HELP!! Block foundation wall for adobe greenhouse

[tweaver]

I am constructing a 20'x15' greenhouse in a cold climate (8500 ft elevation). I have poured a reinforced footer 14" deep, 18-20" wide and excavated between 2'-3' deep. The footer has been stepped once 8"on the 20' side to accomodate a slight slope, and I will have to stack block at least three courses high (probably four) on the uphill side to account for the grade. This uphill wall will be somewhat of a retqaining wall for the uphill slope. We also live in a dry climate (less than 18" of precipitation a year,but occasionally have downpour conditions with some surface flow. I am wondering if I have to core my block walls with concrete or can I simply use a mortared wall? Should I completely core my blocks, or can I core every other block, etc. Any solutions for using less concrete and rebar that will be strong enough to stack a 12'-14' adobe wall on top of? or will I have to core the entire block foundation wall?

[VOBB]

tweaver,


I saw your post and it had questions which we had already partially answered in a previous reply. Maybe you did not see the rely, so here at the relative parts:

The strength of grout and rebar will make the wall ten times stronger (according to an engineer with the NCMA on a verbal basis) then a regular CMU wall with a weak mortar joint on a lateral basis.

From my experience, I have seen dry-stack walls with just grout and rebar. I have taken samples of these dry-stacked walls and repeatedly slammed them to the ground without breaking them.

See the attached for a regular CMU wall with weak mortar joints when it was pushed from the lateral.
http://www.vobb.com/examples-inferior/Regular-cmu-weak-mortar-joint-100.jpg

We have VOBB which has a quality height and is based on 6", 12" & 18" in length. The key is, to design the home so you do not have to cut block, or as few as possible. Every time you cut a block, you are throwing down the drain the cost of the labor and part of the material. One successful VOBB owner asked, "Why cut it with a saw, when you can draw it with a pencil?"

VOBB is based on quality but designed to eliminate a lot of wasted labor cost.

Do you know what the PSI compressive strength of the CMU you are planning to use?

Have a great day,
JG
Building better homes for our families, friends and neighbors
www.vobb.com
337-781-0705

[Shanley]

Is it really the purpose of this forum to create a venue for vendors to hawk there products under the guise of advise for the layperson?

[Rich]

I was waiting for someone to say something. So I'll ask the rest of the forum - what should we do with him?

[colonial carpentry]

Call me an conspiracy theorist but it appears to me that he could be making up questions under another screen name and then pushing his product under the guise of advice.Vobb .....toss em'.I come on here to relax and talk to real people i get enough advertising listening to sports talk radio.

[Tom R]

Where's that 'internet hit-man' when you need him? :lol:

[VOBB]

Shanley/Rich/Tom R,


My appologies if my post offended you or anyone else with what you stated as "products under the guise of advise for the layperson".

I responded to Tweaver's request based on him being a "real" person, who sounds like other DIY persons who we have helped on numeorus cases.

I hope that Tweaver will likewise repond to this forum or perhaps the moderator could check with Tweaver to see that he/she is not me.

************************************************** **

Colonial Carpentry, I totally object to your comment "he could be making up questions under another screen name and then pushing his product under the guise of advice." My response has my phone number which I will be most happy for you to call or you can provide me you phone number and I can call you.

Tweaver's request sounds like he looking for advice which involves his personal dollars. My response was based on actual history for people who we have saved labor dollars for in the past. If you want to come kick a "real" wall, please feel free to do so. But your "conspiracy" theory is full of @&%$.

Have a nice day,
JG
337-781-0705

[Rich]

Call me an conspiracy theorist but it appears to me that he could be making up questions under another screen name and then pushing his product under the guise of advice.Vobb .....toss em'.I come on here to relax and talk to real people i get enough advertising listening to sports talk radio.

No. I've just checked the ip addresses and VOBB only has posted from 2 ip addresses - and no one else has the same ones. I think he's legit as far as answering questions - just fairly lopsided in favor of VOBB :)
VOBB - no offense meant - just that it's frowned upon to promote a product over another through a manufacturer. Many call it spam. Self Promoting A Manufacturer (my own definition - or at least I think it is).

[Shanley]

I think that advise in this forum should be generic...one man's opinion

[VOBB]

Rich (Site Admin),


Your comments are duly noted and fully respected. Please feel free to call me if you have any doubt if I am "legit".

I had no intent to step on anyone's toes. I just wanted to give the facts with an option to help save Tweaver some of his money and sweat.

Thank you and have a great day,
JG
www.vobb.com
337-781-0705

[Rich]

Nobody's toes have been stepped on - just that we get quite a bit of people posting once or a dozen time with the same message - "Look at my great product why don't you buy it". We try to keep it as unbiased as possible here - and the main way to do that is either delete the posts and ban that member or edit the post to delink the website.
If you want to contribute to the site - by all means go for it with my blessing and we greatly appreciate it. But if it's just to talk about what a great product you have - well then :(
I have no doubt that you are a legit company - and by even posting here with the comments you have show that you are looking out for your clients and trying to give them the best product you can.

[tweaver]

I am an owner builder, and I am uninterested in the mercantile politics of online information sites. However, I am extremely interested in receiving any type of answers to my questions regarding using a cored dry stack wall with rebar reinforcement or if a stablized mortar masonry wall will suffice for my project. Please, all members who used this post for their own agendas, respond with intelligent answers to the real issue...mortar or cored?
Tim Weaver

[VOBB]

13 Aug 2004


Tim Weaver,


According to an engineer from the NCMA (National Concrete Masonry Association), “a CMU wall which is grouted with rebar is ten times stronger than a CMU wall built with only a mortar joint.” I have tried to get this verbal statement backed-up with a written engineer report, but as of this time, I have not.

I do not have the specifics of the weight load requirements or lateral force of what you are building, as such I would like to suggest that you look on-line at the NCMA’s web site. They have numerous items which may be of interest to you.

This can be found at:
http://www.ncma.org

One item which may be of help, is a local consultant that knows the specifics of the ground you are building on and local building codes. Here is a link from the NCMA site:
http://www.ncma.org/online/CM-2000-directory.pdf

My personal opinion, is that I would not waste my money on a wall built with only a mortar joint as I have seen too many failures. I do have some specific engineer reports that we have done with dry-stack. If you are interested, please give me a call.

Have a nice day,
JG
337-781-0705