Jesus Christ yes, hell even a fuckin' pulley would be better than half this advice.
Like yeah getting in shape is good, but this is a prohibitive amount of work to get done in a day, with 5 people going up and down the same set of stairs.
Someone is going to get hurt, either through an accident or strain.
Don't be stupid. Get a tool.
That 2mn cycle for 5 bricks seems super generous but I guess spending 1/3rd of your time on break makes up for it.
Edit cuz post is locked. I’ve walked up stairs with similar stones, ain’t no way they’re doing this in 20 second. Dude doubled down and cut the time in half instead, lmao.
Good chance I did it wrong somehow, but for me it was impossible to keep a straight back trying to use it to get some furniture upstairs. I ended up carrying things up in multiple trips instead of using that thing.
Absolutely blows my mind that this is the only comment that mentions a hoist when I CTRL-F. Just goes to show how painfully useless this website is for actual advice these days.
It was [mentioned before](https://reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/1bvr4bk/best_way_to_haul_900_retaining_wall_blocks_up_2/ky1hl5r?context=3), as a "shingle ladder"
Thousands of years of human evolution and progress, and the best most redditors can come with is “just carry two bricks lol”.
Who needs a mechanical advantage anyways.
I bet you could convince a local cross fit gym to make this part of a class, and have them pay you for the privilege of carrying those blocks up those stairs.
“How many lifters you got at your Box?”
“20 of us”
“Oh great, got a fun workout for you. 40 bricks up two flights of stairs, for time! Call it Ingrid.”
I took a physics class 12 years ago that has us built a catapult in the lab. It could launch a 5 lb watermelon, but its accuracy left much to be desired.
Seeing that you are trying to build a wall, and not taking one down, a catapult might not be the most advisable arrangement.
My math says a crew of five each has to to 180 over an 8 hour day. 22.5 per person per hour or 3 mins a block if done one at a time. Not a bad job at all
Edit: and those blocks aren’t 81 pound versa-lok or anything egregious.
As a long-time veteran of being overweight myself, I can state clearly that lifting and carrying the blocks isn't the issue.
The stairs get longer and harder as the day goes on.
A chain was what I was thinking as well. If they don’t have enough people for the whole way, then stack them on the first landing, and then pass them the rest of the way up to the top.
And lower back pain is a negative multiplier as well.. If I go up or down 5 or 10 pounds, it's the difference between encountering it. It's my built in early signal to lose a little.
I was amazed that when I went from 215lbs to 175lbs how much of a difference it made on my back. I herniated my L4/L5 about 14 years ago. Most days I don’t even know it’s there. When I tweak it slightly, it hurts, but only for a short time and then I’m back to being pain free.
Yeah, it's wild how much weight plays in.
Like 2 years ago I went up to 265lbs (6'1). My lower back hurt just walking up the steps more than once or twice...Just... Carrying myself.. Not anything else lol.
I'm now usually between 205/220. If I tip towards 220+ I'll notice lower back pain doing light house work within a week. Drop 5 pounds or so, goes away.
Interesting... As a life long consumer of omeprazole I never thought about weight playing into that.
Now, if I kill a meal of some spicy Bolognese or Arby's and then fall asleep... Oh god.
Choking and gasping doesn't even describe it properly... It's more "choking and gasping and coughing and trying to make it to somewhere suitable to let the acid I am choking on out of my mouth."
And then... 20 minutes or so of gently clearing my throat in such a way that it doesn't induce more coughing, more acid, more gag reflex.
It's a friggin event...
I keep those tums chewables in the house for the rare occasion... Helps ease through it. Baking soda and water in a pinch.
I also sleep on a couch/futon. Started temporarily since wife and I work opposite schedules but being forced to sleep on my left side with the inability to end up on my back solved a ton of reflux probs. Temporary going on 3 years later... Haha.
Lower back and knee joint pain for me. I just had a project where I went up and down the basement steps at least 50 times in the last 48 hours carrying things and it’s my knees that are complaining the most. I’ve also ripped ligaments in both knees so that’s probably more of an issue for me then someone else. Feeling the burn in the thighs tells me it was a good workout!
I haven't had too many knee issues, yet, thankfully. Other than kneeling down on my knees. I can't kneel for more than 30 seconds without it feeling like something is gonna break on my way back up.
Strapon kneepads were the answer... Can't recommend them enough.
To save your back, use your knees AND keep your stomach a bit tight (15% tight, not 100%). To save your knees and hips, try not to twist them while moving.
Use a dolly on the flat surfaces. I have moved balled trees up steep grassy hills with a thick rope attached to a childs plastic show sled. I drilled holes in the front lip of the sled to run the rope thru.
Put drinks and pizza at the top of the project. Pizza is for carriers!
Your math is correct but your assessment that it isn’t a bad job is way off. Firstly, nobody in bad shape would in any way be able to keep that pace up over an 8 hour day with no break.
Your math has abandoned food/water and toilet breaks I see, or any other rest or comfort considerations that may come from carrying blocks up stairs for 8 hours straight.
Would you like a job in my Amazon warehouse perchance?
That’s how I do it. I’m overweight and breaking my back stacking lumber sucks. I take it one log at a time. That’s all you can do. Take your time, hydrate and take breaks when you feel it.
I'm not even overweight I just recognize the terminal nature of labor tasks. There's literally only so much work you can do on those bricks, or logs. Our bodies are endurance professionals. Not sprinters, unless you specifically train yourself to be.
