Digging BIG Holes and Setting Posts with Pre-Cast Concrete Footings (Episode 7) 

Thanks to PBS in the 90s and the Internet today, you don't have to be Canadian to appreciate the humor of Steve Smith, aka Red Green, and his buddies from Possum Lake.

One of the best things about Sandy's videos is that he always shows the pros and cons, the good and bad. He's done that in every video and it's valuable for the rest of us to learn. His sawmill "learn from my mistakes" videos are some of the best on RU-vid and have saved a lot of people (including me, many times over) from making the same mistakes. Over the years I have gone back and forth between dropping in pre-cast "cookie" footings versus pouring them in place. Each job may lead to a different choice. If you can mix and pour them in place and have time to let the concrete cure, I think that gives a better overall result at the end because it is self-leveling and perfectly conforms to the bottom of your hole, which minimizes settling problems later. But sometimes pre-cast is the better option, you just need to be prepared to jiggle and level that cookie in place and accept there will probably be some settling. Circular cookies are better for leveling and settling since they will be more stable (no corners to fight). The only suggestion I would offer -- you don't always need to attach the post to the footing with hardware, and sometimes it's preferable to allow it to float so movement of the footing doesn't affect the post. But if you do, use a bracket with a standoff that allows movement/rotation. That allows minor adjustment to be made to post position and rotation. Wait until all posts are in the holes before backfilling, that way you can tweak the posts to get them perfectly inline and square before they become locked in the ground with your backfill. It's a slight adjustment in timing for when you backfill but greatly improves the end result.

Looks like you got it going your way for the most part there Sandy, looking forward to this rather large project.

Appreciate your tenacity, working outside the box. Keep it up.

Hello Sandy, quite an ambitious project👍🇺🇸

Howdy Sandy- thank you for going to the trouble of getting off the machine to get different video angles. I certainly understand what it is when you’re trying to get something done and you need to tend to the camera. You go to a lot extra to make interesting videos for people to watch. I sure wish you weren’t so far away, cause I would love to give you a hand getting the shed up before bad weather. But, as it is, all l can do is say a prayer for your safety and swift accomplishment. Take care and God bless

I love our mini ex, makes life a lot easier. For the pole barn we made the base "bigfeet" and setup sono tubes above that. You've got really sandy soil though don't you? Stay well bud and we'll see you in the next one! 👍🌴🇨🇦🪵😊

Thanks for posting. You're definitely getting better at the excavator.

You're off to a good start, Sandy. I'm glad you got the idea of putting the rebar thru the Simpson Strongtie to set the "Monument" in the ground. Don't worry about the forms. By the time they rot out, you'll be building sawmill shed number 17. Pile your waste piled on both sides of your hole so you can push it back in without crossing over. You did good using the dozer blade. You can also extend the boom and arm and drag (pull) the waste back in the hole with the bucket.

Great job , you gotta start somewhere ! Learning as you go is a blessing , you will remember it ! Very nice progress too , good thing is you have equipment to help ! That's awesome , thanks for sharing !!!!! 😊🙏👍❤️

I like how you just put tar around the ground level on the posts. Another suggestion I have that will make the posts last, is keeping them dry. Having the final grade slope away from your building, and having a good overhang will help. If the water drips off the roof and splashes the posts, you can either put up eaves trough, or put 3/4” clear stone on the ground around the drip line. I’ve done this around a couple buildings and it keeps the rain runoff from splashing the building, and it looks nice too in my opinion. Your little digger works well, can’t beat an old yanmar

I watched this and was so happy you had that mini excavator. It makes life so much easier!

You nailed it when you said about treated post rot off in 25 years , that's exactly how long mine lasted for my side porch. This year I am going to replace them with white pine I milled. except I burnt the bottom till it comes out of ground and I also have them coated with old motor oil to soak in, to also to help prevent the rotting. I set alot of post and found the smaller the hole the easier it goes to get it to tighten up and the blocks you made is a good ideal. Your doing really great, its all a learning process. keep up the work

YEA! Good Old RED GREEN< and RED FOX too! good job putting in the pole. One pole a day, will keep the MOLES away..

Imagine digging those 4’ holes by hand and it becomes obvious that the mini excavator is worth its weight in gold. Take your time Sandy, you are doing fine. All jobs involve improvements so learn as you go. Stay well, winter is not far behind. 😢😮😮😮😢😊😊😊

Hey sandy iam not a Canadian but I love the red green show lol

Nice JOB, all good things take time.

