At the end of my garden I have a five foot high breeze-block wall. One section of the wall is about ten feet wide. One end the wall meets a brick-built outhouse. The mortar where the wall meets the out-house has all but gone. Consequently, the wall can be rocked back and forth (an inch or so) by hand. As I have small children I need to secure the wall back to the out-house to stop it doing this. I presume removing the old mortar and re-mortaring is one solution - can anyone recommend a better solution - some sort of brace perhaps?
Any help appreciated.
THE WALL SHOULD HAVE BEEN TIED TO OUTHOUSE STRUCTURE USING FURFIX FLANGES AND CLIPS DURING CONSTRUCTION AND BLOCKS LAID FLAT TO PROVIDE THICKER WALL.
A SHORT TERM TEMPORARY SOLUTION WOULD BE TO USE TIMBER BATTENS OR STEEL ANGLE STRUTS SCREWED TO OUTHOUSE WALL EITHER SIDE OF BLOCK WALL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT.
AS YOU SAY THE WALL ROCKS, THEN IT IS LIKELY THAT ONE OR MORE MORTAR JOINTS HAVE FAILED LOW DOWN IN THE WALL OR AT FOUNDATION LEVEL AND SO WILL NEVER BE ADIQUATELY SECURE AND COULD FAIL AT ANY OTHER POINT ALONG THE AFFECTED LENGTH.
YOU COULD HAVE THE WALL STRENTHENED WITH PILLARS OR BUTTRESSES.
OR
A SECOND SKIN OF BLOCKS BUILT ONTO ONE SIDE EFFECTIVELY GIVING A DOUBLE SKIN WALL.
OR
DEMOLISH AND ERRECT A NEW MORE SUSTANTIAL WALL IN ITS PLACE.
THE SAFETY ASSPECT IS PARAMOUNT, SO DO CONSIDER THE ABOVE POINTS AND ADDRESS THE FAILED WALL PROBLEM SATISFACTORILY IN THE LONG TERM.
Last year 64% of the questions asked in our forum were answered within our DIY project pages at www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects.htm The project pages are now separated alphabetically and your answers are accompanied by diagrams and the ability to see, and buy, the tools and/or required to complete your project. Use our search box to look for your answer and save a great deal of time and money!
DIY how to tutorial projects and guides - Did you know we have a DIY Projects section? Well, if no, then we certainly do! Within this area of our site have literally hundreds of how-to guides and tutorials that cover a huge range of home improvement tasks. Each page also comes with pictures and a video to make completing those jobs even easier!
by 