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Setting basement poles

luke | Posted in Construction Techniques on October 9, 2006 05:53am

I am helping a friend finish a house that he jacked up and poured 10′ basement walls under.  The house is setting on cribbage now.  What is the best procedure for bracing up the house to pour the slab?  We poured footings for the steel columns on 8′ centers 4″ below grade and plan to set tempery 6x6x10 wooden post so we can grade and pour the interior of the basement. Once the basement floor is poured set the steel post.

This is the first time that I have ever dealt with this situation.  Can anyone give me advise?

Luke

 

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  1. john7g | Oct 09, 2006 01:45pm | #1

    The 2x I've been involved with something like this we poured the column footings to final height, set the coumns and then lowered the house & then poured the rest of the slab.  But your coulmn footings re below... hmmm...

    What's between the cribbing & the house right now?  Steal beams?

    1. luke | Oct 09, 2006 03:48pm | #5

      I appreciate the reply. The floor is going to be stained so we are hoping to have a clean pour under the colums, that's why we stayed 4" below grade.  Should we just pour to finished height, set the steel and then pour the finished floor?

  2. Danno | Oct 09, 2006 02:22pm | #2

    When I worked for a framer, they would often set the final steel posts and pour the concrete around them, so they were actually embedded in the concrete. Often they would put them upside down so the adjustment screws were then buried in the concrete! Don't know why they did it that way, as after the concrete was poured you couldn't ever adjust the height of the posts.

    1. luke | Oct 09, 2006 03:52pm | #6

      Thanks, the steel we must use is not adjustable. The inspector said that adjustable posts are temp. I think we will set the steel and pour around it.

      1. User avater
        BillHartmann | Oct 09, 2006 04:58pm | #7

        Are post really needed at this point?No live loads, just dead loads.I am not suggesting this, but asking the question.

        1. luke | Oct 09, 2006 09:00pm | #8

          The house is up on beams.  We need to set the house on the poured foundation walls, remove the cribbage and scrape the floor.  How can I do this without supporting the center of the house?

          1. MikeSmith | Oct 09, 2006 11:25pm | #13

            luke... if the house is at it's final elevation  . it should be setting on the sill

            the center beam should still be cribbed.. now you install temporary jacks  close to locations of where the final columns will be

            pull out the cribbing... make sure your permanent column footings are where they are supposed to be... if not  repour as needed

            order your permanent columns

            we NORMALLY use 3 1/2" lally columns  OR 4" lally columns depending on the point loads.. if , for some reason you  have to use  structural steel columns, then that's what you have to do

            now that the center beam is jacked and tweaked to it's final position, you can take exact measurements and ORDER your steel columns

            or...if you can use lally columns, you just order them to the next 6" size and cut to fit in the field

            using the jacks , you lift the beam and insert your final columns and set the beam in it's final position ..

             now you pour your slab around the  finish columns

            if you want to set your columns ON TOP of the slab , the slab must bear direct on the footings and your beam and deck cannot be in place

            something has to hold the beam up .. so you either have to pour around your temporary cribbing , your temporary jacks , or your permanent columns

             

             Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

      2. Piffin | Oct 09, 2006 11:23pm | #11

        That is good. Shouldn't take but a few days to have the steel 

         

        Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

    2. Piffin | Oct 09, 2006 11:18pm | #10

      I had a guy involved with Habitat from NY looking at one I did. ( he was a visitor) and he commented that they were required to turn them upside down so stoopid homeowners would not try to move them or steal them 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

      1. DanH | Oct 09, 2006 11:24pm | #12

        In addition, the adjustable posts are often more stable upside-down. That way the fixed plate is resting on the narrow beam, and the adjustable plate on a broader bearing surface that won't wobble.
        If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

  3. blue_eyed_devil | Oct 09, 2006 03:27pm | #3

    Danno is right; just set the permanent steel poles and don't bother setting the temps.

    Why do you think you need temporary posts?

    blue

    Our Skytrak is for sale. It has 500 hrs on it. We want  50k (you pay the freight) and we'll finance it. Drop me an email; it's a good buy.

    1. luke | Oct 09, 2006 03:37pm | #4

      The reason that we need temp poles is because my buddy has not ordered the steel poles.

      Thanks for the reply.

  4. Piffin | Oct 09, 2006 11:15pm | #9

    Why not set the steel now? That is what I do. Get it in, wrapp witha few rounds of tarapaper, tape it off, and pour.

    Then after teh slab is pourted, peel the exposed tarpaper of, cutting it clean at the top of slab

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  5. nailbanger | Oct 09, 2006 11:43pm | #14

    Luke:

    Pass me the "skyhook" please...

    I think that Mike Smith has it covered pretty well. Even if the house is still up off the foundation you're still going to have to pour around something because you can't just let it hang there. Easiest is probably to set the permanent posts, cut to the proper length and pour to them.

    BILL

    1. luke | Oct 10, 2006 02:56am | #15

      Thanks for all your replies, we ordered the 4" columns today.

      1. brownbagg | Oct 10, 2006 04:13am | #16

        word of advice on embeddeed poles. Block out around the poles where the finish slab is. the poles will move, slightly but will and it always cracks around poles. at least with the block out it will isolate the slab. also it alway cracks on corners. a piece of round sonic tube works great for block out. I know, I know you dont want to look at block out, what about cracks, you like looking at cracks.

        1. DanH | Oct 10, 2006 04:25am | #17

          Yeah, what BB said. One approach is to make the footing come up to finish level for the slab, and then pour the slab AROUND the footing (with felt spacer) vs over it.
          If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

        2. luke | Oct 10, 2006 05:11am | #18

          Please explain block out, I am not sure how you are suggesting blocking out.  I really don't need cracks.

          Luke

          1. MikeSmith | Oct 10, 2006 01:13pm | #19

            blockouts are methods used to relieve stress cracks in slabs.. all slabs have tension in them ... they tend to concentrate around corners and penetrations

            if you "block out " around the penetrations and sawcut from corners. you can direct the stress and "control" it

            you fill the saw cuts with concrete epoxy caulk

            here's some lallys set

            View Image

             

            and a blockout formed to be even with the top of slab

            View Image

            and some saw cuts to act as control joints

            View Image

            Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

            Edited 10/10/2006 6:15 am ET by MikeSmith

            Edited 10/10/2006 6:15 am ET by MikeSmith

            Edited 10/10/2006 6:16 am ET by MikeSmith

          2. brownbagg | Oct 10, 2006 03:05pm | #20

            good picture. good work. we been using round sonic tube for blockout just to elimnate corners. cracks love corners for some reason.

          3. DanH | Oct 10, 2006 05:32pm | #21

            But putting the corners on the relief cuts, as shown, makes the corners work for you rather than against you. With no relief cuts round is probably better, but the form needs to be large enough to surround the footing.
            If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison

          4. luke | Oct 11, 2006 04:14am | #22

            Your explaination and pictures are perfect. The check is in the mail. Thank you!

            Luke

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