Introduction and question!

[Melonbob]

Just thought I'd take the time to quickly introduce myself. My name is Bob, I'm from Northern Ontario, Canada. I am building this spring on a two acre island owned by my family. It will be a 20X24 cabin, with a 2 ft kneewall and a loft upstairs. Now for the question....I am wondering how to go about a foundation. As I said, I am on an island, so boat access only. I'd like to minimize the amount of concrete used as it will be a pain to haul by boat, and there is no sand or gravel on my island. We are right in the middle of the canadian shield, so the island is pretty much a pile of boulders and dirt. It's a wonder there are huge trees everywhere, I mean boulders to the point we gave up on even trying to dig an outhouse, and bought a composting toilet instead! My parents camp is already there, it was built about 60 years ago, right on the ground, but thats a pain as it moves with the seasons, and you can't get underneath to jack or do any work. I was thinking of getting the area around the posts cleaned up to rock, then building a form and pouring right on top of the rock. I'd like to do just enough to use wood posts or something to that effect, and like I said, minimize concrete. Any input? As soon as I get my plans scanned, I'll start a build thread! Thanks for the help!

[PEG688]

  MelonB

When you say rock do you mean , Large  rocks or ledge??

If it's ledge , I assume you'll have electric power , how about roto-hammering  a flat spots ,then attaching a Simpson bracket with  epoxied in bolts , drill whole inject epoxy , insert bolt into wet epoxy . Attach brackets to ledge via bolt when epoxy dries.

like this or similar ,


 


 
 

Place beams on posts , this allows for the posts to be different lengths to accommodate level beams .

How you line them up , string lines , laser etc , depend on local conditions. 

[Melonbob]

No, its boulders. all over the place. Some could be moved around with a scaling bar, others are massive. I started a thread in the build forum, and I put a pic that will give you an idea of what I mean. As far as power, generator power only

[MountainDon]

  Melonbob. I see you've already made the acquaintance of PEG, our resident expert professional.

I had a gander at those pictures you posted. That's a real tangle isn't it. Always surprising where/how things can grow.

I don't have any better suggestions that PEG. 


Where abouts in the Shield is this, if you don't mind? Simply curious.

[Melonbob]

Its right by a very small town called Missanabie, which lies between Wawa and Chapleau. If that doesn't help, you are looking at about 3 hours straight north of Sault Ste Marie MI. Big lake, awesome fishing, everything you could ask for!

[MountainDon]

I know where The Soo is. I'm originally from Manitoba.

Winter access?

[MountainDon]

I found Missanabie on Google Earth. Loads of lakes!!!

[PEG688]

I know where The Soo is. I'm originally from Manitoba.

Thats where Sweet Lew was from , NHL'er from the 70's , what was his last name 
Played for St louis Blues IIRC , Plager?? Maybe ??

[MountainDon]

Ya' got me on that.

Gordie Howe turns 80 on Monday though.   

[MikeT]

How would Lou Angotti go about this building project?  I had to figure out a way to things together in this thread.

[Redoverfarm]

Melonbob  .  I was also having trouble following you thread. I posted on the other before I realized this one existed.  If the rocks are substantial and willnot allow for convientional piers I think Peg has the right idea with the anchoring.  You had mentioned forming up on the rocks.  The only problem is that you have to form in most cases such a large area to conform to the different angles of the rock ( prevent it from slipping or slidding off) that you will end up with more concrete that the rock ever was as far as mass.  Then again you will have to pin the rocks to have something for the concrete to adhere to. 

I guess that when you get it cleared you will have a better idea of what lays where and how to address it.  Shoot you may have rocks that will line up for what you want.

[glenn kangiser]

I think a well set rock about 2 feet in diameter is good enough for a pier -- I just drill an hole in them with a rotohammer and set a pin or rebar with anchoring cement such as Rockite or Pourstone.

Half of my stuff around here has rock foundations - in fact I stacked a couple rocks and built on them.  May not work for you but it did for me.

[ScottA]

I think Glen's got the right idea. Just stack the rocks and use them for a foundation.

[Redoverfarm]

Glenn the majority of the old log cabins did just that.  Normally they used corner stones for the support of the log sills.  The only downside was that they were sit on soil so after several years they sunk into the soil. Then the sill logs rotted. If you ever saw a couple they were often out of square or leaning just because of this. Really long walls used an intermidiate rock placed midways.   

[PEG688]

 
Glenn doesn't have frost heave to contend with , Melon B does.


On the thread drift side ,     Lou Nanne , that was his name , Google is your friend , or mine  .

http://www.northstarshockey.com/lousoo.htm

[glenn kangiser]

That's a good point, PEG.  I would stay at the one rock level with frost heave --- hopefully one existing that is big enough to be below the frost line and enough of them to be in the right place.  Probably not going to happen, eh?

[PEG688]

That's a good point, PEG.  I would stay at the one rock level with frost heave --- hopefully one existing that is big enough to be below the frost line and enough of them to be in the right place.  Probably not going to happen, eh?

Probably not , your right he's 3 hours north of the US border , frost lines probably 4 or more feet down I'd guess.


Skids might be the way to go , hopefully some one will have a better idea , but that's my best right now.

[tc-vt]

Are all of the rocks that large or can you go foraging for smaller ones to make a rubble foundation or even build with them?