Cinder Block Sizes report
Cinder blocks are made of fly ash or bottom ash, coal dust, recycle aggregator, fine particles of ash after burning coal as an aggregate material. They are prepared from blanks, pressed into shape, and cured by high-pressure steam. Cinder blocks are a new type of building material with excellent performance and energy saving, suitable for load-bearing walls of multi-story mixed structure buildings.
Cinder blocks are the popular building material for many different projects. They are typically used as essential building material when creating building foundations, garden walls, fire pits, retaining walls, benches, a raised garden bed, and so many more structures.
We can see that many structures are made of cinder blocks in our daily lives. Have you noticed different cinder block sizes? There are many different cinder block designs and shapes, and sizes. The following post will introduce the different cinder block dimensions, shapes and provide a size chart for reference.
Cinder Block Size Guide
The most common actual size for a cinder block is 8 inches x 8 inches x 16 inches ( 200 × 200 × 400 mm); their actual size measures 7 5/8" × 7 5/8" × 15 5/8". while the most commonly recognized cinder block design looks like a square figure eight. Cinder blocks are manufactured in various sizes; their depth identifies them; for example, 4" CMU is 4" wide, while 10" CMU is 10" wide.
The cinder block must confirm the ASTM standard when fabricating, which is the standard size of the cinder block, represented as depth × height × length. The nominal and actual dimensions of cinder blocks differ due to the allowing for mortar joints.
4" Cinder Block Dimensions
| Name | Nominal Size (L*W*H) |
|---|---|
| Solid pier | 8" x 4" x 4" |
| Solid pier | 8" x 4" x 8" |
| Solid pier | 12" x 4" x 8" |
| Solid pier | 16" x 4" x 4" |
| Solid pier | 16" x 4" x 8" |
| Hollow pier | 16" x 4" x 4" |
6" Cinder Block Dimensions
| Name | Nominal Size (L*W*H) | Actual Size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Hollow Strechter | 16" x 6" x 4" | 406 x 152 x 101 mm |
| Hollow Corner Sash | 16" x 6" x 4" | 406 x 152 x 101 mm |
| Solid pier | 16" x 6" x 4" | 406 x 152 x 101 mm |
| Solid Corner Sash | 16" x 6" x 4" | 406 x 152 x 101 mm |
| Hollow Corner Sash | 8" x 6" x 8" | 203 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Hollow pier | 14" x 6" x 8" | 355 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Hollow Strechter | 16" x 6" x 8" | 406 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Hollow Corner Sash | 16" x 6" x 8" | 406 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Hollow pier | 16" x 6" x 8" | 406 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Solid pier | 16" x 6" x 8" | 406 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Solid Corner Sash | 16" x 6" x 8" | 406 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Solid Corner Sash | 18" x 6" x 8" | 457 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Hollow Corner Sash | 18" x 6" x 8" | 457 x 152 x 203 mm |
| Hollow Strechter | 18" x 6" x 8" | 457 x 152 x 203 mm |
| 45 degree angle | 21" x 6" x 8" | 406 x 152 x 203 mm |
12" Cinder Block Dimensions
| Name | Nominal Size (L*W*H) | Actual Size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Solid pier | 16" x 12" x 4" | 390 x 140 x 190 mm |
| Solid pier | 16" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 95 x 190 mm |
| Solid Corner Sash | 16" x 12" x 4" | 390 x 90 x 90 mm |
| Solid Corner Sash | 16" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 95 x 190 mm |
| Hollow Corner Sash | 8" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 90 x 90 mm |
| Hollow Corner Sash | 16" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 140 x 190 mm |
| Hollow Double Sash | 16" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 95 x 190 mm |
| Hollow pier | 16" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 90 x 90 mm |
| Hollow Strechter | 16" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 140 x 190 mm |
| Hollow Strechter | 16" x 12" x 4" | 390 x 95 x 190 mm |
| Hollow Corner Sash | 16" x 12" x 4" | 390 x 90 x 90 mm |
| Hollow Return Corner | 16" x 12" x 8" | 390 x 95 x 190 mm |
- Hollow Cinder Blocks
Cinder blocks are either two-core or three-core, meaning they have either two or three large holes in each block, with a 1-inch divider between holes. They also typically have indented ends, with two outside elements and a 1 1/4-inch depression between.
- Special Cinder Blocks
Special blocks in the standard 8-8-16 format have smooth faces on one end to serve as end blocks at corners and doorways. Other special styles have offsets to allow door jambs, headers, or window sash installation.
- Solid Cinder Blocks
Some blocks are solid, in 4-inch thicknesses rather than 8. These typically are used to cap walls to provide a solid top. Some 8-inch blocks also are made with solid tops.