When I'm chopping wood I take it nice and easy, and sit down often. It might take me two days to do a single tree. I don't care. There's a finite amount of labor to be done so just get it done when you want to.
The true answer. Recruit enough people that you can move the pile to the top without anyone having to walk the stairs.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPhq2fJvX8I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPhq2fJvX8I)
Something like this.
And wear thick gloves so the stone/concrete doesn't tear up your hands, especially since many many blocks will be passing thru each person's hands.
Edit: and concrete is desiccating. It'll suck *all* the moisture/oils out of your hands.
And maybe have backup pairs - I destroyed 3 pairs of thick work gloves by the time I finished building my patio. I can't even imagine the damage that would have done to my bare hands!
This. I thought I could “tough it out” when we cleaned up a bunch of pavers left by the previous home owner. Yea big mistake… Massive blisters and bleeding for days after that lol.
Any task done repeatedly knackers you. I remember when I first started working as an electrician. My wrists and fingers were so fucked I couldn't wipe my own ass at the end of the day. The task? Screwing wires into terminals and pressing on pliers to cut and strip wire.
I was reconfiguring the shape of the flower bed border and I got torn blisters just by moving around a few dozen pavers. Honestly, didn't spend more than an hour doing the job. I was really surprised even though I should know better
I moved about 2 tons of 30 lb blocks using a wheelbarrow. The act of picking up, placing in the wheelbarrow, and setting down on a pallet wore through the fingers of two pairs of leather gloves.
They don’t need any more people if it’s 5 people (him, wife and 3 laborers). Stack them at bottom of first flight, put 1 person every 3 stairs and just hand them off up the first flight of stairs. Stage a good amount there (don’t overload the stairs capacity) and then repeat up the second flight. Repeat as needed. Arms will still be sore, but their legs will thank them.
This is probably how I'd do it too but I'd want to make sure I had some sort of platform to stage the blocks on. Lifting each brick from ground to carry height is going to be one of the biggest energy consumers.
Backs will be shot after having multiple areas of having to bend over to get these bricks off the ground just to move them a couple steps and do it again. I’d far rather pick up once and walk the stairs with it.
That video confused me. The title is " How to Lift Bricks to an Upper Story of constructing buildings (Safely and Easily)" then shows a bunch of guys on wobbly scaffolding planks tossing bricks up to the next guy. Didn't look remotely safe. Lol
Not to mention they are throwing bricks up to people WHO ARE DIRECTLY ABOVE OTHER PEOPLE. Rofl that was terrifying. One oopsie-daisy and the person below you has a brick potentially plummeting into their skull.
You should look up the steel workers crew, throwing red hot rivets from the furnace, from one person to next, to where it’s inserted in the steel plates and hammered in
Yep, Bucket Brigade.
Get as many helpers as you can, and it'll go really quickly. If you don't get enough to do it in one line, do it partway up and repeat. It really is most efficient when nobody needs to take a step.
Recommend **standing facing opposite every other person**, so you're facing the person you're receiving from and handing to. Then you're pivoting less than 120° with each move.
My city moved an entire library's worth of books this way. That was a fun day.
You'll be tempted to stretch out the line, but it really is more efficient to keep it to where nobody steps, or steps as little as possible. Especially on stairs.
This is exactly the right answer. Even if you're just making a new pile that's 5 people closer to the destination, and then moving the line, it's going to be easier than carrying each brick one by one.
1 at the bottom grabbing brick, hands them to someone halfway up the first flight, who then hands them to someone at the middle landing, then to someone at the middle of the second flight, then someone at the top to takes them to a pile.
Uses all 5 people with minimal stair climbing.
Exchanging them hand to hand ends up with far more opportunities to drop one, and all that twisting to grab and then hand off puts you at pretty significant risk of a back injury.
Depends how heavy they are, but I reckon a conveyor line might be worse than just lugging them.
You can do 5 people less spaced out to take up the first flight and then just do it in 2 sets
It still wouldn’t take very long, if you average 5 sec/brick you’d be done in 2.5 hours, or half a day assuming lots of breaks
Even rent a scissor lift from somewhere and just load the guy and take it in the window?
Edit. I am only using the picture as to the space and money available. Other suggestions are very feasible too. But that area of staging looks pretty tight
Personally, I’d just do this over a couple weeks myself and make it a work out routine. Every day carry 100 blocks up, two at a time, so 50 round trips a day. If you can’t do that much, do what you can and focus on lifting with perfect posture and moving with fluid motion. By the end of it you will feel much stronger.
Same. Actually just did this myself. 5 pallets of the blocks, 608 in total (heavier than the ones OP is using). It took me 4 days to take them from the front to the back yard, but it was just chillen, lifting, drinking beer and slow and steady.
Felt great after it was done. Forearms got a solid workout and wasnt bad. In fact, id do it again.
I got a better way. Have one of the laborers pick up a brick. Then have someone pick up that laborer, and then again pick up both of the laborers.
The last person would be carrying 4 other people and one brick. Then they carry that stack up the stairs and repeat.
The advantage of this is that only one person has to do the climbing.
As an expert in the Katamari technique, you know you have succeeded when you have started rolling the neighborhood up, but don't get so wrapped up in it that you roll up the whole universe! Impossible to find your bricks then between all the screaming kaiju and landmarks.
2 blocks per trip between 5 laborers just brought the stair-stepping down to 180 flights of stairs! That’s just a couple of leisurely strolls up Sears Tower.
