Garden Wall

[scottpetrie]

Hi
I am going to be building a small u shaped wall in my garden as a barbecue area. It will be approx 1.5m (ish) high, just out of breeze blocks, then painted. Im trying to find a quick cement that I can just mix with water but all the ones Ive looked at need mixing with sand. All I can find is concrete that just needs water adding. Would this work?

 

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

No. Pre-mixed concrete has gravel in it, and is not suitable for mortar for brick/blockwork.

Ready mix mortar is available.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/tarmac-blue-circle-mortar-grey-5kg/96810

 

[scottpetrie]

Okay thanks. Can you recommend a decent simple cement? I dont need much so dont want to be having to order ton bags of sand

 

[mikeey84]

What exactly are you looking to use it for?

Just a note on terminology:

Cement - the thing that goes hard. Often grey powder, needs mixing with sand to make mortar that sticks bricks together, and mixing with sand and gravel to make concrete which is used for lots of things, but not sticking bricks together

For building a wall, you want a ready mix mortar than you only add water too. If you just mix cement and water, it will set hard, but will be very fragile

 

[scottpetrie]

Yes, Im after something just for building the wall with, preferably ready mixed and just need to add water

 

[mikeey84]

If you are using blocks, what Bobby recommended is exactly what you want.

 

[scottpetrie]

Yeh sorry didnt even notice that comment. Thats what I got. As for the blocks, am I best with 100mm or 140mm thickness? Its only for a small u shaped wall roughly 1.5m high

 

[SpecialK]

Breeze blocks may not be good for heat if thats what you are planning?
get some 7N concrete blocks?

 

[scottpetrie]

No theyre not for the actual barbecue, just for the surrounding area. The barbecue will be built inside it

 

[mikeey84]

I'd go for the 140mm personally

 

[cdbe]

You'll need loads of those buckets for a few metres of blockwork - far better to buy bagged building sand and cement and plasticiser from B&Q. It's not difficult to hand mix in small quantities. You'll probably need a bit of ballast for a basic concrete foundation. For a small U shape, 100mm 7n (the heavy ones) will be fine.

 

[scottpetrie]

Okay so what exactly would I need for a U shape wall approx 1.5m length back wall by 1.5m high and sides would be about 1m long by 1.5m high? How many 20kg bags of ready mixed mortar?

 

[cdbe]

I'd start with 5.

 

[JohnD]

Just a note on terminology:

Concrete - the thing that goes hard. Often grey powder, needs mixing with sand to make mortar that sticks bricks together, and mixing with sand and gravel to make concrete which is used for lots of things, but not sticking bricks together

 

[JohnD]

quick cement

don't use quick cement. It is designed to go hard almost as fast as you can put the first brick down.