Question on digging footings

[farmer1157]

When you dig for house slab, do you dig outside first then center or what's the precedure. Also when digging cross footings in the middle, what do you do with sand you take out the trench, because the pad is already level, and i can't reach the outside to put the sand. Also i see some that have inside trench marked with string, how do you get around with all the string going across. Some say make sure pad is packed so can dig cleaner trench ,and not to turn machine for messing up level, so how do you get around inside form, and how to cross trenches already dug.

[Dirt Digger2]

thats a lot of questions..haha

we dont dig a lot of slabs, its mostly full foundations up here but heres what i can tell you. Pick a corner to start in, then work across and out. What type of machine are you using? If you can't reach out to the outsides you are going to have to pile them next to the footer then carry the dirt out with your loader. If you are doing that then you are going to need to take your string lines out. Get a laser or rent one and use it, you will wonder how you ever got by without one. Footers are pretty easy, they usually all the same depth and you can be a little deeper, its not really a precise science...as far as crossing a ditch...you should learn how to do that before you dig a footer, its one of those things every good operator just knows, granted a backhoe wont cross a 5 foot ditch, but a 2 or 3 foot ditch is no problem.

[oakhillslandscaping]

dig your hole leave a ramp drive in the hole dig your trenches and grade on your way out the hole remove your ramp level the rest

[ksss]

When you dig for house slab, do you dig outside first then center or what's the precedure. Also when digging cross footings in the middle, what do you do with sand you take out the trench, because the pad is already level, and i can't reach the outside to put the sand. Also i see some that have inside trench marked with string, how do you get around with all the string going across. Some say make sure pad is packed so can dig cleaner trench ,and not to turn machine for messing up level, so how do you get around inside form, and how to cross trenches already dug.


We do full basements as well but have made other digs similiar to this for shops and some commercial buildings. I use wooden stakes and pound them into the corners of the building and also where the interior footings met the main walls. I paint the lines and the stakes. As suggested I start at the upper corner and work you way down. If you cant reach outside the building you have to pile inside and move it later as you proceed down the building. One helpful hint on the interior footings, as you approach the outer wall line use the curl of the bucket more than the arm of the hoe. By doing this you are less likely to collapes the outer footing wall, saves some additional work. The wooden stakes help you maintain your corners on the building when you have to pile dirt inside the footing walls. You should not have to cross any footings you have already done with this method.

[farmer1157]

when your talking about a good operator knows how to cross a trench, are you refering to using your bucket to push and raise one end of the machine then swing that end over the trench, set down pick up other end and swing over trench

[cat2]

HI welcome to the site.:cool2:

[Dirt Digger2]

well if you are using a backhoe then all you need to do is tilt the loader bucket back a little and put it on the other side of the ditch, lift your front tires up a little then use your hoe to push the front tires over the ditch, raise the front bucket so your front wheels are on the ground then push the rest of the machine over with the hoe.


you can side load a backhoe onto a low-boy trailer that way too:drinkup:

[farmer1157]

I will be using a 430 bobcat mini x

[Dirt Digger2]

then you use the same process, only its easier because you can cross a ditch as wide as your tracks