Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Feb 09, 2016 8:43 pm HI Everyone Just need a bit o help on a project im about to embark on. Building a retaining wall and have decided to use the steel gal posts you can buy from bunnings. I have augered out 15 x holes and the highest the wall goes is approx. 600mm so I have augered approx. 600mm. My soil is very stiff clay so im hoping I don't have to go so overkill with the holes. The questions I pose are below in point format. 1. I have been told to fill gravel into the hole for the first 100mm then lay post on gravel then fill with concrete? Is this correct wouldn't I be better whacking the post past the gravel into the soil to make it stable and stay in position while I pour concrete? 2. What concrete would be best im planning on mixing it myself. It could be costly most holes have been augered out at 450mm wide I changed halfway through to 350mm to save a bit of money 3. Is the correct procedure to just fill with concrete and manevour steel post until level while wet as I don't really want to muck around building a jig to support it? 4. Im going to have to cut the 75mm wide treated sleepers what product should I coat the ends in to keep termites away and where can I purchase this from. 5. Whats the best way to get my ag pipe with a slight slope start at one end up really high and gradually send it to the bottom of the wall at the other end? I have socked ag pipe and also plan on using geomesh fabric also. 6. I have been told to backfill with heaps and heaps of gravel whats better to use 20mm or 10mm reason behind this is clay soil expanding contracting bows the wall if I backfill with gravel I have been told should prevent bowing. Anyone wanna estimate my concrete bill 15 holes approx. 350mm with an average of around 450mm deep? Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 2Feb 09, 2016 9:18 pm There are some details and hints you may find useful at this link: http://anewhouse.com.au/2013/06/retaini ... l-details/ Once you bang the bottom of the post into the dirt it becomes less adjustable. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 3Feb 10, 2016 12:12 am My concrete calculator says 0.6 m3. As on bashworth's site, leaning them back is a very good idea. You could try positioning them without a jig, but is dependant on the concrete's setting rate. Not successful when I tried that in 2001 ? In 2016 I used top and bottom stringline, drilled 2 holes ti the steel and bolted 2 stakes to hon Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 4Feb 10, 2016 4:32 pm Thanks Bashworth that was helpful Im hoping the concrete will just hold them in place I don't want to muck around drilling etc etc. So 0.6m3 how many bags of concrete would that be as I have to mix it all ina wheelbarrow couldn't imagine a concrete truck waiting around for me while I do it all lol Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 5Feb 10, 2016 5:42 pm Boral says 108 X 20kg bags per cubic metre http://www.boral.com.au/cementdrymixes/cement_dry_mixes_faq.asp Calculator says 108 X .6 = 64.8 Big green warehouse 20kg bags $7.50 X 65 = near enough to $500 Concrete might hold them in place, but gravity might have different ideas, from experience. Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 6Feb 10, 2016 6:29 pm What about if im a tiny bit inclined to save $ and throw bricks and rocks in the mix I was thinking of aligning the post with brick supports in the bottom of the pier then pouring concrete hopefully making it more stable Im on a tight budget and don't want to blow heaps on concrete. Any detrimental effects of mixing in rocks gravel and bricks to save a bit? Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 7Feb 10, 2016 6:39 pm Really cannot advise on that, nowhere near enough experience. You don't give a location, but if in a major area, why not consider a MiniMix 1m3 ready mixed load? Check prices, not just one mob, as they vary considerably depending on how busy they are. Only price I can give as a hint was $210m3, but on a 6m3 truck. Obviously depends on access and how quickly you can move it before it starts to take. Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 8Feb 10, 2016 7:44 pm Yes well im unexperienced have no idea on how much concrete could cost etc I Live in Maitland Area Newcastle nsw. Seen plenty of houses in this area being built with bricks shoved into the house slabs obviously a cost saving measure for the builder. Can any one comment on mixing in bricks with concrete for retaining wall peirs? Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 9Feb 10, 2016 8:59 pm In construction large rocks are referred to as plumbs. There is nothing wrong with putting bricks or rock in. . . as long as you put them in separately and make sure each brick or rock is fully surrounded by concrete and there are no voids. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 10Feb 10, 2016 9:55 pm bashworth In construction large rocks are referred to as plumbs. There is nothing wrong with putting bricks or rock in. . . as long as you put them in separately and make sure each brick or rock is fully surrounded by concrete and there are no voids. Awesome I like what your saying so if I lay my post in the hole add gravel for 100mm place4 bricks areound each edge and throw a few bricks in the mix and add concrete then poke a stick in tom ake sure its all mixed in good it should go all well as in our estate we have tons of skip bins full of bricks going to the tip so borrowing a few from the waste bins wont be an issue,. Re: Help Building Steel Gal Retaining Wall 12Feb 12, 2016 5:49 pm Is throwing bricks and rocks in cutting corners? Im making sure as a bare minimum that my wall height is 600mm im planting my gal post at least 600mm in the ground also? Just trying to save on concrete. The soil is so clayey its nearly like concrete so im guessing it wall height vs concrete should be overkill Hi I am wanting some opinions about the build of a steel shed I am going to get one about 4.5 x 2.5 m steel shed and the height will be about 2.3-2.4m high The one I am… 0 14442 Thank you again Simeon.. I will call my certifier for that. Have a good day 4 5179 Thanks for your reply! All valid points and I agree with you on many of them. I am in QLD, any recommendations on a construction lawyer would be helpful 3 2637 |