Is Allan Block safe for the environment?

Written by Kyle Huerd

The short answer is YES!  

Allan Block is made using natural, locally manufactured, raw materials.  There aren’t harmful chemicals used in the manufacturing of Allan Block products that can be found in treated timbers or railroad ties.  

Allan Block can also assist in receiving additional credits on commercial work for your LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects due to the locally sources materials and the ability to use recycled materials.  You can speak with your local Allan Block manufacturer for use with recycled materials in the making of Allan Block products.

Learn more at allanblock.com

Making the Cut: Modifying AB Courtyard Blocks for Your Project

Written by Nate VanBeek

Are you a homeowner who has recently purchased AB Courtyard? Or, perhaps you’re a contractor who has been asked to build a patio using AB Courtyard. In either event, you’re probably wondering where to start. Let’s say you’ve already designed your patio using one of Allan Block’s many Estimating Tools. You ordered your block. You’ve got your patio laid out. Now it’s time to start building your AB Courtyard patio. While AB Courtyard was designed keep cutting to a minimum, chances are you’ll need to cut block at some point. That brings us to the topic of this blog. How do I cut the AB Courtyard blocks? You’ve come to the right place!

Allan Block has a wealth of resources to help you understand how to properly cut block. Whenever you build a patio using AB Courtyard we recommend having our AB Courtyard Installation Guide handy. This will answer a number of questions that might arise throughout your design and build process. You may also want to reference Allan Block’s Splitting or Cutting Blocks How-To Sheet. Not a big reader? Not a problem. Watch our YouTube video: How to Build Split and Cut Blocks by clicking on the link or watching the embedded video to the right.

There are a couple of important considerations when modifying the AB Courtyard block. Always ensure you are wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment. Whether you are splitting or cutting an AB York or an AB Dublin, we recommend that you always use the prefabricated split line manufactured into the block. Failure to do so will result in custom cuts for every course of block. The illustration to the left shows the two acceptable cuts to be made to the AB Dublin. Similarly, the AB York has a split line along its centerline.

For more information on making cuts to AB Courtyard blocks visit our website.

How strong is an Allan Block retaining wall?

Written by Kyle Huerd

A quick answer is VERY!  To give you an idea, all Allan Block products have to meet an industry standard which is governed by ASTM 1372.  This has a minimum compressive strength of 3000 psi.  Because AB is striving to be Always Better, we hold our manufacturers to a higher standard.  With that being said, the producing partners of Allan Block may be required to manufacture closer to 4000, 5000, or even higher in compressive strength.  This is because Allan Block wants to provide the best quality product on the market and find producing partners who have the same goals.

Building material products are much stronger as they are the backbone of the construction industry but to put it into perspective, a half ton pickup truck can carry a load that is 33% of the total weight of the vehicle, the human body can carry an estimated 135% of the person weight, and an Allan Block has the strength to carry 7500% of its self-weight.  Allan Blocks may not be structural blocks for a vertical load, but their strength is incredible which allows your Allan Block wall to last a lifetime!

Although this is a longer answer than the simplified, VERY, from the opening statement, now you know that Allan Block retaining walls are strong.

How Do I Care for my Retaining Wall?

Written by Kyle Huerd

Retaining Walls, like everything else on your property, require care and maintenance. With any newly built retaining wall, there are maintenance aspects that are important to watch for after the wall is completed. Allan Block walls will need far less care than other types of retaining wall products, but there are some key factors to watch for.

• Site Grading
• Surface Treatments
• Wall Performance
• Salt Spray

Site Grading

 Every newly built retaining wall has soils - backfills that are placed behind and sometimes below the wall and compacted during construction. It is quite common for some extra settling to take place after the wall is completed. If you inspect the wall each spring for any unusual or excessive settling, you can save your wall from a potentially large problem. All retaining walls should be designed and built to route water around the wall face. Once an area behind the wall begins to settle, water goes to work to make that area deeper and bigger. If a low spot is neglected behind a wall, each new rainfall will collect water at that spot and work its way down behind the wall. If the area behind the wall is flat, this can have the effect of creating a “swimming pool” above the wall. Preventing this problem is easy. Inspect your wall each spring. Look for low spots and areas that have settled. Pull back the landscape mulch or sod on the surface and add enough new fill to bring the drainage back to its proper level. By keeping these trouble spots filled, you can ensure a lifetime of performance from your Allan Block wall.

Surface Treatments

Another common maintenance problem with retaining walls is the lack of proper surface treatments. Once a new retaining wall is completed, the surface areas surrounding the wall that were disturbed during construction are typically finished with some type of landscape treatment. This might include paving, landscape plantings, mulch, sod or seed for turf, or some type of ground cover. Often overlooked as part of the total wall design, these surface treatments provide an important function for the wall. They capture, control and route the water from each rainfall. These surface treatments will need to be checked each spring until they are completely established. Walk the site carefully, and look for areas that aren’t in proper condition. Replace bad sod, re-seed bare areas, work with the ground covers to encourage growth and coverage. Look for areas of erosion, ruts and channels on the surface, and re-landscape as necessary. A little bit of work each spring with the areas surrounding your retaining wall will prevent major erosion from becoming a problem and will also enhance the landscape of your Allan Block wall.

Wall Performance

Allan Block walls are made to last a lifetime. The high strength concrete units are designed and produced to handle tough winter weather, and long hot summers. They won’t rot or decay. With tens of millions of square feet of Allan Block sold and installed, we can say they truly do last a lifetime. With all that, we still recommend a spring inspection of the actual wall itself. Take a few minutes to check out the wall, including the blocks and caps. Begin by looking for any movement in the wall from the previous season. Properly built Allan Block walls will remain in place forever. However, if a wall is not installed correctly, or if drainage or erosion problems are not corrected, some wall movement could occur.  Check your wall each spring for bulges or rotation. Again, this can only happen if the wall was not properly installed, but nonetheless, it is good to watch over the wall performance. If you see any significant forward movement or rotation in your Allan Block wall, get a professional contractor or engineer to evaluate the movement, and determine the cause.

Salt Spray

In northern climates, Allan Block products are produced with a concrete mix design that is resistant to the harsh effects of the freeze-thaw winter cycles. However, use of salts around an Allan Block wall could cause surface damage to the blocks or capstones. Look for pock marks or spalling on the blocks in areas where salts are used for winter ice control. Avoid using any salt deicers on or around your Allan Block wall. If you need to use deicers in areas around your wall, contact your local building materials outlet for a deicer that will not harm concrete. In cases where salt spray may exist, design the wall in such a manner that the snow melt and snow banks containing the salted snow are directed away from the Allan Block wall.

Maintenance Tips

Follow these simple maintenance steps to ensure a lifetime of performance from your Allan Block wall: 

• Make a thorough annual inspection of the wall
• Correct any settling or grading problems around the wall
• Maintain the landscape surfaces around the wall
• Take notice of any wall movement - settling, bulging or rotation, and then take proper corrective measures
• Avoid use of salts as deicers around the wall

For more information on proper construction techniques, visit allanblock.com