Blocklaying websites?

[sundancewfs]

I want to lay some 200 series blocks and was wondering if anyone knew of a good "how to" website. I have search this forum and come up with lots of good info on various types of projects, but I'm actually looking for the nuts and bolts of how to butter the blocks and lay them down.
Thanks Andrew

[Blocklayer]

I haven't seen a 'How To' site for laying blocks, but this might show you how to spread beads and butter blocks (but see if you can do it a bit faster, these blokes are pretty slow)
[ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qs1_RlA1WMo&feature=related"]YouTube - 2008 Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition (Part 1 of 3)[/ame]

How many blocks are you going to lay, what are you building, where, and on what? You might find it's more trouble than it's worth, if its too many blocks and not straight forward.

And be careful! It only takes a little while to learn, but it can take forever to forget

.

[sundancewfs]

Thanks Blocklayer
That was an interesting clip! The wall I have to lay is a small garden/retaining, wall 3 courses high and about 12 blocks long. Judging by the size of the walls in the clip, those guys could whack it up in about 8 mins!!! A couple of things jump out at me from watching that. They don't butter the entire end of the block. Is that correct? and the use of the string line seems vital to keeping everything in trim. What sort of string anchors are used and where would I get them? They also did the lower course and both ends of the wall first and then filled in the gap. Is that what would normally be done? my wall will be built on a 600mm deep by 300mm wide footing. and will have rebar coming up through the voids set in the footing. what sort of spacing for the rebar would I use? this will be a back filled wall retaining about 4 cubic metres of aggregate and crushed rock.

[Blocklayer]

If its a 3 course retaining wall, I'd use H blocks for the first 2 (with horizontal steel) and a knockout on top with steel for a bond beam. The H blocks don't have a through mortar joint, so are stronger and more water proof once core filled. Will water lay behind the wall? You might need a way to let it out. You'll be surprised how much concrete it takes to core fill also. 0.3 m3 or more I'd guess.
Lay 1 block each end and run each course to a line (lay the horizomtal steel before the next course!). 1 block + 1 joint = 400. So for 12 blocks, the total wall length will be 4790 mm (12 blocks + 11 joints). Lay 1 full block (a corner knockout, not a H block) each end, and you'll have 4010 mm in between. For the vertical bars from the footing, come in 100 mm from the wall end and then go 200 mm centres. So each bar is an odd measurement from the wall end ie: 100, 300, 500, 700, 900 etc. Don't drop any mortar down the cores. That can be a bit tricky if you're not used to spreading bed and buttering blocks. You can make up some wooden 'line blocks' to hold the line http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...6newsize%3D200

You can estimate 200 series quantities here (although no H blocks) http://www.blocklayer.com/Estimator8.aspx
and to see different block types and where they go try here (mouse over wall and labels) http://www.blocklayer.com/BlockWalls.aspx

[sundancewfs]

Thanks Blocklayer
I already have the standard stretcher blocks. The wall will have ag pipe behind it and will drain into an existing drain. there isn't much behind this wall and what is, is contained by two other walls, both 3 courses high, (Imagine this wall being the bottom of a triangle with two other walls heading up the slope of the hill and meeting at an apex) as I said about 4 m3 behind it and well drained.

http://picasaweb.google.com/sundance...60381113617346

[JulianH]

Hmmmm....wonder how i could go about hiring one of those guys from the competition to build my 14m long front Fence??? Given they would do the job in one day, I figure the price of the return airfare would probably still be cheaper than getting someone in Mornington - assuming I can even find someone able to take the job.

If you know a good builder in Mornington Peninsula area who could build a split face block wall please let me know!

Julian