I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into the
trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the weight of
the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as well as every six
feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

Steve B wrote:
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into the
trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the weight of
the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as well as every six
feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com


You might want to ask your town building inspector about local code

On 8/9/2010 10:07 AM, LouB wrote:
Steve B wrote:
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be
an undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought
iron, wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour
into the trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up
the weight of the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as
well as every six feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells
for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com


You might want to ask your town building inspector about local code

Just curious, what makes you think that Steve B even lives in a town?
And if he does, what makes you so sure that the town even has a code
and/or a building inspector? I know that the town that I live in has
neither!

Don

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into
the trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the
weight of the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as well as
every six feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical
strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com



Steve,

The concrete needs to set and maybe cure before you start your wall. 24-48
hours drying time is plenty for a wall 2-3 blocks high. Anything taller
should cure for at least a week before you start building. Or at least
before you get a lot of weight on it.

Then the blocks are set in a bed of mortar. Minor imperfections can be made
up with more or less mortar when the first course is set. Usually a mason
will dry stack the corners or a wide expanse of a straight run 2-3 blocks
high, stretch a string and identify any potential high spots in the footer
that must be dealt with. Not recommended but I have seen mortar beds or
parts of mortar beds as deep as an inch for small sections to make up a
boo-boo.

Trying to set the first course into the wet concrete is more trouble than it
is worth. It will also be very hard to do properly.


--
Colbyt
Please come visit http://www.househomerepair.com

IGot2P wrote:
On 8/9/2010 10:07 AM, LouB wrote:
Steve B wrote:
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be
an undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought
iron, wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour
into the trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up
the weight of the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as
well as every six feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells
for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com


You might want to ask your town building inspector about local code

Just curious, what makes you think that Steve B even lives in a town?
And if he does, what makes you so sure that the town even has a code
and/or a building inspector? I know that the town that I live in has
neither!

Don

What makes you think he doesn't?
Most folks do live near civilization:-))

On Aug 9, 3:27*pm, "Steve B" wrote:
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. *This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into the
trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the weight of
the blocks so it doesn't settle? *I would put rebar, as well as every six
feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.com

The easiest way to get you concrete level is to hire a vibrating
poker. There are high frequency electric ones available that are good
for the job. Hammer a few stakes in the bottom of the trench at the
side of the hole and put yourself level marks on them. A laser level
is the tool for this. Put the marks above your intended finished
level so that when the concrete is in place you can check it's level.
As the concrete is poured, stick the poker in, the concrete will run
like water. Work up and down yur trench with the poker.Check your
marks on the stakes with a ruler to the surface of the concrete. Any
high spots, stick the poker in and they will be gone.

Your level marks need to be a couple of feet above ypur intended level
of concrete, if you try to put them on your level, by sod's law they
will be immersed in concrete & you won't be able to see them.
It's best to lay the concrete in cool weather if possible, it takes
longer to go off & you have more time to mess with it. The final set
will stronger too.
Just break the stakes off when the concrete has set, just make sure
you don't use anything too thick.

On Aug 9, 7:19*pm, harry wrote:
On Aug 9, 3:27*pm, "Steve B" wrote:





I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. *This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into the
trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the weight of
the blocks so it doesn't settle? *I would put rebar, as well as every six
feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical strength..

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.com

The easiest way to get you concrete level is to hire a vibrating
poker. *There are high frequency electric ones available that are good
for the job. Hammer a few stakes in the bottom of the trench at the
side of the hole and put yourself level marks on them. A laser level
is the tool for this. *Put the marks above your intended finished
level so that when the concrete is in place you can check it's level.
As the concrete is poured, stick the poker in, the concrete will run
like water. *Work up and down yur trench with the poker.Check your
marks on the stakes with a ruler to the surface of the concrete. Any
high spots, stick the poker in and they will be gone.

Your level marks need to be a couple of feet above ypur intended level
of concrete, if you try to put them on your level, by sod's law they
will be immersed in concrete & you won't be able to see them.
It's best to lay the concrete in cool weather if possible, it takes
longer to go off & you have more time to mess with it. The final set
will stronger too.
Just break the stakes off when the concrete has set, just make sure
you don't use anything too thick.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

BTW, if it is a long wall, it need to have movement joints every 20 or
so. It will break in an unsightly manner if you don't do this.

