[[email protected]]

Hi,

I am currently trying to build couple of retaining walls. These walls
are not going ro retain anything major..just so that they separate the
paved area at the back from the lawn. I have already dug the trenches
and have filled them with hardcore and then 6 inches of concrete. Now i
am about to start on the walls which will be less than a metre tall.

Sice this is in the back garden i want to keep the costs of my bricks
to a minimum. I have been advised by the local builders merchants to
use LBR Tudors. Is this type of brick ok or if anybody can recommend
any other type. Do i need to put some blue engineering bricks also?

Many Thanks.

[Phil L]

wrote:
Hi,

I am currently trying to build couple of retaining walls. These walls
are not going ro retain anything major..just so that they separate the
paved area at the back from the lawn. I have already dug the trenches
and have filled them with hardcore and then 6 inches of concrete. Now
i am about to start on the walls which will be less than a metre tall.

Sice this is in the back garden i want to keep the costs of my bricks
to a minimum. I have been advised by the local builders merchants to
use LBR Tudors. Is this type of brick ok or if anybody can recommend
any other type. Do i need to put some blue engineering bricks also?

Many Thanks.

I can't understand why your BM has told you to use London brick, all the
brick outlets around here give warnings about using londons for garden
walls - they are the most unsuitable brick for this purpose! - 1) they soak
up water like a sponge...2) they retain water like a sponge....3) when frost
comes, that water expands and blasts the brick apart given that they are
like biscuits - end result: within a few years you will have a nice pile of
red rubble where your wall used to be....any of the red Butterleys will be
far better, in fact any brick that isn't a London will be far better, here
is a bit of info on water absorption:
First a Tudor London brick:

Average Compressive Strength N/mm2:22-35
Average Water Absorption % by wt:20-24
Barcode:5050246082310
Brick size:215 x 102.5 x 65mm
Bricks per pack:390
Category:
Compressive Strength N/mm2:20
Description:Red multi sandfaced textured
Dry weight kg:1.90
Durability to BS3921:MN
Format:Frogged
Gross density kg/m3:1330
Pack Dimensions w x d x h (mm):650 x 1075 x 850
Pack Weight dry kg:741
Short code:TUD
Suction rate kg/m2/min:12
Thermal Conductivity W/mºC:0.79
Water Absorption %by wt:12


And a Butterley Beckingham red:

Average Compressive Strength N/mm2:45 - 55
Average Water Absorption % by wt:8 - 11
Barcode:5050246076814
Brick size:215 x 102.5 x 65mm
Bricks per pack:450
Category:
Compressive Strength N/mm2:40
Description:Red multi textured
Dry weight kg:2.15
Durability to BS3921:FL
Format:Perforated
Gross density kg/m3:1500
Pack Dimensions w x d x h (mm):720 x 1075 x 875
Pack Weight dry kg:968
Short code:BECRM
Suction rate kg/m2/min:1
Thermal Conductivity W/mºC:0.75
Water Absorption %by wt:12

You don't want soft bricks like Londons, you need a more dense brick for
retaining walls, considering some of the wall will be moist all the time,
you can get some nice bricks quite cheap if you look around, buffs look
good, especially with a blue sailer course three courses from the top, or
topped off with blues

[Andrew Gabriel]

In article .com,
writes:
Hi,

I am currently trying to build couple of retaining walls. These walls
are not going ro retain anything major..just so that they separate the
paved area at the back from the lawn. I have already dug the trenches
and have filled them with hardcore and then 6 inches of concrete. Now i
am about to start on the walls which will be less than a metre tall.

Sice this is in the back garden i want to keep the costs of my bricks
to a minimum. I have been advised by the local builders merchants to
use LBR Tudors. Is this type of brick ok or if anybody can recommend
any other type. Do i need to put some blue engineering bricks also?

LBC Tudors seem to be rated MN (Moderately frost resistant,
normal soluble salt content). They won't last all that long
if in contact with a bank of wet soil. A damp proof membrane
behind the wall might help, but you need to work out how
water behind the wall drains away, depending on the local
soil drainage.

Engineering bricks can be used along the top to protect the
top from direct rain penetration. If the base of the wall
might be in standing water, you should use them there too.
However, don't put a damp proof membrane through the wall
itself -- it will just create a weak point where the wall
will break.

Also important is how many courses high and what bond
are you planning on using? A half brick retaining wall
(stretcher bond) will likely be pushed over if anything
over 3 courses.

--
Andrew Gabriel

[[email protected]]

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

LBC Tudors seem to be rated MN (Moderately frost resistant,
normal soluble salt content). They won't last all that long
if in contact with a bank of wet soil. A damp proof membrane
behind the wall might help, but you need to work out how
water behind the wall drains away, depending on the local
soil drainage.



My garden had LBC windsors with no enginnering bricks in the
underground courses and no DPM or anything like that. Most was a bit
green but I can't remember seeing any of it that was frost damaged -
that's after 20 years. I'm near London though so the frosts aren't
usually too bad.

On a wall that I built I painted the back with bituminous paint to act
as the DPC and so far so good. I put a few pipes though so that the
soil could drain if it got very wet.

[The Natural Philosopher]

wrote:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
LBC Tudors seem to be rated MN (Moderately frost resistant,
normal soluble salt content). They won't last all that long
if in contact with a bank of wet soil. A damp proof membrane
behind the wall might help, but you need to work out how
water behind the wall drains away, depending on the local
soil drainage.



My garden had LBC windsors with no enginnering bricks in the
underground courses and no DPM or anything like that. Most was a bit
green but I can't remember seeing any of it that was frost damaged -
that's after 20 years. I'm near London though so the frosts aren't
usually too bad.

On a wall that I built I painted the back with bituminous paint to act
as the DPC and so far so good. I put a few pipes though so that the
soil could drain if it got very wet.


I didn't use any DPC, but I did use concrete block below ground, and
where the soil was in contact, using a good quality brick - from a pile
that had stood outside for 50 years without damage - for the visible facing.

Damage to less than ideal brickwork on exposed walls is usually confined
to an inch or three above ground level, and to exposed top surfaces,
these being the coldest and wettest parts usually.
..

[Cordless Crazy]

Originally Posted by The Natural Philosopher

wrote:
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
LBC Tudors seem to be rated MN (Moderately frost resistant,
normal soluble salt content). They won't last all that long
if in contact with a bank of wet soil. A damp proof membrane
behind the wall might help, but you need to work out how
water behind the wall drains away, depending on the local
soil drainage.



My garden had LBC windsors with no enginnering bricks in the
underground courses and no DPM or anything like that. Most was a bit
green but I can't remember seeing any of it that was frost damaged -
that's after 20 years. I'm near London though so the frosts aren't
usually too bad.

On a wall that I built I painted the back with bituminous paint to act
as the DPC and so far so good. I put a few pipes though so that the
soil could drain if it got very wet.


I didn't use any DPC, but I did use concrete block below ground, and
where the soil was in contact, using a good quality brick - from a pile
that had stood outside for 50 years without damage - for the visible facing.

Damage to less than ideal brickwork on exposed walls is usually confined
to an inch or three above ground level, and to exposed top surfaces,
these being the coldest and wettest parts usually.
..

Rule of thumb, max height to be retained is 4 times the width for a bog-standard brick/block wall without reinforcement. Being 1m high, the wall should really be 1.5 brick thick!