Porotherm monolithic blocks
- lachlanpaige8
- Mar 8
- 2 min read
We had the pleasure of working with these clay blocks by Wienerberger; they certainly make for an interesting and warm build. They can be used for solid wall construction with appropriate render/plaster; however, the extension we built was a 50mm cavity with handmade bricks on the outer leaf.
The external blocks have insulation built in to avoid the need for insulation in the cavity; this also means there's nothing that can potentially breach the cavity. The blocks we used for an internal wall have air gaps that will act similarly when heated and keep the walls warm. Being made from clay, they already feel far warmer than concrete blocks, It is possible to achieve low U-values and retain heat better with a higher thermal mass.
The Porotherm blocks are laid using a roller with a 1mm bed joint, This may seem difficult at first but is actually far easier once you have the first course set out perfectly; long straight runs can be run in amazingly quickly. Cuts are done using an alligator saw due to the width and softness of the blocks; a disc cutter will easily cut through the smaller blocks.
The guys at PorothermUK (EH Smith) were extremely helpful with their site visits and initial questions; they are the exclusive distributors of these blocks in the UK. These blocks have been featured on Grand Designs and are likely to grow in popularity as a low-carbon alternative to the current industry-standard building methods.
We think these blocks are great for new builds and sizeable extensions; however, we can really see them revolutionising the industry when it comes to building blocks of flats and commercial buildings due to the speed you can achieve with long, straight walls.
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