How to Build a Block Pillar

In this video I cover how to mix mortar by hand, how to get mortar to the right consistency, how to use a level, I demonstrate trowel techniques and show how to finish your work to make it look nice by jointing and brushing it. This will be the structural support for a natural stone veneer.

[@JerryConkle-ew3vv]

You rule! So informative. I was pretty lost till I saw this. Very straight forward, no fluff. Thanks man.

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you! I hope it turns out for you!

[@bowhunter8235]

My comments will not tell you anything you dont already know. I'm first time home owner...I do have a friend--an hr away-- that actually knows what he is doing And, has the patience of Job. You OBVIOUSLY Know your 'trade' (I really mean ART) And know how to teach. HUGE appreciation and respect for your calm, respectful and informative tutorial. SALUTE and Thank You. New subscriber here.

[@WoodandBricks]

I really appreciate that! Thank you.

[@AV4Him]

Thanks for the detailed tutorial. I am going to build 2 pillars. I’d seen my Dad do block when I was a kid, but it’s been decades. Thanks again! Very helpful.

[@WoodandBricks]

Glad to hear it helped!

[@SilverMagpie]

Thanks so much for the tutorial. We've just bought a new driveway gate and would like to build pillars for them. Now we know how! Thanks, again.

[@WoodandBricks]

That’s great! Good luck.

[@jebbysphiri6875]

Great video Am looking to build a raised goat house and this just gave me a clear guidance even tho am making my own concrete block and burning my own clay bricks. Love the meat finished wall

[@WoodandBricks]

That sounds really cool!

[@thomasglessner6067]

Thank you for sharing. Great teacher.

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you!

[@dis_trak_ted]

Excellent video, thing of beauty!

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you!

[@marval550]

Great instruction & tips! U smear that mud on the bricks like a boss! 🙂😍 Mortar goals

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you!

[@robertwitt3261]

your experience really shows... impressed

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you!!

[@MiguelMartinez-bm6pg]

Great Video!

[@WoodandBricks]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[@RMacnificent]

You sir, are unbelievably takented.

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you.

[@mathewdavis-adventuresandd6643]

Thanks for the video. I'm about to lay up two 3'X4' columns at my entrance and I've never built columns before.

[@WoodandBricks]

Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Make sure your joints are full and take your time and it will out last you!

[@mathewdavis-adventuresandd6643]

@@WoodandBricks Thanks, I appreciate it. I'll tackle the project in a few days. I've got a scuba trip in the way. lol

[@davidcolwell1577]

Nice video. Thanks

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you.

[@Darthul]

This is amazing. Thanks for the video. I wish I had seen it about a year ago.

[@WoodandBricks]

Thanks for watching!

[@noapologies5974]

I'm about to lay some blocks 1💪🏿great tutorial

[@WoodandBricks]

Awesome! Good luck.

[@InsideLookingOut1]

​@WoodandBricks ? How deep would u need to dig and fill with concrete for a 12 high block pillar just like what u did here ?

[@el_ingeniero_87]

Great video! Is helping me build a block/brick mailbox. Only other addition I made was add embedded rebar to concrete pad when poured, and continued rebar up the block wall cells. Maybe a bit over design for a mailbox, but good practice.

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you.

[@laurammm1128]

Awesome 👏

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you.

[@kelseyjames5119]

I was wondering if I lay two concrete block next to each other to start my column off would be acceptable. And in the video you answered my question. I'm going to watch the beginning again because I need to know what mortor you used. Awesome video. Can you do a video on how you do the stone adding to this column?

[@WoodandBricks]

I use type S mortar. I am working on the stone part. It’s hard to condense 30-40 hours of work into a reasonably short video. I hope to have one for you soon. Thanks!

[@kelseyjames5119]

@@WoodandBricks Thank you for your hard work and dedication to your viewers such myself. I and I'm sure others appreciate it very much 🙂

[@chaddoyle6911]

nice work! Are there guidelines on how high you can go before needing to wait. I want to build 8 ft columns. Do I just keep going?

[@WoodandBricks]

You just keep going. If your block are dry you won’t have any issues.

[@se7ensnakes]

I have done this many times but I always have rebars coming from the base and I fill in the cells

[@WoodandBricks]

There is added strength with rebar and filled cells but it’s not necessary for these. Also if these get hit by a car I want the pillar to crumble.

