Frost, and heaving of post frame buildings

[dawzie]

Not to hijack the thread but-----if the posts where back filled with washed stone, would this stop the frost from heaving the poles??

Another thought, it rained here this week and now its going to be below freezing for a high for a week. If the water in the stone around the poles didn't drain away before the freeze, will it still lift the posts??

 

[Jimmy Joe]

Not to hijack the thread but-----if the posts where back filled with washed stone, would this stop the frost from heaving the poles??

Another thought, it rained here this week and now its going to be below freezing for a high for a week. If the water in the stone around the poles didn't drain away before the freeze, will it still lift the posts??

I have a friend who added a room onto his house on poles, he back filled with stone that was at least three years ago with no heaving problems. I also wondered what would happen if the water froze before it could drain out only thing I can figure is the stone can't get a solid grip on the poles to lift them, or maybe the stones can shift around in the holes during the freezing process.

 

[BeezFun]

Not to hijack the thread but-----if the posts where back filled with washed stone, would this stop the frost from heaving the poles??

Not necessarily. Part of the issue is how well finished the posts are. If they are very rough and have knot holes, it's easier for the ice to stay engaged. You're correct though that the more water you can drain away, the less chance of a problem, and washed stone is very good at draining.

Another thought, it rained here this week and now its going to be below freezing for a high for a week. If the water in the stone around the poles didn't drain away before the freeze, will it still lift the posts??

Yes, possibly. I've only seen one foundation where an ice lens attached and lifted the foundation off the footing, I worked for a concrete company then and we jacked the house up and did the repairs. But why that house and not the other 1000 houses in the subdivision? Who knows. Maybe the contractor used old forms and they left the concrete very rough so the ice could get a good hold. Or maybe the sump pump discharge was broken and it dumped water against the side of the house. Or the homeowner went away on vacation and left the house so cold that there wasn't enough heat loss through the concrete to melt the ice.