How Much Does A Cinder Block Wall Cost?

When you need something sturdy to serve as a long-term structural fixture on your property, you can turn to cinder blocks. Cinder blocks are prized mainly for their strength, but they are also eco-friendly options. If you want to build a strong supporting wall or erect one outdoors, using cinder blocks makes a lot of sense.

Those cinder block walls can be remarkably versatile. They can prove to be useful in different spots and they may even offer a little something in terms of design. Choosing to build with cinder blocks also allows you to keep your costs under control.

Cinder block walls for houses cost $25 per square foot, including labor. If you want to line your garage with cinder block walls, you will pay $23 per square foot for those additions. Fences made from cinder blocks cost $22 per square foot while retaining walls are priced at $28. Painting your cinder block walls costs $0.75 per square foot.

Use cinder block walls to build new structures on your property without busting your bank account. Rely on them to support your new installations and fixtures. Continue with this article to learn more about the factors that affect the cost of cinder block walls.

Let’s start by discussing cinder blocks as potential house walls. The average cost to build a cinder block house wall is $25 per square foot.

Using cinder blocks to build house walls is smart especially if you live in an area known for termites and other pests. They also excel at absorbing heat. Staying comfortable inside your home is easier if you have cinder block walls.

The big downside to using cinder blocks to build house walls is that they aren’t attractive. They don’t look like refined home elements. Cinder blocks aren’t ugly per se, but they can be difficult to work with from a design perspective.

Building your garage walls out of cinder blocks is also an option. Doing so will cost you approximately $23 per square foot.

Cinder block walls for attached garages are usually more expensive. They often cost more because they have to be customized to accommodate pipes and wires. Those customizations are not often required for the walls of detached garages.

You probably aren’t as worried about looks when it comes to your garage. That’s why cinder block walls may be more suitable for that part of your home.

Take advantage of the material’s heat-absorbing capabilities to turn your garage into a more comfortable space during the summer. That will come in very handy if you like working in your garage.

Next up, you can build fences out of cinder blocks for the price of about $22 per square foot. The cost of the cinder blocks is not the only thing you’ll have to worry about here.

You also have to account for the cost of building the fence’s foundation. The foundation needs to be very solid for standalone cinder block fences. Since the fence won’t have other structures to lean on, a faulty foundation can be especially problematic.

The foundation is also an important consideration when deciding how tall you want the fence to be. Make sure the foundation is strong enough to support however tall the cinder block fence ends up becoming.

You can also build retaining walls using cinder blocks. A cinder block retaining wall costs $28 per square foot.

The process of building a retaining wall is somewhat similar to that of constructing a fence. Prioritizing the structural integrity of the retaining wall is important and you can’t overlook the foundation either.

Where the two differ is how dependent on they are reinforcement. Cinder block fences can be reinforced, but doing so is not always needed. On the other hand, you must reinforce retaining walls if you want them to last. Rebar is a popular reinforcing material to use for retaining walls.

If you’re looking for cinder blocks that are well-suited for decorating, you should pick up some breeze blocks. Breeze blocks cost approximately $3.40 apiece.

A typical breeze block features an open design that’s created by cutting into the material. The patterns created may differ from one breeze block to the next.

Breeze blocks look spectacular when they are stacked together. They work well as decorative elements both indoors and outdoors. You can even use them to highlight the pieces of furniture you have inside your home.

Despite how they lock, breeze blocks are far from fragile. Walls made out of them can still last for a long time.

Homeowners can also use bullnose blocks to complete their cinder block walls. Those bullnose blocks cost around $2.90 each.

Compared to breeze blocks, bullnose blocks don’t stand out as much. The rounded edges they feature aren’t eye-catching as the open designs.

Even so, bullnose blocks can be great additions to existing structures because they provide that finishing flourish. You can integrate that wall into your décor better because the rounded edges promote natural flow.

Using bullnose blocks for interior partition walls is also worth considering. If someone bumps into that partition wall, the rounded edge will not hurt them as much.

Capstones are decorative additions that are also needed to properly finish cinder block walls. They are routinely sold for about $1.25 each.

A capstone is often a smaller cinder block that is placed on top of the wall. They are often used as a finishing element. Capstones are also available in different shapes so they could pair easily with different types of walls.

Apart from completing the cinder block wall, the capstones also serve a functional purpose. The capstones are needed to seal the openings that spanned the uppermost edge of the wall. They are there to keep moisture at bay.

Header blocks can also be added to cinder block walls. You can find header blocks sold for about $2.10 apiece.

Although header blocks are custom pieces, they are not always optional additions. If you’re using cinder block walls to line your home or your garage, you need to get header blocks too.

Those header blocks come with slots. The slots in question are used to support roof frames that will be added to the top of the cinder block wall.

Building an interior support wall without header blocks can be risky. The structure may not be as solid if those blocks are missing.

To complete the list of custom cinder blocks, we have the split-faced blocks. Split-faced blocks are the most expensive custom options at $4 each.

Add split-faced blocks to your walls if you want to give them a textural dimension. Those split-faced blocks feature a natural look that you cannot get from other custom blocks. Use them indoors if you want to create something different.

Note that not all split-faced blocks are meant for structural applications. Clarify your purchase with the supplier to ensure you end up with split-faced blocks that can be used to build walls.

Related Questions

How Much Do Building Permits for Cinder Block Walls Cost?

The required building permits for cinder block walls cost approximately $50 to $400. The wide range in pricing is due to variables such as the location of the installation and the size of the wall.

How Much Is a Pallet of Cinder Blocks?

Some suppliers may sell cinder blocks in pallets. Consider buying the cinder blocks by pallet if you’re planning a big installation. On average, a pallet of cinder blocks costs around $180.

Are Cinder Block Walls Cheaper Than Poured Concrete Walls?

Yes, cinder block walls are indeed cheaper than poured concrete walls. However, the difference in pricing is not that significant. For instance, poured concrete house walls cost around $27 per square foot while their cinder block counterparts are priced near $25.