Attic Truss Design

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Tim Carter

Attic Truss Design - Real Rooms in a Real Attic!

"You may not realize you can have rooms up in the wasted space of normal truss roofs. Attic trusses allow you to recapture all that dead space."

Tim Carter | Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Attic trusses are marvelous trusses that create rooms for a small amount of extra money.

My daughter's new home has a giant space 18 feet wide by 43 feet long created by attic trusses.

Roof Framing Tips - SECRET INFO - Please Do NOT Share

Can I CUT Trusses Safely? READ THIS ONE!

How Big Can the Rooms Be?

The rooms in the attic trusses depend on the length of the truss and the pitch, or steepness, of the roof. The longer the truss and the steeper the roof pitch the larger the room.

Do You Need a Crane to Set Attic Trusses?

Yes, you'll need a crane because a typical attic truss weighs well over 100 pounds. It's safer to use a crane for all involved.

Are Attic Trusses More Expensive than a Normal Truss?

Yes, at attic truss costs more than a normal truss. However, the added cost is well worth it as it increases the value of your home by thousands of dollars.

Can a Low-Slope Roof have an Attic Truss?

The answer is maybe. If the truss is long enough you might gain enough height to have a room. Most low-slope roofs can create a smaller rectangle in the truss that's used for storage. The space is not high enough to stand in but you can crawl around on your hands and knees to retrieve your stored items.

How To Winder Stairs

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Tim Carter

How To Winder Stairs - They Save Space

"Winder stairs were very common in houses built in the early 1900s. It's a shame they're not used in more homes today."

Tim Carter - Founder www.AsktheBuilder.com

Winder stairs allow you to turn a corner and change the direction of a staircase.

The most common turn is 90 degrees. Circular stairs are a continuous flight of winder stairs as the treads create a corkscrew sometimes turning a full 360 degrees or more.

Do Winder Stairs Comply with the Building Code?

Winder stairs are permitted in the building code as of 2019. The code says the minimum tread width on the inside radius needs to be 6 inches. It also says that the tread depth at walk line of the stairs measured 12 inches in from the inside tread edge must be no less than 10 inches.

The Winders in the Video Do NOT Meet the Above Code Requirement - Why?

I'm not the builder of the house and steps you see in the above video. The builder and his carpenters built the steps. Local building inspectors have the right to wave code requirements. They can also make parts of the code more stringent.

At the time this video was recorded, the builder had not yet met with the local inspector. If he's required to rebuild the stairs, you'll see new photographs and a new video.

Related Links

How to Build Simple Stairs

Building Stairs eBook

What's the Best Winder Stairs Size?

Building codes mandate stairs should be at least 36 inches wide. This width is great for three winders to make a turn of 90 degrees.

This means each winder stair creates a 30-degree angle. The center of the winder tread is always going to be greater than 10 inches if the stairs are 36 inches wide. This is plenty safe.

Is it Hard to Make Winder Stairs?

It's easy to make winder stairs. The simplest way to do it is to make two or three platforms.

Note the drawings of mine below. Read the captions for a full understanding of how to build the winder stairs.

The bottom platform is a square usually 36 inches. The second platform might be an odd polygon and the third winder would be a simple triangle. It's best to just make a full-size template using cardboard if you're not a seasoned carpenter.

This is step one of the winder stairs built the way before the RECENT CODE REQUIREMENTS. You build a platform that the other two winders will sit upon. The tread above the winders on one of the flights of steps in the illustration would be 22.5 inches HIGHER than the platform level. I always try to build steps with a 7.5-inch riser and a 10-inch tread. This combination of tread depth to riser height creates ideal, comfortable, and safe steps. Copyright 2019 Tim Carter

This is the second step. The second platform is an odd shape and the angle of the orange line is 30 degrees from the black platform line beneath it. If you recreate the dashed walk line on this set of steps at 12 inches from the inside of the 90-degree angle, you'll discover the tread depth at the walk line is just over 7 inches. While this is not to code, it's not exceedingly dangerous. If it were, you would have seen this exact design outlawed decades ago. This platform would be 7.5 inches higher than the one square one beneath it if I was building it. Copyright 2019 Tim Carter

The third and last winder is the triangle platform that is marked #3. Its riser is also at a 30-degree angle to the stair riser to the RIGHT of the #3. If you need help with winder stairs I can CALL YOU ON THE PHONE. Click here to set up the phone call. Copyright 2019 Tim Carter

