Non-Standard Size COncrete blocks Needed

DIYNotIan · 13 Apr 2011

Hi all

TBH, I really know very little about building or building materials.....

.....but I need some concrete blocks to make speaker stands with. I've had a look on a few websites but can only find blocks in standard sizes so far (44cm x 21.5cm). I'm after blocks with a footprint that matches my speakers - 30cm x 32cm. Height wise I'm going to need something around roughly 45cm.

Is there anywhere I can find something like this? And if not does anyone have any other suggestions?

If the weight would be stupidly heavy, I could half the height and have two blocks instead.

Many thanks

Max

leew2 · 13 Apr 2011

I think you will struggle to find blocks of that size. Possibly best to make them yourself, make a mould from ply to the correct size and pour in concrete mix to cast them.
Or alternativly you could get thermalite foundation blocks which are (IIRC) 300x215x440mm and cut them down with a saw to the correct size. Two blocks would give 430mm height and should be quite light.

DIYNotIan · 13 Apr 2011

Great ideas - many thanks! I'll look into the thermalrite blocks if I can find them.

Would you or anyone else be able to hazard a guess to how much a single block to my dimensions would weigh (if I made them myself as you suggested)?

Thanks again

Max

noseall · 13 Apr 2011

Google trench block.

Deluks · 14 Apr 2011

Speaker stands need to be heavy to resist vibration from the speakers, I'd suggest making a column from hollow concrete fellas (looking from above they look like a number 8 on a calculator)
4 or 6 per speaker would give you a height of 430mm or 645mm respectively.

^woody^ · 14 Apr 2011

A Celcon floor block is 610 x 350 and a Celcon " Thin Joint Multi-plate " block is 610 x 375.

Either would cover the footprint and can be trimmed with a handsaw, but at 100mm thick you would have the stack them and bond then with a suitable adhesive or cement

These are not commonly stocked though, but someone should be able to sort you out with a few

leew2 · 14 Apr 2011

A block of standard concrete (density 2.4kg/litre) measuring 300x320x450mm will weigh a touch over 100kg which would make it very difficult to move as one piece and is IMHO a tad too heavy. Thermalite is quite a bit lighter but should still be heavy enough, especially if the blocks are fixed togeather. You can get the thermalite foundation/trench blocks from B&Q although they only seem to list them as a pack of 15 on the website but I'm pritty sure they have them singly in store.
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.j...lite&fh_eds=ß&fh_refview=search&isSearch=true

DIYNotIan · 15 Apr 2011

Huge thanks for the tips and advice guys.

One other thing (for the DIY/builder novice - me!)....

If I decide to go for the bigger blocks and cut them down to size, what kind of tool would be able to do this. My dad might have something - but he's away at the moment. If I've got an idea of what I would need I can then ask him when he gets back.

Alternatively, do builder's merchant tend to ever have facility for cutting blocks (in the same way they have timber cutting services)? Or is there anywhere else I could go to get them cut?

Some of the trench blocks etc - they are obviously lighter than dense concrete (are the "figure of eight"/cinder blocks dense concrete?). I wondered what makes the foundation blocks lighter? Is it that they are a concrete mix? More air? etc?

Cheers

Max

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Non-Standard Size COncrete blocks Needed

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