Could this LEGO Plastic Brick replace Concrete Masonry Units?
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Published 2023-06-08
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Lok N Blok podcast with Gregory Siener: • Lego-like Building Blocks w/ Lok-N-Bl...
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:10 What is Lok N Blok?
3:40 Assembly
4:36 Properties
6:06 Concrete blocks
7:08 Plastic pollution
8:20 Sponsor
9:04 Pros
9:27 Hurdles
11:36 Conclusion
Lok N Blok is an innovative, easy to install, mortar-less, interlocking building block system. Its design enables quicker and easier installation than other building materials as it’s installed in fewer steps and doesn’t require specialized equipment. Lok N Blok is made of a proprietary mix of 49% recycled polypropylene, virgin polypropylene and fiberglass reinforcement. It also contains UV protection additives so it doesn’t become brittle in the presence of sunlight. It is smaller than a typical 8”x8”x16” CMU block. It is 12” long x 6” wide x 8” tall.
The block has tapered female dovetails on the ends and main faces. The slots measure 0.82” on the top and 0.53” on the bottom. Tapered male dovetails slide into these slots to create secure and strong connections. They can form flat ends, corners and even openings up to 6 feet in length with no additional header or reinforcement to maintain structural integrity. Square posts on the top surface of the block, fit into the square voids on the bottom surface of another block. This allows them to be stacked either directly on top of each other or offset by a quarter of a block or even half a block. There is no mortar or adhesive needed between the layers. The plastic webs in the middle have several purposes. They reduce the weight of the block, create room for additional insulation, and allow utilities to run vertically. Another cool feature is this circular void created when the blocks stack, which allows conduit and wires to run horizontally.
This system doesn’t require any reinforcement or concrete. However, you need to use a ⅝ inch threaded rod from the concrete slab or footer, through the entire wall. At the top of the wall, a compression spring nut holds the entire assembly down. All these features, especially the lack of mortar allows for quicker construction. It’s about 50 to 60% faster than traditional construction methods.
Lok N Blok is water resistant, chemical resistant, UV resistant, sound absorbing, bacteria resistant, easy to use, efficient and eco-friendly. It also has a high compressive strength, it’s lightweight, has high tensile strength and it’s fire resistant. That being said, it’s a new product so it costs more than traditional construction methods right now. It’s more expensive than steel stud walls and wood stud walls but it is 8% lower in cost compared to ICF walls.
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#lego #concrete #construction #plastic #recycling #buildings #energy #ecofriendly #carbonfootprint
All Comments (21)
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Since this product has been in progress for 30 years, would have been good to see some projects where it was used already. Surely they have at least set up a demonstration sites and are gathering data on durability, fire testing, load tests, and a thousand other questions that they will need to answer to get it approved as a building material..
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Little concerned about how this would hold up in a fire compared to cement blocks, but I'd love to try it out on some smaller projects like a shed or something.
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Retired construction site manager, just wish this product had been available when I first started. Endless possibilities, good luck with the product.
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In Canada, where I am, insulation is a big building component. Vapour retardant and air barrier integration in this system would mirror methods in CMU structures. You’d never worry about rot either, as we do with wood frame construction.
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Drawback! imagine the pain the Hulk must feel smashing through a wall and stepping on one of those giant lego bricks
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I would like to see this tested in 2k sq ft working homes in both high heat and freezing temps over 15 years.
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I saw some thing related to this in Africa, where they were using recycled plastic to make blocks that they’re using for building schools. Their system clearly isn’t as sophisticated as this but it was such a good demonstration of the product. I would love to see some of what has been built in Central and South America.
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I'm an HVAC technician considering different material for a new construction home for my family. I'd love to see demonstrations of its insulative qualities, resistance to flooding, bullet resistance (this is America, sadly) among other things. Cool product with a lot of potential!
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I presume that the blocks could also be disassambled? If so, they could be an interesting option for rapidly constructed temporary buildings whose components can be reused, perhaps to make another type of building, and which could be transported in multiple smaller vehicles rather than needing a crane and low loader to shift a shipping container cabin, for example.
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Industrial Legos. I love it! My childhood building days will not have been in vain.
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Very useful for Retainer walls.
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Excellent video! Thank you for also so much for sharing what tech you use to make your videos :)
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You should definitely do a follow up on this. Some of the concerns people have in the comments are really interesting.
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The ONLY cons are cost and regulations? I find that hard to believe.
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I love her show the information is so helpful to us simple people, and she make science look 😊
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Amazing product and great presentation. In your video you list "sound absorbing" as one of the benefits. Are there any specifications about its sound absorbing properties that are available? And has Greg considered application maybe in a different form factor as a sound dampening wall as we see along expressways where large concrete slabs are often used?
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My concern is about the very low temperature. I've worked with polypropylene for 40 some years. In Canada, a few days after the temperature had dropped in the minus 20 to -30 degrees Celsius, people wearing PP orthosis would be coming in the lab for repair, replacement. Also, in the heat, sheets tend to warp, especially if it was nailed on the top of a table.
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I dunno. All plastics have a certain amount of elastic creep associated with them. Maybe the glass fiber reinforcement might slow that down, but I'd want to know those specifications before building with the material. You don't want to end up with a wall that sags over time.
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This would be wonderful for setting up inside walls. Imagine adding, subtracting bedrooms as your children grow up! (Or move back😮)
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The shape is wonderful for the building construction. I am really impressed by the slot and wedge design. The idea of being able to have six foot opening without reinforcement is like magic. I just wish it was able to be shipped in a compact stack. One of the reasons Ikea is so profitable is they can flat pack anything. Shipping costs in money and carbon are based more on volume than weight. Think what papers cups would cost to ship if they did not stack so efficiently.