A link to this article was featured in Tim's February 12, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

Hand Tool Storage and DIY Laminate Floor Installation

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Tim Carter

Hand Tool Storage

QUESTION #1: Tim, I lost it this past weekend. After I cooled down, I realized I had no one to blame but myself. I spent two hours looking for a hand tool I know that was somewhere in my garage, basement or shed. I finally found it in my truck. Anyway, I’ve got a mound of tools that are covering my workbench. Everything is scattered. If you’ve ever struggled with hand tool organization, how in the world did you solve the problem? How do you store your hand tools? Andy P., Scranton, PA

I’ve got no problem baring my soul. I used to have the same problem as Andy just had. Perhaps your tools are in a giant heap on your workbench or plopped into a bucket or two. Allow me to share with you how I finally stopped going on adventures trying to find my own hand tools.

While I was still a full-time builder, I had the most wonderful truck. It had a pickup-truck cab but a utility body sat on the chassis. Truck utility bodies have large rectangular cabinets on each side of the body that make use of the void space otherwise wasted by the normal pickup truck bed body.

Plumbers, heavy construction crews, and electric utility companies are but a few who love utility bodies. The cabinets contain shelves and I had all my hand tools organized so I could find them blindfolded. But I realize you’ll probably never have a truck with this handy setup.

About twenty years ago, I was at the National Hardware Show and I saw the most innovative pegboard. It was made from metal and it had unique clips of every size, shape, and design to hold any imaginable hand tool. The metal panels and clips could be had in different colors and everything was powder coated for durability.

This is a great starter set of the metal pegboard, hooks and accessories. This is the brand I have in my home.

I got some of this and covered one wall in my garage with it. Within a few hours, I had my most-needed hand tools up in plain sight. Fortunately, I was already in the habit of returning the tool to its holder after using it. If you don’t do this religiously, you’ll still have blood pressure and anger-management problems.

The metal pegboard couldn’t hold all my tools and I still had some confusion. Believe it or not, it took many more years until I finally solved all my hand tool woes. Just last year, I took possession of a rolling double-decker tool cabinet that has twenty-one storage drawers and storage compartments.

Auto mechanics have used these cabinets for years and now I know why. They are so very handy and well designed. The height and width of the drawers match exactly the size of the most common hand tools. If you put the right tools in the right drawers, there’s virtually no wasted space.

I took the time to set up my cabinet so the most-used hand tools are in the drawers that are the easiest to access. I urge you to shop around and give the metal pegboard and rolling tool cabinets a serious look. You’ll never ever regret having both.

DIY Laminate Floor Installation

QUESTION #2: Timbo, I need your sage advice. I’ve decided to install some interlocking laminate floor in a small getaway room for myself. I’ve never attempted a project like this but I’m quite good at following instructions. Have you installed laminate flooring and what can you share so I’m sitting sipping tea in my new room as soon as possible? Evelyn W., Mt. Desert, Maine

I’m honored when anyone asks for help so they can do a job they’ve never tried before. There’s something magical about standing back looking at a completed job and reflecting how you did it with your hands and intellect! I still do that to this day and my wife just shakes her head watching me stare at my work.

It’s important to realize that reading and following instructions are the most important things to do when installing a laminate floor. A friend of mine and her boyfriend installed some in a small house one weekend in a rush.

They thought they knew how to do it. A month later, she called me begging for help. She wanted to know how to get rid of the clicking sound the floor made as they walked across it. They had installed the laminate on an uneven floor. I lightly scolded her, told her how to fix it and she’s never called me again.

Laminate floors need to be installed on flat surfaces with no humps or dips. Flat doesn’t mean level, although a flat level floor would be best! Maintain the spacing the instructions call out when you put the new floor next to the current baseboard. Laminate needs room to expand. Don’t skip the foam underlayment many laminates require. This simple product is there for a reason.

Remember that when you cut a piece to end a row, there’s a good chance the cutoff piece can be used to start the next row. This means there’s very little waste. I can’t wait for you to send me a photo of you relaxing in a chair sitting on your new floor! I love the oak laminate floor in my man cave!

