Block Wall Construction

Set the blocks with a heavy rubber or plastic mallet.

Block wall construction.

I would strongly recommend you hire a licensed and insured concrete block wall contractor to perform the installation for you. Step 11 at the end of the wall set an 8x8x8 half block into the mortar bed with the smooth side facing out. Whether you re building a retaining wall or just need some extra privacy a cinder block wall is an affordable way to get the job done. Foundation all concrete block walls must rest on a sturdy foundation of poured concrete.

Cost can add up quickly especially if you re a novice and have never attempted a concrete block wall installation before. Step 12 using a mason s line as a guide for the remaining block continue building the wall until it is complete. Concrete blocks can be solid or hollow with two or three cores or voids. The depth and size of the foundation will vary depending on the size of the concrete block wall and the weight it must support but a typical freestanding wall requires a foundation that is about twice as wide as the wall itself and which extends about 1 foot down below the frost line.

While some capstones can cost as little as 95 cents apiece the average cost of a cinder block is 1 to 3 each the total cost of building a cinder block wall ranges between 9 and 12 per square foot with labor so an 8 x 15 foot wall would cost between 1 080 and 1 440. Prepare the concrete footing where the cinder block wall will sit. Avoid having downspouts pointed at the retaining wall and if it s against the house keep soil and mulch well below the siding. Cinder blocks don t vary much in cost regardless of the type.

Concrete block wall total average cost per square foot. If you re building a long wall local building codes may require you to strengthen it by constructing core filled pilasters at intervals along its length. The pilasters are made by interrupting the course of the wall with two perpendicular blocks set side by side alternating with a full block every other course. The interlocking retaining wall block can be used to build walls up to 24 to 36 inches high depending on the size of the block.

Use a torpedo level to level each of the landscape retaining wall blocks front to back and a 4 or 6 ft. To set the next course of block apply a one inch thick mortar bed along top of the first course. A concrete block is referred to as a concrete masonry unit or cmu in the construction industry. Follow the block manufacturer s instructions for wall height limits.

Start the concrete footing by digging the area of the wall a few inches below the frost line the maximum depth in the ground below which the soil does not freeze during the winter consult a structural engineer to design the footing including where to install the vertical reinforcement which usually is placed.