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How to lay crazy paving on concrete retaining walls?

Hello,

I'd like to Lay Crazy Pave on Concrete Retaining Walls.

1. What products do I need to use?

2. Is laying crazy pave on the concrete retaining walls going to add more weight to the retaining walls and cause issues later on?

3. I have 16 boxes of 200x200 wall tiles. Can I use them to lay the crazy pave on the retaining walls?

4. What would you do if you had 16 boxes of 200x200 off white wall tiles? I was thinking about cutting them into subway wall tiles but the subway tiles are 300x100 so it wont look good with 200x100 subway tiles

Thanks

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Comments

MitchellMc

Hi @Beginner20,

Laying crazy paving on concrete retaining walls can be a great way to create a textured, natural finish, but it’s important to first prepare the wall properly. Since most retaining walls, especially block ones, aren’t completely flat and may have voids between the blocks, it’s essential to first fill these gaps with a cement-based filler. Trying to stick small, uneven pieces of tile (which is what crazy paving often involves) directly onto a bumpy or hollow surface will make the job much more difficult and may lead to tiles falling off or looking uneven. One effective way to create a flat, stable surface is to first clad the wall with fibre cement sheets, securely fixed with masonry anchors or screws. These give you a smooth, level base for laying your crazy paving.

As for materials, you’ll need a good quality tile adhesive suited for outdoor use, grout, and a sealer if your tiles are porous or you want to reduce water absorption. You’ll also need a tiling trowel, spacers, and a sponge for clean-up.

Adding crazy paving will definitely add weight to your retaining walls, but assuming the walls were built properly to code and are structurally sound, the additional load from tiling is typically not a major concern. That said, if the wall is already leaning, cracking, or showing signs of movement, it's best to have it assessed before proceeding with any decorative cladding.

Regarding the wall tiles you already have, you could potentially repurpose them for a crazy paving effect by smashing them into irregular pieces and using them mosaic-style. However, standard wall tiles are generally not rated for outdoor use, especially on vertical surfaces exposed to the elements. They may not be UV- or frost-resistant, and the glaze can deteriorate over time. Check the manufacturer’s specifications — if they’re not rated for outdoor applications, it’s best not to use them in this way.

If I had those 200x200 off-white wall tiles, I’d consider using them indoors or in a covered area where weather exposure is minimal. Cutting them into 200x100 “subway” shapes might still look okay, depending on your style — it’s not the traditional 3:1 subway ratio, but it can still work in modern or stacked layouts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Beginner20

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/52841#Comment_52841

Thank you @MitchellMc

Great ideas re the mosaic tiles! In this video from Bunnings, the mosaic tiles were on the mosaic sheets which I found a lot easier and quicker to lay.

Is there a way to make the mosaic sheets from broken tiles?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuKI2nAANdQ

I'll give the retaining wall crazy pave a miss as the existing retaining walls dont look structurally sound 🙁

Thanks

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/88597#Comment_88597

I’m not aware of any reliable way to make proper mosaic sheets from broken tiles @Beginner20. In manufacturing, the tiles are precisely arranged and glued onto mesh backing in a controlled environment. While you could try gluing broken pieces onto mesh yourself, it’s hard to get a consistent layout. The big challenge is that when you place homemade sheets next to each other, the transitions between them won’t look seamless. You’ll often end up with flat edges that are difficult to disguise, especially with the irregular shapes of crazy paving. Crazy paving works well because it’s laid as one large continuous area where each piece can be individually adjusted. Trying to pre-make that into sheets would tend to highlight the joins rather than blend them.

Mitchell

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