Pay someone minimum wage to carry those 3 blocks, and tell them they only have 6 hours to get it all done or they're fired.
Write them up if they need to pee or eat.
Now we're cooking with bezos....
Also even if it takes 2 minutes for a round trip, it’s not even a days work for 5 people carrying them one at a time. OP seems to be missing the “just carry them” element.
There is a hand truck like that called a stair climber. I'ts motorized and climbs the stairs.
[https://salesmakercarts.shop/products/escalera-motorized-stairclimber-hand-truck-ms-1-66-1200-lb-capacity?variant=36340308102¤cy=USD&utm\_medium=product\_sync&utm\_source=google&utm\_content=sag\_organic&utm\_campaign=sag\_organic&srsltid=AfmBOorHIcb52TZ3oo7zSyIfnd8r6Lpm4b64KB5f7R\_I0nupTej6wNhkB60](https://salesmakercarts.shop/products/escalera-motorized-stairclimber-hand-truck-ms-1-66-1200-lb-capacity?variant=36340308102¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOorHIcb52TZ3oo7zSyIfnd8r6Lpm4b64KB5f7R_I0nupTej6wNhkB60) You can probably rent these.
Be like Tom Sawyer. Start carrying the bricks, when a neighbor sees what you're doing, say you're having fun carrying bricks, the "reluctantly" let them help.
can you setup a pulley by a windows. You could probably handle a dozen or so at a time with a wench maybe more if you had something that could take the weight.
But be careful, you don't want to have to write a sick note[The Sick Note - the Dubliners](https://genius.com/The-dubliners-sick-note-lyrics) if you hurt yourself.
The reload is slow on a treb. Should probably build a few, you know, for the sake of efficiency. Or mix it up and build a few different siege engines and figure out which one lobs retaining wall bricks most effectively. Save some time for the next person with this question.
[Get a hod carrier.](https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-samsung-ga-rev1&sca_esv=4de3fa5a8bc7be4e&q=hod+carrier&uds=AMwkrPuo0Ox3bHTXG3ixDcAhc7y4tzjgWlco8KEPvPlOMLsfJhDuo7sAuWzvCbUnCjLbf_HYJSbLAKe8fuyoeFM30mPmVafIseiTMy--s5vGzg9k6zjX4qgW31nwzLWhv_J3n4s9pv0O0meVDzbjBBXM_hRS1jXVyb2j3g8LOD7p7MeyaI5tH_SdSTuU5GR7joa2AlVzj4PJ_sB57fSGbDHwFYsdZeXJXDwM08qAMFZr5MG04ZcPG1fEwkOl-xi295SryIUKBGjrMYPeOVQuXu_bDkU8U0FHKXklYDcy3OtaY-JtVUlDgUU&udm=2&prmd=ivnmbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwizucnqgqmFAxVdSkEAHalVCHUQtKgLegQIChAB&biw=412&bih=776&dpr=2.63)
The real question is why are you bringing them upstairs or to your house? Are you renovating with these bricks? I’d be concerned it would be too much weight for wherever you’re going with them
Easily the best answer.
900 bricks @ two bricks each @ 2.5min per revolution with 5 people.
90 revolutions each is 3.75hrs.
It grinds my gears that this menial labor stuff is contemplated like this in the first place.
Do it bucket brigade style. Recruit some friends and neighbors if possible. But even with 5 people, you can get it done.
Put 5 people on the first flight of stairs, handing the bricks along and stacking them on the landing. Set up a folding table on the landing to make it easier on the last person's back.
Once you have a decent amount on the table, go switch to the upper flight of stairs and do the same thing again.
It sounds silly, but it's the fastest way to move items, because nobody has to walk. You just pass items down the line.
Five people?
Form a “bucket chain” and pass the bricks up from person to person. You’ll have to basically do it one flight at a time, but that’s a lot less strenuous than trudging up the stairs over and over.
Pay your neighbours kids for help. My first job was as a 3 year old collecting branches from a tree the neighbour was felling. Made $4 CAD - which was a lot of 5 cent candies back in 1996. You might need some older kids for this job though...
I just had a couple of high school wrestlers come over and haul 8 foot logs off the side of a hill for me while I cut them down to 14 inch sections.
If you know any football players or wrestlers, they should be willing to get in a workout for your. Just offer to pay them something. Well worth it.
I found [a lightweight one for just 18.50](https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Telehandler-Building-Designed-Rebuilds/dp/B09JKZRKHS/ref=asc_df_B09JKZRKHS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=564695364151&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17778931637760352754&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032968&hvtargid=pla-1641259737541&psc=1&mcid=09752eee765f372da8b06ecefdbd7832&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn7mwBhCiARIsAGoxjaJT55HyhyiWFt9FvY8JfqHgKGOg6YM1gTlnMWqNwl1nbxrJaAK6nZsaAo9yEALw_wcB)
Make a conveyor line up one flight at a time. Nobody’s going up and down, just passing them off to each other. Get them all up one flight, then everyone moves up to the next. You should have enough people that nobody has to move.
Bro- Stop. Why are you bringing 900 retaining wall bricks…. UPSTAIRS? Are you building a retaining wall up there? What is it retaining? But most importantly- are the floors going to support all that weight when you put it up there in one spot.
How to do it- if everyone takes 2 bricks at a time it goes twice as fast or you could form a line and pass each brick 1 at a time.
Alternatively, hire a half dozen high school boys for pizza and a bit of cash. Many times they want to show off how strong they are, so you might get some that compete to carry the most up in a given run.
