Brick Mailbox foundation
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Brick Mailbox foundation
Hello. The frost line in my area is 36" . I plan on building a brick mailbox. In order to prevent it from heaving, it appears I should dig to 42" and put in 2" of pea gravel and then pour a foundation. Can I just pour a 6" foundation and then use concrete block to bring the foundation up to ground level?
Top Answer
02-25-21, 08:23 PM
Pea gravel is not typically what you want, although it is self compacting. Crushed stone or limestone is usually far better. Yes, you can pour a level footing below frost on your compacted stone base and then build cmu on top of it. Some areas have codes about mailboxes though. In some places the mailbox column cannot be cemented down to the foundation. It must be able to give way if hit with a vehicle. In some cases they may be disallowed completely by local codes. Something for you to check into first.
#2
Pea gravel is not typically what you want, although it is self compacting. Crushed stone or limestone is usually far better. Yes, you can pour a level footing below frost on your compacted stone base and then build cmu on top of it. Some areas have codes about mailboxes though. In some places the mailbox column cannot be cemented down to the foundation. It must be able to give way if hit with a vehicle. In some cases they may be disallowed completely by local codes. Something for you to check into first.
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Thank you for the reply. One last question. If my base is going to be 3'x3' does the foundation have to be that dimension to the frost line?
#4
Footers and frost depths dont apply to everything.
Driveways, walkways, patios, basketball post, arbors, clothes lines etc are not required to go down to/past the frost line.
If you created a slab the overall size of your structure and 12-18" deep your good!
Driveways, walkways, patios, basketball post, arbors, clothes lines etc are not required to go down to/past the frost line.
If you created a slab the overall size of your structure and 12-18" deep your good!
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Talking to a mason, he stated I should go down below the frost level depth to prevent the heaving due to the freeze
XSleeper
voted this post useful.
#6
Footings are often larger than the structure to provide stability but I doubt that's necessary in this case. Are you using a combination of 8" block and 4" block to create your brick ledge? Or will you have a pad finished just above grade to pit your block and brick on?
#7
Member
Originally Posted by Caster
I plan on building a brick mailbox. In order to prevent it from heaving,
(Although we have huge rocks & trees that are even MORE of a threat if you hit them).
For anything masonry that is tall, thin and top heavy, I'd think twice about it.
#8
Member
Thread Starter
I called the town early this morning and they have no law preventing me from doing this. Town host quite a few of them already
#9
Member
Thread Starter
XSleeper
Footings are often larger than the structure to provide stability but I doubt that's necessary in this case. Are you using a combination of 8" block and 4" block to create your brick ledge? Or will you have a pad finished just above grade to pit your block and brick on?
Footings are often larger than the structure to provide stability but I doubt that's necessary in this case. Are you using a combination of 8" block and 4" block to create your brick ledge? Or will you have a pad finished just above grade to pit your block and brick on?