Leave block pier cells empty?

Lupus71

I'm building a 16x24 shed/shop and someone told me not to fill the block cells with dirt because it can freeze and bust the block so I'm wondering if they can be left empty. The piers are 3 block high on 6" footers, also I live in Georgia so theres not as many freezing nights though there are some. Filling the cells just isn't in the budget. Would filling them with rock(gab-rock and dust used under roads) be a bad idea? I can get it free off the job. The shed will have wood working tools( table saw jointer, planer, bandsaw,collector,which are 200#s each ,and hand tools. Thanks for any help! Hope there's something else I can do because someone stole my trolling battery and ext cord last night. So I need this built asap

joed

Never heard of filling block with dirt. I would agree on the freezing and splitting thing. When I read your title I thought you meant with concrete. I can see absolutely no benefit to filling with dirt.

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joecaption

I would not have used a single stack row of blocks.
Double them side by side.
Could also have just used solid block.

Lupus71

They are interlocked not just a single row.

Lupus71

Well not interlocked but two stacked side by side then the next 2 are turned and so on up 3 high.

concretemasonry

Lupus -

There is nothing really to be gained by filling the cores since the piers are so short.

Dirt and waste rock are definitely out unless you really need a place to hide it without being too detrimental.

If they were higher, filling the cores with grout and rebar may be needed.

As long as each course of block it rotated to provide an overlap and you have mortar bedding between the block, you will be O.K.

Dick

Lupus71

Thanks man! That's what I wanted to hear!