footings for a garden wall?

[dabomb3k]

Hi guys, just wondering if there's a minimum required height for a footing when building a garden wall or do all walls regardless of height have to have a footing? (Sorry if this is a silly question- not a brickie or in a trade just looking at possible ways of saving time and money if not required, if it is then so be it)

For example: I want to build a thermalite wall in a garden at approx 1m high max and then render it, I will
Then put a wooden fence on top of that.... Can I just build it onto the concrete that's currently there or will I need to dig out a trench for footings?

(Backstory: used to have an old stone wall, neighbour knocked it down and filled with stones and concrete and then put wooden fence posts in, naturally the wooden fence posts havent held up in the crap metal holders and it's falling down, I want to build a wall as there side is higher than mine and it looks awful and doesn't help block out water, then put the fence on top of that)

 

[tomfe]

Read this: http://www.pavingexpert.com/featur03.htm
And this: https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/20/fences_gates_and_garden_walls/2

I would not use aerated block as the fixing will just pull out.

 

[dabomb3k]

Thanks tomfe good reads, I was planning on rendering the blocks in the hope it would provide a bit better fixing, I need to do approx 20m length wall as its a large garden at varying heights so was hoping for the cheaper option the better

 

[Newboy]

Don't waste your money using the cheaper option - it won't work.

I'd avoid trying to fix fencing on top of blockwork the usual result is that the lateral pressure exerted by the wind on a panel is enough to topple the fence and wall combo.

 

[r896neo]

dont use lightweight blocks outtdoor if you need to render them. The render will almost certainly crack.

New boy is spot on with the wind comment also.

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

Look at it the other way around, you want a block wall with a wooden fence on top. So put in 8' slotted concrete posts with a 3' wooden wavy panel on top with the concrete blocks just to stop dogs running under it. So the concrete blocks need a 12" square foundation between the concrete posts. I would not render or use lightweight blocks. I had a 110' victorian wall down the side of my garden, which also went down a big slope about 17' . The wall was double brick up to 2-3', then single brick panel were built, keeping the double brick pillars every 10' or so. This went up to a height of about 6-8', then the whole wall went back to double brick for a couple of courses then topped with an ornamental course of shaped bricks. So I was thinking that you could use then thinnest blocks as the panels (3"?) with bricks or cut blocks for the pillars. This is to break up the very long and boring surface.
Frank