Foundations and the like

Kashkai

As part of the landscaping of the garden, I want to build a wall (3 feet high) and was wondering how deep should the foundations be and how wide. Will I just dig a trench and fill with concrete or should I put in hardcore/804 first.

I also want to prepare the ground for the patio - do I dig out the site and fill with 804 or is hardcore required? I'll be laying slabs by the way so are they cemented in place or laid on sand?

Finally can someone please explain if there is a difference between cement (which when building walls etc, I understood to be a mixture of 1 part cement and 3 parts sand) and mortar?

And if anyone is wondering, I'm doing it myself as we don't want anyone else's ideas imposed on us - 5 landscapers were called and they all were deaf to what we wanted.

Thanks

David

John mac

have a look here
has some good stuff

Poor Uncle Tom

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

As part of the landscaping of the garden, I want to build a wall (3 feet high) and was wondering how deep should the foundations be and how wide. Will I just dig a trench and fill with concrete or should I put in hardcore/804 first.

I also want to prepare the ground for the patio - do I dig out the site and fill with 804 or is hardcore required? I'll be laying slabs by the way so are they cemented in place or laid on sand?

Finally can someone please explain if there is a difference between cement (which when building walls etc, I understood to be a mixture of 1 part cement and 3 parts sand) and mortar?

And if anyone is wondering, I'm doing it myself as we don't want anyone else's ideas imposed on us - 5 landscapers were called and they all were deaf to what we wanted.

Thanks

David

Foundations should be dug down to loadbearing subsoil strata (below organic soils) The width of the founds depend on the width of the wall and the use of the wall, whether retaining terraced garden, etc., If your trench reaches loadbearing subsoils at anything around 600 to 900 below ground level then there is no need for hardcore.

For patios where the ground needs to be built up from the loadbearing level you will need hardcore which shoulkd be built and in layers which should be compacted and then blinded and compacted before providing the lightly compacted sand for the slabs.

Cement is just that, cement. Mortar is cement mixture, usually mixed with sand, lime and plaz. Mortar just became known as cement through common usage.

Martron

as uncle tom said it depends on the wall. if the wall is not holding anything up or back ..... rule of thumb is that the foundation should be 3 times the width of the wall. so if the wall is 100mm thick the foundation should be 300mm.

as for the depth .... again depends on ground conditions. if its in a housing estate i generally have found that the back garden to be full of any ol sh1t. so maybe best bet is to lay 804 to save you digging a deep foundation.

Kashkai

Thanks for the replies guys. Now does anyone want to help?:D

sydthebeat

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys. Now does anyone want to help?:D

in this weather, are you mad!