I've been building retaining wall for almost 10 years, and there has got to be a better way. I was wondering if any of you guys had any tricks or tips for making the base course of a wall easier to install. I've tried a few different ways, but all I can say is that it's a time consuming, slow, and stressfull process. Right now the system I use is pretty old school. I start by excavating the area with either a mini-ex or the skid, and lay down a base of compacted stone, using a thin layer of some stone dust for setting the blocks on. I use stringlines to keep the wall straight, and 3 different sizes of carpenters levels to make sure my blocks are all level. It seems like I spend most of my time adding or subtracting tiny amounts of base material, moving the blocks in and out several times, and swatting the heck out of the blocks with a big deadblow hammer. It's a very slow frustrating, process and It's about enough to make me want to quit, but my walls always turn out nice, so it's a proven system. Any ideas to help speed up the process or to make life easier would be greatly appreciated.
Setting the base couse for a wall
R.M Hanson
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I've been building retaining wall for almost 10 years, and there has got to be a better way. I was wondering if any of you guys had any tricks or tips for making the base course of a wall easier to install. I've tried a few different ways, but all I can say is that it's a time consuming, slow, and stressfull process. Right now the system I use is pretty old school. I start by excavating the area with either a mini-ex or the skid, and lay down a base of compacted stone, using a thin layer of some stone dust for setting the blocks on. I use stringlines to keep the wall straight, and 3 different sizes of carpenters levels to make sure my blocks are all level. It seems like I spend most of my time adding or subtracting tiny amounts of base material, moving the blocks in and out several times, and swatting the heck out of the blocks with a big deadblow hammer. It's a very slow frustrating, process and It's about enough to make me want to quit, but my walls always turn out nice, so it's a proven system. Any ideas to help speed up the process or to make life easier would be greatly appreciated.
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Thats the same way I do it. I take my time and it allways comes out perfect. Try training your guys to do it so you dont have to, that is what im working on.
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I agree its better to take your time and do it the right way then try to fly through just to finish the job.
OK, sounds to me like you got it knocked. I've done hundreds of block wall projects since decorative block came out in the 80's. Some days you can lay 200' of base and some days you can lay 30'. It's frustrating for sure. For myself i get my base (3/4" clean) as close as possible, then i set down a skim coat of 3/8's clean. set the block down and drive her home with a commercial tire hammer :hammerhead: (rubber side of course). Check her every which way to sunday with a variety of levels and eye f#*k her to death on the radius. If she's off the slightest, rip her out and do it again.
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It's very very simple. Excavate 6" wider than the block in both front and back for your base course of block. Excavate down 6" below the base course of block for your Aggregate base. Wrap the excavation with suitable geotextile fabric and install 2A type modified stone and compact. To set the grade for your blocks easily, screed rails of 1/2" pvc pipe can be placed in parallel close to the outside edges, and leveled off with a laser or transit. Sand or screenings can be applied over the pipe and screeded off easily to make a wide leveling pad the entire length of your wall. Simply lay the blocks on the pad end to end and your done. The hollow blocks below grade should be filled with 2a modified stone. At grade level, a drain pipe needs to be placed behind the wall and routed to daylight. Backfill at this point should be 2B clean stone inside all hollow blocks and 1' behind the wall. When reaching the top, end your drain field before the last course. Filter fabric may or may not be necessary between the drain stone and infill soils, but definitely needs be placed over the aggregate after the last course. Finish with a cap and grade.
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Stone screed ?
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Must be an old concrete guy?
G
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·I built a little tool that has probably saved me days.
Took a four foot steel level and two pieces of 1/8th steel. Welded the first piece (4x10inch) to one end of the level. Drilled two holes into steel. Took the second piece of steel (12x 20 inches) and cut slots to match up to holes in other steel plate. Connect the two steel plates with bolts washers and wing nuts.
How to use.
Place one block on top of a skid. Loosen the wing nuts. Place the level portion on that block and retighten once the second steel plate touches on the skid. (You will learn that 1/16th to 1/8th gap is ideal.)
Set your first block in the base row exactly how you want it.
