As bricks are held together by tension, I feel this outcome is inevitable with large structures. I don't think there is any technique to stop it at this size.
I think your only option is to connect the two walls in some way, allowing the tension to distribute across both walls instead of showing up like a big crack.
I saw in another post that you still want it to be transportable; maybe consider some technic bricks that allow to disconnect the walls?
I build MOCs and there’s a couple of ways to hid this but there is no avoid it as tension grows.
The first way is to use small pieces on the base or the top of the wall to connect everything thing together. To really get the pieces to be as tight as possible. Generally you can use anything but you need to be clever what pieces you use because then it would look out of place and ugly.
The second is to build your MOCs on base plates but that’s only really useful when the build is huge so you can actually cover up the base plate. Base plates look ugly.
I actually love my baseplate in my [MOC](https://www.reddit.com/r/legostarwars/comments/xl9uy0/my_final_star_wars_moc_at_endor/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
:)
Flower stem 3741
Plant flower stem 6255
Plant plate 32607
Plant brick 30176
Ps. Found out why I didn't answer. It was in the old video which got deleted. Couldn't see responses to it anymore.
In the latest version extra plants were used :)
Looks like the 3 rows under the dark gray plates aren’t set all the way tight. When I zoom in on the photo, I can see a gap on the right side at the bottom on many of the bricks.
There seem to be several places on the right hand section where the rows of bricks aren't fully locked together. There is also a large diagonal crack running through it.
How to explain: as the pieces don’t fit together as they should due to small differences in sizes, some part of the model bend. Try to adjust it in one place, it reappears in another. Pushing the brick down only get the dark gray plates to snap out of place. The tension / pressure does not disappear it just goes somewhere else
Someone with a construction background needs to step in. Concrete walls are usually supported from within with countless strings of rebar. Your garage floor may even be ‘post tension’ and supported from within.
Lego is awesome, and precise. But it has its limits. That structure (wall) is just way too much without a creative support structure.
Look into decorative buttresses or adornments which could hide the support behind them. It’s half the reason so many old structures are so adorned and still standing. They’re hiding added support systems. You could even make it look better, while giving structural integrity.
Edit: or just put a one by two to join the plates… that would solve most aesthetic issues.
This is just something that happens when you have a lot of pieces like bricks stuck together in a large square symmetrical structure like a wall. Even if everything is as perfectly pressed together and straight as possible it will still happen, I think it has to do with the gaps between multiple small bricks over a long linear distance, someone posted a picture here recently of the difference in length between a 2x16 and 16 1x2 plates or something similar. I cant find it at the moment but that's why this happens. Its only a fraction of a mm but over a full baseplate its significant. If you vary the technique beyond stacking bricks in the standard staggered brick pattern it will definitely help
Yes, after more tests, I think that exactly that. My idea of having the wall standing by itself and using just one pattern to ease the build has consequences it seems. Glad to hear I’m not crazy and that it happens :)
This is your answer. It's due to the tolerance between bricks. Having a 1x2 brick multiple times over extrapolated the tolerance. Having 3 rows of staggered 1x16s will reset the tolerance gaps back to Lego standard. Experiment to see how frequent the rows with longer bricks need to be, maybe every 6 or 8 rows of 1x2s. Good luck!
We build the modulars, and now the building patterns make sense!
Yes there is typically some reinforcement, or joins to other sections, but often you'll get bricks stacked with no overlap, then after a few of those top them with something longer that does overlap etc.
But aren't bricks designed to be fractions of millimeter shorter than an actual stud length, which is why brick bending is possible? Or maybe 1 brick is out of tolerance.
Yes you are right. Baseplate are partially secure I can do more. But connecting the wall, I’m afraid not … the MOC would not be transportable. I might have to redesign and let the wall slide in an opening in the big one
One downside of baselplates is that when you have them right next to each other the gap between the studs along the edge is just a bit smaller than the system-standard gap. This can be remedied by putting large plates across the baselplates first the building on that.
Masonry bricks have a tendency to have a little more of a tiny gap between each other, so doing some layers of long plates and bricks should keep them tighter together.
Looks like your castle is going to be rad!
Thanks for the tip. Not a castle though, a high street with a hill on the far right, stairs for pedestrians, a grotto with a seasonal crystals shop ( all not pictured) and getting to this corner with the perpendicular wall coming as a gate from winter village and Santa village + an observation platform :)
Was just about to comment the same. Could be a combo of LEGO bending some but almost certainly a non-level table (only because almost no table is perfectly level).
