Washing line base

[richie4236]

I recently bought a rotary washing line and need to install it in our garden.

It comes with a ~20cm plastic socket which needs to be embeded in concrete. I'm assuming from the length of the socket that the base needs to be about 20cm deep, but I'm not sure what other dimensions to give it.

Also, not done any concrete before. Can anyone recommend the best stuff to buy to make it as easy (and idiot proof) as possible?

How do I know how much I need to fill a hole 20cm by X by Y? i.e. does it expand or contract on pouring?

Thanks

 

[Symptoms]

richie - you can get a tubular steel spike/socket for these washing lines for about £4. They're about 4 or 500mm long and are designed to be driven into the ground (a bit like a Metpost) - never used one myself but it might be worth a try first to save all that digging/concreting. When I moved into my house years ago the previous owners had driven a length of scaffold pole (it was about 5' long) ½ way into the lawn for their rotary line to drop into. It was very stable/firm and had the advantage (over the above spike/socket) of making the line higher off the ground - this was good as it raised the height of the angled poles above eye-level (just imagine walking into one and poking your eye out). NO CONCRETE NEEDED FOR EITHER OF THESE METHODS SO IT'S DEAD EASY.

 

[kevindgas]

the metal ones are excellent just use a block of wood to go
between your hammer and the spike so as not to damage it
and when you want to move it just dig it up

 

[LeadFarmer]

Ive put a couple of the plastic spikes in my garden and have used bags of PostFix (a bag of ready mixed concrete that you just add water to).

The first one I went a bit overboared with the concrete. I dug down about twice the depth of the spike and about 18" wide, requiring more than one bag of postfix. The spike remained solid as a rock when in use.

With the second one I dug a smaller hole and used less postfix, and the rotary washing line rocks from side to side when in use. I have now got to dig it out, smash the concrete off the spike, dig a bigger hole and re lay some concrete.

So dig a decent size hole and use more that one bag of postfix (or ready mixed concrete) if necessary. And try and remember to lay the spike slightly lower that the lawn surface to save it from the lawnmower.

The bags of mixed concrete can be bought from B&Q for about £3. Normally you need to wet the hole, pour in the mix, insert the spike and pour in some water. Hold the spike steady while you tamp the wet mix if needed. The hardest part is getting the spike 90 degrees to the ground so your rotary post ends up straight.

 

[roberta1000]

If I were you I'd use Symptoms's suggestion and trawl though B&Q or Homebase (often available on Ebay also) for a metal tubular spike which you can just drive in with a sledgehammer. They're long enough to be quite stable without concreting. Just a bit of care needed to get them driven in reasonably square.

I wouldn't concrete one in because it's more bother in the first place and if you want to move it later it wiill be a right pain.