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akrocknroll
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# Posted: 4 Dec 2022 08:20pm
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Since building an ambitious log cabin 11 years ago and an off grid cozy cabin overlooking Denali from the south the last three winters, we feel ready to take on a bigger project, our off grid, but on road home that we will raise our boys at. We did a lot of dirt work this summer, designing and planning this fall, and are now finally ready to get our TMP installed this week. We will have two rows of 5 pilings on each side, ten total.
One thing we are having a hard time deciding is our best option to extend the TMP above grade. We want be up high enough for a few reasons and plan to have the bottom of our beam be at 3' at the lowest elevation corner, and about 18" at the highest elevation corner. Our initial plans is to have the TMP go all the way up so the bracket can attach directly to the beams. I see others have the TMP bracket just above grade, then use 6x6's extend vertically to their desired height. The extensions will cost about $750 - 850 for all of the posts, but that will get one solid piling all the way to the beam. Going with 6x6's would be quite a bit less, but require my own leveling and additional brackets and seems like it might be more risky in an earthquake zone.
We do plan to have welding done for lateral stability, too. I am anticipating going that high will need to built up a fair amount.
Thanks for any advice!
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 5 Dec 2022 08:49am
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Have you considered pouring a footer to below the frost line, then building it up with concrete block and mortar joints to the desired height, adding rebar and mortar to fill the cavity. Block can be purchased with a rough outer finish or, you can veneer it with stone later. The cost is far less expensive. I used a portable mixer that ran off a generator to pour mine. Anchors can be added to tie the floor and structure to the footing and piers of block.
Tim
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Brettny
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# Posted: 5 Dec 2022 09:43am
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If your getting screw piles put in just have them right up to the height of the beam. Dont all vertical wood ontop. Your just adding another hinge point in the foundation and will need alot more bracing.
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akrocknroll
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# Posted: 5 Dec 2022 08:48pm
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Thanks for the input. We are going all the way up with the piling to the beams. Saw a few builds where they added the vertical wood or a framed in knee wall just above grade. I like this plan better though.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 6 Dec 2022 07:00pm
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Agree with Brettny. Spend the extra and go all the way up with the metal posts on the screw piles.
I'm curious to see how it goes. The Su Valley has a lot of rocks down there!
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akrocknroll
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# Posted: 6 Dec 2022 08:13pm
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Thanks Rick, we have our Christmas Cabin north of the big Su- snow machine ride or fly-in only. This build will be on the southern Kenai Pen. TMP have had a good success rate down here.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2022 11:37am
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Gottcha. Our cabins are northwest of Trapper Creek a few miles west of the highway. ATV or snowmachine access from the parking lot.
For the current cabin construction I hand dug holes for concrete piers (bigfoot forms with sono tubes). The first 2 to 2.5 ft is easy digging. After that it is rock, cobble, boulder city.
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akrocknroll
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2022 11:01pm
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Same with us when we dug our outhouse hole. When we did our foundation, we dug down past the organic matter, put some gravel in the hole, then placed a footer made from two rows of treated three 18 inch 6x6's, that have 1/2 inch marine plywood above and below each layer. Essentially ply/6x6/ply/6x6/ply, which make a 18" square footer thats a little over a foot tall. Works fine for winter cabins.
We park at mile 107, just north of the big su and are west of there. Hiked it a few years ago in the fall, wasn't pleasant but wasn't an awful 8 miles. There are about 7-8 cabins/saunas/bunkhouses from a close group of friends. Makes for quick construction after you get the materials out there. Maybe we will run into you sometime. We are heading out in a few weeks and are going to take a day trip up to one of the lodges on Petersville or in Trapper.
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