Multiple Uses for Cinderblocks

Question: What would be a good item to have around that you would not want to carry in a backpack or bug-out bag?

Answer: Cinderblocks.

Of course, there are plenty of other heavy and bulky items you wouldn’t carry around with you following a disaster.

But if you end up hunkering down during a crisis rather than bugging out, having plenty of cinderblocks on hand is not a bad idea.

In fact, there are many uses for cinderblocks that will benefit you regardless of whether or not you have to deal with an emergency. Think of these cinderblocks as an adult version of Legos.

A building block with built-in storage

First of all, let’s make sure exactly what we’re talking about. Cinderblocks are not concrete blocks.

Concrete blocks are solid and weigh more than cinderblocks, which are hollow and rectangular-shaped.

Cinderblocks are not lightweight by any means. But because they are hollowed out, they don’t weigh as much as concrete blocks.

And the spaces within them make for some great storage possibilities.

Multiple uses

Here are a variety of ways you can use cinderblocks in and around your home:

• Starting on the inside, cinderblocks are great for building shelves in your basement for food storage. Your mason jars and other containers will fit well on boards anchored by the blocks.
• A backyard fire pit will enable you to cook outdoors, either for enjoyment or when the power goes out. With a couple dozen blocks and a couple large bags of lava rocks, you should be good to go.
• A good option for backyard cooking is a cinderblock fireplace. You can either keep it in one place or move it to different spots in your yard. Or even relocate it with a pickup truck.
• If you have a sloping yard, you can us cinderblocks to build stairs. Fill in the hollow areas with small stones so you can step on them easier. Of course, you’ll need a shovel for the dirt to make the stairs even.
• To form a raised bed in your garden or on your lawn, use the blocks in a square or rectangular shape and fill the area between them (as well as the hollowed out areas) with rich soil.
• Here’s one of my favorites. Probably because it’s so simple. You can use two cinder blocks to build a kindling stacker. Lay the blocks side by side and place four 2 by 4’s in the hollowed out areas leaning in opposite directions. Place your kindling wood in the middle and stack it as high as the tops of the 2 by 4’s will allow.
• If you really want to get your back into it and go all out, among the other things you can build with cinderblocks are an outdoor fireplace, meat-smoking device, barbecue rotisserie pit, ground fire pit, fence, furniture and even a swimming pool.