Building a brick pillar - strengthening?

dwto...@googlemail.com

unread,

Oct 23, 2013, 4:29:33 PM10/23/13

to

Hi all,

I want to build some brick pillars to support railings, so that it looks rather like:

http://www.elyriafence.com/images/sm_deck_brick_bordeaux.jpg

The railings will be 1100mm high. I don't want to make the pillars any bigger than 2 bricks per course if I can help it, but will that be strong enough? I am using bricks from a range which has double-height sizes too, so I could change the pattern if that would make it stronger, rather than single-height courses with 2 bricks per course.

thanks,

dan.

dennis@home

unread,

Oct 23, 2013, 6:56:07 PM10/23/13

to

If the brick have hole in them you can put rebar down them to make it a
lot stronger.

Tim Lamb

unread,

Oct 24, 2013, 3:28:48 AM10/24/13

to

In message <526853fd$0$12714$c3e8da3$6901...@news.astraweb.com>,
"dennis@home" <den...@killspam.kicks-ass.net> writes

Yes. The last *frost proof* bricks I used had 3 equally spaced large
holes which might line up nicely in that configuration.

--
Tim Lamb

Andrew Mawson

unread,

Oct 24, 2013, 3:43:14 AM10/24/13

to

"Tim Lamb" wrote in message
news:V9290mOw...@marfordfarm.demon.co.uk...

Without some sort of reinforcing they won't be anything like strong enough,
I'm sure it would be easy just to push it over however strong the mortar.
Mind you I do tend to over engineer things - the last pillar I built was
something like twelve bricks to a course, surrounded a 10x6 RSJ that was
bedded into the 3' footings, and was filled with concrete ! It does hinge a
12 foot gate though and the hinges are welded onto the RSJ as is the
automation pivot.

AWEM

harryagain

unread,

Oct 24, 2013, 4:05:20 AM10/24/13

to

<dwto...@googlemail.com> wrote in message
news:88ba2cc3-57ea-494c...@googlegroups.com...

The piers as shown have very little strength.
The weak point is at ground level.
Any reinforcing will have to go from the footing into the brickwork.
Holes in bricks don't line up you will find and are too small anyway
I recommend you make the pier half a brick bigger and put a thick rebar up
the centre from a point well into the footing.
Ideally with a hook on the bottom so it can't pullout of the concrete.

Dave Liquorice

unread,

Oct 24, 2013, 4:17:02 AM10/24/13

to

On Thu, 24 Oct 2013 08:43:14 +0100, Andrew Mawson wrote:

> Without some sort of reinforcing they won't be anything like strong
> enough, I'm sure it would be easy just to push it over however strong
> the mortar.

Agreed.

> Mind you I do tend to over engineer things - the last pillar I built was
> something like twelve bricks to a course, surrounded a 10x6 RSJ that was
> bedded into the 3' footings, and was filled with concrete ! It does
> hinge a 12 foot gate though and the hinges are welded onto the RSJ as is
> the automation pivot.

Well that ought to keep the elephants out. B-)

If the bricks don't have holes a single bit of 1/2" rebar down the
middle will be enough. It does need to be driven into the ground or
foundations maybe a foot > 18" but that would also apply to holy
bricks as well.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Andrew Gabriel

unread,

Oct 25, 2013, 4:18:58 PM10/25/13

to

In article <nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk>,

"Dave Liquorice" <allsortsn...@howhill.com> writes:
> If the bricks don't have holes a single bit of 1/2" rebar down the
> middle will be enough. It does need to be driven into the ground or
> foundations maybe a foot > 18" but that would also apply to holy
> bricks as well.

The rebar should be set into the foundations. Otherwise you will
just push the pier off the foundations with the leverage you have.
Remember that the foundation is for the wall, not just a brick pier;
do bare that in mind when sizing the foundations.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]