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Need advice for building river rock wall. Have completed 10″ block wall on footing to finish floor level. Have 6″ block above the 10″ so there is a 4″ lintel for the rock. Have carefully selected the rock so there are none wider than 4.5″. Some are much thinner than 4″.
Now how do I best get them to adhere to the block wall?
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I'm not a mason but saw you hadn't gotten a response so here goes . If their natural stone and not man made stone with a flat back they dont really adhere to the block wall . You should have masonry tyes that were put into the mortar joints of the blocks as they were laid to tie the two together. You just lay them up simalar to a brick veneer wall . You wont be able to go very high in one area without letting the mortar below get solid enough to support itself . There is a regular on this board who is a mason maybe he'll respond . Chuck
*Easiest method for you is just to use a premixed mason's mortar. Mix small batches (+/- 1 bag) in a wheelbarrel and keep the mortar wet--no, not too wet--by rechopping not retempering with more water. Don't let the mud stiffen up, regularly rechop.Liberally spash water onto the block just before you are to starting setting the rock. Trowel some mortar onto the block and backbutter each rock. Not too much, but not too little. You eyeball this until you figure out how much is enough. Want the rock 100% embedded but not enough mortar to make a mess.You'll want to work bottom to top, although top to bottom is not unheard of. Rake the mortar joints after no more than one hour. While you can do a superlative stone job with minimum measuring tools (level, string, etc.) you do need to pay attention. It is possible that the rock will slump outward from the block. Work head to head--laterally along the wall, starting at the corner/end--then go up. Pay most attention to consistent joint spacing between the rocks. Avoid using smaller rocks to "chink" the irregular joint spacing; avoid the irregularities in the first place. Nothing like chinking to make an otherwise good job look bad.This can be slow, exacting work. Just take your time and get into your work. You'll know you did right when you can look at the wall and not look with dismay at an area where you knew you should have done better.
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We just finished a veneer project, using flat rock. Be sure to use Type "S" morter, it'll stick best for veneering.
lana
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Need advice for building river rock wall. Have completed 10" block wall on footing to finish floor level. Have 6" block above the 10" so there is a 4" lintel for the rock. Have carefully selected the rock so there are none wider than 4.5". Some are much thinner than 4".
Now how do I best get them to adhere to the block wall?