Need help with new pole barn

[meb9796]

I had a new pole barn put up 3 months ago. The barn had to be built on on a slight grade, and the down hill side had a 18" difference. As you can see in the attached photo, I had to put quite a few 2x12's up to contain the gravel for the slab. I had to leave town for 2 months before the concrete slab was cured, and when I returned home, I noticed that one of the boards that I put up to contain the gravel for the concrete slab, had started to bow out.

My question, is how do I fix this?? It's been raining quite a bit, so I'm not even sure this board didn't just warp after I put it up. Would piling up dirt on the down hill side hold this board in place, or should I do something different??

Thanks!!

 

[MillWeld]

It's hard to tell from the photo but it looks like the top 2 x 12 has sunk exposing the concrete floor. I would backfill to keep the boards/gravel in place, seed with fescue to stabilized the soil. In fact, if the concrete is showing on any other side I would backfill that too. Right time of year to do seeding.
Bob

 

[Mike Costello]

Here's what I did to my shop to solve the slope problem. I used gravel all the way around the building. It packed down nicely, allows for drainage, and looks nice. Weed control is easy too. Mike.

 

[Rustyiron]

Put something against it quick! Dirt, gravel, something to keep your gravel under your slab. It may be a combination of the board bowing and the gravel settling out from under (pushing the board) and leaving the slab unsupported and subject to cracking.

 

[milkman636]

As others have already said, dirt will be your friend here.

Fill up to a couple of inches below the metal along the the entire side, then taper off gradually back to existing grade. Use enough dirt to make the grade easy to seed and maintain.

Every yard of dirt you pack in will add about 2600 lbs. of dead weight behind the boards.

 

[meb9796]

Actually the first photo was before the gravel was put in. I've attached a photo of the board that is bowed out.

Thanks for the responses, I've got two dump trucks of fill dirt showing up on Sat.

 

[flusher]

I had a new pole barn put up 3 months ago. The barn had to be built on on a slight grade, and the down hill side had a 18" difference. As you can see in the attached photo, I had to put quite a few 2x12's up to contain the gravel for the slab. I had to leave town for 2 months before the concrete slab was cured, and when I returned home, I noticed that one of the boards that I put up to contain the gravel for the concrete slab, had started to bow out.

My question, is how do I fix this?? It's been raining quite a bit, so I'm not even sure this board didn't just warp after I put it up. Would piling up dirt on the down hill side hold this board in place, or should I do something different??

Thanks!!
View attachment 228657

There shouldn't be exposed gravel above grade. Slabs should be built with perimeter footings that have to be supported by undisturbed soil per building code requirements. Looks like your slab is different. All you can do is pile gravel and dirt to stop the exposed gravel from moving.

Here's how the slab for my 24 x 42 ft shop was built. You can see the size of the perimeter footing. No exposed gravel on this slab. The grade drops about 8 inches along the 42 ft side.

 

[MMH]

Here's what I did to my shop to solve the slope problem. I used gravel all the way around the building. It packed down nicely, allows for drainage, and looks nice. Weed control is easy too. Mike.

Do you have gravel inside or a concrete slab?

 

[Duffster]

There shouldn't be exposed gravel above grade. Slabs should be built with perimeter footings that have to be supported by undisturbed soil per building code requirements. Looks like your slab is different. All you can do is pile gravel and dirt to stop the exposed gravel from moving.

Here's how the slab for my 24 x 42 ft shop was built. You can see the size of the perimeter footing. No exposed gravel on this slab. The grade drops about 8 inches along the 42 ft side.

View attachment 228863View attachment 228864

It's not his foundation, it's just the floor. Even if it was compacted gravel is more then adequate.

I would have graded the dirt up instead of putting all that extra lumber up.

 

[milkman636]

Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it. I'm sure meb is wishing he would have put more fill in before the slab was poured.

It is common to see this approach as an initial cost savings measure, but the lesson here is that 1.5" thick dimensional lumber is not a permanent solution for holding back dirt, sand, or gravel.