Construction in Kenya with interlocking blocks...

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Looking to build a house or renovate your existing one? In today's video, we dive into the age-old debate on which is better - interlocking bricks or stones. Join us as we explore factors such as time, cost, quality, and longevity to determine which option is the best fit for your building project.
We compare interlocking bricks and Ndarugo stones side by side, looking at the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Discover the truth about installation time, overall cost, project quality, and how long each option can last.
Are you team interlocking bricks or team stones? Let us know in the comments below. And make sure to subscribe to our channel for more informative content on construction, project management and finance. Thanks for watching

[@anteperic2836]

I have a manual press machine. I did a soul test first to see what the clay % was. It tested at 80-85% clay. I then weighed in 5 gallon buckets for consistency of mix a ratio of 5.5 type m sand, 3.5 clay, and one part Portland cement. The water mix must be right also. If a brick breaks in the mold I found it wise to put it back in mix and reuse it after proper mix is done. You can’t pull a bad block from the machine unless there are obvious cracks if you do. I then air dry the blocks that same day and the next day I leave them in a tub of water for the next 20 days. I pull them out and air dry them for 3 days. When tested random blocks (1 out of every hundred at that point) it measured between 3500-3800 psi with 3700psi the most common rate. As I stack them I add rebar, pipes for electrical and plumbing, and other supports. Every meter I did a concrete beam across the blocks with rebar attachment. I also rebarred all windows and door frames and poured concrete there too. I did one course of brick a day until I got to the point of needing a scaffold system to lay block. Then I would need two days and as I got higher I needed more time. I used Portland cement to stabilize the clay and sand and block as a whole. Check out my TikTok (anteperic2) for comparison videos against red fired clay blocks and cinder block. Also my KZbin channel has 11 videos for you to watch. It works if it’s done right.

[@mianomuthii]

That's awesome information.... thank you will check it out

[@mosimba2665]

What is your youtube channel?

[@richardgithinji1234]

I think you need good quality interlocking blocks professionally done and cured. Every brick is not just a good brick like every ndarugu stone is not necessarily a good stone. Passing a judgement without first telling us your technical know-how is peddling propaganda. Remember transport cost, labour and time are the key issues to consider. After setting the bottom block you do not need much skilled labor for interlocking blocks. They have global acceptance if you are properly informed.

[@111jacare]

With the blocks you were making, you should be using a 4 gravel (1.6 to 5 mm screened), 3 washed concrete sand, 2 cement and 1 water formula. You should also have reinforcing rods running vertically through your wall, and the reinforcing rods need to be backfilled with cement through the cores. I would not use the hydraform blocks, as they are not able to be vertically stabilised via cores, as there are no cores on those blocks. The other benefit with 'cored' blocks and bricks is that you can run your services and utilities through the cores. This saves cutting into the wall to install the services / utilities.

[@mianomuthii]

Nice input thanks 🙏

[@Antonio-ti2he]

What do you mean 4,3,2,,1? 4 barriles? And are you saying not to use any soil? That mix sounds like a concrete block?

[@emilyrissling9703]

Asante Sana kwa hii video ,nimejifunza

[@juniourx2203]

Technique technique technique remember the pyramids were made using just mud pasted together

[@wilsonmosbey1573]

Thanks, very informative

[@kathrawawenka2577]

Thank you so much for this tips

[@mosimba2665]

I will have to politely disagree with your conclusions here that interlock Brick are not suitable to build within Kenya, In South America and Asia they have been using ISSB for a long time with no issue at all and they are also in a tropical climate with a lot of rain even more that Kenya ... The issue with ISSB reside - 1. Manufacturing process - mix ratio - force of compression - curing process 2.- Construction expertise 3.- Foundation stability as all other bricks/Block A very good ISSB looks like a rock usually with 10% of Ciment as a stabilizer and up to 100 tonnes of pressure and properly cured for at least 3 weeks ... Thanks for your videos please i really enjoy them.

[@mianomuthii]

Hi I wouldn't disagree on the above input, I raised the above issues and when the above are all met I realized costs are similar with ndarugo,, then y go through with all this plus the headache??..

[@mianomuthii]

So to control the quality of the block you need to do the manufacturing itself, and the proper and more qualified fundis are more expensive, and for ndarugo you basically get fundis on the cheap and no hustle for quality control...nway financially speaking at the moment I still prefer ndarugo

[@mosimba2665]

@@mianomuthii Instead I would say this is a technology is new for us in Africa, we just need to understand the basic and grow from There ... Every country I have traveled to, they have at least standards for bricks and different pre-determined strength and size like Europe they have M150, M250 ... For different uses ... I will invite you next year to visit my factory, so you can see yourself what i'm talking about here

[@mosimba2665]

@@mianomuthii With good interlock Brick, they cost of construction is about 30% to 40% lower depend on the plan, usually you save on time, labor, Ciment (plasta & Mortar) and if 2 level even in structure depend of the architect... And other aspects like strength, water resistance, temperature control, quiet (sound proof), beauty and others ...