Place the level portion of tool onto block and move the steel plate back and forth through stone dust/sand. Repeat until base course is complete.
I do not post much but have a lot of walls under my belt. -SL
Took a four foot steel level and two pieces of 1/8th steel. Welded the first piece (4x10inch) to one end of the level. Drilled two holes into steel. Took the second piece of steel (12x 20 inches) and cut slots to match up to holes in other steel plate. Connect the two steel plates with bolts washers and wing nuts.
How to use.
Place one block on top of a skid. Loosen the wing nuts. Place the level portion on that block and retighten once the second steel plate touches on the skid. (You will learn that 1/16th to 1/8th gap is ideal.)
Set your first block in the base row exactly how you want it.
Place the level portion of tool onto block and move the steel plate back and forth through stone dust/sand. Repeat until base course is complete.
I do not post much but have a lot of walls under my belt. -SL
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G
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·That is darn close to what I built. I kept the bubbles in the level... might be the only difference.
Has anyone used something similar? -SL
Has anyone used something similar? -SL
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Thanks for the ideas guys, that stone screed tool looks pretty neat, it sure looks like it might make things go faster. I've also considered using the screed rail method, and using that to help as well. Maybe a combination of these different ways, combined with my old way will help speed up the process. I also have a good employee that I'm training to help me, and he has no experience building walls. He's a good worker though, and listens and wants to learn, and that's what's important. We just completed a 480sq.ft (face) wall, and have 3 more similar size walls to do this summer, so we'll be getting a lot of practice. My usual work is finish grading and seeding, and I build walls between projects. More and more home builders are landscaping the houses they build before they are sold, so business will continue to grow. Thanks for the ideas, and I'll let you know how things turn out on the next job.
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i have tried ordering that but the web site does not take orders and the phone # goes to an answer machine that no one calls you back on.
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I still say it seems like a good tool, but unless you keep checking the height with a laser, simply screeding the base next to each block will eventually leave you with a wavy wall. Best bet is to frame out your wall area with wood strips, masonite forms or pvc pipe- level it with a laser, screed once and your done.
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I use a laser, my good eye, elbow grease and patience, I am sure you all have come to realize that this is where most of your time is spent when building a wall, and I dont care how many gimick gadgets are out there its going to be time consuming. I tell me guys and myself for that matter all the time--- Take your time with the prep work because if your prep is crap then so is your finished product!
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I forgot I even had these pictures. We dug a trench, put in 6" of modified stone for the base and tamped. Framed out around the base with cheap, simple wood furing strips that were leveled with a laser. Screed some sand or stone dust and lay the blocks on a perfect leveling pad! zoom zoom zoom... :drinkup:
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Haven't tried this method on a true retaining wall yet, but it works great for smaller garden walls:
After excavation and base aggregate is in place and compacted, lay down Dee stakes perpindicular to the base. Level the Dee stakes to the proper elevation using a combination of a laser (check the center of the stake) and a 1 foot level. Once all Dee stakes are in place, fill between with sand mixed with Portland (*lean* mix- probably 4-5 shovels of sand mixed with one shovel of Portland), screed off and pull the stakes. Fill the grooves left by the stakes like you would with screed rails on a paver patio. Set your base course carefully!
This method eliminates needing flexible forms, not to mention 1/2" PVC is WAY too flexible- any waves in your aggregate will produce waves in the wall. The Portland mixed in with the sand helps to prevent any migration. Just make sure you are using straight Dee stakes!
After excavation and base aggregate is in place and compacted, lay down Dee stakes perpindicular to the base. Level the Dee stakes to the proper elevation using a combination of a laser (check the center of the stake) and a 1 foot level. Once all Dee stakes are in place, fill between with sand mixed with Portland (*lean* mix- probably 4-5 shovels of sand mixed with one shovel of Portland), screed off and pull the stakes. Fill the grooves left by the stakes like you would with screed rails on a paver patio. Set your base course carefully!
This method eliminates needing flexible forms, not to mention 1/2" PVC is WAY too flexible- any waves in your aggregate will produce waves in the wall. The Portland mixed in with the sand helps to prevent any migration. Just make sure you are using straight Dee stakes!
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