We are building a small bunkie (8' x 12') at our cottage and are debating the merits of sinking sono tubes as a foundation vs using gravel, patio slabs and concrete blocks. We are water access only so are looking at carrying all materials in by boat and have come to town to rent an auger to dig holes for the sono tubes but are now finding we need a HEAP of concrete to pour into 8" tubes. Any suggestions?
What kind of weather? Winter temperatures? Sonotubes will give the most stability and the most strength to anchor to.
Hi, My cabin is located in a place called Seven Springs(high water table) Built a 2 story structure on a Sono tube concrete piles with a crawl space ~10 years ago, no sign of any movement. It'll depend how heavy the bunlie will be.
You could just rent a helicopter while you're there... :)
Far too little information as others have said for much real help...
If this is intended to be a permanent structure, need adequate footings that are below the frost line. What "adequate" equates to is the question and there's no way to tell from here.
Best bet is to talk to somebody local about building conditions and check on local codes where there are codes. Will give you an idea of what is considered adequate for the area.
Tubes with a flared footing at the base, sunk below the frost line of course is the best way to go but weigh that against the other factors: Climate, amount of work, what is the final structure? Does it matter if it shifts or heaves a bit?
Pretty wishy washy answer, but that's what I would go through thinking about it.
Also, have you ever used a power auger? Unless your soil conditions are ideal thoy are tools sent straight from the fires of hell. Man I hate the things. I've used a two man auger in ok soil and still almost had the arms ripped off... what a horrible device!
Best of luck whichever way you go.
John
Maybe you could call your power company and see if they have any out of service, too short or used power poles they could part with with. Since they are heavily treated for ground exposure, boring a hole and dropping them in shoild be just the ticket. They could be trucked to the lake side and floated over to your site. Cut to length, a couple of 20 footers wouls supply all the foundation you need. There might even be some abandoned railroad timbers in your area. HTH
Joe
How about concrete block "piers" on the ground (no digging) with screw anchors to hold cantilevered beams down when the wind blows? A flexible skirt around the bunkie crawlspace perimeter could keep the ground under the blocks from freezing, as in a frost-protected warm foundation.
Nick
I'd not mix up concrete, at least not pre-bagged stuff. Not if I had to haul the aggregate any distance and there were available aggregate locally.
Then, too, any stone smaller in max dimension than the radius of the tube would be a candidate for inclusion. The "sharper" the stone, the better for strength.
HTH, J
snipped-for-privacy@sme-online.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@m37g2000prh.googlegroups.com:
I'd like to mention that many places require permits for any *permanent* installation,such as those with poured concrete foundations. sitting a building on blocks is not considered "permanent".
According to :
Check your building codes. Around here, a building of less than 100 square feet does not need a permit nor formal foundation, and can be laid on gravel/patio slabs and such. If you don't mind a bit of heave (or a bit of spring readjustment), why not?
I do, however, strongly recommend assessing the location for wind strength, and consider some sort of ground anchor so that it can't move if appropriate.
We had an inspector recommend 6" thick footings of gravel and "real" concrete blocks (not hollow cinder blocks) for the corners, and some sort of J bolt to anchor our shed. "Recommend" - he couldn't "order" in this case.
We skipped the holddowns because the thing is in a _very_ sheltered location and wind is almost non-existant. At a cottage on an island, that may well not be true. We've seen sheds blow away that were in exposed locations.
replying to nicksanspam, Joan wrote: I am very anxious: fixing a foundation on a 25 year old two story ///(loft)...on Lake Ontario shore line in Upstate NY. We will definitely go down to bed rock and probably pin...although people tell us that is a questionable for movement...clay/limestone /frost heaves ///question sono tubes or chimney block?
replying to nicksanspam, Joan wrote: I am very anxious: fixing a foundation on a 25 year old two story ///(loft)...on Lake Ontario shore line in Upstate NY. We will definitely go down to bed rock and probably pin...although people tell us that is a questionable for movement...clay/limestone /frost heaves ///question sono tubes or chimney block?
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.