# floating deck footers



## karl (Jul 5, 2011)

Has anybody used these to build a wood rack?  http://www.deckplans.com/   If so, how far apart did you space them?  My plan was to use 2x6x16's and space the footers four feet apart.  The 2x6's would be on 18 inch centers for a total of 20 of these things. For decks they're spacing them a whole lot closer.

Tell me what you guys did.  If you dug footers, how far apart.  If you used these or something similar, how far apart?


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## lukem (Jul 5, 2011)

karl said:
			
		

> Has anybody used these to build a wood rack?  http://www.deckplans.com/   If so, how far apart did you space them?  My plan was to use 4x6x16's and space the footers four feet apart.  The 4x6's would be on 18 inch centers for a total of 20 of these things. For decks they're spacing them a whole lot closer.
> 
> Tell me what you guys did.  If you dug footers, how far apart.  If you used these or something similar, how far apart?



The live load for wood storage (200lb/ft2 or psf) is off the charts compared to your average deck (40 psf).  Best method it to get as much ground contact as possible on a firm base (gravel).  I would think that your 4x6's wouldn't withstand a 4' span without some major deflection.

If your area is has a slope that can't be leveled with aggregate, I can understand why it would need to be suspended, but if flat I'd put down some gravel and build your floor directly on the ground (out of PT lumber, pallets, or whatever).

Firewood is HEAVY.


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## jimbom (Jul 5, 2011)

That is a good idea.  I have used those for exterior stair columns and they still are in place.
Once you level out your spot and remove the grass and topsoil, decent soil should easily support 1000 pounds/ftÂ² .
So, if these are 1 foot square, 5000 pounds wood = 5 deck footers.  Two by twelves might carry more load per linear foot than four by sixes.  Thus giving you longer span between footers.


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## lukem (Jul 5, 2011)

JimboM said:
			
		

> That is a good idea.  I have used those for exterior stair columns and they still are in place.
> Once you level out your spot and remove the grass and topsoil, decent soil should easily support 1000 pounds/ftÂ² .
> So, if these are 1 foot square, 5000 pounds wood = 5 deck footers.  Two by twelves might carry more load per linear foot than four by sixes.  Thus giving you longer span between footers.



Keep in mind that 5,000 lbs is 1 - 1.5 cord of wood when green.


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## karl (Jul 5, 2011)

Sorry.  I typed 4x6 when I meant 2x6.  I corrected the post.

Actually, I'm not worried about the 2x6's.  I'm worried about the precast footers sinking or not supporting the load.

The online calculators only go up to 100 lbs/ft2 live and 20lbs/ft2 dead for a total of 120 lbs/ft2.  I calculated my load to be 150 lbs/ft2.  For wood storage this is all dead load, because the logs don't walk around once you put them on the rack and I'm only adding weight 5 pounds or so at a time.  Live load is what really decreases the span because you have to account for the  increase of weight as something momentarily increases the load dramatically as it lands on the floor.  None the less, with 2x6's on 16" centers and 100lb/ft2 live and 20lbs/ft2 dead, the calculator says I can have a 6'9" span.  I'm planing on a 4 four span.  This should put me way over the 150lbs/ft2 dead load.

What I'm worried about is the 600lbs/ft2 I will be putting on each precast footer.


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## lukem (Jul 5, 2011)

Do you get much frost heave in your area?  What kind of soil do you have?


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## jimbom (Jul 5, 2011)

karl said:
			
		

> What I'm worried about is the 600lbs/ft2 I will be putting on each precast footer.



600 lbs/ft2 is well within normal soil bearing capacity unless you have unusual soil.  To equalize the load on the footers, cantilever the beams past the exterior footers a bit so each footer picks up about the same load.  If the load is about equal, differential settlement will be minimized. Even if things sink a little, they will all sink together and the stack will not topple.


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## Kenster (Jul 5, 2011)

I've built two decks with this product.  In fact, my deck won "Deck of the Month" at Deckplans.com in July 2003.  Prize was two boxes of Omaha Steaks!

