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Strengthening Stone pillars

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  • 12-01-2006 11:51am
    #1
    tribesman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭


    I'm having a couple of dry stone pillars buit in front of the house. I was wondering about the best way to hang a gates on them. I have a couple of 8" x 4" RSJs lying around that I could set in concrete and build the pillars around. They are about 6' long so I would sink 2' and leave the rest sticking up. I would weld on a piece of box iron to the top of these and leave it sticking out to attach the gate to later. Does this seem like a good idea?

    Is it worth the bother? Could Ijust use rawl bolts to attach the gates. The opening will be 12' wide so each gate will be 6'.


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    #2
    big_al
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39 ✭big_al


    It would be tricky enough to rebuild that pillar around the RSJ. Why not fit some 4" steel box section or 4x4 hardwood flush (but not attached) to the pillar? I'd sink it more than 2' aswell.

    Good luck anyway . . .


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    #3
    tribesman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭tribesman


    The pillars are not yet built so I wouldn't have to re-build them around the RSJs.

    You could be right about the depth of the RSJ but if I sink it more than 2' then the top support for the gate will be too low. Maybe the RSJs are just too short at 6' and I'll have to scrap the idea.


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    #4
    JohnBoy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,343 ✭✭✭JohnBoy


    Dig a good foundation, 3 feet deep, 2 feet bigger diameter than the pillar.

    set your rsj 2 feet into this

    get the pillar built up, will it actually be a truly dry stone construction? it shouldn't cause too much problem to backfill the centre hole of the pillar around the RSJ with concrete as its built, this will give a massively strong pillar, then weld some good heavy box onto the pillar to hang your gate from.

    I'd hang the gates first too, to ensure they are correct/true once your happy, take the gates down again, but put a broom handle or something through the hinge points for the stonemason to have as a reference for the gates location.

    also paint all the steelwork before putting it into the concrete, if rust gets out it'll stain your stonework horribly and you'll never get another chance again.

    ps what size are the RSJs


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    #5
    tribesman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 113 ✭✭tribesman


    The pillars don't have to be a truly dry stone construction. I'd prefer that the morter is not seen but as you say, filling the centre of the pillar shouldn't be a problem.

    I can't hang the gates yet because I don't have them. The plan is to weld on the box and leave it sticking out plenty. I'll cut it to length when the pillar is built and when I've decided on the gates.

    Good advice about painting the steel.

    The RSJs are 8"x4" or 200mm x 100mm

    Thanks


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