I seem to recall a support member made of concrete used as corner
supports for a deck. My recollection is that it was a cylinder about
10-12 inches tall and about 12 inches in diameter at the base. On the
top, there was a cross patters that would accommodate intersecting 2
bys. I've come up empty on my searches on google and the big box stores
.... probably because I'm using the wrong nomenclature.

Anyone ever seen one of these? Or can point me in the right direction?
Number one son wants me to help with a 10x10 deck this weekend and is
dismissive of my recommendation to sink 4 inch posts beneath the frost line.

Larry

"Gramp's shop" wrote in message
...
I seem to recall a support member made of concrete used as corner supports for a
deck. My recollection is that it was a cylinder about 10-12 inches tall and about
12 inches in diameter at the base. On the top, there was a cross patters that would
accommodate intersecting 2 bys. I've come up empty on my searches on google and the
big box stores ... probably because I'm using the wrong nomenclature.

Anyone ever seen one of these? Or can point me in the right direction? Number one
son wants me to help with a 10x10 deck this weekend and is dismissive of my
recommendation to sink 4 inch posts beneath the frost line.

Larry

I haven't seen round one's but plenty of square pyramid shaped ones.
Try googling "pier blocks" or "foundation blocks".
Art

On Thu, 05 Jul 2012 18:15:56 -0500, Gramp's shop
wrote:

I seem to recall a support member made of concrete used as corner
supports for a deck. My recollection is that it was a cylinder about
10-12 inches tall and about 12 inches in diameter at the base. On the
top, there was a cross patters that would accommodate intersecting 2
bys. I've come up empty on my searches on google and the big box stores
... probably because I'm using the wrong nomenclature.

Anyone ever seen one of these? Or can point me in the right direction?
Number one son wants me to help with a 10x10 deck this weekend and is
dismissive of my recommendation to sink 4 inch posts beneath the frost line.

Larry

Your son might be dismissive of your recommendations but I'd check the
local building codes. In my area it's required to have a 12" concrete
filled sonotube supports set a minimum on 4' into the ground for any
raised decks. As dumb as it sounds to me, one town requires them even
for deck built at ground level.
--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

On 7/5/2012 6:15 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
I seem to recall a support member made of concrete used as corner
supports for a deck. My recollection is that it was a cylinder about
10-12 inches tall and about 12 inches in diameter at the base. On the
top, there was a cross patters that would accommodate intersecting 2
bys. I've come up empty on my searches on google and the big box stores
... probably because I'm using the wrong nomenclature.

Anyone ever seen one of these? Or can point me in the right direction?
Number one son wants me to help with a 10x10 deck this weekend and is
dismissive of my recommendation to sink 4 inch posts beneath the frost
line.

Larry

Thanks for the lead. Found 'em at Lowe's. Easy when you know the name
of the gadget for which you're looking.

I counseled my son to get a permit ... or at least check the code. He
declines to do so. (He's at that stubborn age.) Worst case, he's gonna
get an introduction to the perils of frost heave.

On 05/07/2012 11:56 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
On 7/5/2012 6:15 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
I seem to recall a support member made of concrete used as corner
supports for a deck. My recollection is that it was a cylinder about
10-12 inches tall and about 12 inches in diameter at the base. On the
top, there was a cross patters that would accommodate intersecting 2
bys. I've come up empty on my searches on google and the big box stores
... probably because I'm using the wrong nomenclature.

Anyone ever seen one of these? Or can point me in the right direction?
Number one son wants me to help with a 10x10 deck this weekend and is
dismissive of my recommendation to sink 4 inch posts beneath the frost
line.

Larry

Thanks for the lead. Found 'em at Lowe's. Easy when you know the name
of the gadget for which you're looking.

I counseled my son to get a permit ... or at least check the code. He
declines to do so. (He's at that stubborn age.) Worst case, he's gonna
get an introduction to the perils of frost heave.


Check the building codes. In our area (Nova Scotia) you may use these
concrete blocks as deck supports, as long as the deck is free standing,
not attached to the house.

I have used them with success. I dug a hole about 18 inches deep, filled
with compacted crusher run (3/4 inch gravel mixed with crusher dust),
and put the block on top. They have not moved through 3 winter/spring
thaws.

cheers ...

brian

On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 12:22:25 -0300, Brian wrote:

On 05/07/2012 11:56 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
On 7/5/2012 6:15 PM, Gramp's shop wrote:
I seem to recall a support member made of concrete used as corner
supports for a deck. My recollection is that it was a cylinder about
10-12 inches tall and about 12 inches in diameter at the base. On the
top, there was a cross patters that would accommodate intersecting 2
bys. I've come up empty on my searches on google and the big box stores
... probably because I'm using the wrong nomenclature.

Anyone ever seen one of these? Or can point me in the right direction?
Number one son wants me to help with a 10x10 deck this weekend and is
dismissive of my recommendation to sink 4 inch posts beneath the frost
line.

Larry

Thanks for the lead. Found 'em at Lowe's. Easy when you know the name
of the gadget for which you're looking.

