North section of entrance wall

Hey, why not start with the finished product! This wall is great! You can see it in the Crooked River Ranch at 15650 SW Dove Road. We are right above the Steel Head Falls. We sell bricks for $3 each. To build a wall, we start at $45 per linear foot for a 3 foot tall wall (not including the footer or a roof for the wall - if desired).

Happy Metal Men at the entrance

This is more or less where we started with the project at the Crooked River Ranch.

Tyler & the backhoe

This is Tyler. You should see his 3 1/2 off of the rocks at Steel Head Falls!

Frost line

We excavte to the frost line, then we fill it, pack it and put a floating footer on top. We don't want wall or entrances to heave over time - and this is the most economical way of doing it.

Greg packing joints

Let's get right to it. Here you see Greg in action as he packs joints after the bricks have been put to bed!

Here you see a wall in process with a door way.

This is an entry way in Chile. This a cool way to think of an entrance. It has an adobe wall along with a teja (clay shingle) entrance. Also, the adobe wall has a teja roof over it.

This is another view of the same entrance with a teja roof.

With a little planning, elecrical outlet are easy to include in a wall. While the bricks are laid, the electrical wire is laid down.

Another view of a Chilean entry way.

This is an entrance way to a "Parcela" outside of Santiago, Chile. In this case the construction is adobe but the finish is stucco. The teja roof over the wall is to die for. Very old!

This is a wall of a house in Vichuquen, Chile. The pueblo is a national landmark. The adobe houses there were built hundreds of years ago! Crazy Spaniards - I guess they just wanted a nice house to live in that would last.

Back to the 21st Century. This is a shot of the brickyard with 300 plus bricks produced.

This is an adobe office building in Chile. Red fired bricks were used for the entrances, with a teja roof. Very classic!

I love these old pots. Pots, pots, pots, - there -- I called them pots! Well they are pots after all. Still they are beautiful in there own way.

Another view of the "before" the wall was installed at the Crooked River Ranch.

This is a shot of the floating footer put under the wall at the Crooked River Ranch.

Here the forms and are set for reebar and concrete on the south section of the wall at the Crooked River Ranch.

Here is a wall partially constructed.

This is a shot of the packed footer before the floating concrete pad is installed. This is the most economcal method for producing a wall that will not heave.

These bricks are patiently drying and waiting to be put into a wall.

Here you see forms ready to be pulled off newly poured bricks.

Mud you say? Well yah - but special mud with clay, sandy silts and cement.

Hey, this is almost artistic. See how the shapes replicate themselves as they move back? Well, maybe not.

Dry bricks! Dry! I love the Oregon sun!

These straw bails serve to uses. First, we stuff the adobe bricks with straw to fortify them. Also, if we get the fire-pit going, we sit on them! No mice here!

This is our grizzly. We use it to sieve soils. ---- I wish my name was "Grizzly", it would solve a lot of problems.

I couldn't resist throwing in a little Shakespear in the last photo.

Well - it is a little like that!

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble!!

A little bit of Portland Cement helps stabilize the bricks.

Take that!! You dirty rat!

JAMES: Soon the caldron will be done!

Caldron: bubble, bubble and double toil and trouble!

Action photo: Greg killing a snake!

The mix going into forms.

Enough already! If you pat it more than once, you are playing with it!!!

Greg, filling forms.

James.

A moment of contemplation. Greg is thinking --- am I really pouring mud in forms? --- How did I get here?

James & Greg screeting the mud.

Bricks are ready for the forms to be lifted.

Where the deer and the antelope play. That's where this wall is.

Wall construction.

The wall goes up fast!

Look mommie, no hands!

This is a great photo! Lots going on.

Another view of the entrance. The opening had to be 28+ feet to comply with regs of the Crooked River Ranch. They want to get fire trucks into your property in a hurry! No small entrances here with reason!

Recently "grouted".

Recently grouted.

Lota wall there!

View of the where we make bricks.

Another bird's eye view (from a nest).

Yet another.

Here is a respectable picture of hard wok completed.

Entrance way to the north.

Same, to the north.

My friend - the wall.

Now there is some character!

Right side of entrance.

Some of the south side wall.

Cactus Canyon. Give us a call for your own entrance or wall. We would love to do one for you.

Looking down the south side of the entrance.

South entrance.

Wall.

More wall.

This wall will never fall!

North entrance.

Little bit of character there -- Yeah!!

These bricks are set to bed. Sleeping comfortably!

North side of entrance.

Looking down north side wall. Wall is sealed and ready for the winters to come!

Making room for mister Juniper. He was here before we were.

Entrance!

Nother view of entrance!

This old Juniper is a keeper!

The handsome old Juniper is staring with his one good eye.

Here we put a cement cap on the top. The wall was also sealed.

Another view of cap.

Yet another view of the cap.

Entrance - with cap and street numbers. Next, lighting will go in with some imbedded design tiles maybe?