[AT] OT - Wooden foundation vs Concrete?

[charlie hill]

What is the advantage of that wooden foundation system?  Is it supposed to 
be cheaper or somehow better than masonry?   Being down here where it is hot 
and humid with a high water table and termites that can nearly eat steel I 
can't even imagine using wood anywhere in contact with the ground.   We do 
use treated wood pilings for foundations of houses in flood prone areas but 
in those cases the pilings are treated until the treatment soaks all the way 
through the wood and the only thing in contact with the ground is the piling 
it's self with usually 6 feet or more of air space below the living area.

Interestingly enough,   a few years back when they were about to relocate 
the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse to prevent the sea from taking it they did an 
engineering study to find out kind of foundation it had.
Turns out there were several layers of heavy wood timbers laid down in mats 
with the layers alternating in direction like cribbing.  Then there was a 
concrete foundation on top of that.   I forget what kind of wood the timbers 
were but they were apparently still solid after 100 years or so.  Of course 
they were in wet salty sand.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Ralph Goff
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2011 4:03 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] OT - Wooden foundation vs Concrete?

On 4/7/2011 8:43 AM, jahaze at aol.com wrote:
> Can't really help other than to say that they use those types of 
> foundations quite often here in Michigan.  I've never priced one out or 
> understand the real pros/cons of them.  I have never heard anyone complain 
> about one either.  I would think if they were a real problem, they would 
> have gotten some bad press over the years.  A little on-line research 
> might help your decsion.
>
> Enjoy, Joe
My brother's house is on a wooden full size basement and was built about
1991 with no problems so far. All treated wood, drainage tile around the
edges and of course a cement floor. Built into the side of a hill with
one side fully exposed.

Ralph in Sask.

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