I counseled my son to get a permit ... or at least check the code. He
declines to do so. (He's at that stubborn age.) Worst case, he's gonna
get an introduction to the perils of frost heave.


Check the building codes. In our area (Nova Scotia) you may use these
concrete blocks as deck supports, as long as the deck is free standing,
not attached to the house.

I have used them with success. I dug a hole about 18 inches deep, filled
with compacted crusher run (3/4 inch gravel mixed with crusher dust),
and put the block on top. They have not moved through 3 winter/spring
thaws.

I used them for a free standing deck, in Vermont. I'd built the deck free
standing (the previous deck caused the rim joist and sill to rot out) on 4x4
on 8" sonotubes down 4'. Every year the frost heaved the sonotubes out 4-12".
Every year I had to relevel the deck and every other year I had to rent a
concrete saw and cut off the sonotubes and fit new 4x4s (a RPITA). After six
or so years, the Sonotubes were completely out of the ground and I replaced
them with pyramidal deck blocks. Every year after that, the ground heaved in
the winter and settled back down in the spring. Problem solved.

How far down do you get frost in your area of Vermont?


On 7/9/2012 1:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:


I used them for a free standing deck, in Vermont. I'd built the deck free
standing (the previous deck caused the rim joist and sill to rot out) on 4x4
on 8" sonotubes down 4'. Every year the frost heaved the sonotubes out 4-12".
Every year I had to relevel the deck and every other year I had to rent a
concrete saw and cut off the sonotubes and fit new 4x4s (a RPITA). After six
or so years, the Sonotubes were completely out of the ground and I replaced
them with pyramidal deck blocks. Every year after that, the ground heaved in
the winter and settled back down in the spring. Problem solved.

On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:58:22 -0400, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com wrote:

How far down do you get frost in your area of Vermont?


On 7/9/2012 1:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:


I used them for a free standing deck, in Vermont. I'd built the deck free
standing (the previous deck caused the rim joist and sill to rot out) on 4x4
on 8" sonotubes down 4'. Every year the frost heaved the sonotubes out 4-12".
Every year I had to relevel the deck and every other year I had to rent a
concrete saw and cut off the sonotubes and fit new 4x4s (a RPITA). After six
or so years, the Sonotubes were completely out of the ground and I replaced
them with pyramidal deck blocks. Every year after that, the ground heaved in
the winter and settled back down in the spring. Problem solved.

Some years the frost would get pipes down 7-8'. I've since moved South where
the frost line is *maybe* 6". ;-)

zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:58:22 -0400, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

How far down do you get frost in your area of Vermont?


On 7/9/2012 1:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:


I used them for a free standing deck, in Vermont. I'd built the
deck free standing (the previous deck caused the rim joist and sill
to rot out) on 4x4 on 8" sonotubes down 4'. Every year the frost
heaved the sonotubes out 4-12". Every year I had to relevel the
deck and every other year I had to rent a concrete saw and cut off
the sonotubes and fit new 4x4s (a RPITA). After six or so years,
the Sonotubes were completely out of the ground and I replaced them
with pyramidal deck blocks. Every year after that, the ground
heaved in the winter and settled back down in the spring. Problem
solved.

Some years the frost would get pipes down 7-8'. I've since moved
South where the frost line is *maybe* 6". ;-)

That's really hard to believe. I live in Central NY where the winters are
very similar to those of VT, and we have never had frost that deep. 4 feet
is well below any frost penetration. I would bet that the frost got those
pipes at points where they came up above the frost line - likely even above
grade, but in areas that were not insulated. A quick google search (not at
all a thorough search...), seems to indicate that the deepest frosts in the
US are only about 5 feet in the northern most areas of MN.

--

-Mike-

On Mon, 9 Jul 2012 20:57:38 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
wrote:

wrote:
On Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:58:22 -0400, tiredofspam nospam.nospam.com
wrote:

How far down do you get frost in your area of Vermont?


On 7/9/2012 1:54 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:


I used them for a free standing deck, in Vermont. I'd built the
deck free standing (the previous deck caused the rim joist and sill
to rot out) on 4x4 on 8" sonotubes down 4'. Every year the frost
heaved the sonotubes out 4-12". Every year I had to relevel the
deck and every other year I had to rent a concrete saw and cut off
the sonotubes and fit new 4x4s (a RPITA). After six or so years,
the Sonotubes were completely out of the ground and I replaced them
with pyramidal deck blocks. Every year after that, the ground
heaved in the winter and settled back down in the spring. Problem
solved.

Some years the frost would get pipes down 7-8'. I've since moved
South where the frost line is *maybe* 6". ;-)

That's really hard to believe. I live in Central NY where the winters are
very similar to those of VT, and we have never had frost that deep. 4 feet
is well below any frost penetration. I would bet that the frost got those
pipes at points where they came up above the frost line - likely even above
grade, but in areas that were not insulated. A quick google search (not at
all a thorough search...), seems to indicate that the deepest frosts in the
US are only about 5 feet in the northern most areas of MN.

Nope. They were mains at 7' and 8'. The roads were a mess. It was an
unusual Winter.