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Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:05 pm
by duncan
Hi,
I have recently had a garden/boundary wall constructed but am concerned at the method in which the foundation was built. I initially had an ageing half brick decorative concrete block wall. This was demolished and a one brick wall built in its place. The new wall was built on a foundation consisting of a single layer of high density concrete blocks layed on their side alongside the old walls foundations. The wall is approximately 1 metre high and 4 metres in length. Is this method of constructing the foundation suitable and safe???
your help is very much appreciated
Regards
Duncan
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:35 pm
by lutonlagerlout
Is this method of constructing the foundation suitable and safe???
no
if they even laid 100mm of concrete it would be better than this,
i recently did a wall approximately this size and dug and concreted a foundation 225mm wide and 300mm deep
your wall is on borrowed time
IMHO
cheers LLL
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:39 pm
by Stuarty
Id agree fully with the comments above, everytime ive done founds for similar walls and such ive done a 250 wide by 300 deep.
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 1:46 pm
by duncan
Thanks for the replies, sounds like my wall has been 'bodged' big time. Can anybody recommend any remedial actions ie underpin the wall or would it just be best to demolish it and start afresh.
Cheers
Duncan
Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 6:12 pm
by lutonlagerlout
its only 250 bricks,knock it down and start afresh
i know its dead money, but underpinning a wall this size is not cost effective
hope this helps
LLL 
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:04 pm
by danensis
A lot depends on the subsoil. If you're on a shrinkable clay soil then putting in a solid concrete foundation will just result in it cracking. If you put concrete blocks on their side, long axis at right angles to the wall, and use a lime mortar, then the structure has some flexibility and will move with the seasons, but any cracks will heal themselves as the Carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere combines with the exposed lime.
The big problem when portland cement came along was that it was quick, and therfore cheap, and people forgot why the old ways were often better.
Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:06 pm
by lutonlagerlout
danesis
you sound like the lecturer on my vernacular skills course,the wall is built mate and i would guess its in OPC
if heavy clay is a concern then i would use clay boards,but for a wall this size a decent foundation normally does the trick
i cant see a foundation 4m by .225m by .4m cracking,unless there are large trees nearby
i love using all that lime putty and flints and that,but no-one (well very very few) want to pay the extra for a wall that will last 400 years after they are dead IYKWIM
cheers LLL