"aemeijers" wrote in message
...
wrote:
going to use 10 treated 4x6 posts as foundation for 10x12 shed.....guy at
menards sugested coating with tar to extend life. sounded like good idea
to
me...also building inspector guy advised me not to concrete posts in
ground
or frost will be problem.....dig holes 48" then concrete in bottom of
hole
and posts sit on the concrete....sound OK? Thanks

It is a little more concrete to mix, but correct answer is to pour
rebarred concrete piers (probably using the cardboard Sonotube forms), and
drop a big J-bolt in the top to anchor a metal standoff plate from Simpson
or similar. You then put the 4x6 posts in the standoff plates. Once shed
is framed and squared up, you lag the posts in place through the holes on
the standoff plates. If the piers are down into undisturbed soil, they
should last essentially forever, and your timbers will probably never rot.
Piers don't have to be tall- just want them higher than the rain
splash/snow line, and tall enough to make it obvious if any termites start
building tunnels up to the wood.

If that sounds like too much work or bother, just put gravel in the bottom
of the hole, set and square the the posts, fill the sides with tamped
gravel, and maybe put a small concrete cone on top to shed rain. Idea is
never to trap wood in a concrete pocket- always give the water someplace
to go. IMHO, tar will do more harm than good, and tend to keep the wood
wet.

And unless you have strange local conditions, inspector guy sounds
clueless- if the hole is below frostline and into undisturbed soil, and
properly sized, frost heave shouldn't be a problem. Maybe he meant to not
put a big concrete mushroom on top at dirt level- that can heave enough to
yank even a deep post out of position.

--
aem sends....

Why not jusy build it on 6X6 PT skids and put it on blocks??? It is just a
shed and it will be a heck of alot easier to move when SWMBO says it would
look better over there or you decide to build on an addition or garage in
that spot...LOL...See the thread below about moving a shed...LOL....