Table of Contents
How do you build a retaining wall with cinder blocks?
Can you use cinder blocks for retaining wall?
A cinder block retaining wall is only as straight and solid as the base it’s built on. For a 4-ft. tall wall, excavate a trench deep enough to accommodate 4 to 6 in. “cap” of native soil to help keep surface water from entering the rock-filled trench.
How do you secure a cinder block to the ground?
Tie a piece of string between the stakes. Place a cinder block into one corner of the trench, right next to a wooden stake. Press the block down firmly, then slide the string down on the stakes until it touches the top edge of the block. The string will serve as your guide to laying the stones even with one another.
How tall can a cinder block retaining wall be?
Most retaining walls, whether load-bearing or not, average between 3 and 4 feet in height. As a general rule, you do not want to build any sort of structure over 4 feet in height without including some type of structural support within.
Do I need rebar for cinder block wall?
Steel reinforcing bar — rebar — is used in concrete construction to add strength. Concrete block shares this condition. A concrete block wall will support heavy weights above, but it needs reinforcing against pressure that would cause it to bend, such as earth backfill in a basement.
Should you fill cinder blocks with concrete?
Whenever you are working with cinder block, you can strengthen them significantly by filling them with concrete. This is something that is not difficult to do and will strengthen your cinder blocks quite a bit. You may also find that if you have cinder blocks that are cracked, concrete can help.
Does a 2 foot retaining wall need drainage?
These walls need a drainage system regardless of the wall height. If there are poor draining soils such as clay behind the wall, there needs to be drainage incorporated the wall system. Clay when wet is very weak, so it is essential to provide a way for water to escape from behind the wall.
How much does it cost to build a cinder block retaining wall?
A cinder block retaining wall costs around $10 to $12 per square foot. The average concrete retaining wall costs between $20 to $30 per square foot for interlocking blocks, or $30 to $40 per square foot for poured concrete. A natural stone retaining wall costs between $27 and $35 per square foot.
What is the difference between a cinder block and concrete block?
Cinder block is made of concrete and cinder. Concrete block is produced from steel, wood or cement. Cinder block is lighter than concrete blocks. Concrete block is heavier because it contains stone and sand.
How do you attach concrete to cinder blocks?
Set out the first row of cinder blocks without mortar, and adjust and move your wall as needed until you are satisfied with the layout. Mix the mortar according to the directions on the package. Fill a mortar board with mortar. Set the first cinder block firmly into the mortar. Set a second block next to the first.
Do you have to mortar cinder blocks?
However, you can build a cinderblock wall without mortar, and it’s much easier than it sounds. First, dig a trench in your desired spot so that you can lay base footing for your cinderblock wall. Once you have the footing in place, apply a layer of surface bonding cement, then stack the first row of cinderblocks.
What do you connect cinder blocks with?
Mounting putty is a sticky, clay-like material that comes in sticks or cubes. It’s rolled into balls by hand and used as a substitute for pushpins or tacks. Mounting putty is especially good for cinder block walls because it is thick enough to fill in cinder block’s bumpy surface.
How deep should a footing be for a block wall?
Normally a foundation wall with seven rows of blocks will be 24 inches wide and 12 inches deep and should have a footing 30 inches below grade.
How thick does a retaining wall need to be?
Base width = 1/2 to 1/3 of the height of the wall. Base thickness = 1/8 of the height of the wall but not less than 12 inches. Stem thickness = 6 inches + ¼ inch for each foot of wall height.
Does a block wall need a footing?
All concrete block walls—both structural and non-structural—require a solid, poured concrete footing. Standard 8” x 8” x 16” blocks would require a 16” wide footing. Make sure the footing depth extends below the frost line, and check local building codes for construction requirements in your area.
How much concrete does it take to fill a cinder block?
Fill Volume for Various Block Wall Thicknesses Block Wall Thickness Blocks Filled per Cubic Yard Concrete/Grout per 100 Square Feet Wall Area 6″ 120 .93 yd 3 8″ 100 1.12 yd 3 10″ 80 1.3 yd 3 12″ 65 1.73 yd 3.
How far apart is rebar in concrete walls?
Rebar Placement in Walls Rebar is placed horizontally and vertically in the wall, in a grid pattern. As a minimum, #4 rebar (1/2 inch) is spaced vertically at 36 inches on center, continued to within 8 inches of the top of the wall, placed on the tension side — the inside face — of the wall.
What kind of concrete do you use to fill cinder blocks?
For cinder-block walls (and brick walls too), choose QUIKRETE® Mason Mix Type S. Forgiving to those who are not experts in masonry projects, the QUIKRETE® preblended mix remains workable for a long period of time, with no sacrifice of the high-bond strength that yields a successful project.
Can you fill cinder blocks with dirt?
Dirt isn’t really recommended for cinder block fill. It can retain a lot of moisture and therefore impact your structure’s integrity.