See this link:   http://www.deckplans.com/deck-of-the-month-july-2003

Easy to work with.  No digging required.  Product available at Lowes and HD.

Go for it!


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## karl (Jul 6, 2011)

The soil is clay.   Kenster how far apart did you space them?  I would go with 2x8's if I could get an 8 foot span.  The wood is cheap but the footers are expensive.  Something like 7 dollars a piece.  That doesn't sound like much but if you place them two feet apart like most of their plans say, then you need 45 or $315.00 dollars worth of them.  I thought about making them.


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## Kenster (Jul 6, 2011)

karl said:
			
		

> The soil is clay.   Kenster how far apart did you space them?  I would go with 2x8's if I could get an 8 foot span.  The wood is cheap but the footers are expensive.  Something like 7 dollars a piece.  That doesn't sound like much but if you place them two feet apart like most of their plans say, then you need 45 or $315.00 dollars worth of them.  I thought about making them.



Our soil at the house in Houston where we built that deck is also clay.   I don't remember the distances between the blocks.  It varies, I think, with the total run and what boards you're using.  5/4 board has to have the blocks closer together than 2 x 6s, which is what we used for the higher level deck.   The plans available at deckplans.com are dead on in their recommendations.  You choose what size deck you want to build and it will tell you exactly how many boards, blocks, etc.  

Eight years ago those blocks were about $4.50 each.   Just the time savings alone was worth that vs digging footers, buying forms, buying, mixing and pouring cement, etc.   And they are very forgiving.  It's kinda hard to pull up and move a poured concrete footing.  The blocks can be tapped over a little with a rubber mallet.


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## soupy1957 (Jul 6, 2011)

posted response removed by its author, because he's an IDIOT!!



-Soupy1957


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## karl (Jul 6, 2011)

Thanks Soupy, but it's a firewood rack, not a deck.  It will be replacing rotten pallets.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 6, 2011)

Karl, if you want to save lots of dollars and have a place to cut, then why not go out in the woods and cut some young saplings. Cut some that are 3-5" or even larger if you want. Simply lay those down and stack the wood on them. It is a less expensive way to go and it works just as well.


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## Slow1 (Jul 6, 2011)

I tend to over-engineer just about everything.  However my firewood drying racks seem to be the exception.  I have used pallets and since I'm on a slope I have to level them a bit and they end up being suspended here and there (the ground is far from level in any direction).  Yes firewood is heavy.  I am also very.. umm.. frugal in this area.  

I have taken to leveling each pallet with rocks and stones that I can find laying about - nothing fancy here.  Sometimes I find an odd brick or whatnot.  It isn't pretty by any means.  My objective generally is to support each of the three structural members in the pallet in three places - so basically the pallet gets 9 points of contact... at best sometimes . Each point of contact may only be an inch or less surface area though.. it is more like "can I stand on the pallet and not tip?" as the standard.  

So with this said - I haven't yet had the pallets collapse and cause my wood piles to fall.  None of the pallets have cracked and those boards are far weaker than a 2x6 I'm sure.

My point here is that I would have no problem going with your plan and expecting good results.  Certainly your approach seems stronger than what I have been doing - more surface area contact with the ground and stronger support on the spans.  Granted you are pushing perhaps double the span (assume I went 2' on my rock support) but look at the material strength of a used pallet vs your 2x6.  Then of course there is the risk - worst case your firewood pile falls over - as long as it isn't too tall and nobody is under it at the time it is not likely to result in severe injury (other than pride).


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## smokinj (Jul 6, 2011)

I would sink 4x4 for footer' much cheaper.


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## WES999 (Jul 6, 2011)

Couldnt you just use patio blocks instead? I think they are about $1.00 apeice.


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## lukem (Jul 6, 2011)

I'm starting to wonder if a concrete slab is more economical than lumber and block.  Check local listings, but around here concrete is $85/yard delivered, 2 yard minimum.  That would yield a 160 sq ft slab for $200 @ 4" thick, including rebar.  

