Hi I have a retaining wall in my garden that is quite old and has a few bricks missing (i think where water and soil pressure have worn them away as there are no weep holes). I'm a novice diy'er and can't afford to replace the whole wall, so was thinking of wire meshing the whole wall on my side (my side is 2-3 ft lower than my neighbours side which has 3 ft soil) and then rendering over it ensuring there are holes for water draining through. I don't have access to the other side (the side with soil) as my neighbour has veg growing constantly). Does this sound like a reasonable approach? If so what wire mesh would be best to use? What other gotchas do i need to consider? I'm thinking i might have to dig down on my side which is 3ft lower than the other side to put a damp proof membraine a ft lower than my soil level so that the render doesn't get damp and bubble- any thoughts from those more experienced? Will the fact that my neighbours side will not be quite meshed or rendered cause the wire bracing or rendering issues? Many thanks in advance. Ben
Won't work! Got a some photo's. Who responsible for wall you or your neighbour, what's in your deeds.
Hi Kiab A few pics a available using the link below. The larger wall in the pic attached to our house and will be getting sorted next year when i get the back of the house re renderd so it's just the smaller wall i want to make sure it's safe and looking better. https://goo.gl/photos/yPg7ZbHML4CxVF8j7 Thanks
Would you not consider rebuilding the wall yourself? It's a good way to save some money, and getting the hang of isn't too hard.
Beyond repointing, agree with Joe, needs rebuilding, you can pinch old bricks from the back of wall out of site to make good the front, these can be replaced with engineering bricks. Will also need new foundations for wall.
Your going to need to take photo's of that wall, otherwise your going to get into trouble with the closers,headers & stretchers, end up short or have some left over.
Thanks for the comments. Honestly I'm not sure that I'm competent enough to rebuild a wall from scratch, especially one that may fall on my son. Although it looks awful, none of the bricks remaining are actually loose and the wall doesn't move at all, which is why i was hoping there would be another option besides rebuilding, then rendering the whole thing to meet my wife's 'design'. Agreed of a rebuild is needed I'll need a pretty good picture and a lot of patients to put the jigsaw back together again lol.
I built one retainer from wood last weekend as also concerned about being a noob at building brick walls re safety. Concreted in treated posts, in front of treated deck boards, waterproof membrane to back side, painted with weather protect paint just have to lightly back fill. If it fails it's only 50 quid down the swanny, and wood guaranteed for 15yr fwiw. Life's too short to learn to become a bricky. And it's too expensive to build one that may fail. On other side I have a horrid old 1m wide retaining brick wall, just one brick blown but evorescence on it and mud coming through pointing. Hubby thought about rendering it but I don't see the point with all that moisture coming thru. Maybe drill some holes 2/3 down but probably better off cladding it with decking... Also rustic brick so looks a state and moss magnet etc. #thinkingoutloud
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