Deck footings mainly support the heavyweight of the deck through during any temperature.
Sonotube is used for making concrete piers. These are waxed cardboard tubes that are used when soil is loose. They help to deal with uplift caused by frost. Here is the method to build deck footing.
Preparation or initial check-
- Inspect the footings before making piers. You can take pictures of the whole process of constructing the piers. This is to avoid any questions later.
- Check the requirement of frost depth. Also, find out the shape and size of the footings.
- Avoid creeping error by checking all the pier and footing measurements. You need to place the forming tubes according to the center of the measurements.
- Store the concrete form tube at the proper place where there is less moisture.
Tools Required
Hoe
Posthole digger
Spade
Tape to measure
Utility knife
Wheelbarrow
Gloves
Safety glass
Shovel
Materials Required
Concrete and Form tubes
- Separate Deck Pier Footings
Hillside piers should not fall down and hence should have formed with proper depth.
If there are shallow bedrock, piers will not match up with the depth requirement which building department has mentioned. Hence, proper pining is a must. For this, you have to first clear the soil over the rock. Next bore a hole and drill holes for every piece of re-bar.
- Digging the hole with adequate depth
Often footings and piers are poured at the same time. Still, you can follow the step wherein soil should be firm and crushed gravel can be placed.
While digging the deck footing holes, you should keep it about 6 inches deeper than what local building codes require.
- Next pour concrete into the hole until it meets the top section. Avoid the dust on the sides of the hole.
- With proper measurement cut the Concrete Pier Form Tubes
Cardboard form tubes are as long as 12 feet. Hence you need to cut them as per your requirement. For this, you can use a handsaw or a reciprocating saw.
- Place the Pier Form Tubes in the hole
Now is the time to place the tubes in their respective holes. Next level it up to check that the tubes are properly leveled with the top. Fill the hole after proper backfilling using a shovel.
Lift the sonotube in case you are pouring piers and fittings together.
Next, drive two screws into the side of the tube. Once tubes are properly aligned, put the string lines back in place.
- Install the Re-Bar & Post Anchors to level the surface.
You can place the re-bar first and later form a tube around it. However, before pouring concrete it is better that you place it as a local building inspector may check that.
- Align and inset deck hardware. Also, it is good to let the surface of the concrete smoothen down. Let the concrete set and then start the construction.