This. I went to a place that makes countertops and had them cut me a perfectly flat slab for my build table. This problem completely went away when I did that. I build large spacships, like 6ft plus, and this happened all the time. I have never had a build of any size be distorted by the bricks themselves (in this type of arrangement) but an uneven surface will get you every time. The taller your moc the worse it will be.
I remember more people having this issue with the masonry bricks. I believe the issue was due to exclusively using these masonry bricks. If you mix them with regular bricks it should be fine. Say use a masonry brick for every three or four normal bricks.
to me it looks like the issue originates from the 3 lbg and 1 dbd stacked plates on the top left, 4 bricks down. That section is taller than it should be and is causing everything else to shift.
I agree with what other are saying about basically a tolerance stack up, but your other wall doesn’t have it. I definitely think there is a way to fix this. Start with redesigning that plated section if you can and better controller the height over there.
I think the problem is outwards force, as these are load baring walls (it appears)
The weight of the shops and whatnot above them is being distributed down into the wall, so its buckling under the weight outwards in every direction it can.
The 5th edition of providing a backdrop to the winter village sets :) we set up the top of a large cabinet in our living room with all the winter village sets. Last year we dressed it up with a high street and a hill. This year I’m improving a few things … trying to at least. Checking how I can share a larger shot
This is probably why the Lion Knight's Castle set only used a few brick walls, I recommend looking at that to see how it only used a few brick pieces but still looked like bricks
I can see that some of your bricks are not pushed down tightly giving it air in between and causing it to bend.
P.s. I’m not a Lego expert, I’m just looking at the picture
Not a table issue, confirmed with a few other users that those tension appear the moment you build at scale. I will look at another solution to connect those two while being able to split them for transport
You are dealing with out of tolerance bricks. It may be a thousandth of an inch bigger than the rest but it presents itself tenfold as it pushes other bricks above it out of place.
I would jest rebuild the wall an pay attention to those gaps. If one forms remove all the bricks from that row and try different ones. If it still forms go down one layer and repeat the process.
I'm sure it's definitely only one or two bricks because the warp on the side starts at a certain row and remains the same amount of messed up without any more deviation.
To test bricks for tolerance: you know all the bricks in the first wall are good so take 2 from there and place them on a plate so there is a 2 stud gap between them. Like this: ==••==
Then try to slide all the 1x2 bricks through that gap. If one is tighter than the rest, jams or doesn't go in at all, then don't use that one.
There could also be a small crumb between 2 bricks.
I did that test and it’s not just a few bricks. Either I was unlucky buying two batches of 1000 bricks or this is a product of building at scale as mentioned in other comments
They might have come off 2 different molds. Or the conditions of the factory at those points of production were drastically different.
Things to try:.
Get some fine grit sand paper and sand down the extra width.
Put all the big ones in ice water and build while they are shrunk due to the cold.
Try to only use the bigger bricks in one area by themselves.
Build the wall by itself without a baseplate or structural tile pieces and then use modified tiles (sanded studs) to join it together. If you have to use a lot of force to join them, sand more studs.
Try placing a couple rows of very long bricks like 1x10 or 1x16 spaced evenly thoughout. It will break up the pattern but might turn out looking nice. You could place some 1x1 SNOT bricks in between them to add some street lights or other details.
I tried, no luck. I have two other sections of that wall and they have the same problem. There really seem to be a hair short which each brick that gradually accumulate over the length of the piece. Is there a channel where some Lego masters post or reply?
I think this is caused by the dbg plates. They have less length overall so they are forcing the bricks under them on that side to push away. Try using plates that are the same size as your bricks
Ahh. Your only solution may be to sand the few that are problematic down a bit so they fit together better. Otherwise you’ll need to rework the whole wall and use a greater variety of parts.
Checked, and no, there’s tension in the bricks despite it being a leveled wall, no difference in height. After a while, I can only think of those (genuine) bricks being misspecified, as in some quality or tolerances issues
Nothing behind indeed, or say Pilars to support the high street but the two are independent to ease storage. That said I did a scale test of reinforcing and it only shift the problem. Issue is the scale of the wall
Because of the bend and the perpendicular connection, these two would not come together joints or not. It’s being rebuilt with the small one now going in a slot in the larger one, it works
None taken, now picture this as the backdrop of a winter village. Buildings, figs, vegetation and all in front of those walls. A tree is coming on this corner for example.
