How to build a Besser brick rural property gateway?

[Femster1968]

Hi everyone,

Looking at replacing our really run down small farm entranceway with a besser brick wall/tower entranceway. It will be very basic, with a tower/column at each end of the wall.

Off these ends column/towers there will be some lightweight gates hung- reclaimed gates that have scrollwork in them- hence the reason for making them look like sandstone.

Our driveway curves just after you drive through the entranceway, so it will be bigger one one side than the other- as that is also where the paddock fencing is located.

The bigger side will have a new front boundary fence installed, with metal strainers and stays used, and will be placed very close to, but independent of this new structure.

I will then be putting render on it, to make it look like its made of sandstone (which i would ideally like to make it of but im not a muilti millionaire to afford this).

I also understand i will have to use Reo rods in the hollows in the bricks, and will have to lay the first row of bricks as the foundation, at least 3/4 the depth of the blocks, in a secure foundation.

Has anyone ever done anything like this as a DIY? Just wondering if you can recommend any books or sites that would show us how to do this.

Hubby and i can definitely do this ourselves. We know we will have to fill the besser bricks with concrete as well, and understand it will have to be done in the one day.

I've also emailed my local council to see if i need planning permission to do this.

If anyone has photos of their work in progress, it would be greatl appreciated.

Wall at this stage will be no more than about 4ft high, with the towers possibly being between 5-6 foot high.

Also wall to be no longer than 15ft, and probably shorter.

[Dave-1]

Good afternoon @Femster1968 

love the description of what you want to do and hopefully you will post some pics or the project as it unfolds (I break my projects down into segmants so they dont feel overwhelming to getting it done) I have bessa block retaining walls that are only mortared together, no reo or even concrete within them.... "Shaking my head" at whomever did it (dodgybro inc) So would love to see how yours unfolds. 

Any chance of a few pics of the area before you start?

Dave

[Femster1968]

Yep, give me about 5-10 minutes.

I’ve seen a couple of close photos on the web, I’ll try and find one somewhere and this will give you an idea of what I’m chasing.

[Femster1968]

[Femster1968]

These are one thing close, but not the gates.

just imagine then made from a sandstone rendered Besser brick.

https://www.alamy.com/metal-driveway-private-residence-property-entrance-gates-set-in-brick-fence-wi...

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @Femster1968 

Now they will look pretty swish And That will be a grand entrance to your property!  I have always wanted pretty much what you are explaining as a front gate  

Will you be raising the ground level to the same level as the driveway surface? And does the underlying ground stay marshy at all?

Really looking forward to see what you guys build

Dave

[EricL]

Hello @Femster1968 

Thanks for sharing your question about building a Besser Brick gateway. Because the gateway is such a critical part of your entrance, it has to be able to hold itself, the weight of the gate and the dynamic forces applied to it when the gate is swung open. Getting any of those factors incorrect will result in your gate getting damaged. I suggest engaging the services of an engineer and ask them to draw up a basic plan for you. 

From that plan all the construction questions will get answered, how deep the foundation needs to be, the number of reo supports and how tall the post will be. Plus, should the council require a plan from you, you can present the one made by the engineer. 

Several factors come to mind in regards to building the gateway such as soil type, concrete mix and drainage. Different soil types have different load-bearing capacities. Clayey soil tends to expand and contract with moisture changes, which can affect stability. Sandy soil, on the other hand, may not provide adequate support. 

Poorly mixed concrete can lead to cracking and early deterioration so it's important to have this right. Then there is drainage, this particular part of the gate construction is often ignored and is the typical cause of gate posts leaning or sinking.

If you want your gateway to last and be safe at the same time, I suggest consulting the professional trades and from there you can pick and choose the parts of the gate construction you can do yourself.

Let me call on our experienced members @Adam_W, @homeinmelbourne and @TedBear for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric