Hello,
We are in the process of building a deck (350 cm x 800 cm) that partially rests on the ground and partially (about 30%) on two wooden posts (approximately 120 cm high). We want to use the space under the deck as open storage space, so we plan to start by casting a concrete slab. The garden consists of pure clay. Currently, it looks like in image #1.
We are planning to proceed as follows.
Image #2
1) Dig out an area of 350 cm x 200 cm that is 45 cm deep
2) Place a geotextile (black in the picture)
3) Fill with 15 cm of coarse gravel or crushed stone for drainage
4) Compact the gravel with a hand tamper
5) Lay out crown supports with reinforcement mesh 15 cm above the gravel
6) Pour 30 cm of concrete on top of the gravel
7) Insert reinforcement bars (brown in the picture) along the far edge that stick up about 20 cm for the future retaining wall
8) Insert two post shoes (black in the picture) for the future wooden posts
9) Let it dry for 1 week
Image #3
1) Begin building the retaining wall with concrete blocks
2) Maintain a 10 cm distance to the adjacent soil
3) Reinforcement mesh for every third layer of concrete blocks
4) Cover ground and soil wall behind the wall with geotextile
5) Place 20 cm of gravel behind the wall
6) Place a drainage pipe (blue in the picture)
7) Fill with the remaining gravel up to the top of the concrete blocks
Image #4
The hope is that it will look like this when everything is finished.
------------------------------------------------
Now I wonder if you have any comments on the above. Is it a reasonable approach? Is 30 cm of concrete sufficient? Etc?
I should add that we live on the continent and it never gets colder than -15 in winter. A normal winter is between -5 and +10 degrees.
All comments are welcome!
Thanks in advance.
We are in the process of building a deck (350 cm x 800 cm) that partially rests on the ground and partially (about 30%) on two wooden posts (approximately 120 cm high). We want to use the space under the deck as open storage space, so we plan to start by casting a concrete slab. The garden consists of pure clay. Currently, it looks like in image #1.
We are planning to proceed as follows.
Image #2
1) Dig out an area of 350 cm x 200 cm that is 45 cm deep
2) Place a geotextile (black in the picture)
3) Fill with 15 cm of coarse gravel or crushed stone for drainage
4) Compact the gravel with a hand tamper
5) Lay out crown supports with reinforcement mesh 15 cm above the gravel
6) Pour 30 cm of concrete on top of the gravel
7) Insert reinforcement bars (brown in the picture) along the far edge that stick up about 20 cm for the future retaining wall
8) Insert two post shoes (black in the picture) for the future wooden posts
9) Let it dry for 1 week
Image #3
1) Begin building the retaining wall with concrete blocks
2) Maintain a 10 cm distance to the adjacent soil
3) Reinforcement mesh for every third layer of concrete blocks
4) Cover ground and soil wall behind the wall with geotextile
5) Place 20 cm of gravel behind the wall
6) Place a drainage pipe (blue in the picture)
7) Fill with the remaining gravel up to the top of the concrete blocks
Image #4
The hope is that it will look like this when everything is finished.
------------------------------------------------
Now I wonder if you have any comments on the above. Is it a reasonable approach? Is 30 cm of concrete sufficient? Etc?
I should add that we live on the continent and it never gets colder than -15 in winter. A normal winter is between -5 and +10 degrees.
All comments are welcome!
Thanks in advance.
