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Back wall in Garden

  • 15-05-2019 8:52am
    #1
    TRS30
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭


    The previous owners of our house spent a lot of money on the back garden. They plastered all the walls and had a row of cupboards with a slate top attached to the back wall.

    I have removed these cupboard and slate top and am now left with a bare plastered wall with a big step across the bottom. This step seems to be made of poured concrete with white plaster finish. There is also four blocks set into the ground, that you can see about half stick out the front. The plaster is about 1/2 thick in total however seems to be a bit thinner at the top (looking down from above)

    The wall in total is about 5M wide and 2.2m high. There is a shed build into one end (block and also plastered) and there is a buttress about 3/4 of the way along the wall.

    Will I be able to remove the step without risking the structural integrity of the wall?

    I would be looking to plaster the bits where the brick is showing and then paint the whole wall. I would put slabs down at the base of the wall to match what is already there.

    Hopefully the picture below shows what I mean


Comments

  • #2
    Shaunoc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 521 ✭✭✭Shaunoc


    makes for a nice platform for potted plants = easy life


  • #3
    BarryD2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,732 ✭✭✭BarryD2


    Block wall like that would be built off a foundation, typically a trench dug and filled with concrete. So where is the foundation? That's what you should find out. Is it below ground level and behind that 'step'? Or did they pour that 'step' as solid concrete and then build the wall off it? Hack away at it a bit and see if that's just plaster covering blocks in the 'step' or was it poured in situ. Have a look the other side of the wall and see what you can see. If the 'step' was just added in as a feature after the wall was built, you can likely take it away, but if it's part of the foundation in any way, then obviously not.


  • #4
    TRS30
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    Shaunoc wrote: »
    makes for a nice platform for potted plants = easy life

    There is a similar step (not quite as big) on one of the side walls so use that for a raised flower box and potted plants.
    BarryD2 wrote: »
    Block wall like that would be built off a foundation, typically a trench dug and filled with concrete. So where is the foundation? That's what you should find out. Is it below ground level and behind that 'step'? Or did they pour that 'step' as solid concrete and then build the wall off it? Hack away at it a bit and see if that's just plaster covering blocks in the 'step' or was it poured in situ. Have a look the other side of the wall and see what you can see. If the 'step' was just added in as a feature after the wall was built, you can likely take it away, but if it's part of the foundation in any way, then obviously not.

    I am pretty sure the wall was there first. It is the same height as the neighbours (both sides) and the colour on the blocks, that I can see behind the plaster, looks like it was painted in a previous life. I can't see down the back of the wall as the neighbour behind has build a wooden wall that is higher than the brick wall. This is not attached to the wall.

    I think they put the plaster onto the existing wall and then added the step, cupboard, slab top etc.

    I was concerned that the due to the weight of the plaster they had to put the step in to support the extra weight?

    Would you use a jackhammer or just sledgehammer? Thinking the latter could take ages.


  • #5
    TRS30
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    Would a plastered wall required additional support above the initial foundations when the wall was built?


  • #6
    BarryD2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,732 ✭✭✭BarryD2


    TRS30 wrote: »
    Would a plastered wall required additional support above the initial foundations when the wall was built?

    No, not normally. Investigate the 'step' and see how it was put in. Is it blockwork that's plastered over? What's it sitting on itself, dig down a bit at the front and see what depth, if any there is.


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  • #7
    Lumen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 31,222 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    From my own experience of chaos-making with an SDS chisel and a sledge, trying to remove that concrete step is likely to weaken the wall.

    Not sure what your overall plan is, but I'd leave it.


  • #8
    TRS30
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    BarryD2 wrote: »
    No, not normally. Investigate the 'step' and see how it was put in. Is it blockwork that's plastered over? What's it sitting on itself, dig down a bit at the front and see what depth, if any there is.

    From the plaster that came off already when removing the cupboards it looks like its all poured concrete which was plastered over. Obviously I cant be certain till I start removing some. I will take out one of the slabs at the front and see if I can see how far down it goes.
    Lumen wrote: »
    From my own experience of chaos-making with an SDS chisel and a sledge, trying to remove that concrete step is likely to weaken the wall.

    Not sure what your overall plan is, but I'd leave it.

    Part of me is tempted to just leave it however if I do it greatly reduces the options I can do with it.

    I might have to bite the bullet and get a professional in to have a look and see what they say. Just note sure what kind of trades person is best suited to look at it, builder?? gardener?? plaster??


  • #9
    pwurple
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,449 ✭✭✭✭pwurple


    What is your end goal here? What do you want on that wall?

    If it's a hedge, leave it
    If it's planting , leave it
    It it is a raised bed , leave it.
    If it's an area to park the bins and put a hedge in front, leave it.

    It seems to be just hacking away at it for the sake of it, without a plan. You may just end up with a patchy mess.

    Are you trying to get back to an unplastered concrete block wall? And if so, for what?


  • #10
    TRS30
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,865 ✭✭✭TRS30


    pwurple wrote: »
    What is your end goal here? What do you want on that wall?

    If it's a hedge, leave it
    If it's planting , leave it
    It it is a raised bed , leave it.
    If it's an area to park the bins and put a hedge in front, leave it.

    It seems to be just hacking away at it for the sake of it, without a plan. You may just end up with a patchy mess.

    Are you trying to get back to an unplastered concrete block wall? And if so, for what?

    My plan is to remove the 'step',plaster bits that are left exposed so its the same as the rest of the wall. Put down slabs to edge of wall so similar to rest of garden. Then paint wall. That is all for this year.

    Long term plan is to put down fake grass right up to the wall and then put some wood covering or something similar, maybe paint on a footie goal.


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