Retaining Wall of Unopened Sacks of Concrete

[EddieWalker]

Bird ... any idea what size the bags are? 40 pounders? Guess as to price per bag? And after stacking, are ya done? or do you have to hose em down?

Very interesting ...

I've never built anything as big as what's been shown in this thread, but I've done this quite a few times for culverts. I have always used 40 lb sacks with lengths of 3/8's rebar driven through them. They are regular sacks with the plastic and paper wrapings. When the rebar goes through them, it tears the sacks and the two bags mix and become one. I like to put several pieces of rebar into each sack since I have no idea how many I need, I just go crazy and probably put in too many.

I've never hosed or watered them when I'm done. The next day it's still loose, but by a week later, it's pretty solid. I've had heavy rains come down and hit it right after putting it in without any sign of wear or damage too.

Eddie

 

[Steverino]

I have been planning a little project for erosion control along the bank the bank of a drainage ditch. It will be four or five bags high and about ten feel long. I plan on waiting until mud season disappears and then have at it. Here is a link to a site with slightly better detailing for these projects. http://www.quikrete.com/PDFs/Projects/RipRapProjectsAndErosionControl.pdf

 

[jinman]

Nice link Steve. Thanks!

 

[wroughtn_harv]

That's really facinating. Doing it that way actually make a lot of sense. I'm surprised there aren't companies selling special mixes in special bags just for that purpose.

Cliff

That's the way they're made here in Texas by the professionals. They're a special mix in an unbranded bag that's designed to disappear quickly.

There's a lot more to those walls than just stacking bags of concrete mix. Here in norte tejas we have seven kinds of clay. It's some of the most miserable stuff on the face of the earth when it's wet. It's not much better when it's dry. But when it's in between really dry and really wet it is the most miserable stuff on the face of the earth.

One of our members had his soil tested before doing his foundation. He's in gumbo but not bad gumbo. His soil tested at six inches elevation change from saturated soil to completely dry soil.

With that kind of soil it isn't just about a wall. It's about the preparation of the base or footer and the drainage behind the wall. If the expansion and contraction isn't accomodated it can get nasty to deal with.

 

[4755]

Bird,

Thanks for sharing the pictures. I would like to use unopened sacks of concrete to build a low wall/fence in my yard. I want to use a brick bond pattern--offsetting each row above the other by a half-bag length. The problem I will encounter is when I get to the end of a row and need a half-bag to finish off the row. I've looked for half-bags in my local do-it-yourself stores but can't find them. Anyone have an idea for me?

Thanks,
4755

 

[bcp]

Bird,

I've looked for half-bags in my local do-it-yourself stores but can't find them. Anyone have an idea for me?

Thanks,
4755

Pour out half, fold the end over, place the "new" end against the previous bag. Maybe trim the bag end before closing.

Save and use the dumped mix for another project.

Bruce

 

[jinman]

Stair step the ends, if possible.

 

[EddieWalker]

Bird,

Thanks for sharing the pictures. I would like to use unopened sacks of concrete to build a low wall/fence in my yard. I want to use a brick bond pattern--offsetting each row above the other by a half-bag length. The problem I will encounter is when I get to the end of a row and need a half-bag to finish off the row. I've looked for half-bags in my local do-it-yourself stores but can't find them. Anyone have an idea for me?

Thanks,
4755

Turn the sack sideways and push it into the size that you need it to be so it looks right from the viewing side. The part that hangs over gets folded down to it's resting on the one that's below it. This gives you a stronger corner and it looks nice when done.

Eddie

 

[moored4]

Turn the sack sideways and push it into the size that you need it to be so it looks right from the viewing side. The part that hangs over gets folded down to it's resting on the one that's below it. This gives you a stronger corner and it looks nice when done.

Eddie

Thats what I'm planning on doing with mine but I'll also put a 4"pipe post in the middle of the corrner to help to strenth it some, and maybe add a cable dead man about 2/3 way up!

 

[decora]

First time seeing this. Will definitely keep it in mind the next time i need a quick wall. Thanks for the post Bird!