On Aug 9, 2:22*pm, harry wrote:
On Aug 9, 7:19*pm, harry wrote:





On Aug 9, 3:27*pm, "Steve B" wrote:

I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. *This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into the
trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the weight of
the blocks so it doesn't settle? *I would put rebar, as well as every six
feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.com

The easiest way to get you concrete level is to hire a vibrating
poker. *There are high frequency electric ones available that are good
for the job. Hammer a few stakes in the bottom of the trench at the
side of the hole and put yourself level marks on them. A laser level
is the tool for this. *Put the marks above your intended finished
level so that when the concrete is in place you can check it's level.
As the concrete is poured, stick the poker in, the concrete will run
like water. *Work up and down yur trench with the poker.Check your
marks on the stakes with a ruler to the surface of the concrete. Any
high spots, stick the poker in and they will be gone.

Your level marks need to be a couple of feet above ypur intended level
of concrete, if you try to put them on your level, by sod's law they
will be immersed in concrete & you won't be able to see them.
It's best to lay the concrete in cool weather if possible, it takes
longer to go off & you have more time to mess with it. The final set
will stronger too.
Just break the stakes off when the concrete has set, just make sure
you don't use anything too thick.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

BTW, if it is a long wall, it need to have movement joints every 20 or
so. It will break in an unsightly manner if you don't do this.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Every 20 *what* or so? :-)

"harry" wrote in message
...
On Aug 9, 3:27 pm, "Steve B" wrote:
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into
the
trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the weight
of
the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as well as every six
feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog athttp://cabgbypasssurgery.com

The easiest way to get you concrete level is to hire a vibrating
poker. There are high frequency electric ones available that are good
for the job.

Yes, use a vibrator to consolidate and level the concrete within your forms.
DO NOT use the vibrator to move the concrete along. Use your shovel!
Moving concrete with a vibrator segregates the materials and weakens the
footing (or whatever your pouring).

Ivan Vegvary

On Mon, 9 Aug 2010 17:06:53 -0500, "James" no
wrote:

Look at the response and info from Colbyt. Does anyone think that the OP
would get this much information from the local building inspector (even if
there is one ??)

No.

James


My local permit office will give me a detailed drawing for the footer.

Watch out for that property boundary line....

Look at the response and info from Colbyt. Does anyone think that the OP
would get this much information from the local building inspector (even if
there is one ??)

No.

James

Steve B wrote:
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be an
undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought iron,
wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour into the
trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up the weight of
the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as well as every six
feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com



If you aren't gonna form up the footer to pour it, your two choices are
to level it by eye measuring down from a string, or pound a stake at the
(alternating) edges of trench every couple of feet, and use the tops of
the stakes as your reference. Back in stone age, we used scrap cedar
siding ripped down to 3/4 square profile for the stakes. We always
waited several days for footer to cure before laying block on it. You
shove the rebar J-hooks into the pour as you go along, of course,
holding them vertical however is painless.

--
aem sends...

"IGot2P" wrote in message
...
On 8/9/2010 10:07 AM, LouB wrote:
Steve B wrote:
I want to make a block wall that is of various heights. This will be
an undulating wall covered with stucco, a southwest type with wrought
iron, wood railing, and pipe inserts.

When making a footer, do you get your string line right, then pour
into the trench, then wait until the concrete is set enough to hold up
the weight of the blocks so it doesn't settle? I would put rebar, as
well as every six feet or so vertically, and then grout those cells
for vertical strength.

My main question is getting the footer and first course in.

Thanks.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com


You might want to ask your town building inspector about local code

Just curious, what makes you think that Steve B even lives in a town? And
if he does, what makes you so sure that the town even has a code and/or a
building inspector? I know that the town that I live in has neither!

Don

I should have been more specific, but then, the answer I got had nothing to
do with the question, did it?

You are right. I live in an AG 1 zone. We get to pretty much do anything
we want, except if it involves electricity, plumbing, or other specific
things.

To reply to such a question with a neener neener neener answer about
building inspector reflects that the person answering merely knows nothing
about the question on construction, and has no experience about anything
outside their little portion of the fishbowl/universe.

FYI, I do live in a township, and I must apply for permits for only certain
things. For all the rest, we just Git r' done. How to do things, and where
to get permits are two entirely different questions.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

"James" no wrote in message
...
Look at the response and info from Colbyt. Does anyone think that the OP
would get this much information from the local building inspector (even
if there is one ??)

No.

James

It must be a bitch to live in such paranoia. That's why I chose a rural
ranch at the very end of the road. We do what we want, and don't HAVE to
tell anyone.

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

On Aug 9, 2:33*pm, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 9 Aug 2010 17:06:53 -0500, "James" no
wrote:

Look at the response and info from Colbyt. *Does anyone think that the OP
would get this much information from the local building inspector *(even if
there is one ??)