[@jimdrechsel3611]

Would pillars filled and with rebar be sufficient for supporting a house with beams? Do you have any suggestions on how to start on a site that can’t dig the same depth holes for pillars because of bedrock? Your skill is commendable. Thanks for sharing

[@WoodandBricks]

I do think it would be sufficient but I would definitely want an engineer to approve the plan you are talking about. As far as the bed rock goes when we would run into it we would pour our footer on top of it and use a transit or site level to keep everything level. Good luck!!

[@saulfd74]

Hi. Thanks for the brilliant video! Very helpful. I have a rookie question however. if the length of the blocks is twice their width and you place them in opposite directions on top of each other as rows go up, what about the 1cm or so of mortar between them? Wouldn't that extra centimetre add up to the width so that the upper blocks would be shorter in length thus ending with a column that's not even on its surface? I can see that you don't but why? The numbers just don't add up. What's the secret, please? Thank you in advance. Kind regards, Saul

[@WoodandBricks]

That is a good question. Most masonry units are nominal dimensions. So in this case an 8”x8”x16” block actually measures 7 5/8” x 7 5/8” x 15 5/8”. When you take the two 8” ends and put them together they have room for a head joint built into them. This nominal measurement concept is used in all aspects of brick and block laying. Ideally a foundations overall measurements are divisible by 8”. That way the block work out to not need to be cut. The corners will work out with whole block overlapping in a whole half pattern. The nominal size of the block allow for mortar joints. Maybe more in depth than you were asking for but that is how it works. Thanks!

[@saulfd74]

@@WoodandBricks That makes sense now. It was driving me mad, thank you so much for taking the time to reply. All the best. Saul

[@cyeamaculture8486]

I know you said you couldn't use rebar, hit if you had, how is it done? Is it built into the foundations? How do you then sit the blocks around it? I've done a bit of diy brick and block but without rebar and I'm just about to build a gatepost to hang a heavy gate.. cheers

[@WoodandBricks]

I would pour the footer. Then set my block dry where they are going to go mark the center of the cell on the footer and hammer drill a 5/8ths hole four inches deep then put 1/2 inch rebar into the hole. Typically you have to then lift the block up over the rebar to lay it. If you are going to do that and you have to use more than one piece of rebar you should have eight inches of over lap and tie it together with tie wire. Rebar has its place in masonry but is not as important as the comment section makes it out to be.

[@alexbowser9801]

Great video! 👍 If I want to build 2.5 metres columns, what will be concrete footings depths if the frost is not an issue?

[@WoodandBricks]

A minimum of 8 inches.

[@cats-and-robots]

Would this column you just made support the weight of a gate? Or would you need to fill the core with concrete and rebar (set into the original footing)?

[@WoodandBricks]

It would support a gate for a walkway. If it’s for a driveway I would do exactly what you said.

[@donamaria1329]

How deep would you do a column like this to hold a 10ft wide aluminum gate? Would I need to fill the block holes with concrete too?

[@WoodandBricks]

Depth really only needs to be below the frost line. I’m not sure what you would need for the gate. I would check with the manufacturer. But if you fill it solid and the footer was below frost I’d guess it would hold it.

[@Kotaschannel.]

Building a 16 x 20 cabin in a flood zone if I rebar and filled with concrete would these be structural enough for 8ft piers for the floor

[@WoodandBricks]

I think they would be. I would want an engineer’s opinion before I put all that money and time into it.

[@awoods3554]

Hi, wouod those block pillars be strong enough to take gates? Thanks

[@WoodandBricks]

Yes

[@PaulHealy1987]

Maybe a rookie question, but what needs to be done prior to the blockwork? Is there simply concrete poured into a hole?

[@WoodandBricks]

Yes. It needs to be below the frost line. In NE Ohio it is 48” deep.

[@mr_4point681]

I also have a rookie question too...but do you fill the inside on the blocks with concrete?? Or you just leave it empty??

[@cousin_JACK]

Yea wouldn’t it help stop a car if all the voids in the blocks were full of concrete, since they are staggered the mix should all work it’s way down

[@keithm532]

So the metal tabs are anchoring the outer veneer skim coat to the main structure?

