starting totally from scratch

[knightfly]

http://www.thenaturalhome.com/drystackblock.htm

This is newer method - note that some cavities need filling with grout or concrete for strength, the rest can be filled with sand. Filling ALL cavities makes the block act as a single leaf with damping (sand), and allows you to place your inner frame/gypsum/insulation as usual without worry about 3-leaf losses at low frequencies.

Trick is to match wall performance with ceiling/roof performance; one way is heavier roof, sealed and with heavier roof framing (truss manufacturers will design to your loading requirements if asked) - then, inner leaf ceiling can rest on your inner framed walls for a true double-leaf envelope (except floor)

IF you design the wall height to allow for it, and NOT having a floated floor ends up being a BAD idea from isolation standpoint, you can add a floated floor later... Steve

[jal]

wow! thats great thanks im gonna do more research on that.

thanks -jal

[sharward]

I'm totally intrigued!

[sharward]

Hmmm...

• . . . mortar is one of the most basic elements of masonry construction. Yes, you can build without it these days as dry-stack blocks are becoming more popular but when nature becomes pushy, you want that tall wall to withstand gale force winds and even earthquakes. That usually means mortar joints. (Source)

That may preclude us Californians from considering that method... Not sure what Mesa's seismic situation is.

[knightfly]

That sounds like mason's bull to me; supposedly, the mortar is what makes standard block walls weak in the first place - the stuff they use for the dry stack method has fibers in the mix, and is supposedly LOTS stronger than a mortared wall. Hmmm, wonder if it matters who's TELLING the story...

[sharward]

Point taken. Although, for the record, I did find other "general uneasiness" about the method in context of seismic sensitive areas -- the quote I featured just happened to be the one that seemed most worthy of citation ("who's got the most to gain" source notwithstanding).

Having a sister who went through the Loma Prieta (San Francisco) quake of 1989 and a close friend who endured the Northridge quake of 1994 (a California native who was literally scared out of the state on that one), these things I do take seriously.

[knightfly]

Yeah, been driving down the freeway south of santa clara and had it turn into a sine wave so I don't downplay earthquakes either - here's another link I found with a bit more on that -

http://www.masoncontractors.org/newsand ... 002801.php

STeve

[sharward]

Yep -- saw that one too. Good article.

I should also point out that I lived through the Sylmar earthquake in 1971... Rather, make that "slept through." With the notable exception of the coffee cups in the cupboard, everyone and everything in our house survived that one!