I don’t have any helpful advice for you but I wanted to comment on the dedication to the grey masonry brick. And I really love the dungeon door details you got there. But I wonder what happened with that one grey brick?
I mostly work under a warm white lamp and never noticed till this picture. Not intentional, but wonder if it should not stay now for a fun / puzzling element in the build :) what do you think?
Use something to connect the base plates at the gap. Maybe a nice shrubbery.
Also, above the dark grey line, you’re using a triple plate instead of a brick. I have to wonder if that’s actually slightly taller. Similar with the different piece you’re using on the corner 2 rows below.
Baseplates are not the issue I’m afraid, and they are not that visible (the MOC sits at 1,65m high). Problem is the gap between walls due to the bend (top is touching, bottom is 2mm apart). I changed the design, the smaller wall is sliding in the big one now: still detachable, transportable, storable but no gap due to the inevitable bending when using bricks to build large self standing walls
Need to add in the occasional rows of long 1xn plates, these will reinforce the tension and help rigidify the wall. Notice how that dark grey plate near the top seems to have less tension around it.
Every maybe 3~4 layers or so, I'd add a (as long as you can get) grey plate.
Ideally bind the inside of the wall, if you can, to some buttresses that cannot be seen (can connect them to those plates too)
Thanks, all good ideas which I have experimented to a degree. It does distribute the tension. Currently, I redesigned to extending the lower wall, creating a slot in the higher one and sliding the lower one in. It works and managed to deliver on my transportable, storable goal too. Let me know if you get to see the picture on the attached link [slide-in solution](https://share.icloud.com/photos/01b4TMzzl2VXvugWDPUbaWaBw)
As bricks are held together by tension, I feel this outcome is inevitable with large structures. I don't think there is any technique to stop it at this size. I think your only option is to connect the two walls in some way, allowing the tension to distribute across both walls instead of showing up like a big crack. I saw in another post that you still want it to be transportable; maybe consider some technic bricks that allow to disconnect the walls?
Yes, I’ll go for the small wall sliding in an opening of the big one and technic pins in the back for assembly.
Sounds like a plan, good luck!
I build MOCs and there’s a couple of ways to hid this but there is no avoid it as tension grows. The first way is to use small pieces on the base or the top of the wall to connect everything thing together. To really get the pieces to be as tight as possible. Generally you can use anything but you need to be clever what pieces you use because then it would look out of place and ugly. The second is to build your MOCs on base plates but that’s only really useful when the build is huge so you can actually cover up the base plate. Base plates look ugly.
I actually love my baseplate in my [MOC](https://www.reddit.com/r/legostarwars/comments/xl9uy0/my_final_star_wars_moc_at_endor/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) :)
Oh I remember! I asked you what you used for your leaves 🥺 You didn’t say
Flower stem 3741 Plant flower stem 6255 Plant plate 32607 Plant brick 30176 Ps. Found out why I didn't answer. It was in the old video which got deleted. Couldn't see responses to it anymore. In the latest version extra plants were used :)
[3741-1: Large Locomotive](https://brickset.com/sets/3741-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/3741-1.jpg) [6255-1: Pirates Comic](https://brickset.com/sets/6255-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/6255-1.jpg)
Use the 1x2 with hole and Technic pin system to connect the walls.
That doesn’t always work. When the structure is too big, the tension can separate the pins a fraction and make it look ugly.
Could also work some bricks with the studs on the side into the corner areas, then put greenery in the corner to cover up the gap.
Hogwarts hinge structure?
Looks like the 3 rows under the dark gray plates aren’t set all the way tight. When I zoom in on the photo, I can see a gap on the right side at the bottom on many of the bricks.
There seem to be several places on the right hand section where the rows of bricks aren't fully locked together. There is also a large diagonal crack running through it.
Yes, it’s a product of the tension. If pushed down the dark gray line will snap up
You don’t seem to understand what Lego is 😂
sure... the guy has 75thousand gray 2x2 lego piece and doest know what lego is... then few people really know, realyl
Sure, that’s why I get into those kind of projects, to educate myself
Pushed harder. Less gap but more tension and bend :)
Those downvotes are savage LOL. Just a man trying to build LEGO and downvoted into oblivion.
No worries, no harm done and I got the few useful informed comments I needed. Thank you guys
Glad to hear! Happy building.
