Zachary Hoyt
Well-known Member
I've been asking questions for the last year or more about a set of 20 concrete piers for a new building. I rented a trackhoe and dug the holes today and am getting ready to put in
the forms and the rebar. I am hoping to pour early next week. Each pier will be 5 feet high, 8 inches square on top and 22 inches square on the bottom. I got advice earlier this
spring about rebar and am going to use 4 vertical #4 bars with an L bend on the bottom connected by a square of rebar 12" on a side and another square 6" on a side. I am using
#4 for everything because it and #5 are all that I can get around here. The rebars will be wired together in a bunch at the top. I have anchor bolts to put into the wet concrete too.
I am wondering how to secure the rebar cage inside the wooden forms to ensure that it stays centered in the form while the concrete is being poured in. I can imagine running a
piece of wire from each rebar out through the corners of the forms but I don't know if that would make a pathway for rust to get started on the rebar. On the bottom I plan to place
the "feet" of the rebars on pieces of broken concrete or rocks to hold them up a bit off the bottom of the form. I don't know if that is okay either. The other thing I am wondering
and have not been able to find out is how long I should leave the forms in place after the pour. I can leave them on for a week but if it would be possible to remove the forms and
start backfilling sooner I would like to do that. I know concrete needs to stay wet in order to cure but I am not sure if backfilling and running a sprinkler would be better or worse
than leaving it in the forms and running a sprinkler. Concrete makes me nervous since I am not very used to it, so any advice will be much appreciated. I have poured footers and
slabs before but this pier thing is a new one for me.
Zach
the forms and the rebar. I am hoping to pour early next week. Each pier will be 5 feet high, 8 inches square on top and 22 inches square on the bottom. I got advice earlier this
spring about rebar and am going to use 4 vertical #4 bars with an L bend on the bottom connected by a square of rebar 12" on a side and another square 6" on a side. I am using
#4 for everything because it and #5 are all that I can get around here. The rebars will be wired together in a bunch at the top. I have anchor bolts to put into the wet concrete too.
I am wondering how to secure the rebar cage inside the wooden forms to ensure that it stays centered in the form while the concrete is being poured in. I can imagine running a
piece of wire from each rebar out through the corners of the forms but I don't know if that would make a pathway for rust to get started on the rebar. On the bottom I plan to place
the "feet" of the rebars on pieces of broken concrete or rocks to hold them up a bit off the bottom of the form. I don't know if that is okay either. The other thing I am wondering
and have not been able to find out is how long I should leave the forms in place after the pour. I can leave them on for a week but if it would be possible to remove the forms and
start backfilling sooner I would like to do that. I know concrete needs to stay wet in order to cure but I am not sure if backfilling and running a sprinkler would be better or worse
than leaving it in the forms and running a sprinkler. Concrete makes me nervous since I am not very used to it, so any advice will be much appreciated. I have poured footers and
slabs before but this pier thing is a new one for me.
Zach