Hi
Started lifting patio slabs previous owners had laid, some of which have sunk an inch or so (we're on clay soil in N Essex). My intention is to build some single skin brick planters, just 3 maybe 4 courses above ground height and I'm seeking advice on footings.
Having done some reading I had intended to dig until I'd passed the softer soil and then I'd have put down maybe 50mm type 1 or ballast and onto that I intended to lay a course of concrete blocks I have lying around which, laid on their side, are about double the width of a brick and hopefully a with the ballast and concreted in a good base.
I've dug an exploratory hole and down about 30cm I can still very easily push my thumb a few through the wet clay.
My questions are, for a planter only a few courses high, maybe 40cm, how deep do I really need to go? Does my idea for the footings sound okay? Am I worrying too much about this for such a low planter/wall?
Thanks in advance
Started lifting patio slabs previous owners had laid, some of which have sunk an inch or so (we're on clay soil in N Essex). My intention is to build some single skin brick planters, just 3 maybe 4 courses above ground height and I'm seeking advice on footings.
Having done some reading I had intended to dig until I'd passed the softer soil and then I'd have put down maybe 50mm type 1 or ballast and onto that I intended to lay a course of concrete blocks I have lying around which, laid on their side, are about double the width of a brick and hopefully a with the ballast and concreted in a good base.
I've dug an exploratory hole and down about 30cm I can still very easily push my thumb a few through the wet clay.
My questions are, for a planter only a few courses high, maybe 40cm, how deep do I really need to go? Does my idea for the footings sound okay? Am I worrying too much about this for such a low planter/wall?
Thanks in advance
