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Comment by 28304283409234 | Hacker News Reader

How are those vertical gaps between the bricks filled?

Sakrete makes a surface bonding cement for building mortarless walls: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sakrete-50-lb-Cement/3340656

I doubt that's what the robot is using, but it is a faster way to build block walls by hand. https://youtu.be/p_ZopnZ94Uc?feature=shared

something tells me that if the contestants that used the bonding cement had taken a mortar approach, they would have still finished in half the time as the other two :)

I'm aware that it's a promotional video for a product, but in my own experience as a former masonry worker, it is still faster. And a layperson who is bad at gapping mortar correctly can get it right if the first blocks are level

It doesn't seem like they are filled with anything other than the "special construction adhesive" that's applied on the sides of the cinder blocks. You can see it dripping in the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPhRb2AF92I&t=78s

I don't know AU construction but perhaps there is some sort of stucco that goes over top the block building both inside and out.

Might not need it?

Ultimately these are the "bones" of the wall to which you afix stucco or house wrap + furring strips + siding on the outside.

Inside would be stucco (if in warm weather climate) or furring + insulation + wall board (if in cold weather climate).

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