Digging in the garden

[MK-2]

We are currently looking to redo our existing patio and have just finished ripping up all the existing slabs (thanks to everyone for your calculations )

We need to look at digging a hole for foundations in some soil for a wall to be built, and also digging out the existing hardcore/sand to re-compact it properly.

 

THe problem is the soil is clay-like and absolutely solid, I've tried with a lawn edger, shovel, pickaxe....nothing digs through it effectively, so I'm considering powered tools to hire for a day.

What do I go with? it needs to be something that can fit through a normal door width, as thats the only access to our back garden, and something that could help me dig down to about 500/700mm for foundations.

Any ideas greatly appreciated before my arms fall off!!

[Chris_Cook]

HSS do some powered tools HSS Hire - Breakers Tool Hire and Equipment Rental. If you ask in your local hss shop they can probably help.

 

Edit: dont know if you could get one of these through the doorway? http://www.hss.com/g/47015/Mini-canopy-.html

Edited August 15, 2011 by Chris_Cook

[MK-2]

that's the sort of thing im looking at. that or the powered post hole borer that will do holes up to 850mm deep. im thinking do those in a line along.

problem is will it be cheaper to hire one of theses for a day to do it, or pay someone to come and do it.

[korifugi]

Sounds like you need a Rotavator - you should be able to fit one through a door

 

Something like this

 

ah - balls just re-read and realised you want 700mm, not 70...

 

oops!

Edited August 15, 2011 by korifugi
spellung!

[MK-2]

Sounds like you need a Rotavator - you should be able to fit one through a door

 

Something like this

 

ah - balls just re-read and realised you want 700mm, not 70...

 

oops!

 

see this is the thing, i've been told 700mm down for foundations then fill in 250mm with concrete and go from there. but the wall is going to be double thickness and 3 ft high maximum, so im wondering if i can get away with it being less to dig down. i mean its not beaing any load on top of it, it will be purely a wall to separate patio from lawn area

[pcstru]

700mm sounds ridiculous for a 3ft high 'ornamental' (i.e. not load bearing) wall. I built a 4ft high single course wall (two double course end pillars) 4/5 years ago on foundation 1ft (about 300mm) deep. It's still standing.

[MK-2]

700mm sounds ridiculous for a 3ft high 'ornamental' (i.e. not load bearing) wall. I built a 4ft high single course wall (two double course end pillars) 4/5 years ago on foundation 1ft (about 300mm) deep. It's still standing.

 

this is what im trying to find out. granted i was told 700mm by an architect friend who says she hasn't done a lot of residential stuff recently. but the idea was the wall might be used as a makeshift seat. you know, perch on top.

but it would never hold any weight for long periods of time (and nothing more than one or two people sat on it).

i dont want to dig 700mm down if i can help it!

[MK-2]

ok doing a bit of reading, one site says for double skinned wall, foundations should be min 150mm either side of the wall, concrete should be approx 150mm thick and min of 150mm down. so i could dig down 350mm approx and go from there. i suppose 350mm is a lot better than 700

[pcstru]

There's plenty of info out there - unfortunately, not all in agreement!

 

This suggests 460mm would be better on heavy soil. That's still a foot off 700mm and IMO is still overkill. I'd think you could put a house on 700mm of foundation!

 

Our garden is hard clay. I built a 2ft high retaining wall (soil at the back) on 3-4in foundation (100mm or less !) about 8 years ago and ... it's fine. If I was building a 3ft high double course wall, I'd probably dig about 450mm and lay 300mm depth of concrete absolute max. Some sites suggest as little as 150mm (as a minimum) is fine for a wall under 1m high - so on clay double that should be a pretty safe bet.

[MK-2]

we are still getting people around to quote for various bits of work, so i keep trying to pick at their info too, to see what they say.

 

the wall from the patio side would be 2ft high visible. from the other side it would be nearer 3ft visible so im going with 3ft as a maximum option.

 

regardless of how much i need to dig down, the problem is in the clay like soil i can only dig down about 3 or 4 inches manually

[pcstru]

regardless of how much i need to dig down, the problem is in the clay like soil i can only dig down about 3 or 4 inches manually

 

You wuss! Digging clay is a real chore. I went down 4ft for garden pond and it nearly killed me (and that was just getting the wife to dig!). A pickaxe, a fork and a spade should see you by but a pinch bar (it's like a 6ft iron pole with a point at one end and a chisel like flat at the other) is very very handy.

[SYNACK]

Pfft, manual labour. All you need is a powerdrill and some of this:

Oh and understanding neighbours.

 

Anyway 700mm down is nuts unless you plan on running support steel through your wall and using it to stop cars. Even as a seat the extra weight from people is going to be negligable in comparison to the weight of the wall so 150mm to 200mm of concrete on gravel and sand should be plenty strong enough unless you want to use it as a retaining wall.