Q&A for How to Build an Adobe Wall

Without mud or mortar, the bricks will be so delicate that a child or even a strong gust of wind could easily knock them over.

It's fine, as long as the cement does not drip and pool near the bottom of the wall. As you can guess, that would be hideous.

I assume that the adobe building may be old and by now the walls may be leaning to one side, or the foundation is sinking over time. The weight of the big oil drum filled with water could be keeping the wall leveled upwards. This could be a sign of a dangerous and unsafe adobe building.

It depends on where you live. In some places, yes, the bricks can be purchased.

I have attempted large size self-drill screws (the one used for metal sheets), which worked well. Example: installing a door frame into the wall.

The foundation depth will depend on the type of soil you're building on and the frost line where you're building. Most commonly, you would go to the depth to which the groundwater in the soil is expected to freeze. The foundations should rest on solid soil below the frost line. For a three-meters high wall-bearing structure, I would suggest a 50 cm deep foundation minimum. Remember, however, that this number is not to be used without further considerations of the site conditions. If you want to be on the safe side and build a stable 3 meters high wall, you can start with a 40 cm thick wall and reduce the thickness by 1 cm every 20 cm higher that you go (or every two rows of bricks).

Cover the top of the wall with slate or other stone slabs with an overhang to prevent water seeping into the finished wall. This will extend the life of the wall.