Column 1288

Attics are Easy in New Homes/Remodels and Fast Desktop

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Tim Carter

Attics are Easy in New Homes/Remodels

QUESTION #1: Tim, I grew up in an older home with an attic. I love storing things up there. When I watch new homes being built, all I see are trusses with all sorts of cross supports that make it impossible to have an attic. Can you have an attic in a modern truss? Is it hard to do? What about traditional stairs up into an attic? Can you have those instead of the flimsy pull-down stairs? Betty B., Valdosta, GA

Betty’s question reminds me of an embarrassing and enlightening moment I had as a very young builder. I was building a home for a friend and he had purchased the plans from a company that had hundreds of plans in a book. The house called for normal trusses and that’s what I ordered. The roof was moderately steep and the overall height of the trusses was about 13 feet.

After the trusses were set and the roof sheathing was on he visited the site on a weekend as he was a traveling salesman. He looked up into the maze of lumber above his head while we stood in the entrance hall and said, “Wow, what a massive waste of space. Why didn’t you create an attic up there?”

My reply was that I ordered the trusses the way they were shown on the plan and that was that. It’s important to realize this was before the Internet existed and I had only seen normal trusses early in my career.

On my next visit to the lumber company I asked a salesman, “Can a truss be made that has an attic in it?” The salesmen pulled out a book and showed me numerous truss designs that allowed a large square or rectangle to be made in each truss! Oh my, imagine the possibilities!

The good news for you should you be building a new home, adding a large room addition, or even building another structure with a pitched roof is that you can have a bonus room built within the roof trusses for a very reasonable upcharge.

The steeper the pitch of the roof over the structure, the larger the room can be in the attic. I’m typing this column right now in my small man cave that’s above my garage. Fortunately, the builder of this home used attic trusses over the large garage to create a vast storage area. I installed windows on each end wall of this space and built a wall at one end to create a small cozy ham radio shack/office for myself. It’s a perfect hideaway and allows me to work and talk with people I can’t see undisturbed.

Houses with low-sloped roofs can have special trusses that resemble attic trusses. These are called storage trusses and they resemble a crawlspace under a home. You can crouch down and move around in the storage trusses to retrieve stored items.

Betty’s old house was framed most likely with traditional rafters that allowed an opening to be created in the floor for a traditional staircase. You’re never supposed to cut any member of a prefabricated roof truss, so how can you make a wide staircase opening that’s perpendicular to the run of the trusses?

It’s easy. A truss designer uses software that creates two giant girder trusses that allow for a full-sized staircase up into the new attic space. All you have to do is draw the staircase on the floor plan where you want it to go up into the attic and the truss manufacturer will make the magic happen for you. The carpenters on the job, with the help of a small crane, can put all the trusses and other pieces together in less than a day!

Fast Desktop

QUESTION #2: Can you help me, Tim? I’m on a very tight budget and desperately need an extra flat work surface that can be a desk for my son to do his homework as well as a hobby area. Another key point is I have virtually no tools and my building skills are poor. What can I do to solve this problem in less than a day? Brandi S., Rio Rancho, NM

I think all of us have been faced with this dilemma at one point. I know I have and fortunately, there’s a solution that requires no tools whatsoever! You may find a perfect used desk at a yard or garage sale or online websites that have local yard sale groups.

The fastest way to create a flat desk surface is to use a simple hollow-core door that just about any home center or traditional lumber yard stocks. Doors are usually 24, 30 or 32 inches wide and 6 or 6-foot 8-inches tall. A 24-inch by 72-inch door makes for a marvelous desk surface. The doors are normally 1 and 3/8-inches thick and quite strong.

Visit a large retailer that sells storage products and you’re going to discover stackable plastic drawers or drawer carts on wheels. I went online and found a set of two carts that would support the door and put the working surface of the door just about at the right height.

The drawer carts have three drawers in each one and measure 14.5 inches wide by 12.5 inches deep and 26 inches high. You place one at each end of the door and the void space between them provides plenty of room for your legs. If you need the top of the desk to be higher, just stack a few spare books on top of the drawers to get the top of the desk about 29 inches off the floor. Enjoy your new and easy desk!

Column 1287

February 2, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on February 4, 2019 by Tim Carter

Welcome if you're a new subscriber. I hope to exceed your expectations. All others, you know what's in store. Let's get started.

This past week I was energized. I created lots of new pages at both AsktheBuilder.com and StainSolver.com. I'll be sharing a few with you down below.

BIG FUN in Two Weeks

Two weeks from today is the annual LE Johnson game. Who is LE Johnson?

