After extending our garage and house (so effectively some time away) we will
need to move our garden wall 3m
over.

The structural engineer has specified a pad and beam system (to help avoid
problems with tree roots) for the base of our new garden wall, circa 20m
long. The pads are concrete blocks - fine, but the beam is a long continuous
beam reinforced with R8-150 links and spliced together T12 bars. It all
sounds quite industrial to me. Anyone have any experience of this, or should
I just admit defeat and get somebody else to do it, or change our wall plans
completely?

Paul

"Paul Andrews" <ac297@dial.pipex.commmmm> wrote in message
news:lDkre.15298$m4.12648@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

> After extending our garage and house (so effectively some time away) we
will
> need to move our garden wall 3m
> over.
>
> The structural engineer has specified a pad and beam system (to help avoid
> problems with tree roots) for the base of our new garden wall, circa 20m
> long. The pads are concrete blocks - fine, but the beam is a long
continuous
> beam reinforced with R8-150 links and spliced together T12 bars. It all
> sounds quite industrial to me. Anyone have any experience of this, or
should
> I just admit defeat and get somebody else to do it, or change our wall
plans
> completely?
>
> Paul
>

Sorry to say this Paul, but if you have ask this, then it's time to get the
pros' in mate.  Creating a log for a heavy wall, which yours sounds as
though it's going to be, really needs the proper foundation.  This needs to
be poured with the right mix and structural basket weave for it last any
length of time.  Steel fixers and civil works will probably do the job in a
couple days, where it might take you weeks.  So, it would be easier, and
most likely cheaper in the long run, to have this done by the right squad.

"BigWallop"  wrote in message
news:t6nre.50016$G8.12469@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
> "Paul Andrews" <ac297@dial.pipex.commmmm> wrote in message
> news:lDkre.15298$m4.12648@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...
> > After extending our garage and house (so effectively some time away) we
> will
> > need to move our garden wall 3m
> > over.
> >
> > The structural engineer has specified a pad and beam system (to help
avoid
> > problems with tree roots) for the base of our new garden wall, circa 20m
> > long. The pads are concrete blocks - fine, but the beam is a long
> continuous
> > beam reinforced with R8-150 links and spliced together T12 bars. It all
> > sounds quite industrial to me. Anyone have any experience of this, or
> should
> > I just admit defeat and get somebody else to do it, or change our wall
> plans
> > completely?
> >
> > Paul
> >
> Sorry to say this Paul, but if you have ask this, then it's time to get
the
> pros' in mate.  Creating a log for a heavy wall, which yours sounds as
> though it's going to be, really needs the proper foundation.  This needs
to
> be poured with the right mix and structural basket weave for it last any
> length of time.  Steel fixers and civil works will probably do the job in
a
> couple days, where it might take you weeks.  So, it would be easier, and
> most likely cheaper in the long run, to have this done by the right squad.


That may be so, but building the wall is going to be one of the last things
we do so it's some time off. The foundations themselves and indeed the beam
itself are quite simple in shape. The pads are just 600x600x1.0m deep boxes
(probably nine of them) with the beam construction running along the top
(and through the pad itself) about 20m long. If it's going to be a really
big deal, we might just change the existing plan and go for a lighter wall
with brick piers and  fencing between the piers, or even just a wood panel
fence only. It certainly is a fun project though. Fortunately, it's not time
critical since I can remove enough of the existing wall to allow for the
building extension to happen first. At the time the construction was first
suggested, I'd anticipated using prefabricated lintels to bridge the pads
and didn't realise until later that it was a continuous beam rather than
pads connected by separate lintels. Oh well, we live and learn.

