Building a dry stack block wall with QUIKWall.
Building a garden wall, a planter,
mailbox enclosure...or even an outdoor kitchen,
can be as easy as stack and stucco with QUIKWall Surface Bonding Cement.
The construction process is quick and easy for even the novice
do-it-yourselfer
with professional results. QUIKWall Surface Bonding Cement
is a special fiberglass reinforced stucco that is simply troweled over the surface
of a dry stack block wall.
QUIKWall can create beautiful stucco walls that are stronger and faster to
build
than traditional block and mortar construction. Every block wall,
whether structural or non-structural, requires a solid footing or slab as its
base.
High-strength QUIKRETE 5000 is the recommended product for footing
construction because of its high strength
and rapid strength gain. Footings should be a minimum of twice the width of
the concrete block typical 8 x 8 x 16 block would require a 16 inch
wide footing.
The footing depth should extend below the frost line. It is important to check local
building codes for construction requirements
in your area. QUIKWall can be successfully mixed by hand
or machine mixed. The size of your project will often determined which
method you choose.
Hand mixing can be done in a mortar tub or wheelbarrow with a mixing hoe
and is suited for small projects. When working with QUIKWall,
rubber gloves and safety glasses should always be worn during mixing and
placing procedures.
Each 50 pound bag of QUIKWall requires about a gallon of water.
Additional water can be added in small amounts, to achieve a workable mix.
Adding liquid cement color to standard white or gray QUIKWall
can add a decorative stucco finish. One 10 ounce bottle of
QUIKRETE Liquid Cement Color will color up to two bags of 50-pound QUIKWall.
To achieve a consistent color throughout the mix,
the liquid cement color should be blended into the mixing water before
adding it to the mix.
Using the same water to color ratio will help maintain color uniformity from
batch to batch.
This is especially important when working on large areas.
The proper consistency is achieved when the wet QUIKWall will hang on a trowel
held at a ninety degree angle.
To get started, it is important to stage the first course of block.
Snap a chalk line on each side of the block wall
as a reference line to ensure the corners are square and the wall is
straight.
Then, remove the block and lay a one-eighth inch bed of QUIKWall
on the footing. This will not only bond your wall to the footing,
it will also keep the first course level if there are slight imperfections in the
concrete footing.
The QUIKWall mix should be workable but firm enough to support the weight of
the first course.
Because there are no mortar joints in this construction technique,
the first course of block will determine how level and square the wall will be.
Now, set your bottom course. Check your alignment
and level every third to fourth block. Once your first course is set,
dry stack the remaining block in a running bond pattern to the desired height.
All corners should use an interlocking pattern. Before applying QUIKWall,
thoroughly dampen the block wall with water. Dry block will draw the water from
the mix,
making it difficult to finish and can cause inconsistent color and cracking,
especially in hot temperatures. Then,
apply a consistent one eighth to one-quarter inch coat of QUIKWall
to both sides of the block.
Use a square finishing trowel held at a 45 degree angle
and work from the bottom of the wall to the top. Popular textures such as heavy lace,
light lace, dash and smooth finishes
are easy to achieve with a little practice. It is recommended that you
check your QUIKWall color
and practice your texturing technique on a block or a sheet of cement board,
prior to attempting to finish a large wall. One 50 pound bag of QUIKWall
will cover approximately 50 square feet at one-eighth inch thick.
The coverage may vary, based on the texture and thickness
of the QUIKWall application. Once your wall is completed,
water cure the entire surface with a fine water mist.
This is especially important for color consistency and to prevent surface cracking.