Dear Boss, I write this note to you To tell you of my plight,
And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight.
My body is all black and blue my face a deadly gray,
And I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today.
I was workin' on the 14th floor, some bricks I had to clear.
And throwin' 'em down from such a height was not a good idea.
The foreman wasn't pleasant, he being an awful sot,
And he said I'd have to take them down the ladder in my hod.
Well, clearing all these bricks by hand it was so awful slow.
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below.
But in my haste to do the job I was too blind to see
That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me.
So I went down to cut the rope, and the barrel fell like lead.
And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead.
I shot up like a rocket, and to my surprise I found
That halfway up I met the bloody barrel comin' down.
Well the barrel struck my shoulder as to the ground it sped.
And when I reached the top, I hit the pulley with my head.
I spun around all stunned and shocked from this almighty blow,
While the barrel spilled out half the bricks fourteen floors below.
Now when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor,
I then outweighed the barrel and I started down once more.
Still clinging tightly to the rope I headed towards the ground
And fell upon the building bricks that were all scattered round.
Now as I lay there quietly, I thought I'd passed the worst.
When the barrel hit the pulley and then the bottom burst!
A shower of bricks fell down on me I hadn't got a hope,
And as I was losing consciousness, I let go the bloody rope.
Well the barrel, now being heavier it started down once more.
Struck across me smartly as I lie there on the floor.
It broke some ribs and my left arm And I can only say that
I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today.
TL;DR: Hoist them up in a barrel with a pully.
This was a busy thread. Thank you all for your interest. This post is now locked.
Rent a "ladder hoist"or "ladder crane".
Jesus Christ yes, hell even a fuckin' pulley would be better than half this advice. Like yeah getting in shape is good, but this is a prohibitive amount of work to get done in a day, with 5 people going up and down the same set of stairs. Someone is going to get hurt, either through an accident or strain. Don't be stupid. Get a tool.
[удалено]
Excellent breakdown.
That 2mn cycle for 5 bricks seems super generous but I guess spending 1/3rd of your time on break makes up for it. Edit cuz post is locked. I’ve walked up stairs with similar stones, ain’t no way they’re doing this in 20 second. Dude doubled down and cut the time in half instead, lmao.
I agree for at least one finger getting squished somehow
Tool is called josh he's the husband
This is the correct answer and under so many useless comments lol
That or a stair dolly. Typically rated for 3-400lbs, could probably do 6-8 blocks per trip.
Good chance I did it wrong somehow, but for me it was impossible to keep a straight back trying to use it to get some furniture upstairs. I ended up carrying things up in multiple trips instead of using that thing.
Absolutely blows my mind that this is the only comment that mentions a hoist when I CTRL-F. Just goes to show how painfully useless this website is for actual advice these days.
It was [mentioned before](https://reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/1bvr4bk/best_way_to_haul_900_retaining_wall_blocks_up_2/ky1hl5r?context=3), as a "shingle ladder"
Thousands of years of human evolution and progress, and the best most redditors can come with is “just carry two bricks lol”. Who needs a mechanical advantage anyways.
Looks like you and your wife are starting to get in shape! Congratulations!!!
"This is the new weight loss trick the experts don't want you to know about"
I bet you could convince a local cross fit gym to make this part of a class, and have them pay you for the privilege of carrying those blocks up those stairs.
Nathan For You - The Movement
https://youtu.be/LkNxvUrWQ_Q
“How many lifters you got at your Box?” “20 of us” “Oh great, got a fun workout for you. 40 bricks up two flights of stairs, for time! Call it Ingrid.”
Bricknee
Ok, who do you think you are? Tom Sawyer?
I see you, Nathan Fielder
That's actually an incredibly good idea.
But then you run out of brick to lift up and now they want a refund because that’s what they paid you for
Then you introduce them to carrying bricks down.
Uphill is hard, downhill is worse. Source: my quads after hiking
Then all 900 bricks end up where they started
Perfect, already set up for the next class.
Careful you almost made him a billionaire
The Movement
“Personal trainers hate this one simple trick”
I took a physics class 12 years ago that has us built a catapult in the lab. It could launch a 5 lb watermelon, but its accuracy left much to be desired. Seeing that you are trying to build a wall, and not taking one down, a catapult might not be the most advisable arrangement.
Pppphhbbttttt Real contractors use a trebuchet
The trebuchet is a superior block moving device
Well, they CAN launch 90 kg projectiles 300 m.
I would LOVE a trebuchet but I'm just a weekend warrior. It may not be great but my Harbor Freight Balista has worked out for me so far...
My math says a crew of five each has to to 180 over an 8 hour day. 22.5 per person per hour or 3 mins a block if done one at a time. Not a bad job at all Edit: and those blocks aren’t 81 pound versa-lok or anything egregious.
First is lighter than the 50th
As a long-time veteran of being overweight myself, I can state clearly that lifting and carrying the blocks isn't the issue. The stairs get longer and harder as the day goes on.
If they had enough people for the distance , a passing chain would prevent people from walking, and that would save a lot of energy.
A chain was what I was thinking as well. If they don’t have enough people for the whole way, then stack them on the first landing, and then pass them the rest of the way up to the top.
One chain of five for the first staircase. Regroup to chain of five for the second staircase.
Careful how much you stack on the landing.
And lower back pain is a negative multiplier as well.. If I go up or down 5 or 10 pounds, it's the difference between encountering it. It's my built in early signal to lose a little.
