Blocks for Tree Ring

[simoh1490]

I have five circular flower beds that each measures two metres across and I want to build a low (12 inch) block wall around each of them and am looking for angled blocks. There's plenty of red brick available and plenty of square concrete block but I'm more interested in finding something that ideally looks like this:

 

I've looked and looked but can't find anything so I'm thinking I may have to cast my own using forms I'll have to have made - anyone with experience in either locating such stone or making forms for casting concrete blocks, I'll be happy to hear from you. BTW, if I can find a decent source for the blocks or can come up with a decent (ten at a time) form, the volume of blocks need could easily run to a couple of thousand, given all the beds that need to be done. Thanks in advance.

[carlyai]

If you look along the roadside you see these type of stone/ brick/ block places.
If you have an angle grinder with the right blades, one for cutting the block and one for trimming the block, no problems.

Any good tiler can trim the blocks.


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[simoh1490]

3 minutes ago, carlyai said:

If you look along the roadside you see these type of stone/ brick/ block places.
If you have an angle grinder with the right blades, one for cutting the block and one for trimming the block, no problems.

Any good tiler can trim the blocks.


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Yes I've seen them but in this neck of the woods, real stone is seriously expensive for a project like this. In the West it's easy to find a variety of coloured man made blocks, it;' that sort of thing I'm after, even if they are not coloured.

[sirineou]

They look very nice . If I did a project like this , I would not bury the trunk of the tree in dirt or mulch as in the picture.IMO .It would give a moist dump place for insects to attack the tree. I am not an expert in trees but U dont think such practice is very good.

I look forward to see what you find out.as I also like the look

[cooked]

I was a landscaper for 40 years and one thing that we never, never did, was raise the level of the earth around the trunk, some trees will die as a result. Depends on the tree species and the age of the tree.

As for the blocks, I have seen square and rectangular blocks for block paving available. The exposed edge won't be particularly well finished. 

If you make your own, you might want to find some cement pigment (not paint) to mix in. Not a difficult thing to do and you could make say 20 a day once you've got it working. Come to think of it, if you make the blocks double size with a pre-formed slit both sides down the middle, you could subsequently split the blocks after waiting a few days, giving the kind of finish you have here. Is it worth it? Good question. 

There are people around that sell concrete forms made to measure but not in this country. 

 

[simoh1490]

7 minutes ago, cooked said:

I was a landscaper for 40 years and one thing that we never, never did, was raise the level of the earth around the trunk, some trees will die as a result. Depends on the tree species and the age of the tree.

As for the blocks, I have seen square and rectangular blocks for block paving available. The exposed edge won't be particularly well finished. 

If you make your own, you might want to find some cement pigment (not paint) to mix in. Not a difficult thing to do and you could make say 20 a day once you've got it working. Come to think of it, if you make the blocks double size with a pre-formed slit both sides down the middle, you could subsequently split the blocks after waiting a few days, giving the kind of finish you have here. Is it worth it? Good question. 

There are people around that sell concrete forms made to measure but not in this country. 

 

Good post, thanks.

 

I'm not going to pile up the dirt that high, the truth is only one of the five beds has a tree in it, the others are simply flower beds that I want to raise to delineate between the lawn and the flower bad and make edging easier.

 

I've made some wood forms recently and cast concrete parts for a drainage channel where I couldn't find an existing product that would work, it all worked out really well. But for the number of stones I need for this latest project the form would need to be made from something sturdy and I think steel may make it too heavy - I'm thinking in terms of ten at a time or thereabouts - any ideas on what material to use? I also like the idea of adding pigment to the concrete but I'm not sure if that can be sourced in Thailand without paying an arm and a leg.

[cooked]

If you can't find (convince a Thai that such a thing actually exists)  pigment I'm sure that Mr Bob at http://www.burirambuildersmerchants.com/index.html in Buriram can assist.

For the form work I would take a few steel beams firmly bolted together along their ends, and cut a LOT of wedges and rectangles out of a sturdy wood. You need oil to aid release when unbolting. I used to use a vibrating sander touching the form work to get the mortar to settle.

