Moulds For Concrete Blocks

Precision Tooling for Block Production

Concrete block moulds are the essential tools that shape concrete mix into finished blocks. UNIK has been manufacturing brick machines and molds in Quanzhou, China since 2010, exporting to 28 countries. This page provides a detailed overview of concrete block mould types, technical specifications, and selection considerations.

What Are Concrete Block Moulds?

Concrete block moulds are steel tools that mount onto block making machines. Each mould contains one or more cavities shaped like the blocks to be produced. Concrete is fed into the cavities. The machine vibrates and presses. The formed blocks are ejected and sent for curing.

The mould determines the final dimensions, surface texture, edge quality, and consistency of every block produced. If the mould is inaccurate or wears prematurely, every block will be out of specification.

UNIK concrete block moulds are CNC machined from wear resistant steel and heat treated to achieve high surface hardness while maintaining a tough core. This combination delivers long service life and repeatable accuracy.

Types of Concrete Block Moulds

UNIK supplies moulds for a wide range of concrete block types used in construction, landscaping, and civil engineering.

Hollow Block Moulds – Produce blocks with core holes that reduce weight and improve insulation. Used for load-bearing walls, partitions, and foundations. Standard sizes include 4x8x16 inches, 6x8x16 inches, and 8x8x16 inches, as well as metric sizes such as 200x200x400mm.

Solid Block Moulds – Produce fully solid blocks with no core holes. Used for structural walls, foundations, and heavy load applications. Higher concrete volume per block but maximum compressive strength.

Paver Block Moulds – Produce paving stones for driveways, walkways, plazas, and pedestrian areas. Available in interlocking, decorative, and standard rectangular designs. Common sizes include 200x100mm, 400x230mm, and 252x252mm.

Grass Paver Moulds – Produce blocks with open cells that hold soil and allow grass to grow. Used for grass parking lots, fire lanes, and erosion control. Also known as eco pavers or turf blocks.

Curb Stone Moulds – Produce kerbstones for road edges, drainage channels, and landscaping borders. Available in straight, curved, and tapered designs. Standard lengths include 500mm, 780mm, and 1000mm.

Retaining Wall Block Moulds – Produce interlocking blocks for slope protection, garden walls, and earth retention. Designed with rear lips or pins that lock blocks together.

Custom Block Moulds – For unique shapes, proprietary designs, or special surface textures. UNIK manufactures custom moulds based on customer drawings or samples.

Key Technical Features

Steel Grade Selection – UNIK uses 42CrMo steel for standard concrete mixes. For highly abrasive mixes containing sharp sand, recycled aggregates, or stone dust, tool steel grades such as Cr12MoV are recommended. The steel is selected based on the customer's specific material and production volume.

Heat Treatment – Each mould undergoes a carburizing process that hardens the surface layer to HRC58-62 while the core remains at HRC35-40. The hard surface resists abrasion from concrete. The tough core absorbs vibration from the block machine without cracking.

Corner Radius – All internal corners of the cavity are machined with a 3mm to 5mm radius. Sharp corners concentrate vibration stress and lead to fatigue cracks. A radiused corner allows stress to flow around the curve, eliminating this failure point.

Surface Finish – Cavity surfaces are finished to Ra 1.6 or better using CNC machining. A smooth finish allows blocks to release cleanly without sticking. It also reduces wear because smooth surfaces erode slower than rough surfaces.

Dimensional Tolerance – Critical dimensions are held to ±0.1mm. This ensures that every block produced is identical to the previous one. Consistent dimensions reduce waste and speed up construction on site.

Mounting Interface – The bolt pattern, locating pins, and overall envelope dimensions are matched to the customer's specific block machine. UNIK does not sell generic moulds that "should fit." Every mould is built to fit the machine it will run on.

Applications
Concrete blocks produced from UNIK moulds are used in a wide range of construction and landscaping projects.

Residential Construction – Foundation blocks, partition walls, garden walls, driveways, walkways.

Commercial Construction – Load-bearing walls, parking areas, plazas, retaining structures.

Infrastructure Projects – Road kerbs, drainage channels, slope protection, erosion control.

Landscaping – Garden paths, patios, decorative walls, grass parking areas.

Industrial Facilities – Heavy-duty flooring, equipment bases, containment walls.