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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Pier foundation question
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fishinglineman
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2011 08:15pm
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Hi everyone,
Im a newbie here seems like a great site. I am getting ready to build a camp on a piece of land in Maine. The camp is going to be 24x28 and im going to put it on post foundation because of the remote location, no concrete for 60 miles. So heres my question... with the frost level at about 3 feet what is the best way to set the posts? Should I put the posts into the ground below the frost level or, should I put the post on concrete pads on a gravel or crushed stone pad? The post are going to be 3' above grade and I am going to put down foam insulation about 6" uner grade to try to prevent the frost from getting under the posts and heaving. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

fpw
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2011 09:38pm - Edited by: fpw
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I like footings with stumps on top. Makes leveling things much easier. In my case, I dug out below the frost line and filled the holes with sack-crete, rebar, and rock. I put 6" of sono tube at the top just to provide a place that is level.

The holes were about 20" in diameter and belled out as much as I could with a manual hole digger.

This foundation was all done by hand after hauling everything three miles back in the woods.
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turkeyhunter
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2011 09:51pm
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Quoting: fpw
This foundation was all done by hand after hauling everything three miles back in the woods

that founddation ---is awesome----good job.
fishinglineman
good luck with your build---i will be coming up to Maine this summer to escape the heat of the south. I have always wanted a Maine Camp!!!!

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 18 May 2011 11:45pm
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Are the stumps just sitting over the bolts? A potential problem with that is the lack of uplift resistance.

fpw
Member
# Posted: 19 May 2011 08:18am - Edited by: fpw
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I drilled a couple of holes in the stump and set the stumps down on the rebar. The cabin is a log cabin with 12"-15" diameter logs (about 700# per log when dry). It will not go anywhere.
Solid Foundation
Solid Foundation


MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 19 May 2011 10:20am
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Okay, for a log cabin that would take a cataclysmic event to move. However, I would not recommend it for a stick build, which is more common.

fishinglineman
Member
# Posted: 20 May 2011 09:57am
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Thanks for all the imput guys. This is going to be a stick built camp, so I think I am going with 8"x8" post set 4' to 5' deep on top of concrete footing and the backfilled with either gavel or crushed stone. Ill keep you guy updated and Im sure I'll have more questions to come!
Thanks again
Fishinglineman

neb
Member
# Posted: 20 May 2011 08:28pm - Edited by: neb
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fishinglineman

I see you are a lineman. I did that trade for 25 years and loved each day and still in the trade but at a differant position. Made a living in the hooks not a better job for the outdoors men. Good luck in our new project.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 20 May 2011 09:53pm
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If you are going to fill in the hole with something other than the original dirt at least be sure to use crushed stone, not rounded gravel like river rock. The fill around the post must be packed solid to have any chance at all of the pier having any lateral resistance. Frequently the dirt that came out of the hole is the best fill. By lateral resistance I don't mean sliding sideways. I mean being able to resist movement in a tilting or rotational mode. When piers move laterally they usually pivot about a point that is somewhere underground and not necessarily at the bottom end of the pier. The deeper you make the piers the greater the resistance. Also the larger the piers cross section the more they can resist lateral loads. G/L

fishinglineman
Member
# Posted: 21 May 2011 09:13am
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Thanks MtnDon I was either going to backfill with orignial soil or 3/4" crushed stone. I was thinking stone just for drainage, because the lot is at the botom of a hillside and there is alot of runoff in the spring. However the lateral resistance is a great point, maybe I should backfill with the gravel I took out. Either way I go I'm going to dig in some drianage pipe around the back side of the camp to pick up the water runoff. Thanks for that advise

fishinglineman
Member
# Posted: 21 May 2011 09:17am
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Quoting: neb
I see you are a lineman. I did that trade for 25 years and loved each day and still in the trade but at a differant position. Made a living in the hooks not a better job for the outdoors men. Good luck in our new project.

neb

Hey neb where did ypu do linework? I am a troubleshooter here in Maine, I have been doing it for 10 years now and love it MOST of the time!

neb
Member
# Posted: 21 May 2011 10:05am
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Quoting: fishinglineman
Hey neb where did ypu do linework? I am a troubleshooter here in Maine, I have been doing it for 10 years now and love it MOST of the time!


In Montana and was a lineman for 25 years. I still work for the same Co-op but have a differant job with them now. It is a great job and it is always exciting to know and talk to someone in the same trade that you spent years doing. We did every job imaginable that a lineman would do. Everyday something new for new construction to metering and URD. Co-op lineman in a small area need to and have to do all aspects of line work which made it fun.

fishinglineman
Member
# Posted: 21 May 2011 10:19am
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Quoting: neb
In Montana and was a lineman for 25 years. I still work for the same Co-op but have a differant job with them now. It is a great job and it is always exciting to know and talk to someone in the same trade that you spent years doing. We did every job imaginable that a lineman would do. Everyday something new for new construction to metering and URD. Co-op lineman in a small area need to and have to do all aspects of line work which made it fun.

WOW Montana, I have always wanted to go there, however cant get my wife to go! I am going to visit though someday to do some fly fishing. Who knows if I get her out there maybe she will fall in love and I can find sone work out there!! Yah I don't do much construction and more since I took the troubleshooter position, now it's refuseing cutouts and changing connections. LOL I traveled the eastern seaboard for 4 year doing construction, then I landed this job where I am now. Anyways it was great meeting you neb.

neb
Member
# Posted: 21 May 2011 10:45am
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fishinglineman

Sounds like you have some great experience in the trade working construction on the east coast. You have been there and done it and good for you. Sounds like the job now maybe a little more relaxed from the heavy constructon days. I will look forward to your progress in the cabin dream. Be Safe.

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