Ground anchor installation
 

I have just moved into a new house and need to install a ground anchor.
I have one of the flush to the floor Cement in ground types and its going to be installed on a bricked drive way.

Can anyone advise on the best mix for this installation ?
I'm a total noob with D.I.Y and stuff.

Cheers Ant.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

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Re: Ground anchor installation
 

This months Ride mag has a blow by blow instructions, with pics, inc what cement/mix to use.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

If the drive is brick/block paving if you were just planning to bolt down then the bricks will be unsecure so the bike will be too mate. I`d say remove a square metre of the bricks and have a dig, get some concrete info the hole and shutter off a small area that the anchor is going to go that is the same level as the bricks, drop the anchor in, level the cement, put everything back and ur anchor is flush with the drive

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

yeah I was planing to remove some of the bricks, I was just wondering more on the concrete side of things is there different mix's or stuff that I should be adding to make it stronger.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

cheers bri I think I have this issue just not read it yet.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

you have to much time on your hands pal

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

Hmmm be careful here, block paved driveways are laid on a compacted bed of sand, on top of compacted hardcore. Digging it up can lead to subsidence in the adjacent blocks and general dips developing if the hardcore is not kept well compacted. Also block paving depends on interlock between the blocks to maintain strength, so you will need to be careful refitting the blocks correctly with no gaps and brush sand into the joints to maintain integrity... Sorry if you know all this, but wanted to give a heads up because it would be a shame to ruin the drive installing your anchor.

One other thing, as the anchor is being placed into hardcore/sand/blocks it may not be as solid as one placed into a tarmac or concrete drive... I guess that can be solved by increasing the size of the concrete block you cast for the anchor to sit in, but this exacerbates the problems mentioned above...

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

ummmm.......... got me worried now lol, Its a rented house land lord is ok with the install but i dont want to go ruining anything. and ending up with a big bill .

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

I was hoping for it to be easy looking at this photo

http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/o...danchor300.jpg

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

Can you get the bike round the back out of sight?

The wife had her moped swiped from the side/front despite having a security light, x3 chains, massive ground anchor & wall anchor.

Pretty determined kids round our way so I now have mine through two locked doors (lean to), on the back garden surrounded by a 6ft fence, in a shed, disc lock, with a ground anchor and a hardcore padlock & chain.

I'm certain that if the more hardened wanted it they would have a go but at least the opportunistic kids are put right off.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

If you anchor it to the house you'll feel it when the house starts moving down the drive ;) sorry mate, I just couldn't stop myself

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

There is no rear lol, its a big house that's been split into two houses back to back.
I have a big almax chain and squire lock also got a disk lock alarm, so I hope it will be ok once the anchor is in. also the car will make it hard to get out too. or they will have to take down the small fence and lift it over a 2 foot wall .

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

I'm no expert but imo you'll have a job on lifting a block in the middle if it's been laid correctly as mentioned below, each block is compacted into place.
Assuming you can lift them, ensure they are relaid correctly & compacted (not certain just using a mallet would be sufficient/possibly hire a small wacker plate?) using the correct materials.

It might be worth considering lifting more than is needed & mixing cement into the sand bed around the anchor.

My advice would be to research it before ploughing ahead and I know there are websites that give advice on laying block paving as I'm in the process of doing mine.

I found this site helpful
http://www.pavingexpert.com/

Good luck.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

Which is why I gave the heads up... [-o<:D

It can be done if you know how, the blocks are held in place basically by the jointing sand, not the compaction. You can lift the blocks after clearing the jointing sand, using a thin trowel or similar to lever them up. I have replaced oil stained blocks this way.
Good advice and that website is most excellent. I have gained all my knowledge on the subject via that and a few books*. Hindle, it might be worth asking a question on the forum over there, plenty of decent advice to be had. You might have to wait a few days for a response though :rolleyes:


*I'm not an expert or anything but have laid a couple of drives from scratch.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

Firstly, dig out a fair amount, fill it with a strong mix of concrete, builders suppliers do a bag of ready to use harder mix for spot repairs etc, 3:1 mix with 20 mm ballast will be strong as feck.

If you're worried about the block pavers, mortar them back down around the anchor.

Thing with block pavers is, if you do see some sink later on, get them up add more sand, pale them back down :)

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

IF you don't want to lift a lot of paving consider driving 2' lengths of rebar at 45 degrees through each side of the hole into the subsoil before you pour your concrete. There's hardly any oxygen 2' down so they'll last for decades and make it almost impossible to lift your block.

The only downside is that driving them with a club hammer is a pretty noisy process, so you won't make too many friends in the neighbourhood.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

cheers for the info.



Will have a look into it thanks, LOL I dont think I can pee them off much more than I already do, starting my bike at 7am every morning with a stubby can that needs repacking.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

1 bag of 20mm pea gravel, 1 bag river sand, 2 decent shovels of cement. Ish. Be right.
That works using extra rapid cement but it's not the cheapest. Not sure whether you'd use more or less cement with normal cement.


When fitting a Y anchor type thing then try get some lengths of rebar rod and bash them into the ground around it.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

:-)

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

If you can manage to get approx 12 inch x 12 inch x 12 inch cube of decent concrete in the ground, that is not gonna come out easy I guarantee that.
I've had to kango fence posts with less concrete out even though the post is a good lever because it wouldn't budge.

You won't have a problem as long as the potential thieves don't turn up with a digger ;)


Rapid hardening or rapid setting cement is used in the same quantities as regular btw.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

If you're going to consider this, be very careful that there are no underground services under the area you are driving into. It wouldn't be pretty if you hit an electric cable, gas or water pipe.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

I've hit all 3 at various times and wouldn't recommend it :-P

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

get yourself a bag of Postcrete from B&Q. Its amazing stuff and sets solid within 10 minutes.

Once you have the hole ready, you pour the powder mix in and then add water. Make a cuppa, bobs your uncle.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

postcrete wudda been my idea too.. maybe "aquire" some gravel from around about when out walking..and lob it in the dry mix..and mix up follow instructions on the bag .. about £5 a bag I think

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

What specialone and flymo said. Although as someone else said you might struggle to lift bricks in the middle so you might have to start at the edge and snake your way in.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

cheers for all the info guys think I might have a go this weekend. will let you know how it goes.

No problem mate. Hope I helped.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

Pea gravel isn't really the best to use in concrete. You want something a bit more angular to get enough aggregate interlock.

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

He's holding a ground anchor in not the tyne bridge lol. Might be better to say something he could ask for in merchants, I would guess you'd get some funny looks asking for "peas possible a bit more angular and interlocking please" :-P

Re: Ground anchor installation
 

True,

Any well graded aggregate with a max. 20mm size would do for what's needed - just not rounded and single sized.

TBH if it was me I'd just get some bagged concrete from a merchants. B&Q do a 25Kg bag for under £6.