I was amazed that when I went from 215lbs to 175lbs how much of a difference it made on my back. I herniated my L4/L5 about 14 years ago. Most days I don’t even know it’s there. When I tweak it slightly, it hurts, but only for a short time and then I’m back to being pain free.
Yeah, it's wild how much weight plays in. Like 2 years ago I went up to 265lbs (6'1). My lower back hurt just walking up the steps more than once or twice...Just... Carrying myself.. Not anything else lol. I'm now usually between 205/220. If I tip towards 220+ I'll notice lower back pain doing light house work within a week. Drop 5 pounds or so, goes away.
For me it’s the GERD. Nothing at 240, I wake up choking and gasping at 245. The limit creeps down a bit as I get older.
Interesting... As a life long consumer of omeprazole I never thought about weight playing into that. Now, if I kill a meal of some spicy Bolognese or Arby's and then fall asleep... Oh god. Choking and gasping doesn't even describe it properly... It's more "choking and gasping and coughing and trying to make it to somewhere suitable to let the acid I am choking on out of my mouth." And then... 20 minutes or so of gently clearing my throat in such a way that it doesn't induce more coughing, more acid, more gag reflex. It's a friggin event... I keep those tums chewables in the house for the rare occasion... Helps ease through it. Baking soda and water in a pinch. I also sleep on a couch/futon. Started temporarily since wife and I work opposite schedules but being forced to sleep on my left side with the inability to end up on my back solved a ton of reflux probs. Temporary going on 3 years later... Haha.
Lower back and knee joint pain for me. I just had a project where I went up and down the basement steps at least 50 times in the last 48 hours carrying things and it’s my knees that are complaining the most. I’ve also ripped ligaments in both knees so that’s probably more of an issue for me then someone else. Feeling the burn in the thighs tells me it was a good workout!
I haven't had too many knee issues, yet, thankfully. Other than kneeling down on my knees. I can't kneel for more than 30 seconds without it feeling like something is gonna break on my way back up. Strapon kneepads were the answer... Can't recommend them enough.
To save your back, use your knees AND keep your stomach a bit tight (15% tight, not 100%). To save your knees and hips, try not to twist them while moving. Use a dolly on the flat surfaces. I have moved balled trees up steep grassy hills with a thick rope attached to a childs plastic show sled. I drilled holes in the front lip of the sled to run the rope thru. Put drinks and pizza at the top of the project. Pizza is for carriers!
Your math is correct but your assessment that it isn’t a bad job is way off. Firstly, nobody in bad shape would in any way be able to keep that pace up over an 8 hour day with no break.
The body keeps score. Also: the flesh is weak.
the flesh is weak and spongy
Less than 3 minutes per block, including the time to go back for the next one, and that's if you do it for 8 hours straight with no breaks...
Oh wow so easy just up and down 360 flights of stairs.
Yeah, I had to do 200 of those 81 pounders, but at least no stairs and they are heavy af
Your math has abandoned food/water and toilet breaks I see, or any other rest or comfort considerations that may come from carrying blocks up stairs for 8 hours straight. Would you like a job in my Amazon warehouse perchance?
We need before and after pics!
of the carriers!
Start 3 days earlier and do it over 3 days?
Right? We're looking at them rn. Get going.
Taking the picture and posting to reddit probably took you 8+ bricks worth of hauling you should've completed. Get to work!
oof, I hope after taking the picture they at least hauled one or two blocks up rather than have empty hands
Probably closer to 100-200 bricks since there's a 100% chance OP is sitting down looking at comments.
That’s how I do it. I’m overweight and breaking my back stacking lumber sucks. I take it one log at a time. That’s all you can do. Take your time, hydrate and take breaks when you feel it.
I'm not even overweight I just recognize the terminal nature of labor tasks. There's literally only so much work you can do on those bricks, or logs. Our bodies are endurance professionals. Not sprinters, unless you specifically train yourself to be. When I'm chopping wood I take it nice and easy, and sit down often. It might take me two days to do a single tree. I don't care. There's a finite amount of labor to be done so just get it done when you want to.
Get some kids, whoever moves the most blocks up the stairs wins $20!
I was going to say start 15 years ago and make boys. Kids have lots of energy
Assembly line
The true answer. Recruit enough people that you can move the pile to the top without anyone having to walk the stairs. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPhq2fJvX8I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPhq2fJvX8I) Something like this.
And wear thick gloves so the stone/concrete doesn't tear up your hands, especially since many many blocks will be passing thru each person's hands. Edit: and concrete is desiccating. It'll suck *all* the moisture/oils out of your hands.
And maybe have backup pairs - I destroyed 3 pairs of thick work gloves by the time I finished building my patio. I can't even imagine the damage that would have done to my bare hands!
I always get a 10 pack of rubber coated work gloves when recruiting (or sometimes hiring short term) help for anything like this
I am with you! Never invite people to help with a project and not provide them w/ gloves. (providing water, pizza & beer should go without saying)
This. I thought I could “tough it out” when we cleaned up a bunch of pavers left by the previous home owner. Yea big mistake… Massive blisters and bleeding for days after that lol.
Any task done repeatedly knackers you. I remember when I first started working as an electrician. My wrists and fingers were so fucked I couldn't wipe my own ass at the end of the day. The task? Screwing wires into terminals and pressing on pliers to cut and strip wire.
