Blocks and masonry
Block walls and masonry: laid out, footed and built to hold
Boundary, privacy, noise and retaining walls, pillars, raised planters and the block framework under an outdoor kitchen.
Chapter 01
Concrete Block Walls
A block wall does one of four jobs on a Tampa Bay property. It marks a boundary, it gives you privacy, it cuts noise, or it holds back soil. We build all four, along with pillars, raised planters and the structural bases that outdoor features sit on.
Every wall goes through the same four steps: layout, foundation, construction and finishing. Layout comes first because a wall that starts a few inches off ends a long way off. The foundation comes second because a wall is only as good as what it stands on.
That is the same argument we make about slabs. Most concrete failures in Florida trace back to inadequate sub-base preparation and drainage that wasn't designed into the project from the start, and a wall is no exception. So we look at the soil, the existing drainage and the grade before anything is set out, whatever the size of the job.
New block wall framing on a compacted gravel base at a Tampa Bay jobsite
Block wall or retaining wall?
They look alike and they are not the same structure. A retaining wall holds back soil and manages grade changes, so it is built to resist lateral pressure from the ground behind it. A block wall at grade is a boundary, a privacy screen or a decorative feature, and it isn't built to the same load spec.
We settle which one you need at the site visit, not on the phone. We assess your site and recommend the right structure for what you are trying to accomplish.
If the ground behind the wall is going to push on it, tell us when you call. A wall that looks right and was built for the wrong job is the expensive kind of mistake.
Chapter 03
Outdoor kitchens and matching what is already there
We build the block framework and the structural base of an outdoor kitchen, and stop where the other trades start.
Countertop installation, appliances and finish material are handled by other trades. We are glad to coordinate with them, or work alongside a general contractor who is managing the full project.
Adding to an existing wall or repairing one? In most cases we can match it. We evaluate the existing block, the mortar color and the cap material during the site visit and tell you what is achievable before work begins.
Commercial property owners and contractors get the same crew. We take block wall and masonry projects of all sizes, and commercial estimates come within 10 business days.
Perkins Concrete has been family-owned and operated in the Tampa Bay area since 1989, and you work directly with the owners. License #CPC1457580, veteran owned and operated, every job backed by a workmanship warranty.
Wall schedule
Seven things we build out of block.
If the wall is part of a bigger structural job, such as a retaining wall that has to hold grade, read about slabs and structural concrete. If it frames a seating area, the pour beside it is covered under concrete patios. When you know what you want built, send us the job details.
- BoundaryA block wall at grade that marks the line
- PrivacyA block screen at grade between you and what you would rather not see
- NoiseA solid block wall between the property and the sound
- RetainingBuilt to resist lateral pressure from the ground behind it
- PillarsLaid out and footed with the same four steps as the wall
- PlantersRaised block planters, built up off the ground
- Feature baseThe block framework and structural base for an outdoor feature
Straight answers