Pouring Concrete Piers For Deck

By justin fink pouring accurate concrete piers.

Pouring concrete piers for deck.

Hang a plumb bob from the end of one 2x4. Learn everything you need to know about installing concrete footings to support your deck. If the area receives frost the piers can be installed above ground. But even if footings are deep enough ice lenses can latch onto the rough surfaces of wood and concrete and lift footings and posts from the side.

Decks and other permanent structures require deck supports and footings made from structural strength concrete mix. A 12 diameter footing will require two 60lb bags of concrete per foot of depth. The price of pouring concrete footings depends greatly on the length and diameter of the footing your deck needs. When constructing a deck in an area that receives minor amounts to no frost these piers often serve as suitable deck footings.

It is important to check local building codes for construction requirements in your area. In this video this old house general contractor tom silva shows how to dig and pour concrete supports. Lay two long straight 2x4s on the deck allowing them to extend out to the center of the two footing holes. We will teach you how to determine the code compliant size of your footings based on the soil type and tributary loads.

This video shows you how to build the base of a deck foundation or concrete deck footing using quikrete quik tube building forms. Learn how to use the deck ledger to determine the pier heights a critical dimension in a grade level deck. That s why concrete piers poured in waxed cardboard tubes and smooth wooden installing deck posts work well for below grade support. The height of concrete piers isn t crucial on a raised deck because leveling the beam is a matter of adjusting the length of each post running between pier and beam.

Precast concrete piers are engineered to accommodate joists for ground level decks without footings or posts and anchors set in footings. If you bed a pier in a concrete footing however you need to soak it in water. These requirements will include minimum diameter and minimum depth of the footings. Check out our deck footing frost map to help you understand how deep your footings will need to be excavated.

Above ground deck piers are precast tapered concrete blocks with a wide base that are intended to rest directly on the ground or a concrete base. A dry pier set in a wet footing will draw moisture out of the concrete weakening it.