DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I am planning on building two concrete gate pillars which will have a rough rendered finish to match the main property where we live. The gates themselves will be 2m in length creating a 4m wide entrance, and made from softwood to try and keep the weight down.

I was originally thinking of using simple concrete blocks to construct but give the weight the pillars will have to hold, what is the best way to construct them? I am thinking hollow blocks and fill the void with rebar and concrete? Any alternatives?

You'll need to form sufficiently deep foundations, with sufficient mass to prevent overturning. Set 4Nr T10 starter bars embedded at least 400mm into the foundations, with 300mm poking up above the foundations. Pour footings, allow to set, lap in additional reinforcement, build up blockwork, pour concrete to void and allow to set. It might be worth while running fixings for the gates back through the blockwork and into the void, prior to pouring the concrete. Put a 30-400mm dia washer on the end of each fixing and add a nut either side of this and this will stop the fixing pulling out. Fixing directly into the blockwork will pull the block away from the concrete core.