How much concrete?

eelgrass

eelgrass

Long Time Member
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31,756
I've got a project going in my yard. I'm going to erect a couple totem poles that I am carving. One 12' tall and one 16' tall.

I've dug two holes both 28" in diameter and 30" deep. In additition to filling up the holes to ground level, each one will have an above ground base 36" square and 6" deep.

So, how much concrete (in cubic yards) will I need?

Eel

PS. I'm putting steel supports in the concrete to bolt the poles to
 
here is a link so you can calc it yourself

http://www.soildirect.com/calculator/circular-area-calculator/


avatar_2528.jpg
 
1.13 yards!


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It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
 
Building a cesspool?


>1.13 yards!
>
>
>[font color=red size=redsize=18"face"]SHOW THEM TO ME![/font]
>
>If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM
>TO ME!
>
>
>
>
> It's been a long hard
>ride
> Got a ways to go
>
> But this is still the
>place
> That we all call home
>
>


I will no longer mention Octomom.
 
Use just a little less than you did for the custom shoes you poured for Overton to wear deep sea fishing.
4abc76ff29b26fc1.jpg
 
Whats the diameter of the poles and how heavy are the bodies you are disposing of?

horsepoop.gif


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LAST EDITED ON Apr-13-12 AT 09:02PM (MST)[p]Thanks!

>I think the hole is not
>big anough and deep anough!
>you need 3 yards!

I wonder about that.

There are no building codes for totem poles.

My poles are only 12" diameter.

Which is better for supporting a pole, deeper or wider?
 
>LAST EDITED ON Apr-13-12
>AT 09:02?PM (MST)
>
>Thanks!
>
>>I think the hole is not
>>big anough and deep anough!
>>you need 3 yards!
>
>I wonder about that.
>
>There are no building codes for
>totem poles.
>
>My poles are only 12" diameter.
>
>
>Which is better for supporting a
>pole, deeper or wider?

Ok!

Ok!

It's no longer a Trick Question!

Now we have all the info we need!

We're right at .99 Yards!

I'd Round it to a Yard Eel!:D

I'd actually have just a little extra on hand just in case!





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If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!




It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
 
>Building a cesspool?
>
>
>>1.13 yards!
>>
>>
>>[font color=red size=redsize=18"face"]SHOW THEM TO ME![/font]
>>
>>If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM
>>TO ME!
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> It's been a long hard
>>ride
>> Got a ways to go
>>
>> But this is still the
>>place
>> That we all call home
>>
>>
>
>
>I will no longer mention Octomom.
>

And for Your Wise-Ass Comment!

Not Building a Cess Pool Lid!:D



[font color=red size=redsize=18"face"]SHOW THEM TO ME![/font]
If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!




It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
 
>Which is better for supporting a
>pole, deeper or wider?

Well, that all depends on each individual guy. Some prefer a little deeper hole, some prefer a little wider.
 
Hi Eel, Something to consider if you haven't already:

I personally would not have any concrete directly under your pole. Concrete can act like a cup or bucket in that water will run down your pole and into the bucket. You want the concrete for support but you don't want it to retain standing water around your pole below ground level to increase the chance that rot will set in.

I'd seriously tamp dirt in around the base of your poles, those first couple inches anyway...then the concrete.

Joey




"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
Thanks for the point you make Joey, I'm sure you're right.

In my case the entire pole will be above ground. I'm putting two pieces of 4" channel iron into each hole while the concrete is still wet, spaced apart so the pole fits in between. I will then drill holes through the pole and run bolts (all thread) through both pieces of channel iron with nuts on both ends.

There is no "guide book" on how to erect a totem pole so I'm just winging it. I hope they don't fall over in the first wind. The good thing is that if they do come down they won't hit anything important.

Eel
 
1.13 yards. Almost all wood will rot if placed in contact with dirt or concrete. Buy a 2x redwood board and make a base for your pole so that the pole isn't sitting on concrete. The redwood won't rot.
 
Thanks ktg. A little over a yard. The poles themselves are Redwood, but I did plan on leaving a space between the concrete and the pole, say about 1".

I'm almost 64 so how long do they really have to last?:)

Eel
 
For those who don't know, Eel is quite the craftsman building totems. Here is some of his work.

1766eels_totums.jpg


4abc76ff29b26fc1.jpg
 
>Thanks ktg. A little over a
>yard. The poles themselves are
>Redwood, but I did plan
>on leaving a space between
>the concrete and the pole,
>say about 1".
>
>I'm almost 64 so how long
>do they really have to
>last?:)
>
>Eel

Hey Eel!

Thought you were pulling a Trick Question?

My first Figure of 1.13 Yards is back in effect!

When I figured it the second time,I thought you were dropping the poles down in the holes!

You calling a Truck?

Or mixing Bags?

[font color=red size=redsize=18"face"]SHOW THEM TO ME![/font]
If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!




