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laying block

pino | Posted in Construction Techniques on April 16, 2004 04:45am

The weather is turning good and my wife just changed my weekend project.

I need to lay some concrete block “wing walls”, by which I mean concrete walls that run parallel to my front steps and perpendicular to the concrete block porch walls.

The wing walls are 5 units high and 5 long. They are rock face CMUs I made with my 1911 Wizard block maker, if that makes any difference. These blocks will tooth into the porch walls which are the original rock face CMUs, into which I cut out alternating cavities so the wing walls can tie in.

My question is – should I use any kind of reinforcement either vertically or horizontally?

I guess I should mention that these walls are decorative, not structural. They’ll get a concrete cap put on in a few weeks. The only load they’ll take is my kids sitting on them.

Sorry if my terminology stinks, but I am no pro.

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  1. bill_1010 | Apr 16, 2004 02:15pm | #1

    no need for steel reinforcement.  However id grout the end cavites with plain ole concrete.

  2. rvillaume | Apr 16, 2004 02:58pm | #2

    Make sure you have good footers in place.  And even though they're small walls, depending on your climate I'd put in durawire (I think dur-o-wall is the product name) every other course, like the 2nd and 4th.  Might be overkill, but that's what I'd do for a single-width wall.  It's good that you're toothing it in, but filling those joints under there are tough.  You may want to use a few wall ties there.  

    And definitely pour the end cell with concrete like the other guy said.   

    Rick

    1. pino | Apr 16, 2004 04:30pm | #3

      Thank you for the valuable input.

  3. IanDG | Apr 16, 2004 07:38pm | #4

    I'm not a fan of toothing-in new block or brickwork to existing as the slightest settlement of the new results in cracking -- however -- do make sure, as RVillaume said, that you pour a good strong footing for the new walls and I like the idea of wire reinforcement to every course [it's cheap enough]

    Now, to deal with your main problem:-

    The weather is turning good and my wife just changed my weekend project

    What you should do is have one large, expensive project on the go --- I don't know, a Jacuzzi in the loft or something -- then when asked to do something, your reply can be "Just as soon as I've finished the JITL"

    You don't actually work on the JITL because:-

    a) You're waiting for the delivery of a special order part or

    b) You need more materials and you're a bit short of cash this month or

    c) Any other plausible reason you can think of.

    Practice the sincerity of your excuses and you can enjoy your free weekends.

    IanDG

    1. pino | Apr 16, 2004 08:15pm | #6

      I poured footings 12" wide by nearly four feet deep. The frostline in the Chicago area sits just above 48".

      As for my wife's suggestion to move my project outside, the "planned" weekend adventure was to cut out an old cast iron drain stack and vent then begin the replacement of floor joists. Or I could start removing wall paper on a high stairwell ceiling and start patching plaster.

      As you can see my project choices currently run from bad to worse. Renovating an old house on one's own sure isn't pretty, but is is fullfilling. The way I see it, I won't have any free weekends for the next ten years.

  4. BKCBUILDER | Apr 16, 2004 08:12pm | #5

     I wouldn't tooth in splits(or rocks, whatever you want to call them)I'd grout in a rebar into the cavity, and across a groove in the new work(every other course). Grout the toothed cavity full in the old work, and the first and last cell in the new work. Lay in some durawall every other course. Keith

    1. pino | Apr 16, 2004 08:20pm | #7

      When you say "grove" in the new block, I am not sure what you mean. I know the new blocks I've seen have a grove on the top and bottom of each unit, presumable to set reinforcement into. But what I have are hand-made rock face units made using an antique machine so as to match the existing.

      Can you explain about the grove further? Can I just set the bar directly on the units and mortar up the next unit on top as usual?

      1. BKCBUILDER | Apr 16, 2004 08:33pm | #8

         You could, but even with a #4 rebar you'd be setting the block up too high for a 3/8" joint.You can groove your block with a saw, or angle grinder to set the rod down into the block, and then get a 3/8" joint.  Are your block cored? If so you can channel the block with your mason hammer just as easy. I'm not talking about trying to make a bond beam block, just enough to get a rod layed across the top, and extending into the toothed cavity 6-7 inches, then be able to have a enough room to slush the cavity full of grout, and the first cell of the new block(provided they are cored.) Keith

        1. pino | Apr 16, 2004 08:57pm | #9

          Yes they are cored although the cores are small relative to today's block. I'll take your recommendation and use an angle grinder before laying the block.

          Thanks.

        2. pino | Apr 16, 2004 09:06pm | #10

          I don't know if this is relavent, but I do have complete access to te inside of the toothed out cavity. My front porch actually sits atop my basement. Grouting in the cavity or tooting in the block is easily done.

          1. BKCBUILDER | Apr 16, 2004 10:05pm | #11

             Since head joints and bed joints are the weak links, I would try to slush and rebar the intersection when possible. I think notching and rebar will be more than sufficient. Keith

          2. pino | Apr 16, 2004 10:27pm | #12

            thank you much.

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