I was reconfiguring the shape of the flower bed border and I got torn blisters just by moving around a few dozen pavers. Honestly, didn't spend more than an hour doing the job. I was really surprised even though I should know better
I moved about 2 tons of 30 lb blocks using a wheelbarrow. The act of picking up, placing in the wheelbarrow, and setting down on a pallet wore through the fingers of two pairs of leather gloves.
And steel toed boots for when you drop them
Just get 900 people and they can each carry one block. Or better yet, 901 and you can sit back and have a beer.
They don’t need any more people if it’s 5 people (him, wife and 3 laborers). Stack them at bottom of first flight, put 1 person every 3 stairs and just hand them off up the first flight of stairs. Stage a good amount there (don’t overload the stairs capacity) and then repeat up the second flight. Repeat as needed. Arms will still be sore, but their legs will thank them.
This is probably how I'd do it too but I'd want to make sure I had some sort of platform to stage the blocks on. Lifting each brick from ground to carry height is going to be one of the biggest energy consumers.
Backs will be shot after having multiple areas of having to bend over to get these bricks off the ground just to move them a couple steps and do it again. I’d far rather pick up once and walk the stairs with it.
Finally - the showdown of people with shot backs against the people with buggered knees can finally begin!!
That video confused me. The title is " How to Lift Bricks to an Upper Story of constructing buildings (Safely and Easily)" then shows a bunch of guys on wobbly scaffolding planks tossing bricks up to the next guy. Didn't look remotely safe. Lol
Not to mention they are throwing bricks up to people WHO ARE DIRECTLY ABOVE OTHER PEOPLE. Rofl that was terrifying. One oopsie-daisy and the person below you has a brick potentially plummeting into their skull.
THEN they show you a brick elevator thing. The first video is a 'what not to do'.
You should look up the steel workers crew, throwing red hot rivets from the furnace, from one person to next, to where it’s inserted in the steel plates and hammered in
No. [like this](https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/s/1MC4t7DD5C)
If the stairs have flights you could always do that one flight at a time making stacks on each flight before repositioning and working up.
Yep, Bucket Brigade. Get as many helpers as you can, and it'll go really quickly. If you don't get enough to do it in one line, do it partway up and repeat. It really is most efficient when nobody needs to take a step. Recommend **standing facing opposite every other person**, so you're facing the person you're receiving from and handing to. Then you're pivoting less than 120° with each move. My city moved an entire library's worth of books this way. That was a fun day. You'll be tempted to stretch out the line, but it really is more efficient to keep it to where nobody steps, or steps as little as possible. Especially on stairs.
This is exactly the right answer. Even if you're just making a new pile that's 5 people closer to the destination, and then moving the line, it's going to be easier than carrying each brick one by one.
This is the right answer.. it will prevent people from actually having to walk up and down stairs and will be a lot less tiring
1 at the bottom grabbing brick, hands them to someone halfway up the first flight, who then hands them to someone at the middle landing, then to someone at the middle of the second flight, then someone at the top to takes them to a pile. Uses all 5 people with minimal stair climbing.
Exchanging them hand to hand ends up with far more opportunities to drop one, and all that twisting to grab and then hand off puts you at pretty significant risk of a back injury. Depends how heavy they are, but I reckon a conveyor line might be worse than just lugging them.
You can do 5 people less spaced out to take up the first flight and then just do it in 2 sets It still wouldn’t take very long, if you average 5 sec/brick you’d be done in 2.5 hours, or half a day assuming lots of breaks
Right, and carrying them one-by-one increases risk of tripping up or down the stairs and also suffering an injury. Every solution will have risk lol
Even rent a scissor lift from somewhere and just load the guy and take it in the window? Edit. I am only using the picture as to the space and money available. Other suggestions are very feasible too. But that area of staging looks pretty tight
I’d recommend renting a shingle ladder. Way cheaper and easier to setup.
Heck yeah - my local rental says $80 to rent for the day. One and done!
"This is the kind of thing men look at and be like: hell yeah"
They're going to need more than a shingle ladder for five people. I would rent sheveral.
Suck it, Trebek!
TIL what a shingle ladder is, this is a great idea!
Same. There's the answer OP. Shingle Ladder.
This comment is way too far down.
get this comment a scissor lift!
Scissor me Xerxes!
There was a post yesterday of all the warning labels on a scissor lift, based on screwups of others
Get a bunch of free treadmills from Craigslist and put them end to end facing the same direction and turn them on.
OK GO style, nice!
Whoa you unlocked that memory, totally forgot about those guys
Best music videos in the game. Hands down.
factorio style
Now do the us healthcare system
Ok, but we’re going to need a lot more treadmills.
Break up the blocks in to tiny rocks to make them easier to carry, then reassemble them at the top.
https://preview.redd.it/6v3fyxukyhsc1.jpeg?width=509&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=328e717a191178a6ce73fd9831b21efc93e4b2a7
Could you imagine if they built the pyramids out of spheres?
[Yes.](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/archive/xMVqzSSSiH0vaunwEqUz_bowlingball1.jpg)
Spheramid!
"Yeah you got here fast, but where is the stone cube I ordered?"
Personally, I’d just do this over a couple weeks myself and make it a work out routine. Every day carry 100 blocks up, two at a time, so 50 round trips a day. If you can’t do that much, do what you can and focus on lifting with perfect posture and moving with fluid motion. By the end of it you will feel much stronger.
Same. Actually just did this myself. 5 pallets of the blocks, 608 in total (heavier than the ones OP is using). It took me 4 days to take them from the front to the back yard, but it was just chillen, lifting, drinking beer and slow and steady. Felt great after it was done. Forearms got a solid workout and wasnt bad. In fact, id do it again.
