wall using no mortar

spygirl

just wondering if anyone has any experience using the anchor wall system. The one that the stones lock into each other instead of having to use mortar etc. Am thinking of building a small retaining wall for a raised bed, just wondered if they are any use or am I better to go the old fashioned route.Thanks in advance for any feedback

looksee

My husband built a lot of small retaining walls - though one was about 3 ft high, most were about 15 -18 inches - using just random stones found in the garden as he was digging (including, admittedly, the remains of an old ditch). He just stacked them fairly carefully - no mortar- and back-filled them and they have been standing for oh, 15 years or so.

I realise this may not be a practical solution for you, but for a low wall you don't have to do anything too complicated.

jos28

Spygirl,
Did you ever build that anchor wall ? I was thinking of tackling one myself

paddy147

We will be doing this soon.:)

Rustic looking raised bed walls.

A 300-350mm wide x 150-200mm deep is dug and filled in with cement as foundation.

The 1st coarse of bricks is layed on a 12mm bed of mortar.

Then the next 3-4 coarses are just installed with some exterior silicone/grab adhesive.

There are no mortar joins to see.

You get the strength of a good retaining wall,but without the need for mortar joins.

jos28

Thanks a million Paddy, looks very impressive. You have answered loads of my questions. The assistant(I use that term loosely) at my local DIY store gave me the impression that there was no need for a foundation, you can just lay the blocks straight onto the ground :eek: . I knew that could not be right.
Best of luck with the project, love to see photos when it's finished.

spygirl

Hi, not as of yet sadly. the OH decided to put in a patio as well and I'm still waiting for tat to be finished. I did buy them and put them flat on the ground to make a very tiny one to grow some tomatoes in, worked a treat so far. Pretty expensive to build anything biggish out of. 2E a block was best i could get and then onl as I was getting hard core, sand etc for the patio.

I'm gonna have to wait til OH finishes "His" project before I can decide If I'll make the whole bed with them but the little one i did is working pretty well. I brought it out in a semi circle from the wall,3 layers high.put a liner in and filled.Used no mortar so if they stay standing over the winter they were ok.

jos28

Thanks Spygirl, my wall will be 24ft long so I don't think I could get away with just laying them on the ground (much as I would love to). €2 a block is expensive alright. I wish the magic garden fairies would just build me a wall overnight