[@mianomuthii]

@@mosimba2665 would appreciate this..also you hear my side and educate me on them More... Thank you

[@morrisndegwa1324]

Thanks for this info

[@morrismunene2989]

I like the video. I think the problem of not holding plaster with interlocking bricks is because the masons maybe do not first chisel the bricks abit for the plaster to hold...May be they do it i dont know. Thank you for the video. Very educative

[@mianomuthii]

Yeah 👍.. that another problem too

[@maclaudeamumbwe2663]

They break because 1. Ratio of cement to soil 2. Preparation of the soil eg seiving etc 3 . When building. Use a spirit level.the first block level need to be same level. On all axis. X, y and z for weight distribution. Something a quack with no engineering background can do

[@fredrickokoth1578]

Thanks for the information

[@mianomuthii]

Welcome

[@ethanbrian2022]

Good insight

[@mianomuthii]

Thanks 🙏

[@emmanuelmboya9233]

In nyanza especially party of siaya...matofari all the way inawezanga

[@estherbarr5711]

Following 👍

[@mianomuthii]

Thanks 🙏

[@jacobmjakfu9587]

Hahaa am sorry about your experience, however we shall revisit this video in a few months time. We have an upcoming project that we'll be using interlocking bricks method. Meanwhile let's keep doing more research on the same.

[@mianomuthii]

Sure

[@fangacaccccccccc]

update?

[@user-fc7zu4qo8n]

Updates

[@Ed-ov4jp]

Nice topic. We need more of these channels in Kenya

[@mianomuthii]

Thanks 🙏

[@FutaMoto]

The 15 shillings on the red interlocking blocks from MuMi is NOT the purchasing price but service price with your own materials. I have had a project with them now calling themselves JoMu interlocks and It was a good experience.

[@mianomuthii]

prices seems to have gone up

[@mianomuthii]

so what was your cost per brick

[@winniekirigo-2328]

Thank bro for sharing and sorry for what happened

[@mianomuthii]

Thanks 🙏 appreciate

[@OwenChristopher-ej3hh]

Miano tell us more about precast panels😊

[@mianomuthii]

Working on a video on it

[@shelmithwairimumuthii1964]

Listening.

[@mianomuthii]

Thanks 🙏

[@111jacare]

At 0:46, you are showing a masonry block - NOT a CSEB or ISSB. Those masonry blocks are made from plastic moulds, and are a wet pour block manufacture. Whereas the CSEB and ISSB are dry pour moulding, made in a press, then popped out. The thing that does not sit well for me with ISSB bricks is that, depending on the machine, they can either be inconsistent in either height or length. At this time, am in the process of building a screening table that is worked using a bicycle! Where there is no electricity available, burn fat, not oil! A wheelbarrow with the raw material sits outside of the machine. A second wheelbarrow sits underneath the screen and catches the small sized material. The required material is trapped on the screen, and the screen is removed from time to time to empty and replaced and refilled, one shovel at a time. I may change the design of the machine but to do that will require a third wheelbarrow. The next project after that above is the manufacture of a machine that will be able to make the masonry blocks mentioned above, CSEB and roofing tiles from the one machine! It may even be set up to produce large format paving!!! But, we see how things progress.

[@gogexperience]

I am in the USA. I could not understand because the language was changing to swahili. I want to make an interlocking stabilized soil block (ISSBs) project iwth 90% soil and 10% sand. I would like to use Makiga's machine to do it. I have an architect's design of the building project. What do you think? about using ISSBs.

[@mianomuthii]

Okay, the most important part of blocks is the artisans and quality of blocks you make. The artisans Will determine both the quality of the blocks and building. Another thing to consider is the ratio of materials you will use. Like you still need a little of cement in the ratio for cement is a great binder or treat the bricks on an oven/kiln. Heat helps. After getting the building done don't leave the bricks exposed to the element without some sort protection especially from rain and termitez...

[@gogexperience]

@@mianomuthii I would. try to ask people from the Makiga company to build it. Since they might be the best or they might have the most experience. The advertising about Makiga's Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks is very impressive. I would hope that the reality lives up to the advertizing. For example I would hate to find that after it is built it quickly deteriorates from insects and rain. Does it live up to the reality of all the advertizing ? or are there there some rapid deterioration problems?

[@mianomuthii]

@@gogexperience those are the same ones you Saw at my video with poor results but mostly due to poor maintenance

[@gogexperience]

@@mianomuthii what kind of maintenance would be required ?

