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How to anchor outdoor gym without a concrete slab?

I have a outdoor gym rigs. I bolted to big concrete pavers on one side but the other side is still on the ground. I've been using it for a year or more and it works fine but the side on the ground shifted a bit over a year so I am thinking to redo it.

I can't have a full concrete slab since it is very close to the fence. I am looking for a way to bolt the side on the ground. I found a few options and please feel free to suggest more.

1. Dig a hole (maybe 1 ft?), put the concrete block or cardboard and pour the concrete

2. Use the big ground anchor but the rig footing are small so not sure how to connect between the anchor and the rig

3. Someone suggested to use the concrete plinths but seems to me that it is the same as an option 1.

Any more option? I am thinking to do the option 1 but not sure how deep should I dig or what concrete mix should I buy.

Thanks guys

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Comments

EricL

Hello @michaelsync

Thanks for sharing your question about anchoring your outdoor gym. One of effects of moving weight on soft soil is settling. The only way to combat this is to add mixed gravel and dust and use a compactor to level the soil. Once the soil is nice and compact you can then put the paver back onto the soil. Technically not a long-term solution but it will give you a fair bit of time before you get any movement from the paver.

Your first suggestion would be best in this situation, I propose digging a 300mm x 300mm square footing at least 400mm deep. This should provide you with sound footing and prevent it from moving. I suggest using Bastion 20kg Concrete Mix and please make sure to provide enough time for the concrete to cure before anchoring into it.

Please make sure to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask when working on your project.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @TedBear for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Dave-1

Good Evening @michaelsync

Now thats an interesting question 🙂

Couple of questions to return to you first 🙂

The space below the gym looks like a thoroughfare?

How high is the joining strut between the two sides?

Can that lip next to the concrete path be removed?

I like the idea of a concrete Plinth, or a small concrete slab to bolt a post to.

Why cant you have a concrete slab to the fence line? As long as you have drainage and its not actually on the fence line I probably would.

If the height of the path allows it you could put some crossbeams in and fix them a foot below the top most strut, You could also have horizontal struts between the posts going down the side of the fence to add stability and not have to rely on the concrete base alone?

Looking at your picture again I am really starting to think of a long concrete slab think 30cm width, maybe 20cm High and the length of the gym down the fence (Think raised plinth). The Concrete would have a piece of rio in it to give it strength. You could bolt the posts to it to your hearts content 🙂 You could also have it so its level with the ground by digging a box trench type deal. The path way you could use large square pavers so its an even footing with gravel underneath for the water to drain away? (you would need a socked ag pipe to somewhere else)

Dave

TedBear

Hi @michaelsync , since it has been ok for a year or so, has something changed on the other side of the fence to make the soil sink?

If that area is stable, I agree with @EricL that it would be a good idea to compact the area by the fence. You could then anchor the legs onto 300mm slabs, or put in concrete footings as already mentioned.

michaelsync

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/33932#Comment_33932

Thanks, @EricL

I have digged the hole. I was thinking to use the cardboard to pour the concrete mix but Bunnings doesn't sell it. Can I pour the concrete directly to the hole? I need a bit of concrete over the soil so it will level with the other side (paver).

Thanks, @Dave-1
>>The space below the gym looks like a thoroughfare?

It's a garden area. We are supposed to walk on the paver but I put my equipments there so we walk on the soil/ground under the gym now. I have removed my gym rig for now. I am trying to fix up the ground. 🙂

>>How high is the joining strut between the two sides?
I think it's around 2.5m. My upright are different size and height. The tallest one is like 3.2 or 3.4. The other upright are around 2.7.

>>Can that lip next to the concrete path be removed?

Those are concrete sleeper for the garden. I have removed them now. Please see the new photo above.

>>Why cant you have a concrete slab to the fence line?
My council said that we need to have some garden area.
I will look at the horizontal struts. I don't want to drill the holes on gym upright (post) at this moment because it's hard and I don't have a good drill. but I will keep in mind if bolting to the concrete is not stable enough.