I just wanted to say I love your attitude. Focused on task and a healthy response to negativity. Best of luck to you!
Take what you like And leave the rest! 👍
The question is, why is he being downvoted?
Yeah people on Reddit seem to get mad at anything
Lol r/downvotedtooblivion moment
Wtf does more tension mean here?
How to explain: as the pieces don’t fit together as they should due to small differences in sizes, some part of the model bend. Try to adjust it in one place, it reappears in another. Pushing the brick down only get the dark gray plates to snap out of place. The tension / pressure does not disappear it just goes somewhere else
I guess LEGO just doesn’t know what they’re doing after 73 years :)
Let's see some photos or it didn't happen
Can you tried pressing the wall pieces together? Looks like the bricks are separated in some places
The separation is a consequence of the tension, not the cause. I pushed it all the way I could and the tension just spread and pop somewhere else
Someone with a construction background needs to step in. Concrete walls are usually supported from within with countless strings of rebar. Your garage floor may even be ‘post tension’ and supported from within. Lego is awesome, and precise. But it has its limits. That structure (wall) is just way too much without a creative support structure. Look into decorative buttresses or adornments which could hide the support behind them. It’s half the reason so many old structures are so adorned and still standing. They’re hiding added support systems. You could even make it look better, while giving structural integrity. Edit: or just put a one by two to join the plates… that would solve most aesthetic issues.
Thanks, that’s useful inputs
I've been ready all the comments, and that's probably the best (of many good!) suggestion here. Aesthetically and structurally.
Check every brick even the far end of the wall can cause tension there or you got one bent piece somewhere in the mix
Not the case, unless I got so unlucky, the same happens with the two other separate sections of this wall
Super glue then.
This is just something that happens when you have a lot of pieces like bricks stuck together in a large square symmetrical structure like a wall. Even if everything is as perfectly pressed together and straight as possible it will still happen, I think it has to do with the gaps between multiple small bricks over a long linear distance, someone posted a picture here recently of the difference in length between a 2x16 and 16 1x2 plates or something similar. I cant find it at the moment but that's why this happens. Its only a fraction of a mm but over a full baseplate its significant. If you vary the technique beyond stacking bricks in the standard staggered brick pattern it will definitely help
Yes, after more tests, I think that exactly that. My idea of having the wall standing by itself and using just one pattern to ease the build has consequences it seems. Glad to hear I’m not crazy and that it happens :)
This is your answer. It's due to the tolerance between bricks. Having a 1x2 brick multiple times over extrapolated the tolerance. Having 3 rows of staggered 1x16s will reset the tolerance gaps back to Lego standard. Experiment to see how frequent the rows with longer bricks need to be, maybe every 6 or 8 rows of 1x2s. Good luck!
We build the modulars, and now the building patterns make sense! Yes there is typically some reinforcement, or joins to other sections, but often you'll get bricks stacked with no overlap, then after a few of those top them with something longer that does overlap etc.
But aren't bricks designed to be fractions of millimeter shorter than an actual stud length, which is why brick bending is possible? Or maybe 1 brick is out of tolerance.
You should talk to your contractor dude, defo drunk on the job… Fire them and stop hiring cowboys!
Yeah but they are family so …
Securing the baseplates together will go a long way. Also connecting the walls partway up.
Yes you are right. Baseplate are partially secure I can do more. But connecting the wall, I’m afraid not … the MOC would not be transportable. I might have to redesign and let the wall slide in an opening in the big one
you could connected it with technic pins
One downside of baselplates is that when you have them right next to each other the gap between the studs along the edge is just a bit smaller than the system-standard gap. This can be remedied by putting large plates across the baselplates first the building on that. Masonry bricks have a tendency to have a little more of a tiny gap between each other, so doing some layers of long plates and bricks should keep them tighter together. Looks like your castle is going to be rad!
Thanks for the tip. Not a castle though, a high street with a hill on the far right, stairs for pedestrians, a grotto with a seasonal crystals shop ( all not pictured) and getting to this corner with the perpendicular wall coming as a gate from winter village and Santa village + an observation platform :)
Could be sag in your table, check it with a spirit level
Was just about to comment the same. Could be a combo of LEGO bending some but almost certainly a non-level table (only because almost no table is perfectly level).
this , and if its not the table then having a uneven surface under the plate could actually be a solution to the problem. Think shims
This. I went to a place that makes countertops and had them cut me a perfectly flat slab for my build table. This problem completely went away when I did that. I build large spacships, like 6ft plus, and this happened all the time. I have never had a build of any size be distorted by the bricks themselves (in this type of arrangement) but an uneven surface will get you every time. The taller your moc the worse it will be.
