I have a 24″W x 48″D x 30’L footer to mix and pour this summer. Because I am mixing the concrete myself ( I regulalry do concrete work, albeit smaller projects, and have no issues mixing my own 1-2-3 mix) I am planning to pour the footer in 5 foot sections, twice per week.
I will be laying 3-4 horizonal rows of rebar supported by 2-3 vertical sections, including an ~18″ overlap between sections.
Any suggestions or advice to help make things go as smooth as possible with a multi-pour footer would be appreciated. Thks.
Replies
Seems like a footer of this size would be in response to some specific engineering.
Consult with the engineer on suitability and specifics for a multi-pour installation.
No engineering, except my tendency to over-engineer my own projects. The footer needs to be 48"D to get below the frost line here in Northern Minnestota. Local code specifies 18" as a minimum footer width, so I am just going a little above and beyond with a 24"W footer. I am just looking to gauge other peoples' mileage before getting started this week with multi-pour footers based on experience and-or knowledge. I am pretty sure I remember reading that multi-pour footers in commerical applications is quite common because they are so massive.
An engineer designs a structure to withstand expected loads without wasting material and cost. Overbuilding and overengineering are the opposite of each other. I don't mean offense by this, it's just a pet peeve of mine.
I have worked on a couple of commercial projects where footings were poured in multiple pours. The engineer was very specific about where the cold joints were placed, and how they were reinforced and waterproofed. Most concrete degredation is caused by rebar rusting and joints in concrete let water in.
I don't know what concrete costs in your area, for me a truck is about 2000$ What is your time and energy worth? Six days of mixing concrete to save 1000$? I have a concrete mixer attachment for my skid steer and I would still order a truck for an 8 yard pour.
A footer is usually at the bottom of a foundation. the width is specified to spread the building weight over more undisturbed earth. Depth to get below frost level. Specification depends on what is above, and the specific soil characteristics.
https://up.codes/viewer/minnesota/mn-residential-code-2015/chapter/4/foundations#R403
Thickness of the footing has to be >6 inches, not the full height of the foundation wall.
The concrete used for footings also needs to be of higher compressive strength than that for walls or floors.
What are you planning to install over this? Unless this is a 24 inch wide masonry wall, it does not make sense to me.
But if your heart is set on your plan, make sure the rebar bridges the joint, clean off any loose stuff at the joint, and spray the interface with a bonding agent.
In my ever so humble opinion you're crazy. You're looking at about 10 yards of concrete. That's a truck load of gravel, a truck load of sand, and at least 60 sacks of cement. You're going to need to shovel that at least once and quite possibly twice or more. I assume you want to mix this yourself because you lack access to the site. You'll have a whole lot of wheelbarrow loads to move. If your time and back aren't worth anything go ahead. I'd just use ready mix and a pump and be done with the whole thing in an hour.
I know, just reading this my shoulders and back started aching. I don't even like mixing .5 yd for a floor patch in a bitch of a basement. Or at least my guys don't. :-)
how are you forming the "footer" ?
48 inch deep for a footer seems more like a retaining wall or a foundation wall and would require some pretty serious framework
good luck
30' is about 5 helical piers at ~$400 per pier installed, and it would take a couple hours. Why kill yourself with all that concrete work? Crazy.