Hello.
I am building a garage with Weber's new lecablocks. While waiting for a quote, I started wondering if I really need to use their special Flexoheft M5 between the blocks. You are supposed to use a special masonry box, but it seems like you could use some other mortar.
The first layer is in regular plaster/mortar M2.5 against the slab. Shouldn't something other than their own work?
Their website states that you can lay up to 8mm of mortar between the stones.
The thing is that those bags cost 169 SEK/25kg bag and I need about 150 bags.
What are the alternatives?
I am building a garage with Weber's new lecablocks. While waiting for a quote, I started wondering if I really need to use their special Flexoheft M5 between the blocks. You are supposed to use a special masonry box, but it seems like you could use some other mortar.
The first layer is in regular plaster/mortar M2.5 against the slab. Shouldn't something other than their own work?
Their website states that you can lay up to 8mm of mortar between the stones.
The thing is that those bags cost 169 SEK/25kg bag and I need about 150 bags.
What are the alternatives?
I was on Weber's website and checked that Flexoheft is a 0-1 mm mortar with a final strength of 5 MPa and is mixed with 4.5-6 liters of water per 25kg bag.
Personally, I would have replaced it with a regular 1 mm B-plaster mortar. It has a final strength of 4 MPa, which is close enough. B-mortar is mixed with 4 liters of water per 25kg bag for manual application, but you probably need to increase it to about 4.5-5 liters per bag to make it work with the masonry box. This will further reduce the strength, but even that is acceptable. Usually, leca blocks are laid with a c-mortar that has a strength of 1.5 MPa, so there should be no issue with this new system.
If you still want to increase the strength, compensate for the increased amount of water with pure building cement.
Personally, I would have replaced it with a regular 1 mm B-plaster mortar. It has a final strength of 4 MPa, which is close enough. B-mortar is mixed with 4 liters of water per 25kg bag for manual application, but you probably need to increase it to about 4.5-5 liters per bag to make it work with the masonry box. This will further reduce the strength, but even that is acceptable. Usually, leca blocks are laid with a c-mortar that has a strength of 1.5 MPa, so there should be no issue with this new system.
If you still want to increase the strength, compensate for the increased amount of water with pure building cement.
A few weeks ago, I built a foundation with those blocks and also thought the mortar was too expensive. I then found out that it's a regular kc-mortar with fine sand to be able to make 2mm joints.
So I mixed 3 parts standard cement, 1/2 part lime, and 11 parts masonry sand and built with slightly thicker joints.
I calculated that the mortar from Weber, which costs 169 SEK, costs 10 SEK if you mix it yourself, and I have compensated for using a little more.
The Weber blocks are good but expensive; I will probably not buy them for the next build.
When comparing prices, keep in mind that Weber blocks are shorter than regular Lecablock, so they need to be somewhat cheaper.
10 Weber blocks/m2 and 8 regular/m2
So I mixed 3 parts standard cement, 1/2 part lime, and 11 parts masonry sand and built with slightly thicker joints.
I calculated that the mortar from Weber, which costs 169 SEK, costs 10 SEK if you mix it yourself, and I have compensated for using a little more.
The Weber blocks are good but expensive; I will probably not buy them for the next build.
When comparing prices, keep in mind that Weber blocks are shorter than regular Lecablock, so they need to be somewhat cheaper.
10 Weber blocks/m2 and 8 regular/m2
Saw the Byggmax ad to the right here that they charge 26.95 for leca 19x19x59, which means that Weber should go down to 21.60:- to cost the same.
And to come with arguments about significant quality differences in this case I think is trickery.
And to come with arguments about significant quality differences in this case I think is trickery.
Thanks for the response.
Weber's new Lecablock seems to be easier to lay. I am a beginner and have never laid bricks before. But with these, you don't need to level each block as they place relatively well right away, and that's what I'm looking for.
I received a quote for 53,000:- for blocks with dimensions 250x198x498, 1116 units (110sqm)
110 units of 25kg Flexoheft
150 units of galvanized bi-steel 4m lengths
And a mason's box...
The price was so good that I went for it. I sat down and calculated a bit and it seemed very good.
I'm building a 1.5-story garage if anyone wonders why there are so many blocks
Weber's new Lecablock seems to be easier to lay. I am a beginner and have never laid bricks before. But with these, you don't need to level each block as they place relatively well right away, and that's what I'm looking for.
I received a quote for 53,000:- for blocks with dimensions 250x198x498, 1116 units (110sqm)
110 units of 25kg Flexoheft
150 units of galvanized bi-steel 4m lengths
And a mason's box...
