[EpicInterlock]

Has anyone had any experience installing stonehenge style walls and seating?

It's basically using a stone similar to Unilock's Brussels Dimensional Stone on it's side, side-by-side with about 3-4" gaps in between each stone, with another stone on top of them to create a Stonehenge look.

My concern is how do I stabilize the stones so they don't topple over like dominos? Common sense tells me that I should bury at least a quarter or half of the block to stabilize it, but then the wall/seats will be way too low. The other option of course is glue....lots and lots of glue.

The seating is in the picture below I pulled off the Unilock website.

[N. Solutions]

A little daub of SRW concrete adhesive goes a long way. This forum recently conducted a test of concrete adhesives and SRW was rated the best too. When I use it I put down a little bead, place my stone, then pick it up once and reset it, makes incredibly strong bonds.

[Stonehenge]

Epic - Of course I'm familiar with Stonehenge style walls. It's all we do. And Stonehenge style plantings, Stonehenge styles patios, water features. You could say we specialize in doing things the Stonehenge way.

But seriously, you should treat it like other retaining or freestanding walls, with some amount of buried block. Maybe you place 1-2 courses of Olde Quarry sub-grade and the seat wall is made from Brussels dimensional. And then glue every surface that contacts another block surface.

[EpicInterlock]

Jeff - That's what I'll do. Bury a portion of the brick, then glue, glue, glue.

N Solutions - What is SRW glue? What brand is that? PL Premium is what I've been using, and it's crazy strong, even after only 45-60 mins, it's pretty well glued for good.

[mrusk]

Do some searching. We discussed the chance of failure with these walls a few weeks ago. I do not see them lasting long.

[Stonehenge]

SRW is the brand. It's better than anything PL makes.

http://www.srwproducts.com/

[autophil]

Originally posted by mrusk
I do not see them lasting long.

I would never build something like that...but I'm mostly just a pool guy.

Aside from longevity issues, I think that in 5 years, those materials will be more out of style than keystone walls and moss rock waterfalls.

[EpicInterlock]

Autophil, I will make sure the workmanship will last for a very, very long time, but as far as the style goes, it doesn't matter if the customer requests it does it?

[mrusk]

Originally posted by EpicInterlock
Autophil, I will make sure the workmanship will last for a very, very long time, but as far as the style goes, it doesn't matter if the customer requests it does it?

Your workmanship has nothing to do with it lasting. It pushing segmental retaining wall systems to the limit that bothers me. Remember, these are flexible systems.

[autophil]

Originally posted by EpicInterlock
Autophil, I will make sure the workmanship will last for a very, very long time, but as far as the style goes, it doesn't matter if the customer requests it does it?

You're absolutely right. I meant that part of my post to be only a side note, and not an actual consideration of whether or not to take the job. Heck, I'll build anything, as ugly as somebody wants it, so long as they're paying me to do it.

Still, I just cannot see that type of feature lasting very long. Did you read that other thread?

[Jpdst29]

Epicinterlock - i have built a couple of that style seat wall and i wasn't too confident that the block would not shift with just adhesive so i did the following (will seem that it is overkill but makes me sleep easier at night. lol).

what i did was i used the "versa tuff" pins that come with versa lok retaining wall systems. i drilled a hole in the lower horizontally laid block and a correspoding hole on the underside of each freestanding block...then put a dab of adhesive in each hole and anchored the blocks together with a pin in the hole. i also used adhesive normally as an added measure.

in print it sounds complicated and a big time waster...but with the right hammer drill it takes no time at all and really makes you confident that this style of seat wall will last.

[RHPL]

Just make sure no one sees any of the glue! A couple of my guys are notorious for leaving glue showing all over the place... drives me crazy... so I make them go back on their own time and cut the glue off... Anyways...

We bury at least one course of stone, but at least you don't have to worry about your cuts on that course. Also when we glue the caps we glue then on the sides as well as to the stones beneath them.

Ryan

p.s. I stole the idea a few years ago from a Unilock display at a trade show and have since used in a number of my projects, even one that ended up in the Permacon brochure this year...

[RHPL]

Please forgive the messy site conditions in the second picture... we were building that on an island and didn't have much room to work...

[syzer]

Originally Posted by RHPL

Please forgive the messy site conditions in the second picture... we were building that on an island and didn't have much room to work...

Man, that is an awesome site! Any other shots of the job completed?

[tfld]

Originally Posted by autophil

You're absolutely right. I meant that part of my post to be only a side note, and not an actual consideration of whether or not to take the job. Heck, I'll build anything, as ugly as somebody wants it, so long as they're paying me to do it.

Still, I just cannot see that type of feature lasting very long. Did you read that other thread?

This is precisely why "we" (qualified landscape architects/designers and contractors) can't put food on the table...or our families.

I'm kind of starting to think we need better regulatory policies...hmm..