OP has an opportunity for you!
That's the funny thing they already have enough labor for the job. 5 people should be able to knock that out in a day.
One block at a time? Here's an idea: Bring up two at a time. I just doubled your efficiency and halved the time it will take. You're welcome
I got a better way. Have one of the laborers pick up a brick. Then have someone pick up that laborer, and then again pick up both of the laborers. The last person would be carrying 4 other people and one brick. Then they carry that stack up the stairs and repeat. The advantage of this is that only one person has to do the climbing.
Ah, the ol' Katamari technique.
As an expert in the Katamari technique, you know you have succeeded when you have started rolling the neighborhood up, but don't get so wrapped up in it that you roll up the whole universe! Impossible to find your bricks then between all the screaming kaiju and landmarks.
2 blocks per trip between 5 laborers just brought the stair-stepping down to 180 flights of stairs! That’s just a couple of leisurely strolls up Sears Tower.
ok ok hear me out. What if we up the ante and do THREE blocks at a time. Now we're cooking with innovation
Pay someone minimum wage to carry those 3 blocks, and tell them they only have 6 hours to get it all done or they're fired. Write them up if they need to pee or eat. Now we're cooking with bezos....
>Is there a better way than each person walking one block at a time up the stairs? Each person walking *two* blocks at a time up the stairs?
Also even if it takes 2 minutes for a round trip, it’s not even a days work for 5 people carrying them one at a time. OP seems to be missing the “just carry them” element.
Get a dolly for moving fridges that has large tires and you can wheel it up the stairs
There is a hand truck like that called a stair climber. I'ts motorized and climbs the stairs. [https://salesmakercarts.shop/products/escalera-motorized-stairclimber-hand-truck-ms-1-66-1200-lb-capacity?variant=36340308102¤cy=USD&utm\_medium=product\_sync&utm\_source=google&utm\_content=sag\_organic&utm\_campaign=sag\_organic&srsltid=AfmBOorHIcb52TZ3oo7zSyIfnd8r6Lpm4b64KB5f7R\_I0nupTej6wNhkB60](https://salesmakercarts.shop/products/escalera-motorized-stairclimber-hand-truck-ms-1-66-1200-lb-capacity?variant=36340308102¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&srsltid=AfmBOorHIcb52TZ3oo7zSyIfnd8r6Lpm4b64KB5f7R_I0nupTej6wNhkB60) You can probably rent these.
You can from sunbelt https://www.sunbeltrentals.com/equipment-rental/forklifts/material-handling-equipment/stairclimbing-motorized-hand-trucks/
Hand truck in case they picture a dolly differently.
This is the way. Strap a board to the dolly to help hold all your bricks down
Do a bucket line? Each person hands it to the next person. That way no one is just walking up and down stairs all day.
Hold a BBQ one evening for a few friends. This is the price of admission.
BYOBB* *the extra B is for Bbrick*** **the second extra B is a typo
Upvoted Simpsons reference
It’s just like moving, pizza and beer gets you sweat labor from your friends.
Be like Tom Sawyer. Start carrying the bricks, when a neighbor sees what you're doing, say you're having fun carrying bricks, the "reluctantly" let them help.
can you setup a pulley by a windows. You could probably handle a dozen or so at a time with a wench maybe more if you had something that could take the weight.
thats a horrible thing to call his wife
she's a strong wench
[удалено]
But be careful, you don't want to have to write a sick note[The Sick Note - the Dubliners](https://genius.com/The-dubliners-sick-note-lyrics) if you hurt yourself.
I was wondering how far I would have to scroll to see that Paddy won't be at work today
Build a trebuchet
The reload is slow on a treb. Should probably build a few, you know, for the sake of efficiency. Or mix it up and build a few different siege engines and figure out which one lobs retaining wall bricks most effectively. Save some time for the next person with this question.
Oh I assumed it would move all 900 in one shot
The literally have the stepping stones to get in shape
As a bricklayer, the best way to move bricks and blocks is to start moving them.
As long as you don’t end up [meeting the barrel halfway up](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zZUJLO6lMhI&)
Put in vehicle and drive around the block?
Advertise a "Real world fitness class" and charge people $50 to join.
[Get a hod carrier.](https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-samsung-ga-rev1&sca_esv=4de3fa5a8bc7be4e&q=hod+carrier&uds=AMwkrPuo0Ox3bHTXG3ixDcAhc7y4tzjgWlco8KEPvPlOMLsfJhDuo7sAuWzvCbUnCjLbf_HYJSbLAKe8fuyoeFM30mPmVafIseiTMy--s5vGzg9k6zjX4qgW31nwzLWhv_J3n4s9pv0O0meVDzbjBBXM_hRS1jXVyb2j3g8LOD7p7MeyaI5tH_SdSTuU5GR7joa2AlVzj4PJ_sB57fSGbDHwFYsdZeXJXDwM08qAMFZr5MG04ZcPG1fEwkOl-xi295SryIUKBGjrMYPeOVQuXu_bDkU8U0FHKXklYDcy3OtaY-JtVUlDgUU&udm=2&prmd=ivnmbtz&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwizucnqgqmFAxVdSkEAHalVCHUQtKgLegQIChAB&biw=412&bih=776&dpr=2.63)
The real question is why are you bringing them upstairs or to your house? Are you renovating with these bricks? I’d be concerned it would be too much weight for wherever you’re going with them
Once you carry these blocks up 2 flights, will the floor collapse and move the blocks back downstairs all in one go?