The price was so good that I went for it. I sat down and calculated a bit and it seemed very good.
I'm building a 1.5-story garage if anyone wonders why there are so many blocks
Great, I sense that you're busy?
I put up a garden shed myself with 1/4 of the amounts you mention, so I've been quite busy myself.
A few things I observed:
Place the pass blocks in the top layer as in the work instructions, it's very convenient to finish with a lighter block and then the top becomes completely flat. I also did the ring reinforcement as suggested but don't know if it makes a difference.
Rented an alligator saw after one day. Couldn't deal with hand saws that "died" or axes, etc. Had about 5 cuts per shift. The saw gave a smooth and even surface.
For any window/door openings, I regret not getting the advice to use solid blocks, like the pass blocks or even the corner blocks. Now I had holes in the middle of the frame every other shift. I did fill them with cement mortar now, but I had to fiddle around with the 100 mm measurement I had for the door and sand down the tongue, oh well.
There can be gaps less than 80 mm between layers, Weber doesn't want to deal with shorter lengths than that. I had a 5 cm gap that caused problems every other layer, so I used polystyrene pieces between the ends and cast in with flexoheft. Sometimes I threw in a piece or two of rebar just to toy with the idea that it was beneficial.
Edit:
Regarding the use or non-use of flexoheft, I have to add that something is added to give it a looser yet still firm consistency than usual mortar. I've had various mortars/plasters and mixtures in that mixer over the past month, and flexo has been the most unusual.
I put up a garden shed myself with 1/4 of the amounts you mention, so I've been quite busy myself.
A few things I observed:
Place the pass blocks in the top layer as in the work instructions, it's very convenient to finish with a lighter block and then the top becomes completely flat. I also did the ring reinforcement as suggested but don't know if it makes a difference.
Rented an alligator saw after one day. Couldn't deal with hand saws that "died" or axes, etc. Had about 5 cuts per shift. The saw gave a smooth and even surface.
For any window/door openings, I regret not getting the advice to use solid blocks, like the pass blocks or even the corner blocks. Now I had holes in the middle of the frame every other shift. I did fill them with cement mortar now, but I had to fiddle around with the 100 mm measurement I had for the door and sand down the tongue, oh well.
There can be gaps less than 80 mm between layers, Weber doesn't want to deal with shorter lengths than that. I had a 5 cm gap that caused problems every other layer, so I used polystyrene pieces between the ends and cast in with flexoheft. Sometimes I threw in a piece or two of rebar just to toy with the idea that it was beneficial.
Edit:
Regarding the use or non-use of flexoheft, I have to add that something is added to give it a looser yet still firm consistency than usual mortar. I've had various mortars/plasters and mixtures in that mixer over the past month, and flexo has been the most unusual.
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Yes, I received the delivery last Monday, 22 pallets of material. So last weekend I started with the masonry. It felt like it was going quite well. I got up to 10 layers (2 meters).
Now I will build a beam around the entire garage at the next layer, which will be over garage doors, windows, and doors. It feels like I need something to stabilize the construction.
I am going up 3.80m on the long sides and 6m to the ridge.
The garage is 10x7 meters and we have positioned the windows and doors to place the stones best to avoid having to cut too much, but you can't avoid it entirely but for my part, it will be half stones. I'm using a reciprocating saw with a blade adapted for aerated concrete.
Unfortunately, the stones didn't build as much as I thought they would, so I have a 50mm gap to fill each round, but I lay down stones I've cut to about 45mm and use a lot of mortar.
The Flexoheft is working well after experimenting a bit with the amount of water so it works best with the mason's box.
OT. Today we poured the house slab, and it feels good to have that done. So tonight I'm going to sleep well!
Now I will build a beam around the entire garage at the next layer, which will be over garage doors, windows, and doors. It feels like I need something to stabilize the construction.
I am going up 3.80m on the long sides and 6m to the ridge.
The garage is 10x7 meters and we have positioned the windows and doors to place the stones best to avoid having to cut too much, but you can't avoid it entirely
but for my part, it will be half stones. I'm using a reciprocating saw with a blade adapted for aerated concrete. Unfortunately, the stones didn't build as much as I thought they would, so I have a 50mm gap to fill each round, but I lay down stones I've cut to about 45mm and use a lot of mortar.
The Flexoheft is working well after experimenting a bit with the amount of water so it works best with the mason's box.
OT. Today we poured the house slab, and it feels good to have that done. So tonight I'm going to sleep well!