So tying and cutting the rods/basket is a difficullt thing to do then? You
can't blame me for being curious (I'm curious as to how it's done, even if I
won't be doing it myself). Quite a lot of construction work seems to be
shrouded in some mystery by those that do it for a living and us mere
mortals who don't do it professionally are sometimes surprised at how people
can build houses with bits of string and wooden sticks with lines on. Once
it's explained it doesn't seem to be quite such a mystical thing after all.
;-)

Paul

"Paul Andrews" <ac297@dial.pipex.commmmm> wrote in message
news:9Bore.22635$cN2.20860@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net...

> "BigWallop"  wrote in message
> news:t6nre.50016$G8.12469@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> >

<<<snipped>>>

> So tying and cutting the rods/basket is a difficullt thing to do then? You
> can't blame me for being curious (I'm curious as to how it's done, even if
I
> won't be doing it myself). Quite a lot of construction work seems to be
> shrouded in some mystery by those that do it for a living and us mere
> mortals who don't do it professionally are sometimes surprised at how
people
> can build houses with bits of string and wooden sticks with lines on. Once
> it's explained it doesn't seem to be quite such a mystical thing after
all.
> ;-)
>
> Paul
>


LOL  Nothing mystical really, just needs to be done properly for this type
job.  If you have loads of time to do it, then by all means get the gear and
have a go at it.  You'll need benders and things to form the rings that hold
the stretchers in place while the pour is being done, and all to form the
correct reinforcement needed.  You'll need wire and hand tools to fix the
stretchers in the right places on the formed rings which hold the mix in
place when the shuttering is removed, and to make sure the reinforcement is
all in the right places within the mix.

And all this on budget of a few pence.  :-) LOL

"BigWallop"  wrote in message
news:JVore.50118$G8.46993@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

>
> "Paul Andrews" <ac297@dial.pipex.commmmm> wrote in message
> news:9Bore.22635$cN2.20860@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net...
> > "BigWallop"  wrote in message
> > news:t6nre.50016$G8.12469@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> > >
> <<<snipped>>>
> > So tying and cutting the rods/basket is a difficullt thing to do then?
You
> > can't blame me for being curious (I'm curious as to how it's done, even
if
> I
> > won't be doing it myself). Quite a lot of construction work seems to be
> > shrouded in some mystery by those that do it for a living and us mere
> > mortals who don't do it professionally are sometimes surprised at how
> people
> > can build houses with bits of string and wooden sticks with lines on.
Once
> > it's explained it doesn't seem to be quite such a mystical thing after
> all.
> > ;-)
> >
> > Paul

I wonder how structural engineers sleep at night? They  always have a 'belt
and braces' solution and ,of course ,charge accordingly.A garden wall is not
rocket science and your spec. sounds way OTT.

"spakker"  wrote in message
news:GW2dnVQPuOgZBjPfSa8jmA@karoo.co.uk...

>
> "BigWallop"  wrote in message
> news:JVore.50118$G8.46993@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> >
> > "Paul Andrews" <ac297@dial.pipex.commmmm> wrote in message
> > news:9Bore.22635$cN2.20860@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net...
> > > "BigWallop"  wrote in message
> > > news:t6nre.50016$G8.12469@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
> > > >
> > <<<snipped>>>
> > > So tying and cutting the rods/basket is a difficullt thing to do then?
> You
> > > can't blame me for being curious (I'm curious as to how it's done,
even
> if
> > I
> > > won't be doing it myself). Quite a lot of construction work seems to
be
> > > shrouded in some mystery by those that do it for a living and us mere
> > > mortals who don't do it professionally are sometimes surprised at how
> > people
> > > can build houses with bits of string and wooden sticks with lines on.
> Once
> > > it's explained it doesn't seem to be quite such a mystical thing after
> > all.
> > > ;-)
> > >
> > > Paul
> I wonder how structural engineers sleep at night? They  always have a
'belt
> and braces' solution and ,of course ,charge accordingly.A garden wall is
not
> rocket science and your spec. sounds way OTT.


