Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 9/18/2011

Question
Hi, how do you attach a suspended slab to a brick wall, single not double or solid brick.

The new slab is small 2500 x 1200 x 100 and will be used for a raised herb garden.

I will be using Bondek and on one side I will attach the slab to a exsisting concrete balcony, 100mm, and the other end will be sitting on a beser block wall,  but not too sure how to support the new slab to the brick wall?

Do I dyna bolt a L bar to the brick wall to support the slab? Is this enough?
I do not want to instal posts to support the slab due to hot water system and sewer pipes below.

Answer
Hi Bill, if your slab is connected to something else to keep it from moving laterally you can drill and dowel into the wall or you can remove every other brick to key in the slab to the brick. To dowel into the wall, drill 3/4" holes into the brick and insert 5/8" rebar gluing it in with a good concrete epoxy.  These rods should be embedded 3" into the brick and stick at least 12" into the slab and be located 16" apart so that they fall in the middle of the slab thickness.  The alternate method would be to remove every other brick in the course that falls in the slab and key the slab into the wall this way.  In this method the rebar is placed into the brick opening as well to reinforce the tab that is tying the slab into the wall..I hope this iformation helps., please feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com