foundation question for building a small cabin

TNeat · 08-01-2007, 04:44 PM

I am planning to build a small cabin as a weekend type getaway place. Nothing fancy maybe 800 to 900 square feet or so. I plan on a pier and beam type foundation.

My question is if I dig down to solid rock (which will not be more than about a foot in this area) and I set a 6x6 treated lumber post for my piers, should I put them in concrete, or just pack them with the dirt to fill? Not sure if concrete will incourage rot any more or less than just native soil packed around them.

windshield_king · 08-01-2007, 05:46 PM

If it were my cabin I would dig down below frost line(i live up north)pour foundation, and then get those tubes you can fill with concrete, reinforce with re-bar use that as my pier and never care about rot. Then you could allways use stone as a facing over the piers. just a thought.

concretemasonry · 08-01-2007, 06:36 PM

Don't just sit posts on rock.

Clean the rock and find a spot to drive a couple of rebar into. Pour concrete and insert a Simpson bracket to hold your 6x6 post.
With your method, a good wind could slide a small cabin if it is just sitting on rock. The brackets prevent rotting of the post. Do not forget the proper fasteners so the treated wood does not eat them up.

Tscarborough · 08-01-2007, 07:08 PM

Or you could just use the rock laying around and make stone foundation pillars. Then you don't have to worry about wood rot or rust.

08-01-2007, 04:44 PM	#1
TNeat Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 5	foundation question for building a small cabin I am planning to build a small cabin as a weekend type getaway place. Nothing fancy maybe 800 to 900 square feet or so. I plan on a pier and beam type foundation. My question is if I dig down to solid rock (which will not be more than about a foot in this area) and I set a 6x6 treated lumber post for my piers, should I put them in concrete, or just pack them with the dirt to fill? Not sure if concrete will incourage rot any more or less than just native soil packed around them.

08-01-2007, 05:46 PM	#2
windshield_king Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 3	foundation question for building a small cabin If it were my cabin I would dig down below frost line(i live up north)pour foundation, and then get those tubes you can fill with concrete, reinforce with re-bar use that as my pier and never care about rot. Then you could allways use stone as a facing over the piers. just a thought.

08-01-2007, 06:36 PM	#3
concretemasonry Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota - Latitude 45.057 Longitude -93.074 Posts: 3,357	foundation question for building a small cabin Don't just sit posts on rock. Clean the rock and find a spot to drive a couple of rebar into. Pour concrete and insert a Simpson bracket to hold your 6x6 post. With your method, a good wind could slide a small cabin if it is just sitting on rock. The brackets prevent rotting of the post. Do not forget the proper fasteners so the treated wood does not eat them up.

08-01-2007, 07:08 PM	#4
Tscarborough Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,038	foundation question for building a small cabin Or you could just use the rock laying around and make stone foundation pillars. Then you don't have to worry about wood rot or rust.

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foundation question for building a small cabin