Homestead mailing list

[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> Description of how you did yours.  I have done some research and have a
> good idea on what to do.

I used a pick to design the curves in the dirt, drove rebar posts into 
shovel-sized holes in the dirt, poured concrete around the posts, the next 
day fastened a piece of rebar to the top of the posts (easiest if you make 
the posts too tall, then bend the top end to the horizontal, then wire the 
long top piece on top of that), folded two pieces of six-foot poultry mesh 
in half on the ground, hung it over the horizontal rebar, wired it all 
together and mortared it. The first mortar is most easily applied against 
plywood braced against the back; the next morning the whole construction 
will be stiff enough to apply a coat on the other side with no bracing. 
Then another coat on the front, then a finish coat that has concrete 
colorant added. Smooth-shape the top with your hand encased in a plastic 
glove with an old sock or two over that to protect your hand and the 
plastic from ripping on any wire or rebar sharps.

If your project is as I suspect a retaining wall, there is the issue of 
hydrostatic pressure pushing the wall outwards. I've been thinking about 
the simplest way to resist that pressure in addition to weep holes at the 
bottom. Rather than an engineered, reinforced footing that extends well 
under the retained area for the full length of the wall, I will in the 
future build tip resistance as a tree builds roots: I will dig out "root 
lines" both into the retained area and out front, place in these little 
ditches rebar that is bent at a 90, sits on stones in the ditch and is 
wired to the vertical rebar. Pour concrete into the ditches and around the 
base of the posts, tamp it into place, then mortar the wall as usual.

The worst part of building ferrocement anything is tying all those little 
wires together to make the wall as thin as possible. One answer is the 
metal mesh now used as plaster wall base. I prefer poultry mesh; I think 
it's stronger. Use the thinnest wire possible for tying. You will develop 
your own technique. I've even used hog nose clip pliers to push the clips 
through and close them, but that is much more expensive for a large project 
and the clips make little bulges in the wall. I've also "sewed" the layers 
of mesh together; this works best with two people, one on each side. If you 
discover a better method please tell us.