Cabin Fever----Question

[PD-Riverman]

You showed a picture some time back of your guest house-----It looked like it was built on 4x4 or 6x6 treated post. I was thinking of building a Small cabin and was interested in maybe building it that way. Laying block pillars is not something I care to do. Any info on how things are prepaired under the piers/in the ground would be helpful. Its not going to be inspected. Thanks

[Cabin Fever]

6x6 treated posts were paced on top of concrete pads in 12" diameter holes that were 4-feet deep. The concrete "pads" were made of two bags of Sackrete. The cabin was built in 1996 and is still like new. Our soil is sugar sand.

Our Guest Cabin

[simi-steading]

That's a great looking cabin. Did you build it, or have it built? Is it mortise and tenon?

[Marshloft]

Great pics,, I noticed you also enjoy reading by oil amp.
GH

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by simi-steading

That's a great looking cabin. Did you build it, or have it built? Is it mortise and tenon?

I hired a local carpenter to build it. I did some of the interior work.

It is not mortise and tenon nor timberframe. It simply stick built on a set of 6x 6 piers. Floor joists 16' long 2 x 12 with 12" fiberglass insulation between the joists. Walls use 2 x 4 framing and are insulted. The attic area is also insulated with two 6" thick fiberglass batts.

There are 12 windows (door window and 11 insulated Marvin windows).

[blooba]

So basically you just dug 4' deep hole, filled with 2 bags of sackrete, let dry and set the posts on top and backfilled? aren't you worried the posts will rot? Even with sandy soil I would think it would rot eventually.

[Cabin Fever]

The piers had a lifetime warranty (not that I believe the warranty is any good) and were treated back in the day when CCA was allowed. The eaves overhang 2-feet from the exterior walls. The soil is sand. We get less than 30" of precipitation a year. Many old cabins are on untreated posts around our lakes. I suppose the posts could rot in time, but I'll be gone when they do.

[Nimrod]

You dig or drill a hole to whatever depth your building inspector requires. It has to go below the frost line or the pier will move.

Get some forms 12" QUIK-TUBE Building Form at Menards , cut to the length you need, put one in each hole, Raise or lower each one so the tops are all at the same level (a garden hose level works great for this) and the tops are above the ground level a few inches, fill in dirt around each one while making sure it's plumb, fill each form with cement, and finish the top with a cement anchor bolt 1/2" x 10" hot galv anchor bolts with nuts and washer - 2 pack at Menards .

You can put a metal bracket on top of the foundation pier to seperate the wood from the cement so it won't rot Z-Max 6x6 Standoff Post Base-ABA66Z at The Home Depot . Some brackets also have a level adjustment if you were a little off when you leveled the forms. If you are feeling especially skillful you could forego the brackets and mound up the cement on top of the forms a bit so the rain runs away from the wood post. The wood will still eventualy rot but much slower than if it sits in water all the time.