Filling the footings to make sure it is level

[Adrianlondon]

I wouldn't get too concerned about it. Deep concrete will find a pretty good level when lightly tamped. More important to get your first couple of courses of blocks level.

I would have thought that to make sure that the first couple of courses of blocks/bricks to be level would require that the concrete is as level as possible.

 

[Adrianlondon]

If your getting into an excavated trench 1.5m deep to do pegging there's a danger you'll be buried alive.

Needs shoring props before you venture in!
Or the other option is stay out.
Those of us with our cscs (construction skills certificate scheme) safety site cards are aware of these dangers.
Without the card we wouldn't have a clue!

I was going to use external ply boards against the sides (especially around the corners) to make sure that the hole stays as it should before it is filled. The ply boards will be propped up by having a piece of 4x2 squeezed in between the sheets.

 

[jeds]

I wouldn't get too concerned about it. Deep concrete will find a pretty good level when lightly tamped. More important to get your first couple of courses of blocks level.

I would have thought that to make sure that the first couple of courses of blocks/bricks to be level would require that the concrete is as level as possible.

I'd say as level as possible within reason - or without getting too stressed about it. When you set out the first couple of courses of blocks you'll level the corners to each other and then lay to a level line. So it'll make no difference if the concrete is 10 or 20mm out.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If your getting into an excavated trench 1.5m deep to do pegging there's a danger you'll be buried alive.

Stay above ground and use long pegs?

 

[Adrianlondon]

Should I leave the pegs/wooden stumps in once the concrete has been poured in?

I'm just worried that if I push the pegs in about 30cm into the footings each meter (approx) then when I pull them out the concrete will fill the hole left and then it might not be level. Maybe I'm looking too closely into this.

Each peg will be a piece of wood stuck in 30cm deep every meter or so. This will fill each little hole left when the wooden peg is removed with concrete.

Please advise me

 

[noseall]

You don't remove the pegs and I would like to see you try LOL.

Once the conc has been fired in all you need do is rake the top about and give it a steady tamping. The pegs will assist you when tamping.

As far as Jeds comments are concerned:

Try not to get above your pegs or indeed, above your coursing datum. You will no doubt set the pegs at a pre-determined hight measured down from your existing DPC (presumably you are building an extension??).

So gaining any height on this datum will mean having to chop masonry. This you do NOT want to be doing. Being below is ok as all this will result is having to muck-up the beds. Chopping masonry is a (time consuming) pain!

 

[Adrianlondon]

As far as Jeds comments are concerned:

Try not to get above your pegs or indeed, above your coursing datum. You will no doubt set the pegs at a pre-determined hight measured down from your existing DPC (presumably you are building an extension??).

So gaining any height on this datum will mean having to chop masonry. This you do NOT want to be doing. Being below is ok as all this will result is having to muck-up the beds. Chopping masonry is a (time consuming) pain!

What I was going to do was put a peg in about 30-40cm deep in the ground and then measure that peg at 1.2m from the bottom of the footings. Then using the laser level to mark of all the other pegs at 1.2m high. Once they are all marked I was going to saw the top off so that each peg is exactly the same height. Then, when the concrete is being pumped in I'll know when it is level as it will be at the top of each peg. Is that what I should do?