concrete block walls -height

Submitted by Jinoturistica on 3 March, 2008 - 18:05.

'everyone' builds block walls to about 8 foot then uses a massive crossbeam (With MORTAR? are you crazy?). Constructing the forms, waiting for the set all takes time and I have only 15 days or so to get all this finshed. Questions abound - is there someting magic about 8 foot, can I go to 16 foot? Can I put rebar across the top of the blocks at 4 block intervals? I will gladly trade rebar costs for time.

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There is a construction code but nobody respect it

Submitted by tlme01 on 5 March, 2008 - 00:57.

Nicaragua has a construction code and the Alcaldias are in charge of enforce it. This is the biggest joke on town, because nobody use it, respect it or at the end you can bribe the inspector. After the 1972 earthquake that destroyed most of the city of Managua, the government enacted this code and has specific conditions to build concrete fences with foundations based on height and weight, vigas coronas, beams each two meters, etc. The 8 foot size is because the houses are about that height. Basically to build a fence you have to think also in your own safety, guess who can be there next to the fence if it falls. Last year, when I was visiting, in a Managua's barrio, a concrete fence improperly built fall over a mother and daughter killing both. You can have a lower fence and use a lighter material at the top to block the view. If you want to have a copy of the "Construction Code,ask at the Alcaldia but maybe INTECNA, UNI or the Local library (not sure if it is one in Jinotega) would be a better source.

You can pick

Submitted by fyl on 3 March, 2008 - 19:42.

I don't think anyone will tell you what you can and can't do so be creative. If I was building with block I would probably even want to put rebar in some of the holes. But, that's just not the way things are done here.

Most things in Estelí are done with brick because there is a lot of clay available but there is also some cement block as well. No matter what you are using and what you are building (fence or house wall), the method is the same.

  • Dig for reinforced columns. The distance between columns varies but 3-4 meters seems to be common. They contain 4 rebars. Typically 3/8" for one floor, 1/2" for two.
  • The rebar is put in and the hole is filled with concrete plus the footing is poured.
  • The wall is "filled in" up about a meter with either brick or concrete block. There is nothing structural put in there--you just stack them up.
  • You then build a horizontal viga with rebar, tie it to the vertical rebar and pour the column and viga together.
  • When set, you go back to stacking up (with mortar) bricks or blocks for another about a meter. Add the next viga.
  • Broken glass is commonly used as a way to discourage people from climbing over the wall. It is embedded in the concrete of the top vega.

That seems to be it. If you wanted more than a 8 foot wall, it would make sense you use 1/2" instead of 3/8" rebar in the columns but that seems like about it. As there is only a pause to let dry every meter or so, you should be able to do a wall in about two days per meter. (I say meter but even if you only stacked block for a meter, you get the height of the viga as well. I have also seen walls two meters high with only a viga at the top.