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footing blocks


oscar
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hi,

i wonder if anybody can help me with a couple of questions. we are in the proccess of building our own house in france and as we are new to france are not sure that some of the information we have been given is correct. we have poured the foundations with the earthquake proof steel in place but are suprised to learn that the grey blocks with the holes in, for below damp, do not need to be filled with concrete. we know it needs it where the steel is but what about the rest. we are nhbc registered in the uk, so are quite competant in the construction of houses, but obviousley we are not familiar with the french way of doing things. we are used to using the solid concrete foundation blocks here. also we are informed that there are no staged inspections by the french equivalent of building control. it may be that we have been informed correctly but it would be nice to get a second opinion on these matters from someone with the experience of working in france that we obviousley lack

thank you.

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Welcome to French building methods!

Correct, there is no "building control" in France - if you can hide it, you can get away with it!

In my book, you should fill the ends of the block (from above) after they have been put in place. Not all French Macons that I know do this. The hollow centres should go down, which makes filling them difficult anyway!

Good luck!

 

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thanks for the reply nick,

i just presumed that they should be mass filled with concrete after laying to make them more structuraly sound as i've never used hollow blocks underground without doing so. are you also saying that the french way is to wall the grey blocks dry without mortar beds and perps? are they male and female. sorry if i sound thick but i have not had a good look at one yet. i have used this kind of block in germany but again we filled them with concrete after laying.

thanks

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Here is my take on them;

French bloc beton are horrible cast things, usually 50cm x 150cm x 200/250cm. They have 2 female "ends" and are hollow (tank-like) on one side. They are placed in a bed of mortar with eth hollow side down, butted hard upa against the next one. Mortar in then forced between the blocks (into the hole formed by the 2 recesses) to lock the 2 block together (and so on). Some Macons that I know don't bother with this and rely on the 1/2 bond...

Remember that, being cast and not fired, these blocks are somewhat inconsistent in size, so it is normal to shut and pour a "level" across the top (& sometimes bottom) of the wall.

If you are using solid blocks, then treat them as you would bricks.

I am not a builder, rather a developer. I see alot of walls built - to rather varying standards. So, anything tends to go!

 

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building foundations ,you will need to have blocks that are 50cms longx 20cms wide x 20cms high 

" blocs perfores " or( "petit trous" local name)with an individual weight of around 30 kilos ,If  i have understood correctly what you

are asking ,the blocks with a hole  about15x15 at one end are for the angles so that the  steel can

be relayed to the foundations,then concrete is poured into themto make a rigid frame,as for using

them in the middle of a run fill them with morter then carry on with the next course

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thanks for the reply littlemouse,

i was sure they needed to be filled with something but assumed it would be concrete( along the run where there is no steel as well as where there is steel) but if compo will do then fine. can you tell me if solid footing block are available in france and if so are they the same size as the hollow ones i  need to use where the steel is

many thanks

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its concrete for anywhere there is steel but morter for the rest, as for solid concrete blocks"bloc pleins"

10x20x50cms.15x20x50cms 20x20x40cms, (the 20cms weigh 31kgs dry ).look for a book

Matériaux&Composants Gros Oeuvre by Michel Creusé  (printed byDELAGRAVE ISBN 2-206-00791-6)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Dont under estimate the strength of these french blocks.... they all have their shapes and purposes but boy are they strong when they have been in position for a week or so.....

I get to build lots of walls and I get to demolish lots too... Its far easier to breakdown a british wall than a french wall.

Monti

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