[Greenbuilding] [BULK] concrete vs block vs ___ foundation wall

[George J. Nesbitt]

Use Faswall block, it is going to be manufactured in Oregon very soon 
www.shelterworksonline.com. It is a recycled wood and cement block 
with/without rockwool insulation, poured concrete core. Depending on 
your soils and loads you may be able to do without a footing, or dig 
some piers. A pier and gradebeam foundation is easier to form and pour.


Lawrence Lile wrote:

>I've done this job, using a treated wood foundation.  I would not do
>that again, I had more faith in treated wood back then.  Jacking up the
>house, then putting the foundation under it is no easy task, and we did
>a lot of it in the mud.  Yuck.  Well, I was 25 and a lot stupider back
>then. 
>
> I would recommend anything but concrete.  Concrete block can make a
>great foundation, and lends it self more to the DIY'er, IMHO.  
>
>Pouring a wall under an existing house sounds like a logistical problem,
>compared with placing blocks.  Would you jack the house up too high,
>then let it back down on the concrete wall? Would there be room for the
>concrete truck to swings it's chute between the top of the wall and the
>house? I dunno.  
>
>Concrete block foundations are more common in the South and West for
>some reason.  More brickmasons, probably. You'll still probably want
>some kind of poured footing though, under the concrete blocks.  Can't
>think of a greener alternative to concrete blocks, unless you can go
>with some kind of recycled or fly ash content bricks.  
>
>--Lawrence Lile   
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
>[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Reuben
>Deumling
>Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 11:47 AM
>To: Greenbuilder list
>Subject: [BULK] [Greenbuilding] concrete vs block vs ___ foundation wall
>Importance: Low
>
>I plan to replace the 6x6 posts supported by brick piers every 7 feet
>around the perimeter of my 1894 house with a "real" foundation one of
>these days.
>The house is basically a small rectangle sitting on a basement with
>roughly 3' walls below grade. My question is whether the foundation wall
>could profitably be made of blocks (and if so of what material) rather
>than being poured concrete. I am assuming the footing would have to be
>steel reinforced conrete either way. I also plan to lift the house
>approximately two feet in conjunction with the foundation replacement to
>allow for headroom in the basement. I plan on doing the foundation work
>myself.
>
>Other questions would be
>--how building codes (or inspectors) generally view alternatives to
>poured foundation walls, --what relative (material) costs of the
>alternatives would be, as well as --any environmental, thermal, or
>structural pros and cons of concrete foundation walls vs. other
>alternatives.
>
>I've calculated I'd need about 9 yards of concrete for the wall if I
>were to pour it.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Reuben Deumling
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