Dry Stack Cinder Block Retaining Wall

The dry stack construction technique allows the incidental water to escape by flowing around the blocks and out the retaining wall face.
Dry stack cinder block retaining wall. Throughout the block stacking phase and at the completion check that the wall has remained level. Fill the concrete cores with crushed gravel. Backfill with gravel behind the wall to cover the drainage pipe. This built in drainage helps to eliminate water pressure.
Sweep away all debris from the top of the first course of block with a broom. Sbc stucco with horse hair and calcium carbonate was used hundreds of years ago to build huge water storage cisterns. Dry stack concrete block cinder block technique uses surface bonding cement sbc instead of mortar for high thermal mass htm thermic walls that are waterproof and much stronger than conventionally laid mortar block walls. Before applying the surface bonding cement dampen the surface of the block.
Minor roughness and variations in level can be corrected by setting the first course in mortar. The article shows installation methods and discusses advantages of each material. Blocks should be laid in running bond such that cells will be aligned vertically. A dry stack wall is a block wall that doesn t need mortar to hold it together.
Once the first course is set dry stack the remaining block in a running bond pattern to the desired height all corners should use an interlocking pattern. Stack the second course of blocks on top of the first course making sure they remain level. The corners are split off the face of this block leaving a highly. You willneed somemortar to create a solid foundation for your wall but we ll cover that later.
A dry stacked stem wall without using any mortar or cement should be no taller than 9 feet 2 7 m and can support a small shed or similar light structure. Learn about and compare natural stone wood timber and stacked concrete block retaining wall systems. Please note that this area is not to be used as a primary water management element. Begin by clearing the building zone and digging a trench around the planned structure s perimeter.
Step 7 thoroughly dampen the block wall with water dry block will draw the water from the mix making it difficult to finish and can cause inconsistent color and cracking especially in. This is the block style that started it all. Remember to stack the blocks so that the vertical joints stager.