This would be pretty easy to form, screed, and put a broom finish on.  It will hold all the firewood you care to put on it too.


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## smokinj (Jul 6, 2011)

lukem said:
			
		

> I'm starting to wonder if a concrete slab is more economical than lumber and block.  Check local listings, but around here concrete is $85/yard delivered, 2 yard minimum.  That would yield a 160 sq ft slab for $200 @ 4" thick, including rebar.
> 
> This would be pretty easy to form, screed, and put a broom finish on.  It will hold all the firewood you care to put on it too.



This is what I use but 21'x21'.


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## cptoneleg (Jul 6, 2011)

Are you folks joking you pour slabs put down precast buy lumber to set your firewood on.


  I didn't figure the live load the dead load or get a soil sample, when I got done splitting all this Oak I looked around cut a Black Gum tree ( 4" to 5" round ) And went to stacking and there it will set out in the woods for three yrs.

  If I need to get this engeneered I will, I don't want anything bad to happen to my wood.

  By the way Dennis I admire your stacks :zip:


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## smokinj (Jul 6, 2011)

cptoneleg said:
			
		

> Are you folks joking you pour slabs put down precast buy lumber to set your firewood on.
> 
> 
> I didn't figure the live load the dead load or get a soil sample, when I got done splitting all this Oak I looked around cut a Black Gum tree ( 4" to 5" round ) And went to stacking and there it will set out in the woods for three yrs.
> ...



I tourch a old garage to get mine....5 gallons of k-1 and poof there it was! :cheese:


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## cptoneleg (Jul 6, 2011)

smokinjay said:
			
		

> cptoneleg said:
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Wow instant slab :zip:


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## smokinj (Jul 6, 2011)

cptoneleg said:
			
		

> smokinjay said:
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My friend on the voluntary fire department talk me into that one. They set up a swimming pool looking thing and it was a training day for them. Wood was all shot anyways.


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## SolarAndWood (Jul 6, 2011)

cptoneleg said:
			
		

> Are you folks joking you pour slabs put down precast buy lumber to set your firewood on.



Some of us even put it under a roof while our truck sits out year round.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 6, 2011)

cptoneleg said:
			
		

> Are you folks joking you pour slabs put down precast buy lumber to set your firewood on.
> 
> 
> I didn't figure the live load the dead load or get a soil sample, when I got done splitting all this Oak I looked around cut a Black Gum tree ( 4" to 5" round ) And went to stacking and there it will set out in the woods for three yrs.
> ...



Thanks cp. I see we stack pretty much the same; on low cost poles.


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## Backwoods Savage (Jul 6, 2011)

SolarAndWood said:
			
		

> cptoneleg said:
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That's funny Solar, especially considering your avatar. And you definitely have enough wood to cause that truck to sit outside.


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## karl (Jul 7, 2011)

I bought 2x8's.  There will be an 8 foot span.  Actually more like 7 feet because of a small cantilever on each end.  I'll post some pics next week as it goes up.  

All you guys that stack on pallets and logs and such.  I do that too and still will at the back of the lot.  What I'm trying to do is to have a decent looking place to stack close to the house.  Pallets just outside the house  look ugly.


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## Gator eye (Jul 7, 2011)

karl said:
			
		

> I bought 2x8's.  There will be an 8 foot span.  Actually more like 7 feet because of a small cantilever on each end.  I'll post some pics next week as it goes up.
> 
> All you guys that stack on pallets and logs and such.  I do that too and still will at the back of the lot.  What I'm trying to do is to have a decent looking place to stack close to the house.  Pallets just outside the house  look ugly.




Once the grass grows up around the pallet, nobody will ever know your wood is stacked on pallets.  ;-P


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## jlow (Jul 7, 2011)

This is a post from a while back. It is what I built using the floating cement footers. In 2 years it has yet to shift as I put it on the high side of my fenced in area. I will need to replace a couple of pallets, though. As it was said earlier, I built it for the aesthetics,as I can see the morning sun make it glow when I have my coffee in the morning. I do though stack free standing.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/54826/#613059


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