I will be making some heavy duty slabs soon which is why I was interested in your project, good luck.

[simoh1490]

Many thanks.

[steve187]

14 hours ago, carlyai said:

If you look along the roadside you see these type of stone/ brick/ block places.
If you have an angle grinder with the right blades, one for cutting the block and one for trimming the block, no problems.

Any good tiler can trim the blocks.


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why would a tiler have a suitable cutting machine for cutting 75mm or greater stone or concrete blocks, when the thickest tile he would cut would be 15mm.

 

this is required for that 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2017 by steve187

[simoh1490]

1 minute ago, steve187 said:

why would a tiler have a suitable cutting machine for cutting 75mm or greater stone or concrete blocks, when the thickest tile he would cut would be 15mm.

 

this is required for that 

 

 

I think he's suggesting that a tiler would have the skill whereas the equipment he should use is an angle grinder.

[simoh1490]

I think this one may be easier since the red brick is widely available, it means a bit more work with foundations plus cutting angles but it looks dooable.

 

 

[carlyai]

Good post, thanks.

 

I'm not going to pile up the dirt that high, the truth is only one of the five beds has a tree in it, the others are simply flower beds that I want to raise to delineate between the lawn and the flower bad and make edging easier.

 

I've made some wood forms recently and cast concrete parts for a drainage channel where I couldn't find an existing product that would work, it all worked out really well. But for the number of stones I need for this latest project the form would need to be made from something sturdy and I think steel may make it too heavy - I'm thinking in terms of ten at a time or thereabouts - any ideas on what material to use? I also like the idea of adding pigment to the concrete but I'm not sure if that can be sourced in Thailand without paying an arm and a leg.

@simoh1490 hello again.

 

I was going to suggest the pigment thing and something else, no one will agree with.

 

I saw at Global House (this one's at Roiet), on display they have this render stuff that's like a colour pigment. Looks great on the display.

 

Buy some 7.5 cm or 10 cm white aerated blocks and render them with your pigment colour choice.

 

The blocks are strong, easy to cut and shape and easy to lay with glue and no mortar joint.

Buy a couple, render them and see.

 

Don't worry about all the negativity about these blocks not being strong, absorbing water etc.

I'll rip out and take a couple of pics. of places I've used them. shows their strength.

 

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EDIT

 

Just took some pics. of the water fall, all made from 7.5 cm blocks and the pump control box and 50 kg chlorinator all hanging off 10 cm QCon blocks ( but with the correct fasteners).

 

Can't upload the pics...maybe too big as used the flash. Anyway, you get the idea. [emoji3]

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, carlyai said:

@simoh1490 hello again.

 

I was going to suggest the pigment thing and something else, no one will agree with.

 

I saw at Global House (this one's at Roiet), on display they have this render stuff that's like a colour pigment. Looks great on the display.

 

Buy some 7.5 cm or 10 cm white aerated blocks and render them with your pigment colour choice.

 

The blocks are strong, easy to cut and shape and easy to lay with glue and no mortar joint.

Buy a couple, render them and see.

 

Don't worry about all the negativity about these blocks not being strong, absorbing water etc.

I'll rip out and take a couple of pics. of places I've used them. shows their strength.

 

Sent from my SM-J700F using Tapatalk

 

 

EDIT

 

Just took some pics. of the water fall, all made from 7.5 cm blocks and the pump control box and 50 kg chlorinator all hanging off 10 cm QCon blocks ( but with the correct fasteners).

 

Can't upload the pics...maybe too big as used the flash. Anyway, you get the idea.

2

White aerated block sounds like QCON? ...and the coloured render sounds like a real possibility. I wonder how it would all stand up to me bashing the sides of it with the lawnmower every week during the wet season. It would need a concrete foundation of course and I'm not sure how simple it would be to make the curve of a 2 metre ring - the advantage of red brick is that making the curve is quite easy because the bricks are small, QCON blocks tend to be quite large. But good lateral thinking, especially the coloured render, I like it, thanks!

