Fitzroy Blocks

* Fitzroy Block Price List

* Austral Product Brochure Guide

* Retaining Wall Installation Guide

Installation Guide:

Checklist (What you need)

String line

Tape measure

Walling units

Compaction Tool

Shovel

Spirit level

Wheel barrow

Agriculture Drain Pipe

Pegs or stakes

Broom

Gloves & eye protection

Mitre saw (to cut blocks if required) 10-20mm

Crushed stone Crushed rock (for base)

Step 1: Permits

Check with your local council to ensure all local Building Codes are complied with.

Step 2: Foundation

The foundation material shall be compacted by several passes of a mechanical plate vibrator. Where there are significant variations of foundation material or compaction, soft spots, or where there is ponding of ground water, the material shall be removed, replaced and compacted in layers not exceeding 150mm. Trenches shall be dewatered and cleaned prior to construction, such that no softened or loosened material remains.

Step 3: Bearing Pad

The facing shall be built on a bearing pad, not less than 150mm thick and 300 to 600mm wide, consisting of one of the following options:• Compacted road base• Compacted crushed rock, well-graded and of low plasticity (without clay content), compacted by a plate vibrator;• Cement-stabilized crushed rock, with an additional 5% by mass of cement thoroughly mixed, moistened and compacted by a plate vibrator; or• Lean-mix concrete with a compressive strength of not less than 15 MPa.

Step 4: First Course

Spread 25mm of crusher dust with an additional 5% by mass of cement over the compacted base. The first course is now bedded into the crusher dust. The use of a level and string line is recommended to ensure the first course is laid correctly. Ensure each block is also well filled with free-draining material (e.g. crushed rock aggregate / blue metal). For walls up to 1 metre high, make sure at least 100mm of the first-course blocks are buried below the finished ground level. Allow 200mm for walls over 1 metre high and up to 3 metres high. These walls will need to be engineered.

Step 5: Drainage and Back Fill

Place 100mm diameter agricultural pipe with geotextile sock behind the wall, with a 1 in 100 fall. Backfill behind the courses of blocks to a width of 300mm using 10-20mm free draining material (e.g. crushed rock aggregate / blue metal). Ensure each block is also well filled with free-draining material. Backfill behind the drainage layer with selected backfill material in a maximum of 200mm layers. Compaction rate of 95% must be achieved (use only hand operated plate compactors within 1 metre from the back of the wall). Do not use expansive clays to backfill. Be careful not to mechanically compact too close to the wall.

Step 6: Laying Additional Courses

Clean any debris from the top of the wall to ensure the next block sits perfectly. Ensure each block is filled with free draining material, and place next course on top. Place the drainage material behind the blocks to 300mm. Stack units, placing drainage aggregate and compact backfill for each course until the wall is complete.

Step 7: Capping Units

Once backfilling and cleaning is completed as per Step 5 and Step 6 fix the purpose made Capping Blocks with External-use Liquid Nails / Maxbond.

Step 8: Maximum Wall Height

This information should be viewed as a guide only. The particular circumstances of retaining wall projects vary significantly in ways that often dictate the use of particular materials and techniques to address challenges presented by those circumstances. Austral Masonry recommends you to ensure that you obtain appropriate professional advice tailored to your circumstances before commencing retaining wall projects

Note: Please consult with regulating council for local design requirements prior to the commencement of any retaining wall. Councils may request walls over 0.5m in height and / or where a surcharge exists (e.g. driveway, house, fence or other structure) be designed and certified by a suitably qualified consulting engineer.