Fence post Where there used to be a wall!

[leebob]

Hello,

I have 10 foot of wall about 6 foot high virtually fallen down!

I intend to put a concrete post in the middle in front of the wall and cut down two 8x6 fence panels to suit, but finding the foundation to the wall an absolute nightmare to dig out!

Has any one got any ideas please?

Thanks

 

[kbdiy]

Not really sure what you're asking. You may want to hire a breaker to help shift the foundations or set to with a sledgehammer, but only digging will tell you how thick they are. It's just going to be hard work, no easy solution.

 

[Steve]

I had a similar job on last year, my boundary wall was 100 year old and was ripe for "pushing" over - I video'd this, its on my facebook somewhere. Anyway, I didn't dig out the foundations, but left them in as extra lateral support for fence posts. I chiseled out the bricks in the foundation one by one, its a long frustrating job to do underground, but worth it as the post will then sit in a sturdy hole and minimal concrete is required. I used 4 inch posts too, they are solid as a rock!

Looking back I could have done with an SDS drill with a chisel bit.

 

[ntb]

If you are not in a hurry, Aldi occasionally have a 1500W SDS drill with rotostop (makes it a breaker) for about forty quid. Comes with two chisels and is surprisingly good. I've dealt with a few similar situations using it.

The other thing I use where mains power in not available is one of these - also very effective:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/roughneck-17lb-post-hole-digger/62496

 

[r896neo]

ITs just pain ahead. I have done this many times and its no fun.

It may be more digging but it is massively easier to find the edge of the footing and break in from there rather than trying to create a hole in the middle of it.

If that makes sense?

So try and make an open ended horse shoe into the concrete rather than a hole completely surrounded by the footing.

 

[leebob]

thanks guys

I've got a heavy duty hilti hammer drill so I'll get cracking on it!

Thanks Lee

 

[leebob]

Hello,

I've set my concrete post in the ground up to a wall foundation and it is solid in the ground.

I 'm a little concerned my post wobbles from side to side from the concrete upwards but it's solid backwards to forwards.

Is this natural my other concrete posts around the garden don't do this!

It's like weak in the middle??!!

Thanks Lee.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

IANAE, but what little I do know of concrete posts is that they don't bend very much.

Ar you sure that the old footing, or part thereof, isn't loose in the ground?

 

[JohnD]

maybe the post is cracked

did you pack concrete mix round it, and prevent it from moving for a few days while it gained strength?

if it's loose, there is about zero sideways force on fences, it's all wind pressure on the faces.

 

[r896neo]

As john says are you sure its not cracked?

 

[leebob]

I can't see a crack in it!

the fence will hold it in place! The concrete isn't going no where it's concreted to a wall foundation!

Very odd oh well cheers chaps

 

[ImayKnow]

I can't see a crack in it!

the fence will hold it in place! The concrete isn't going no where it's concreted to a wall foundation!

Very odd oh well cheers chaps

It may be that you didn't get much concrete mix or had large pockets in it at the sides of the hole thus allowing slight movement in that direction. Once you get the panels in place and you should be fine.