Cement Query for Kids Climbing Frame

[rsbhj]

@Nozzle I have made it clear I am not looking for Military grade aggregates as you say. The same time I am not looking for advice such as your first reply.

I am looking for advise with reference to the manufactures guidelines or anyone's experience.

Looking for some assistance on how many bags and water ratio or experiences for a hole of that size.

Fill with water and chuck in a extra bag for confidence is not much help really, but thanks for your comments, hopefully helpful to someone else but not me unfortunately.

The only 2 products I am looking to use is Heavy Strength 40N or Postcrete and both are ready made. I think form what I have read is that I need the below but not 100% sure. I need to order the bags for delivery and in these times its not easy to just nip out and get more bags quickly if needed.

What I think I need per hole:-

Postcrete

4 x 20kg bags (3L water to each bag)? The water is according to what I can find on Blue circle website

Heavy Streghth 40N

4 x 20kg bags (2L water to each bag)? The water is according to what I can find on Blue circle website

 

[Nozzle]

@Nozzle I have made it clear I am not looking for Military grade aggregates as you say. The same time I am not looking for advice such as your first reply.

My first reply is exactly in line with one of your options- "carry on with your postcrete, dig a bigger hole and use an extra bag of postcrete if you want more comfort that it won't go anywhere." That noseall doesn't like Postcrete should not be your burden.

Nozzle

 

[rsbhj]

In line with an option i.e Postcrete but absolutely nothing else or helpful in that post. Again hopefully this is a helpful comment you made for someone else.

 

[bsr]

People are being a bit sarcastic because you are massively over thinking this.Look at the instructions, they even say that concrete is not always required. On good ground, the anchor into soil is enough to hold it.

I would just dig a hole 1 spade square, use 1 bag postcrete and then put soil on top. Job done and more than enough friction and weight to prevent lifting.

80kg of concrete per hole is over the top. Postcrete is fine, 40N concrete is unnecessary. You're adding weight to an anchor, not landing aircraft or putting it in tension.

 

[sircerebus666]

People are being a bit sarcastic because you are massively over thinking this.Look at the instructions, they even say that concrete is not always required. On good ground, the anchor into soil is enough to hold it.

I would just dig a hole 1 spade square, use 1 bag postcrete and then put soil on top. Job done and more than enough friction and weight to prevent lifting.

80kg of concrete per hole is over the top. Postcrete is fine, 40N concrete is unnecessary. You're adding weight to an anchor, not landing aircraft or putting it in tension.

That's the extended version of what I said right at the start.

You also have to remember your kids will eventually outgrow this frame and you're going to have to remove it , I wouldn't want to be the one removing it after using 3/4 tonne of ballast

 

[mikeey84]

And postcrete says on the bag how much water to use, as I'm sure will the other option too.

 

[rsbhj]

Thanks for the comments. I don't think I am overthinking this, its more I haven't worked with cement before. I have no issue digging the hole, pouring in the water and bags I am just looking for advice on best size of hole and how many bags/water to use.

I stated before that I read Postcrete was 3L per 20kg bag, also read fill the hole 1/3 (back of bag) or 1/2, few ways it appears, again asking for advice on people that have used this in similar circumstances.

Personally I think the hole 55cm x 40cm Diameter is far to big and 80kg of cement again far too much....I guess that is why I am on this forum asking for advice.

The spike I know is 35cm, 10cm above ground, therefore the hole will have to be a min then of 25cm.

My main questions are in regards to filling the hole with 3/4 cement and topping up with 1/4 soil.

• What size of hole would be recommended 40 Deep x 30 wide cm?
• Is 2-3 20kg bags more than enough?
• Water ratio what is best just go with... the standard fill hole to 1/3?

If people want to be a little sarcastic that is fine, but end of day I am just looking for some advice on what people have done under similar circumstances and best method. I know there will be various factors that come into this with ground type and how the water holds, but again just looking for best method and recommendations as a guide.

 

[mikeey84]

I would drive the anchor into the soil below the concrete personally, so I'd go for a hole 20cm deep, and a spade width around.

Fill the hole half way with water add the bag of postcrete.

I don't think you will need more than 1 bag per anchor.

But that's just me. Alternatively, the hole size you quote will probably take between 2-3 bags, so fill the hole with water, add the post Crete and insert the anchor. You may need to prop it so that it doesn't fall over (which is why I'd drive it into the soil below the hole)

 

[rsbhj]

Hey Thanks for that

Just to clarify you attach the anchor to the frame while the climbing frame is in position over the hole, so there is no need to prop up the anchor and this will be screwed onto the frame and hanging steady in the hole.

I do like the idea though of the spike being part in the ground.

The method the supplier recommends meant that there was far more cement in the hole than over the spike, not sure if this is purely for weight purposes, but was a lot of cement just sitting there with nothing in it.

Thanks