How to cast a wall capping in situ - February 2024
Channel: Simon Pockley
Date: 14/03/2024

A wall cap finishes off the look of a wall and improves its ability to shed water. Casting a wall capping in situ involves constructing simple formwork and naking a profile for the top. Here, I used pine 70mm x 35mm  (3"x 1 1/2") for the straight runs and 100mm x 35mm (4"x 1 1/2") joined with a 15 degree cut to make the end curves. The sides of the cap were made by ripping down the 70mm x 35mm to get 2 x 15mm x 70mm (one for each side). The sides of the curves were made from MDF offcuts. 

The strong but sloppy mix that I used was 1 x cement, 3 x 7mm gravel, and 3 x washed sand. Once vibrated and screeded with my cap profile, I kept it damp with blankets for 7 days to allow it to cure properly. I then bagged it with a mix of: 1 x off-white cement, 3 x red sand, 1 x hydrated lime, 500ml Boncrete.