Trump's oil tank project - Quinn Lite blocks?

Lumen

I want to build a wall...around my oil tank so that I can grow stuff against it without causing a fire hazard/breaching regs.

Because the wall only has to support its own weight, and I'm a feeble keyboard warrior, 100mm Quinn Lite blocks seems like just the thing.

I've never built a wall before but I assume thin joint mortar (e.g. K Mix) will do.

Do I need to cut the blocks or is 100mm natural overlap sufficient?

It's going on a 100mm steel reinforced C28/35 concrete slab over 250mm compacted 804, so no worries about support.

Any tips?

Lumen

Hmmm, reading that Quinn Lite blocks can be a PITA to plaster (which I might do).

Maybe 3" Solid Block @ 12kg per block would be as easy and better for attaching trellis or wires to.

my3cents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

If you've never laid bricks or blocks before you might find a "Bricky" tool a handy help - I've never used one but instead made up a wooden frame that did the same thing.

Lumen

Ah, bricks is a great idea. I've had an ambition to build a lime mortared wall for a few years now.

I guess engineering bricks to above ground then whatever I fancy, maybe some old reclaimed bricks.

Anyone got a good source for reclaimed brick at a decent price? I'm in North Wicklow.

my3cents

Lumen wrote: »

Ah, bricks is a great idea. I've had an ambition to build a lime mortared wall for a few years now.

I guess engineering bricks to above ground then whatever I fancy, maybe some old recovered bricks.

Try that tool on blocks first or do it without any aids if you think you can. It takes a while to get the skill to do a really decent job.

Blocks are much much easier as you have so few joints compared with bricks.

Recovered old bricks can be a bit tricker than ordinary bricks as they may vary in size. Easy enough once you have the hang of it but I've seen some disasters that beginners have made.

I'm no good at brick or block laying so use every aid possible, but the results are more than passable, its the speed that problematic .

Lumen

OK, so after my3cents sage advice, backed up my civil-engineer uncle "get a brickie to do it, you'll only muck it up", I decided to build my tank case using Dexion slotted angle and magnesium MultiPro board (which is A1 fire rated, in the spirit of the Oftec regs).

I tried to get the proper outdoor rated board but failed, so went with standard 9mm sealed and finished with two coats of matt black masonry paint.

Black is a stupid colour to choose, but I'm thinking of wire-training figs on it, and the summer heat will help with that.

I can't work out whether it's a beautifully minimalist with an Arrival alien aethetic, or is just bloody ugly. Maybe I'll timber clad it.

my3cents

I think I'd timber clad it, that would also give you something to train your fig against. Don't for get to constrain the fig roots (sink an old SS washing machine drum) if you don't want it to go mad.

Honestly don't think it looks ugly and a sight better than the green plastic.

eddhorse

That looks a lot better than green plastic, good job

sky6

Nice job, But you should have put a row of Blocks along each end of the Tank. Otherwise it's likely to break it back.
I know you have a bracket going into the Concrete but I'm not sure they will carry the weight when the Tank is full.

It looks good though.

Lumen

sky6 wrote: »

Nice job, But you should have put a row of Blocks along each end of the Tank. Otherwise it's likely to break it back.
I know you have a bracket going into the Concrete but I'm not sure they will carry the weight when the Tank is full.

Not sure I understand. The cover is not structurally connected to the tank, it just sits over it like a butter dish cover.

This is what it looked like before I added the cover. Is this OK?

sky6

Ah, my mistake. Now I understand. Yes that looks fine. Plenty of support there.

uck51js9zml2yt

Just the job I need to do on mine.

How much dexion / multi pro did you need?

What size tank is it?

How did you access the top to fill it?

What's the red thing on top of the tank?

the_syco

It looks nice, but I dislike the lid that you have put on it. If you fill it in spring, and over the course of summer growth happens whatever you have growing on the side (if you don't need to fill it over summer), you may have an issue opening the lid to access the tank to fill it up.

Other than that, I personally dislike not having access to the leaver where the oil comes out. Should the pipes burst over the winter due to the cold, you'll have a very hard job flicking the leaver to stop any further oil leaking.

I very much do like that it doesn't look like an oil tank, as this stops people stealing the oil.

Lumen

Leia Slimy Carrot wrote: »

How much dexion / multi pro did you need?

Dexion Slotted Angle
Quantity: 5
Angle Type: 225
Size mm: 62 x 41 x 2gauge x 3048 Long
Finish: Pre-Galvanised
€179.00 + VAT

+ €5.00 for nuts and bolts.

I seem to have some of the Dexion left, but it was a while ago and it's possible I ordered more for a different project.

5 sheets of multi-pro, one per side, with some of that left over to add a smaller hinged hatch on top.

Leia Slimy Carrot wrote: »

What size tank is it?

About 1300 litres I think.

Leia Slimy Carrot wrote: »

How did you access the top to fill it?

At the moment I just lift the top off. It's only resting there. I'm going to make a proper access hatch.

Leia Slimy Carrot wrote: »

What's the red thing on top of the tank?

A Watchman alarm and wireless monitor. No more dipsticks! And more more paranoia than someone is stealing my oil when in fact I just have a crap leaky house.

Lumen

the_syco wrote: »

I dislike the lid that you have put on it. If you fill it in spring, and over the course of summer growth happens whatever you have growing on the side (if you don't need to fill it over summer), you may have an issue opening the lid to access the tank to fill it up.

Good point. I'm planning to add a top hatch for filling. Been busy on other projects. I have more tools now!

the_syco wrote: »

I personally dislike not having access to the leaver where the oil comes out. Should the pipes burst over the winter due to the cold, you'll have a very hard job flicking the leaver to stop any further oil leaking.

That would also be an excellent point, except I cut the boards on that side shorter to leave an access slot so I can reach in and operate the shutoff lever. :pac:

the_syco wrote: »

I very much do like that it doesn't look like an oil tank, as this stops people stealing the oil.

Yeah, I would never underestimate the savviness of a thief. At some point I'll probably batten and clad it to make it blend in a bit.

The main purpose of the exercise (which was back in April, this thread was only recently resurrected) was to strictly comply with the regulations about support of the tank and proximity of foliage or wooden structures, which I think I've done, but I quite like the fact that it looks like an alien spacecraft so I might leave it.

Lumen

One more thing.

If I was doing it again I'd probably make the frame out of wood. In April I had gone down a bit of a literalist rabbit hole with the regulations, and was determined to make the whole thing out of entirely incombustible materials, but TBH it would have been faster and cheaper using a few pieces of treated timber and then screwing the fire resistant panels in with flooring screws or whatever.

uck51js9zml2yt

Lumen wrote: »

One more thing.

If I was doing it again I'd probably make the frame out of wood. In April I had gone down a bit of a literalist rabbit hole with the regulations, and was determined to make the whole thing out of entirely incombustible materials, but TBH it would have been faster and cheaper using a few pieces of treated timber and then screwing the fire resistant panels in with flooring screws or whatever.

The advantage of the frame is that it won't rot or need to be treated.

Wearb

I don't often visit DIY, but just dropped by this morning and had a read of this thread.
This link might be useful to OP and others doing anything with their oil tanks. I know it often refers to British Standards, but where there is an absence of similar Irish standards, those are the ones that will be quoted when something goes pear-shaped.
https://www.oftec.org/consumers/faqs-on-oil-storage-tanks

the_syco

Lumen wrote: »

That would also be an excellent point, except I cut the boards on that side shorter to leave an access slot so I can reach in and operate the shutoff lever. :pac:

Perhaps consider painting/covering up the legs, to prevent rust?