column forms

Common Options

A column form simply can be a hole in the ground. Use a clamshell-type posthole digger or rent a power auger if you have a lot of holes to dig. To save on concrete, try to be precise with your digging. Make the bottom of the hole a bit larger in diameter than the top to "key" it into the ground. Shovel in a few inches of gravel before pouring the concrete.

Concrete tube forms save on concrete because they are precisely dimensioned. If you want to continue the column footing above grade, brace the form as shown above. Otherwise, shovel in a couple of inches of gravel and set the form in the hole.

concrete pad

To make a pad to support heavy items, such as air-conditioners, transformers, and hot tub spas, dig out all organic material and build a form of 2x4s. Dig postholes that extend below the frost line to keep the pad from rising and falling with temperature changes.

Before finishing the pad, check manufacturer's recommendations regarding the slope required for a particular appliance.