Small garden wall. help required! - Garden wall

[Sporty333]

Hi guys

I am building a garden wall at the front of the house. It's only going to be 14 inches from the footings. It's going to support some flag stones as a little path.

I laid the footing this morning. The depth of those were 6 inches deep.

Question: how long before the footings are safe from frost damage! I hear cold weather is forecast this weekend.

Can I get away with a single skin wall for this project?

Do any bricks underground have to be engineering bricks?

I appreciate any advice on this one guys.

Cheers
Simon

[seanandruby]

Just cover the concrete overnight you'll be fine as regards frost once it's dry about 24 hours.
Yes a single skin will be ok at that depth.
Engineerig bricks, or concrete blocks below ground yes.
Good luck.

[lutonlagerlout]

^^ agree with the above, they need to be f1 or f2 bricks if underground and single skin
personally I always go for 9 inch work on anything like that
belt and braces
cover the concrete with hessian or a blanket

LLL

[Sporty333]

Thanks guys. Glad I only have to attempt single skin brick work! Lol

Another little teaser is the ground is sloping so at one end it may well be 2 engineering brick below ground but at the other end the bricks will be exposed. What should I do considering this?

What is the reason to cover the footing with a blanket? No frost forecast for tonight I don't think.....

Many thanks
Si

[seanandruby]

Question: how long before the footings are safe from frost damage! I hear cold weather is forecast this weekend.



Cheers
Simon

That's why we said to cover because of your forecast ???
Just step the brick work up ( rake it back ) where you need to.

[Sporty333]

Thanks Sean. The footings look to be fine as they are. Hard now so I presume I'm out the shit now

[lutonlagerlout]

assuming you live in the UK anything below 4 degrees can affect mortar and concrete
never take the chance this time of year,just cover it and it is insulated
LLL

[Sporty333]

Too late now! surely it should be ok now it's hard?

[seanandruby]

Yes it will be fine don't worry.

[Sporty333]

I'm trying not to what happens to concrete then when its exposed to low temps?

[seanandruby]

Just mixed concrete is wet, so it freezes and expands making the concrete useless. Concrete needs to be done with the temperature 5degrees and rising. There are additives but can work out expensive.

[Sporty333]

Oh yes, of course! I forgot about that. So until it's totally dried out there concrete will fail? Mine will fail then as it's been around 0 degrees hasn't it. It looks to be ok on the surface tho....

[lutonlagerlout]

sorry I meant that if you do the brickwork make sure and cover it
the current temperatures will noise it up otherwise
LLL

[seanandruby]

If it's dry it's ok. Wouldn't worry to much with foundattions, if it was structural or a slab etc; i would be more concerned. Build your wall and cover as LLL suggests if low temp'. Remember 5 and rising.

[Sporty333]

Thanks guys. I won't be building the little wall for a while yet. Gonna let the footings dry out, plus I have to locate some suitable bricks first.

Thus jobs a really brain tester wgat with the falls and levels! Lol