Footers

[WVBill]

In my thread on Basic Backhoe Operation, Scott replied

"We always used 1/2" rebar for grade stakes inside the footer. Paint marking paint on the ground so you can find them when the concrete is flowing."

Scott, are you saing that you drive 1/2" re-bar into the ground to the level of the concrete pour and pour the concrete around them up to their tops and then leave them in the ground buried in the concrete?

Sounds like a pretty neat solution - just want to make sure.

WVBill

 

[firefighter9208]

I usually pull them out when you get the concrete graded to the top of them. That's part of the reason for painting them orange so they stand out.

Chris

 

[roermo]

when I poured my floor for my garage I did the same thing but only pounded them in well below the top of the floor.

roger

 

[WVBill]

Thanks, guys I'll give it a shot.

Hadn't seen the method described anywhere else and didn't want to call for the pre-pour footer inspection and have the inspector say "What the heck are those!!"

Oh well, if he does I can always pull them out.

WVBill

 

[KubotaSteve]

Bill,

Not sure what county you are in, or what you are building, but in the package I picked up for my garage (Jefferson County) they show that you have to have rebar coming out of the footers so far to hook into your concrete wall or block. They have a lot of weird rules and stuff to follow now and the packages they give you aren't real clear.

 

[EddieWalker]

Bill,

Can yo give more detail as to why you need grade stakes for a pier and beam foundation?

Grade stakes are for large areas that are too wide to run a straight board along the edges of the forms. You can use rebar like others have mentioned, but I've always used, and seen others use a wood stake that is set above grade. Then the stakes are marked with a black sharpie at grade. Pounding teh stake in to be at grade at the top of the stake isn't as simple as it sounds. Too far and you have to redo it. Not far enough and your going back and forth checking until you get it just right. Just marking the sides of a wooden stake is simple and easy.

After the concrete is leveled off , you just pull the stake and fill the hole.

Of couse, this is for large pads. All you need to do is have your forms set at grade. Then scree off the exceess with a straight board.

Eddie

 

[WVBill]

Eddie -

I may be using the term "grade stake" incorrectly.

What I have is a trench 30" deep and 24" wide under the perimeter walls of my future building. It's 30" deep because that's the frost level here. In the bottom of the trench will be the footing for the foundation walls. The footing needs to be at least 12" wide and 6" thick. On top of the footing I'll build an 8" concrete block foundation wall up to a height of 8" above the surrounding ground.

My options for the footing are to build forms in the bottom of the trench or just pour 6" of concrete in the bottom.

If I drive short pieces of re-bar into the ground so that the tops are all level and at least 6" above the bottom of the trench, I can just pour the concrete up to their tops and be sure it's level.

WVBill