Water Your Pier

leon · #1 15-03-2008, 03:54 PM

Hi Guys,

Now this may seem strange to some, and you may think that I am a bit Sun Struck, but before you race me off to the funny farm, let me explain.

Do any of you water your piers, well I do periodically.

Hear in Victoria especially, we have had drought for a very long time, it just dosn't rain much at all, and the ground is so dry everything is cracking up, the ground is literally moving, and so will your pier if it is stuck in the ground.

Being covered in an Observatory, and being set in a concrete footing wont help either, it will move as well, as dose the footings of houses when the ground dries up.

So just water your pier, Yep, every couple of weeks collect all the water from the washing machine, an pour it all around your pier, and around the foundations of your Observatory, it will stop any movement, truly.

Leon

IanL · #2 15-03-2008, 04:00 PM

Hi Leon, Never heard of that before intresting. I have heard of people when mixing concreate putting a squirt of washing up liquid through the mix. Don't what this does maybe helps the setting of it but maybe someone else has heard of this.

Clear sky's
Ian

leon · #3 15-03-2008, 04:16 PM

Ian, maybe we are a strange lot in Victoria, but I have often heard of people having garden beds on certain sides of the house, close to the foundations, so that when they water their plants the ground near the foundations gets some moisture as well, to stop drying out and movement.

leon

skwinty (Steve) · #4 15-03-2008, 05:24 PM

Hi Leon
As long as you not hoping a Paramount ME will grow
Regards
Steve

leon · #5 15-03-2008, 05:43 PM

Good one Steve,

now that would be impressive, wouldn't it.

Leon

Kokatha man · #6 15-03-2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leon

Hi Guys,

Now this may seem strange to some, and you may think that I am a bit Sun Struck, but before you race me off to the funny farm, let me explain.

Do any of you water your piers, well I do periodically.

Hear in Victoria especially, we have had drought for a very long time, it just dosn't rain much at all, and the ground is so dry everything is cracking up, the ground is literally moving, and so will your pier if it is stuck in the ground.

Being covered in an Observatory, and being set in a concrete footing wont help either, it will move as well, as dose the footings of houses when the ground dries up.

So just water your pier, Yep, every couple of weeks collect all the water from the washing machine, an pour it all around your pier, and around the foundations of your Observatory, it will stop any movement, truly.

Leon

Well, as ol' Albert was reputed to have said, "everything is relative." Yes, drying, shrinking subsoils (most specifically clays) will cause footing/foundation movement, over here in SA with "Bay of Biscay" soils in abundance house-cracking is legendary - no-one uses anything but slab/raft foundations anymore: but I guess the question you might hafta ask is - "what was the moisture level(s) around your pier when you set the alignment?"

The subsoil shrinks and expands constantly, but with (this) extended drought I guess it makes sense to keep a modicum of moisture retention in the surrounds - could suggest other "quick 'n easy" options.....

Alchemy (Clive) · #7 15-03-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Law

Hi Leon, Never heard of that before intresting. I have heard of people when mixing concreate putting a squirt of washing up liquid through the mix. Don't what this does maybe helps the setting of it but maybe someone else has heard of this.

Clear sky's
Ian

the dishwashing liquid suspends the water in the mix better stops it "bleeding" and slows down the drying time, once its set, thats it, no different to other concrete.
i do it all the time.

dugnsuz (Doug) · #8 15-03-2008, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kokatha man

Well, as ol' Albert was reputed to have said, "everything is relative." Yes, drying, shrinking subsoils (most specifically clays) will cause footing/foundation movement, over here in SA with "Bay of Biscay" soils in abundance house-cracking is legendary - no-one uses anything but slab/raft foundations anymore: but I guess the question you might hafta ask is - "what was the moisture level(s) around your pier when you set the alignment?"

The subsoil shrinks and expands constantly, but with (this) extended drought I guess it makes sense to keep a modicum of moisture retention in the surrounds - could suggest other "quick 'n easy" options.....

Agree, pre water restrictions, my old neighbour in the Northern Suburbs of Adelaide frequently watered his paved driveway!

Doug

leon · #9 16-03-2008, 12:33 PM

In answer to your question about the moisture levels when the pier was built, the ground was quite wet, the footing went down one meter, by about 600mm square, than the 300mm round pier is on top of this, with a 6 inch square steel tube, 6mm thick running through the center right to the top of the pier, to the bottom of the footing.

Leon

Glenhuon (Bill) · #10 18-03-2008, 09:09 AM

Here in Coota the soil is a clay. Causes movement in the house and shed timbers with stuck doors etc. when things get really dry (as they have been lately). Tried to open my main doors in the shed a couple of days ago and it took a fair effort. When I do get around to putting up a pier, I'll keep the hint in mind, never really thought about movement in it.

Bill