Building a retaining wall in the conventional ways is not a trivial matter.
Pour concrete retaining wall rebar.
In general rebar in residential construction needs to have 3 inches of concrete cover or separation from soil when the concrete for footings and pads is poured against soil and if poured against forms 1 inch.
The bottom layer of rebar usually is 3 inches above the ground supported by rebar chairs or concrete bricks.
One line lies along the centerline of the footing and the others are spaced 8 inches on center from the adjacent bars.
Refer to the directions on the cement mix bag and allow the cement to fully cure or dry before removing the forms.
With the tip of your trowel push the mortar into the footing so that it creates a v shape.
So diyers have come up with an interesting trick.
Mix the fill mortar slightly wetter than what you d use for joints.
It includes five lines of bars running parallel to the length of the wall.
If the wall exceeds four feet in height footings should be poured separately.
If your wall is over 40 feet long it will add 2x the amount of overlap required.
See below for more information on contraction joints remove forms and install waterproofing and drainage system.
Pour the retaining wall.
Allow concrete to cure.
Place it so that the 3 8 inch gap is filled.
That s right the idea is that.
If your wall is over 20 feet long it will add the amount of overlap required.
Rather than messing around with mortar they lay the walls down like lego pieces using concrete while it s still in the bag.
As a minimum 4 rebar 1 2 inch is spaced vertically at 36 inches on center continued to within 8 inches of the top of the wall placed on the tension side the inside face of the wall.
For each additional 20 foot increase of the wall length it will add an additional amount of overlap.
This calculator assumes that you are using 20 foot long lengths of rebar.
Finish the surface of the wall as desired.
Once the truck has reached the end of a section spread the concrete out evenly and a touch higher than the form with a concrete placer rake.
Roll the wheelbarrow of cement over to your wooden forms and pour the cement into the footing and form area.
Spread additional mortar and lay cap block to finish the wall.
In slabs and walls then of an inch is required.
Smooth the top with a trowel.
Mix your mortar and place a 1 inch bed of mortar around the damp footing surface.
When you reach the finished height of the concrete block retaining wall fill those cores containing rebar to the top with mortar.
Pour the concrete in small sections spreading the concrete by moving the chute back and forth and by having the driver pull forward as you go.
Create contraction joints every 4 6 feet.
Once the forms are full of cement you can smooth out the top of the wall.
If formed concrete not exposed to earth or weather.