backfill piers with pea gravel?

RETALS · May 30, 2017

So I dug out nine 4' x 12" holes for concrete piers I was making using sonotubes. At the time of the dig, the holes fit perfect and snug around the tubes. I thought this was great and ideal. Unfortunately there was a gap in time between digging and pouring concrete. The holes dried out and expanded a little. I happen to have quite a bit of pea gravel laying around. Could I backfill around the piers with gravel instead of soil? I figure it will cascade down around the form a lot easier than trying to get loose soil in such a tight space (not to mention I have to find clean fill somewhere). I'm just unsure what effect the gravel will have on the pier over time/cold/etc.

de-nagorg · May 30, 2017

Unless your hale has expanded to enormous, there is not much need to fill it with anything.

If the forms are securely perpendicular, the space will fill in naturally over time, and won't be a problem.

And if you try to fill in before pouring the concrete there is great chance that you will cause the piers to lean a bit, making your support crooked.

pour the concrete, but make sure that you are perpendicular. then later fill in if you want, but with natural expansion and contraction with the seasons, it will fill itself.

ED

backfill piers with pea gravel?

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