# Cracks in newly-poured footings



## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

This is why I don't do Mono pours.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Ugh. That is a poor pour...pardon the pun.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

That looks pretty grim. Has the building inspector seen it? I honestly don't know if that is a Code show-stopper or, if required, if there is a non-destructive fix. Good luck.


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## Msradell (Sep 1, 2011)

Get-togethers is that it's downright ugly and very poor workmanship at the least. My biggest concern would be that if there is rebar in the footing it's quite probable it's going to get wet and rust overtime. As it rusts it expands and the forces can further correct the footing. The contractor needs to present you with a repair plan that is approved by a structural engineer. Of course that may be a mute point depending on what the building inspector says.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

The mono-pour has nothing to do with the cracks. Cracks in a pour are usually the result of bad/inconsistent concrete mix, inadequate vibrating to remove air pockets or removal of the forms to soon.

I lived in a region where there is no city water or wells. Rain water is collected off the roof and directed into cisterns constructed under the home via downspouts. These cisterns are constructed of cast concrete with a water capacity of 20,000 - 35,000 gallons on average.

The key to a leak-proof cistern is a consistent mono-pour of the proper consistency. As the pour is going on, workers are constantly hammering at the forms to settle the mix and remove air pockets. After the pour is completed, the forms are left in place for a minimum of 3 weeks.

What you have there is really shoddy work. As others have pointed out, you need to get the inspector out to check it and the contractor to fix it.


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## Msradell (Sep 1, 2011)

Drachenfire said:


> After the pour is completed, the forms are left in place for a minimum of 3 weeks.


Pulling the forms early or late has absently no effect on problems like this. Most concrete contractors recommend pulling the forms within 24 hours after the pour. One big advantage of doing this is that you can fill in any cavities and knockoff any high points on the surface before the concrete becomes too hard to work with.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

It is certainly a very ugly job and fortunately it will not be seen.

For the application described, the project would be adequate structurally. Despite the local honey coming the footing and stem wall will act together and be rigid enough carry the light loads from above. Water can flow trough the cracks, but it can just as easily flow under the footing.

When it comes to loads, concrete bonds well and all loads are distributed very well over wide areas. For some applications, it is "idiot-proof".

The only problem would be the appearance of the stem wall portion above grade. - Perhaps, you can get the contractor to rub the exposed portions with a wash of cement and some fine sand to fill the exposed voids and even out the colors and textures. - It is done on the typical bridge abutments on freeway bridges everywhere.

Dick


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## acordeon2 (Aug 5, 2017)

Thanks everyone for your thoughts on this.
@concretemasonry, you seem to be the only voice of optimism here. But that's valuable, because I expect our contractor will also profess to be more optimistic than most of the folks here. 

But what about others' concerns about moisture/rust with the rebar? That's something that some friends we talked to brought up as well. You don't think that's anything to worry about?


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

Msradell said:


> Pulling the forms early or late has absently no effect on problems like this. Most concrete contractors recommend pulling the forms within 24 hours after the pour. One big advantage of doing this is that you can fill in any cavities and knockoff any high points on the surface before the concrete becomes too hard to work with.




I beg to differ. I have been around and done my share of concrete work and have seen the detrimental effects of pulling forms to soon.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

acordeon2 said:


> But what about others' concerns about moisture/rust with the rebar? That's something that some friends we talked to brought up as well. You don't think that's anything to worry about?


You can only expect that condition to worsen over time because there is absolutely zero chance it will ever get better.

If it were me I would tell the idiot contractor to jack hammer it all out so I can get a real concrete contractor to re-do or see me in court.

He has been getting by with this type of work far too long and needs to apply for work at home depot, lowe's or wall-mart where he would fit in very well from day 1.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

They do it cheaper if they can do mono pour and that is what they look like. Have the city look at it. most likely there is not a problem.


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