LE Johnson is the biggest sponsor of the AsktheBuilder.com newsletter.

You might want to CLICK HERE and thank them for supporting the newsletter so you get countless free tips week in and week out. Seriously, CLICK HERE and send them a short thank you note. I would sincerely appreciate it if you'd do this.

In two weeks, you're going to see some unbelievable photos of how homeowners like you transformed their rooms using LE Johnson products and technology.

I GUARANTEE you'll be blown away. You'll also witness what happens when I drink three cups of coffee in a very short amount of time. I think you'll get a very big kick out of that! Stay tuned!

Do You Have a Bad/Lazy Cat or Dog?

Kathy, my wife, has two stunning cats - Finn and Nala. They're both Savannahs. What's a Savannah? You'll be able to see Finn just below. I think you're going to be amazed.

Finn, the oldest of our two, has a very bad habit of not using the litter box. He's a male and territorial. So he sprays and he's lazy.

Cat spray and urine are pungent. Yuck!

Guess what? Stain Solver removes all of the cat urine and spray odor and gets rid of stains too! Kathy and I own the Stain Solver company. It's a certified organic SAFE non-toxic oxygen bleach.

Stain Solver is MADE in the USA with USA ingredients that are food-grade quality. CLICK THE IMAGE to order some NOW.

CLICK HERE NOW to see a photo of the bad boy Finn.

There's a SECRET promo code just under his photo that you can use right now. It works on even our affordable sample size.

Do You HEAR Your Roof CRACKING?

There are at least THREE REASONS why your roof might be making random CRACKING NOISES.

CLICK HERE to see if you know what they are and which ones are DANGEROUS!

Making an Old Bathroom NEW with Old/New Things

That doesn't make sense unless you read what Russ and Ann did. You're going to be BLOWN AWAY by all the photos.

Great great eye candy! CLICK the photo just below or the link below the photo.

What would you say if I told you a person who NEVER plastered before produced results BETTER THAN the average plasterer?

What would you say if I told you that YOU can do it too?

CLICK HERE to see all the bathroom photos and to see what Ann did in a few HOURS!

Small Shed and Greenhouse Foundations

What should you do with those small sheds you can buy at a home center or retailer? How about a hobby greenhouse? How should they be anchored to the ground?

CLICK HERE NOW to prevent your shed from blowing away like that small house did two weeks ago in Cripple Creek, CO. You didn't see that in the news? The lady is lucky to be alive.

Quick Tip of the Week

Do you need extra desk space but can't afford a desk?

CLICK HERE to see how I created the above desk in less than an hour.

Treat Me to a Cheese Coney? Seriously?

Did you find something helpful and useful in this issue?

Maybe a past newsletter has helped you. If you're inclined to reciprocate, you may find this page pretty funny. You'll also discover a few of my favorite foods and treats. Buy Tim a Cheese Coney!

Be SURE to look at the FAQs on the page.

That's enough for a Sunday.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Just REPLY to this newsletter and lay it on me.

P.S. I did one of my phone consults this week with a wonderful woman in London, England! Jennifer had a sewer odor in a new bathroom and I solved the issue from 3,000 miles away using Skype. Pretty cool!

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Mr. Clean Man - www.StainSolver.com
Morse is ALIVE! - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Roof Cracking Sounds Winter

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Tim Carter

Roof Cracking Sounds Winter | This roof can crack and creak in the winter with wind and snow loads on it. This column was SO GOOD that I shared with the 31,000 subscribers who read my February 2, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. Copyright 2019 Tim Carter

Roof Cracking Sounds Winter | Snow Loads, Ice Weight & Wind

"Roof cracking sounds in the winter are common. Some sounds are caused by heavy snow and ice, some are caused by high winds, and the sun might cause cracking sounds on bluebird days."
Tim Carter - Founder | AsktheBuilder.com

Roof cracking sounds are somewhat common in the winter. The most dangerous situations are when the roof is about to collapse because of too much snow and ice.

The timbers and framing lumber will crack before the collapse, but sometimes there's not a lot of warning.

Can Wind Cause Cracking Sounds?

Yes, strong winds can cause cracking sounds in your roof. The force of wind on a large flat surface like a roof can produce thousands of pounds of force.

The lumber can move in the roof and this creates the cracking or creaking sounds.

How Can I Stop the Cracking Sound?

