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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Spacer for between concrete pier and beam?
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cabinnewbie
Member
# Posted: 20 Aug 2022 04:14pm - Edited by: cabinnewbie
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Hey all,
I posted here a few weeks ago about building a 12x16 on piers. I had 4 piers originally and everyone recommended I add two more piers in the middle.

So I added two more piers. Unforuntely, I don't think I accounted for the concrete shrinkage.

I have almost a 1" gap between the concrete pier top and the wooden beam (aka the middle piers are almost 1" below the other four piers).

I have anchor bolts in all six piers and was going to use post base tops to connect to the built-up beams (3 2x12s nailed together for each beam).

Can I put tar paper or even some flat rocks to get me that additional inch from the middle pier top to the wooden beam?

** I guess spacer is the wrong technical term. More like shim?
Something long term that won't degrade that could fit between pier and the post base to give me that one inch or so height

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 20 Aug 2022 04:45pm
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I just had a pre-built 10x16 building moved in for a toolshed/workshop/materials storage.
We followed the 'blocking schedule' from the company for the 8 cement pads and the delivery guy/installer used shims made from cut-offs of the T-111 exterior siding to final level it out.
For your piers with anchor bolts just drill a hole to slip the shim down? Id use my laser level to sight it all in.

spencerin
Member
# Posted: 20 Aug 2022 08:06pm
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Just an idea -

Can you create a small form and fill it with concrete, essentially extending the pier up to where you originally planned?

gcrank1
Member
# Posted: 20 Aug 2022 08:47pm - Edited by: gcrank1
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I would be so afraid of the 1"ish of 'crete crumbling.
Whatever you use as a shim needs to be dense and Hard and as wide as the beam to distribute the load on it well.
Ive seen steel plate used too; 'cut-offs' are available at metal supplier and fabricator shops.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 21 Aug 2022 06:01am
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Dont try and add 1in on concrete for a shim. Use a piece of PT lumber under your post base. If the metal stud that you cast into the pier is to short you can either cut it off and epoxy a new one in or use a long nut (for the lack of the real term) and extend the current one.

You could also shim the beam down to the current level depending on your post base.

cabinnewbie
Member
# Posted: 24 Aug 2022 08:38pm
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Ended up just using some wood shims. It was actually more like 2/8 or 3/8" gap so not a lot. My builder friend took a look and said some of it will naturally settle over time too. My mind's paranoid since this is my first cabin build or anything like it

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