Good evening everyone!
A while ago, I already shared my frustration about the unsatisfactory view facing our neighbor’s garden, where they have placed a metal shed right on the boundary. We’re now thinking about how to improve our side of the garden to avoid looking at that shed for years to come.
My latest idea: I’d like to build something like a ruined wall. I have a strong urge to do some masonry work. The problem: I’ve never laid bricks or stones before in my life.
I’ve attached an example picture. (Please ignore the window—I think I would skip that.)
What do you think—how difficult would this be? Could I just buy a few square meters of facing bricks / veneer bricks from Röben and some mortar and start building? Are there better or cheaper stones for this? I’d like the look to be as rustic as possible. Unfortunately, there’s nothing available on local online marketplaces right now—I’m also not a big fan of picking up large loads, since I’d have to rent a vehicle to transport them because they won’t fit in my A1.
How would you anchor something like this in the ground? Can I just dig a shallow trench (20cm (8 inches)?) and set the first stone in the earth, then build on top of that? Or do I need concrete underneath?
Would something like this stand up to strong winds? How far would I need to set this back onto my property (setback distance) so it’s not considered a fence? If it stays under 180cm (6 ft) high, I assume it wouldn’t require a building permit / planning permission? (Sorry if these are region-specific questions—feel free to ignore them.)
Best regards,
the creatively minded Kati
A while ago, I already shared my frustration about the unsatisfactory view facing our neighbor’s garden, where they have placed a metal shed right on the boundary. We’re now thinking about how to improve our side of the garden to avoid looking at that shed for years to come.
My latest idea: I’d like to build something like a ruined wall. I have a strong urge to do some masonry work. The problem: I’ve never laid bricks or stones before in my life.
I’ve attached an example picture. (Please ignore the window—I think I would skip that.)
What do you think—how difficult would this be? Could I just buy a few square meters of facing bricks / veneer bricks from Röben and some mortar and start building? Are there better or cheaper stones for this? I’d like the look to be as rustic as possible. Unfortunately, there’s nothing available on local online marketplaces right now—I’m also not a big fan of picking up large loads, since I’d have to rent a vehicle to transport them because they won’t fit in my A1.
How would you anchor something like this in the ground? Can I just dig a shallow trench (20cm (8 inches)?) and set the first stone in the earth, then build on top of that? Or do I need concrete underneath?
Would something like this stand up to strong winds? How far would I need to set this back onto my property (setback distance) so it’s not considered a fence? If it stays under 180cm (6 ft) high, I assume it wouldn’t require a building permit / planning permission? (Sorry if these are region-specific questions—feel free to ignore them.)
Best regards,
the creatively minded Kati
kati1337 schrieb:
He said that if it really stays at -12°C (10°F) outside for several weeks and the ground freezes that deeply, the wall might suffer a bit or settle,After settling, it’s still basically a ruin. I would install 1-2 short wall segments horizontally in a few spots for stability against toppling and to serve as a base for pots/decorations.
O
Osnabruecker9 Apr 2021 11:04ypg schrieb:
Unfortunately, including mortar (which isn’t exactly cheap either if you buy it bit by bit in 20 kg (44 lbs) bags from the hardware store due to lack of storage), it’s quite an expensive matter.Mortar? Expensive?
25 kg (55 lbs) for $2.50 net.
Sand on top of that costs next to nothing by comparison.
I just get queasy every time I hold about 5 grams (0.18 oz) of plastic (for example, a ventilation slot for bricks) and pay several euros for it.
kati1337 schrieb:
Does your garden bed edging hold up well without a base?It did back then, it was the old house, and I often go through these "I need to make something" phases...Osnabruecker schrieb:
25 kg (55 lbs) for 2.50 net.
Add sand, which is also cheap by comparison.I probably had the housewife version back then: "small in the bag, but big in price." As a city dweller, you don’t always have a clear idea where or how to get sand...Here it sounds a bit more manageable since there are building material suppliers nearby 🙂
Sand? A colleague found a building material supplier where the sand for the sandbox (not play sand, regular sand) is free if the children shovel it themselves. Unfortunately, it’s too far away, so I would spend more on fuel than the sand costs.
The sandbox holds about 1 cubic meter (35 cubic feet) of sand.
@kati1337
Always compare prices including delivery. The landscaping contractor in our town started running a small building materials supply as well. The last delivery cost 5 euros (about 5 US dollars) for 2 cubic meters (70 cubic feet) of sand.
He once dropped off a smaller amount of gravel without charging for delivery since they were already passing by on the way to the construction site.
The sandbox holds about 1 cubic meter (35 cubic feet) of sand.
@kati1337
Always compare prices including delivery. The landscaping contractor in our town started running a small building materials supply as well. The last delivery cost 5 euros (about 5 US dollars) for 2 cubic meters (70 cubic feet) of sand.
He once dropped off a smaller amount of gravel without charging for delivery since they were already passing by on the way to the construction site.
haydee schrieb:
Sand? A colleague found a building materials supplier where the sand for the sandbox (not play sand, just regular sand) is free if the kids shovel it themselves.
Unfortunately, it's too far away, so I end up driving farther than the sand is worth.
Especially since the sandbox holds about 1 cubic meter (35 cubic feet) of sand. Great idea! More people should do that. My son is always excited when he gets to shovel something. Well, his stamina could be better, but that can still be improved.