Adding steps to your retaining wall is a simple process if you know what you’re doing. You’ve probably seen them in big rock walls, and maybe even in brick ones. They’re called “runners,” and they’re an integral part of the design in any retaining wall that has steps leading up to it, whether that’s on one side or more than one. The runners are just small bricks or stones that help bridge the gap between the large sections of your wall and the earth underneath it. To get started, you’ll need a plan for where your steps will be placed and an idea as to how many bricks you’ll need.
Planning Where Your Steps Will Go
Planning is a step-by-step process. It involves taking the time to think about all the steps in your project, from beginning to end. This will help you avoid mistakes and make for a successful project. Planning is about thinking about the end result, but also about thinking about each step of your process. You can start by deciding on your materials or design, then move through each step until it comes together at the end
Cutting The Mortar Base
For this project, you’ll need the following tools:
- A masonry saw. This tool has a circular blade with teeth on it to cut through concrete and other hard materials.
- A drill and masonry bit. A drill is used to create holes in the mortar base so you can insert the rebar reinforcing rods. The masonry bit will then cut them into place once they’re in place.
Laying Your First Level Of Bricks
To lay your first level of bricks, you will need to:
- Align the back row of bricks with the front row by using a straight line or level. You can make this line by using a chalk string (a string with a chalk pencil at each end). The lines should be parallel to one another and spaced out equally.
- Make sure that all bricks are the same height and that they’re level with one another.
- Make sure that each brick is straight and square before you place it in place on your wall so that it doesn’t fall off later on when you start stacking them up against each other like pancakes
Replacing Bricks As You Go
You can also replace bricks as you go if you are using a mortar base. This method is less expensive than buying the pre-made ones and it’s easier to get the bricks level and straight with this method because you don’t have to worry about how they will look when they are all connected together.
However, there are some things that need to be done before laying your bricks down on top of each other:
- Make sure that you have a good mortar base underneath each brick so that they do not fall through when stepping on them later on in your project (which can cause major problems).
- Make sure that your bricks are level so that they sit flush with one another when connecting them together. If any part of a brick sticks out higher than another section then it won’t look right at all
- Make sure all sides facing up vertically have been smoothed out before placing them against one another; otherwise, corners may chip off easily once everything dries completely overnight/overnight/overnight.
Laying The Second Level Of Bricks
The second level is laid the same way as the first. It’s important to check for alignment, so use a long straightedge across each row of bricks and make sure that there are no gaps between them. Also make sure that your rows are straight by measuring them from one end of the wall to another and then checking for any inconsistencies. If you notice an inconsistency, try pulling up some brickwork from under it so that your new brickwork fits in properly.
Once all of your bricks have been laid out on top of their mortar bedding courses, they’ll need some time to cure before being covered with gravel or mulch around them. This curing process can take anywhere from 24 hours to several days depending on weather conditions and how thickly you’ve applied mortar between layers—the thicker it is, the longer it needs to cure before being covered by something else such as mulch or gravel.
Checking For Alignment
Once the backfill is finished and you’ve got a good solid base, it’s time to check for alignment. This means checking that each step is level, square and plumb.
Levelness refers to how parallel two planes are: if they’re both at the same height (i.e., level), they’re level; if they’re not, one plane is higher than the other (i.e., unlevel).
Squareness refers to whether or not two sides of an object are perpendicular—that is, whether one side is at 90 degrees relative to another side (i.e., square).
Plumbness refers specifically to verticality: if something hangs straight down from its attachment point without slanting off in any direction at all (i.e., plumb), then it’s perfectly vertical; otherwise it’s unplumbed or slanted in some way away from being strictly vertical
Adding steps to your retaining wall is a simple process if you know what you’re doing.
If you’re one of the many homeowners who have considered adding steps to your retaining wall, the good news is that it’s a simple process if you know what you’re doing.
Planning where to place your steps before beginning construction is crucial. You want them to be sturdy and safe, but also aesthetically pleasing. Whether or not your retaining wall has an existing level surface for steps (or a staircase) will affect how many bricks are needed for each level of bricks.
If your retaining wall does not already have a flat surface on which to build steps, you’ll need to dig out loose dirt until there is enough room for digging without damaging any roots or underground pipes or cables. Then measure out how far apart each brick should go horizontally so that they create an even line when laid out vertically—you can do this by marking lines off with chalk where each brick will go with its neighbor at either end. If there isn’t enough space between them in order for them all fit horizontally across the length of the project area then consider cutting some down into halves or quarters depending on their size before laying them down vertically; this will help make sure they don’t fall through gaps in between each row of bricks while still allowing enough distance between rows so as not too overlap onto another set above/below yours (which might lead over time).
Conclusion
You should now be equipped with all the information you need to add steps to your retaining wall. If you’re still not sure how to go about it, or if you’d like a professional opinion on the process, we offer expert advice and experienced masonry services as part of our business. Simply give us a call….
