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How to lay bricks for raised flower bed?

Brunnie_Rich
Growing in Experience

How to lay bricks for raised flower bed?

I'm looking to recycle bricks to build a raised flower bed, along the length of my fence (pls see pic).
I've been doing a little research on what the bricks should sit on and I'm wondering just how much foundation will be required.

Should I:

 

A) Lay a concrete slab, reinforced with metal bar, under gravel, using a wooden frame, 

B) Lay a concrete slab, under gravel, using a wooden frame, 

C) Lay a concrete slab on top of the compacted soil, using a wooden frame

D) Another way - please tell me :smile: 

 

All approaches would be looking to use a 4 inch thick concrete slab, and levelled using string and appropriate spirit levelling.

The slab would include drainage through the bottom or sides of bricks.

 

Here's the dug trench, still in progress. I'm aware the fence posts have been exposed to soil - previous house owners choice.
The slab will sit a few inches away from the fence line. 

 

Thanks in advance for any advice or insights!


IMG_6599.jpg

 

Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Hi @Brunnie_Rich,

 

It's one of those things where you really should be compacting the ground. All good solid concrete foundations are built upon compacted bases. Your soil might be adequately compacted, but it's almost impossible for us to be able to know. My only thoughts are that once you build the garden beds, it would be a shame if an area subsided and for all your hard work to be ruined. At the very least, I'd encourage you to hire a compactor for a few hours and go over the soil with it.

 

Mitchell

 

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Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Hi @MitchellMc , 

 

Ok, thanks for the advice, you're right, it would be a shame for the hard work to go to waste should anything subside! 
I'll look to add in a layer of what you recommended before the concrete and compact. Thanks again for the advice, very much appreciated.

Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Hi @EricL @MitchellMc 

 

Happy new year :smile: 

I promised an update, and have attached the progress so far. 

 

I've another one or two layers of brick to add, and then will bead and render. For the concrete breeze blocks (the grey ones), would they need rendering inside the bed, to protect from any soil/moisture leaching through and affecting the outside render?

 

Btw, I have made some mistakes along the way (with the slab sizing), but used a fair bit of bar in there, so hopefully it'll be ok in the long run!

 

IMG_7114.jpg

Thanks,
Rich

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Hi @Brunnie_Rich

 

Thank you so much for the photo updates. You've made fantastic progress and it's looking very good.  

 

Please keep us updated with your progress, we look forward to the grand reveal when it's all put together.

 

Eric

 

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Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Hi @Brunnie_Rich,

 

That's looking great!

 

Rendering the inside won't prevent water from seeping through the breeze blocks. Render is cement-based, just like the blocks. If you want to stop water transferring through, you can apply Crommelin Exterior Grade Brushable Waterproofer on the inside. This will assist with preventing water staining on the render. Apart from the aesthetical discolouration of the render, I don't believe the moisture transferring through the wall will damage it. Render breathes and should allow the water to transpire through it quite quickly. If you use paint or a sealer on the exterior render, you'll need to waterproof the inside wall. Otherwise, the water pressure will blow the render off the wall.

 

Please keep us updated and reach out if you need further assistance.

 

Mitchell

 

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Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Thanks @MitchellMc , 

 

That's really great info to know, I'm glad you told me that!
I am planning to paint the render after, so will need to use that waterproofer on the inside then. 
I'll keep you posted on the progress, and thanks again for all of the feedback so far, this is a great community and source of advice. 

 

cc @EricL @tom_builds 

Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Hi @MitchellMc @EricL @tom_builds , 

 

I finally got my bench set in place and thought I'd share the end result. I'm pleased with the result overall and now need to get some plants in there. 

I do have some small hairline cracking where the seat sits directly on top of the beading - I may repair this in future. I think it's where the beading may not have been adequately stuck to the brick work as it appeared before the seat was placed, but the additional pressure may increase this over time. Not a big deal for me currently! There's also some run off from the timber stain, this I'm hoping will stop after a few rains. And, in one of the photo's you'll see some solar lighting wires coming from the tree - these aren't cracks in the render, just temporarily hanging there for now!

 

Thank you al for your advice, really helpful and made this project a lot less stressful, thanks :smile:

I do have one further question for advice - drainage around the foot of the planter - what would be the best way to allow water to flow around this?

IMG_9785.jpgIMG_9786.jpg

 

 

EricL
Bunnings Team Member
Bunnings Team Member

Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Hello @Brunnie_Rich

 

I suggest looking at either Agi drains or Everhard Easy drains. Both products will require you to dig a channel in order to install them. Plus you'll also need to consider where they will drain out to. From a design point of view, you can accessorize the top of the agi drain with pebbles so that it will look nice, unfortunately, the Easy Drain will need to be left open so that nothing obstructs the flow of water into the channel.

 

Let me call on our experienced members @Jewelleryrescue and @homeinmelbourne for their recommendations.

 

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

 

Eric

 

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Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

Great job on the bench seat @Brunnie_Rich. It looks fantastic and I'm sure will inspire many other Workshop community members.

 

Jason

 

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Re: Advice needed to lay brick raised flower bed

 

Hi @Brunnie_Rich   Nice   brick work  and I also  use pavers as brick work capping stones :smile: 

 

Re your water drainage question:  Unless your ground is becoming a soggy mess I wouldnt be to concerned if it rains and some water is trapped againt the wall i am assuming.  I have  brick work  it traps water for a short while next day it is gone.  I do have an ag drain through the wall but is it worth the  effort drilling some holes through  yet .  One day if i get bored as I am working other projects currently

 

 

Plan A slightly raise soil level in the trapped water zone  so a tiny slope 1:20  allows water to flow to the ends of  the brick work.

 

Plan B dig a small trench 100x 100mm deep along the front fill with graval and sand take it to the ends of the wall.  As @EricL  says a ag  pipe is the ultimate if you have serious pooling water but ag pipe would be 150mm down by the time you top cover it with gravel  and it need to go some where  or  let the water bubble up at a blind end once it past brick work. You can always extend it at need. If you get floods best to take into storm water  pipe back towards your house so your neighbours arnt impacted by concentrated  water flows. Grass will grow across trench.

 

I hope your water issue is slight :smile:

 

Re your garden If you mulch it on top Suger can  or  Whoflungdun  after  dig a few worm s up and slip the under the compost and the soil  the worms  came from too in case there is  worm castings they will help  transport  and fast track a   lively earthy eco system. 

 

 

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