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northernspirit
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2012 12:33pm
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I'm planning to start building my cabin soon and am unsure as to how to do the foundation. The cabin will be put on sandy loam soil, with a frost depth of about 3-4 feet. the water table is not a concern since its over hundred feet below, and there is never any standing water on the property. can I just put the sonotube in the ground 4 feet deep or do I need to put down a footer first and if so how big? I'm planning on a 12 X 20 cabin. thanks for any help 
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grover
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2012 06:36pm
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No expert here by no means but I think you do need some sort of footer, mostly to resist uplift. There is a product called bigfoot that fits onto the bottom of the sonotube. You set them, backfill and then pour the concrete. Not sure of the cost but it certainly sounds interesting.
I know some will tell you that piers are not a proper foundation but I think thats what I will do when building time comes.
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GomerPile
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2012 06:50pm
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There is a table in the IRC that shows footing needed roughly twice as large as the sonatube being used. Dig hole to correct depth and fill the bottom with 8 inches or so of cement. Put a piece or two of rebar in there to keep from shearing the pier during heavy frost.
Once hard position the cardboard tube and backfill. Trim all tunes to the desired elevation and fill.
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Malamute
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2012 11:33am - Edited by: Malamute
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I've always used the bigfoot type footers. They make it much faster and simpler to do it all in one pour. They do cost, but to me the cost has been well worthwhile in my time and road time for the concrete trucks. Its far simpler to screw the footers on the tubes, backfill and plumb them as you fill, get the tops all levelled with a lazer level, and pour it in one shot.
I drop a couple-3 pieces of rebar in each one after pouring them, and keep whatever anchor you want ready to go. I do log mostly, so use 2 foot long piece of 1/8" or 3/16" x 2" steel strap with an angle bend in the bottom, and about 6" sticking out to attack to the logs. That works for frame also, you just need to know exactly where the frame will end up and put the steel where it will do the most good and not be in the way.
If you're mixing your own concrete on site, the difference in time and effort may not be as great. If you're a ways out of town and order concrete, the difference in mileage on the truck can add up quickly.
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GomerPile
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2012 12:04pm
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Back at work here's the chart I mentioned. Its only a guide....there are a bunch of exceptions in the code. Its basically 16 inch pad for an 8 inch tube in the worst soil conditons.
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