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sodbuster
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# Posted: 23 Jul 2012 10:54
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Trying to get started on a 16x24 cabin. Any thoughts/suggestions on using 16"x16"X4" concrete block bases on essentially undisturbed soil (except for grass scraped with box blade), then using a combination of 8"X8"x16" concrete blocks and 2" pads to support the beams. I plan to have 3 beams (treated 2x8x24). The "piers" will be on 4' centers for a total of 21 under the cabin. The cabin is in S. Central Texas, so no frost. Soils are silty clay with mixed rock in the hill country area. Not sure how much settlement to expect in wet/dry periods. Thoughts are that from time to time I might need to re-shim to maintain level but that the overall psi load will be reasonably light as there will be about 5,300 square inches of the concrete bases supporting the 386 SF cabin.
This is much like many old houses in this area that are simply built on blocks. No piers. Planning to anchor the beams using either mobile home tie downs that are driven into the ground and metal straps over the beams or cable running through the top plate, bottom place and affixed to mobile home anchors to try to negate uplift.
Other questions if any want to weigh in pertain to suggestions for using 9' walls versus 8'. Example, what type of issues does this create with regard to using say standard 4'x8' bead board paneling on interior walls if using 9' framing? Is that easily made up with trim, etc?
Thanks for any constructive thoughts, suggestions, ideas.
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VTweekender
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# Posted: 23 Jul 2012 11:40 - Edited by: VTweekender
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For the 9 ft walls, that 1 ft will cost you plenty in many different ways, unless its really needed you may want to think it through carefully, you will be cutting dimensional 10' lumber and probably will waste that extra foot of lumber, also the exterior siding will come into play as well depending on what you want to use.. . For the 4x8 beadboard, you could use a crown molding on top and then a 8 - 10" baseboard. Would look great, but costly, especially when you factor in the large amount of glue and nails required for the beadboard , never mind the moldings and baseboards. Assuming you weren't going to drywall before putting up beadboard, my suggestion would be to use 4' beadboard (from 4x8 sheets)and 5' drywall (from 4x10 sheets)with a small molding seperating. That would leave you only needing standard top moldings and baseboards, cutting costs and still look great half painted.
The foundation sounds good for your area..
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sodbuster
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# Posted: 24 Jul 2012 23:21
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VT
Thanks for the input. I will go with standard 8' wall height.
I will proceed with the simple block type foundation too.
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