Concrete piers can be used to support decks and patios.
An important part of planning and building a new patio or deck is to build a stable base for it to rest on. This not only supports the weight of the patio and the people and objects on it, but it also protects the patio from the ground shifting beneath it due to erosion or upheaval caused by temperature changes. One type of support system you can build are concrete piers. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Dig a trench that goes beneath the frost line in the locations where the piers are being installed with a 1 1/2-ton excavator. Contact your local zoning board to learn how deep the frost line is in your area, as it can range from a few inches in places like the southern U.S., up to several feet in the northern U.S.
2. Place the wax fiber tubes for the piers into the plastic footings that support the piers.
3. Set the forms into position in the trenches. If your local building codes require that they approved by an inspector, have that done before moving on with the project.
4. Fill the trenches with dirt to stabilize the piers. As you're adding the dirt, check the piers to make sure they're still plumb (vertically straight) and level (horizontally straight).
5. Turn footings upside-down and place them into the top of the wax fiber tubes so they can act as a funnel while you pour the concrete.
6. Fill the forms for the piers with concrete. Remove any air bubbles trapped inside the tubes by stirring a shovel in the concrete as you add every 8 to 10 inches. If you have a lot of piers to set, you may want to hire a concrete company to do the pour.
7. Remove the footings from the top of the forms.
8. Smooth the concrete at the top of the form with a trowel.
9. Insert the hardware that your design calls for into the concrete. This can be metal brackets or rebar that is used to connect the patio to the piers. Allow the concrete to cure for at least four to five days.
10. Cut away the portion of the fiber tubing that extends past the ground with a utility knife, if desired.
Tags: fiber tubes, frost line, your local
