how to build a garden wall buttress?

[svouts]

I am building a buttress to support a leaning wall in my garden. The wall is 5 feet high. Any idea on how to joint the buttress to the wall?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Photos?

 

[svouts]

This is my garden wall,

//www.diynot.com/network/svouts/albums/

I need to build the buttress where the opening in the concrete floor is next to wall. I am planning to put some foundation about 50 cm deep next to the wall and then to build the buttress. Though, I am not sure how to attach the buttress to the wall.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is the whole wall going over or just a small section? We assume its your wall, if its just a small section then why not just re-build the bit that’s leaning over?

View media item 80175

 

[svouts]

It is not clear who owns the wall. It is a small part about 3-4 meters leaning bosibly from a tree, I cut it few weeks ago. I think a buttress will stabilize the wall. Iwant to build it in the opening of the concrete floor so I can dig for the fountations of the buttress. I would like to to know how to build it and join it to the wall?

 

[stuart45]

You can use a method known as tumbling in, which angles the brickwork downwards. Tying in with something like frame cramps would be easier than toothing in.

 

[tony1851]

@OP;
Have you considered a flying buttress?

Untitled

• tony1851
• 25 Jul 2014
• 1

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

If it built with lime mortar (its looks as though it is). The thing to do is to pull the wall upright and re-point it with a stronger mortar. I did this on a 15' long decorative wall because it would not mate with the gate piers I remade. I pulled it over about 6" over a height of 6'. The method I would use is:- Dig a pilot hole next to the wall to see how far out its foundations extend (13 1/2 " each side from the centre line?). bang a 4" X 2" stake in. Put against the wall another vertical 4 " X 2" higher then the wall (8'?) and jamb its foot against your stake with another piece of 4 " X 2" and or a brick. So now you are going to rotate the tall piece of wood and pull the wall back to the vertical. So go next door back a stake into his garden as far away from the wall as possible. Make a Spanish windlass, out of a length of 10mm polypropolene rope (big loop tight around the stake and tall piece of wood. Stuff a winder stick between the two side of the loop and twist. I would guess you need such an arrangement every 3', tighten them up evenly.
If it has worked out correctly a mortar course will have opened up low down on the wall, scrape it out to a depth of 1" and fill with a 5:1:1 sand/lime/cement mix.
If you really want to buttress it, you have to dig down to the sub soil and make the pad quite big , say 2' wide by 3' deep (away fro the wall). get the base at an angle to build a sloping buttress which is 9" square at the top, and 9" X 24" at its base. Set your concrete shoring up with sloping wood, use a dry mix, and build it!!
Frank

 

[wakey77]

dig your foundation for the buttress and finish the concrete at a just greater angle than you need for it to sit back also finish the concrete a few coarse lower that finished ground to allow for any adjustment.
pencil line up your wall to the width of the buttress to use as a guide e,g 450mm or 675mm
you can also use a 2 timbers either side clamped or nailed and 2 at the front at the desired angle to use as profiles.
to fix them use either blue bird ties or frame ties and bend to desired angle.

 

[svouts]

For a sloping buttress, do I need to cut the bricks inside the buttress facing the wall, so they come flat to the wall? or I just cover the gap with mortar?

 

[stuart45]

You need to cut them.

 

[svouts]

Shall I use an angle grinder to cut the bricks?

 

[theoldun]

@OP
There are four common ways to do a buttress wall
1 Tumbled in.
2 Raking
3 Straight
4 Combination of the above.
With respect, due to your lack of knowledge, number 3 (90 degree straight buttress) is the way to go.
Minimum requirements are length of buttress to be twice the thickness of existing wall, but in your case, we suggest you come three brick out 665mm x 215 wide
Give it a good foundation, if you want to put a DPC in, use two course of Staff Blues, tie in every third course with two 150mm frame cramps, finish of with course of engineering bricks laid on edge with two frame cramps under end brick.
Regards oldun

 

[svouts]

I have laid the foundation for the buttress, about 50 cm deep and 70 x 70 cm square, so I have plenty of options for the building the buttress and it’s dimensions. If I decide to build a leaning buttress what is the best way of laying the bricks. Shall I start with the inside bricks in contact with the wall towards the outside of the buttress or the opposite? Any other tips how to make it easy, especially how to measure and cut the bricks?

 

[svouts]

A, if it is too difficult to build a leaning buttress, what if a build a 90 degrees one with gradually reducing width to higher level. I can do it 18" or 27" wide. View media item 80656 View media item 80175