I've got this problematic brick wall:
http://picturepush.com/public/7851103

I had it fixed befo
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it down?

PS: Earthquake country.

On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
I've got this problematic brick wall:
http://picturepush.com/public/7851103

I had it fixed befo
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it down?

PS: Earthquake country.

FRom what I see in the picture it looks like the mortar never bonded to the brick properly. I would look up some DIY infromation on laying brick and follow the instuctions.

Jimmie

On Mar 21, 1:45*pm, JIMMIE wrote:
On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
I've got this problematic brick wall:
*http://picturepush.com/public/7851103

I had it fixed befo
*http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it down?

PS: Earthquake country.

FRom what I see in the picture it looks like the mortar never bonded to the brick properly. I would look up some DIY infromation on laying brick and follow the instuctions.

Jimmie

First question is what is the brick sitting on? Unless you
have a footer into a solid base, the wall is going to continue to
shift and crack. The footer needs to go below
the frost line, if freezing is an issue where it's located. I'd
also note that on the corner that is coming apart, there is
a sprinkler head right next to it. No footer, make the soil
soggy and it's going to come apart.

JIMMIE wrote:
On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
I've got this problematic brick wall:
http://picturepush.com/public/7851103

I had it fixed befo
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it
down?

PS: Earthquake country.

FRom what I see in the picture it looks like the mortar never bonded
to the brick properly. I would look up some DIY infromation on laying
brick and follow the instuctions.

Hard to tell from the photo but it look as if you've got a foot or more of
soil on the inside (photo #2). That's a lot of push especially after a
rain. Are there weep holes? Seems to me that you need to build up the soil
on the front of the wall in a slope so that there isn't all that weight
behind it trying to push it over. If there isn't a load behind it then the
footer isn't much good. Is there steel through the bricks into the footer?

In the first photo, you have a wall less than a foot high. I can't imagine
it falling over even if the pricks were just stacked? Somebody whack it?


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:45:59 -0700, JIMMIE wrote:

it looks like the mortar never bonded to the brick

I don't disagree.

It's almost as if the mortar didn't 'stick' to the brick as the mortar is
intact. It's just that the bricks fell out.

On Mar 21, 3:30*pm, "dadiOH" wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
I've got this problematic brick wall:
*http://picturepush.com/public/7851103

I had it fixed befo
*http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it
down?

PS: Earthquake country.

FRom what I see in the picture it looks like the mortar never bonded
to the brick properly. I would look up some DIY infromation on laying
brick and follow the instuctions.

Hard to tell from the photo but it look as if you've got a foot or more of
soil on the inside (photo #2). *That's a lot of push especially after a
rain. *Are there weep holes? *Seems to me that you need to build up the soil
on the front of the wall in a slope so that there isn't all that weight
behind it trying to push it over. *If there isn't a load behind it then the
footer isn't much good. *Is there steel through the bricks into the footer?

In the first photo, you have a wall less than a foot high. *I can't imagine
it falling over even if the pricks were just stacked? *Somebody whack it?

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

"...even if the pricks were just stacked? Somebody whack it?"

um...oh...nevermind.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:30:15 -0500, dadiOH wrote:

In the first photo, you have a wall less than a foot high. I can't
imagine it falling over even if the pricks were just stacked? Somebody
whack it?

Maybe.

Here's another picture of the low wall with nothing to each side:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853114

I had the kids cultivate the lawn and I think the cultivator machine may
have whacked the wall hard about two years ago and my teenager repaired
it. Now it's falling down in exactly the same spot.

The previous guy said that the mortar didn't stick ... and that's what it
looks like (I think). That coupled with the whack from the cultivator
maybe?

Hard to tell from the photo but it look as if you've got a foot or more
of soil on the inside (photo #2). ... Are there weep holes?

None that I know of.
Here's another picture of the wall with soil behind it:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

Is there steel through the bricks into the footer?

None that I know of. That's kind of what I was asking.
Q: What's the best way to reinforce this?

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:22:33 -0700, wrote:

First question is what is the brick sitting on?
I have no idea. I assume the wall with air on both sides sits on concrete
since there is a slab behind it.
http://picturepush.com/public/7853114

I don't have any idea what the wall with the tree behind it sits on:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

The footer needs to go below the frost line, if freezing is an
issue where it's located.

Not here, luckily.

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:30:28 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:22:33 -0700, wrote:

First question is what is the brick sitting on?
I have no idea. I assume the wall with air on both sides sits on concrete
since there is a slab behind it.
http://picturepush.com/public/7853114

I don't have any idea what the wall with the tree behind it sits on:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

The footer needs to go below the frost line, if freezing is an
issue where it's located.

Not here, luckily.

