Recent content by rdwessex

Hi. A little advice please... I want to build a concrete base for my hot tub. The base will be about 2.5 m in diameter. I'm thinking about 6" deep, set in the lawn. What's the best way to make the circle that'll hold the concrete? Some plastic or metal strip or something I can make into a...

I have just laid a patio - concrete base, varying depths of sand to create a gentle slope to ensure rain runs towards towards drain, etc., all seemed OK. However, having since filling the slab joints with Silka joining compound, the joining compound is 'bulging' and 'swelling' out of the joints...

It's difficult when lots of people give lots of different answers! Thanks, though, appreciate the feedback.

Because I've everything I've read says anything over 450mm should be double skin...

Thanks. Yeh, I was going to use bricks but blocks were cheaper. Garden not sloped at all, it's just tidying the height difference between an old lawn and a new one.

OK, I'm about to build my retaining wall - never done any brickwork before. My plan is this... does it sound OK? - I've got (what I think is) a decent footing - concrete - -150mm deep and 450mm wide - wall is going to be 550mm high, concrete blocks at back, facing bricks at front - going to...

Well, thanks all. Not sure I'm much clearer as everyone is giving different answers. On another point, how dry does the ground need to be for pouring concrete? As all of us in the UK know, the weather has been tonk lately. Can concrete be poured on damp ground where my wall footing is going?

Thanks. Quite a lot. The concrete is primarily for the wall, but I will use the same mix as a base of a patio too.

Hi. I am building a small double brick retaining wall, about 550 mm high. For the footing, I have been told a concrete mix of 4:2:1 (aggregate, sand, cement) would suffice. I am looking at buying in bulk bags of ballast (mix of 20 mm shingle and sand). But, I don't know how much ballast to mix...