need some help on hardscaping!

[Chaz]

Hey I have a client who is interested in me installing their new pergola. It seems pretty straight forward, however this pergola will require 4 footers, about 18" - 24" deep. It is a 10x12 pergola. The posts (6x6) on the pergola will set on top of these footers and screw into them. these are my questions; What diameter should I make these footers? What is the best way to insure that these footers are all level with each other? Any tips? Thanks!

[wat5150]

Lawn care business tips

What are you using for footers?

[dougcaskey]

I would think you would be using concrete footers so they should be at least 10" if your are securing 6 x 6 's , I would go 12 " and secure with tapcons...Just my thoughts

[Chaz]

going to be using concrete, 24" deep is what the client requested, my thing is that the pergola is a vinyl kit so i have to make all of the footers the exact same height and the ground isn't exactly perfectly level. I don't have any heavy equipment to grade it either and really don't want to tear the yard up just to do this either

this will be built on a patio that doesn't exist yet, should i start with the patio? then do the footers before i lay the pavers?

so many questions lol

[wat5150]

Where are you located? Here you need to be 3ft deep to go under frost wall. If you dont need to worry about heaves then its not such a big deal. You need to dig holes just like you would for a deck. Seeing as how your using pre made footers your holes are going to have to be varying depths I suppose. Fill the bottom of the deeper holes with gravel to even out. Actually all the holes should have a gravel base.

[dougcaskey]

You had me thinking in a different direction I thought you were actually pouring footers not sinking postsMinmum 24 " in the ground deeper depending where you are...

[Chaz]

I am located in central virginia. i am not sure what the frost wall is... but i know we are zoned 5 - 7

[Chaz]

Originally Posted by dougcaskey

You had me thinking in a different direction I thought you were actually pouring footers not sinking postsMinmum 24 " in the ground deeper depending where you are...

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdf...8d3b74608b.pdf

The post will have to be bolted into the footer, so the post wont actually be submerged into the concrete.