Hi all
Can I sanity check some stuff with you more experienced guys?
I want to render a (small) external retaining wall. One side holds the lawn in, and is about 2 blocks higher than the lawn; the other side edges a deck, about four block in height above the deck. The total height of the wall is 5 blocks, laid face down.
I am going to render both sides of the wall; I am planning to make a bench on top out of deckboards. The boards will overhang the top edges by about 50mm each side.
I was going to attach external render end beads to all the faces of the blocks to make it nice and easy to a) terminate the edges and b) make it easier to feather edge the render so its nice and flat. Is this overkill?
Can I use an external grab adhesive to attach the beads? I'm not sure that masonry nails won't make a mess of the high density blocks, and it sounds easier.
Do I need any sort of membrane on the side that faces the lawn? I haven't used any weepholes or anything like that in the retaining wall; I don't think its big enough and the slope of the garden is at 90 degrees to the wall.
I was going to prep the blocks with a water and cement slurry first (not sure what mix to use - 5:1?)
Will plasticiser do as a waterproofer for the render, or do I need both?
I was going to just have one coat of render, not a scratch coat (is that the right terminology?) and a second coat, as the beads that that I was going to use were 12 - 18mm, and I'm guessing this will be within tolerable limits for the thickness of a render.
I was going to use Hansons Heidleburg mortar mix as a render. Not sure what mix of cement to sand this is but it says that it can be used as a render.
Is there anything else that I can do to help prevent the render blowing with frost?
I was then going to paint the render with external paint, PVA the render beforehand?
I've tried to do my research beforehand; sorry if the questions are a bit obvious.
Thanks in advance
K
Can I sanity check some stuff with you more experienced guys?
I want to render a (small) external retaining wall. One side holds the lawn in, and is about 2 blocks higher than the lawn; the other side edges a deck, about four block in height above the deck. The total height of the wall is 5 blocks, laid face down.
I am going to render both sides of the wall; I am planning to make a bench on top out of deckboards. The boards will overhang the top edges by about 50mm each side.
I was going to attach external render end beads to all the faces of the blocks to make it nice and easy to a) terminate the edges and b) make it easier to feather edge the render so its nice and flat. Is this overkill?
Can I use an external grab adhesive to attach the beads? I'm not sure that masonry nails won't make a mess of the high density blocks, and it sounds easier.
Do I need any sort of membrane on the side that faces the lawn? I haven't used any weepholes or anything like that in the retaining wall; I don't think its big enough and the slope of the garden is at 90 degrees to the wall.
I was going to prep the blocks with a water and cement slurry first (not sure what mix to use - 5:1?)
Will plasticiser do as a waterproofer for the render, or do I need both?
I was going to just have one coat of render, not a scratch coat (is that the right terminology?) and a second coat, as the beads that that I was going to use were 12 - 18mm, and I'm guessing this will be within tolerable limits for the thickness of a render.
I was going to use Hansons Heidleburg mortar mix as a render. Not sure what mix of cement to sand this is but it says that it can be used as a render.
Is there anything else that I can do to help prevent the render blowing with frost?
I was then going to paint the render with external paint, PVA the render beforehand?
I've tried to do my research beforehand; sorry if the questions are a bit obvious.
Thanks in advance
K