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Have any of you built a wall?

2468motorway [Edit] [Delete] 60 replies 14:05, 14 November '14

I want to build a 4 foot garden wall, but don't want it to fall over and kill passing toddlers.

Is it possible to DIY a wall, or should I enlist a Special Tradesperson?

God bless

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If there's anyone on these boards I would think could build a wall

it's you 2468motorway. Crack on.

LaszloPanaflex | 14 Nov '14, 14:08 | X

andyvine, Donnie, colinzealuk, georgiabeth, and ohgood this'd this
its piss easy

dig a trench, pour down a concrete base for foundation. build wall. in classic fashion.
you'll need a mate or two to help.

Matt_was_taken | 14 Nov '14, 14:13 | X
- I'm game.
  
  LaszloPanaflex @Matt_was_taken | 14 Nov '14, 14:14 | X
  - right, fine 2468motorway
    
    I can probably find something else to do anyway. Good luck though.
    
    LaszloPanaflex @LaszloPanaflex | 14 Nov '14, 14:28 | X
    - Do you know anything about pitched roofs?
      
      2468motorway @LaszloPanaflex | 14 Nov '14, 14:33 | X
      - I was U17 SE England pitched roofing champion.
        
        Couldn't make the nationals as it was my nan's 75th that day.
        What I don't know about pitched roofs isn't worth knowing.
        
        LaszloPanaflex @2468motorway | 14 Nov '14, 14:35 | X
- probably wrong time of year for it though :/
  
  Matt_was_taken @Matt_was_taken | 14 Nov '14, 14:14 | X
  - Why so?
    
    Is it better in the summer?
    
    2468motorway @Matt_was_taken | 14 Nov '14, 14:17 | X
    - longer days = longer to work
      
      digging frozen ground is hard, less chance of rain to fill the trench, cold/damp means it takes longer for the cement to set.. you could be alright, its still pretty mild but you know.. digging tops arf with the sun on your back.. cold beer after a hard day
      
      Matt_was_taken @2468motorway | 14 Nov '14, 14:21 | X
      
      TheWza, p_a_u_l, and marckee this'd this
      - Cool.
        
        We were thinking of starting in the Spring, so that's good. Cheers.
        
        2468motorway @Matt_was_taken | 14 Nov '14, 14:26 | X
        
        youll be fine then bd
        
        Matt_was_taken @2468motorway | 14 Nov '14, 14:26 | X
dry stone wall mate. Piece of piss.

thewarn | 14 Nov '14, 14:14 | X
- You and your stag dos!
  
  LaszloPanaflex @thewarn | 14 Nov '14, 14:15 | X
  
  ohgood this'd this
  - brusma, pass me that slate oi oi
    
    thewarn @LaszloPanaflex | 14 Nov '14, 14:16 | X
My brother's built a couple of walls.

meths | 14 Nov '14, 14:17 | X
- emotional ones eh?
  
  that's sad meths.
  
  thewarn @meths | 14 Nov '14, 14:18 | X
  
  umlaut_ampersand and ohgood this'd this
  - :')
    
    georgiabeth @thewarn | 14 Nov '14, 14:27 | X
    
    TheWza, Royter-Hatfood, 2468motorway, and deadonthestairs this'd this
i've built a straw bale wall and a dry stone wall (non-stag do)

Smee | 14 Nov '14, 14:17 | X
- :D
  
  ohgood @Smee | 14 Nov '14, 14:19 | X
  
  Raanraals and deadonthestairs this'd this
- both around
  
  YOUR HEART
  
  thewarn @Smee | 14 Nov '14, 14:35 | X
- incredible timing
  
  TheWza @Smee | 15 Nov '14, 14:26 | X
I have a wall building song

If that helps?

ChintzyLacroix | 14 Nov '14, 14:21 | X
- does it go...
  
  build yourself a wall with an 'ing'
  
  Elaina_Casoolare @ChintzyLacroix | 14 Nov '14, 14:22 | X
  - oh no it's word
    
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiJMr9ffdsY
    
    Elaina_Casoolare @Elaina_Casoolare | 14 Nov '14, 14:24 | X
    - Shouted...
      
      SHOUTED!
      
      Build yourself a word.
      
      meths @Elaina_Casoolare | 14 Nov '14, 14:28 | X
      
      Elaina_Casoolare this'd this
- Yeah, I've already got that part covered
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDexlODHPDc
  
  Thanks tho
  
  2468motorway @ChintzyLacroix | 14 Nov '14, 14:23 | X
  - Mine was better
    
    And involves poking bums
    
    ChintzyLacroix @2468motorway | 14 Nov '14, 14:24 | X
- Does it og
  
  All in all I've just put another brick in the wall
  
  LaszloPanaflex @ChintzyLacroix | 14 Nov '14, 14:24 | X
  - og
    
    thewarn @LaszloPanaflex | 14 Nov '14, 14:24 | X
    
    colonel_getafe, ChintzyLacroix, and ethricdouble this'd this
may i suggest wattle and daub? very retro

incidentally, why isn't there a detective duo called Wattle & Daub?

mac_daddy | 14 Nov '14, 14:23 | X
Yeah, knocked up a retaining wall in the back garden

Dad gave me a tenner for doing it

Antpocalypsenow | 14 Nov '14, 14:30 | X
only around my heart

ethricdouble | 14 Nov '14, 14:31 | X

ChintzyLacroix this'd this
Yup, as Matt_was_taken says, it's pretty straightforward,

and is best done in the summer months, probably.

