The Shed Thread

On 28/04/2012 16:46, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 14:24:27 +0100, Dave - Cyclists VOR
wrote:

Quick poll. How many people on the NG know what a breeze block is?

You didn't know that it was a concrete block.

Don't be silly teacher boy, you are making yourself look foolish again.

"Tom Crispin feels he has been misquoted. As Fahri’s only male primary
teacher, he says the comment must have come from him, although he has no
recollection of making it".

--
Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a
legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a
vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton - Lancaster
University

On 28/04/2012 18:08, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:22:11 +0100,
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:21:12 +0100, Bertie
wrote:

snip


...... howler was that breeze blocks were just compacted ash and
cinder without cement to bond it together


I am sure that you can point out that post from Dave which said that - unless
you are lying.


Smith claimed that breeze blocks *were* concrete blocks.

They aren't.

Wikipedia is often wrong, but I don't think so in this case:

=====Quote=====
Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete, i.e. Portland cement and
aggregate, usually sand and fine gravel for high-density blocks. Lower
density blocks may use industrial wastes as an aggregate. Those that
use cinders (fly ash or bottom ash) are called cinder blocks in the
US, breeze blocks (breeze is a synonym of ash)[1] in the UK and are
also known as besser blocks or bricks in Australia.
=====/Quote=====
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_masonry_unit

I also think it's wrong to distinguish breeze blocks from concrete blocks.
Not all concrete blocks are breeze blocks, but all breeze blocks are (a form
of) concrete block.

That we don't think of them as being concrete is just cultural.

The Romans (who invented the stuff) produced even lighter concrete by means
of using pumice (lightweight solidified volcanic lava) as the aggregate
rather than the ash used for modern breeze blocks.

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:15:50 +0100, Dave - Cyclists VOR
wrote:

On 28/04/2012 18:12, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:15:50 +0100,
wrote:

On Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:19:17 +0100, Bertie
wrote:

On Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:28:16 +0100,
wrote:

On Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:12:08 +0100, Bertie
wrote:

On Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:23:23 +0000 (UTC), Ian Smith
wrote:

On Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:20:03 +0100, wrote:
On Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:42:02 +0100, Bertie
wrote:
On Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:38:11 +0100, Rob
wrote:
On Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:56:46 +0100
Bertie wrote:

The blocks I have are these:
http://www.diy.com/nav/build/buildin...k-Grey-9273670

"Dense" is the clue that they're not breeze blocks. Just as well,
you wouldn't want low density blocks for foundations.

So, Medwit was wrong, and building a log cabin on concrete blocks,
as I propose doing

No - you clearly thought that you were putting it on
breeze/brieze/breize blocks

Breeze blocks _are_ concrete blocks.

Don't confuse the poor man.


Oh dear - Crispin fails again at the English language test.

Breeze blocks are not made out of concrete - they are made out of ash and
cinder.

I'm inclined to believe Ian over Deckwit.



Oh really - so you believe that "breeze blocks *are* concrete blocks" do you.

Well I wouldn't - because Smith is wrong.

Nice confession.

"Tom Crispin feels he has been misquoted. As Fahri’s only male primary
teacher, he says the comment must have come from him, although he has no
recollection of making it".

Message-ID:

On Apr 28, 6:19*pm, JNugent wrote:
On 28/04/2012 18:08, Bertie Wooster wrote:









On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:22:11 +0100,
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:21:12 +0100, Bertie
wrote:

snip

...... *howler was that breeze blocks were just compacted ash and
cinder without cement to bond it together

I am sure that you can point out that post from Dave which said that - unless
you are lying.

Smith claimed that breeze blocks *were* concrete blocks.

They aren't.

Wikipedia is often wrong, but I don't think so in this case:

=====Quote=====
Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete, i.e. Portland cement and
aggregate, usually sand and fine gravel for high-density blocks. Lower
density blocks may use industrial wastes as an aggregate. Those that
use cinders (fly ash or bottom ash) are called cinder blocks in the
US, breeze blocks (breeze is a synonym of ash)[1] in the UK and are
also known as besser blocks or bricks in Australia.
=====/Quote=====
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_masonry_unit

I also think it's wrong to distinguish breeze blocks from concrete blocks..
Not all concrete blocks are breeze blocks, but all breeze blocks are (a form
of) concrete block.