No.

James

My local permit office will give me a detailed drawing for the footer.

Watch out for that property boundary line....

And mine re-drew the plans I did for my porch roof repair.

Harry K

Harry K wrote:

On Aug 9, 2:33*pm, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 9 Aug 2010 17:06:53 -0500, "James" no
wrote:

Look at the response and info from Colbyt. *Does anyone think that the OP
would get this much information from the local building inspector *(even if
there is one ??)

No.

James

My local permit office will give me a detailed drawing for the footer.

Watch out for that property boundary line....

And mine re-drew the plans I did for my porch roof repair.

I called one 30 years ago. I'd already talked to the contractor & he
laid out how he would install a septic system. He just eyeballed
the property and went with seat-of-the-pants engineering.[and 40 years
of experience digging holes in the town]

The inspector came out and began his schpiel about perk tests, etc. I
asked him if the contractor would do those or should I, 'Joe Blow will
be doing the work'. It was like I'd just kicked him in the nuts.
'Oh, he's doing the work? He'll just do as he pleases anyway. . .
Here's your permit.'

I'm sure there are good permit officers out there-- but there is too
much politics and too little merit hiring in town government to rely
on it.

Jim

On Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:57:43 -0400, Jim Elbrecht
wrote:

Harry K wrote:

On Aug 9, 2:33*pm, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 9 Aug 2010 17:06:53 -0500, "James" no
wrote:

Look at the response and info from Colbyt. *Does anyone think that the OP
would get this much information from the local building inspector *(even if
there is one ??)

No.

James

My local permit office will give me a detailed drawing for the footer.

Watch out for that property boundary line....

And mine re-drew the plans I did for my porch roof repair.

I called one 30 years ago. I'd already talked to the contractor & he
laid out how he would install a septic system. He just eyeballed
the property and went with seat-of-the-pants engineering.[and 40 years
of experience digging holes in the town]

The inspector came out and began his schpiel about perk tests, etc. I
asked him if the contractor would do those or should I, 'Joe Blow will
be doing the work'. It was like I'd just kicked him in the nuts.
'Oh, he's doing the work? He'll just do as he pleases anyway. . .
Here's your permit.'

I'm sure there are good permit officers out there-- but there is too
much politics and too little merit hiring in town government to rely
on it.

Jim

My friend was telling me about an inspector. The guy would always find
something wrong, regardless.

Oren: Find out what his days off are and call the inspection then, a
more friendly inspector.

Bubba: That works!

Jim Elbrecht wrote:
Harry K wrote:

On Aug 9, 2:33 pm, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 9 Aug 2010 17:06:53 -0500, "James" no
wrote:

Look at the response and info from Colbyt. Does anyone think that the OP
would get this much information from the local building inspector (even if
there is one ??)
No.
James
My local permit office will give me a detailed drawing for the footer.

Watch out for that property boundary line....
And mine re-drew the plans I did for my porch roof repair.

I called one 30 years ago. I'd already talked to the contractor & he
laid out how he would install a septic system. He just eyeballed
the property and went with seat-of-the-pants engineering.[and 40 years
of experience digging holes in the town]

The inspector came out and began his schpiel about perk tests, etc. I
asked him if the contractor would do those or should I, 'Joe Blow will
be doing the work'. It was like I'd just kicked him in the nuts.
'Oh, he's doing the work? He'll just do as he pleases anyway. . .
Here's your permit.'

I'm sure there are good permit officers out there-- but there is too
much politics and too little merit hiring in town government to rely
on it.

Jim

Maybe that is his way of admitting that "joe blow" knows 100 times more
than he does about septic systems? How did/does that septic work? Did
Joe Blow really know his **** and others too? Or was Joe Blow full of
hot air and leaking drain fields?

"Tony" wrote

Maybe that is his way of admitting that "joe blow" knows 100 times more
than he does about septic systems? How did/does that septic work? Did
Joe Blow really know his **** and others too? Or was Joe Blow full of hot
air and leaking drain fields?

Isn't that what they're designed to do?

Steve

visit my blog at http://cabgbypasssurgery.com

Steve B wrote:
"Tony" wrote

Maybe that is his way of admitting that "joe blow" knows 100 times more
than he does about septic systems? How did/does that septic work? Did
Joe Blow really know his **** and others too? Or was Joe Blow full of hot
air and leaking drain fields?

Isn't that what they're designed to do?

Well I meant they shouldn't be any liquid you can see or smell. They
should be *leaching* liquid into the ground and not above it.