Concrete pier foundations are suitable for wood frame buildings and can be used for structures ranging from decks to bridges. They are affordable, easy to construct, and require little framing. Precast concrete dock kits make the job even easier. Pier foundations are suitable for most stable ground formations and can last as long as conventional foundations.
A concrete pier is a foundation element suitable for many types of structures, but most commonly used for wood frame post and beam buildings. A concrete pier typically consists of a round or square concrete pier supported at the bottom by a footer which serves to distribute the load carried by the pier. The pier is placed or cast with the footer below the frost line and its upper end above the ground surface. The top of the concrete pile is typically fitted with a frame or bracket to which the upright beams of the structures are attached. Pier foundations are affordable and effective for most soil types in areas that have little or no seismic or hurricane activity.
Standard concrete perimeter foundations are rock solid but expensive and time consuming to build. Concrete pier foundation is an economical and efficient alternative to a perimeter foundation and particularly suitable for wood frame cabins and smaller buildings constructed in areas with good land formations. In fact, the pier foundation can be used successfully for structures ranging from a simple deck or garden shed to massive highway bridges. Concrete pillars are not only cheap and effective, but generally simple enough to construct for successful installation by the average DIY (Do It Yourself) enthusiast.
The pillar foundations consist of a vertical column of cylindrical or square section resting on an elongated foot. The plinth usually rests on a bed of well-compacted rubble and, thanks to its greater surface area, helps to evenly distribute the load carried by the pier. The footer is usually located below the frost line to prevent uplift of the structure in severe frost conditions. The top of the concrete pier is above the ground surface at a height appropriate to the particular structure. The pier has a bracket or frame on its upper end which is used to secure the posts of the structures.
The foundation piers are simple to pour in situ and require little framing. Luckily for the “weekend warrior” there are many precast concrete dock kits available that make the job easy even for those inexperienced with concrete construction. These kits usually consist of plastic footer shapes with a cardboard tube and an integrated riser frame attached to them to act as a column shape. The entire assembly is placed into the hole in the column and checked for levels and proper alignment with other column members. Once the pipe has been cut to the correct lengths and the reinforcing bars have been inserted, concrete is simply poured into it and agitated to remove any air pockets.
Once the concrete has cured, the wooden posts can be set in place and the rest of the structure can begin. Concrete pier can be used for most smaller buildings in almost any stable ground formation in areas that experience negligible hurricane and earthquake activity. If these conditions exist, however, the pier foundations may still be used with prior approval from an engineer. Concrete pillar foundations generally last as long and are as strong as conventional foundations.
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