I am setting up for the foundation footing before putting my cinder block walls for the crawl space up. Not sure that I can get a cement truck all around where my foundation will be. If I need to pour the foundation by hand, can it be done in sections? If so, do I need to have a rough edge or rebar sticking out to connection the next section?
Quote from: VannL on February 26, 2014, 05:39:42 PM
I am setting up for the foundation footing before putting my cinder block walls for the crawl space up. Not sure that I can get a cement truck all around where my foundation will be. If I need to pour the foundation by hand, can it be done in sections? If so, do I need to have a rough edge or rebar sticking out to connection the next section?
I would try awlfully hard to get it all poured rather than hand mix just a portion. I would rather wheelborrow to the other side of the foundation what can't be reached with the truck and shoots. The trucks normally carry 3-4 sections but if you tell them they can put a couple more sections on the truck to reach or get closer to the hard to reach area.
If and I say if as a last resort you can do it in sections. I would create a step in the footer. Pour the bottom half about 4' longer than the top half and put rebar in each section allowing it to protrude at least 2-4 feet. Although it is not a good idea it is done. With an 80# bag it will only do .59 cu ft. It takes 40 bags for a Cu Yard.
Some may tend to differ but I am not a big fan of Quickcrete premixed concrete mix. I would rather buy the cement, stone and sand then mix to the same consistancy/formula as what you have delivered. The redimix from a bulk plant have it down to a science and it will be stronger than you can handmix.
If you have the elevation for the truck you can also build a shoot from 2X4's. plywood to give you that extra reach. If it is slow pouring then you can rake it from one end to the other. Just keep that in mind when/if you build an extension shoot to build it wide enough to drag a rake or concrete pull rake down it.
I agree with everything John said, that said I've also had to pour footings in 4' sections under existing houses, excavating a section at a time and supporting that part of the house and then moving to the next...in fact just got off the phone with some help and might be into some of that fun again soon. It could be interesting we're going to try some of the high expanding chemical dynamite alternative to break up the granite vein. On out house I was still pretty green and misfigured the footing quantity by about 1-1/2 yards. We did as John described and bag mixed the remainder. It made for a long day. I'd much rather build a boardwalk around the site and tote wheelbarrows from the truck than hand mix. The first thing I tell the driver is I'm a wuss and to only half fill the wheelbarrow, he'll still miss and 3/4 fill it. It's easier on you to make many light trips and unless you have very good wheelbarrows it is pretty easy to break one with a full load of mud. Another alternative is a concrete pump, for us it's usually about $4-500 to get him to come out for a pour with a trailer pump. I've never used it for a small pour like a typical footing though, just grunt and wheeled it.
Hiring a concrete pumper isn't very expensive and you'll end up with a much better product with no cold joints. Hand mixed is really hard to get proper air entrainment. FOr my first build we pumped it over 200'. The concrete trucks never had to leave the road.
Quote from: VannL on February 26, 2014, 05:39:42 PM
I am setting up for the foundation footing before putting my cinder block walls for the crawl space up. Not sure that I can get a cement truck all around where my foundation will be. If I need to pour the foundation by hand, can it be done in sections? If so, do I need to have a rough edge or rebar sticking out to connection the next section?
How large is your foundation? If it is not a huge affair you should be able to pretty well do it if you can back into the two rear corners.
Great advice.
Technically a footing can be built with mortared and grouted block. Not the best design, but it can work in certain situations, such as a good deep foundation on stable soils, with possibly a very compacted layer of crushed stone.
In many designs the two end walls will not be load bearing. If you have to put a cold joint in, I would opt for there.
Around me, the local rental place will rent a motorized concrete dolly that can hold half a yard. IIRC, it was around $100 for the day. Better than a wheel barrow to me.
Motorized concrete dolly? Heck yeah. I'll take one, please. d*
Ok, guys, you talked me into it. I would REALLY love to Not mix that much mix anyway. I have a 20 X 40 house that I'm breaking ground on next week with an 8 X 20 extra room on the side. I am aiming at a 12" X 12" trench and then block up on top of that. Code appears to be 8" deep but I don't want to do what Don is doing. I feel for ya, man.
I had a thread like this and the consensus was: yes.
http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=12987.msg171027#msg171027
In this thread I posit a similar idea -- mine was to pour the foundation and build the cinderblock walls in sections. Perhaps the difference is SBC vs traditional brick and mortar?