How Do You Fix A Cinder Block Retaining Wall?

How Do You Fix A Cinder Block Retaining Wall?

A cinder block retaining wall is a less expensive option when compared to a complete concrete wall, but it is not without flaws. Repairing, on the other hand, involves only a few masonry tools and no heavy masonry equipment.

Cracks can emerge when a concrete retaining wall settles, and the same is true for a cinder block retaining wall. Cinder bricks typically fracture along the mortar.

The blocks that make up the cinder block retaining wall may degrade over time as a result of weather conditions. This implies you may need to repair cracks or replace entire cinder blocks. To efficiently repair a cinder block wall, follow the simple methods outlined below.

Step 1: Repair Any Cracks And Replace Any Damaged Cinder Blocks.

To repair the cinder block retaining wall, first, remove what is damaged. Remove loose fragments of concrete and mortar from cracks with a wire brush. You want to keep the site as clean as possible.

When you have to remove a whole cinder block, such as when a fracture spreads through one, the operation becomes a little more difficult.

Chip away at the core of the damaged block with a cold chisel. Remove as much as possible by carefully chiseling the mortar away from the surrounding stones without chipping them.

Step 2. Cut That Rebar.

After the broken cinder block has been properly chipped away, you’ll discover rebar running through it, which keeps the retaining wall in place neatly and securely. The rebar from the removed block makes it hard to replace it.

Cut the rebar as near to the top and bottom of the cinder block as feasible with a metal cutting blade like this one from Husqvarna.

Because the rebar runs the length of the wall, severing it in the span of one block will not jeopardize the wall’s stability.

Step 3: Set The Mortar.

Prepare a batch of mortar. It should have the consistency of peanut butter. If you’re filling cracks, put the mortar in a masonry mortar bag and fill the crevices fully. Remove the excess of a 1/8″ layer using a trowel.

If you’re replacing a whole cinder block, you may require a bigger quantity of mortar, so plan accordingly. Apply mortar to the inside of the hole where the cinder block was and the edges of the surrounding blocks with the trowel.

Slide the new cinder block into place and push it in, pounding it with a piece of wood and a rubber mallet if required.

Step 4: Keep Things Tidy.

The space will spew out mortar. When this happens, scoop/catch the surplus with the masonry knife. You may also use a pastry bag to fill up the spaces with mortar.

Use that trowel if there is a lot of extra mortar coming out. The smooth mortar between your new cinder block and the surrounding region to the same depth below the wall’s surface as the other joints in the repair area. Allow curing before proceeding.