How to replace your old Hills hoist washing line?
One of the principles of renovation is to create zones in your backyard. With this concept in mind, you will notice most older style houses have their washing line in the middle of the backyard and as soon as you walk out from to your house, you will see an old and ugly Hills hoist. In this article, I will give you the basic steps to replace it, you will notice I have more steps on installing it rather then removing the old one. It’s because the old one is really, really easy to remove compared to putting the new one up.
Also, I have the steps on installing the new one first. Before the new one is fully installed, you may still need to use the old one.
Tools required for installation
- Post hole digger
- A 20kg bag of gravel
- Post mounted spirit level
- 2x 20kg Pre mixed concrete (Not quick set)
- 3x Camping pegs (Otherwise, wooden stick)
- 3x Guide ropes
Installation of new Hills Hoist
- Select a new location in your backyard which has full sun in winter (preferred location as better for drying) not too close to the house, and preferably hidden behind some sort of plants.
- Purchase a new hoist and read the instructions, depending on the size, you need to make sure you have enough space for it to spin.
- Mark the centre of where the new hoist will go and start digging. To make your job a lot more easier, you need to hire a post hole digger.
- Dig a hole 250mm round and 650mm deep.
- Put approx 200mm of coarse gravel into the hole.
- Put the main post in the ground socket, you should only have the post without the cloth line section.
- Put the main post, ground socket inside the hole. You should have the top of the ground socket approx. 10mm above ground level.
- Support the main post with guide ropes and peg them down so they’re secure.
- Mix the concrete, remember, too much water destroys a good mix.
- Make sure all the soil inside the hole is moist then half fill the hole with concrete. Settle concrete by pushing it down with a thick stick then repeat the process.
- Allow 24-48 hours for the concrete to settle then install the head and you’re ready to go.
Click photo to enlarge
Remove old Hills Hoist on concrete slap
- Cut the head off by cutting out the lines using an angle grinder, cut the frame off and you should be left with the main post.
- Now, call for a concrete cutting professional and they can cut the concrete around the base in about 10 minutes.
- Once cut, all you need is a crowbar to dig the concrete out.
- Once the concrete is out, cut the main post off the concrete approx 20 cm below ground level.
- Back fill the ground with soil and you’re done.
Remove old Hills Hoist on grass
This should not happen because the Hills Hoist should be on a concrete slab, if this happens to you, dig the soil around the base of the main post, as long as you can get down approx, 20 cm, cut the main post off with an angle grinder and back fill.
This sound a lot of steps but it is a very simple DIY. Let me know your experience.
