MoreCowbell

I'm not sure this is the correct forum for this question, but here it is. I need to bolt the baseplates of several new steel columns to their footings. Because of clearance issues, I cannot sink J-bolts into the concrete before it cures and still have room to get the column installed, so my plan is to drill out holes in the concrete afterwards and epoxy studs into them.

Hilti has several anchoring epoxy products and I was initially planning on using HIT-RE-500-SD. However, I just saw that Quikrete has a "high strength" anchoring epoxy product as well. Does anyone have experience with either one and could give me an opinion on which is a better fit for my situation? Thanks.

oldognewtrick

Could you get the columns without the plates attached, set them in place and get someone to weld them after they are in place?

MoreCowbell

Thanks for the reply. I'm real tempted to do that. As a matter of fact, I've held off from welding the base plates onto the pipes just in case I decided to do what you are suggesting. I could sink J-bolts into the concrete when pouring the footings which would definitely make things simpler.

My problem is that my welder uses 240v and I do not have that type of outlet in my basement. I suppose it may be worth it to pick up a used 120v welder rather than go crazy with the drilling and epoxy.

nealtw

This sounds like a big deal. We work with engineers on every job we work on amd I can't remmember ever have one call for steal posts. A 6x6 in a saddle is alot easier to dress out. In one house we had a 14ft post bend a little, he had us jack it up and add a 2x8 to each side.

BridgeMan

Drilling and anchoring with epoxy is actually quite simple, and shouldn't make anyone "go crazy." And Hilti and Quikrete both make very appropriate products for doing so (at a price, of course).

But there is a considerably less expensive and just as effective method. If it were mine, I'd drill the holes just 1/8" larger in diameter than the threaded steel anchors, blow or vacuum the drilling dust out of the holes, then fill each hole half-full with a neat Portland cement slurry (consistency of very thick cream) before placing each anchor in place and tapping it down with a hammer. Done, after waiting at least 4 days for the slurry to cure out before snugging up the nuts. And at a total cost of far less than $10.

Back in my DOT days, we specified the former as an anchoring method for things like bridge bearing anchor bolts and parapet railing attachments. The pull-out resistance of (properly-installed) Portland cement slurry was always greater than the ultimate tensile strength of ASTM A-325 steel rods.

nealtw

One more thought for your bolts. You can buy joiner nuts for ready rod. With those you could screw ancher bolt in one side and reg bolt in the other and set them flush in the wet concrete. You will be able to remove the top bolts and install your post.

MoreCowbell

Nealtw, The joiner nut idea is real interesting. If I tie them into the rebar grid, I wonder if I could use the tops of the nuts as a screed guide when doing the concrete. The fact that they are threaded should make fine adjustments easy before pouring the concrete. That may be be the ticket.

BridgeMan, thanks for the cement slurry idea. If I end up sinking studs into drilled holes, I'll definitely use that idea.

Thanks for the suggestions.

nealtw

You will never tie them stiff enough to use them as level surface.

MoreCowbell

That would definitely not be a good thing to discover after the concrete is poured. What if I just bolt up four L-bolts to my baseplate and sink the whole thing down into the wet concrete? I could sink it so the plate was sitting on the surface and it seems that leveling the plate would be pretty easy. Also, I would not have to worry about the bolts not matching the holes in the plate.

Sorry for talking this thing to death. One thing for sure is that I will be going with something shortly. I need to have my first inspection (footing form) done within 6 months of the permit being issued. That will be May 10th. Technically I suppose I could still be kicking this around after that but my wife is spooked by the thought of temporary supports holding up a section of the house, so she'll nag me until I get the new column in.

Thanks.

nealtw

That plan will work fine. Your wife is right, temp support, is for a day or two maybe a week.