Questions tagged [frost-heave]

This tag has to do with ground movement due to frost. Especially how it affects structures.

9 questions
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What is a suitable post hole depth for a 4' fence?

Would 21 inches of post below ground be enough to support 4 feet picket fence (wooden)? I have dug holes 25-26 inches and planning to fill 4-5 inches of gravel. I am planning 8 feet panels (only 3 or 4 panels are 10 feet). 1st time DIYer and…
vabii
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Can I join two 4x4 fence posts?

I purchased 6’ 4x4’s to put up a 4’ fence. I learned about digging below the frost line after. So now the non returnable 4x4’s I have are too short. Is it possible to join two 4x4’s together to make my six foot posts into eight foot posts? If so can…
Randy
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Foundation design for a small cabin

I'm planning to build a 14ft x 16ft A-Frame on grade in Vermont this summer. The frost line here is 4ft. My site is at the top of a small, wooded knoll. I know from some exploratory digging that The first 10 - 12in or so of soil is somewhat gravelly…
4restg
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Estimating frost heave displacement?

I'm planning a storage shed underneath a deck. I'll assume that the deck is anchored below the frost line and won't move when the ground freezes. I'd like to build the shed on just a floating gravel pad, which I assume will rise a bit when the…
Tim
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How to build a shed ramp and account for ground heaving

I live in the Baltimore Maryland area and have recently built a shed on a shed pad that is about 8 inches of 57 stone to promote drainage. I built the shed floor joists using 2x6 pressure treated wood resting on pressure treated 4x4s. My yard was…
Irish Redneck
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How to retrofit a slab for protection from frost heave

One structure on our property is built slab on grade. Located in the US in climate zone 6. This is a heated space which we will be removing part of. The removal will expose a lot of the slab to the elements. Now, I assume that the slab is correctly…
StayOnTarget
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How do I design a foundation that will be frozen and thawed yearly?

I currently have a 12x12 insulated shed on slab on grade. I use it to store seedlings during the planting season. I pre-chill the room by opening it in winter and using a box fan to circulate air between inside and outside. In addition I have…
Sherwood Botsford
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Water pooling against the garage, limited drainage options

I have a single family home in the city in MN. My detached garage abuts the alley, and I have a concrete slab next to it that spans the rest of my small property line (basically the back of my property is either covered by concrete or the garage.)…
Skc45x
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Greenhouse wood foundation and frost heave

I'm a novice constructing a 8x12' saltbox style green house made from recycled single pane windows in climate 5 & 4 Marine. It does get freezing here in winter with maybe an inch to three of snow a year. I plan to half lap treated 6x6's with 2x6…
Vetsin
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