Is it good to lay blocks and later fix pillars, or fix pillars before laying blocks?

Last Updated 8 months ago by Kenya Engineer

In this article we explore a common question, Which one comes first ?

1. Constructing the brickwork leaving the column hollow and after the brickwork is completed the column gaps are filled with concrete.
2. ⁠Constructing load bearing elements columns and beams first followed by masonry wall.

This is a big conundrum for many builders and project owners. If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, then this piece is for you. The truth of the matter is, neither blocking laying nor pillar fixing takes precedence over the other (generally). So, why the major concerns?

Answer these questions
1. What type of building are you putting up?
2. Storey? How many floors ?
3. What’s the purpose, family residence or commercial?

Your answers should inform your choice, whether you’re doing walls first (load bearing construction) or columns first (framed construction).

Load Bearing Structure; you build the walls first to get the load of the slabs. The walls are made to carry the weight of the structure. Consequently, you must make sure your walls are made of quality blocks, and sitting on well-made foundation. Anything short of that will make you suffer for your negligence.

This approach is ideal for low rise buildings. One advantage is that, casting columns after brickwork creates a good bond between the walls. It also prevents cracks between junctions and joints.

Framed structure: you create the columns, beams, and slabs before masonry works. These elements are connected together to resist gravity at different load capacities, and are useful in building multi storey houses of any height.

In framed structure, the load transfer is from slab to beams, beams to columns, and then columns to footings. The walls have little to no role to play here except for partitioning purposes.

In project management, we’re always on the lookout for best practices that’ll help us achieve desired results at minimum cost without compromising on quality. It is at the back of this that we’re advised to do some basic analysis before commencing our project. Specifically on storey building, it is proper to complete columns before laying blocks. I’m limiting the argument to common perspectives.

Why must you do the framework first?
1. One major issue that comes from laying blocks before casting columns is that, the blocks could absorb water from the concrete, weakening the column. Note: Concrete needs water to grow stronger and firmer. This, many people haven’t paid attention to.

2. In the advent of shoddy work and little technical knowledge, you can’t be sure if your walls are actually good to carry load. In order not to take chances, let the load sit directly on the pillars, so the blocks become more like decorative agents in the structure. On the flip side, if you make the blocks load bearers, you subject the walls and pillars to the same fate. They’re all required to carry weight. At this point, If you use weaker blocks, and poor foundation, then you’re nearing fatality, especially if it’s a commercial building.

3. Achieve Accurate Column Alignment: Focusing on your columns makes you get desired results. Hardly will you find a pillar go out of line. Your column lines are straight, with no deviation. However, with most people who lay blocks before fixing columns, they end up shifting the lines of the wall, creating a gap between the column section and the walls. In correcting this, artisans forcefully bend the iron rods from their original positions to align with the miscalculated block lines (cranking) causing the iron rods to lose their tensile strength.  Setting your columns first discounts the possibility of cranking.

4. Easy to reuse materials: For many of us who may not have enough resources to buy materials in bulk, it’s good to fix all pillars. The reason is this, when you buy 50 boards and it’s able to make 10 pillar moulds, you can use them for the first set of pillars and use the same mould to fix the next set without dismantling, or recutting them. It helps you to get equal shapes and sizes for all pillars. But, if you choose the other approach, you’re required to hammer the boards into the walls, and the results will be;

a) uneven pillar sizes and shapes, compromising the strength of affected pillars.

b) By the time the first set of pillars are done, about 5 or more boards will be wasted. Most of them break into pieces when getting them off the walls. You’ll buy more wood if you’ve more pillars to fix. You’ll be exempted if your carpenter is patient enough.

c) Delay: because the column gaps won’t have equal dimensions, carpenters have to cut and join boards at every corner. This prolongs their activities and will cause you to pay more if they’re doing “By-Day” job