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I plan on building a 14 x 24 detached storage shed. Plan on using steel studs, and shed will have some storage on upper level.
Can anyone comment on just putting in an 8″ wide ratwall extendingh below the frost line, vs. putting in a footing, then a wall on top of the footing.
In other words, is 8″ sufficient width to support this structure, or would I need something like a 20″ wide footer. Or, the real question, what sort of loading does clay soil support?
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Rich:
The clay soil here in NC supports 2000 PSF.
Will the outbuilding have a concrete floor, or some other type of floor? Do you want to build to code?
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Yes, building will have 4"+ concrete floor. I'll probably put #4 rerod on 16" centers, tied into the ratwall. Building will be code. The local inspector doesn't have much if any experience with steel stud construction, so we'll be walking through it together.
Thanks for the 2000 psf number. It's a ballpark. Are these numbers published in tables somewhere, or are they local custom.
BTW, I'm building this myself for myself, so a lot of stuff like the rerod is only for my satisfaction. I will have perimeter drain around the ratwall, below floor slab level and probably about 1' below grade. Compacted gravel and sand under the floor slab.
Thanks, Matt.
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A table in the NC Cabo model building code book lists the bearing values in PFS supported by 4 or 5 different "foundation materials". That's where the 2000PSF for clay figure came from.
*What is a ratwall?Ignorant Rich
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It's a concrete wall below a structure to keep rodents from burrowing under the structure, and theoretically undermining . Typically used in buildings that are slab on grade type buildings such as detached garage/storage shed, attached family room on slab, etc. Code usually is 24", but prudence says extend it below frost line.
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I plan on building a 14 x 24 detached storage shed. Plan on using steel studs, and shed will have some storage on upper level.
Can anyone comment on just putting in an 8" wide ratwall extendingh below the frost line, vs. putting in a footing, then a wall on top of the footing.
In other words, is 8" sufficient width to support this structure, or would I need something like a 20" wide footer. Or, the real question, what sort of loading does clay soil support?