Carport Concrete Options Tubes Vs Footer/Frostwall

[fxdb96]

Having a 32x32' shop with 15' carport added on this spring. How should I support the posts for the carport? I live in Maine so the garage will have a 4' frost wall with footer. The slab basically just floats inside from what I understand. Would it be best to pour a wall for the posts? Connect it to the rest of the concrete? What about pouring ndividual concrete posts? Pros cons?

 

[s219]

Looks like there is no slab under the carport? Then I'd either pour piers for each post (bottom of pier below frost line) and set the posts on top of the piers with a metal bracket **or** I'd dig the post holes down below the frost line, drop in precast concrete "cookie" footers, set the posts on the cookies, and backfill the post holes. Take whatever precautions are necessary so that frost can't lift the piers or posts due to friction.

 

[RNeumann]

Those 5 posts don’t need a grade beam or full foundation wall. But if the builder builds that way or the engineer designed it that way go ahead- it won’t hurt anything.

 

[jfh28]

if you're sure that you are never ever going to want to enclose that carport then it shouldn't make a difference assuming there will be no movement in the soil which could wreck havoc on your roof......from a practical standpoint there will be a machine on site to excavate for the garage footings so excavating for a continuous footing/wall under the posts will be almost nothing.......then you can throw some rebar into the footing to account for any settlement or weak spots in the soil.....plus its much easier to line the posts up straight on a wall then digging five separate holes....talk to the professional that did the plans and see what they think......Jack

 

[fxdb96]

if you're sure that you are never ever going to want to enclose that carport then it shouldn't make a difference assuming there will be no movement in the soil which could wreck havoc on your roof......from a practical standpoint there will be a machine on site to excavate for the garage footings so excavating for a continuous footing/wall under the posts will be almost nothing.......then you can throw some rebar into the footing to account for any settlement or weak spots in the soil.....plus its much easier to line the posts up straight on a wall then digging five separate holes....talk to the professional that did the plans and see what they think......Jack

I agree Jack...

 

[aczlan]

Unless they're planning to do post frame for the whole thing and pour a slab after. That is what we did in our 30 by 32 cow barn so we had built this last fall.

Aaron Z

 

[fried1765]

Having a 32x32' shop with 15' carport added on this spring. How should I support the posts for the carport? I live in Maine so the garage will have a 4' frost wall with footer. The slab basically just floats inside from what I understand. Would it be best to pour a wall for the posts? Connect it to the rest of the concrete? What about pouring ndividual concrete posts? Pros cons?

View attachment 591252

Absolutely ..... pour a free standing footing and frost wall for the posts.
You live in Maine!
Don't experiment with frost.
It will beat you every time.

 

[crashz]

The excavation for the footing/wall would essentially be the same as individual piers. The biggest cost different would be the forming of the wall and amount of concrete needed.

But as stated above, that extra cost maybe justified, as you may want to enclose it some day and you'll have the piece of mind knowing here is a full frost wall there.

BTW - very nice building and car port.