That we don't think of them as being concrete is just cultural.

The Romans (who invented the stuff) produced even lighter concrete by means
of using pumice (lightweight solidified volcanic lava) as the aggregate
rather than the ash used for modern breeze blocks.


Surely uk.d-i-y could settle this argument? Medway will respect them.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-breeze-block.htm

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:47:24
uk.rec.cycling Simon
Mason

"Wm..." wrote in message
]...

I'm liking the potential in that pic


Here is my beer cellar - a similarly successful potential outcome.

http://www.swldxer.co.uk/beercellar.htm

How much of the treacle are you using? Too much and you'll have yucky
stuff.

--
Wm...
Reply-To: address valid for at least 7 days

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:10:49
uk.rec.cycling Bertie Wooster

On Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:14:50 +0100, JNugent
wrote:

On 27/04/2012 16:09, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:44:15 +0100, Bertie Wooster
wrote:

On Wed, 11 Apr 2012 22:20:40 +0100, Bertie Wooster
wrote:

As some of you may recall, I have discovered an 8 metre by 4 metre
patio under a heap of soil and compost at the end of my garden. The
patio is now clear.

I intend to use the patio to build a log cabin and garden store.

http://www.elbecgardenbuildings.co.u...cts/extras/Ley
grove%20.jpg

Mad Dave doesn't believe I can do it - but given the quality of his
decking I have no confidence in his judgement.

The log cabin is now ordered, and I expect delivery in a couple of
weeks. But today I took the first step in the cabin's construction. I
picked up 15 breize blocks to lay the cabin's bearers on, and
positioned them roughly.

Here are a couple of before and after shots.
http://www.britishschoolofcycling.com/photos/shed/00
http://www.britishschoolofcycling.com/photos/shed/01

I'll keep updating as the cabin's construction progresses.

The log cabin is scheduled to arrive on Friday.
I have been busy making sure that the concrete blocks are correctly
placed so that they will be at the beginning and end of each joist,
with a central support for the longer joists. I am sure that I will
need to do some packing to ensure the joists are level - but all is
now ready...
http://www.britishschoolofcycling.co...os/shed/02.jpg

The log cabin arrived today and the bits are stored in the day room:
http://www.britishschoolofcycling.co...os/shed/03.jpg
http://www.britishschoolofcycling.co...os/shed/04.jpg
The roof tiles are stacked in the garden.

I am now looking forward to a dry weekend and getting stuck in.

Here's a reminder of what the completed cabin should look like:

http://www.elbecgardenbuildings.co.u...s/extras/Leygr
ove%20.jpg

The retailer calls that a log cabin? It looks more like a lightly-constructed
summerhouse - and quite attractive. Will it be secure with windows as big as
that?

I think that it is its construction that defines it as a log cabin. It
is a summerhouse with storage shed combined. We want the summerhouse
to store and use our garden furniture, and the shed for garden tools.

I don't know how secure the windows will be, but our garden, although
backing onto a park, is fairly secure. There is no side access, and
there are two fences and a thick hawthorn hedge between the park and
our garden. The shed door looks robust enough, and only garden
furniture will be left in the summerhouse anyway.

I hope to mount a couple of solar panels on the roof to charge a
battery which will power a couple of LED lights. If that is
successful I may later add an inverter so I can charge garden tools.

Ahem! You said "our". I'm part way through
===
A shed of one's own: midlife without the crisis
Berkmann, Marcus
===
I suggest compulsory reading for men / boys over a certain age, or at
least those with a sense of humour.

P.S. a skim suggests the rest of the thread was DIY stuff in URC, have I
missed anything?

