Once we figured out how to achieve stable and fast dry stacking we had a great system that could be used in a lot of applications.

You can click on the Architects-Engineering and Homeowner buttons above to read about the features and benefits of UNITED LOCK-BLOCK LTD.™ construction, directed specifically to the people involved in these various types of projects.

Features and benefits that are common to many of our applications...

Tight crisp appearance and good seismic stability Self aligning interlocking key that speeds assembly and allows easy straight stacking. Broad range of accessory shapes (shown on the Retaining Wall page) Two sizes to suit excavator lifting capacities Range of textures (shown on the Retaining Wall page) Self draining design that relieves hydrostatic pressure. Self supporting in most soils, eliminating the requirement for poured concrete footings Compatible with Geo-Textiles to form MSE walls (Wiki) Easy customizing at low cost due to in-house form fabrication Safe to lift

In the beginning we made our blocks from surplus, returned or rejected concrete. Our precise forms were located right in a concrete producer’s yard. These blocks were cast by whatever labour was available on site. We still produce thousands of these utility grade blocks at various locations for use in non-technical applications such as material containment bins, flood control diking, low walls and pre-load applications.

We consider these Utility Grade blocks to be a recycled by-product of the concrete industry.

Soon the LOCK-BLOCK® system was used to build permanent civil works such as retaining walls. We added more shapes and the LOCK-BLOCK® brand became a complete structural building system. As our business shifted towards infrastructure we instituted a comprehensive quality assurance program under the direct supervision of a Professional Engineer. This QC and QA program continues to the present day.

Many of our copy-cat like competitors failed to make this important transition! For this reason we suggest owners and specifiers be careful of substitutions. There are no equals in terms of engineering qualities, only alternatives with lots of unknowns!

More about our competitors - These unknowns can range from the outright dangerous through to the a shoddiness in appearance.. Lifting loops have failed and blocks have fallen, blocks have broken into pieces when hoisted, blocks have tumbled off of shakey bin walls . Walls have bulged as sloppy interlocking keys allow blocks to rotate under load. Owners complain of big gaps between blocks, rough forming and honeycombing of concrete and deterioration from the ravages of freeze thaw and salt. The most frequent complaint from installers is about the time they waste trying to stack blocks up straight that were cast crooked, out of square or off-size.

Our comprehensive QC and QA programs has resulted in a specification that engineers can include in legal contract documents. You can download a suggested specification PDF after Clicking on the Engineer’s button above.

We encourage Engineers to prescribe exactly what kind of concrete they want used in making UNITED LOCK-BLOCK LTD.™ units. We offer a range of options for the strengths and properties of concrete for this reason. You can read about the factors that affect the strength and durability of concrete at this Wikipedia link for concrete

We also test our competitor’s products through engineering consultants to see just how well they stack up against the LOCK-BLOCK® brand.

Please email inside sales for further information.

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This information applies to UNITED LOCK-BLOCK LTD.™ products only. Other blocks do not meet our strict dimensional tolerances and do not lock together into a cohesive wall as well as UNITED LOCK-BLOCK LTD.™ units. Using copy-cat blocks with UNITED LOCK-BLOCK LTD.™ engineering data could result in wall failures.


On a more serious note, we aggressively defend our intellectual property and right protections and are always on the lookout for copy-cats.