This weekend I will finally begin the formwork for the foundation of my modified Victoria's Cottage. Because of the slope and the soil conditions, I decided on a continuous stepped footing foundation with a slab basement. This VC will also have a deck off the main floor.
Now that you have the basic idea, here is my question: Does it make good sense for me to try and use PT wood (2x8's) for my footing forms with the idea of reusing them as joists on my deck?
Any other thoughts appreciated.
Best,
Mike
I personally don't like the idea of "burying" wood, even PT ... comes from too many misadventures with termites over the years. And unless you're pouring footings that are totally above ground, the wood forming will be difficult to recover once the concrete is poured. Ain't impossible... just a lot of work that could be used elsewhere.
What I have done, on stepped footings, is to use corrugated metal roofing as footing forms. I split the sheets in half along the long axis, and use rebar as stakes ... punch holes in the roofing metal and wire corr metal to rebar stakes. No termites, no (wood) rot.
Of course the easiest all-round is the simple single-level dug form. Sometimes the site just won't let us get away with "simple".
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Does it make good sense for me to try and use PT wood (2x8's) for my footing forms with the idea of reusing them as joists on my deck?
They won't look to pretty so if your deck elevation is low to the ground it is feasable to reuse them. We do it all the time , reuse form boards of course for more form work till they're used up .
Strip the forms the next morning / day say 10 hrs min . , 24 hrs max. The concrete will be harder to clean the longer it sits. Once you strip them , (take them apart) , usea floor scraper and clean off the lumps of stuck concrete, They will be stained from the chemcals / concrete that staining will not go away . So looks wize the joist won't ever be clean looking . So again if the deck is low , I'd say it's a go ;)
Floor scraper:
(http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B00004S1Y3.01-A3VV67VLCD5YKX._AA187_SCLZZZZZZZ_V60786753_.jpg)
G/L PEG