Ground Grid, Dynogrid etc etc - anyone used this?
- Thread starter valve90210
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Hmmmm, maybe I'll get some engineering bricks then...
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Having sorted some bricks it was time to remove the top course of bricks, add a course of half bricks and then set a nice new recessed drain cover in place.
I didn't get pics along the way as it was a hot day and being my first attempt at brick work and construction type stuff I wanted to concentrate! Anyway, here is the frame in place.
Yes there is a a bit of mortar and rubbish in the drain in this pic but as soon as the mortar had gone off we got down there and cleared it out.
Didn't take a pic of the cover in place as it was in the car ready to go to my parents house so we could attempt to drill some drain holes in it as I didn't have any drill bits suitable for the steel.
We got the holes drilled and the cover is now in place.
I also have made a start cutting grid to fit into the cover so we can fill this too and it'll match up with the rest of the parking area once it's finished.
I have also just ordered the aggregate and have a day off on friday so will be hiring a whacking plate to compact it... something else I have never used before.
Seems like it should be fairly simple though tiring work?
Any tips for the compacting? I think I'm right in saying I'll need to wet the aggregate before I start to compact it?
I didn't get pics along the way as it was a hot day and being my first attempt at brick work and construction type stuff I wanted to concentrate! Anyway, here is the frame in place.
Yes there is a a bit of mortar and rubbish in the drain in this pic but as soon as the mortar had gone off we got down there and cleared it out.
Didn't take a pic of the cover in place as it was in the car ready to go to my parents house so we could attempt to drill some drain holes in it as I didn't have any drill bits suitable for the steel.
We got the holes drilled and the cover is now in place.
I also have made a start cutting grid to fit into the cover so we can fill this too and it'll match up with the rest of the parking area once it's finished.
I have also just ordered the aggregate and have a day off on friday so will be hiring a whacking plate to compact it... something else I have never used before.
Seems like it should be fairly simple though tiring work?
Any tips for the compacting? I think I'm right in saying I'll need to wet the aggregate before I start to compact it?
Ah! Valve90210, been wondering how it's going.
Making good progress, looking very good.
You'll enjoy the wacker, will make your arms, ache, you'll find muscles you didn't know you had.
Also wear eye protection, & ear muffs.
Making good progress, looking very good.
You'll enjoy the wacker, will make your arms, ache, you'll find muscles you didn't know you had.
Also wear eye protection, & ear muffs.
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Cheers, we're really pleased with the work we've done on the drain as neither of us has done anything like that before and when we first thought we might need to work on it we thought it'd be really tricky but actually it just required some research and patience and some concentration.
Hoping to get it, if not completely finished, as near as possible to finished as we can on Friday as it's been taking much too long as we struggle to get anything done while the little boy is about.
Being a soft office worker, I've discovered a lot of muscles I didn't know about before!!
Are ear defenders expensive, might be a good idea to have a pair of my own as I've got a lot of work to do on the house and a lot of it will involve noisy power tools???
Hoping to get it, if not completely finished, as near as possible to finished as we can on Friday as it's been taking much too long as we struggle to get anything done while the little boy is about.
Being a soft office worker, I've discovered a lot of muscles I didn't know about before!!
Are ear defenders expensive, might be a good idea to have a pair of my own as I've got a lot of work to do on the house and a lot of it will involve noisy power tools???
Ear defenders vary in price from £2.99p upwards, cheap ones don't always cut out the harmful frequencies.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ear+Defenders/p56509
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p89518
I have some 3M Optime III Ear Defenders, really effective, usually quite expensive, but I got them new off the bay, at a ridiculous cheap price.
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Ear+Defenders/p56509
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p89518
I have some 3M Optime III Ear Defenders, really effective, usually quite expensive, but I got them new off the bay, at a ridiculous cheap price.
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Yetserday we had the aggregate delivered so a bit more work was done.