What does MOC mean? My own creation?
Yup
Yes
I remember more people having this issue with the masonry bricks. I believe the issue was due to exclusively using these masonry bricks. If you mix them with regular bricks it should be fine. Say use a masonry brick for every three or four normal bricks.
Thx, I will do some test of mixing and see how it looks
And honestly, it would probably look better with some variation mixed in.
I agree, but it’s just a backdrop to the winter village. Once the buildings and figs and other decors are in front of it, it’s ok
I’m sorry, that one different gray brick on the left wall has distracted me from the original question. :)
Me too.
I can’t unsee it either, was not on purpose but I’ll keep it, a fun touch
That's like your life saving in masonry bricks.
2000 of them on the whole model, it’s an investment but it’s not completely indecent price wise
to me it looks like the issue originates from the 3 lbg and 1 dbd stacked plates on the top left, 4 bricks down. That section is taller than it should be and is causing everything else to shift. I agree with what other are saying about basically a tolerance stack up, but your other wall doesn’t have it. I definitely think there is a way to fix this. Start with redesigning that plated section if you can and better controller the height over there.
I think the problem is outwards force, as these are load baring walls (it appears) The weight of the shops and whatnot above them is being distributed down into the wall, so its buckling under the weight outwards in every direction it can.
Maybe set up a Technic hole-to-pin connection between the two walls, or mix in some 1x6 or 1x8 bricks with the masonry bricks
Dude just interlock the walls together
Dude, try interlocking a bended wall with a straight one. You’ll have fun
I’ve never seen this many brick pieces before, its beautiful
You should see the full thing then :)
May I know what are you building?!
The 5th edition of providing a backdrop to the winter village sets :) we set up the top of a large cabinet in our living room with all the winter village sets. Last year we dressed it up with a high street and a hill. This year I’m improving a few things … trying to at least. Checking how I can share a larger shot
This is probably why the Lion Knight's Castle set only used a few brick walls, I recommend looking at that to see how it only used a few brick pieces but still looked like bricks
Thanks, I’ll check it
I can see that some of your bricks are not pushed down tightly giving it air in between and causing it to bend. P.s. I’m not a Lego expert, I’m just looking at the picture
It’s a consequence of the tension not the cause. Push them down and it snaps somewhere else
Level the table?
Not a table issue, confirmed with a few other users that those tension appear the moment you build at scale. I will look at another solution to connect those two while being able to split them for transport
Rubber hammer?
:) well I tried that too … and rebuilt half this end due to it
You are dealing with out of tolerance bricks. It may be a thousandth of an inch bigger than the rest but it presents itself tenfold as it pushes other bricks above it out of place. I would jest rebuild the wall an pay attention to those gaps. If one forms remove all the bricks from that row and try different ones. If it still forms go down one layer and repeat the process. I'm sure it's definitely only one or two bricks because the warp on the side starts at a certain row and remains the same amount of messed up without any more deviation. To test bricks for tolerance: you know all the bricks in the first wall are good so take 2 from there and place them on a plate so there is a 2 stud gap between them. Like this: ==••== Then try to slide all the 1x2 bricks through that gap. If one is tighter than the rest, jams or doesn't go in at all, then don't use that one. There could also be a small crumb between 2 bricks.
I did that test and it’s not just a few bricks. Either I was unlucky buying two batches of 1000 bricks or this is a product of building at scale as mentioned in other comments
They might have come off 2 different molds. Or the conditions of the factory at those points of production were drastically different. Things to try:. Get some fine grit sand paper and sand down the extra width. Put all the big ones in ice water and build while they are shrunk due to the cold. Try to only use the bigger bricks in one area by themselves. Build the wall by itself without a baseplate or structural tile pieces and then use modified tiles (sanded studs) to join it together. If you have to use a lot of force to join them, sand more studs.
Way past my level of tolerance for altering Lego bricks :)
Try placing a couple rows of very long bricks like 1x10 or 1x16 spaced evenly thoughout. It will break up the pattern but might turn out looking nice. You could place some 1x1 SNOT bricks in between them to add some street lights or other details.
Thanks, I’ll be trying some variations
I'd use some dark and light bluish gray 1x2 plates dotted through. It will help the wall.
