Oldcastle Retaining Wall Block Installation - PartsXP

Oldcastle concrete blocks are ideal to use in building retaining walls. You can use Oldcastle Precast retaining wall blocks as a permanent structure or dismantle. Originally, retaining walls were built to prevent landscape soil from stripping away. However, they becoming more popular for their visual appeal and ability to create more usable space inside your yard. To know about installing a retaining wall with blocks, refer to this blog updated by PartsXP.

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Retaining Wall Block Installation

Here, you can check how to build a retaining wall block easily.

Required Materials

Along with the Oldcastle concrete blocks, you need some other materials to build a retaining wall. All Retaining Walls share some common building components in their construction. So, let’s check them once. They are including a Shovel, brick chisel, wooden stakes, level pad, drainage pipe, soil tamper, and gloves.

Installing a Retaining Wall with Blocks

1.Mark out the wall placement

Initially, you have to mark the area where the wall needs to be installed. By using a shovel, you can mark the ground. Drive your wooden stakes at the ends of the wall. Tie a string to each stake at the required height of the wall. If your desired wall height is greater than 8 feet, you have to drive a stake in the middle. Better to check no stake is not more than 8 feet apart. Make sure you have maintained the desired height throughout, using a line level.

2.Excavate the ground

After marking the location and length of the wall, you need to excavate a base trench to the designed depth and width. You should remove all surface debris and don't use this material as backfill. Wall measurements may vary depending on the design and block size. You can expect the depth as the one block unit height plus six inches and wide as the width of one block plus 12 inches.

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3.Install the level pad

Now, fill the prepared trench with a 6 inch base off granular fill. Recommended is 3/4" crushed gravel. Make sure not to use pea gravel. To build your leveling pad, thoroughly compact and level the gravel.

4.Build a base course

Now, it is time to lay the first course. Before that, you need to know some factors that will determine which side of the wall to start with. If your retaining wall meets any other architectural feature, then you need to start with the end that butts up against it. When it goes against a slope in topography, you will have to start with the lowest end. If neither of these cases suitable, then simply start with the most visible end of your wall.

You should place the first course of blocks end to end on the leveling pad. Moreover, each unit must be leveled. If a stone is too low, you need to add some gravel to level it. You can use a rubber mallet to hammer the stone to fix it in the perfect place when it is slightly uneven. If you have done the first course properly, then the rest of the process becomes a lot easier.

If your blocks are designed with hollow cores, fill those cores with gravel to increase strength and stability.

For blocks that are designed with pin connection, you need to fix the long groove should be faced down and pinholes should face up.

5.Installing drainage pipe

Once you have completed the first-course build up, you can set the drainage pipe. The pipe should be covered with a sleeve to avoid clogging. And, place the end of the drainage pipe where you want the water to go out. Generally, water will flow down to the retaining wall base through the backfill material. So, this drainage pipe will help you to remove the water away from behind the wall.

6.Backfill and compact the retaining wall

Depending on the project, the width of the backfill area will vary. It's good to fill 12 inches behind the back of installed block units. Backfill after each course or two with 3/4 inches crushed gravel. Also, fill open spaces between blocks and open cores or cavities with the gravel.

After that, compact each lift before adding the next course. Backfill and compact are necessary before building additional courses. If your blocks require pin connection, insert pins for backfilling and prevent gravel from plugging pinholes.

7.Add additional layers

Now, you will begin to add more courses until your desired height. When adding each additional course, you should check for each new block unit level. Make sure that the spaces between block units do not line up with those of the courses below or above.

8.Block connections

Each style of the block requires a specific method to connect each unit. So, let's have a look at those methods.

Lipped connection - Many of the blocks are designed with a lip connection system. The lip on the bottom back edge of each block lays behind the back edge of the block layer below.

Pin connection - You have to place the pins into the given pin holes on the top of the block. Use two pins per unit. If the pin is not aligned with the receiving channel of the above block, use masonry adhesive instead of the pin. Pins will be lined up to the receiving channel on the bottom of the above unit. If the pin lines up with a core of the block above, it secures the unit when the cavity is filled and compacted with gravel.

Masonry adhesive - For block styles that are not pinned or lip connection system secure the course by applying masonry adhesive.

9.Retaining wall cap installation

The final step is retaining wall cap installation to finish the project. This cap adds a finished look to your wall. Once your wall reached the required height, clean it by brushing with a broom or hosing off. After the blocks are dry and clean, you need to use construction adhesive for a mechanical bond.

However, the cost to install retaining wall blocks is also less. So, you can build a retaining wall with Oldcastle blocks in your garden area simply.

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Final Words:-

Oldcastle provides a wide range of blocks that are perfectly suited for installing a retaining wall on a slope or installing landscape blocks in a wide range of budgets. PartsXP supplies Oldcastle Precast products to all customers at less cost compared to other marketers. Build a retaining wall too long-lasting by properly installing it with durable materials.

About the Author

Haritha

Haritha is a Content Writer at PartsXP. She has a great understanding of today's marketing strategies that yield strong results and always happy to create valuable content & share her thoughts.

She was good at writing content for E-Commerce websites related to Electrical Parts, Appliance Parts, Food Service Parts, HVAC Parts, etc.

You can see some her contributions at PartsFPS.com, PartsAPS.com, PartsIPS.com