Can I splice sonotube this way?

[bluedog225]

There is a long backstory. But the quick version is one of four peers got poured short. Years past. Photos below may help where my explanation falls short.

I spent many hours digging out to the pier so I could expose the top of the concrete column. It’s about 5.5 feet down. I had to dig the hole big enough to allow me to get down in there and scoop out the mud, clay, and sand. It was a fun job. Therefore, it’s not a clean 12” hole.

I want to place a piece of sonotube in the hole and pour the pier up to the level of the soil (and the level of the other 3 piers.

I’ll need to splice a short section of tube to the 4 foot section. I’m hoping will give the new column roughly the same performance characteristics of the other columns.

Is there an accepted way of splicing two pieces of sonotube together? I was thinking of three plywood cleats screwed around the edges on top of duct tape. Alternatively, or in addition, I can put full length two by fours screwed from the inside. And then drop the assembly into the hole and pack dirt on the outside to hold it in place.

Thanks

 

[Hank11]

I’d buy the next bigger size that would slip over the old one, brace it and pour. If your tubes are 12” buy a 14”. Check first that it will slip over.

 

[PCustoms]

Aren't they tapered, to slip over each other?

 

[mike93lx]

Just needs to hold the weight of the concrete til it cures. I'd want them to slip together a bit. Getting a slightly larger one shouldnt be a problem

 

[mike93lx]

Aren't they tapered, to slip over each other?

I've never noticed a taper

 

[LB-1911]

Bottom of Pg 1 @

https://www.sonoco.com/sites/default/files/technical-files/Sonotube_FAQ_Final.pdf

 

[Firstram]

I'm not sure about tubes that small but, the larger sizes are often sized to fit inside each other to save on shipping costs. A real concrete supply house should have longer lengths.

 

[The Cobbler]

take a 2' or so pc, slit it , open it up, wrap it over the joint, bind it together with something

 

[bluedog225]

Bottom of Pg 1 @

https://www.sonoco.com/sites/default/files/technical-files/Sonotube_FAQ_Final.pdf

There it is. No problem doing that. Thanks!

The 12” nominal sized nest inside each other. 3 at a time I think. Not tapered as far as I can tell.

 

[Old tool guy]

Set the new tube in the hole, carefully and slowly fill the hole keeping the tube centered on the existing pier. Tamp the fill about every foot. Pour the concrete.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Set the new tube in the hole, carefully and slowly fill the hole keeping the tube centered on the existing pier. Tamp the fill about every foot. Pour the concrete.

This is what I would do. 65" down, you're well below frost depth for Texas.

 

[bluedog225]

Agreed. There is no frost line in Central Texas.

 

[cgrutt]

Guess I'm a bit confused on need to extend the sonotube at all. Also does that rebar extend into pier? If not you may want to pin and epoxy it to form connection between pier and tube. After its all set how you want it, can you drop the tube down and back fill it? Then slide tube up to ground level while continuing to backfill. Suppose you could even pour the bottom 1-1/2 +/- ft with tube in place before sliding it up. Does the bottom portion even need to be in the sonotube form?

 

[Rusted Nut]

I've done it by getting a 2'-3' piece of sonotube, slit it, slip it over the two other pieces, secure with metal banding or ratchet straps.

 

[PCustoms]

The 12” nominal sized nest inside each other. 3 at a time I think. Not tapered as far as I can tell.

Why can't I wrap my head around this? Are there 3 nominally 12"sizes or something?

Must have been why I thought they were tapered

 

[mike93lx]

Why can't I wrap my head around this? Are there 3 nominally 12"sizes or something?

Must have been why I thought they were tapered

that's the nominal part. There are several sizes around that mark

 

[bluedog225]

Guess I'm a bit confused on need to extend the sonotube at all. Also does that rebar extend into pier? If not you may want to pin and epoxy it to form connection between pier and tube. After its all set how you want it, can you drop the tube down and back fill it? Then slide tube up to ground level while continuing to backfill. Suppose you could even pour the bottom 1-1/2 +/- ft with tube in place before sliding it up. Does the bottom portion even need to be in the sonotube form?

The rebar extends about 10 feet to the bottom of the pier (20’ sticks). I’m just bringing the low pier up to ground level like the others.

My thought was to limit it to one cold joint. And keep all the piers as similar as possible. This would involve a full length of sonotube since I have a large and rough hole. The other piers were poured immediately after drilling. Pretty clean sides.

If I don’t, I think I will have a bell in the middle and I’d like to avoid that.

I might be able to slide the tube up but maybe not. I’d rather have this go well in on pour.

I think I’ve got a pretty good plan. Chip the existing concrete to drain moisture. Splice the tube. Place it. Backfill and tamp without distorting the tube. bonding adhesive. Mix and dump. And don’t worry about moisture getting to the rebar at the joint?

thanks all.

 

[bluedog225]

Why can't I wrap my head around this? Are there 3 nominally 12"sizes or something?

Must have been why I thought they were tapered

Yeah. It’s a little weird the first time you see it. Makes shipping easier.

 

[cgrutt]

The rebar extends about 10 feet to the bottom of the pier (20’ sticks). I’m just bringing the low pier up to ground level like the others.

My thought was to limit it to one cold joint. And keep all the piers as similar as possible. This would involve a full length of sonotube since I have a large and rough hole. The other piers were poured immediately after drilling. Pretty clean sides.

If I don’t, I think I will have a bell in the middle and I’d like to avoid that.

I might be able to slide the tube up but maybe not. I’d rather have this go well in on pour.

I think I’ve got a pretty good plan. Chip the existing concrete to drain moisture. Splice the tube. Place it. Backfill and tamp without distorting the tube. bonding adhesive. Mix and dump. And don’t worry about moisture getting to the rebar at the joint?

thanks all.

Yeah you should be fine I wouldn't expect tube to go anywhere once its backfilled. I like suggestion above using 1 to 2 ft section to form a splint between two sections. Leave factory edge at the joint and it should be fine. Good luck with it.

 

[Stuart in MN]

If there's already a pier down in the hole, if you strip off any remnants of the sonotube that was used to form it shouldn't the new sonotube slip over the top of the existing pier?

 

[PCustoms]

Yeah. It’s a little weird the first time you see it. Makes shipping easier.

Absolutely. I've grabbed 4' nested together off the shelf several times, just assuming they were tapered and that's how they slid together.

The few times I needed longer (to get below frost and level out on a slope) I bought 8' at the yard

 

[bluedog225]

If there's already a pier down in the hole, if you strip off any remnants of the sonotube that was used to form it shouldn't the new sonotube slip over the top of the existing pier?

It‘s a little mushroomed but I can fix that and it might work. But no sonotube in the original hole. I think just setting on top will work.

 

[kwb]

Wow - I have never put the sonotube down that deep. I have always filled the hole with concrete and used the Tube for the part that will be above grade and need to look nice. More concrete in the ground is always better in my mind but I am sure there are probably cases where that isn't true.

I have noticed that there are a few variations of the same nominal diameters so they can nest to ship.