How to Form Concrete Walls

Concrete walls serve a variety of purposes. They can be decorative adornments to a yard or garden, retaining walls that keep back soil or water, or property markers. Many people choose to make concrete walls out of blocks, but the safest and strongest way is to pour concrete into a pre-made frame. This article will teach you how to form concrete walls that can serve a variety of purposes.

Steps

1. Measure out the area of your wall and drive stakes into the corners. Tie string between the stakes to serve as guides for digging.
2. Dig out the area of the wall. You should dig down below the frost line, which is usually about 1 foot (or 30 cm) down. If building a retaining wall on a slope, make sure the bottom of your hole is flat.
3. Measure and cut pieces of plywood to stand a few inches (or about 10 cm) above the eventual height of your wall. These pieces will make a form to stretch around the whole area of your wall.
4. Attach small blocks of wood to the inside of the plywood at intervals of about 2 feet (or 60 cm). These will serve to spread out the concrete to prevent cracking.
5. Place the form into the hole. Make sure it lies level. Secure it the ground with stakes or other weights. It should be secure enough to remain solid when stood upon.

Concrete is brittle, like toast. ideally wire a mesh to give flexible strength.

1. Mix concrete. The type and quantity of concrete mix will depend on the size and nature of your wall.
2. Pour concrete from the wheelbarrow into the form.
   
   • Keep a fresh batch of concrete mix ready as you go along. Pour concrete as quickly and evenly as you can so that no part of the wall dries much before any other.
   • If you will be topping your wall with concrete, brush the top surface to create a nice texture. If you will be adding stone or another surface to the top, do so while the concrete mix is still wet.
3. Even off the concrete with a trowel when you reach the top of the wall.
4. Wait at least half a day for the concrete to dry.
5. Remove the form.

Tips

• Applying motor oil to the surface of the wood frame will make it easier to remove.
• If building a retaining wall on a slope, add supporting boards to the frame that stretch down to a secure spot on the ground. This will prevent the frame from sagging when you pour concrete.
• Tamp down the concrete with the trowel as you pour to distribute the water and avoid air bubbles.
• If building a high wall, add a ramp for the wheelbarrow so that you can pour more easily from above. If your wall is too big to pour all at once, add a piece of plywood to the frame that cuts across your hole so that you can pour in two installments.

Things You'll Need

• Concrete mix
• Wheelbarrow
• Shovel
• Trowel
• Several pieces of plywood
• Several small blocks of wood
• Stakes
• String

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Form Concrete Walls. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.