The following is a list of most frequently asked questions about Allan Block products and installation. If you don’t find the answer to your question, please leave your comment/question in the box at the bottom of the page.
Wall Rock vs. Drain Pipe
Finding an Allan Block Product that Fits
Certify Me!
Available Colors
Picking a Compactor
Talking Money
Low Retaining Wall Products
Clean it up!
Face Drain
Lighting Up Your Landscape
Building a Raised Patio
Wall Rock Requirements
Rock Type
Warranty
Trees and Retaining Walls
What is the white staining on my blocks and how do I get rid if it?
According to the NCMA (National Concrete Masonry Association) Eflorescence is a deposit of soluble salts and bases usually white in color that sometimes appear on the surfaces of the blocks. You can remove it by dry brushing and washing with water. If this does not work, a dilute solution of muriatic acid may be available at your hardscape supplier.
If we would like to install a concrete modular retaining wall on a slope, using Allan Blocks, is using the step-up method required, or can the wall follow the contour of the slope?
Thanks!
The “step up” method is preferable because the wall will look a lot nicer than a wall built following a rolling grade. If you follow the contours the joints between block will have gaps which again will not be as attractive as the nice tight joints between blocks that are placed level to each other. It’s a little more work but the end result will be well worth the effort.
I need to find a dealer close to my home in Victorville, ca. I need to match an existing Allen block wall.
Can you help?
Thanks,
Hi and thank you for your interest in Allan Block Products. you may visit our webist http://www.allanblock.com click on where to buy and enter your zip code to find a dealer close to you.
We’ve built a number of walls using the Allan Block Ashlar Collection. They create a very beautiful and unique wall. Here are a few photos of jobs we’ve done using this variety of Allan Blocks;
1) Two Terraced AB Ashlar Walls
2) Small AB Ashlar Wall / Raised Bed
3) Combo of Two AB Walls – One Ashlar, One Classic.
We appreciate all the effort AB puts in to making your walls look very unique and appealing. Thanks!
Retaining Walls Portland
These are some nice projects. Thank you for sharing.
Is the same corner blocks used for both the six degree wall and twelve degree wall in the AB Classic collection? Started a six degree wall and I don’t like the way the corner block appears — doesn’t appear to be undercut on the short face so that it lines up properly with the wall blocks.
You do use the same corner but the notch on the bottom of the short side is not formed at the factory and must be saw cut prior to installation.
Thanks,
How can we use the courtyard product to make decent looking corners if the walls are at slight angles to each other?
Courtyard corners are meant to be used to make 90 degree corners. If the walls are at a slight angle as you are saying, attempting to make a 90 degree angle will require a great deal of cutting which can complicate the project more so than it is worth. it is recommended to build your wall using curves.
Flowing curves and serpentines are aesthetically more desirable and are built without having to cut blocks. Using our how to video or step by step instructions found at allanblock.com you should be able to build and complete your wall in one weekend.
I have just built a wall around the base of my cottage with AB Junior blocks. Everything went well and it looks great except for the corners of the cap stones.
Do you manufacture “AB Junior cap stone corners”? If not, how do you recommend cutting the regular cap stones for the corners?
Thanks,
Neil S Crawford
Hi,
Glad to hear you’re happy with the wall you built. Capping curves and corners can be tricky but with Allan Block it can’t be easier. I recommend you visit our website http://www.allanblock.com for detailed information about installing Allan Block products. To be more specific to your question go to finising the wall section to see how to cap curves and corners and other options about finising the wall.
Hope that helps.
I am trying to build a large sweeping curved wall that will be visible on both sides using your Garden Accent blocks. The bottom course is perfect but when I lay the second course I can not get the blocks to make the curve and stay true to each other. Your video on curves only shows the Courtyard block with the tabs that need to be broke away. Any tips on that can help me????
Thanks
The AB Garden Accent blocks are very similar to the AB York block from the AB Courtyard Collection in the respect that both sides are finished and both have a long and short side. Since these blocks have this angle integrated into the block, it makes forming curves easy by keeping the long sides out, or alternating the long and short sides to create larger curves and straight walls. With both of these systems I would highly recommend not modifying the block if your site will permit. If you modify the block on the base course, you will be modifying block on every course thereafter. For more information on building AB Garden Walls, the Garden Accent section in the AB Garden Walls Guide describes building curves. For more advance building techniques, you may apply the information from the AB Courtyard Collection. The AB York and AB Garden Accent vary in size, but their construction will be very similar. Here is the AB Courtyard Collection Installation Guide.
I am receiving a number of requests for how to incorporate Allan Block landscape wall details (in particular drainage) in a raised deck application with a paving stone surface. This application is fast becoming popular. Specifically, the deck walls would be constructed of AB Classic, AB Jumbo or Europa Wall. Are drainage details needed, if so what or do we assume all the water drains off the pavers down to wall to the ground? How best to tie in the pavers along the edge of the deck wall at the lip?
Might you provide a cross section detail?
Thanks.