Retaining wall block and brick with coping?

[robbie77]

Hi

Shortly I hope to begin my retaining garden wall. It will be arounf 7m long and 1m high.
I have dug the founds and have everything ready to pour base.

I have some lovely old hand made bricks I was wanting to use on the face of the wall. I don't have enough to do a traditional 9 inch wall with a bond so here are the questions.

The back of the wall will obviously not be seen so I was wanting to use 7.3 n blocks, toward the top I would like to finish it so it's not obvious that there are blocks behind. Similarly I want to have two small retuns on the end to make a small corner on either end with maybe 4 brick course to make it look a bit smarter.


Questions

1. Can I / Should I use the 9n block right next to the old imperial brick and just cut a block so its level with the brick near the top so it looks like a solid brick (9 inch) wall or should I have some cavity. The retaining wall with get wet as it will have the fall from the filed behind so I was thinking a cavity might help with spalling drainage issues?

2. How would I best bond the wall. The answer to question one will probably dictate this?

3. Can I swap between block and brick further up OK? if so wha's the best /easiest method.
4. Can I add a brick coping on top OK?

Any helpful advice would be great... Thanks


This is the area I am retaining...It's not this wet anymore!

 

[^woody^]

Generally you can go all what you propose.

A retaining wall would need to be solid, so even if built in cavity construction, the cavity would need to be filled. Ties would be easiest to bond the two leaves together, unless the courses align and you can use a course of headers every 450mm.

Put some of that black polythene up the rear face before back filling and that will help with keeping a lot of the damp out.

Make sure the copings have a drip overhang, or a tile crease. That will also help with protecting the brickwork below.

 

[robbie77]

Great thanks. Might as well build the wall solid without a cavity then. I have some wall ties lying around do I just position them at a sharp angle so they don't stick out . Header course would be good and solid to I will try for that to.

 

[^woody^]

Yes to the ties

 

[robbie77]

Right I've mocked up the block and brick.
The width of the blocks is 100mm the brick about 75mm?
To be able to run a course of headers I would need to leave a cavity gap of about 60mm.
Should I fill this with cement as I go to keep it solid?
Do I need to put some drain weeps in somewhere periodically and final question could I finish off the top with a wall of headers (coping)or will this not be suitable?
Thanks.