Replies

1. 
   Hudson Valley Carpenter | May 18, 2009 08:01pm | #1

   There's another form product now on the market, a plastic tube with a bell shaped base, which would be a better choice for what you're describing.  Using those forms you can make the whole pour at once, achieving a strong, well supported pier.  

2. 
   frammer52 | May 18, 2009 10:50pm | #2

   A lot depends on the locallty and whether seismic codes come into play.

3. 
   husbandman | May 19, 2009 12:07am | #3

   I put rebar in some I did that were similar. I used three evenly spaced bars in each column that were poured directly into the footer. Some of mine were 9' high and getting the sonotube over the bar was tricky.

   There was no requirement for engineering on my foundation. What I did was seat of the pants and likely overkill. No problems after five years in the house. I also used ready mix 3500# test crete pumped into place.

4. 
   john7g | May 19, 2009 12:32am | #4

   for the plan you've been working on, yes I'd use rebar and a hook, maybe even a ring of rebar in the footer to catch the hook or j rebar that will run vertically.

   I think this is what frammer was talking about http://www.bigfootsystems.com/.  One pour and you're done.

1. 
   bikeguy | May 19, 2009 12:57am | #5

   I have looked online and have seen the big foot, redibase and the footing tube, but nobody in my area seems to carry them.
   So will I be good with four pieces of rebar and putting an X at the top and near the bottom to hold them together? It will be simpler than trying to form a ring.

1. 
   john7g | May 19, 2009 01:11am | #6

   that would work for me.  be sure that the rebar is fully encased in the cc and not sticking out into the adjacent soil

   but it's not that hard to form a ring, a correctly sized tree on the lot can do wonders.

1. 
   bikeguy | May 19, 2009 01:29am | #7

   Trees I have! But once I bend the ring around the tree, I'll have to cut the tree down to get the ring off, just joking, I know I could shave the branches off and lift it over the top:)
   1/2" or 3/8" bar?

1. 
   john7g | May 19, 2009 01:57am | #8

   did i say tree?  try a stump. 

   dunno on your sizing, the smaller is easier to work

2. 
   gfretwell | May 19, 2009 03:51am | #9

   A real steel supplier will have the stirrups made up already in various sizes and shapes. It is not worth trying to bend them yourself.
   I still have a bunch of 8" rings around here but I doubt I could ship them for what they cost.