Method and apparatus for double faced wall
A hardscaping unit includes a first block fixedly attached to a second block. The method of assembling the hardscaping unit includes the steps of forming a first block from a first material, placing a second material into a mold, contacting a surface of the first block with the second material that is in the mold, maintaining contact of the surface of the first block with the second material while transitioning the second material from a first state to a second state, the second state being more solid than the first state, and when in the second state the second material forms a second block that is fixedly attached to the first block.
1. A method of manufacturing a hardscaping unit comprising:
a) providing a mold having first and second angularly arranged sides converging to form a corner of the mold, the mold being arranged relative to a ground surface such that each of the first and second mold sides are disposed at an oblique angle relative to the ground surface and the corner of the mold is closer to the ground surface than the sides of the mold, each of the mold sides having a textured surface;
b) providing a dry cast concrete backer block having first and second angularly arranged surfaces converging to form a corner of the backer block;
c) placing a wet cast concrete veneer material in the mold while the veneer material is in a first state such that the veneer material contacts both of the textured surfaces of the mold;
d) while the veneer material is in the mold and in the first state, placing the backer block onto the veneer material such that the first and second surfaces of the backer block contact the veneer material on both sides of the mold and such that the corner of the backer block is closer to the ground surface than the surfaces of the backer block;
e) maintaining contact between the veneer material and the surfaces of the backer block until the veneer material has transitioned from the first state to a second state that is more solid than the first state so as to define a veneer block that is adhered to the surfaces of the backer block to form a combined block comprised of the backer block and veneer block;
f) removing the combined block from the mold so as to provide a corner hardscaping unit having a simulated stone appearance on at least two sides thereof.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein, when the backer block is in the mold, the first and second surfaces thereof are substantially parallel to the first and second sides of the mold, respectively, and wherein the veneer material contacts substantially the entirety of the first and second backer block surfaces.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second backer block surfaces comprise notches disposed therein and further comprising allowing the veneer material to fill the notches while the veneer material is in the first state and the veneer material adheres to opposing sides and a base of the notches.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein a gravitational force applies a force to backer block while the backer block is in the mold so as to cause the first and second surfaces of the backer block to be urged in a direction toward the first and second sides of the mold, respectively, and against the veneer material disposed on both sides of the mold while the veneer material transitions from the first state to the second state.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a bonding agent to the first and second backer block surfaces before allowing the first and second backer block surfaces contact the veneer material.
6. The method of claim 3 wherein opposing sides of each notch diverge away from each other in a direction from the base of the notch toward the surface of the backer block in which the notch is disposed.