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Hello! I am obsessed with these blocks, but unsure how to build a wall with them? previous blocks I have seen have a channel for rebar, but the bunnings ones are flat on all sides, do you just use mortar and that’s it?
oh, thanks so much! incredibly helpful, can’t wait to get started now 
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @roseche. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about constructing a block wall.
I'm going to unashamedly take full credit for this one. I spoke to abriMASONRY the supplier and their marketing team last year, and told them that we NEED these blocks available for customers as they are so on trend right now. They had the moulds available in storage for them but they had not produced them in years. Looks like they've got them back into the range. I'm really pleased to see that!
Some great information was provided by @Jewelleryrescue there and it sounds like you are all set. Here's a step-by-step guide that should be helpful: How to build a brick wall.
If you weren't already enthused enough, check out this stunning project from @ProjectPete: Poolside timber cabana with concrete bench.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Hi @bodega
Hi @bodega your wall sounds great :0)
Trench mesh is reo bars connected together so you wont need both.
in Reference to your question check list
1 The mesh supports the cement footing under load as it is webbing like where as reo bars used for pinning slabs together.
Sub note. Ie if you butting up against another existing cement slab use a rotary hammer drill with a drill bit same size or as reo rod and drill in 200mm and hammer a 400mm reo rod into the hole until it is snug so there is 200mm sticking into your new slab footing you can rest the mesh ontop of and tie to.
This means if there is any earth movement the slabs move together if at all. I think you are ready for that extra info.
1a Footings use parrellel form work timbers set them so the top of the timbers forms to top of the cement desired level this will make it easy to fill to correct level and simply scrap /screed across the timber to level cement Rough finish is ok helps mortar bond. Take your time setting formwork and desired levels and positions as this will be your wall base.
1b Pouring footings make sure cement is wet enough to be free flowing like lava on tv not lumpy. Agitate concrete to flow out and fill the sides to remove air pockets. (Tamping down with metal rake etc.)
2. 300 x 300mm will give you a super rock solid footing. Line the hole with any plastic under the reo as plastic shapes the concrete into a smother rounder edge which is stronger than jaggered concrete with its shape formed by the ground.
3 Now you have super solid footings only add other bricks if you want them in your design, not neccessary functionally.
4. Reo bar is 100% not used in any general brick work I know of and would complicate laying and may even weaken the mortar bed as there is less mortar area. If you find the bricks squeezing mortor out and the bricks sagging simply leave mortar sit on the bricks until it dries out a bit to support brick wieght (do still spritz the new brick so its wet to touch.)
5 Follow you instructions on cement bags for mix ratios.. Footings use General cement
OR for your project pre mixed cement and mortar would be easier. ?
Brick mortar use brick mortar ratios mix water to get a tooth paste like consistancy.
Do pre wet spray with water all footings and cement bricks as you lay them for strongest brick work.
@bodega your brick wall will last 100+ years unless a car hits it first and I hope not .
Footing leave set aweek before bricks. The bricks will dry and form full strength 1 to 2 weeks after setting. You will be able to climb on wall if done right and you have all the clues now to follow that
Have fun with bricks.
Hi @bodega
Questions are good
The concrete footing dosnt need to be buried under ground. If it is strong enough to self support plus the brick wieght its golden. The other reason footings are under ground is they can look ugly if left blocky and raw, It might be nicer having a lower footing and the bricks sitting on it rising up looking pretty. But good planning can have you footing look nice to as part of your design if you wish If you back side footing is exposed and no ones sees it then no need try cover it. But this is your project option to decide.
IMPORTANT NOTE update you now are planning to go to 1800mm thats 6 Breeze high (including 10mm mortar gaps) and yes confirming 1200mm wide is 4 Breeze blocks.
To go to beyond 4 breeze blocks I highly recommend building them into a frame to keep them strong. Notice How the photo in the earlier cabana has a rear timber post against the bricks and a top rail encapuslating above them to another post? That will keep the brickwork strong if it is ever impacted against by any thing. If a person was to fall against a free standing 6 block high wall they have enough possible force and leverage to fracture the mortar from a side impact and cause the wall to topple on to them. A 4 block high wall can also fracture if hit hard but is stronger lower to the ground and its height has less potental falling brick harm.
So I think those breeze blocks look better framed any how like a picture frame , So your can use timber posts or more longer lasting steel or aluminim posts each side and a capping across the top. all you need to do is make use the internal dimentions of the frame is 1200 X1800mm to house the bricks from the top of the planned footings. You can cement your posts into your footings as you pour them 1200mm apart inner opening. Post length is aprox 520 into the footing ( and 1880 out allowing for a top rail between posts Total length 2.4M ) so your footing is double depth there a bonus.
300mm by 300mm concrete footing and 600mm deep x 300mm for the posts made from general purpose cement mix (as shown on the cement bag Or uses sand cement premix is also fine and plenty strong.)
The sole purpose of a footing is to lock into the ground tighter the better. Any water movement around it after a fresh pour will serve to bring dirt particals to it and lock it in even tighter this is good thing and inevitable on the footing sides. Footings wrapped in plastic are waterproof allready and arnt exposed to ground acidity there for dont need drainage. For the cost of some plastic concrete is protected. And it is how things are done in all footing on any building site I have worked on domestic and multi story as soils vary plastic not necesseary on some drier soil types..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCoLeusk0oQ rare exceptions exist but deeper piers usually dug as compensation.
Deliberatly adding crushed rock is to invite subsidance and or a river under your footings and delay the soil locking in your footings process in fact it will be a soggy mess and potential for movement as dug earth or compacted material is still 50% more loose than surrounding soil and can invite settling of up to 15mm in the first 150mm of compacted gravel. This will not matter on most home projects as mortar can compensate. The earth as it is is super strong especially clay and has being compacting for hundereds of years when we dug the footing hole out of solid earth no amount of compacting rock into that can improve on natural soil compaction the trick here is to clean out all loose dirt and rocks in a natural ground trench for site inspection and best results. There is another different situation where the ground has being dug up them put back is the worst case possibility compaction will assist here of original dirt (Not sandy) I would put in and follow with wider footings and pre soak the ground as much as possible and let it dry out for general project footing settlement.
Gravel is extra digging (better to fill with cement.) , extra material cost. delivery charge. Extra for compactor machine hire. for less benificial results.