First the drain with the cover in place:
Terram cut and place:
Then began the work of getting the aggregate onto the are and spread out. I was quite surprised how much harder it is to shovel than dirt and mud is as the shovel just kept hitting big stones and stopping. But with a lot of hard work it's getting there.
This evening, weather permitting, I will carry on shovelling and then levelling out the aggregate ready for tomorrow when I have a whacking plate on hire...
I'm gonna get myself some ear defenders from Screwfix on the way home this evening and I have some steel toe cap boots of my Dad's so I should be all set to do it tomorrow...
I really can't wait to get this finished and be able to get on with other projects in the house!!
First the drain with the cover in place:
Terram cut and place:
Then began the work of getting the aggregate onto the are and spread out. I was quite surprised how much harder it is to shovel than dirt and mud is as the shovel just kept hitting big stones and stopping. But with a lot of hard work it's getting there.
This evening, weather permitting, I will carry on shovelling and then levelling out the aggregate ready for tomorrow when I have a whacking plate on hire...
I'm gonna get myself some ear defenders from Screwfix on the way home this evening and I have some steel toe cap boots of my Dad's so I should be all set to do it tomorrow...
I really can't wait to get this finished and be able to get on with other projects in the house!!
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Finally got a chance to do an update on this.
Last Friday, I had a day off work and my parents took the little boy for the day so we could get on with the front garden and hopefully get it finished.
Firstly we went and picked up the whacker plate from the tool hire place, then we finished off spreading the aggregate we had had delivered earlier in the week we spread it as best we could aiming for about a 75mm layer to compact down to 50mm. However it seemed like we had nowhere near enough despite having been advised by the company we got the aggregate from. I called them up and explained the situation. It turned out that although I had said we wanted a 50mm compacted final layer they had only worked it out at a 50mm uncompacted layer...
I explained that I had taken the day off work specially and needed to get on. They said they could have the extra tonne with me within an hour and half so we sat down and started watching Iron Man 3. Eventually 2 1/2 hours later they turned up and tipped the extra out onto the garden and we could get on again.
Once it was spread out we began the task of compacting it. First we sprayed it with water then we got started with the whacker...
The beginning stage of the compacting:
Almost done:
Sadly as we were trying to get as much done as possible I completely forgot to take a pic of the finished compacted layer!!!
The next stage was another layer of terram to hopefully provied as much stabilisation of the ground as possible. We then put a thin layer of top soil over the whole area.
We then made a start on getting the grid down. It went down fairly easily though as it had been used previously some of the interlocking tabs were a bit damaged so we had to spend a good bit of time trimming them. Luckily my Bosch multitool made pretty light work of the cutting work. We decided to get as many of the whole pieces of grid in place as possible and then spend time cutting the awkward curves etc later.
As luck would have it my parents offered to keep the little man over night rather then me picking him up at 6pm as planned, which meant we had an extra couple of hours of working time before we lost the light.
We got all the whole sections down and started filling the grid with some soil to make it more difficult for anyone to steal overnight.
This is how it looked when we finally called it a day:
We had a busy next couple of days then on MOnday our next door neighbours offered to take the little man with them while they went round some garden centres so we could crack on. Naturally we took them up on the offer and got to work.
We set about cutting grids to fit into the cruved edge area of the drive and the end section where due to being slightly out of square we also needed to cut down some of the sections. Again my multitool made fairly light work of it and we got all the pieces cut and in place.
The worst part was cutting the grid to go into the recessed drain cover is it needed not only cutting to size but also needed the depth cut down all over and then it needed the pressed pattern of the base cut out too. It took a fair old time but soon was finished and we set the cover in place.
We then filled in the whole area using the best of the soil we had dug out. It is not the best soil as it is quite clayey but as it is only grass we will be growing in it, it should be ok and will help to give the grid lots of strength.
The final step was to give the soil a good soaking and sow the grass seed. Once this was done the area was complete!
The finished area:
The borders have been treated with roundup (well Wilkos own version) to kill off all the rubbish grass and weeds and other plants in them and once it's all dead we'll feed the soil and dig them over ready for planting and making them pretty.
