# block house R value/ thermal value



## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

i have been trying to find some information out on the R value/ thermal value of a block house. versus 2X6 walls.

Heres my delimma i dont want to sheet rock the interior of the house, we are planning on stucco on both sides and filling every block! my Dh thinks we need to fur out the walls and add insulation~ i dont want to not just because it costs a lot more but I HATE despise drywall finishing it that is, those men who install n finish it EARN their money. our house will be earth bermmed 3/4 of the way up to windows and entirely where there re no windows excluding my porch areas. I did some reading on perilite placed in the blocks if you do every 4th hole as well, So any info on this will be much appreciated 

TIA 
Mama


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

the insulation value of a block wall is about a R 1.1, nearly nothing, 
R-Value Table

fur it out and insulate, one could consider doing the out side fur it and use sheet insulation and then put your building paper up and lath for the stucco.

yes insulation may cost some money up front but it will save you so much in time to come it is probably has the largest pay back of nearly any building materials,

another possiblity is two massonary walls with a space between and then put a 3 or 4 inches of foam sheet insulaiton between them and put ties between the walls,

http://www.floridamasonry.com/doublewythemasonry.htm


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## mike554 (Jun 9, 2012)

I would definitely fur out and insulate. We used all t&g on our walls because we both hate dry wall also. We only left a few places natural and painted the rest. I wasn't sure how it was going to look with a timber frame but it really looks good.


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## MushCreek (Jan 7, 2008)

As mentioned, concrete block has very little insulation value. Even filling the holes with insulation does almost nothing. I think current building code calls for R-19, which means 6" of fiberglass, or over 3" of foam. A 2X6 wall is called R-19 if filled with cellulose or fiberglass, but due to the heat transfer of the studs, you only net about R-13. A layer of foam on the outside under the final finish really helps.

Having lived in block homes in FL for the last 32 years, I have found a couple benefits. One- they change temperature very slowly due to the thermal mass. Also- they are very quiet. I'm currently building an ICF home in SC. ICF is foam inside and out, with a core of solid steel-reinforced concrete. It makes a very tight home with a true R-25 insulation value plus thermal mass. It is also rather expensive.

For your climate, 2X6 walls filled with cellulose and sheathed with 2" foam on the outside will give you the best bang for the buck. Sealing against air leaks also makes a huge difference.


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## Esteban29304 (Apr 29, 2003)

I hate sheetrock, too. Here is another alternative, but I know little about it.

Faq's about ICF's-insulated concrete forms

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ueFwi3CmsQ&feature=related[/ame]


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Glue foam board to the outside and stucco over that. Then the block becomes part of the thermal mass of the building.


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## old school (Aug 26, 2012)

I think it is easy to stucco block just purdge the wall with a spray gun or masonary brush to help get a good bond to block..You can add color to mortor so you wont have to paint and it will last till the stucco is gone,unlike paint only max1/16 " thick.


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## kvr28 (Feb 15, 2009)

I agree with ww, it's what we did, but we also earth bermed it as well, there is a lot to be said about thermal mass, we are in Maine and use just over half a cord of wood a year for heat


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