Looks like you are doing fine. No need to be in a hurry or super efficient. Slow, steady, safe. You will be milling soon enough.

Since you're leaving the wood forms on the concrete footing blocks, you could put some lag eye screws in the corners. This should allow you to make lifting the blocks into the holes easier and more accurate.

Sandy, I sensed a little bit of regret in your voice for the installation routine. That is to be expected when a guy is working alone on a really big project. Keep your chin up because you are going to do well. We know that from watching all of your previous projects that finished just fine. It's too bad that you can't pre-install the posts on the footer prior to lowering in the hole. Of course, alignment is going to be the most critical issue. Just be sure to use the excavator bucket to compact the soil as you backfill the holes. But I am sure that you will find a way and overcome the challenge. Thanks again for taking us along on your journey. Stay safe

You did very well with the excavator, it also worked out well wearing that flannel shirt and quoting RED GREEN. Oh throw some duct tape around that post.

Not Canadian but I know the "Red Green" show and love it. Thanks for the video and explanation of the post supports. God Bless. NW ga. USA

Looks great. Nice work!

I am not Canadian, but I've been known to rely on the "handyman's secret weapon" a time or two...

nice tools for the job Sandy

Good job. I think the pace will pick up as you learn the best way to tackle the job. I love Red Green and make extensive use of his phrase, “This is only temporary…., unless it works!” The new mill shelter will be a blessing when it’s done but may cause a few tribulations along the way. Keep your stick on the ice! 🥸👍👀👋✅

Sandy, you being all by yourself the excavator saved your back for not having to use a pickax and shovel 👍☑️😮😊❤

Your hole reminds me of a twenty foot long trench I had to dig that had over 100 tree roots crossing through it. Although the roots are kind of a struggle for these mini's to dig through, I could not imagine having to dig and cut through them by hand!! Hopefully see you Saturday.

Be careful in those holes. We don't need to get there any sooner than we need to. 🙂

Off to a great start i like your mini excavator i need one. take care

Looking good, Sandy 😎

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy". Nope, not Canadian and nowadays I strikeout on handsome or handy. Good vid. Thanks.

Hey! We watch the Red Green show in the states!

I know you’ve got a stump or two to contend with but I don’t see many rocks! You are lucky in that. Nothing worse than getting 4’ down in a planned 5’ deep hole and encountering stone completely across the bottom of the hole! Thanks for sharing your experience.

“Sandbox Sandy”. 😂😆👊

Nice looking sand down in the hole Sandy.

That’s the way I would’ve done it, the post I mean. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

Work hard Get great results 👍

“If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.” Red Green

Well Done, Sandy. I was sitting here and said that isn't going to work and flop it went.

Not to second guess you , I thank that using sonotubes would have been easier to line up and place even if you have to haul water. Just me. Good luck on the rest of them.

The mini skid steer would be handy on this job

Ahh, the Red Green Show did air in some places in the states too!

Your doing pretty good on the mini buddy.

I do have a suggestion as to plumbing the posts. Obviously you need to get the footing place correctly,, using string and a plumb bob. As long as your sting is high enough above the ground, you can tie the plumb bob string to it and it will hang plumb and you can slide it along the string to get the dimension right. Once you are satisfied with the footer, I would suggest attaching the 2x4 bracing to the post as high as you can reach with one screw. Then at the end of the brace, drive a 2x2 stake into the ground angled away from the post. Use another screw to fasten the brace to the stake and check for plumb and correct as needed. Then do the same in the 90% direction with the other brace. If you place the braces opposite where you deposit the dirt from the hole,, they won't be in the way when back filling. You might also want to place your outside corner posts first as that will allow you to use them to hold the ends of your string line to set the center posts. It5 seems easy to me as I have done it hundreds of times,, but being new to it,, just remember that double checking yourself is a good thing. (triple checking is even better)

Sandy, if you use the bucket of the excavator to pound the dirt in every so often as you fill in the hole, it’ll be more secure just my two cents.

Slow steady you will get it done

When digging a hole, put an offset marker just to the side..say 6' away. That way you'll always know center. It's a reference point.

Tamp the dirt a bit as ya backfill with bucket it will help in the long run-take care

I predict that using your new method, the saddle will get pulled out of the block. Should use a secondary support of some kind. By the way, you are getting really good with the excavator.

