Greetings, folks,

I am hoping to build pilings to suport a small (12 X 24) outbuilding.

I bought a pallet of regular concrete block and ordered mortar mix to
lay the block with. A certain home center store sent Concrete mix
instead.

Here is my question: Can I pour a small footing, then set two blocks on
top, then set two more blocks on top of that (rotated 90 degrees) and
just pour concrete mix into the holes?

Any better suggestions? I need to make at least 4 pilings and may make
4 or 8 more.

Someone else is going to actually build the building, but I want to
prepare the pilings. I like the look of the raised building and I think
it will be better off all around. It will be built on skids.

Thanks from this new member.

Bob F

You would be better off using a 10" or 12" sono tube. You could even
reinforce it more with some rebar in the center of the tube.

You might want to talk with your builder to see what he prefers to put
his building on.

mnmike wrote:

You would be better off using a 10" or 12" sono tube. You could even
reinforce it more with some rebar in the center of the tube.

so how about getting some mortar mix, mortaring the blocks together,
and then filling the cores with the concrete. throw a piece of rebar
in it. what gives you the strength is the reinforced concrete in the
core. it's done all the time, though on a larger scale.

Thanks,

Since originally posting, I have been reading about concrete
construction techniques. I honestly didn't know that concrete is often
poured into the holes- I never had the opportunity to look. I am going
to do exactly what you suggested and will probably spend my memorial
day swatting mosquitoes with a trowel and the following night trying to
get concrete/mortar out of my thinning hair.
Call me stupid, but I am now at least better informed and stupid.

Talking about concrete, I'd drill(dig) a hole at certain depth and
use Sono tube or such to pour the concrete.

Sonotube should still have a footing underneath, not just dropped into a
hole in the ground.
I haven"t seen anywhere in this thread where the depth of the footing was
discussed..how deep is the frost line where he's building/ what type is the
soil..undisturbed? backfill ? expansive TX clay ?

If the bldg is simply built on skids, why not just put it on the ground ?
If making 'pilings', how do the 'skids' just sit suspended above, atop the
"pilings"?