How to Pour Concrete Piers

Building an outdoor structure such as a deck or a gazebo requires you to provide a solid base to support the structure. One option is to build concrete piers. The piers extend into the ground beneath the frost line to protect them from ground upheaval, and are made from concrete because of its strength, durability and resistance to moisture damage.

Instructions

Mark the spots where the piers are being installed with spray paint.

Dig a trench in the area where the piers are being installed with a 1-1/2-ton excavator. Dig at least 12 inches beneath the frost line, and make the trench slightly wider than the pier footings. Your local zoning board can tell you how deep you need to dig.

Assemble the forms for the piers. These consist of waxed fiber tubes inserted into rigid plastic footings. The extra width of the footings distributes the weight carried by the piers over a wider area, which prevents the piers from sinking into the ground.

Install the assembled forms into the trench in their correct positions. Get the footings inspected by a building inspector before moving forward, if required by your local building codes.

Fill the trench with dirt, checking the footings to make sure they're level as you fill the trench. The dirt prevents the piers from shifting as you pour the cement.

Install a footing upside-down in the top of each fiber tube. The upside-down footing will act a funnel as you pour the concrete into the form.

Fill the forms with concrete. Remove air trapped inside the forms by stirring a shovel in the concrete as you add every 8 to 10 inches.

Remove the footings from the top of the forms. Level and smooth the concrete with a trowel.

Install the hardware for the piers into the concrete. This could be metal brackets or rebar. Allow the concrete to set to the manufacturer's instructions.

Cut off the tubing that extends out of the ground with a utility knife, if that's your preference.

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