Traditional and Interlocking Mortarless Concrete Block Wall

These walls have a variety of uses for patio decks, driveways, walkways and patio and landscape design.

Today there are two types of "Concrete Block" walls: the traditional wall built with mortar and the interlocking mortarless wall.

Traditional Block Walls

Use regular shaped units that can be rapidly installed. The units then are filled with rebar and concrete to meet the structural requirements of your job.

Blocks today come in a variety of textures and colors. It takes an experienced mason and usually an engineer or standard engineered plans to build a reinforced block wall.

Plans and permits

Walls 3 feet tall and shorter have a standard plan given out by most Building and Safety Departments and do not require a permit as long as that standard is followed. Typically, anything over 3 feet will require an approved engineered and permit plan.

Mortarless Walls

Mortarless walls are concrete walls that are constructed without mortar or cement between each unit. There are two types of mortarless walls: Gravity Walls and Re-enforced Walls.

Gravity walls are low walls that resist the forces of soil through the weight and set-back of the blocks. A gravity wall can stand on its own with the help of some basic steps. Gravity walls are typically 2-3 feet high and recommended for do-it-yourselfers. It is a retaining wall that relies solely on it's own weight to stand up and does not rely on structural ties extending into the soil it is retaining. These walls are also called Landscape walls and are very decorative and do not require a permit.

Re-enforced walls are walls over 3 feet that are engineered and rely on structural ties extending into the soil it is retaining. These ties are usually made out of a structural fiber or geogrid.

As the retaining wall is being constructed the installer places this geogrid at various elevations behind the wall, puts backfill over it, and compacts the area. The placement of layers of geogrid within the compacted soil mass causes the entire mass to, in effect, act as a single unit. Instead of resisting the soil forces with a large mass of concrete, which is very expensive, the equivalent required mass using compacted soil and geogrid has been created which is much less expensive. Further, the segmental blocks that are chosen to face the wall area make the wall aesthetically pleasing to view compared to that of a cast-in-place concrete wall. We can assist with your driveway, walkway or patio needs. Our totally professional service guarantees 100% customer satisfaction. Call Now: (818) 244-4000. Or fill out our Estimate Form to receive an on-site estimate if you live in any of the Southern California locations we service.