Eventually we will have a fence put up along the front and down the side of the driveway to make it nice and neat and tidy but we can't afford that at the moment sadly.
Last Friday, I had a day off work and my parents took the little boy for the day so we could get on with the front garden and hopefully get it finished.
Firstly we went and picked up the whacker plate from the tool hire place, then we finished off spreading the aggregate we had had delivered earlier in the week we spread it as best we could aiming for about a 75mm layer to compact down to 50mm. However it seemed like we had nowhere near enough despite having been advised by the company we got the aggregate from. I called them up and explained the situation. It turned out that although I had said we wanted a 50mm compacted final layer they had only worked it out at a 50mm uncompacted layer...
I explained that I had taken the day off work specially and needed to get on. They said they could have the extra tonne with me within an hour and half so we sat down and started watching Iron Man 3. Eventually 2 1/2 hours later they turned up and tipped the extra out onto the garden and we could get on again.
Once it was spread out we began the task of compacting it. First we sprayed it with water then we got started with the whacker...
The beginning stage of the compacting:
Almost done:
Sadly as we were trying to get as much done as possible I completely forgot to take a pic of the finished compacted layer!!!
The next stage was another layer of terram to hopefully provied as much stabilisation of the ground as possible. We then put a thin layer of top soil over the whole area.
We then made a start on getting the grid down. It went down fairly easily though as it had been used previously some of the interlocking tabs were a bit damaged so we had to spend a good bit of time trimming them. Luckily my Bosch multitool made pretty light work of the cutting work. We decided to get as many of the whole pieces of grid in place as possible and then spend time cutting the awkward curves etc later.
As luck would have it my parents offered to keep the little man over night rather then me picking him up at 6pm as planned, which meant we had an extra couple of hours of working time before we lost the light.
We got all the whole sections down and started filling the grid with some soil to make it more difficult for anyone to steal overnight.
This is how it looked when we finally called it a day:
We had a busy next couple of days then on MOnday our next door neighbours offered to take the little man with them while they went round some garden centres so we could crack on. Naturally we took them up on the offer and got to work.
We set about cutting grids to fit into the cruved edge area of the drive and the end section where due to being slightly out of square we also needed to cut down some of the sections. Again my multitool made fairly light work of it and we got all the pieces cut and in place.
The worst part was cutting the grid to go into the recessed drain cover is it needed not only cutting to size but also needed the depth cut down all over and then it needed the pressed pattern of the base cut out too. It took a fair old time but soon was finished and we set the cover in place.
We then filled in the whole area using the best of the soil we had dug out. It is not the best soil as it is quite clayey but as it is only grass we will be growing in it, it should be ok and will help to give the grid lots of strength.
The final step was to give the soil a good soaking and sow the grass seed. Once this was done the area was complete!
The finished area:
The borders have been treated with roundup (well Wilkos own version) to kill off all the rubbish grass and weeds and other plants in them and once it's all dead we'll feed the soil and dig them over ready for planting and making them pretty.
Eventually we will have a fence put up along the front and down the side of the driveway to make it nice and neat and tidy but we can't afford that at the moment sadly.
Great job, looking good, found the work harder going than you expected.
, a lot of peeps surprised them selves, when they tackle a job they have never done before.
You may find that the soil will still settle in those grids a bit.
Once you have the borders done & planted, & the grass has grown, it's going to look superb.
Manhole is well hidden.
, a lot of peeps surprised them selves, when they tackle a job they have never done before. You may find that the soil will still settle in those grids a bit.
Once you have the borders done & planted, & the grass has grown, it's going to look superb.
Manhole is well hidden.
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Thanks, we're really pleased with it!!! Thanks for your help and advice along the way, it's really been invaluable!!!
