Tire walls.

[Rob Painless]

I'm all about stopping bullets from getting through to me, my family & friends, and my supplies. This'll pretty much do it. Especially if you can use more gravel and rocks to fill 'em with! I haven't built one quite this nice ...yet. But it's coming.

 

[jontte]

been thinking that system too,not a bad concept at all.

 

[Maverick]

Though the only issue I see with this method is fire, tires are hard to put out once going, say sustain fire from tracers. We done it in africa, it wasn't just tires we caught on fire.
A 50 BMG @ 200m penetrated a sand and clay filled tire 28" harden concrete 2.5" Make sure you use a truck tire and not a car tire

 

[bigpaul]

Tires have been used for ages, not only for walls for defence, but for building a house ("Earthships"), I have used tire towers for years for growing my potatoes in.
the uses are endless.

 

[diluted]

I agree with Maverick the fire risk is too much for my liking. I'd just stick to HESCO style barriers.

 

[bigpaul]

I've found it very hard to set a tire on fire, it takes some serious hard work to accomplish it.
if I thought I was going to come under that sort of firepower I would have given up long ago.

 

[Joe SA]

I've found it very hard to set a tire on fire, it takes some serious hard work to accomplish it.
if I thought I was going to come under that sort of firepower I would have given up long ago.

Setting tyres alight, here are a few chaps that knows how, if they are willing teach, i don't think i would want to attend those clases.

 

[bigpaul]

Setting tyres alight, here are a few chaps that knows how, if they are willing teach, i don't think i would want to attend those clases.
View attachment 5113

luckily these people don't live in my neck of the woods, people around here don't even own a box of matches most of the time!! talk about "unprepared"!!

 

[diluted]

Another option involving tires is getting them shredded. A lot of ranges use shredded rubber as backstops.

 

[Rob Painless]

Yeah, fire is always a concern. No matter what. However, it is FAR easier to start the average house on fire than it is for even a casually built wall of tires. And if the tires are filled with a noncombustible material, such as dirt, it is much harder still. Plus, you could always cover the face of the wall with a noncombustible material as well. I'm way more concerned about a fire in my home, especially a home with a composition (asphalt) shingle roof. But you're right, it is definitely something to think about.

 

[jontte]

up here it's fire and ice that's the problems,you got light insulation on your water pipes,they freeze,then some try to thaw them useing a blow torch or something alike..and guess what then they call the fire dept

I was thinking along the lines,if you have a barn,cover a wall with those tires and you have an indoor shooting place...and bigpauls idea to use them as growing places for food is nice too.

 

[Maverick]

I'd just stick to HESCO style barriers.

Hesco or defencell would be a good way to go if one can find them at an reasonable price but like tires it's going to require earth to fill them, out in the desert sand is everywhere though as in around my place I don't want to dig a few large holes for earth fill.

 

[Gazrok]

The obvious problem - have to have a lot of access to free tires. Not sure where you'd be getting these from.
Neat idea, but sandbags are still way cheaper if you don't have that kind of access. These days though, you'd at least want a sandbag wall 2 bags thick.

 

[Rob Painless]

Tires...no problem. Obvious or otherwise. At least not around here. Tire shops are more than glad to give them away to whatever wants 'em. Then they don't have to dispose of them themselves. Probably that way everywhere. Except maybe in communist ruled states were they might be afraid they would annoy a speckled smelt or some such critter. Seriously, I can get enough free tires to supply you, me and all our friends.
Also, what is HESCO? I've not heard about that. Mav, Dil, have y'all used it/them? An what was your experience? Easy, difficult?

 

[Joe SA]

Tires...no problem. Obvious or otherwise. At least not around here. Tire shops are more than glad to give them away to whatever wants 'em. Then they don't have to dispose of them themselves. Probably that way everywhere. Except maybe in communist ruled states were they might be afraid they would annoy a speckled smelt or some such critter. Seriously, I can get enough free tires to supply you, me and all our friends.
Also, what is HESCO? I've not heard about that. Mav, Dil, have y'all used it/them? An what was your experience? Easy, difficult?

This what they look like and you fill them with dirt and stack them up or side by side.

 

[bigpaul]

UK tire shops are not allowed by law to give you tires, they will give you your own old ones back but thats it, usually this isn't a problem, as tires are usually easy to find dumped by the road-"flytipped" as we call it over here.

 

[Brent S]

I saw a build where they stacked and filled the tire walls and then attached wire lathe and stuccoed the interior and exterior. It was a finished, fire resistant wall, and super insulated. I like using what's in hand vs buying all new materials anyway. The biggest problem you may have is getting the building dept nazis to approve your plans.

 

[Gazrok]

Tire shops are more than glad to give them away to whatever wants 'em. Then they don't have to dispose of them themselves

Would have to check into that. They also make great planting rings, so I'd be all for that.

 

[Roninsensei]

Hesco barriers are awesome and affordable as long as you've got plenty of fill material. We used them all the time in Afghanistan. Quick, easy, pop up, defensible barriers....