How to rebuild brick retaining wall?

Cherry

I have an old brick retaining wall, which I removed some and need to fill in again. Quote to re brick was expensive, so thought I would tackle it myself. I intend to cover all the wall in corten steel as have this in other parts of garden. Wondering if I can use 

Brighton Masonry 390 x 190 x 90mm Besser Blocks instead of bricks, as would be quicker & need less. Area is only 3m x 1.7m i need to use the besser bricks ch the corten cladding over all the wall. Any hints? Advice welcome.

I have no experience in bricking, but presume I would need to lay a concrete base, trench for blocks.

  

Jewelleryrescue

Hi @Cherry 

I have faith  in you to  rebuild that wall .    If  I can offer some simple  steps.

Or you can simply sit the bricks  behind the steel and garden dirt will lock them into place eventually. 🙂

All your really need is some sand and cement premixed  bags x 5 should be enough for your project. mix it by hand (small shovel  garden trowel  in a  small wheel barrow or large plastic bucket)  Hammer, lump of timber as a straight edge.

WEAR Gloves so you can touch the concrete mix at need.

Looks like you have in the old wall 2 levels of common bricks I would use the same  bricks to match the  wall height easier. Also the spacing between  the old brick work and  new will perfectly match standard brick sizes no cutting required.   Bessers I lov  em but different dimentions to regular bricks so use common bricks yes you will need two layers or  three if  i am not seeing right and they will line up all going well.

Enough bricks (See the old part of wall and count them up to fit your space)

- Dishwashing like gloves ( latex  gloves wont survive long ) Garden gloves  will get saturated and not block cement water contact.

-Mixing bucket

-garden trowel 

- hammer to tap bricks into place

- piece of timber 1 metre long (or equivilent) to tap bricks  down and use as a straight edge.

Lay the bricks out on the grass to practice building your  wall no cement yet/ See how it fits together?

You can Adjust the brick wall longer or shorter by increasing or decreasing the gaps between the bricks.  Lay them out in a practice wall build you will soon see how many too need and there placement.

Normally bricks over lap  this means  cutting a brick in half  ideally,  But this is not necessary an a small garden wall just sit them  doubled up is  perfectly ok.

Ideally move the brick test wall  you just laid out behind you on the  grass so you will know how its laid out ready to go at cementing time.

Look at your old wall and see the level of the first  brick row at both ends

1  Now  dig a small brick width trench 50 to 70 mm deep.

2 Mix some concrete  with water so it  moves like tooth paste, Pour it in a long the full trench slightly high so the first  row of bricks will sit on it and squish out the sides.

3 Now add first row  bricks  off your practice wall adding cement fill to the  ends of the bricks using gloved  hand (It takes time to use a  brickies trowel so eaisier to use  gloved hand)  Keep adding cement to the brick ends and joining  them together quickly ( we  will straighten them soon. Perfection not required.

4 Your  first layer of bricks are in put the timber on top  of your  first row (Timber1 metre +or-  use your hammer)  Or at need use one loose brick over lapping joins,  The  idea is to tap the bricks level with the original  brick work as a  guide.  If you go to low simple lift that brick add some more cement and relevel.  

5 Now use your timber on the side of the brick wall and tap all the bricks into a straight line between the old  brick  work.  Its a garden wall prefection not required.

6 Repeat   steps 2  to 5  for the remaining layers.

7 The final top layer the bricks need to be level with the side old walls so add enough mud to lift them up or put timber on top and hammer them down even until you happy the wall straight and even. Remember it dosnt need to be pretty as you are addind the iron infront.

If you have to stop brick work mid  build simlpy scrape mortar off the brick work yet to have bricks added make sure wall is straight and level  to that point.

8 Any squished out mud along the sides  use it to fill any holes alone the morter lines make the  wall smooth like original walls.  

9 you may wish to fill the top  hollow  brick holes  with  mortar so red back spiders cant move in.

10 I would  use  outdoor liquid nails  to glue the corton steel to the wall face pack some items under the steel to lift it up so it matches  brick height will glue  dries.

Well  it seams a  lot to do only because i went into deeper detail than  usual.

Bricks and cement is forgiving you have and 1  1/2  working time  If the cement starts stiffening up simply add a bit more water to regain tooth paste like (not sloppy wet)  consistancy/

Hope this  helps/