Hello Sandy. Did you try using the strap around the post and connect it to the boom? Perhaps, if the right spot is chosen on the post, the post could be pulled until it went in the hole and the excavator could lift it up into place. Since the post is 16', my guess is 10 - 12' from the bottom of the post. It might take some pain out of your back. Have good days!

It looked like you were filling the hole in layers (fills) bigger than 1 ft, but it was hard to see. It is good practice to fill in dirt in lifts of max 1 ft, then tamp it down and fill in another ft. That way the fill is compacted throughout the entire dept of the hole and gives maximum support to your posts. filling in with higher lifts increases the chance of soft pockets of fill around the post.

Sandy, you are trying to do a two-man job by yourself. You should have your Dad there to help.

If the posts rot out before 25 years a liberal application of The Handymans Friend should do just fine. Duct tape for those who were not members of the Possum Lodge!!!!

Sandy, I was just thinking (I know that's dangerous) , but have you considered digging a trench and place three footers in a row instead of digging individual holes? That would give you more opportunities to adjust and align the footings. You would have to be diligent with compacting the soil on backfill. Your soil structure may not be conducive to this method but it's a thought.

Hey Sandy. If I'm not mistaken, the concrete footings have cured less than a week? Although I seem to recall you were using quickset. Any concern about the saddle pulling out of the concrete if you lift it by there?

I understand your point in using PT posts. A buddy of mine had a pole barn built by the Amish. They used 6X6 PT up about 4 feet above grade and half lapped pine 6X6 to them to the 12 foot height of the walls. Saves a lot of $.

Good afternoon Sandy well one down 5 to go by the time your done with all of them you will know how to do them lol,😂 and by the time you do something similar again it be years down the road and it will be all new again till memory kicks in . Somebody mention the no rock thing i know exactly what he meen by that had one of those one time by the time i took the rock out of the way the hole was threes time bigger then supppose to be couldn't even lift the rock out had to dig a space next to it and slide it there that was a surprise hope you don't have that experience have a wonderfull day

3 Liters of water per bag. I’d use a milk jug. 🤷🏼‍♂️ it’s not that much to mix concrete. You have machines, IBC totes ( or 7, 5 gallon buckets ) n a trailer? No? Maybe I’m lazier but I’m also cheap af n even I sprung for a mixer!! Couple hundred bucks at Crappy Tire well spent! Does a great job too. Still scratching my head at some of the other choices.

Got a few more tips for you. First of all unless you've already done it I'm not sure rebar through your bracket is going to work since you did not put a nut at the bottom of it which may or may not hold it but you didn't weld a t at the bottom of it when you insert it in the concrete so. If you aren't doing anything right now stop what you're doing and RU-vid how to strap a boulder it is a figure 8 concept and it will make your lowering your footings a lot easier. As a landscaper I've installed huge boulders as big heavy is the concrete you poured and it that strapping form makes the world a difference. You know looking at the implements you just bought maybe because you are cutting wood in that area you should have water source there 500 gallon water tank that you can use as a fire hydrant if need be just something to think about. And if that's too costly 50 gallon drums and a rain catching system off of the roof of your sawmill and storage area to collect water just in case a fire should break out. Note though you could use a water trailer to spray out pesticide in the summertime and desalt ice in the winter time.maybe I'm just trying to push a water trailer on you I don't know. But definitely RU-vid a couple how to strap a boulder and set in place you can do the same thing with your footings it'll be so much easier on you.

compact backfill evey 6 inch's of fill small rotory hammer when flat hammer surface to pack soil

I feel like your building that in the wrong spot.. might I suggest building in my woodlot or is it to late to change the plans??😂😂😂

personally think should seal the ends that go in the ground water travel to dry and open end be like a straw sucking up moisture treat timber with boric acid natural insect repellent amd killer

Digging Crater for a post? 😮

personally would have tarred everything below ground and few inches above grade

Why can you not build a foundation that sits on top of the ground?

Yes got to agree the most ridiculous way of setting footings I have seen in a long while

That post isn't going anywhere, should be anchored down for sure.

All this because you didn't want to move a barrel of water? This is a mix of a footing, setting a post, and deck blocking. There is a reason for each method and you are scrambling them all together thinking overkill is good. The thing is, If you are messing up something like this I know about, it now makes me question watching the projects you do that I don't know.

I think you need new teeth on your bucket would make a easier digging