricks?

Silver-Surfer_2

If you were planning to plaster the walls and not have exposed bricks it won't make any difference.

Furts

Blocks should be cheaper than bricks and quicker to build. Hence bricks on the inner leaf does not get done, as a general rule.

But also check what insulation you are trying to achieve. A typical detail would be Aircrete (like Celcon, or Thermalite) on the inner leaf with Celotex/Kingspan type insulation. But you could have blocks with a fully filled cavity using batts here.

Annie1960

Furts wrote: »

But also check what insulation you are trying to achieve. A typical detail would be Aircrete (like Celcon, or Thermalite) on the inner leaf with Celotex/Kingspan type insulation. But you could have blocks with a fully filled cavity using batts here.

Thanks, you seem to know the answers to a lot of my home improvement questions! You are a very useful person to have on this forum.

I don't understand the point about the insulation, mainly because I don't know what the different types are. The blocks look like any other breeze block I have ever seen. The insulation looks like a thick sheet of stuff, not dissimilar to the old-fashioned felt underlay, but much thicker. I don't know what the names are.

Smiley_Dan

Whatever you do, if you have cavity wall construction then it's important that there's an air tight layer on the internal surface of the block/brickwork (unless you have another air tightness layer outbound). Therefore, do not accept dot and dabbed plasterboard on bare brick/blockwork. Either add a parge coat before the plasterboard, or wet plaster (my choice).

Furts

Annie1960 wrote: »

Thanks, you seem to know the answers to a lot of my home improvement questions! You are a very useful person to have on this forum.

I don't understand the point about the insulation, mainly because I don't know what the different types are. The blocks look like any other breeze block I have ever seen. The insulation looks like a thick sheet of stuff, not dissimilar to the old-fashioned felt underlay, but much thicker. I don't know what the names are.

Concrete blocks are heavy and solid looking, so I am guessing this is what you have when you say breeeze blocks.

I am guessing the insulation is a Rockwool batt - like a dark coloured dense fibreglass.

Your block and the batt can be used together.

Aircrete blocks are light grey, light weight, and look like an Aero bar for consistancy

Purely a personal thing, but I prefer a cavity where there are sheets of Celotex type material. This is like a Crunchy bar - yellowy hard foam, but with a silver foil layer each face.

May be we should just build with chocolate bars? And perhaps your builder should have offered you a choice of insulation and block?

Annie1960

How do I post a photo? I can't see the paperclip logo.

wealdroam

Annie1960 wrote: »

How do I post a photo? I can't see the paperclip logo.

Upload your photo to a picture hosting website, photbucket is just one of many, and then post a link to your picture.

Annie1960

I don't have any of these, and don't want to have to remember any more passwords.

Can I do a link from Dropbox, and if so, how?

PasturesNew

http://postimg.org is my preferred "quick in, get it done, leave" choice.

cyclonebri1

Given a single storey small ext thermalite or aerated blocks are a far far better option, never double brick, too time consuming and less thermally efficient.

Unless builders sense a degree of knowledge or indeed skepticism, they rarely offer options, no offence to the pro's here intended