Hi,
My CMU wall continues. I’m off a bit in terms of matching two different heights of the wall – about an inch or so. Question – is there such a thing as a 1″ nominal (5/8″ actual) starter CMU and if so how common is it. Oldcastle has a CMU that is 1x4x16 called “cracker”. If not, do folks just make a really thick bed for the first course or adjust the footing with a small pour of grout?
Thanks!
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John: I had that problem w/ my Polysteel ICF's. I just bit the bullet & sawed off enough of a whole bunch of foam blocks so that the top of the first course wound up level for the entire perimeter.
Don
The Glass Masterworks
"If it scratches, I etch it!"
Thanks Don but that's not going to work for CMUs going onto a concrete footing.
you can bed the bottom course on a thicker bed to bring it up level, or have the joints taper slightly so that the wall is level at the top.i prefer the first option
Thanks - what's the thickest bed you would recommend? It seems once you go over 1/2" or so it gets more difficult to keep things level and plumb. It seems as though if you make your mix a tad drier it allows you to keep a thicker bed consistent- any thoughts?Thanks,
John
not too sure as i'm not a mason!!!!!!
What's wrong w/ cutting some wedges to bring it up in steps as you lay courses? That will allow you to level things as you go, then pull them out after the mortar cures & grout the wedge holes?DonDon Reinhard
The Glass Masterworks
"If it scratches, I etch it!"
"Lawd have mercy there Boy "iffin you lived any where nere S.W. Va. I come up and lay it for you. If I remember right you have 80' of two/three courses of block , even with a thicker starter mortar bed you would have a hard time coming up with a consistant 1" bed joint over 80', because I could just about bet ya that your footer is not dead nuts level anyway.
Not unless you cut/saw some block to get the size you need I think you out of luck on a 1" nominal cmu, the thinest I have worked with is 1 1/4" -- I think the closest you can get will be thin pavers from a brick yard and use them with a thin pencil joint for the starter course.
Luckily, its just 23' that I need to adjust, although the overall wall is 80' long. Where are you from in SW Va? Bristol? I used to visit the tri cities when my wife worked for Eastman. I figured that was the answer. Many thanks!
What could you get that would give you the 1 inch that you could put in the mortar bed and keep the block from dropping? I'm thinking something as simple as piece of copper pipe. Cut four spacers, lay you mortar, push the spacers down in the mortar and then lay the block.
a round marble?
Never seen a square one!
Okay thats the 10 year old coming out in me but yeah that is my thought. Something of consistent height that will give him the space that will keep the block at the right height while the larger than normal mortar bed dries.
>Never seen a square one!<
could be a slab of marble...
Long aago I watched a union crewfrom a distance setting bricks in a very high rate of speed, one guy doing mortar, another tossing something in the mortart (later began to realize it wa a marble of the proper dia) and then a nother following and setting bricks. Pretty slick.
that sounds like a great idea - I think I try that out! It seems I've heard of that one elsewhere. And if I get ball or roller bearings I can even get the height in different increments!
What can I say, my wifes van now has a heater hose with a sharkbite fitting and three hose clamps where there was a $60 custom fit GM quick connect hose. I sure my regular mechanic will get a kick out of it.