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I concreted in my patio parasol; or more accurately I concreted in a base to which the parasol is bolted. It was straight, however when the thing was opened it leant over; fair enough, but now it's got worse as it's sagged even more.
Is there a standard method of straightening things like this up, or do I have to just bodge it?
So it’s a flat pad base and the parasol has a flat base that bolts to it?
If so then some suitable sized doobrees should do it to pack it out and level it up.
however when the thing was opened it leant over; fair enough, but now it’s got worse as it’s sagged even more.
Sounds like it's not concreted in very well or the subbase is collapsing under load.
How much concretes it in and what's under the concrete.
Dig it all out and start again
If the parasol sits in a shoe then you could have just bolted the shoe to the sub-base.
If it's all concreted over then a hammer and chisel and/or sledgehammer will have to be deployed.
I used something like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004EWGOS2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BWJxFbXR2042B
I paid £48 so I'm not keen on digging it out and starting again, unless I can re use it.
I'm now thinking a stake and a cable is the best bet, otherwise if I concrete in again how will I know how much to lean it the other way?
Is that base plate level? If it's not and only a little off-level you could try shimming it to make the parasol plumb. On the other hand, it could be concreted in really badly and still settling.
Edit: by the sound of it the parasol isn't plumb itself, or its own base isn't straight. Again, you could try shimming it.
What about cutting a bit off the legs on one side of all your garden furniture until it matches the lean of the parasol?
If it’s not and only a little off-level you could try shimming it to make the parasol plumb.
Ooh good idea. Didn't think of that.
The first issue was with the parasol. There's a pivot in the bottom that can spin, and this has loads of play in it which makes it lean. I did consider concreting the post in at the correct angle, but then I realised I would not then be able to use it for a later project I have in mind. So I decided to keep the pivot and concrete the post in square to the house. But that introduced a fair bit of lean.
The second issue is that the post seems to have settled.
If the pivot is loose wrap it in milk bottle offcuts to fill the gap but not jam it up.
Why not realign the house ?
What about cutting a bit off the legs on one side of all your garden furniture until it matches the lean of the parasol?
😂
Support higher up? There's a lot of force involved there.
Dig out behind the lean.
Dig out on downside of lean, try to dig under a little.
Push level, pull level, winch level.
Prop securely.
Concrete rear, if possible drill into existing concrete and epoxy in some bars for something to bind the two together..
Concrete the downside and under.
Add more concrete again!
Remove props.
Or use a bar smash it out and re-concrete from scratch.
That's top advice The brick. I can dig out and use more concrete I think. Why didn't I think of that?