Using old Bricks as Gravel under Block and Beam Foundation

[Patrick]

I am nearly done with my entire demolition. We only got the little Brick Plinths wall left where the previous suspended Timber floor was sitting on :

(This was the previous Timber Floor):

 

 

 

 

 

The new Foundations go in the exact same spot as the old Brick wall

 

(this is whats left of the now) :

 

 

 

So my Problem is, I want to re use as many of the old bricks as possible , but a fair amount is just crushed or falling to pieces when you touch them.

 

I am going to remove the bottom of the walls with a mini digger, but would like to avoid carrying/driving the old bricks that cant be reused out of the site.

 

So my Plan was to keep them in the middle, underneath the new buildings Block and Beam floor .

Maybe crush them to Gravel and fill the bottom of the Trenches as well.

 

The only rule I am aware of atm for suspended Block and Beam floor is, that you need an airgap/clearance underneath of at least 150mm , better 225mm which is ventilated and clear of organic material.

 

Is there any rules or practical reason not to do this .

 

So my plan was

next, to dig out the old wall and at the same time dig the trenches for the new build , ready for the piling contractor to put piles in and concrete the RC beam with the Piles in 1 go .

 

Any suggestions?

 

[Mr Punter]

It is OK to have inert rubble under the suspended floor. Make sure it is OK with the piling contractor as they sometimes need special support for larger rigs.  If there is any topsoil I would remove it.

[Carrerahill]

3 minutes ago, Patrick said:

I am nearly done with my entire demolition. We only got the little Brick Plinths wall left where the previous suspended Timber floor was sitting on :

(This was the previous Timber Floor):

 

 

 

 

 

The new Foundations go in the exact same spot as the old Brick wall

 

(this is whats left of the now) :

 

 

 

So my Problem is, I want to re use as many of the old bricks as possible , but a fair amount is just crushed or falling to pieces when you touch them.

 

I am going to remove the bottom of the walls with a mini digger, but would like to avoid carrying/driving the old bricks that cant be reused out of the site.

 

So my Plan was to keep them in the middle, underneath the new buildings Block and Beam floor .

Maybe crush them to Gravel and fill the bottom of the Trenches as well.

 

The only rule I am aware of atm for suspended Block and Beam floor is, that you need an airgap/clearance underneath of at least 150mm , better 225mm which is ventilated and clear of organic material.

 

Is there any rules or practical reason not to do this .

 

So my plan was

next, to dig out the old wall and at the same time dig the trenches for the new build , ready for the piling contractor to put piles in and concrete the RC beam with the Piles in 1 go .

 

Any suggestions?

 

Seems fine, this sort of thing is now very common in large civil engineering projects, it helps with SKA ratings and BREAM etc. that is, of course, if they can be used on site.

 

I contemplated hiring a crusher to crush the old garage and concrete, it may have been cheaper than skips at £500.00 for the weekend but I didn't event see the need. My civil engineer helped me with the clever reuse of most materials and how to best re-purpose them. It was noted early on that very little waste would need to leave site.

 

In the end I decided just to use the brick as first cover over the garage site before 8 tons of 6F2 and type 1 and staged compaction. Part of my old garage is also now down a 4m deep hole under the lawn. The bits of wall left of my garage is going to be spread over about 30m^2 then have hardcore compacted over it all before I pour an apron for the garage and granite setts over it all (which I found under my old garage!).

 

Parts of my house were laid like cobbles between the extension walls, sand blinding run in between them then concrete over the lot, also about 10 x 9'x2' toughened glass roof panels broken into a pile of "aggregate" which will remain forever under 100mm of over-site concrete. I have so far removed all the waste from my site in the back of a Volvo estate! We are due to have a wood burn which will be within the confines of part of the cold garage to control it and I will keep it small and let it burn all day long for as long as I need - it is all untreated waste timber so will burn cleanly enough. I mutually de-nailed and prepared 100's of meters of timber to be kept - it will end up as planters or shelf's in the garage or something.

 

 

 

 

[Patrick]

16 minutes ago, Carrerahill said:

Parts of my house were laid like cobbles between the extension walls, sand blinding run in between them then concrete over the lot, also about 10 x 9'x2' toughened glass roof panels broken into a pile of "aggregate" which will remain forever under 100mm of over-site concrete. I have so far removed all the waste from my site in the back of a Volvo estate! We are due to have a wood burn which will be within the confines of part of the cold garage to control it and I will keep it small and let it burn all day long for as long as I need - it is all untreated waste timber so will burn cleanly enough. I mutually de-nailed and prepared 100's of meters of timber to be kept - it will end up as planters or shelf's in the garage or something. 

 

 

 

 

Fair play to you. Thats exactly what I am looking for. So far successful .

I am also keen on bringing as little  Gravel/Sand/Aggregate as possible .

Access is a bas#$%d at mine.

[Russell griffiths]

All I would say is it’s not normal to dig your ring beam trench before the piling contractor, he may struggle to get his rig in position with trenches everywhere, he will also collapse the sides of your trench with his rig. 

Normally put piles in then dig between the piles. 

[Patrick]

12 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

All I would say is it’s not normal to dig your ring beam trench before the piling contractor, he may struggle to get his rig in position with trenches everywhere, he will also collapse the sides of your trench with his rig.  

Normally put piles in then dig between the piles. 

Agreed . Thats how it will normally be done.

Problem is that I have to dig out in order to get most of the exisitng Brick wall out.

Alternatively I could do as you say by lowering the Brick wall to Ground level, let the Piling Contractor put the Piles in and than dig out the trenches (with the exisitng brick wall) in between the Piles.

Would take your advice serious , as I m a big fan of your ring beam method and am planning to copy it . Specially the Swift Form, which I think is brilliant

[Russell griffiths]

3 hours ago, Patrick said:

Agreed . Thats how it will normally be done.

Problem is that I have to dig out in order to get most of the exisitng Brick wall out.

Alternatively I could do as you say by lowering the Brick wall to Ground level, let the Piling Contractor put the Piles in and than dig out the trenches (with the exisitng brick wall) in between the Piles.

Would take your advice serious , as I m a big fan of your ring beam method and am planning to copy it . Specially the Swift Form, which I think is brilliant

If you talk to swift form make sure you mention me and the pics on there website, I have an order I will be placing soon and expect a reasonable discount. 

[Patrick]

3 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

If you talk to swift form make sure you mention me and the pics on there website, I have an order I will be placing soon and expect a reasonable discount. 

Will do !