Never saw mortared brick used as a retaining wall.
Whose idea was that?
You use landscaping blocks or timbers for that.
The weight of the soil, freezing/thawing or tree roots
will break the bricks from mortar.
They often spike the timbers into the ground to hold them steady.
I built a 2-level terraced version of what you have on one side of
the front of my house, using landscaping blocks.
Flower beds, no tree roots.
Not anchored, but set level. Soil underneath wasn't compacted.
Still lasted about 10 years before they started tipping out enough
where I have to clear out the dirt and reset them.
Read up on landscaping retaining walls.

--Vic

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:50:01 -0500, Vic Smith wrote:
Never saw mortared brick used as a retaining wall. Whose idea was that?
Good point.

I have no idea.

The brick retaining wall came with the house.

Should I reinforce it somehow?

"Martin C." wrote in message
...
I've got this problematic brick wall:
http://picturepush.com/public/7851103

I had it fixed befo
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it down?

PS: Earthquake country.


Do it over. Do it right. Pour a footing. Then a concrete wall. No more
problems ... WW

In the first photo, you have a wall less than a foot high. I can't
imagine it falling over even if the pricks were just stacked? Somebody
whack it?

Maybe.

Here's another picture of the low wall with nothing to each side:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853114

I had the kids cultivate the lawn and I think the cultivator machine may
have whacked the wall hard about two years ago and my teenager repaired
it. Now it's falling down in exactly the same spot.

The previous guy said that the mortar didn't stick ... and that's what it
looks like (I think). That coupled with the whack from the cultivator
maybe?

Hard to tell from the photo but it look as if you've got a foot or more
of soil on the inside (photo #2). ... Are there weep holes?

None that I know of.
Here's another picture of the wall with soil behind it:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

Is there steel through the bricks into the footer?

None that I know of. That's kind of what I was asking.
Q: What's the best way to reinforce this?


*Is that a tree growing in the middle? If so I would look into the root
structure to see if that is putting pressure on the wall.

Take a trip to a masonry supply company or a building materials supplier to
see what they offer for reinforcement. Bring your pictures. I doubt if you
would get good information from a big box store.

On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
I've got this problematic brick wall:
http://picturepush.com/public/7851103

I had it fixed befo
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it down?

PS: Earthquake country.

Second pic tells more. That single layer of brick isnt a wall. From the first pic I thought it was brick veneer over poured concrete. Maybe trench out behind the brick and pour a concrete retainer wall with proper footing.

Jimmie

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:05:31 -0400, John Grabowski wrote:

*Is that a tree growing in the middle? If so I would look into the root
structure to see if that is putting pressure on the wall.

Yup. A big pine tree.

The pine tree started small, of course, but now it's big.
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

How would I know if the roots of that pine tree are what is pushing the
brick retaining wall outward?
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

"Martin C." wrote:
On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:50:01 -0500, Vic Smith wrote:
Never saw mortared brick used as a retaining wall. Whose idea was that?
Good point.

I have no idea.

The brick retaining wall came with the house.

Should I reinforce it somehow?

Use pl premium instead of mortar.

Greg

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:19:15 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:50:01 -0500, Vic Smith wrote:
Never saw mortared brick used as a retaining wall. Whose idea was that?
Good point.

I have no idea.

The brick retaining wall came with the house.

Should I reinforce it somehow?


No, use different material. That's just wrong.
Brick - or mortar - isn't made to be kept in the ground wet.
Or subjected to lateral force.
Use poured concrete, concrete blocks, or landscaping timbers.
Just google it up.
Whoever did that had some "free" bricks, or just liked the looks of
bricks. But it's not right.
If you like the looks of bricks, cover a real retaining wall with
them.

--Vic

On Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:01:05 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."
wrote:

On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:05:31 -0400, John Grabowski wrote:

*Is that a tree growing in the middle? If so I would look into the root
structure to see if that is putting pressure on the wall.

Yup. A big pine tree.

The pine tree started small, of course, but now it's big.
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

How would I know if the roots of that pine tree are what is pushing the
brick retaining wall outward?
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

Count on it.
Most sidewalks near a tree get heaved up by roots.
Your brick wall will do worse.
Pine roots aren't as bad as others.

--Vic

..

The brick retaining wall came with the house.

Should I reinforce it somehow?

if its just a foot high remove the wall and regrade the ground.

no matter how well its rebuilt retaining walls always fail it only a
matter of time.

if your truly into and demand a wall install a real footer with proper
drainage behind it, including weep holes and lots of gravel.

a one foot high wall is inviting a new maintence task, rebuilding the
wall on a regular basis

*Is that a tree growing in the middle? If so I would look into the root
structure to see if that is putting pressure on the wall.

Yup. A big pine tree.

The pine tree started small, of course, but now it's big.
http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

How would I know if the roots of that pine tree are what is pushing the
brick retaining wall outward?
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183



*Get a pick and shovel and someone to operate them. Dig near the wall.

On Mar 21, 9:23*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:19:15 +0000 (UTC), "Martin C."

wrote:
On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:50:01 -0500, Vic Smith wrote:
Never saw mortared brick used as a retaining wall. Whose idea was that?
Good point.