It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
 
Where did you boys go to school??? If everything is exact (and it won't be ) you would need 1.12 yards If you are ordering a ready mix truck order 1.5 if $ matters to you mix it yourself as you will almost certainly pay a "short yardage " charge /yard for an order this small. Put 3 vert #5 rebar in the cylinder with 1 foot "tails" into the pad on top. Put a #6or #8 rebar with a 1 foot tail coming out of the pad into the center of the totem pole (counterbore the pole the deeper the better) then do the post base as you describe with the bolts /nuts. Do a 3 #5 rebar E.W.grid in the pad with the tails from the cylinder above the grid and the tail of the #6 or #8 below the grid. Concrete is not your enemy moisture is so "crown the pad" just a little so any moisture has a sloped concrete surface to follow. If you can't get #6 or #8 rebar (it's huge) bundle 3 #5's together, #5 is available anywhere.
 
Thanks Squirrel! Lots of good info there and I will use it, for sure.

Hardway has me pegged lol. I did some digging around in the fabrication shop at the mill. With todays metal prices, there really is no such thing as "scrap" metal. I did find enough for one but there was a lot of cutting and welding to make it work. For the second one I just bought it, around $100.

1911, I wish that was my work. Mine will be more "rustic". I'm using hand tools only. They will look more like a drunk Indian with a sharp rock carved them.

Bobcat, there's a company called "U-Tote". They mix up to a yard and a half (or less) in a little covered trailer. You tow their trailer to your site and dump it, and then return the empty trailer. They charge $127.50/yard. I'll probably do that. I got a couple buddies who will help. I'll get 1 1/4 yards.

Eel
 
LAST EDITED ON Apr-15-12 AT 04:41AM (MST)[p]Eel!

Ya,I'd get a little extra for sure!

Then take back what you don't use!:D:D:D

What these Guys don't realize is:If We are off by .001 around here We will get Our Ass Chewed!:D

We'll leave the Grammar to the Master!



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If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!




It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
 
Bobcat, I forgot to mention. The hard drive from my old 'puter goes into one of the holes, so I won't need quite as much concrete.:)

Eel
 
Well, you could just plant a few trees and wait.


>Thanks ktg. A little over a
>yard. The poles themselves are
>Redwood, but I did plan
>on leaving a space between
>the concrete and the pole,
>say about 1".
>
>I'm almost 64 so how long
>do they really have to
>last?:)
>
>Eel


I will no longer mention Octomom.
 
Eel, I'm an electrical contractor and have built many light standards for pole lights (parking lot, street lights, etc.). IMO you are better off deeper than wider with some rebar cages set in. We are typically 5 feet deep and 30 inches above grade on our standards which gives you a 7 1/2 foot cylinder. We also vibrate the concrete so that it settles properly and fills any voids. Some people have vibrators in their closets, we usually rent them from an equipment rental yard. Not sure what your situation is but if the one in your closet is broken they usually run about $30.00 for a half day rental. :)
 
JUDAS Forky!

Now We gotta add another 1/4 Yard!:D



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It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
 
Forky is right on the depth vs dia situation although I don't know the physics to back it up. I work from drawings of those that were physics nerds (engineers) and studied while I drank beer and looked through my 9x rifle scope into the girls dorm across the street. (Do you think modern day campus' would say anything if they caught you doing that now??)

Hillbilly engineering is as follows - go just outside a tornado path (inside the path everything is destoyed) The cherry trees grow a wide diameter shallow rootball, the oaks have a narrow rootball with a deep tap root. The cherry trees are all blown over and the oaks are just fine... should translate to totem poles as well, but only if you are in the Ozarks????? My vibrator sits inside the garage and is 3 horse x 10 feet... just sayin...
 
1.4 holes per yard using a 24" x 72" hole
1.7 holes per yard if they are 24"x 60" hole
1.8 holes per yard if they are 24" x 54"
2.o holes per yard if they are 24" x 48"

2.5 holes per yard if they are 18" x 72"
3 holes per yard 18" x 60"
3.5 holes per yard 18" x 54"
4 holes per yard 18" x 48"

You don't need as much if you're putting a body in the hole first.


"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
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No I don't Forky!

You brought that Crap up!

Not Me!

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If You Love Your Country,SHOW THEM TO ME!




It's been a long hard ride
Got a ways to go
But this is still the place
That we all call home
 
nebo, I would rather wait until they're up. One is complete in the garage but not easy to photograph. It doesn't have the wings attatched either. I just started carving the 16'er, but it should go fast.

I want to put the 12' one up ASAP but figured I would pour both foundations at the same time to save a few bucks and time.

I have great soil for putting in totem pole foundations. All the top soil was graded off when we built. What's left is hard yellow clay. It's almost impossible to dig with a shovel. You need a heavy bar to break it up first. I might go deeper though because we live in earthquake country.

Eel
 

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