Garden Arch... spikes or Postcrete???

[jaywalker]

I want to erect a Garden Arch. I am caught between using spikes or Postcrete (or similar).

Can anyone shed light on this subject. Has anyone had experience of erecting an arch using spikes or Postcrete (or similar).

The Arch

The dimensions are as follows:
Total Height = 2.10m (2100cm)
Trellis Sides Height = 1.80m (1800cm)
Width (Adjustable up to) = 1.60m (1600cm)
Overall Width = 1.80m (1800cm)
Depth = 0.68m (680cm)

Thanks
JayWalker

 

[masona]

The problem with met-post, it's not easy to line up and I'm not a lover of met-post as they trap water at the of bottom post, I would dig 4 holes approximately 300-400mm deep using postcrete if the posts are long enough.

 

[Thermo]

met posts rank alongside expanding foam in my opinion as the most pants horrible building products designed to save time, that do anything but that.

concrete them in

 

[jaywalker]

...with met-post, it's not easy to line up and I'm not a lover of met-post as they trap water at the of bottom post...

do you know of any pitfalls or negatives of using Postcrete or similar?

 

[seneca]

What I found useful was digging holes, whack them down to compress the soil, throwing half a brick at the bottom of each and then standing the arch on them. Get it level and pour the concrete mix around. Should set fine.

I prefered using the stuff you mix with water. I know someone who tried it with the dry variety you just pour in and leave; it never set well.

 

[Thermo]

use the hanson postcrete. its has decent sized aggregates in and sets well. we use it all the time for fencing work. pour it in dry and then ram it home well, before poring the water in

 

[jaywalker]

So Hanson sounds better than Wickes' Postcrete and putting half a brick in the hole for the posts to stand on sounds like a good idea - i think!

Getting it level will be the key.

 

[Thermo]

never bother with bricks etc when we do fence posts. Get a post level. It will cost about £3 and allows you to get it plumb in both planes spot on. Dont overdig the holes and make sure you mark them out carfully first.

 

[jaywalker]

never bother with bricks etc when we do fence posts. Get a post level. It will cost about £3 and allows you to get it plumb in both planes spot on. Dont overdig the holes and make sure you mark them out carfully first.

...a post level like this?

Now that's something I need to get!

Good advice

 

[masona]

Get the one with bubble in the middle though.












okay, okay, I'm bored

 

[Thermo]

and with an elastic band! (seriously!)


im bored too!

 

[jaywalker]

Get the one with bubble in the middle though.

Yeah, I'll make sure to ask for one of those - Ta!

 

[seneca]

never come across one of those before. Must get one. The only reason I thought of the brick was because I was having to do the project on my own and wanted to get the archway level and in position before fillling in. If you have someone to hold the frame whilst you start piling the concrete in then so much the better. Having the frame rest on bricks meant I got it bang on level and the thing didn't move whilst I concreted.

If you thanks that's ingenious, you haven't heard how I created a pulley sytem to act as an extra pair of hands on another project!

 

[Thermo]

its amazing the things you come up with when you have to do something on your own!

 

[jaywalker]

yeah I know; it'll be interesting to see what I'll have to do to get this up cos I'll be on my own.