Do I glue or cement cinder blocks to build a 3 row garden wall?

[AJ-DIYer]

Hi

Looking for some assistance here to understand how to build a garden bed by using cinder blocks.

Whats the best way stick cinder blocks on top of cinder blocks? Using landscaping liquid nail or proper cement? 

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @AJ-DIYer 

Probably  the most useful product you can use would be 

Australian Builders 20kg Mortar Mix I/N: 0761529 $9.62

OR Bastion 20kg Mortar Mix I/N: 0038286 $8.96

 This has the right portions of Sand cement and lime for your job and saves you having to source those materials separately   This mix will also  allow you to render the wall later by adding  what  ever coloured oxide for wall color thats avaliable  Search Bunnings for oxides to see colors. You just need to add water to the above in a wheel barrow and mix it to a toothpaste like consistance  apply it with a trowel on top of the footing or new bricks   use a string line and level to make sure bricks are level with string and vertical at the sides. You are aiming at approx  5-10mm mortar  spacing. Be consistant.

A small lump hammer or regular nail hammer(at a pinch) will help tap the  bricks slowly and gently to level and straight . If you go past level and straight take brick out and start again.  I am sure there  will be some youtube or on Bunning how to lay bricks. Do wear gloves or  you will burn your finger prints off like me. lol Hands  toughen up over time with  frequent use and  roughness of bricks.

Tip: wet down your bricks before use  them keep then moist it helps cement bond better. One  bag of mortar  will probably do 5M to 10M depending on you mortar thinkness.  But get more mortar than you need and take unused back or use for rendering next step.

Very big tip: get a bucket of water and a dust pan brush and go back to the start of todays brick work and clean any mortar of the brick faces  (lightly on  mortar  joints) finish clean off with a fine water misting ,  The hose water will cause  some mortar dribbles to come out a little is ok dont rewash.it will save so much  effort  cleaning  the wall afterwards.  

Next  day or week use a  house brick as a sander along the wall to knock down any extra mortar outside on the brick faces or on top.

No body but skilled brick layers gets this perfect first time.

If you wall is little wonky first time  efforts hay that is  no dramas Garden walls are not meant to be dead strait just call you wall organic shape. Your garden wall isnt a critical structure so will take a little wonky ness  My  wall was out 2 mm a dip in the middle due to blade of grass on string  line i didnt see until to late.  That will stay in the  wall for 1000 years lol  I see dip no one  else does.

 What Cement  would you  use well any GP  general purpose, It might be worth noting there is two different coloured  cements one off white and the other grey. but if your rendering over the top  get gray its cheaper.

Bastion 20kg General Purpose Cement I/N: 0760330 $7.81

A final tip: if your are not going to make a cement footing 300 x 300 mm   then at lease buy lengths of trench mesh and put them under the  bricks first row it will help then not sink and sage over time. Over lap lenghts as  required  keep them long as possible to  evenly distribute wall wieght.

[EricL]

Hello @AJ-DIYer

Just to add another option to your list, you can also use Dunlop 20kg Multipurpose Acrylic Render. This is a ready-to-use product and will approximately cover an area of 6.5 meters. There is also Australian Builders 20kg Type GB Cement, which can be used as a binder in concrete, concrete masonry, mortar and grouts.

I suggest waiting for your render to cure before you decide on drilling into the cinder block. I suggest using Ramset 8 x 40mm Anchor RamPlug in combination with Zenith 10G x 75mm Galvanised Countersunk Head Timber Screws. Please keep in mind that this is to mount the timber onto the cinder block. It will not be able to hold any weight if built into a horizontal frame.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[AJ-DIYer]

Hi @EricL 

I had look at the videos you shared, he used two rendering cement One for the first

And the other for the top coat. Is there something that I can get which can be used as both the first and final coat these days? As I noticed the videos are quite old. 

[EricL]

Hello @AJ-DIYer

It is possible to bring the first rendered finish to a better quality by using the sponge and adding a little water. At the moment I'm not aware of an all-in-one product that is both render and top coat. It is recommended that the top coat be applied to the first render to make it easier to paint.   

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[AJ-DIYer]

Thanks @EricL 

Do you mind to tell me which of the latest product can be used for the first and top coat? 

[EricL · Accepted solution]

Hi @AJ-DIYer

I suggest having a look at the Dunlop 20kg Multipurpose Acrylic Render and the Dunlop 20kg Fine Coat Render. Please keep in mind that it is critical that the wall be very clean and free of loose debris so that render will have a stable surface to anchor to.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi  @AJ-DIYer   and @EricL 

Why not use cementous paint which is a binder to  cement and brick work of any type it can be brushed on and thinner than render and you can add  oxides too it  it will gives  brick work a  painted finish that is  strong fills any gaps and makes it waterproof and has a final color that will last the life span of the brick wall.  The wall needs to be moist to  apply it.   Naturally two coats of this  is best  for consistency like in any paint the trick  here is to  use a straw brush a paint brush bristles  to soft.  Easy pezy

1. Silasec by  bondall 
2. Preparation. Clean surface thoroughly to remove contaminants. Do not attempt to waterproof an unsound surface. ...
3. Application. For use as a Cement Paint. By volume, mix 1 part Silasec : 5 parts water : 7 parts fresh GP Portland cement. ... Add Oxide color too if you dont want a cement grey or white colour. Mix to very soft toothpaste consistancy for brush to pick up.
4. Drying. Apply a minimum of three coats at 24-hour intervals.

5. Dunlop 160mm Renderers Brush  I/N: 0960322  $25.50