Prior to the 1970s cinder block foundations were the norm.
Cinder block retaining wall foundation.
A concrete block foundation can be stronger than a poured concrete foundation.
Nearly every house was built with a masonry foundation.
Meaning it can hold more weight on top of the foundation.
However for even the most modest block structure to have enough rigidity to bear pressure and weight it needs proper footing.
Concrete blocks are concrete masonry units or cmus but we often refer to them as concrete blocks or cinder blocks learn more about concrete masonry units a wall typically requires 1 1 8 blocks per square foot.
Concrete blocks are a common building material for a variety of outdoor projects such as retaining walls and out buildings like garages and tool sheds.
Retaining walls can be constructed using a variety of materials from poured concrete and large timbers to natural stones even bricks.
The last home i built for my family had a giant poured concrete foundation but in the backyard i used concrete block to build a magical serpentine retaining wall that looks as good today as the.
Do choose a material you can easily work with.
Finding how many concrete blocks you need for your project can seem like a confusing and challenging task but it can be simplified using the calculator above.
While the poured wall wins for lateral strength the cinder block wall built correctly beats out poured wall for compression strength.
One of the best parts about this project is its simplicity.
With a little engineering and a minimal amount of work and supplies you can build a retaining wall to suit your needs.
Once you ve got your base set up it just takes some finesse in building the wall up and turning corners.
Reinforcing steel can be used to strengthen either material.
Whether you re building a retaining wall or just need some extra privacy a cinder block wall is an affordable way to get the job done.
Start the concrete footing by digging the area of the wall a few inches below the frost line the maximum depth in the ground below which the soil does not freeze during the winter consult a structural engineer to design the footing including where to install the vertical reinforcement which usually is placed.