[carlyai]

White aerated block sounds like QCON? ...and the coloured render sounds like a real possibility. I wonder how it would all stand up to me bashing the sides of it with the lawnmower every week during the wet season. It would need a concrete foundation of course and I'm not sure how simple it would be to make the curve of a 2 metre ring - the advantage of red brick is that making the curve is quite easy because the bricks are small, QCON blocks tend to be quite large. But good lateral thinking, especially the coloured render, I like it, thanks!

Maybe have to be a bit delicate with the mower, or have an edge for the concrete foundation and the blocks back a bit.

 

Super easy to shape...I'll take some pics of the tools. Just mark the edge and saw and finish with the rasp. See if the pics work this time. Off to the shed.

 

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EDIT

 

Pics

 

Sorry can't upload photos. QCon website should have the pics of the saw and rasp.

[carlyai]

Took these pics yesterday at Global House Roiet.


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[carlyai]

Maybe have to be a bit delicate with the mower, or have an edge for the concrete foundation and the blocks back a bit. 
Super easy to shape...I'll take some pics of the tools. Just mark the edge and saw and finish with the rasp. See if the pics work this time. Off to the shed.
 
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EDIT
 
Pics
 
Sorry can't upload photos. QCon website should have the pics of the saw and rasp.

Uploaded now.

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[VocalNeal]

On 11/20/2017 at 3:44 PM, simoh1490 said:

I think this one may be easier since the red brick is widely available, it means a bit more work with foundations plus cutting angles but it looks dooable.

 

 

I don't think this requires any cutting. The number of gaps means just a small increase in mortar thickness front to back. It does involve some math and planning though. 

 

If though you decide to cast your own, may i suggest a stepped or L shaped design so the wheel of the mover has somewhere to ride over so don't have to bump into the wall. 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by VocalNeal

[grollies]

On 24/11/2017 at 10:43 AM, VocalNeal said:

I don't think this requires any cutting. The number of gaps means just a small increase in mortar thickness front to back. It does involve some math and planning though. 

 

If though you decide to cast your own, may i suggest a stepped or L shaped design so the wheel of the mover has somewhere to ride over so don't have to bump into the wall. 

 

 

 

Spot on, what I intend, keeps mowing easy.

[simoh1490]

I was in Bangkok this past weekend and we went to see Jim Thompsons house, for the first time, it's an amazing place and I can highly recommend. But whilst walking through the gardens I noticed that all the edging was done using red brick and cement and making curves and corners is quite easy to do and looks decent. So rather than go to the trouble of making forms etc, I've decided I'm going to try one tree ring using a concrete base with a couple of layers of red brick on top, I'll post what the finished product looks like.

[simoh1490]

1 hour ago, grollies said:

Spot on, what I intend, keeps mowing easy.

Yes, I agree. Except with Malay grass you still need to trim the edges because it grows horizontally not vertically, a real pain in the you know where!

[cmsally]

They do make "round shaped" bricks which are fairly easy to find. Traditionally they go around a well. I don't have a picture of my well on hand but will try to upload one later.

[simoh1490]

Just now, cmsally said:

They do make "round shaped" bricks which are fairly easy to find. Traditionally they go around a well. I don't have a picture of my well on hand but will try to upload one later.

Yes, they are however limited to a one metre diameter and mine is two metres, there's no way they can sensibly be extended.

[carlyai]

I was in Bangkok this past weekend and we went to see Jim Thompsons house, for the first time, it's an amazing place and I can highly recommend. But whilst walking through the gardens I noticed that all the edging was done using red brick and cement and making curves and corners is quite easy to do and looks decent. So rather than go to the trouble of making forms etc, I've decided I'm going to try one tree ring using a concrete base with a couple of layers of red brick on top, I'll post what the finished product looks like.

Hi simoh1490, not sure if this is an old Isaan wife's tale or not. I built my house with the red bricks in the form of cavity walls. Red bricks were all my farmer/ builders knew how to lay at that time.
I was going to leave some bricks unrendered, but was advised against it because of weathering deterioration.

I know you can buy stronger mixed Thai blocks, maybe you can get stronger mixed red bricks?

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