Frost Depth and Foundations

[Micah]

I need some advice on what kind of foundation I can use with a frost depth of 48". I would like to dig it myself. Money is tight so it will be shovel and pick axe. My plan was to dig a 3x3 foot hole down to about 50". Then put in a 24x24" paver or pour a few inches of concrete with rebar in the # shape at the bottom. Then use the 48" tall by 8" diameter quik-tubes with 6x6 or 4x4 PT post in the middle. Or would i be better of using a simpson bracket instead of the PT posts.

[Jochen]

I would use a Bigfoot footing system instead of a Paver at the bottom. www.bigfootsystems.com That's the system I have used for my cabin. In that way you will pour Footing and Sono Tube in on run. Dig the hole, put the Footing in with the Sono Tube attached. Refill and pour.

And no, I would use a Simpson bracket. I bet that the PT 6x6 imbedded in a 8" sono tube won't last.

Jochen

[Micah]

How much did they cost? I can't seem to find any prices. Which model did you use? I think the BF20's would be acceptable for a 14x24 1 story cabin.

[Redoverfarm]

Micah I agree with Jochen in regards to the paver.  I think a lot of people go to the system for a lot of reasons.  The main is the ease of the system being that only one pour is required.  Personally I always pour a footing and then build off that.  But then again this requires two pours and the time for curing.  If you are going with a 2' square footing say 10" deep make sure that you place and support the rebar in the footings allowing for it to protrude to the length of the sono-tubes.  The easiest is to just drive the re-bar into the ground for a sono-tube configuration and mark the level of your footing pour on the rebar.  Then place the sono-tube over the rebar later and pour them.  

Personally I would embed the fastner in the top of the sono-tube for the beam placement rather than a 6'X6" post but that is just me.  In mounting the fastner to the sono-tube you have to align the fastner for elevation and alignment using a transit or leveling deive and use batter board string line.  

[Jochen]

How much did they cost? I can't seem to find any prices. Which model did you use? I think the BF20's would be acceptable for a 14x24 1 story cabin.

I used them in 2004, so I really can't remember of the prize I paid then. But I still know that I was short on money. But as a first time builder I was sure that this system was the way to go. At least for me. I have used the BF24. My cabin is a 20x 24  1 1/2 story. What kind of soil do you have? This, the weight of the building and the amount of footings will determine the size of your footing.

Jochen