By far the worst part was the digging out and if I was going to do anything like it again I would definitely hire either a digger or a man and a digger as it would probably only take a morning to get it all dug out rather than the huge amout of time it took to do it manually - partially due to the soil be so hard and compacted from the previous owners having parked cars on it.
The framing wasn't too bad, the aggregate spreading and compacting was actuallly good fun (the scalpings had a stange but quite pleasant smell to it which was nice after the horrible dirt and cat poo smells we had been working with previously!!
Laying the grid was actually really simple and apart from a couple of bits at the very edge where we hadn't managed to get the aggregate compacted quite so well it laid nicely as the base was nice and flat.
This was by far the biggest diy type job I have ever undertaken and to have completed it and have it looking pretty good is very satisfying. I can't wait for the grass to grow and to get the borders dug and planted up.
The soil has settled in the grid a bit but I'm happy with that as it means the main base of the grass will be below the surface of the grid so mowing shouldn't damage it.
By far the worst part was the digging out and if I was going to do anything like it again I would definitely hire either a digger or a man and a digger as it would probably only take a morning to get it all dug out rather than the huge amout of time it took to do it manually - partially due to the soil be so hard and compacted from the previous owners having parked cars on it.
The framing wasn't too bad, the aggregate spreading and compacting was actuallly good fun (the scalpings had a stange but quite pleasant smell to it which was nice after the horrible dirt and cat poo smells we had been working with previously!!
Laying the grid was actually really simple and apart from a couple of bits at the very edge where we hadn't managed to get the aggregate compacted quite so well it laid nicely as the base was nice and flat.
This was by far the biggest diy type job I have ever undertaken and to have completed it and have it looking pretty good is very satisfying. I can't wait for the grass to grow and to get the borders dug and planted up.
The soil has settled in the grid a bit but I'm happy with that as it means the main base of the grass will be below the surface of the grid so mowing shouldn't damage it.
Associate
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Can you take a shot closer to the manhole cover?
Where we've just bought has a manhole cover that's in a worse state than yours, but it's slap bang in the middle of the back lawn.
I need some ideas of what the hell to do with it, and wondered how yours looked after completion - it can't be bad as I can't even spot it in the photos you've posted/
Where we've just bought has a manhole cover that's in a worse state than yours, but it's slap bang in the middle of the back lawn.
I need some ideas of what the hell to do with it, and wondered how yours looked after completion - it can't be bad as I can't even spot it in the photos you've posted/
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Will do re the closer shot, I'll try to do it this evening if I get a chance. In the mean time, here is one of the above pics with te location of the drain cover roughly marked:
I'd suggest having a dig about to see just how deep the cover is and have a measure to see what sort of height you have from the top of the bricks it is sat on to the level of the lawn.
You could do the same as I have done and set in a new recessed drain cover, with one of those in place you could fill it with soil and grow grass so it matches in with the lawn but maintains the access.
You might have to do as I did and alter the mounting height by removing/adding a coarse of bricks but it really is simple!!!
I'd suggest having a dig about to see just how deep the cover is and have a measure to see what sort of height you have from the top of the bricks it is sat on to the level of the lawn.
You could do the same as I have done and set in a new recessed drain cover, with one of those in place you could fill it with soil and grow grass so it matches in with the lawn but maintains the access.
You might have to do as I did and alter the mounting height by removing/adding a coarse of bricks but it really is simple!!!
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Our lawn is as pockmarked as a teenagers face, I'd guess there is a good 2 inches height difference in places so it's going to take a lot of work over the autumn\winter to sort.
I followed your thread before the latest pics interested in how you were going to deal with the manhole cover conundrum, and the latest pictures have convinced me how good our lawn could look.
Once upon a time I was excited by plastic vehicles that turned into robots, now I get keyed up by man hole covers, damn I've got old (To be fair though, Transformers are still awesome).
I followed your thread before the latest pics interested in how you were going to deal with the manhole cover conundrum, and the latest pictures have convinced me how good our lawn could look.
