Garden wall 1.4m to 1.6m high

[Ss-1]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice.

I'm looking to build a garden wall 13m long. For the most it will be 1.4m high and then the ground steps down so it will increase to 1.6m.

I'm looking to build using blocks. My builder has suggested to build it using concrete blocks 100mm wide with metal posts every 1.5m that it will be tied into. The wall will then be rendered.

My questions is -

1. Is this structurally sound? He's advised against 200mm blocks as it would be 'too heavy' and would fall over..

2. What depth and width footing is required?

3. Can the wall be built from one edge of the footing rather than in the middle? It's a small garden, space is a premium and I wouldn't need to move my downpipe or dig up existing tiles on the ground if so.

Thanks for your help.

 

[tony1851]

1. 200mm thick would be better (my house has walls even thicker than that and it hasn't fallen over yet); 100mm thick would fall over more easily in high winds.

2. footing depth/width depends on ground conditions.

3. you can offset the wall from the centeline of the footing (within reason) if the ground is suitable.

4. for a 13m wall in block, you would need a movement joint near the centre - say around 6-7m.

5. Rendering free-standing walls is not adviseable so should be done carefully, eg putting an engineering brick dpc at the bottom and not taking the render to ground level.

 

[Ss-1]

Thanks Tony.

Any thoughts on if a metal post every 1.5m sunken into the footing and tied into the blocks would provide sufficient support? In a similar way that a pillar would?

 

[tony1851]

It depends on how well the blocks are fixed to the posts, and how well the posts are anchored to the concrete foundation.

Instead of using expensive steel posts every 1.5m to reinforce a block wall, why not just put up a timber fence?