The best way to stop the cracking sound is to remove snow from the roof. You want to reduce the load on the roof as much as possible. Use a roof rake with a long aluminum handle to achieve this.

What Else Can Cause Cracking Noise?

The sun heating up an attic in moderate climates can create cracking sounds. An attic that is cold overnight can heat up fast on a sunny morning. This heating creates uneven expansion forces in the roof framing.

The result is cracking much like your tendons and bones crack as you stretch in the morning.

There's not much you can do to stop cracking sounds caused by thermal expansion. It's pretty normal.

Why Doesn’t My Shower Work?

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Tim Carter

Why Doesn't My Shower Work? | Is it bitter cold outside? Did your shower work yesterday? Odds are the water in the vertical pipe from the valve to the shower head is frozen solid. Copyright 2019 Tim Carter

Why Doesn't My Shower Work? | Frozen Riser Pipe Probably!

"A shower can stop working if the water pipes in the wall freeze solid. A polar vortex causes bitter cold air to drop down into the wall."

Tim Carter - Founder, askthebuilder.com

Did your shower work yesterday? Are you experiencing a polar vortex shot of bitter cold air in your city or town?

Your shower is not working because the vertical pipe that leads from the valve up to the shower head is frozen. The water lines feeding the valve could be frozen too.

How Can Water Freeze in the Riser Pipe?

When you turn off your shower, there is water still in the riser pipe between the shower valve and the shower head. This water can't drain back through the valve.

When it gets cold outside, your attic gets as cold as the outside and bitter cold air can drop down through holes in the top plate of the frame walls behind the shower.

How Can I Thaw the Pipes?

You need to get heat into the wall. This is not easy. Often your only hope is to wait for warmer weather and heat from the bathroom will naturally thaw the frozen pipes.

Can the Pipes Burst?

The riser pipe between the valve and the shower head will not burst. The expanding water in the pipe forces water to drip out of the shower head.

The water lines feeding the valve can burst. Now is the time to discover how to shut off the water in your home should a pipe burst and water start to flood out of a wall or ceiling.

CLICK HERE to get FREE BIDS from local plumbers to fix your frozen shower.

Can Electric Wire Holes Be the Problem?

Yes, electricians drill holes in wall studs and wall plates to run their cables. If those holes are open to the attic and were never caulked closed, then cold air can pour down into the wall and freeze any water in the pipes.

What Can Be Done to Prevent the Freezing?

The holes and gaps in the top plates must be caulked tight so no air can flow down into the wall cavity. You'll have to wait for warmer weather to do this.

Footing Width and Depth

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Tim Carter

"A footing is just like the foot on your leg. It spreads out the weight of the building onto the soil. Bigger is better!"
Tim Carter - Founder | AsktheBuilder.com

Footing Width and Depth - Do Both Right to Avoid #FAILURE

Footing width and depth are very important. A footing spreads out the weight of the entire building onto the soil. It works just like the foot on your leg.

How Wide Should a House Footing Be?

A house footing should be no less than 12 inches wide. Twenty inches would be a better width. It's important to realize that the little bit of concrete will be a wise investment as you only get one chance to install the footing.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST bids from local footing and foundation contractors.

What is the Best Depth for a Footing?

Footing depth can be confused with the thickness of a footing. Eight inches is the minimum thickness for a footing. Ten inches is better and twelve inches is highly desirable.

The depth of the footing in the ground depends on:

the local frost depth
how deep you need to go to be in solid strong soil

What Type of Steel Should be in the Footing?

You should put two continuous steel rods in the footing. The diameter should be no less than 1/2 inch. When you get to the end of one rod, overlap the next rod onto the first one at least 16 inches. Use baling wire to tie the two pieces of steel together.

January 29, 2019 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Tim Carter

Welcome if you're a brand-new subscriber. It's my hope you get lots of tips in upcoming issues.

Hello again dear friend if you've been here for a week, month or since 1996 when this newsletter started!

You Reply - I Listen!

I know this may shock you, but I read every single incoming email you may send to me. As often as possible, I respond back to you.

I don't know of any other home improvement website owner that does this. Do you?

Why do I read your messages?

In almost all cases, your input is fantastic. Take for example a message I received from Bob this past Sunday. I've met Bob before as he invited my son and I up to IL a few years back to watch a WW II reenactment.

Bob told me he was dealing with some wretched ice dams on his roof because his snow-melting wires malfunctioned.