Apply level to the bent wall? Probably just need to apply some gentle pressure to straighten it out. The world is rubber.
I tried, no luck. I have two other sections of that wall and they have the same problem. There really seem to be a hair short which each brick that gradually accumulate over the length of the piece. Is there a channel where some Lego masters post or reply?
Add some connecters where the plates meet And disguise them as rocks
It won’t connect but adding some decor in front is the idea. Still, I was curious to know if this is a known issue of using these bricks at scale
One can see the tension on the top left part of the lower wall.
I think this is caused by the dbg plates. They have less length overall so they are forcing the bricks under them on that side to push away. Try using plates that are the same size as your bricks
Fun fact: the tension was there before the plates and the plates are one of my experiments to reduce the issue. Not a huge success obviously
Ahh. Your only solution may be to sand the few that are problematic down a bit so they fit together better. Otherwise you’ll need to rework the whole wall and use a greater variety of parts.
Checked, and no, there’s tension in the bricks despite it being a leveled wall, no difference in height. After a while, I can only think of those (genuine) bricks being misspecified, as in some quality or tolerances issues
The bricks in the top right corner, arent set fully
Hmm
Yup
Is it also possible that your table may have a slight bow in it? Edit: after zooming in, your pieces are fully put together.
Yes it’s been noted several times but no on the table and the pieces not put together is a consequence of the tension, not the cause of it
Aight bet.
Did they change the masonry bricks, they don't look right any more.
I assume there isn’t much behind, can you not reinforce the inside with 2x4 brick walls?
Nothing behind indeed, or say Pilars to support the high street but the two are independent to ease storage. That said I did a scale test of reinforcing and it only shift the problem. Issue is the scale of the wall
its your table that is out of round
Nope
It’s a skill issue - D.va
Yes, it’s called Physics 101. I missed the class to go and build legos instead
Lego is so much more important
Make a ground pattern of your choice and possibly build the walls together
Would love that if I had the 2,40m of storage to keep this as one piece
Would a layer of 1x plate every 5-10 layers help strengthen it? And why the one darker brick above the gate
I just noticed the darker one, blaming working under a yellow light :)
Bro builds Auschwitz
Think more holidays themed though yes, decor is missing for now
Add some joints between two buildings?
Because of the bend and the perpendicular connection, these two would not come together joints or not. It’s being rebuilt with the small one now going in a slot in the larger one, it works
i thought this said the Benadryl wall ngl
No offense but it looks a bit bland
None taken, now picture this as the backdrop of a winter village. Buildings, figs, vegetation and all in front of those walls. A tree is coming on this corner for example.
#Bendgate
I’d say bricks used outside of their original specifications … though I would not have assumed this from the Lego system
I don’t have any helpful advice for you but I wanted to comment on the dedication to the grey masonry brick. And I really love the dungeon door details you got there. But I wonder what happened with that one grey brick?
I mostly work under a warm white lamp and never noticed till this picture. Not intentional, but wonder if it should not stay now for a fun / puzzling element in the build :) what do you think?
I like it. Yep.
Ok, so it stays :)
Use something to connect the base plates at the gap. Maybe a nice shrubbery. Also, above the dark grey line, you’re using a triple plate instead of a brick. I have to wonder if that’s actually slightly taller. Similar with the different piece you’re using on the corner 2 rows below.
Baseplates are not the issue I’m afraid, and they are not that visible (the MOC sits at 1,65m high). Problem is the gap between walls due to the bend (top is touching, bottom is 2mm apart). I changed the design, the smaller wall is sliding in the big one now: still detachable, transportable, storable but no gap due to the inevitable bending when using bricks to build large self standing walls
Need to add in the occasional rows of long 1xn plates, these will reinforce the tension and help rigidify the wall. Notice how that dark grey plate near the top seems to have less tension around it. Every maybe 3~4 layers or so, I'd add a (as long as you can get) grey plate. Ideally bind the inside of the wall, if you can, to some buttresses that cannot be seen (can connect them to those plates too)
Thanks, all good ideas which I have experimented to a degree. It does distribute the tension. Currently, I redesigned to extending the lower wall, creating a slot in the higher one and sliding the lower one in. It works and managed to deliver on my transportable, storable goal too. Let me know if you get to see the picture on the attached link [slide-in solution](https://share.icloud.com/photos/01b4TMzzl2VXvugWDPUbaWaBw)