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How to choose the right size concrete block

No two concrete projects are the same. Concrete blocks used in road construction have very different requirements from those designed for coastal protection. That’s why choosing the right block or element—and, by extension, the right mould in terms of shape and size—is so important. But how do you determine which size best suits your needs? This article will guide you through selecting the right mould for your project.

Betonblock orange concrete block moulds stock in warehouse
Betonblock orange concrete block moulds stock in warehouse

Choosing the right concrete elements

Want to know which mould best suits your needs? Start by identifying the type of elements your project requires, then work backwards from there. Concrete blocks are used in a wide range of applications, from building retaining walls to installing anti-terrorism barriers. For coastal protection, a shape like a tetrapod may be more suitable. In this article, however, we’ll focus specifically on choosing the right block size.

Which size concrete block do you need?

Once you’ve determined the right shape, you can choose the appropriate size based on the application. Take concrete blocks, for example. Different types of projects require different sizes:

The 80 cm wide range (heavy-duty, for maximum stability)

These blocks offer a large bearing surface and can withstand significant lateral pressure and impact.
  1. 160 × 80 × 80: The standard powerhouse. Ideal for high retaining walls, silage clamps (manure/forage) and storage bays for sand, gravel, and scrap.
  2. 240 × 80 × 80: The ultimate combination of stability and speed. Perfect for rapidly constructing very large, heavily loaded industrial walls over long distances.
  3. 160 × 80 × 40: A half-height block. This size of concrete block is mainly used for building strong walls, because the longer overlap between the blocks creates a stronger bond in the wall.

The 60 cm wide range (medium-duty, for all-round use)

This is the most commonly used range for general applications in industrial yards and warehouses.
  1. 240 × 60 × 60: The long space-saver. Ideal for quickly sectioning off large areas, such as property boundaries, site security, or road barriers (anti-ram protection).
  2. 180 × 60 × 60: A versatile standard block. Often used for medium-duty applications such as recycling bays or partition walls in large buildings.
  3. 120 × 60 × 60: A more compact block within the 60 cm range. Works well as a fitting block for staggered (running bond) layouts or for shorter walls and smaller storage bays.
  4. 180 × 60 × 30: Half-height block. Used as a finishing layer (top block) for 180 × 60 × 60 walls to achieve the exact desired height.

The 40 cm wide range (space-saving, for light-duty applications)

These blocks take up minimal space but can withstand less lateral pressure.
  1. 160 × 40 × 80: A narrow but tall block. Ideal for space-saving partition walls in warehouses where no heavy material is placed against them, or as ballast/foundation for fencing. For proper stability, these can be stacked a maximum of two blocks high.
  2. 160 × 40 × 40: Half-height block. Used as a finishing block for the 160 × 40 × 80 series, or as a low barrier and for marking parking spaces.

The 30 cm wide range (very narrow, non-load-bearing)

These slim blocks are mainly used for visual separation and space division.
  1. 180 × 30 × 60: Primarily for light, non-load-bearing (interior) walls, temporary visual barriers, or bases for noise barriers where space is limited. For proper stability, these can be stacked a maximum of two blocks high.
  2. 150 × 30 × 60: Similar to the 180 × 30 × 60, but used when a 150 cm module better suits the project layout.
  3. 180 × 30 × 30: Narrow and low (half-height). Ideal as a finishing block for 30 cm wide walls, or for creating clean, low edges along driveways or gardens.
  4. 150 × 30 × 30: Finishing block for the 150 × 30 × 60 series. Also popular in landscaping for building large, robust planters.

The 20 cm wide range (mini)

  1. 40 × 20 × 20: A miniature concrete block, comparable to a large masonry unit. Ideal for landscapers, planters, low borders, and small DIY garden projects, as they can often be placed by hand or with light equipment.
Concrete blocks corners sizes
Concrete blocks corners sizes

What size concrete block do you need for building the corners of walls?

At Betonblock®, we’re often asked why we don’t offer a 90 cm range of block moulds. At first glance, 90 cm blocks seem like the ideal solution for finishing wall ends. After all, when stacking 180 cm long blocks, a 90 cm length appears to fit perfectly at the corner.
In practice, however, 90 cm blocks make it difficult to create clean, structurally sound corners. This is because a 180 cm block is typically 60 cm wide. When forming a corner, this creates a small gap that a 90 cm block can’t fit in. In theory, you would need a 30 cm block to close that gap, but this often looks awkward and unprofessional.
A better approach is to place a 180 cm block against the corner block. This setup requires two 60 cm sections to complete the end, as shown here.

That said: if you build a lot of retaining walls, you only need the 180 and 120-length block moulds. By adding a divider, you create all the required block sizes needed to build a strong retaining wall

Selecting the right mould for your project

Once you know the exact shape and size your concrete elements need to be, choosing the right mould becomes straightforward. Need a 40 × 20 × 20 cm block? Then a 40 × 20 × 20 cm mould will do the job. It’s as simple as that.
That said, you won’t always have the right mould on hand, especially when producing smaller blocks than usual. In those cases, dividers are a practical solution. By placing them inside the mould before pouring your concrete, you can easily create smaller blocks within a larger mould. For example, with one 180×60×30 mould and five dividers, you can easily produce six 60×30×30 blocks. This saves you from having to invest in a new mould for a one-off project.
But what if you need a wide-base block or want to create a wall with a rounded end? You can achieve this either by using dedicated moulds or by working with dividers to adapt your existing moulds to the desired shape.

What concrete block moulds do I need to get started?

When businesses first begin producing interlocking concrete blocks for their own projects, one of their first questions is often which moulds to start with. Since blocks in sizes like 160 × 80 × 80 cm and 180 × 60 × 60 cm are by far the most versatile, we typically recommend these as a solid starting point.
Our starter kits include everything you need to get up and running: a mould in the size of your choice, a divider, a mould opener, two magnets, grommet rings, spherical anchors, and two universal lifting eyes. It’s a complete package designed to help you achieve high-quality results from day one.

Betonblock®: the right concrete block mould for every project

At Betonblock®, we offer the right mould for every project, from large tetrapods to smaller concrete blocks. We hope this blog has given you a clear starting point for choosing the right mould size for your needs.
Looking for more information or tailored advice for your specific application? Get in touch with us today. We’ll be happy to help.
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