[jlutsky]

I'm building several cinder block walls for a water feature. The walls will be faced with corten panels and water will pour from a spillway on the top and cascade down the face.

What is the best method for attaching 1/4" corten steel panels to the cinder block walls? Sizes vary between 2'x4' - 3'x7'. I'd like to avoid seeing any attachment hardware from the front. Is it possible to use construction adhesive, mortar, thin-set?

 

[Msradell]

Mortar or thin-set will not adhere at all to metal of any kind so there is no sense in even considering them. Do you have access to a welder or a friend who welds? If you welded pins to the back of the sheets and then drilled holes into the wall for them to go into you could epoxy the pins in and you would have a very secure attachment. You could certainly try construction adhesive but over time exposed to weather and temperature changes it is going to weaken.

 

[jlutsky]

If I use 1/8" steel for this project, will there be any problem welding pins to the back without causing visible blemish or changes to the front?

Also, if I design a fire feature as follows, is 1/8" corten steel thick enough to remain upright and rigid in this example?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... With 1/8" plate, there might/ probably will be some discoloration on the backside,....

If the lines in the corner, 'n near the outer end of the plate are some sorta supports, 1/8" oughta be heavy enough,......
High winds could be an issue,....

Why ya usin' cor-ten plate,..??
Flat mild steel plate would be considerably cheaper, 'n it's gonna rust anyways,...

 

[Msradell]

How large is that feature? Is that a reference on the drawings it's hard to tell.

 

[jlutsky]

I don't know too much about steel types or working with steel yet. Corten seems to be the trendy buzz word now in architecture and landscape design, so that's what I was looking at. Ideally what I like is the rusty/bronze/industrial look in most all the images I see when I google Corten.

That back piece is approximately 5' x 3' as scale reference.

Sounds like if I plan to weld anything for attachment purposes 1/4" in is almost necessary. Anything less and I'll risk ruining the front face. I may consider using 1/8" material and bolting through the front in that case.

 

[Bondo]

Anything less and I'll risk ruining the front face.

Ayuh,.... It would/ should only be abit of discoloration, which can/ would be cleaned up with an angle grinder, 'n wire wheel,....

Even corten ain't rusty when ya buy it new, it rusts to a patina with time or chemicals, pretty much just like plain ole mild steel,.....

 

[Msradell]

Corten does a better patina. I've seen it and mild steel side-by-side and certainly would prefer it. It's considerably more expensive considering you won't be using much and it's decorative, it's probably a better choice. As Bondo mentioned, the front side discoloration can usually be removed so that the entire surface will oxidize evenly.