Need Advice on Creating Brick Pillars Using Cast Concrete Posts in the Centre

by **Plumb-bob** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 10:45 am

Hello DIY'ers

Im starting a new project and would really appreciate some advice and how-to's...

I've got some cast concrete posts, 9ft in length. I want to make some brick pillars, 6ft high but have the concrete posts in the center for support (instead of steel support rods/rebars.

Ground is soft clay. Ive read that i need to have 1/3 of the posts in the ground and the the width of the hole should be 2x the over width of the column - are these guidelines accurate? Finally, should the bottom of the hole be flat or more v-shaped & how would i support the post at the bottom - broken bricks or concrete base?

Thanks all!

by **welsh brickie** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 5:22 pm

if your going to use these posts, then you need to dig a square hole at least 400mm wide to allow for the brickwork to sit on,
I would brace the posts with timber to hold them straight the concrete can be as thick as you want, so long as its over a minimum of 150mm thick

by **Plumb-bob** » Thu Mar 19, 2015 10:53 am

Thanks Welsh Brickie....i read that the foundation should be approx 1/3 of the post length...i have 8ft posts, so would i have to dig down about 2.5ft??
I agree with the 400mm width for the bricks to sit on, seems enough i think.
Would i need any sort of footing at the base of the hole like broken bricks or a slab??
cheers