SWA through dry stone wall.

wannocks · 10 Sep 2019

I'm building a new shed at the end of the garden and want to run power to it. This will be for lighting and a couple of sockets.
There's a Cotswold dry stone wall about 2 feet high running across the garden. I'm wondering what methods are possible for getting past it. If it's possible to go through the wall (about a foot thick) will a conduit be needed to protect against collapse?
Under would probably need to dig about 4 feet down.
Over would be ugly but maybe the necessary evil if allowed.

Notch7 · 10 Sep 2019

Tricky!

I think there could be a risk of collapse causing a pinch.

jj4091 · 10 Sep 2019

If you can get to both sides of the wall I would be inclined to dig down a couple of feet each side & then go through it using some form of ducting to retain the strength if you cannot drill through it with an sds drill.

bernardgreen · 10 Sep 2019

jj4091 said:
I would be inclined to dig down a couple of feet each side & then go through it using some form of ducting

That is the best option but dig the holes far enough away from the wall such that the earth under the wall is not affected by the digging. and deep enough that the duct is below the foundation of the all. Drive a second duct through in case at a later date you need to install cables to telephone data intercom alarm etc etc

When filling the holes compact the earth as you fill. to prevent earth from under the wall moving over time towards the softer earth filling the hole.

jj4091 · 10 Sep 2019

bernardgreen said:
That is the best option but dig the holes far enough away from the wall such that the earth under the wall is not affected by the digging. and deep enough that the duct is below the foundation of the all. Drive a second duct through in case at a later date you need to install cables to telephone data intercom alarm etc.

Bernard the poster says that would involve digging down approx 4 feet & I can understand his reluctance to do that. I was thinking about going down couple of feet & removing enough stone from each side that he would be able to cement in a 4 inch plastic drainage pipe or similar.

bernardgreen · 10 Sep 2019

I too appreciate the reluctance to dig but if it is a genuine dry stone wall ( no mortar ) then any disturbance to the stones in the lower courses carries a significant risk of the wall deteriorating.

On the other hand if it is wall with an internal core of stone and mortar then it will ( probably ) tolerate some disturbance to its lower courses.

wannocks · 10 Sep 2019

It's fairly loose, it is just stacked stones with a mortar capping. It also has the problem of having the ground level higher one side than the other. The bottom of the garden was added from the edge of a field so is a nasty mix of clay and rocks. Evil stuff to dig. Will have a try but may be very difficult. Just been putting in a fence at the end and have hit chicken wire, barbed wire, metal farm implements and a ton of stones.

Sureitsoff? · 10 Sep 2019

wannocks said:
and a ton of stones.

handy to rebuild the wall with..........

fetching coat.....

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SWA through dry stone wall.

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