M/Bed Blocks Vs. Traditional M/Beds
Embeds are pieces if metal, fabricated in various configurations which are used to attach accessories to concrete block walls.
Some common attachments are:
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Architects designate the exact location for embeds to be located on the concrete block walls so that the accesories can be bolted or welded.
Traditional Installation
Although embeds are used in a wide variety of facilities, they are commonly found in detention facilities. The following example demonstrates the traditional installation of embeds in a medium security jail.
In this example, embeds were needed to attach minors, desks, seats, shelves with coat hooks, window frames and door frames.
Here, a mason is installing embeds for a set of back-to-back desks and seats. More specifically, one desk and one seat will be on each side of a common wall of two cells. There are four plates measuring 4"x4"x1/4" for each side of the wall. Each 4"x4" plate has a 2"x3'x1/4" brace welded perpendicular to the plate, with a 1/2" hole drilled in the center and approximatel1y 1" of the end bent at right angles to the brace. |
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In addition, there were two more plates for each side of the wall, each measuring 4"x12"x1/4". They also had two braces welded perpendicular to the plate with the same configuration as those described above. |
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Once the embeds are situated in the correct position, concrete has to be made in order to be poured into the holes to ensure that the embeds are secure. After which, additional time is needed to allow for drying and hardening of the concrete
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Once the embeds have been placed correctly, preparation is begun on the concrete blocks that will lay on the next row. |
Setting concrete blocks over embeds requires the mason to measure and have a saw operator cut the block to fit the embeds. This requires aligning and realigning of the block and the embeds that were already in place. |
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Often times, pieces of concrete are wedged between the rebar and the inside cavity of the concrete block to hold the embed flush with the wall while the mason prepares another block. |
This entire process is extremely tedious, time consuming and labor intensive.
Long embeds for windows and door frames require even more time. During their installation rebar is placed through each hole in the brace of the long plate as the wall is being built. This requires outside bracing to hold the embed against the concrete block while the mortar sets.
 Long embed for a door |
 Braced embed while motar is setting |
 Long embed after installation |
Mirror and shelf embeds require the same labor intensive and time consuming process.
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A Break from Tradition Moving Forward with MBed Innovation
M/BED BLOCK SYSTEMS, LLC, has designed and produced metal embeds that are incorporated into heavy-duty concrete blocks during the block manufacturing process.
This embed block saves time by eliminating the need to:
X brace
X continuously align or
X meticulously measure exactly where the embed is placed
There are over nine configurations available for various accessory attachments for 6”x8”x16”, 8”x8”x16” and 12”x8”x16” concrete blocks. For example, in the 8”x8”x16” heavy-duty concrete block, we incorporate one 8”x8” or one 8”x16” metal on each side of the block. We have two metal embeds which surround the ends of the block for corners, doors and window jambs. We have a block with an 8”x16” metal plate on one end of the concrete block. We also have an 8”x8”x16” Bond Beam and a Toilet tissue holder and a soap dish in a concrete block. These blocks require no more effort or time to place in a wall than the block before or after it. There is enough metal surface area to meet the architect’s requirements to install the accessory to the wall.
Our M/BED blocks successfully passed a broad array of stringent testing as conducted by a reputable and recognized testing firm in San Antonio, Texas.
So we now proudly offer, the M/BED BLOCK SYSTEM by:
M/BED BLOCK SYSTEMS, LLC.
St. Louis, Missouri
The ONLY concrete block products on the market that solve the masonry contractor’s need to easily install secure embeds in concrete block walls.