QA

Question: What Is A Sono Tube

The Sonotube Concrete Form Tubes are made of lightweight material designed for pouring footings, round columns and piers. It is an inexpensive option that saves time and provides professional results.

What is the purpose of a sonotube?

Sonotube concrete forms stand strong as the most economical way to create round columns for buildings, entryways, structural columns, light posts and other commercial and residential structures.

What is Sono tube made of?

Tubes and cores are made of fiber, plastic and composite materials and are designed to meet specific customer needs in a wide range of markets, including paper, textile fabric and yarn, film, tape, construction (concrete forming) and metal. Sonoco has been producing Sonotube® concrete forms for more than 70 years.

Do Sonotubes need to be removed?

Does the Sonotube form have to be stripped from the column after the concrete has cured? Removal of the form is general practice for exposed column surfaces. In applications below grade, there is no specific need to strip the form unless it is required by local building code.

What can I use instead of Sonotubes?

Sonotube Alternative – Ceme-Tube. An innovative product to replace the old-fashioned cardboard forming tube.

Do you leave sonotube in ground?

Your sonotube should only be below ground level a few inches, just enough into the hole to help hold it. Know how you are bracing your sonotube with 2×4, screws, and stakes.

How do you remove sonotube from concrete?

Sonotube Builders Tube concrete forms are not designed to be stripped from the cured concrete. If stripping above ground is desired, use a releasing agent before pouring the concrete and remove as soon as the concrete is set.

Do you need to use rebar with sonotube?

To support a beam for a residential deck, does a Sonotube pier need any rebar? A. We usually recommend that a minimum of two pieces of #4 rebar be placed vertically in an 8-inch-diameter concrete pier supporting a structure. A larger-diameter pier should have four or more pieces of vertical rebar.

How much concrete do I need for a sonotube?

Sono Tube Calculator For example, a sono tube with a 10″ diameter and a 4′ depth requires 0.08 cubic yards of concrete.

What size sonotube for a deck?

A good size for a common backyard deck is a 10″ or 12″ diameter for the sonotube and a 20″ base diameter. Of course, you can get a 24″ base size and it will spread weight over an even greater surface area.

How many concrete piers do I need?

An 8 ft x 12 ft shed will need 6 piers, 3 per long side. What is this? Typically, the span between two piers is based on the dimensions of the beams and the joists. A double 2×8 beam should be supported every 4 to 6 feet.

How much do Sonotubes weigh?

Sonotube Concrete Form Product No. Diameter Weight SPK SON 16X144 16 in 33.6 lbs SPK SON 18X144 18 in 43.2 lbs SPK SON 20X144 20 in 48.0 lbs SPK SON 24X144 24 in 64.8 lbs.

Can you reuse concrete form tubes?

Form-A-Tube® is the latest product developed by Prof. Unlike conventional forms that are made with cardboard and must be discarded in landfills after one use, Form-A-Tube® is made from recycled products and can be used many times — making it a green and sustainable product for the construction industry.

Are helical piers better than concrete?

Using Helical Piles instead of Concrete Benefits: Helicals are a permanent foundation solution, that will last you a lifetime. The installation is clean and no excessive excavating is needed. Helical piles can be used for any size project. Helicals can be built upon the same day, there is no waiting time for curing.

Are screw piles better than concrete piles?

Although there were some significant quality differences between pile manufacturers. I did conclude that the inherent design helical screw piles is a far more reliable than using traditional concrete foundations. Needless to say, after carefully considering the pros and cons of concrete vs screw piles.

Are helical piers cheaper than concrete?

Price Comparison between Helical Piers and Concrete Footers Every pier is around $175, and there are two piers required per hole. Overall, installing piers is at least 20 percent more productive than digging, and many homeowners find piers end up being the same price or cheaper for a stronger, more reliable system.

How many bags of concrete does it take to fill an 8 sonotube?

Concrete Mixes SONOTUBE # of bags required per: 25 kg 8″ x 4′ tube 3.2 8″ x 8′ tube 10″ x 4′ tube 5.1 10″ x 8′ tube 12″ x 4′ tube 7.3 12″ x 8′ tube.

How do you use Sonotubes for fence posts?

Posts in form tubes 2.1 – Dig post holes 10″ to 12″ in diameter and 3′ 6″ to 4′ deep. 2.2 – Pour a 6″ layer of 0-¾ crushed stone into the bottom of each hole and compact. 2.3 – Insert the form tube (sonotube). 2.4 – Use wood supports to secure the tube in position.

What size sonotube for Shed?

The decision as to whether to go for 10 or 12 inch diameter tubes will depend on the ground conditions where you intend to build your shed. If your site is on sandy or gravelly ground then 10” diameter would likely be sufficient, for a more clay soil then 12” diameter would more likely be adopted.

How long do concrete piers need to cure?

Allow the concrete to cure for one day before constructing your deck or placing heavy weight on the footing (if standard concrete mix was used, wait about 3 days to begin construction).

Do I need rebar in deck footing?

Plain concrete deck foundations without rebar are acceptable under the minimum standards of construction established in the International Residential Code. Footings with large bearing areas or unstable soil can benefit from adding rebar to prevent cracking.

How far apart do you put posts for a deck?

Starting with your perimeter, mark the location of each deck post to locate the fitting position. In general, posts should be spaced no more than 8 feet apart. Some builders position them every 4 feet for a completely rigid frame. The maximum distance between footings is determined by the size of your joist material.

How thick is a sonotube?

There are a variety of sonotube wall thicknesses available for 14 inch sonotube ranging from under 0.2 inches up to about . 7 inches.

What is a #4 rebar?

In particular, #4 reinforcement steel is used to pave roads and highways, and in certain climates, it can also be used to build swimming pool frames. It is often trusted as a strengthening material in slabs, piers, columns, and walls. This 1/2 inch rebar grade is known as “13MM” in the metric system.