retaining wall maintenance

[handynoob]

Hi guys, I need some help fixing some stuff around my home. Could anyone please suggest what kind of material is required, especially for pavers.  

1. retaining wall, some of the bricks are loose

2. pavers 

3. Crack at the bottom of wall

I’ve tried some Brunings paving sand previous. However the results were not favorable, it just didn’t harden enough to settle. I tried mix some cement too but it came loose after some time. 

Appreciated your help in advance, thank you

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @handynoob. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about making repairs.

To fix the retaining wall, start by carefully removing the loose bricks and chipping out the old mortar using a mini sledgehammer and cold chisel. Once the area is clean, re-lay the bricks with fresh mortar, ensuring the joints are well-filled for stability. 

For the pavers, lift the affected ones and add new sand or mortar beneath them to raise them to the correct height. Compact the base material before replacing the pavers to ensure they sit evenly. 

The crack at the bottom of the wall is likely caused by movement between two structures. Filling the crack with a flexible sealant like Sikaflex 11FC can help accommodate this movement and prevent further damage. 

Lastly, for the paving gaps, avoid using rigid materials like cement, as they will crack over time due to natural movement. Instead, periodically refill the gaps with fresh paving sand to maintain a neat and stable finish.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[handynoob]

Thanks Mitchell, I appreciated your prompt reply.

I'll work on your advise and followup with results.

One think bothers me is the gaps between the brick pavers appears to be large, I've read to mix sand and cements, 3:1 part, however, the results were mediocre. It was done like last week, and I can see the sand coming just not binding enough. Should I increase the ration of cement for next time?

Thank you

[MitchellMc]

Hi @handynoob,

Adding more cement as binder would be a way to combat that.

Mitchell