Replies

1. 
   Allyson_Stiles | May 01, 2001 11:26pm | #1

   *
   Depending on where in Maryland. I'm in Germantown. The minimum here is 30" below finished grade. Should be the same or close in all of Maryland though. The answer is below the frost line

   Billy

1. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | May 01, 2001 11:40pm | #2

   *Well......for a regular wall.....say 8" block.....it'd be down to the frost line...here in Pgh that's 32-34"....but 36" is standard....and the footer is as deep as the block is wide....and twice as wide as the block......so...with 8" block.....16" wide by 8" deep. I'd imagine the same holds true for a straight wall as yours.....18" deep and 36" wide. But.....I've never build one with those dimensions....so I could be lying to ya! Jeff

1. 
   piffin_ | May 02, 2001 01:20am | #3

   *The idea is to get it below the frost level. That would actually be a little deeper than for a house with heat supply and load of weight to hold it down. In Leadville, Colorado the pipes can freeze at ten feet.

1. 
   Davo_ | May 02, 2001 05:57am | #4

   *Chuck,AC & Jeff gave you the answers.... Build below the frost line for your area. Make footer twice as wide as the wall's width. Make footer as thick as block thickness.If you're not using block, 12 inches is plenty thick for a footer for your purposes. Do you have to go way below frost depth? No not really.Davo.

1. 
   Bob_Walker | May 02, 2001 12:30pm | #5

   *Er, does it even need a footer? The size of the footer is based on the load being carried and the load bearing capacity of the soil.Since it's just a wall, with no other loads (like a house or occupants) I'd question whether a footer is needed.Check with local authorities.

2. 
   Allyson_Stiles | May 02, 2001 12:58pm | #6

   *Bob,Yes, it needs a footer 30" minimum below finished grade. I would make it 12" deep x 26" wide.Billy

3. 
   Jeff_J._Buck | May 02, 2001 11:55pm | #7

   *the footer will help keep her plumb and level. Jeff

4. 
   piffin_ | May 03, 2001 03:20am | #8

   *The other thing a footer does is to provide a base under the ice. When an ice lens forms in the late winter and expands, some of it expands in a downward direction, pushing towards the top of the footer while the other ice at the topp of the lens is pushing up by gripping the edges of the wall or post. The forces offset each other.At least here in Maine where the tests were conducted.

2. 
   ChuckT_ | May 03, 2001 03:20am | #9

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   My community is building an entrance sign that's essentially a masonry wall, 4' tall, 10' long and 18 or so inches thick. How deep should the footing be? I'm in Maryland, so I'm thinking the same depth as you'd go for a foundation, usually 3'. Does that sound right?