What I did on my summer vacation

DMF · Jul 13, 2005

( last summer I did a curving wall with the same type of block, hollow w/ the pins. Wait till you get to cut and fit the caps. That was a challange! If you come up with an easy way to install those please post it. I have more wall building days ahead. )

Woodlot - What was the actual issue; the cutting? I have been using a 7" diamond blade on my circular saw to cut the blocks when I need to and it has worked out good so far.

Farwell · Jul 13, 2005

Woodlot,
Sears sells a dry-cut concrete saw for a little over $100 and it works great. Several other companies sell them as well. The cheapest way is to do as one of the posters stated get a diamond blade and put it on your circular saw. You would not believe how fast and clean they cut. If you go this route make sure you blow the dust our of your saw frequently, the dust is murder on bearings.

Farwell · Jul 13, 2005

DMF,
Sure wish I had seen this post before I had my retaining wall built. Mine works but is the regular concrete blocks mortared together. They work but they have that generic concrete block look. Your wall is beautiful. If I do any more walls I will use your system. Thanks for the information and pictures.

woodlot · Jul 13, 2005

Yes, I have the same set-up w/ the diamond blade. Very dusty. I guess the fitting of the caps is more what I was referring to. If your curve is not build on a perfect radius all of your cuts vary. It took me a long time to fit the caps. There must be a trick to it that I never quite caught on to.

DMF · Jul 13, 2005

( Yes, I have the same set-up w/ the diamond blade. Very dusty. I guess the fitting of the caps is more what I was referring to. If your curve is not build on a perfect radius all of your cuts vary. It took me a long time to fit the caps. There must be a trick to it that I never quite caught on to. )

Well, mine certainly isn't a perfect radius so I guess I'll find out soon! I have one more course to lay which probably won't happen until next week or so...

MichMan · Jul 13, 2005

Nice job DMF. Good idea for the flagpole too! MM

HammerFour · Jul 14, 2005

Yep, very nice job! I am curious on the height of your future flagpole, though. I put in a 24' one, my 'footing' is about a 6 inch wide hole 18 inches deep full of concrete....if I calculate that up to the scale of a 55 gallon drum...I think you will have to have a blinking light on it so planes won't hit it.

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DMF · Jul 14, 2005

( Yep, very nice job! I am curious on the height of your future flagpole, though. I put in a 24' one, my 'footing' is about a 6 inch wide hole 18 inches deep full of concrete....if I calculate that up to the scale of a 55 gallon drum...I think you will have to have a blinking light on it so planes won't hit it.

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

They don't call me Captain Overkill for nuthin'!

We live 1500'+ off of the road so we need a REALY big flag!
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shaley · Jul 17, 2005

Hi DMF, What is the approximate cost per block. I looked at blocks like yours locally and they are $7.00 each. The units in this wall are from Lowes and cost $2.00 ea. This is about as high as you can stack them because of their weight. I need to build a wall about the size of yours next. 6k for the blocks along is a killer.

DMF · Jul 18, 2005

shaley - First of all, nice wall! I don't have the exact numbers here with me but I had 9 pallets of materials. 8 pallets contained just blocks and that was 60/pallet or 480 blocks. The 9th pallet contained some blocks, 12 corner blocks, and (in theory) enough caps to finish the wall. I also had over 800 clips, several caulking tubes of masonry adhesive (for the caps) and numerous square feet of geo-grid. My total for the materials listed above was just under $3K.