I want to put a simple raised planter around the perimeter of my back yard that will be built of bricks maybe, say, three or four rows high (about 12 inches). What do I need to lay down on the soil as (or under) my first layer? Anything special?
- Magnusfarce
If I were building a 12 inch retaining wall, I would want to have a footer below frost level. How deep if it exist at all, that may be depends on where you live.
No frost, just warm weather here in SoCal. And since it'll only be retaining 8 to 10 inches of soil, so I'm not really worried about strength.
- Magnusfarce
You may get some worthwhile tips from your local buiding inpection department. Some of the issues are type of soil, whether it is stable when wet (adobe soil e.g.) and perhaps other known unusual local characteristics. The inspectors can often recall successful similar projects, and that knowledge will be useful for your planter wall. HTH
Joe
I built a similar planter, four rows high, and dug out a footer trench about
14" wide and 6" deep, then built 1x4 forms to result in concrete cross section of 4x12", with a compacted gravel or sand base, and a pair of 1/4 or 3/8 inch rebars running the length of the footer. Rented an electric mixer, and mixed concrete by the wheelbarrow load, to fill the forms. This was for a swampy/sandy area. More durable soil may take less width of footer, I don't know. I also put weep holes (just skipped the edge mortar) between every 4th brick, on the bottom row, to assure drainage There are also good resources at home improvement stores in the do it yourself magazine and book sections, that have specific suggestions for how to do footers, etc. Look under brick/masonry projects, and garden/patio plan books. Also lots of info on the web via google. Also, many sources on the net, via google, e.g.
Look into garden wall blocks. They do not require a concrete footing, are fairly easy and forgiving with which to work, and work well.
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