OWB foundation options

[ecrane99]

Hi all,

Has anyone had any success by placing your outdoor boiler on patio blocks vs concrete pad?

My furnace will be deliverd soon and will be 2.5 tons full of water.

Is there anything better than patio blocks before biting the bullet on concrete?

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[atlarge54]

Does your boiler have a flat base or is it on legs? Mine is on legs and I set it on 5 gallon buckets filled with cement buried in the ground. After 3years one end settled about 3" so I jacked it up and increased the base area under the buckets and set it back down level. My soil is muck over marl, otherwise I probably wouldn't have had any problems. I NEVER use sack-crete without adding extra portland cement.

 

[Willman]

I NEVER use sack-crete without adding extra portland cement.

Check out the high strength concrete. 5000 psi, has the extra portland in it. Great idea on the 5 gallon buckets. They would help with frost also. It wouldn't be able to grab the post and push out of the ground. it would just slip by the plastic. Of course placed wide end down.

Will

 

[Willman]

Has anyone had any success by placing your outdoor boiler on patio blocks vs concrete pad?

My patio blocks break real easy with minor weight on them. No re bar in them. I would definitely pour a slab or use the bucket pier method mentioned previously. Remember re bar is the strength.

Will

 

[in hot water]

A nicely sized pad offers so much more. Thicken the edges for a monolithic pour with footings to frost level.

It allows you to clean the ash and mess around the front, keeps everything level so the piping connections don't get stressed, allows an additional shed or wood covering to be built, etc. Around here a yard of concrete delivered is just under 100 bucks.

My neighbor works at a pre-cast concrete company. They give away concrete panels that are mis-cast or have blemishes. Call around to see if you have one nearby. It takes a hefty trailer and loader to move a precast panel, however. A yard of concrete weighs about 4000 lbs. A yard is about 10X10' 4" thick.

He built a custom pad for one of my outdoor gasification installs, 6X10. I had him put some tubing in it for an overheat and solar dump loop. Lifting rings on the corners to easily set it in place.

hr

 

[pdboilermaker]

My wood master 4400 sets on legs that are on 12" square pation blocks, 3 years running with no issues

 

[SCHNEF]

I just poured a 12 x 24 pad with frost line footing's where the boiler will sit to with a carport over all of it for somewhat dry wood storage

 

[ecrane99]

my furnace sits on its frame without legs. I suppose that will distribute the weight somewhat so I still may try to go with patio blocks. Would cinder blocks be stronger?

 

[SCHNEF]

If you are putting in a central boiler the guy that sold me mine suggested I put the corners of the boiler on a pier. to support the weight of the unit full of water.

 

[intc97]

I'm in the process of putting in a foundation for a CB 6048. I know a concrete foundation is optional, but I'm still going to do it. I framed it out with 2 by 6 and I'm going to dig an 8" by 8" footing. It will require about 1 yard of cement. I will probably go with the 4000 psi cement. I'm also putting rebar in the footing and stell mesh in the slab. It might sound like overkill but I'd rather be sure since the stove cost so much. I figure if I had a foundation problem down the road, it would be a pain to drain and move the stove to fix any problem. I put down a base of gravel and proceeded to compact the base before I put down the form.

 

[hottubbrad]

For the price of $300 worth of concrete, you are going to watch your $6000 boiler crack its way through patio stones and sink into the ground.....??????

 

[kabbott]

my furnace sits on its frame without legs. I suppose that will distribute the weight somewhat so I still may try to go with patio blocks. Would cinder blocks be stronger?

How about a couple of 4' concrete lintels like would be used in a block wall over a doorway?

 

[ecrane99]

My wood master 4400 sets on legs that are on 12" square pation blocks, 3 years running with no issues

Thanks for the encouragment. I setup my pad today with stone, 4 corner piers and heavy patio blocks.
I think all will be fine.