He wrote, "I think you have explained how ice dams and freezing/melting weather backs water up under the shingles, resulting in water entering inside the exterior house walls, but maybe you should repeat this information as part of your thoughtful winter warnings."

Bob's right. I often fail to provide you with the Easy Button. I fail to give you relevant links to past columns and videos that might help you at a critical time.

You may live south of the Equator or down below the 30th parallel where it doesn't get too cold at all. Realize I've got plenty of hot-weather columns for you if you need help now. Just use the search engine at my website now to stay cool! Try it!

If you can't locate what you need, reach out to me.

Cold Weather HELP Columns

Please check out these columns right now if you need help figuring out how to solve a cold-weather problem:

Ice Dams - You Hate Them, Don't You?

WHY Ice Dams Form - Not Always Heat Leaking From Your Attic

Ice Dam VIDEO By Tim Carter - Yes Me!

My House is FREEZING COLD - Why?????

Cold House VIDEO by Tim Carter - Scroll Down To See It

Basement and Crawlspace Flooding

Last week we had 2.5 inches of rain here at my house in New Hampshire. My own garage started to flood because of an ice buildup on my driveway. I caught it in time before any damage happened. I was able to quickly create a channel for the rushing water to get to the lake instead of my tools!

But what about you? Are you going to have to deal with water in your basement or crawlspace with the Spring rain just around the corner? If you live where the ground is not frozen, NOW IS THE TIME to install one of my linear french drains.

Did you know I created an informative DVD to show you how to STOP water from entering your basement or crawlspace? Yeah, I know, I do a poor job of promoting my products that will help you.

CLICK HERE to discover what's in this cool DVD. It's professionally produced and it's mailed to you usually within 24 hours.

Here's what my buddy Fred has to say about how well my linear french drains STOP WATER infiltration:

Dear Tim,

I would like to take a moment to thank you for your advice on how to handle the significant water problem I had in the basement of my 1820's house (now serving as a B&B Inn). The chronic water influx that resulted from the new residential construction uphill from my place literally jeopardized both the safety and value of the Inn and its function.

Moisture damage and mold were making it an unhealthy to place to live - not to mention operate as a B&B. Your instructions as to how to install the linear french drain around the periphery, the depth and the appropriate slope requirements turned out to be the "Magic Bullet" which totally solved the problem.

The outflow from that trench drain actually became a small stream through all of the severely wet spring weather we have had this year. Being cautious, I had also installed a sump pump inside as a backup. That pump never even came on!

A really terrific aspect of the trench system is that it operates completely on its own without any energy input. Thanks to gravity and Ask the Builder, I have actually been able to paint the floor and now have additional workspace that was completely uninhabitable before the drain was installed. Your assistance was greatly appreciated.

Best regards,
Fred Hoffmeister

Maria Atwood Inn B&B
Franklin, NH

That's enough for a Tuesday.

Please read all those columns above if you live where it's cold. You'll discover how to PROTECT your home and how to stay warm.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Certified Organic Clean Man - www.StainSolver.com
Morse Code LIVES! - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Footing Depth Below Grade

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Tim Carter

"The footing depth below grade is determined by two things: when you encounter strong soil and making sure you're below the local frost depth in your area."
Tim Carter - Founder | AsktheBuilder.com

Footing Depth Below Grade - Two Factors Control the Depth

The footing depth of your garage, house, or building depends on where you're building and how strong the soil is on your lot.

Cold climates create frozen soil in the winter. Water expands in the soil creating ice lenses. These layers of frost will lift a building out of the ground. Structural failure is guaranteed if the lifting is not equal around all sides of the building. It rarely is.

How Far Down Will Frost Penetrate?

Frost can penetrate as deep as 6 feet or deeper. It's hard to believe, but it's true.

The depth depends on how severe the winter cold is in the area you're building. Look at the following drawing to get an idea of different frost levels in different parts of the USA:

What is Strong Soil?

Strong soil is that which will support the weight of the building being placed on it. Topsoil is not strong. Any soil with organic waste or debris in it is not strong.

Dense clay soils that are red, brown and light brown are usually very strong. Your local building inspector or a soil engineer will gladly inspect the soil to ensure it will not sink under the weight of the building.

Should the Footing Be Level?

All sections of the footing should be level. A building constructed on a sloped lot will have a stepped footing so all sections of the footing are below the frost line. Look at the following photo to see a stepped footing.