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Chris von Mole
Junior Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Bristol
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 Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:07 pm Post subject: Wall of bottles. But how?? |
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Hi everyone,
At the bottom of my garden I want to build a wall from coloured glass bottles embedded in mortar (an idea I saw at the Centre for Alternative Technology where there is a dome made of same). The result is a colourful wall that lets light through and makes good use of old bottles.
What I need help with is how I might build this thing (being a novice!)
It would be approx 5feet high, 12 feet wide.
Would it need a foundation?
If I lay it row by row, as and when I can collect enough bottles, will wet mortar stick to dry mortar?
How should I top it off?
Would the ends need to be enclosed by something, such as concrete fence posts?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Chris
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Raf
Senior Member
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 161
Location: Lancs
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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dunno but dont let the kids use it as footy nets 
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ultimatehandyman
Site Admin
Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 9751
Location: Darwen, Lancashire
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big-all
Pro Carpenter
Joined: 16 Dec 2006
Posts: 2783
Location: redhill surrey an auld reekie laddie
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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not shure how your going to get the light through as the neck off a bottle is the size of a 2p coin!!!
are you planning on a 14" 360mm thick walll or around 18" 460mm if your placing them neck to neck in the centre!!!!
if its an outside wall be prepared for the local kids to use the wall for target practice!!!
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Hoovie
Devon DIYer
Joined: 27 Jul 2007
Posts: 8040
Location: East Devon
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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I've seen something like this as well - can't remember where or how it was made, but it looked good - especially with bottles of different colours.
Not got an answer for you, but keep looking - I reckon it will look great 
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Chris von Mole
Junior Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Bristol
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 9:49 pm Post subject: Images of what I have in mind... |
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Thanks for the tips so far. I thought I'd include a couple of pics I found on Centre for Alternative Technology website so's you'll understand what I'm contemplating.
And rest assured the wall will back on to a heavily vegetated area with no public access so I don't think there would be safety or vandalism issues.
Thanks for looking,
Chris
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Chris von Mole
Junior Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Bristol
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| Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 10:07 pm Post subject: ...and (hopefully,) here are the images! |
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Looks great doesn't it?
Chris
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ultimatehandyman
Site Admin
Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 9751
Location: Darwen, Lancashire
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:21 am Post subject: |
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The finished one looks quite smart.
Not sure if you can use normal sand and cement mortar with glass or not.
To answer your previous question about adding wet mortar to dry mortar, you can do it no problem at all- just wet the dry mortar first or else it will suck out the moisture from the wet mortar and make it crack.
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Tryanything
Senior Member
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Posts: 1535
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:29 am Post subject: |
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Hi Chris von Mole
Yes l think a foundation and concrete posts would be a good idea, also
every 4/5 courses l would put some wire ties from one end to the other
The picture good looks like there building some kind of a dome
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dewaltdisney
Senior Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 577
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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Can I come around with my air rifle when you have built it. We could have a smashing time.
DWD
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Tryanything
Senior Member
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Posts: 1535
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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If you cut the neck off some bottles with a diamond tile wet saw then you
could put in some lights for thoe dark summer nights
DWD that's not very nice
12 bore would be much more fun 
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Chris von Mole
Junior Member
Joined: 12 Apr 2008
Posts: 11
Location: Bristol
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| Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the help.
Tryanything, what kind of wire ties are you referring to? Is it a specific product I can get from a builders merchant?
I was also wondering whether if I make a simple cast of some sort I can make some 'bricks' with mortar and bottles and lay them in the conventional way, then I wouldn't have to lay in rows as in the pics. How does this sound?
And you, yes you lot with the guns. Get orff my land!!
Chris
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dewaltdisney
Senior Member
Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 577
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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DWD
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Tryanything
Senior Member
Joined: 18 Aug 2007
Posts: 1535
Location: Essex
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| Posted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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Hi CVM
What l meant was a wire tie from post to post to stop any spread
Dont think you would get the same effect if you made bricks, because the
cement would be flush with the base of the bottle
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RemedialExpert
Junior Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2008
Posts: 33
Location: essex
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| Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Just...WHY!
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