[@mianomuthii]

@@gogexperience we can have a video call or virtual call on what's app anytime from 10am to 5 pm Mon to sat.. I could take you through some of my experiences

[@kevinonyach603]

lack of expertise is to blame

[@salimmachila5736]

What about concrete hollow bricks?

[@mianomuthii]

Not bad as long as they are made properly and hire very good fundis who know how to work with them...

[@mianomuthii]

My wall didn't turn out well as didn't mould them well pus sikua na fundi anazielewa

[@salimmachila5736]

@@mianomuthii not that interlocking hollow bricks but is made from chips n sand cement and during construction u use mortar 🧱

[@mianomuthii]

@@salimmachila5736 yea nimexijua...those are awesome... plus ziko na advantages mob than ndarugo...

[@luciejumastake2977]

I hope mine doesn't get weak

[@mianomuthii]

Just take care of them

[@mosimba2665]

Seems you interlock bricks are very poor quality, I'm not sure what machine you use and your mix ratio ... Try a good quality interlock brick and compare ... Of course there are a lot of factors on saving especially on labors, cement, time and quality of construction... On durability, it depends on your techniques and know how ...

[@bernardmuchemi3005]

Is it true what u said thatsoil interlocking bricks don't hold plaster?

[@mianomuthii]

Yeah especially if you use Less cement.. they also use cement in making them which acts as a binder

[@interlockbrickprasadvangal668]

Hai bro 😊

[@mianomuthii]

Hi

[@bkadenge]

Govt has hydraform machines in all 47counties. They provide the expertise which seems to be driving your conclusion. It is like saying one car is safer than the other because of one having a careless driver.

[@mianomuthii]

But they are rare..n the project seems to have died

[@bkadenge]

@@mianomuthii o have used the machines in Nairobi, kisii, Bungoma so I don't know how you define rare

[@mianomuthii]

@@bkadenge like the footage of sand interlocking bricks you see it's in the government offices in kirinyaga county and they did lessons only for a period of,3 months and abandoned the project completely

[@eliiasii]

Sounds like a Ndarugo stones Fan boy😂 as usual

[@fangacaccccccccc]

@@eliiasii exactly, with halfbaked conclusions based on poor quality work

[@garyhouston2679]

Bro you will go a long way if you speak English or just stay with the Swahili.

[@ikwuochejohndavid7000]

A best mix is A bag of 50kg cement, 5 wheelbarrows of soil (quality soil), 2 wheelbarrows of sand, and 2 wheelbarrows of lava debries. You will produce an evalasting interlocking block. I do not recommend the design you displayed there are other better double interlocking block designs.

[@mianomuthii]

Okay 👍 thanks 👍

[@yawugaremijo9542]

Please I think you didn't follow the hinds of how you must come up with your foundation. your wall is victimized by your foundation

[@SamuelLopez-qp7uw]

Show the product not just talking and talking .and how you built

[@wekesabrian9053]

This is simply u trying to market some other thing

[@mianomuthii]

Just curious What is the product you think I am promoting

[@fangacaccccccccc]

@@mianomuthii to make search conclusions as you do. the workmanship must be good. i found the video of no benefit.

[@kibuukachristopher1814]

But you never took best care of the project. So many projects of these bricks I've seen are bettering. In our Uganda kigo prison was built using them and it is ok. Anything however good it is, if mishandled can degenerate quickly. Same with life brother. Sorry for this but I disagree with you. Try good handling of them u will testify

[@mianomuthii]

True... Hi this soil bricks 🧱 were from a government project.. mine was the concrete ones and still doing fine... Just compared to the cost of building with this and stone I still prefer stone in Kenya... As cost is relatively the same and stone will definitely outlast the soil bricks

[@wekesabrian9053]

It's soil bricks and not Issb

[@kadisshow]

Do you full English video. Do not speak Swihili.

[@arshadalibhai944]

I find your analysis shallow and biased. Interlocking bricks are teh way to go. If you have a machine it costs only 15 shillings per piece. It is faster to build and uses little plastering if you need to do that. Stones are expensive and cause environmental destruction.

[@mianomuthii]

Okay

[@apostlechrispinusmwangala3877]

What do I do

[@abdullahimohamed3381]

Brother I want to connect to you ? Bt how mcn I get your namber

[@mianomuthii]

0751085881/ 0704427181 are my numbers

[@denoombaki4063]

I think u lacked the expertise of using this stones for construction.

[@mianomuthii]

I did say so in the video

[@lazarusramaube8291]

Speak one language and use subtitles if you wanna use a second language because you're confusing and losing some of the crowd along the way.

[@mianomuthii]

Noted..all new videos are English only

[@mosimba2665]

Learn how to make and build before you go with it, with your given reason it seems you are very amateur ... This technology is not new

[@mianomuthii]

👍