Sturdi Wall Plus Wet Set Style Bracket

[jradtke920]

I am getting quotes to have a 48x56 garage built in northern WI. My original plan was to go with sono tubes and a wet set sturdi wall plus style bracket. Does anyone have experience with these and when it comes to pouring the slab do you just strike off the grade beam covering the top of the sono tube and the bracket hardware? I want something that is going to last which is why I didn't want to go with the traditional posts in the ground. Is this the route I should go or should I pour a slab with a footing first and screw brackets into the slab? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[jack stand]

If you're going to heat this space, I'd go with a footer and frost wall below your frost depth, and then pour the slab. This primarily to be able to insulate vertically on the frost wall below grade. This is critical especially when installing radiant in slab.
Then to further complicate your decisions, if you are insulating/heating you now can build the walls 16" - 24" on center convention framing. This will allow the support of more conventional 4x8 foam sheets, roxull, FG or a combination of the 2 and simplifies interior finishes, wiring, shelving or cabinets.

 

[jack stand]

Not worried about heating, I'd pour the sonotubes to the height that allows the wet set brackets to sit at your desired finished floor elevation. (Allowing for the length of the rebar below the post bracket base)
I think you get a better job (and wall seal) pouring the slab prior to building the structure.

 

[Firebrick43]

If you do the sturdi wall brackets you have to modify the pole framing as the brackets can not take bending moments like a pole can.

There are several things you can do such as installing angle bracing on the walls or sheathing them in OSB to convert bending moment of the poles into horizontal shear which the brackets can handle.

I would suggest forgoing this and just using the perma-columns that bolt on directly and are sufficiently reinforced and cast with high strength concrete to take the bending moment. Just bolt them on and treat them exactly like a pole.