I have no idea.

The brick retaining wall came with the house.

Should I reinforce it somehow?

No, use different material. *That's just wrong.
Brick - or mortar - isn't made to be kept in the ground wet.
Or subjected to lateral force.
Use poured concrete, concrete blocks, or landscaping timbers.
Just google it up.
Whoever did that had some "free" bricks, or just liked the looks of
bricks. *But it's not right.
If you like the looks of bricks, cover a real retaining wall with
them.

--Vic

I missed that it was completely backfilled with soil on the other
side. I agree with the above. The simplest and perhaps best looking
solution might be to get rid of the whole thing and replace it with
the paving type blocks that are specifically made for garden wall
type applications.

http://www.keystonewalls.com/pages/p...Landscape_tabs

On Mar 21, 6:01*pm, "Martin C."
wrote:
On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:05:31 -0400, John Grabowski wrote:
*Is that a tree growing in the middle? *If so I would look into the root
structure to see if that is putting pressure on the wall.

Yup. A big pine tree.

The pine tree started small, of course, but now it's big.
*http://picturepush.com/public/7851105

How would I know if the roots of that pine tree are what is pushing the
brick retaining wall outward?
*http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

From that lasst picture you can see the wall pushing out on both
sides. The wallis a loss. Tear it out and re-do it properly with the
proper materials AFTER getting rid of the tree. As long as that tree
is there, nothing is going to be successful for long.

Harry K

On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it down?

Bricks are the WRONG thing to use as a retaining wall, especially a single layer like that.

If you look at brick buildings, the bricks are a FACADE, a visual covering like siding. They're not structural.

You need to replace the brick with an engineered RETAINING WALL product that stacks and interlocks. It won't even need mortar.

On Mar 22, 11:11*am, wrote:
On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it down?

Bricks are the WRONG thing to use as a retaining wall, especially a single layer like that.

If you look at brick buildings, the bricks are a FACADE, a visual covering like siding. They're not structural.

You need to replace the brick with an engineered RETAINING WALL product that stacks and interlocks. It won't even need mortar.

Agree with the above except the part about bricks only
being a facade. That's true with most new construction
being done with brick. But it's not unusual to find houses
that are 50, or 100 years or more old where they used
double rows of brick and it is what supports the structure.

DerbyDad03 wrote:


- Show quoted text -

"...even if the pricks were just stacked? Somebody whack it?"

um...oh...nevermind.

Hmmm...you seem to catch that type of typo frequently...

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Martin C. wrote:
On Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:30:15 -0500, dadiOH wrote:

In the first photo, you have a wall less than a foot high. I can't
imagine it falling over even if the pricks were just stacked?
Somebody whack it?

Maybe.

Here's another picture of the low wall with nothing to each side:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853114

I had the kids cultivate the lawn and I think the cultivator machine
may have whacked the wall hard about two years ago and my teenager
repaired it. Now it's falling down in exactly the same spot.

The previous guy said that the mortar didn't stick ... and that's
what it looks like (I think). That coupled with the whack from the
cultivator maybe?

Hard to tell from the photo but it look as if you've got a foot or
more of soil on the inside (photo #2). ... Are there weep holes?

None that I know of.
Here's another picture of the wall with soil behind it:
http://picturepush.com/public/7853183

Is there steel through the bricks into the footer?

None that I know of. That's kind of what I was asking.
Q: What's the best way to reinforce this?

Tear it down, start from scratch and build a proper retaining wall.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

wrote:
On Mar 22, 11:11 am, wrote:
On Wednesday, March 21, 2012 1:25:56 PM UTC-4, Martin C. wrote:
But it keeps falling down in exactly the same spots!

Q1: What's the best way to re-mason it myself?
How can I reinforce it against whatever it is that is breaking it
down?

Bricks are the WRONG thing to use as a retaining wall, especially a
single layer like that.

If you look at brick buildings, the bricks are a FACADE, a visual
covering like siding. They're not structural.

You need to replace the brick with an engineered RETAINING WALL
product that stacks and interlocks. It won't even need mortar.

Agree with the above except the part about bricks only
being a facade. That's true with most new construction
being done with brick. But it's not unusual to find houses
that are 50, or 100 years or more old where they used
double rows of brick and it is what supports the structure.

Or even thicker. My grandmother's house - built in the 1st half of the 19th
century, had brick walls close the 36" thick. No idea if they were *solid*
brick though.

In general, brick walls need to be held together laterally. Look at old
2-4 story brick commercial buildings...see those circular steel plates along
the sides at each story? Those are caps for iron rods that go to the other
side.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Thursday, March 22, 2012 11:47:58 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Agree with the above except the part about bricks only
being a facade. That's true with most new construction
being done with brick. But it's not unusual to find houses
that are 50, or 100 years or more old where they used
double rows of brick and it is what supports the structure.

Exactly, DOUBLE rows of bricks, at minimum.