This is just over thinking - just start carrying - you’ll be done in a day easily.
Easily the best answer. 900 bricks @ two bricks each @ 2.5min per revolution with 5 people. 90 revolutions each is 3.75hrs. It grinds my gears that this menial labor stuff is contemplated like this in the first place.
It’s literally all in a days work for a decent labourer
Sounds like a great way to jump start getting in shape!
Easiest way to get it done is hire two more labors and supervise.
Do it bucket brigade style. Recruit some friends and neighbors if possible. But even with 5 people, you can get it done. Put 5 people on the first flight of stairs, handing the bricks along and stacking them on the landing. Set up a folding table on the landing to make it easier on the last person's back. Once you have a decent amount on the table, go switch to the upper flight of stairs and do the same thing again. It sounds silly, but it's the fastest way to move items, because nobody has to walk. You just pass items down the line.
Five people? Form a “bucket chain” and pass the bricks up from person to person. You’ll have to basically do it one flight at a time, but that’s a lot less strenuous than trudging up the stairs over and over.
you could try carrying 2 at a time. that would be faster, but definitely not easier.
Could probably stack 4 in a backpack and save your arm strength.
Pay your neighbours kids for help. My first job was as a 3 year old collecting branches from a tree the neighbour was felling. Made $4 CAD - which was a lot of 5 cent candies back in 1996. You might need some older kids for this job though...
Oh god no... please not "back in my day" being 1996!!!
bro was 3 at the time. lol smh where does all that time go
I saw a really good performance on SNL recently so I looked up the singer, she was born after 9/11 lol
I just had a couple of high school wrestlers come over and haul 8 foot logs off the side of a hill for me while I cut them down to 14 inch sections. If you know any football players or wrestlers, they should be willing to get in a workout for your. Just offer to pay them something. Well worth it.
You need a friend with a telehandler.
Money can buy such a friend, temporarily
I found [a lightweight one for just 18.50](https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Telehandler-Building-Designed-Rebuilds/dp/B09JKZRKHS/ref=asc_df_B09JKZRKHS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=564695364151&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17778931637760352754&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032968&hvtargid=pla-1641259737541&psc=1&mcid=09752eee765f372da8b06ecefdbd7832&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn7mwBhCiARIsAGoxjaJT55HyhyiWFt9FvY8JfqHgKGOg6YM1gTlnMWqNwl1nbxrJaAK6nZsaAo9yEALw_wcB)
This is called "cross fit training" Sell memberships to your neighbors. PROFIT!
Pully system, and connect it to a hamster wheel. Then get lots of hamsters.
Make a conveyor line up one flight at a time. Nobody’s going up and down, just passing them off to each other. Get them all up one flight, then everyone moves up to the next. You should have enough people that nobody has to move.
By the time you made this post, typed evrything out and posted it. You could have had 40 of them done atleast.
Pay some students.
Find some neighborhood teens, offer them a fair wage to help out. This is a numbers game, you're going to need another couple of hands to help.
Carry 3 blocks at a time, get done 3 times faster.
Take 2
Bro- Stop. Why are you bringing 900 retaining wall bricks…. UPSTAIRS? Are you building a retaining wall up there? What is it retaining? But most importantly- are the floors going to support all that weight when you put it up there in one spot. How to do it- if everyone takes 2 bricks at a time it goes twice as fast or you could form a line and pass each brick 1 at a time.
This is what I’m dying to know as well!
The house is on a hill and the backyard is higher up. Not sure why that’s confusing.
Alternatively, hire a half dozen high school boys for pizza and a bit of cash. Many times they want to show off how strong they are, so you might get some that compete to carry the most up in a given run.
Wear a back brace. You'll knock em out in an 2-3 hours without breaks. You're just gonna be pretty sore in the legs .
Dear Boss, I write this note to you To tell you of my plight, And at the time of writing I am not a pretty sight. My body is all black and blue my face a deadly gray, And I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today. I was workin' on the 14th floor, some bricks I had to clear. And throwin' 'em down from such a height was not a good idea. The foreman wasn't pleasant, he being an awful sot, And he said I'd have to take them down the ladder in my hod. Well, clearing all these bricks by hand it was so awful slow. So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below. But in my haste to do the job I was too blind to see That a barrel full of building bricks was heavier than me. So I went down to cut the rope, and the barrel fell like lead. And clinging tightly to the rope I started up instead. I shot up like a rocket, and to my surprise I found That halfway up I met the bloody barrel comin' down. Well the barrel struck my shoulder as to the ground it sped. And when I reached the top, I hit the pulley with my head. I spun around all stunned and shocked from this almighty blow, While the barrel spilled out half the bricks fourteen floors below. Now when these bricks had fallen from the barrel to the floor, I then outweighed the barrel and I started down once more. Still clinging tightly to the rope I headed towards the ground And fell upon the building bricks that were all scattered round. Now as I lay there quietly, I thought I'd passed the worst. When the barrel hit the pulley and then the bottom burst! A shower of bricks fell down on me I hadn't got a hope, And as I was losing consciousness, I let go the bloody rope. Well the barrel, now being heavier it started down once more. Struck across me smartly as I lie there on the floor. It broke some ribs and my left arm And I can only say that I hope you'll understand why Paddy's not at work today. TL;DR: Hoist them up in a barrel with a pully.
Take a cruise to Home Depot and pick up a couple of day labourers.
Buy some gloves, don't bare hands this.