Retaining wall

[tflda29]

Hello,

I am going to be building a retaining wall this weekend on a sloped garden. The wall will be 215mm wide and 1000mm high. I am struggling to find what mortar mix would be correct for this application. I though 1:5 of cement to builders sand would suffice but some places on the internet say it should be stronger for retaining walls and more like 1:3.5 cement to sand.

Also some say i should be using sharp sand and not builders sand.

Would appreciate any comments on the above two points as i am confussed as to what to do.

thanks
Trevor

 

[noseall]

use building sand or soft sand at four sand to one cement and you won't go far wrong.

 

[^woody^]

Anything between 1:3 and 1:5 but its really not that important and you won't get it exact whatever you do.

1:5 will be fine

The way you deal with drainage behind the wall, the copings and the pointing will have a greater impact on the performance of the wall than the mix

 

[chessspy]

Hi, Trevor,
all the above answers are right enough.
however, theoretically it depends what bricks you are using,
if class B engineering or other strong impervious bricks, it's 3-1.
If flettons (commons) or other LBC house bricks then 5-1
And as Woody says, don't forget to bed some weep tubes across the wall.

 

[tflda29]

thanks for replies guys....will be starting on this tonight so fingers crossed the rain will stay away all weekend!!