[@WoodandBricks]

Yes.

[@keithm532]

@@WoodandBricks is there an accessible chart that you know of that identifies minimum bases/footings for given loads?

[@WoodandBricks]

@@keithm532 not sure on a chart but generally speaking an 8” footer is all you need.

[@Pele-speak]

If I were to put a first layer of 2 inch thick concrete slab under the blocks. That wouldn't cause any issues ,right? I don't want the block to be in direct contact with the dirt

[@WoodandBricks]

These have eight inches of concrete under them. That is what I would do.

[@Pele-speak]

@@WoodandBricks ok I will put 8 inches

[@angelatwistee9524]

Where is the rebar and how come concrete in not filled inside the blocks?

[@WoodandBricks]

Not needed for this application.

[@FreeWVson]

What if you were briking it? Would you use brick tabs and 12s, then 8s for a brick ledge, and what if you're doing two for collums side by side?

[@WoodandBricks]

I’m not sure what you mean by brick tabs. Just using twelves wouldn’t solve the brick ledge. A brick ledge I would still use eight inch block. The foundation would need to be 8” bigger than the 16x16” so you would start with a 24x24” foundation. When that was up to grade I would fill the 8” center cell and start the 16x16.

[@rohitnaval5589]

How deep did you need to start with?

[@WoodandBricks]

It needs to be below frost. In N.E. Ohio that is 48” below grade.

[@fluffyartco]

What is the purpose of the wall tie ?

[@WoodandBricks]

It ties the block and the stone that will be laid around the block together.

[@Armored11]

How deep is the base footing?

[@WoodandBricks]

It needs to be below frost. In the NE that’s 48”.

[@jesusvasquez1260]

What mortar did you use ??

[@WoodandBricks]

Type S.

[@pip0072009]

What about footing? How deep? How much wider?

[@WoodandBricks]

Below the frost line for depth. At least 4” wider on all sides.

[@charlesharris6070]

I like your video, the volume your audio need to be louder

[@WoodandBricks]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@DrAaronCarmean]

Could you just glue these blocks together?

[@WoodandBricks]

It would cost a lot more and probably wouldn’t be as strong.

[@user-ts1uk7kt3x]

Where's your rebar I don't see any upright steel

[@WoodandBricks]

Rebar has its place this isn’t it.

[@CUBABLOCKMASONRY]

Hey where are the rebar

[@WoodandBricks]

Because there is a good chance it will get hit by a car. The state road department wants them to break away if they get hit by a car. So no rebar and no filled cells.

[@CUBABLOCKMASONRY]

@@WoodandBricks Damn that sucks

[@solidsoldier9021]

great job, that fire hydrant could use a touch up, just saying 😁

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you.

[@solidsoldier9021]

@@WoodandBricks UR welcome 😁

[@scubageorge1]

I would never build a pillar with out Rebar ?

[@WoodandBricks]

You do you.

[@scubageorge1]

@@WoodandBricks Pro masons always do ! Betty homemakers don't !

[@ufkoslowsky]

d'ont do tap. tap .tap with the Handele of your expensive Tools😮use a Gummihammer😊

[@WoodandBricks]

Good advice. It might be too late for me to change. I’ve been using that trowel since 2007 so I get plenty of longevity from my tools.

[@mandodebbiechavarria6201]

If it's structural....... where's your vertical rebar?

[@WoodandBricks]

The road department wanted it to break away if it was hit by a car. So no rebar.

[@pitbull4029]

Wouldn't that be the building inspector not the road department never heard of the road department maybe the highway department

[@WoodandBricks]

@@pitbull4029 nope. It’s the road department.

[@dtm7909]

We aren’t allowed to put rebar in brick mail boxes anymore either ! They want stuff to break if hit by cars

[@WoodandBricks]

@@dtm7909 exactly!

[@youcefyoucef3426]

bion bion nekst rov

[@WoodandBricks]

👍🏼

[@karleck1119]

Sure is an awful nice video

[@WoodandBricks]

Thank you!

[@waynehall2259]

Don’t do this . Go buy some chimney block and lay them

[@WoodandBricks]

What is the advantage of that? They cost more and they are heavier. If you don’t fill a chimney block column solid I would also say it’s not as strong.