Cinder blocks have replaced the traditional bricks used for construction. Cinder blocks can withstand much more tension, compression, eccentric load and have become a suitable alternative to bricks and woods.
No matter how convenient the cinder blocks are, the weight can be an issue for some building designs. For a structural engineer, the load of the building is the utmost priority as the foundation needs to design to withstand the load.
Let’s find out more about the weight and other related details about cinder blocks.
How much does a cinder block weigh?
In general, a cinder block will weigh between 35lb to 38lb (16kg to 18kg). The shape and size of the cinder block are standardized and maintained properly. Different size cinder blocks will have different weights. For example, an 8×8×16 cinder block will have a weight of 16 to 17kg (around 35lb).
There are different sizes and types of cinder blocks available in the market. Let’s get to know more about their weight.
2 hole cinder block:
2 holes cinder blocks will weigh pretty light compared to solid blocks.
The weight of the block will also depend on the shape and size. For 2 hole cinder blocks, the standard dimensions 8×8×16 are most frequently used and the approximate weight may vary between 35 lbs to 40 lbs.
3 hole cinder block:
3 hole cinder blocks will be significantly lighter than the solid cinder blocks and almost in the similar weight range of 2 holes cinder blocks.
However, the 3 holes will make a slight difference in weight. You can expect 28 lbs for the small size and 32lbs for the large cinder blocks.
However, in most cases, the weight of a standard single cinder block reaches up to 35 lbs or more.
Concrete cinder block:
It will be relatively heavier compared to the normal cinder blocks with holes. Concrete cinder blocks are made for dealing with heavy tension and compression in the structure.
Concrete cinder blocks are generally used in steel structures and other load-bearing structures. You can expect 45 lbs for a small size concrete cinder block and 50 lbs for the large ones.
Solid cinder block:
Solid cinder blocks are the heaviest of the brunch. It’s used for bearing heavy loads and for sustainable structure. A solid cinder block will weigh almost up to 72 pounds.
Even if the dimensions of a large hollow block and solid cinder block are in the same range, the solid cinder block will weigh more due to its dense build.
Half cinder block:
Half cinder blocks are rarely used in construction sites. However, it does come in handy in some situations.
The length or the thickness might be reduced to half to reach the desired shape. It will be lightweight, hardly touching the 10 lbs to 20 lbs mark.
Cinder blocks palette:
The cinder block palette is generally summed up of 108 numbers of cinder blocks. Depending on the shape, size, type of the cinder blocks the overall weight of the cinder block palette is estimated.
The weight of a standard single cinder block is 35 lbs, so for a pallet, the weight is 35 multiplied by 108, which is 3780 lbs.
Cinder block cap:
A cinder block cap with dimensions of 8×2×16 is around 10 lbs to 15 lbs. For a large 4×8×16 cinder block the weight is around 30 lbs to 35 lbs.
Cinder block underwater:
Cinder blocks underwater will be displaced by the same amount of water weight. So there are two methods to determine the weight of a cinder block in water.
You can deduct 62.5 lbs per cubic foot from the weight of cinder blocks. The second method is easier, put the cinder block in water and measure the rise in water.
The rise of water level, cross-sectional area of the bucket will help you determine the weight.
Weight of different sizes of cinder blocks:
| Cinder Block Sizes | Cinder Block Dimensions | Weight in Pound | Weight in Kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 inch | 4x8x16 | 15 to 26 pounds | 6 to 11 kg |
| 6 inch | 6x8x16 | 28 to 32 pounds | 12 to 14 kg |
| 8 inch | 8x8x16 | 35 to 40 pounds | 15 to 18 kg |
| 10 inch | 10x8x16 | 43 to 55 pounds | 19 to 24 kg |
| 12 inch | 12x8x16 | 58 to 62 pounds | 26 to 28 kg |
| 16 inch | 16x8x16 | 65 to 72 pounds | 29 to 32 kg |
How much do 12, 50, and 300 cinder blocks weigh?
If you are counting the numbers then it is gonna be an easy multiplication. The standard weight of a single cinder block is 35lbs.
So it’s going to be 12×35=420 lbs, 50×35= 1750 lbs, and 300×35= 10500 lbs. But the cinder blocks are generally sold as pallets (108 number of blocks= 1 pallet).
How do you carry and move cinder blocks?
To carry such weight, you have to be smart. Let’s get to know the tricks to carry cinder blocks.
Use anything with wheels:
Since the Mesopotamian times, when the first wheels were invented and even till date it is the most convenient way to transport any heavy object.
In ongoing building construction, you certainly wouldn’t use broken cinder blocks. In third world countries where labor cost is cheap, they use humans to carry heavy loads but it brings on more human casualties and damage to the building materials such as cinder blocks.
If you have access to a dolly or anything with wheels it’s better to use it. Carrying heavy loads by hand will certainly cause damage to your spine, tendons, and several muscles.
However, just having a dolly won’t solve your problem either. You will have to make sure it’s built with a low center of gravity and will hold a standard-size cinder block.
While pushing the dolly make sure you have placed the cinder blocks in a stable position, the pile-up shouldn’t be so unstable that it falls down on the uneven roads.
Use forklift:
If you are in need of transporting a large number of heavy cinder blocks then using a forklift is your best bet. Solid and hollow cinder blocks, they both have different uses in a construction site.
But when it comes to weight comparison, solid cinder blocks are significantly heavy compared to cinder blocks with holes.
Using a forklift will ensure the safety and proper preserved state of the cinder blocks and it will give your construction pace an immense boost.
Flip it and move:
If you don’t have access to any dolly and getting a forklift is out of the budget or It’s just one cinder block and you want to manually move it then here is the solution for you.
Instead of lifting the cinder block you can lay it on the ground and gently flip it and move to your desired direction.
Lifting heavy weights can put immense pressure on your back, hamstring, shoulder joints, so it really isn’t worth it to lift heavy cinder blocks.
Is a cinder block heavier than a brick?
There are two kinds of cinder blocks, solid cinder blocks, and hollow blocks. Solid blocks are heavier than normal bricks and you will need heavy machinery to transport the solid cinder blocks.
On the other hand, hollow cinder blocks are lighter and easy to transport but when it comes to a general comparison between bricks and hollow cinder blocks, the hollow cinder block is significantly heavy.
How much weight can a single cinder block and a cinder block wall hold?
The load-bearing capacity of a cinder block is quite remarkable. A standard-size cinder block can easily sustain its form and integrity at loads ranging from 1500 pounds of weight per square inch to 1700 PSI.
When it comes to cinder block walls, you will have to look into more details. If the wall is reinforced and used as a load-bearing wall then it’ll be 80,000 PSI to 110,000 PSI.
If the wall is not reinforced and just used as a partition wall then the load-bearing capacity will decrease and most of the load will be transferred to the beam and columns.
Can a cinder block hold a car?
No, a cinder block won’t be able to hold a car. A car’s average weight or the overall pressure from a car can be far greater than the load-bearing capacity of cinder blocks.
If you are thinking about lifting the car with cinder blocks then it will surely be a risky venture. Using a car jack will give you more stability and flexibility than any other method.
Also, it’s better to park your car on top of a concrete structure, cinder block floor won’t be able to resist the temptations to break in high pressure.
Final thoughts
The weight of cinder blocks of various sizes will be significantly different from each other. A cinder block typically weighs 35 to 38 pounds. The cinder block’s form and size are specified and well maintained. It does come in handy while getting the specific load calculation for construction.