Trench fill too high - help with making it up/down

[VDubDan]

As mentioned in my other thread, my pumped trench fill didn't go amazingly to plan and despite painstakingly placing rebar markers AND even deliberately putting those 15mm below where I wanted they still managed to overfill.

End result - the concrete is now about 25mm above where I wanted to start laying bricks. It was already a fairly high trench fill, so I've only got 3 bricks underground (well, I did!)

The other challenge is that the second course up includes two lintels for drainage.

So - what are my options here? My initial thinking is to cut some bricks down by 35mm (or blocks, whatever), to lay them on a bed of 10mm and then be back on gauge for my 'second' course

Would appreciate any thoughts from those far more experienced in these matters!

 

[23vc]

Can you lose the 25mm on the first 3 courses by going *very* thin on the beds of all 3? If they’re actually underground and not visible? Are there another 3 courses above them up to dpc?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Bummer- think (unless you're a skilled bricklayer) best bet will be cutting down bricks or blocks. From a cost point of view you might be best off cutting a load of bricks in half (horizontally) and using slightly thicker beds to get up to gauge.

 

[rssteve]

How about using some concrete bricks designed for between block and beam flooring at the edges. Not sure if they are called slips but they are about 30mm thick.

 

[^woody^]

Brick or block on edge for the first course.

Clay roof tiles.

A few big or tight joints

 

[VDubDan]

At the risk of posting my rough as arse first few bricks down (On the hottest day ever, too!) I thought I'd show you guys what I ended up with:

https://imgur.com/a/cPi8ecJ

Cut down engineering bricks, and this brings me bang onto gauge and takes care of a slope too.

Can anyone sanity check it and tell me BCO etc will be happy with it and my wall won't fall down?

 

[^woody^]

Why the hell didn't you just lay a brick or block on edge?

 

[VDubDan]

Why the hell didn't you just lay a brick or block on edge?

To be honest, the main reason is I don't remember seeing your reply before.

But, I'd still struggle with the slope as I had to thicken them up a bit on one end and I'd be a bit uncomfortable laying on the thin edge of a brick to be honest. I mean, it's a learning exercise but as long as it's structurally sound then I'm happy enough with how I've done it.

But if I need to rip it up and start again, then I will!

 

[Ian H]

BCO will call the police, you will go to jail, then it will fall down

Otherwise it will be fine.