I kind of agree. When it was first suggested, I anticipated prefabricated
lintels standing atop sturdy concrete pads. I hadn't expected the continuous
beam at all and at the time we went forward with this I hadn't spotted the
"cast monolithically" direction (I had no intention of building it at that
time - it would be someone else's problem). There is an existing wall, circa
6' high at it's lowest end, rising over 7' as the ground drops away. The
only reason for the pad and beam is that the wall is in very close proximity
to large pine trees. It may be that we dump the idea altogether and go for a
wooden fence instead - it would be much cheaper..

Paul

Paul

> > I wonder how structural engineers sleep at night? They  always have a
> 'belt
> > and braces' solution and ,of course ,charge accordingly.A garden wall is
> not
> > rocket science and your spec. sounds way OTT.

> I kind of agree. When it was first suggested, I anticipated prefabricated
> lintels standing atop sturdy concrete pads. I hadn't expected the continuous
> beam at all and at the time we went forward with this I hadn't spotted the
> "cast monolithically" direction (I had no intention of building it at that
> time - it would be someone else's problem). There is an existing wall, circa
> 6' high at it's lowest end, rising over 7' as the ground drops away. The
> only reason for the pad and beam is that the wall is in very close proximity
> to large pine trees. It may be that we dump the idea altogether and go for a
> wooden fence instead - it would be much cheaper..
> 
> Paul


or a standard brick wall, not especially difficult.

NT

wrote in message
news:1118934869.609848.285960@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

>
> > > I wonder how structural engineers sleep at night? They  always have a
> > 'belt
> > > and braces' solution and ,of course ,charge accordingly.A garden wall
is
> > not
> > > rocket science and your spec. sounds way OTT.
>
> > I kind of agree. When it was first suggested, I anticipated
prefabricated
> > lintels standing atop sturdy concrete pads. I hadn't expected the
continuous
> > beam at all and at the time we went forward with this I hadn't spotted
the
> > "cast monolithically" direction (I had no intention of building it at
that
> > time - it would be someone else's problem). There is an existing wall,
circa
> > 6' high at it's lowest end, rising over 7' as the ground drops away. The
> > only reason for the pad and beam is that the wall is in very close
proximity
> > to large pine trees. It may be that we dump the idea altogether and go
for a
> > wooden fence instead - it would be much cheaper..
> >
> > Paul
>
> or a standard brick wall, not especially difficult.
>
> NT


Given the rather huge trees that are very close, I'm told that the council
wouldn't have passed the planning regs. with a traditional wall (such as is
already in place) because of the roots.

Paul

I can't quite visualise what you want to do, but I remember my dad, 35 years
ago, making reinforced concrete beams for a pergola. He built about 14 brick
pillars in two rows, then put longitudinal beams across the tops of each
row, and lateral beams across those. The longitudinals were heavier (from
memory, about 4" wide and 10 ft long) and the laterals were lighter -
probably about 2 1/2" x 8ft. Both must have been around 6" in depth.  He
made them by pouring 1/2" of concrete into a mould made of planks, laying a
mild-steel rod on it, then filling the rest of the concrete on top.  The
longitudinals had two rods in them, and the rods (about 1/2" round section)
were bent up an inch or two at each end, as they were smooth rods.
Nowadays, however, you can get rods with ridges running around them, which
would key much better to the concrete.

I know that the pergola is still standing, covered with plants.

Mike.

"Paul Andrews" <ac297@dial.pipex.commmmm> wrote in message
news:lDkre.15298$m4.12648@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net...

> After extending our garage and house (so effectively some time away) we
will
> need to move our garden wall 3m
> over.
>
> The structural engineer has specified a pad and beam system (to help avoid
> problems with tree roots) for the base of our new garden wall, circa 20m
> long. The pads are concrete blocks - fine, but the beam is a long
continuous
> beam reinforced with R8-150 links and spliced together T12 bars. It all
> sounds quite industrial to me. Anyone have any experience of this, or
should
> I just admit defeat and get somebody else to do it, or change our wall
plans
> completely?
>
> Paul
>
>
>