--
Wm...
Reply-To: address valid for at least 7 days

On 28/04/2012 19:54, Squashme wrote:
On Apr 28, 6:19 pm, wrote:
On 28/04/2012 18:08, Bertie Wooster wrote:









On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:22:11 +0100,
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:21:12 +0100, Bertie
wrote:

snip

...... howler was that breeze blocks were just compacted ash and
cinder without cement to bond it together

I am sure that you can point out that post from Dave which said that - unless
you are lying.

Smith claimed that breeze blocks *were* concrete blocks.

They aren't.

Wikipedia is often wrong, but I don't think so in this case:

=====Quote=====
Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete, i.e. Portland cement and
aggregate, usually sand and fine gravel for high-density blocks. Lower
density blocks may use industrial wastes as an aggregate. Those that
use cinders (fly ash or bottom ash) are called cinder blocks in the
US, breeze blocks (breeze is a synonym of ash)[1] in the UK and are
also known as besser blocks or bricks in Australia.
=====/Quote=====
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_masonry_unit

I also think it's wrong to distinguish breeze blocks from concrete blocks.
Not all concrete blocks are breeze blocks, but all breeze blocks are (a form
of) concrete block.

That we don't think of them as being concrete is just cultural.

The Romans (who invented the stuff) produced even lighter concrete by means
of using pumice (lightweight solidified volcanic lava) as the aggregate
rather than the ash used for modern breeze blocks.


Surely uk.d-i-y could settle this argument? Medway will respect them.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-breeze-block.htm

Fair enough.

That breeze blocks are a form of concrete does not, of course, mean that they
are suitable as foundation stones. No-one would rest scaffolding on the dome
of the Pantheon.

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:22:11 +0100, Judith wrote:

Smith claimed that breeze blocks *were* concrete blocks.

Judith, what exactly do you think holds the breeze together?

If you take two chunks of breeze and place them side-by-side do you
think they magically cling to each other?

Breeze blocks were concrete blocks which used breeze as the aggregate.
I doubt anyone actually makes blocks with breeze now, however.

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:08:26 +0100, Bertie Wooster
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:22:11 +0100, Judith
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 09:21:12 +0100, Bertie Wooster
wrote:

snip


...... howler was that breeze blocks were just compacted ash and
cinder without cement to bond it together


I am sure that you can point out that post from Dave which said that - unless
you are lying.


Smith claimed that breeze blocks *were* concrete blocks.

They aren't.

Wikipedia is often wrong, but I don't think so in this case:

=====Quote=====
Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete, i.e. Portland cement and
aggregate, usually sand and fine gravel for high-density blocks. Lower
density blocks may use industrial wastes as an aggregate. Those that
use cinders (fly ash or bottom ash) are called cinder blocks in the
US, breeze blocks (breeze is a synonym of ash)[1] in the UK and are
also known as besser blocks or bricks in Australia.
=====/Quote=====
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concrete_masonry_unit

Concrete blocks are made from cast concrete : hence the name.

Breeze blocks are made from ash : hence the name.

Breeze block is not synonymous with concrete block - they are quite different
things.

It is almost as simple as you.

Have you never broken a breeze block?

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:36:21 +0000 (UTC), Ian Smith
wrote:

On Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:22:11 +0100, Judith wrote:

Smith claimed that breeze blocks *were* concrete blocks.

Judith, what exactly do you think holds the breeze together?

Cement - that does not make it a concrete block

Concrete has a very specific composition - which does not include ash.

The concrete network:
Concrete is made up of three basic components: water, aggregate (rock, sand, or
gravel) and Portland cement.

They also say :

"Contrary to popular belief, concrete and cement are not the same thing"

================================================== =============
Yahoo answers:
Concrete is a combination of cement, sand and small rocks called aggregate.

No mention of ashes

================================================== ===============

Portland Cement Association:
Concrete Basics:
6% Air
11 % Portland cement
41% Gravel or crushed stone
26% sand
16 % water

No mention of ash

================================================== ==============


Concrete is made using cement, gravel, sand, water and air.

Concrete is not cement : it is made from cement

Breeze blocks are made from cement and ash - they are not concrete.



HTH