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Designed for internal and external applications Lignacite’s Architectural Facing Masonry (AFM) blocks combine an inherent decorative appeal with strength and durability. They are one of the most sustainable and long-lasting building products available with many different textures from clean flat surfaces to heavily textured and irregular faces to stunningly beautiful polished masonry.
Building with facing blocks offers a number of benefits including structural strength and durability, sound control, fire protection and energy efficiency. Laying one standard block to 6 bricks, shows construction savings too. Maintenance costs are reduced as moisture for example, which can undermine other building materials has no adverse or weakening effect on concrete and the blocks are not subjected to large daily temperature fluctuations, having a positive effect on ventilation, heating or air-conditioning.
A ‘value engineering solution’ – The cost of building materials such as natural stone can be a prohibitive factor facing architects and designers. Research and development has enable us to create of a number of man-made alternatives which closely replicate these natural products, whilst showing cost savings and environmental benefits. An example of this can be seen on some of the recent phases of the Royal Wharf housing development in London, E16.
Our ‘Roman Brick’ is a smaller, lighter, contemporary designed block, measuring 440mm x 65mm. This module has the length of a standard block but the height a standard brick. Having all the benefits and flexibility of a brick and only weighing 6kgs, it makes an attractive alternate to brickwork or conventional facing blocks. This provides both material cost and labour savings giving architects and designers the opportunity to design modern buildings which can blend into more traditional settings.
We use a range of different manufacturing techniques to achieve a varied range of finishes and textures:
Natural or Fair Faced masonry is best suited to situations where clean crisp lines are required in conjunction with monotone colours. Enhanced visual effects can be created by using bands of different textures and colours. This may be particularly desirable where wall heights span several stories.
Splitting creates a craggy and heavily textured finish producing a decorative masonry finish. Whilst shot blasting to create our Weathered finish exposes the natural aggregates within the block, producing a flat but weathered texture.
Polishing produces a high gloss finish with a shine that is both lustrous and distinctive whilst creating further visual interest by exposing the raw materials beneath the surface.
The Planished finish is subtle and distinctive. Neither matt nor polished, it has an appealing and tactile finish. The surface is non-abrasive, making it ideal for external and internal use where people may brush past areas of walling in corridors and public spaces.
Stone Faced masonry offers designers the opportunity to use high quality natural stone, normally granite and marble, in a conventional facing block manner with a bed of mortar, in a very cost-effective way. 10mm slips of stone are bonded onto a dense concrete backing block. The bonding process uses the latest construction adhesive technology which has been rigorously tested for shear resistance and bonding. In addition, the finished product has been subjected to fire resistance and freeze/thaw testing.
Due to the increasing demand for more ‘environmentally friendly’ products, we are constantly searching for new and improved methods of production, including processes such as the refinement of our raw materials and the use of greater quantities of recycled materials such as glass, shells and flint and selected secondary aggregates. As a result, our commodity blocks have extremely high recycled content, with our facing blocks containing in excess of 75% recycled materials.
In conclusion, both the Lignacite facing masonry and commodity blocks offer an extremely versatile building unit. Available in a wide variety of colours, textures and formats, and offering good design flexibility our blocks can create both unique and stunningly visual impacts on buildings in a cost-effective manner.
For further information please visit our website www.lignacite.co.uk.
A full colour Swatch Guide showing all our block finishes can be requested via our website as well as many other useful documents in our Technical Library including a Design Guidance booklet. We offer a CPD on the benefits and uses of
concrete masonry. Please contact us for further details on 01842 810678.
Visitors to Maidstone Museum in Kent have every reason to cheer the arrival of an external Stannah Midilift SL platform lift in this Grade II* listed paragon of Elizabethan architecture, the former Chillington Manor.
Sited in a small courtyard, the through-entry Midilft SL outdoor lift is supplied in a fully glazed structure for easy, flexible installation. Built to withstand the elements, its compact footprint is ideal for space-strapped locations. 
The 23 individual glass panels and panoramic, fully glazed doors at each level allow the lift to meld with its environment whilst simultaneously showcasing the period features to visitors as they travel a total distance of 3900mm.
