Popularly known in Brazil as “cocadinhas” (little coconut candies, for their shape), these makeshift “spacers” are small blocks or discs, usually made on the job site from leftover concrete or mortar.
Although cocada spacers are widely used in some regions of Brazil, they are not recommended or broadly adopted in civil engineering, for several reasons:
Standards and codes: national and international technical standards for civil construction, such as ABNT NBR 6118, do not include the use of “cocada spacers” as a recommended practice. These standards set out guidelines and requirements to ensure the safety and quality of structures, and the use of standardized, certified spacers — such as plastic spacers, which carry these quality guarantees — is far more common.
Inadequate sizing: cocada spacers have no proper structural sizing — that is, they are not designed taking into account the expected loads and deformations of the structure. This can result in structural integrity problems, such as stress concentration and reduced load-bearing capacity.
Quality control: cocadinhas show variations in size, shape and strength, since they are made by hand or in small workshops. This lack of standardization makes quality control difficult and hinders any guarantee that the spacers meet established requirements.
More efficient alternatives: the market offers a variety of concrete spacers — mainly plastic spacers — that are certified and designed according to technical standards, offering better structural performance and ensuring the quality of the work. Here at MARCANTI, these spacers are produced at scale and undergo rigorous quality control, providing greater reliability and safety for our clients!
To avoid putting your project at risk, you should stop using cocadinhas!
Reach out to MARCANTI and request your plastic spacer quote right now!
Source: ABITELHA
