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Wooden raised bed against blue brick wall

frederiquegwytherfrederiquegwyther Posts: 3
in Garden design
Our garage is being rebuilt and I would like to add a wooden raised bed against the side of it. The level of the garden is about 75cm below the garage’s floor level, and so I’ve asked the builders to use blue brick all the way along the bottom of the garage wall, from the garden level to the garage floor, to avoid damp problems. Is this adequate and can I therefore attach the sleepers directly onto the wall, or do I need to take any other measures to avoid problems?

Many thanks in advance for any advice 😊

Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    As a further precaution against damp in the garage (which could penetrate through the mortar between the bricks), I would use some damp proof membrane pinned against the sleeper and the garage wall. I expect some other fellow members can give you more technical instructions! 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Hello, I would build up your raised bed to no more than 15cm below the slab to allow moisture to escape, even with the blue (engineered?) bricks. The slab will take some months to go off - i.e. dry out completely and you need to allow it to breathe. 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • frederiquegwytherfrederiquegwyther Posts: 3
    Hi Lizzie and Nollie, thank you both for your comments. Good points, I’ll definitely follow your advice.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Is the garage cavity wall or single skin? How is the 75cm height difference being dealth with structurally? Is the garage floor suspended beam and block or is there a retaining wall below ground? Really you should keep any soil or timbers 15cm below the garage floor level (15cm is 2 brick courses) and make sure the DPC is correctly fitted and lapped to the garage floor damp proof membrane.

    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • frederiquegwytherfrederiquegwyther Posts: 3
    Hi, and thank you for your reply. It’s a cavity wall with a retaining wall below ground, so it sounds like keeping to 15cm below the garage floor level and using a waterproof membrane should be ok.
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