The only major things you have to worry about is what it does at the ends.

If it butts up, keys into or comes off starter ties to an existing wall or your house you need to make sure that it doesn't breach the DPC, leading to rising damp.

Also, you should probably terminate the wall in a pier or a return, for stability.

Oh yes, and make sure that the wall is a full brick length wide (215mm), not just a brick width (103mm).

marckee | 14 Nov '14, 14:33 | X
- This is actually a pretty good guide:
  
  http://www.diy.com/help-advice/how-to-repair-and-build-a-brick-garden-wall/CC_npci_100136.art
  
  marckee @marckee | 14 Nov '14, 14:36 | X
- I take it you know not to trust this man?
  
  LaszloPanaflex @marckee | 14 Nov '14, 14:36 | X
- Sweet.
  
  I'm (someone else is) doing the damp in January, so I should get a better idea of the DPC then - I think we've just got some sainsburys bags behind the plaster at the moment.
  
  2468motorway @marckee | 14 Nov '14, 14:39 | X
- Pretty sure your thrid sentence
  
  is just a wall of innuendo.
  
  thewarn @marckee | 14 Nov '14, 14:42 | X
  
  Raanraals this'd this
Helped to make one

Foundations are v. important
Quality of cement is important

Songs_about_ducking | 14 Nov '14, 14:38 | X
Be sure to have the foundations at least 1,000 (one thousand) feet deep

SenorDingDong | 14 Nov '14, 14:42 | X

andyvine and Epimer this'd this
I don't imagine that the build bit is too hard

probably depends on your currently level of DIY skills.

Re-pointed our garden wall this summer, and it wasn't hard, just painstaking and dull.

Also, you'll need to invest in some tools, obvs.

jontosh2001 | 14 Nov '14, 14:55 | X
- also what I'd suggest
  
  is that if you've never done any mortar/cement work, then maybe find a little job (like a small bit of repointing) to get you used to handling it, handling the tools and things. Don't just mix up a huge batch and expect to get going straight away, mix up a little amount and don't be afraid to re-start if it's looking messy.
  
  It's one of those DIY jobs that you get better (and quicker) at as you do it, so start of slow and with a little bit and you'll get into a rhythm.
  
  Even if I was building a wall I'd just mix up small batches with a drill mixer tool rather than hiring a proper mixer.
  
  jontosh2001 @jontosh2001 | 14 Nov '14, 15:01 | X
  - drill mixer...?
    
    I used a 1x1m of plywood and a shovel
    
    Matt_was_taken @jontosh2001 | 14 Nov '14, 15:04 | X
    
    TheWza this'd this
    - I'm lazy
      
      if you've got a reasonable drill, then get this and you're sorted:
      http://www.screwfix.com/p/berg-wr-85-s-mixer-paddle-8mm-hexagonal-x-500mm/82334
      
      jontosh2001 @Matt_was_taken | 14 Nov '14, 16:44 | X
  - Really helpful, cheers.
    
    2468motorway @jontosh2001 | 14 Nov '14, 15:18 | X
I built a dry stone wall above Slaithwaite

on the day of Live 8 in 2005. It remains the only wall I've ever built.

I bet none of you know how to say Slaithwaite properly.

badcustard | 14 Nov '14, 14:59 | X
- "Slaithwate"
  
  umlaut_ampersand @badcustard | 14 Nov '14, 15:02 | X
- slewit
  
  Verbal @badcustard | 14 Nov '14, 15:03 | X
  - does this mean that Stuart Braithwaite
    
    is pronounced Stuart Brewit? because, if so, that is mildly amusing
    
    ethricdouble @Verbal | 14 Nov '14, 15:08 | X
    
    TheWza and Verbal this'd this
    - :D
      
      Matt_was_taken @ethricdouble | 14 Nov '14, 15:08 | X
- Cab - idge
  
  Matt_was_taken @badcustard | 14 Nov '14, 15:07 | X
- Slawit
  
  growing up there kind of instils it into you
  
  brusma @badcustard | 14 Nov '14, 16:27 | X
retaining wall using 500 x 250 x 200 blocks.

Only one course, mind, but I still felt it was an achievement.

robluvsnic | 14 Nov '14, 15:09 | X
- That's 25,000,000 blocks.
  
  You're welcome.
  
  thewarn @robluvsnic | 14 Nov '14, 15:11 | X
- Rabbit proof fence?
  
  LaszloPanaflex @robluvsnic | 14 Nov '14, 15:12 | X
  - why would I need a fence to prove rabbits?
    
    robluvsnic @LaszloPanaflex | 14 Nov '14, 15:17 | X
    
    SenorDingDong this'd this
don't build it on a foundation of sand

noise_ramones | 14 Nov '14, 15:12 | X
- ^wise man
  
  marckee @noise_ramones | 14 Nov '14, 15:26 | X
What a surprise, Balonz all over the building a wall thread

(this is a reference to the Berlin Wall, which he built)

Royter-Hatfood | 14 Nov '14, 16:34 | X
Just want to say I've enjoyed this thread

Splenic_Artery | 14 Nov '14, 17:50 | X

TheWza and TVDenimChap this'd this
When i'm undertaking any sort of building work...

i always take advice from people who do data entry for a living.

pencils | 16 Nov '14, 04:33 | X

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