How to Make a Wall From 16 Cement Blocks

Building a Retaining Wall

• 1

  Dig out a trench in the area where the wall will be installed. Save the grass sod layer. Make the trench the length of the wall, twice as wide as the blocks are, and 8 inches deep. Use a tamp to flatten down the bottom of the trench. Use a level to make the bottom of the trench straight.

• 2

  Fill the trench with 6 inches of base material. Tamp down the material and keep filling until the tamped down material reaches 6 inches. Spread a 1-inch layer of leveling sand over the material.

• 3

  Position the first layer of blocks tightly next to each other, centered in the trench. Fill in the area around the blocks with some of the dirt that was removed. Tamp it down and cover it with some of the removed grass sod.

• 4

  Pile the blocks on top of each other to make a wall, using any pins or connection hardware that came with the blocks. Set the front of each block about 3/4-inch back from the block below it so the wall slopes gently backward. Fill in the area behind the wall with crushed rock or gravel up to slightly below the top block.

• 5

  Cover the rear of the wall with soil and tamp it down, then set more grass sod on top of the soil.

Building a Free-Standing Wall

• 6

  Follow the preparation steps for the previous wall until beginning the initial layer of blocks. Apply a layer of mortar between each of the blocks along the sides using a trowel.

• 7

  Apply a layer of mortar to the top of the first layer of blocks. Position another layer of blocks directly centered on top of the original layer, staggering them so that their seams are directly over the center of the block below them.

• 8

  Cut one of the blocks in half with a chopsaw and position a half at each end of the second row to make the edges even.

• 9

  Continue the application in this manner until the blocks have all been used. Let the mortar dry for 48 hours before relying on the wall for strength.