CEB Column Pads

The Workshop is designed to be supported by columns built of CEB (Compressed Earth Block)which are constructed on a reinforced concrete pad. Instructions for preparing the site with adequate footings are on the Site Preparation Instructions page.

Concrete forms and rebar reinforcing assemblies can be built well ahead of need whenever volunteers are available.
 * You could set up an assembly line effect to do them all at once with several people working together.
 * An individual might do one unit at a time.
 * An individual might do all the wood cutting at one time, another do all the rebar cutting at another time, another do all the rebar bending at another time.
 * A couple of people might work together to get some wooden forms assembled once the pieces are cut, another time, a couple of people might work together to get some rebar assemblies welded.

The following step-by-step instructions are provided for building the forms and the reinforcing rebar assemblies.

[Assembly sheet for column pad forms]

[Rebar plan for column footings]

Shonda: what radius should the rebar corners be bent to? (answer, also Shonda: I used 2 inchaes of matirial between vice and bending pipe, which gave me the same side length after bending as before (if I wanted a side 19" long then I marked at 19" positioned the bend pipe at 19" and clamped at 17", then end result was a 19" side with a 1 1/2 to 2" radius.))

Once the forms and rebar assemblies are built and the foundation stone is in place, the string site plan lay-out must be modified to show exact form locations. Note that the strings were previously marking 4'x4' pad foundation holes. They are now marking 3'x3' form locations.
 * If you set your hole locating strings far enough out that the excavation didn't disturb them, this will be simple. It will be even easier if you rolled up your strings and saved them.
 * Move each Column-pad-foundation-locating stake 6" towards the center of the pad site so the distance between them is 3'.
 * The distance between each pad should measure 13'.



Now the forms can be placed and prepared for pouring the concrete.

Prepare to Pour Concrete