I would like to put another long pavers too but the issue would be how to carry and put them there. 🙂
I am not familiar with socked ag pipe. Do I need to have drainage if I put large pavers there? I think carrying and putting those large pavers might be an issue so I was thinking just to dig a few hole where I used to put the upright. and pour the concrete in so I can bolt.. and then I am thinking to put the fake grass on both soil and pavers. and then put my gym rig back. How does it sound? 🙂

Thanks, @TedBear The soil is not really sinking. But the upright post moved slightly. Like that in the picture below.

move upright.png

EricL

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/79259#Comment_79259

Hello @michaelsync

Yes, you can pour the concrete straight into the hole. Just keep in mind that you don't want it to overflow too much to reach the level that you're after. If it needs to be higher, I suggest building some formwork above the ground to hold the concrete in place.

Eric

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/79259#Comment_79259

Afternoon @michaelsync

>>How high is the joining strut between the two sides?
I think it's around 2.5m. My upright are different size and height. The tallest one is like 3.2 or 3.4. The other upright are around 2.7.

D- I was hoping that you could put another horizontal bar across the top about a foot (30cm) ish to make it more stable) Still doable depending on how tall you guys are 🙂

>>Can that lip next to the concrete path be removed?

Those are concrete sleeper for the garden. I have removed them now. Please see the new photo above.

D- Nice! The pavers can definitely be lined up with the existing concrete 🙂

>>Why cant you have a concrete slab to the fence line?
My council said that we need to have some garden area.

D- Shhhhhhh 🙂 ? Somehow looking at the age of your fence that may no longer be 100% correct, your call tho 🙂

I will look at the horizontal struts. I don't want to drill the holes on gym upright (post) at this moment because it's hard and I don't have a good drill. but I will keep in mind if bolting to the concrete is not stable enough.

I would like to put another long pavers too but the issue would be how to carry and put them there.

D- Two easy answers 🙂 I was actually thinking of U bolts to join the metal struts whichever way you would be going. U Bolts Area range of sizes, use them to clamp around existing bar onto new bar. As for shifting large pavers... This guy is a trolley that could Gorilla Cary 115L cap Seriously I have used it to shift meter long by 400mm concrete pavers? (the ones from bunnings) just one at a time otherwise its like watching a comedy show where you load it up and it tumbles the other way lol and yeah it happened to me on the front lawn 😀 I have loaded it with concrete rubble, soil, gravel and it just keeps on going. As long as you have a pathway you can use it (even through the house with those rubber wheels 🙂

>>I am not familiar with socked ag pipe. Do I need to have drainage if I put large pavers there? I think carrying and putting those large pavers might be an issue so I was thinking just to dig a few hole where I used to put the upright. and pour the concrete in so I can bolt.. and then I am thinking to put the fake grass on both soil and pavers. and then put my gym rig back. How does it sound?

D- Sounds good, I was more thinking of downpours and where the water will go when it pours. If you slope your pavers away from the house no issue, if you slope them to the edge of the path into soil, no real issues tho neighbor may not be so happy. The thinking about the socked ag pipe was to have a drain under the pavers for water to seep to. You could also do the same by having a dish drain or edge up the path (You have the bits you pulled out next to your path, you could reuse them this way. Side path rebuild from recyled pavers in particular the last step you will see how I used the edges back to front to form a gutter. Just looking at your fake grass idea, how about that spongy compressed rubber mat that Bunnings sells? Rubber gym mats I have always wanted to give these a go but never can think of an application to use them, this would be perfect?

The last bit about digging a hole and filling it with concrete that @EricL suggests is a good idea, especially the form work to make it tidy above ground. When I was making up some form work for a concrete repair I was concerned about the concrete "sticking" I used Melamine MDF and it worked a treat, easy to cut with a circular saw and easy to remove (Its still sitting beside the house 3 months later 🙂

Dave

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