Masonry block and associated methods

Abstract

A cementitious masonry block that exhibits the appearance of finished natural stone comprises at least two substantially parallel stacking sides operable to be installed on or over other blocks to form a block wall. At least one hollow cell is formed in the block to provide a void for structural reinforcing. One or more display faces each exhibits a finish applied by natural stone finishing techniques. The block is formed from a cementitious mixture that is substantially homogenous throughout the masonry block and that, when cured, is substantially matched in color or grain, or both, to the natural stone that is being replicated.

1 . A cementitious masonry block that exhibits the appearance of finished natural stone, comprising:
 at least two substantially parallel stacking sides operable to be installed on or over other blocks to form a block wall;   at least one hollow cell formed in the block to provide a void for structural reinforcing;   one or more display faces, each exhibiting a Finish applied by natural stone finishing techniques; and   the block being formed from a cementitious mixture that is substantially homogenous throughout the masonry block and that, when cured, is substantially matched in color or grain, or both, to the natural stone that is being replicated.   
   
   
       2 . The masonry block of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more display faces include a thickness at least twice as great as a thickness of non-display face sides of the block. 
   
   
       3 . The masonry block of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more display faces include a thickness of about 3.5 inches. 
   
   
       4 . The masonry block of  claim 1 , wherein the cementitious mixture includes no particles greater than about ⅛ inch in diameter. 
   
   
       5 . The masonry block of  claim 4 , wherein the cementitious mixture includes no particles greater than about 1/64 inch in diameter. 
   
   
       6 . The masonry block of  claim 1 , wherein a length of at least one display face of the block is at least about 24 inches. 
   
   
       7 . The masonry block of  claim 1 , wherein the finish applied by natural stone finishing techniques includes at least one of: a hand-pitched finish; a cut face finish; a thermal finish; a dressed faced finish; a tooled face finish; and a sandblasted finish. 
   
   
       8 . The masonry block of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of hollow cells formed in the block, the cells being spaced substantially equally from one another. 
   
   
       9 . A method of replicating an appearance of a specific, finished natural stone with a plurality of cementitious masonry blocks, comprising:
 creating a concrete mix design that, when cured, is matched in color or grain, or both, to the natural stone being replicated;   forming the concrete mix into an uncured masonry block having at least one hollow cell formed therein to provide a void for structural reinforcing; and   curing the uncured masonry block to create the cementitious masonry block.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 comparing an appearance of the resultant cementitious masonry block to the appearance of the finished natural stone; and   based on the comparison, modifying the concrete mix design to more closely match the appearance of the cementitious masonry blocks with the appearance of the finished natural stone.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising applying a finish to the cementitious masonry blocks with natural stone finishing techniques. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the cementitious masonry blocks each include one or more display faces having a thickness at least twice as great as a thickness of remaining sides of the cementitious masonry blocks. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more display faces include a thickness of about 3.5 inches. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the concrete mix design includes no particles greater than about ⅛ inch in diameter. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the aggregate includes no particles greater than about 1/64 inch in diameter. 
   
   
       16 . A method of forming a cementitious masonry block that exhibits the appearance of natural stone, comprising:
 obtaining a concrete mix design that, when cured, is matched in color or grain, or both, to the natural stone being replicated;   forming the concrete mix design into an uncured block, the uncured block having:
 a length at least about 24 inches; 
 at least one hollow cell formed in the block to provide a void for structural reinforcing; and 
 one or more display faces operable to have a finish applied thereto by natural stone finishing techniques; and 
   curing the uncured block to create the cementitious masonry block.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the length of the block is at least about 32 inches. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the length of the block is at least about 40 inches. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the block includes two display faces, and wherein one of the display faces includes a length of at least about 16 inches. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the block includes two display faces oriented orthogonally to one another, and wherein each of the display faces includes a length greater than a depth associated with either display face.