Once upon a time I was excited by plastic vehicles that turned into robots, now I get keyed up by man hole covers, damn I've got old (To be fair though, Transformers are still awesome).
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Yep, that's exactly what I did, as you suggested, and all seems well thus far!
I have to say I'm really pleased with how the manhole cover went. I wasn't sure what to do with it until the chap next door who works for a construction firm suggested dripping it a bit and resetting the cover. Initially I thought it would be really difficult but actually it just took some research, lots of question asking (Nightglow has helped me hugely with this project!) and some patience andit turned out to be pretty simple and very effective.
I know what you mean not too long ago I was excited by putting together a new pc purely for BF3, now I'm reading up on alll sorts of power tools, researching how different diy projects can be tackled and putting together a christmas list which mainly involves power tools and diy kit....
That said I'm on the brink of ordering BF4 as well so there is still some hope for me!!!
It's contagious bug, I still get excited going in a good tool shop, even on holiday,
I have far too many power tools,have a lockable steel cupboard, had to add another shelf for the additional power tools,as it's starting to overflow a bit.
Giving the workshop a spring clean over the last two days, & the hand tools accumulated over the last 30+ years is shocking, they are taking over, four tool chests, one four drawer & a eight drawer cabinet & I still haven't got enough storage space.
And drill bits, hss, brad point,augers, counted over 100 sds bits in just one drawer.
Valve: Be careful they will take you over in time, but one piece of advice buy quality tools, they will last a lifetime, compared to cheap ones, it's the same with power tools, I bought Bosch, Makita trade range, cost a bit more, but I've had them 20 years & they have been well used & still going strong.
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I've been reading all about the Ryobi one + system and all the different tools you can get and I have to say Im' really tempted. Even tempted by the hedge trimmer and we don't have any hedges anywhere!!!
Also looking at what tools I'll need when it comes to building some decking which is going to be a long, long way off as it's going to cost an awful lot and no way can I afford it for quite some time!!!
Also looking at what tools I'll need when it comes to building some decking which is going to be a long, long way off as it's going to cost an awful lot and no way can I afford it for quite some time!!!
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As promised here's a pic of the drain cover.
We were initially going to put grid right up to the edge of it but it would have taken a lot of work to cut it to match the flanged mortar holding the cover in place, and then the grid would have been very shallow and nor very strong so we figured it would be better to fill with soil which we will gradually fill and refill as it compacts down and the grass is growing.
We were initially going to put grid right up to the edge of it but it would have taken a lot of work to cut it to match the flanged mortar holding the cover in place, and then the grid would have been very shallow and nor very strong so we figured it would be better to fill with soil which we will gradually fill and refill as it compacts down and the grass is growing.
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A few weeks have passed now, and after a slow start whereby it looked like none of the grass was growing, we finally saw a single blade of grass. Since then the weather has been basically perfect for growing grass, I have literally been able to see the difference every morning when I've woken up and everyday when I've got home from work!!!
Anyway, this is how it is now looking:
Although the front edge of grass area nearest the camera looks like it's not doing very well infact it's doing just as well as the rest but the angle I've taken the photo from is pretty much the same angle the grass is growing at as the evening sun comes from that direction, so the blades are pointing right at the camera, thus making it look bare...
We still need to get out and tidy up and dig over the borders but we've been so busy of late we haven't had a minute to do it at the weekends and with the evenings drawing in there's not really an opportunity during the week by the time the little boy has gone to sleep.
Anyway, this is how it is now looking:
Although the front edge of grass area nearest the camera looks like it's not doing very well infact it's doing just as well as the rest but the angle I've taken the photo from is pretty much the same angle the grass is growing at as the evening sun comes from that direction, so the blades are pointing right at the camera, thus making it look bare...
We still need to get out and tidy up and dig over the borders but we've been so busy of late we haven't had a minute to do it at the weekends and with the evenings drawing in there's not really an opportunity during the week by the time the little boy has gone to sleep.
Soldato
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That looks fantastic, you must be extremely pleased